PHILATELY.

Otago Witness, Issue 2691, 11 October 1905, Page 59

PHILATELY.

Bt Peltoe,

Two recent Japanese btamps, while not held in as hi(?h estimation by collectors as some others, "from the fact that they are memorials, and nob expressly designed for iwstal use, pevertheless appeal to many because of their wonderfully condensed symbolism. One was issued in 1694 in honour of the tweuty-fiftb. anniversary of the tnajvuige -of the Mikado aid Empress -of Japan. It ecntains tie inevitable chrysanthemum, the national flower, and in scrolls aj the sides , portrays the crane, which is expressive of a wish of long life to the well-xnated coupie. Small "conventional forget-me-nots in tl c upper /'-cornirs symbolise the love of the , jpeople ior their rulers. Another, a pretty red sfeimp, contains a whoio chapter on j Japanese marriage, customs, having been i i&sued in 1900 in honour of the marriage of the lieir apparent to the throne. Wituin i an oval fra.me is pictured a large table — , the altar -of the Japanese marriage rites. It is acress this table that the "happy Jappy" bride and groom pass each other nine cup 3of "sake," the national drink, which' vourists tell us tastes like a mixture of beer and claret. On the table are dishes of rioe caies, such as are partaken of by royal couples <m the first three even- , ings of their .named life. The table is decorated with branches of pine and bamboo, which, T>eing evergreen, symbolise nncltangeableness and longevity. A box of chopsticks is placed in the foreground, and - the prim little conventionalised chrysanthemum is at the- top ,of the oval. On the lower edge of the irame are two house ' Ewallowa, emblematic of domesticity. This ! stamp -<s iinique from the fact that it is I the only one printed since 1872 which does ' not contain the value, at least, J printed in J English. Mosf of them contain also the ■ words^ "Imperial Japanese Post," printed in "good English." readable to all homosick travellers in the beautiful far-away land «f cherry blossoms. j

1n ',1693 the "United States issued the I Columbian set of stamps. These beauti- | fill stamos w-e-nfc all ever , the world, - and a.-great advertisement for the United States, - as also were ifoa .issues oommeinorative of. the .Buffalo and. St. Louis Exhibitions. It >s really a gigantic scheme .of advertisement that reaches people and plaoes~<that oannot be reached -by any other means.- For this, purpose stamps should. be ha'ndso'ine and - striking- in design, and of / superior -execution. - in. the TJnited . Stales,- small stamps, are at present manu- ( factureH complete at a ccst of 2£d per

ICOO. Large stamps cost S^d per 1000—including ihe <sost -of vsry -extensive dies and plates,- and -double the -quantity of papor and labour for a suniiar innnber of small stamps., Sere, in Australia, the cost is from 7^d to Is per ICOO for small stamps.

The latest new stamp journal from America is- called the Philatelic Time and Tide. The name suggests An obviois admonition, •'Time and tide wait ior vo man."

It was in 1 he -good old summer time. The stamp dealer sat with his feet on the desk Wondering whether some collector who was willing to buy out of season would drift in and hand £m enough to pay the lnst month's rent. His summer clerk force, consisting of a chemical blonde of around 18, ■was sleeping peacefully with her head on the typewriter, and everything seemed to bave stopped except expenses. Presently there came an interruption. The doorway ■was Oiled with a vision of beauty that paralyssd the dealer and nearly caused him to'iall out of his chair. "When he recovered his power of speech he greeted the caller politely, and noted with greedy gazo th« fe»w -thousand dollars' worth .of diamonds .she tad strung around over lier uerk, arms, end *ngers. Without 'giving her time to .state har wishes, he frantically drew out «toct ,liooks, 'approval - cards, packets, and sundries, and .piled the showcase ftnee ' deep in ■ afeout - three minutes. The . lady looked' -on :n -astonishment and opened her .mouth two <>t three times as if about to speak, but -she liad no chance. Finally; the. dealer had .about everything in th© plaoe on the counter, and stopped: to recover his breath before beginning to sell her the big bill that he felt sure was in sight. "Now, madam," he -began, but the lady interrupted loim, and «pd, smiling 6w«3tly, "If you are through with your work, -would you mind selling me a 2-oent stamp? I went to. send this letter to my husband, and it's such a long way to the post office." Mechanically -the dealer handed out the 6ticker. Then, as the lady hurfiied out, he staggered back to his clair o.nd tried to recover from the blow. The clerk still dozed peacefully at the switch. — Mekesl's Weekly.

The cheapest postage " in the world is tbat in force in the Straits Settlements. Post-cards are carried to all parts of ihc colony and throughout ihe different native States r or one-fifth of a penny ; the interState letter rate is a fraction of a halfpenny, and letters can he :ent to any pprfc of the British Empire for four-fifths of a fenny for each ioz.

At -a recent mterviaw between tlo Federal Australian Postmaster-gerei-al and several leading phikteli&ts £pecimens of ibe Xew Sealand \d universal stamp, of the uniform Sd st-tniD rssujcl In the. Common - ■wealth", and of a fiscal stamp used m Western Australia were submitted for inspectiou, as -types for the future Federal issue. « Tbes2- specimens speak for_ themselves. ' The 9d stamp js a crude and coarsely-engraved production. The ft>ew pkaland stamp designed ' by one of the frremosfc artists in England, and is now **ytecl from steel plates in New Zealand. Ifcseontion and design it leaves little to -"•cd. The Wcstralian is a very •-••vrl stamp by "Watorlow, L° n -

In October, 1902, at the request of the King, Mho, it w?s understood, was of opinion at ilie tin>-3 that the designs of the Transvaal stamps worts to be preferred tc that of tbc &d, Id. 2£d, and Od stamps of this country, an essay was prcpaiod. with a dew to a chango In thcs& va'uos. A small, temporary engraved plate v-as made and employed, in conjunction with the head die of the Transvaal stamp, ai d from this impressions were printed in various colours, the Id duty <Jone- being used to save lime. The idea of change was afterwards abandoned or postopned, chiefly, it is understood, en vhe i-core cf expense. The stamps shown include prcofo, in black, from the plate referred to, and also the various essays of colour.

Since 1851 the currency in Denmark 'ras been changed no less than three timos. '•Rigsbank skillings." abbreviated to "R. 8.5.," occurs in the first issue. Without going into unnecessary details, it •« ill suffice to add that one "R. 8.5." was equivalent to about ihr-ee-fifths of a penny in English money. The 4 R.B.S. of the issue of 1851 has, for its central design, a ero-.vn with sword and sceptre crossed underneath. "Kongeligfc" on tho left means "Royal, aud 'Trimaerke'' on ihe right means 'Froe stamp.'' Posthorns occupy the squares m j the four eornars.

Contrary to the general supposition, dealers cannot very well be "bloatcife. Their business is to buy and sell, not to hold for a prospective rise, and it is astonishing how few really fine old stamps are to bo found In dealers' stocks ; they are invariably picked up speedily, a fact which of irself speaks well for the future of present day investors.