Date of issue : April 1998 Size : 47 x 27 mm. Paper : Thermal self adhesive - multicoloured  Imprint : Thermal on black Design : FNMT Printer : FNMT. Fábrica Nacional de Moneda y Timbre Printing : 200.000.000
Click on the image to enlarge it

Correos - Spanish Posts issued in 1998 this ATM displaying the Jabeque Tajo.
This ATM issue coincides with the third and last set of stamps dedicated to the Ancient - vintage ships.

This boat appears in the manuscript "Fiestas Reales en el Reinado de Fernando VI", coming from the library of the Palacio Real de Madrid. This manuscript is a work by Carlos Broschir, known as Farinelli. From Italian origin, Farinelli was the truly notable singer around Europe. In 1746 in the reign of Fernando VI he settled in Spain and was designated director of the Royal entertainment by the King. He designed the performances for the Real Coliseo del Buen Retiro de Madrid and the Real Sitio de Aranjuez, scrupulously described in this work.

The manuscript has two parts ; in the first one the theatre plays are told and in the second the author describes the fun and games in Aranjuez, including a wide explanation about the squadrons employed and the King's retinue used to sail the Tajo river. The boat displayed in the ATM paper was one of them used by the King.

The Jabeque Tajo, very long, had few gunwale and three masts with latin sails. It was a very colourful boat, painted in green colour and decorated with golden shells and snails. It was moved using twelve rows and had a crew of sixteen men and a sub lieutenant who was the navigator and the helmsman. This boat was used only by the butlers, clerks and doctors of the King.
 
 

Edifil 3541 / Yvert 3116 / Michel 3382	The Spanish Philatelic Service issued in 1996 and 1997 two sets of stamps dedicated to Ancient Ships. The third and last set, issued on April 30th 1998, includes a stamp showing the same ship and it's considered the origin of the present ATM issue.