FOR STAMP COLLECTORS

Evening Star, Issue 22275, 28 February 1936, Page 2

FOR STAMP COLLECTORS

[By Philatelist.]

In view of tlio wonderful reception accorded the Silver Jubilee stamps by collectors, and the continued strong demand for them, the following description of the designs of the stamps as printed for the Crown colonies will surely ho of interest, it was written by Mr Frederick Wall for Gibbons’s 1 Stamp Monthly ’ about tho middle of last year:—lt would seem impossible to concentrate the whole glory of a mighty empire and the brilliant pageantry of an ages-old kingship within the borders of a postage stamp design, but it is typical of the art of tho modern stamp designer that it can be done, and it has been done for the colonial Silver Jubilee design. Let us first quote tho superficially prosaic description given in the ‘ Crown Agents’ Bulletin:—“The design of the casement consists of a profile portrait of His Majesty wearing the Imperial crown. The portrait is framed by the collar of the Order of the Garter, superimposed on the Royal sceptre, the Dove sceptre, and the State sword. _ Above the portrait is a ribbon bearing the dates 1910-1935. In the top left-hand corner is the orb. The left lower corner has a duty tablet with the words

'Postage and Revenue ’ in tho base. The name of the colony is set across the sky of the vignette. The design of the vignette consists of a. view- of Windsor Castle from the opposite side of the river.” And now we have only to analyse it to find that every item is there for a specific reason, infinite care has been taken, and nothing appears which is inconsequent. To us who are students of designs and therefore, ipso facto, may I say, lovers of the historical, every part of the miniature print is something for close study, and as the pleasant task is performed we thrill with pride in our British monarchy, its magnificent present, and glorious past. Yes, thrill —that is the exact word for it. Most prominent of tho symbols of our King’s sovereignty is the Imperial State Crown. This dates—as does most of the regalia—from the Restoration, but it includes two of the oldest and most precious gems, the Edward the Confessor sapphire, and the Black Prince’s ruby. Tho latter—a huge uncut stone the size of a hen’s egg—has been worn by every monarch since the time of its first owner, Henry V., even bearing it in his crown at Agincourt. The crown also displays the second largest part of the Cullinan diamond. The two sceptres are used during the Coronation ceremony, the Royal spectre being placed in the King’s right hand, and the Dove sceptre, or Virge, in his left. In the head of the Royal sceptre is the Star of Africa, part of the Cullinan diamond, and oven as such still the largest existing diamond. It is not out of place here to mention that the Cullinan diamond, weighing 3,030 carats and valued at fifteen million pounds sterling, was discovered near Pretoria in 1905, and, two years later, was presented to King Edward VII. in commemoration of tho granting of self-government to the province of the Transvaal. The sword—the Jewelled Sword of State—is one of His Majesty’s five emblematic weapons. It is only used at coronations during the anointment ceremony, when the King places it upon the altar to signify that his military power is at the service of the church. It is then redeemed for one hundred shillings by the peer who has been deputed to carry it. The golden orb, with its cross pattee of precious jewels, symbolic of Christianity dominating the globe, is the true emblem of kingship, and can only be carried by a monarch. The Collar of tho Order of the Gaiter reminds us that this order of knighthood is the oldest and most exclusive in the world. The legend of Edward 111. and the duchess’s garter is almost certainly a fable, but the order was definitely founded by this monarch, probably about 1348. It comprises 26 members—the King and 25 knights-companions—and for this reason the collar has 26 medals of gold, united by a chain of lovers’ knots and with a hanging badge of the figure of St. George. Koto that the stamp design only shows nine medals. This brings us to Windsor Castle, since the chapel of the Order of the Garter is there, and the famous Round Tower was built in its present form by Edward 111. to accommodate the kuightscompaiiions. This was probably done because of the old story that King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table used to meet at Windsor, and it seems that Edward intended his newlyfounded order to be similar in character to the legendary one. But, of course, Windsor Castle figures on the Silver Jubilee design for greater reasons than this. His Majesty is of the House of Windsor, and the Castle itself has been the chief residence of all our kings since the Conquest, it is so much an integral part of the British Monarchy that no better symbol could have been chosen for a stamp design which will be used all over the world—from Newfoundland to the Falklands, from Gibraltar to the Gilbert and Ellice Islands. QUEEN 'aSTRIP MOURNING STAMP. The poignant feelings of the Belgian people at the tragic death of their beautiful young Queen Astrid, who, our readers will remember, was killed in a motoring accident in August last, are most strikingly symbolised in the beautiful special mourning stamp. The stamp is printed in black by tho photogravure process, and is taken direct from a recent portrait of the Queen. It bears a'premium of 5c on its face value, 70c, this being devoted to anti-tuberculosis campaign funds. BOULDER DAM COMMEMORATIVE. Among the many subjects that have been chosen for commemoration in the flow of special stamps from tho U.S.A. in recent years, few have possessed the interest attaching to the Boulder or Hoover Dam in the Black Canyon, on the Colorado River, shown on the G.S. 3c stamp issued in September last to celebrate the opening of the dam by President Roosevelt. The Boulder Dam must rank with the greatest of the world’s engineering feats, and the quickest appreciation of its importance can he gained from the following facts of its size:—At the base it is 650 ft in thickness and at the top 45ft. Its weight is estimated to be 6[ million tuns, and it will raise the level of the river backing up behind to a height of 590 ft. Tho impounded water will form a lake stretching back 113 miles from the dam, and having a depth of 120 ft outside the Black Can von.

FIVE BRITISH COLONIES. Gibraltar, which is only two square miles in area, is nevertheless an important colony, which has possession of the British since 1704. Its main purpose is as a naval base of strategic value, due to its command of the entrance to the Mediterranean Sea. Its rocky inaccessibility can readily bo soon in an examination of the issue of 1931, which bears a portrait of the present King George as well as the rocky promontory. Grenada, in the West Indies, was discovered by Columbus in 1498 and named La Concepcion after the boat, a picture of which appears on the commemorative issue of 1898, and also on the seal of the colony. Jamaica, another West Indian colony, was also visited by Columbus, whose landing is portrayed on the stamps in much the same way as on several issues of the United States. Tropical fruits, sugar, and coffee are raised extensively, and there are large sponge and turtle fisheries. Mauritius, one of the earliest countries to issue postage stamps, is a British colony, and the first issue, which was printed in 1847, bears an error which ranks it high in philatelic oddities. Ilbodesia is the homo of the famous Victoria Falls, that enormous cataract far in the wild region of the Zambesi River. The falls are shown on the issue of 1905. commemorating the <nicn 11 1 r of a bridge across the river at the falls.