THE STAMP COLLECTOR.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1248, 30 January 1896, Page 23

THE STAMP COLLECTOR.

Edited by " Philatelist." ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. P. (Hautere Cross). —The information you ask for as to dates of New Zealand stamps Las already appeared ic the Mamp Collectors' Column : see New Zealand Stamps, by H. J. Knowles. The issue in question is generally known as the 1882 issue. THE TAPLING COLLECTION. In the selection of pottage stamps from the Tapling collection lately exhibited in the King's Library at the British Museum, London, is a set of the local stampsissued by the Birmingham Delivery Company in 1868 of the valae of Jd, _d, fd, and Id, and a .set of the stamps used by the National Telephone Co., in December, 1884, embossed with the portrait of the then chairman of the board of dhectors. These last were withdrawn from circulation at the end of 1891. , It is satisfactory to note that what may I now be termed the national collection of postage stamps is being constantly augmented by donations from the leading philatelists of the day. Thus fclerr Philip Von Ferrary, who owns the finest collection extant, has given a unique first pi oof in black, from the block, of the first issue of the English and l_d. The selection on view at the Museum is varied every six weeks or two months to avoid injury from exposure to the lipht, so that in course of time the most valuable part of the collection will have been exhibited to the public. ODDS AND ENDS. A movement has been on foot for some time in Switzerland with the view of creating a universal postage stamp for use in every country belonging to the " Universal Postal Union." If this should ever be given effect to (and it is by no means improbable), the whole of the current issues would becoms obsolete; the glorious position of the holders of collections then may be imagined, bu'; cannot be described. Well, as Uncle Remus has it, " It might be so ; but then, you see, it mightn't." Nothing has been heard lately of the proposed new issue of New Zealaucl postage stamps. Does anyone know if they are ordered, or whether, they, are being.en-!

graved in the < olony or not 1 It is getting on for six months since the exhibition of designs, and collectors would be glad of a hint on the subject. The following are the latest London auction sales:— Levant, 1864 — *\ kopecs, blue, used. £4 15s. Labium—6 cents in red. on 16 cents, blue, unused. £4 10s. Newfoundland. 1857 —Is orange, small margin, used. £lO. Nova Scotia, 1857--ls plum, used. £22. iSt. Vincent, 1871 —Is \ iolet rose, watermark, star, unused. £6 10s. St. Vincent, 1871 —4d dark blue, watermark star, unused. £7 10s. Virgin Island. 1867—6 d rose, perf. 15, unused. £6. Virgin Island, 1867 -Is crimson, narrow outer line, unused. £5. Mauritius, 1859—1 d red, Greek border, unused. £B. Turks Island, 1883—ki on 4d grey, unused pair. £3 12s. Dominica. 1886—16 lake, watermark Ca and Or, unused. £5 ss. St. Christopher, 18S2— 6d sepia, watermark Ca and Cr. unused pair. £5. Nevis, IS79—4d yellow (lithographed), unus d. £8 10s Nevis, 1867 Is yellow green, No. 9on plate, unused. £l6. Nevis, 1867 —Is yellow green, No. 12 on plate, unused, ill 10s.