SAINTS AND STAMPS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19476, 11 May 1925, Page 13

SAINTS AND STAMPS.

AN ATTRACTIVE BRANCH OF PHILATELY.

With the appearance of another scries of Charity Pro Juventute stamps for Switzerland, we are reminded that subjects associated with religious and charitable purposes have been adopted for several designs on the postage stamps of countries, and these stamps have always been of considerable interest, writes B. S. It. Grant, F.R.P.5.1., in the Daily Mail. Portugal supplies us with an excellent illustration, for the 7(XHh anniversary of St. Anthony was made the occasion of a handsome series of etapips in 18% portraying respectively the vision of St. Anthony, his preaching to the fishes, and the ascent into Heaven. Three years later another stamp appeared showing the Archangel Gabriel, the patron saint of the Vasco da Gama expedition. St. Taul shipwrecked on the island in A.D. 58 and a war galley of the Knights of St. John on the 10s and 5d values of Malta are two other notable stamps of this class. The Papal States of Italy also issued their own stamps in 1853. The Indian Native State of Dnttia portrayed a crude figure of Ganesh, the elephant cod of Wisdom and Good Duck, while Jaipur’s connection with the sun god Surya is shown bv a picture of the Chariot of the Sun. India's 2J annas blue of 1911 had to be re-ongraved as ft result of an imperfect delineation of the elephant, which was mistaken for a domestic pig and gave religious offence to the Mahommedane. It also became necessary in 1002 to change the watermark of the Sudan stamps from a cruciform design to the familiar stars and crescents in order not to offend the religious scruples of the Mohammedans. Red Cross and charity stamps have appeared at frequent intervals. Belgian labels of 1910 show St. Martin giving half his cloak to the pool; Rumania, Franco, Belgium, Trinidad, ’Bahamas, Liberia, and several other countries issued Red Cross stamps during the war, the revenue being divided between the Post Office and chantable purposes. All these stamps are of considerable interest and form a smaH but attractive branch of philately.