PHILATELY.

Otago Witness, Issue 2051, 15 June 1893, Page 34

PHILATELY.

Bx Old Stamp.

ANSWER TO CORRESPONDENT. M.E.H., Waimate.— Many thanks.

The New Zealand stamps now bear advertisements on their backs. This is a new feature to see our Queen wandering over the face of the world, like a sandwich man, with advertisements on her back. It may, and doubtless does, bring in a small revenue ; but what advantage is it to the users of many stamps to have to lick horrid printers' ink off, possibly many hundreds of them. I can't see any benefit to be derived from it. Doubtless, in these days of advertising, advertisers can.

A well-knowu French collector, M. Berchut, of Havre, recently disposed of hi? collection of 6tamps for over £2000 to another French collector. This is said to be tho largest collection that has changed hands intact in France since Messrs Caillebottes sold their magnificent lot several years ago for £7000. Jacobite Postage Stamps. — The latest craze of the Jacobite League is the manufacture of postage labels bearing the image of the mate Queen of England, and the legend, "Maria IV, D. G., Mag. Brit. Fra eb Hib., Regina, F. D." These stamps will not do for franking letters, so the league suggest that they should be put at the top right-hand corner of the envelope in the usual way, with the ordinary stamp of Queen Victoria underneath it, head downwards.

Venezuela is to have a new lc stamp, similar to the new Columbian United States stamp. It will bear a representation of the landing made by the subordinates of Columbus on the coast of Venezuela in the year 14-98. Vindin says a great deal of money is being laid out on the new United States Btamps. He knows of at least 15 Sydney collectors who either possess or have paid for 15 complete sets, and as each set costs about £3 12s, face value, it can be guessed tbat the orders from every part of the world will run into a big amount of money for the benefit of the United States Post Office department.

The first order the American Government received for a set of the new Columbian stamps was from the Queen of Holland for her collection.

Philately is fully represented at the Chicago Exhibition, the American Philatelic Association having secured a gallery to itself 65ft long by 25 ft wide. The exhibit of the members of the association is expecbed to be very grand. Every precaution will be taken to ensure the safety of the stamp 3, and £600 is being expended on the cases for their proper display. In addition to the association's exhibit many American and European dealers are also showing in other parts of the building. A youthful Illinois collector having heard that the Czir of Russia was interested in stamp collecting, conceived the idea of sending him a complete sst of the Columbian stamps. After conferring with his father on the subject, gaining his consent and the required amount of cash, he wrote to the Czar a letter commenting on the beautiful new issue, and endosed the stamps with the compliments of a 12-year-old American. In due time he received an official acceptance of them through the Russiin legation at Washington, tendering the thanks of the Czar and speaking in high terms of the stamps. About 10 days later he received direct from St. Petersburg a registered package, which, on being opened, was found to contain nob only a complete set of all Russian sbaraps unused, but also a complete set of Finlaud stamps in an unused -condition. A happier collector than our little Illinois friend would be hard to find.— Mckeel's Weekly Stamp News. There are in various parts of the colonies gentlemen who have made the study of the stamps of the various colonies a specialty. These have contributed to various philatelic journals, and more especially to Vindin's Monthly, most interesting details of the issues of stamps of the colonies referred to from the very first issue down to the present time. These articles go into the most minute details of every variety, and arc most valuable to the advanced collector. In fact many a collector imagines, iv his ignorance, that he has every Btainp of a given colony, whereas, after he has read one of theee articles, ho finds he has but a small proportion. Tho amount of tims and trouble given to the compilation of these articles must have been very large. Take Victoria, for instance, whoBQ varieties have been very numerous. Mr M. P. Castle is a great authority on this particular colouy. Ho telis us the day tho first stamp was issued, when any change was made, either in design, colour, or what not. Then he has been to the head of tho Stamp department and found out how many stamps of

any particular period were printed, who they were designed and printed by, and how much they cost per million. The designs of the various stamps are also given, with, illustrations for the benefit of those who may not recognise them otherwise. Mr Castle is also an authority on South Australian, besides others. Mr A. F. Basset Hull is another recognised authority. His specialty is Tasmanian— very naturally, too, for he is a resident of Hobart. Though I name these gentlemen particularly, I do nob mean to say there are not others who possess an almost equal knowledge. But to those named musb be given the credit for having fossicked out the information given in their articles. The others who are equally well informed have acquired a large proportion of their information from these articles. It is not given to everybody both the ambition to seek out the information and to bo able to impart that information to others. This these gentlemen have done, and the thanks of philatelists is due to them for it. Collectors who make a specialty of the Australian colonies would do well to obtain regularly Vindin's Monthly, published in Sydney. It is the only publication devoted exclusively to the subject in the colonies, and is besides one of the best in the world.