Stamp Stories

Press, Volume LXXV, Issue 22851, 26 October 1939, Page 2 (Supplement)

Stamp Stories

(By R. J. G. Collins)

Saar: By the terms of the Treaty of Versailles the Saar district in the Rhine* 1 province of Germany was to be controlled by a Commission appointed by the League of Nations. After 15 . years' a plebiscite of the inhabitants was

to decide the ultimate control of the territory. In 1920, stamps of Germany and of Bavaria were at first overprinted with tha name “Sarre," but when a further lot of German stamps had to bo overprinted, the inscription was- altered to read “Saargebiet.” Tn 1921 lha first of a aeries of pictorial stamps appeared, and distinctive issues ■were on sale until 1935. when, as a result of the plebiscite, the district became ■ reunited with Germany. In the present conflict this district has. been the scene of operations between the French and German forces. , Sachsen: See Saxony. St. Christopher; This island is one of the Leeward group in the British West Indies- Distinctive stamps, with portrait of Queen Victoria, were issued in 1870, but were superseded on October 31, 1890, by the general issue for Leeward Islands. For subsequent issues after 1903 see “St, Kitts-Nevis.” t St. Helena: This island in the South Atlantic owes its fame to the fact that from 1815 to 1821

Napoleon Bonaparte was exiled there, In 1850 a stamp of the value of 6d" was issued, and this served the postal needs of the island until 1863, when further values were required. New plates Were not, however, made for the other values, the procedure being followed until 1800 of printing sheets In various colours from the Pd plate and then overprinting the

A PHILATELIC ENCYCLOPAEDIA—(Port 53)

new values. In 1900, the British Colonial key-type Resign, with portrait of Queen Victoria, was introduced, and later there were Similar key-type sets with the portraits of King Edward VII and qI King George V, with the addition of certain pictorial designs. In 1934 the centenary of British colonisation was commemorated by means pi a set with some values including the portraits of William IV. Queen Victoria, King Edward VII, and King George V, The present issue has the portrait of King George VI in aj|> oval on the right-hand side, with the badge of the colony occupying the rest of the middle portion. • The , issues from 1887 to 1897 are occasionally found with violet bars across the corners. This obliteration wfls applied to unused sets sold as souvenirs, and such stamps did not pasis through the post, and cannot, therefore, be considered as properly cancelled.

St. Kitts-Nevls; The two islands of St. Christopher and Nevis, together with the small island of Anquilla, form a Presidency of the British Colony of the Leeward Islands. Stamps were issued for Nevis in 1861. and for St. Chris-' topher in 1870, but both issues wore superseded by the general issue for the Leeward Islands in 1800, Since 1903, however, there have been distinctive issues for the Presidency, and these stamps have been inscribed "St. KittsNevls." One of the two designs adopted for the first issue showed Christopher Columbus discovering the group, This stamp is generally quoted a- an example of an outstanding mistake, as Columbus is depicted looking through a telescope. The first telescope was not constructed until 1608, and Columbus died in 1506.

»(., i.uuiti; A British possession in the West Indies, this island was so named because it was discovered’ by. Christopher Columbus on St. Lucia’s Day. Stamps were first issued in December, 1860, and until 1035 all the Issues with one exception had depicted the side-face portrait of the ruling sovereign. The exception consisted of • a 2d value in an attractive design issued

in 1902 to commemorate the foyr hundredth anniversary of the discovery of the Island. St. Marie de Madagascar: In 1894 a set of stamps in the French Colonial key-type was issued for this small island lying off the east coast of Madagascar, The island was made a dependency of Madagascar in 1808. and distinctive Stamps were withdrawn. (To be continued)