STAMPS OF DOMINIONS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18951, 27 August 1923, Page 12

STAMPS OF DOMINIONS.

DETERIORATION OF DESIGN. Discussing- the proposed issue of a. new Australian stamp, the secretary of tho Royal Philatelic Society, in an interview, said that no one cared whether Australia omitted tho King’s head from the stamp or not. It wag of much more importance that Australia, should produce a more stylish design. Those designs which she had hitherto used were unattractive, with few exceptions. Messrs Stanley Gibbons and Co., one of the largest stamp dealing firms in the world commenting on tho subject, took a different view. _ Ho said that all stamp dealers would like to see tho King's head retained. lt_ seemed to bo natural to expect the King’s head to bo shown on stamps of the dominions.

If the dominions wanted something typical, the firm suggested that they should adopt tho practice, prevailing in the West Indies, of combining tho King’s head with local views.

This firm also pointed out that all the dominions’ designs had deteriorated. Some of the earliest Australian issues were among the best examples, but latterly both the design and execution had ben bad. It was a common mistake to jumble up too much detail in a small space. Australia should set an example with clearer and more definite designs.