Historical vehicle: Z4 Automobile (Zbrojovka Brno)

On the 11th June,  2014 the Ministry of  Industry and Trade  of the Czech Republic is going to  issue a  commemorative  postage stamp in the denomination of 25 CZK from the issue Historical  Vehicles. The stamp depicts the automobile Z4 (Zbrojovka Brno).

The Z-4 automobile, from the manufacturer Zbrojovka Brno, was made in 1936. It had a two-stroke water-cooled four-cylinder engine with a volume of 980 ccm with an output of 25 hp and a maximum speed of 100 km/h and an average consumption of 8 liters per 100 km. The 810 kg convertible had a three-speed transmission and front-wheel drive. It had a ladder-type frame and all wheels were independently suspended by leaf springs and hydraulic lever shock absorbers. Drum brakes were located on all wheels. The two-door closed Zetka body was made of parts from sheet steel screws attached to a wooden frame. The floor of the car was also made of wooden planks. The spare wheel was located on a huge mount behind the car and into the trunk with access from inside the car after removing the rear seat backrest.

The Z-4 automobile was first introduced in April 1933 at the Prague Motor Show. The Zetka with its front-wheel drive soon became a popular model. It also had racing successes – in 1934 it was the winner of the Czechoslovak 1000 mile Prague-Brno- Bratislava Race with an average speed of 92 km/h. The  Zetka also celebrated social achievements. In Prague there was a Z-club for owners of Zetkas, one of its members was the famous comedian and actor Vlasta Burian.
The author of the design of the stamp is Václav Zapadlík, the engraving of the FDC is the work of the engraver Jaroslav Tvrdoň.

The stamp, sized 40 x 23 mm has been printed by the Post Printing House in Prague by multicoloured offset in printing sheets of 50 pcs (combination 25 pcs of stamps the automobile Z4 (Zbrojovka Brno) and 25 pcs of stamps the Passenger Paddle Steamboat the Franz Joseph I.)

There  will be issued  1 First Day Cover incl. commemorative cancellation. The picture part of the cover shows the automobile Z4 with the administrative building of the Zbrojovka Brno arms factory in the background.  The cover has been  printed by recess print from flat plates in black. On the handstamp is a detail of the wheel with the letter Z in the middle and the text: Brno, 11. 6. 2014.
The stamp is valid  from 11th  June, 2014.  
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On the 11th June, 2014 also 1 Carte maximum with a picture of the automobile Z4 (Zbrojovka Brno)  will be issued to complete this issue.
Date of issue: 11th June, 2014
Graphic arrangement: Václav Zapadlík
Engraving of the FDC: Jaroslav Tvrdoň
Picture size: 40 x 23 mm
Face value: 25 CZK
Method of the printing of the stamp: multicoloured offset
Method of the printing of the FDC: recess print from flat plates
Number of stamp in the printing sheet: 50 pcs (combination 25 pcs of stamps the automobile Z4 (Zbrojovka Brno) and 25 pcs of stamps the Passenger Paddle Steamboat the Franz Joseph I.).
Number of the FDCs: 1 pc
Subject of the  stamp: the automobile Z4 (Zbrojovka Brno)
Subject of the FDC: the automobile Z4 with the administrative building of the Zbrojovka Brno arms factory in the background
Editor: Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Czech Republic
Producer: Post Printing House, Ortenovo nám. 16, 
CZ-170 04 Praha 7
Supplier: PostFila, Export Department, 
Ortenovo nám. 16, CZ-170 24 Praha 7