STAMPS

Southland Times, Issue 22158, 28 October 1933, Page 7

STAMPS

THE COLLECTOR’S COLUMN. • (By Star N.Z.) Other musical instruments besides the post-horn have formed part of the design of postage stamps. In the case of the stamps issued by the Irish Free Satte on December 6, 1922, the harp appears on the 2£d, 4d and 9d stamps. Drums are depicted on the 1890 issue of Hayti stamps as part of the coat of arms, whilst upon the stamps, of the French Somali Coast issued in 1915 there is a picture of a native beating a drum. A drummer boy also appears upon the commemorative stamp (issued 1929) celebrating the 150th anniversary of the surrender of Fort Sackville to George Rogers Clark at Vincennes. In the Ukrainian issue of 1921 there is depicted upon the 50gr stamp, a Cossack musician playing the lute, whilst on the stamps of the 1921 issue of the Soviet Republic (Russia) are displayed a lyre and ’cello beside an open music score. In 1922 Austria issued a series of seven “Charity" stamps bearing the portraits of famous musical composers who either were bora in Austria or practised there for a considerable period. These were as follows:—On the 2Jkr. stamp, Haydn; skr., Mozart; 7)kr., Beethoven; 10kr„ Schubert; 25kr.. Bruckner; 50kr., Strauss; 100kr., Wolf. These stamps were sold to the public at ten times their face value, the period of issue being, of course, that of the currency inflation in Germany and Austria. It will thus be seen that the influence of music and of musicians has been recognized by the makers of stamps in many countries of the world. Although the Irish Free . State only received its Constitution in 1922 it has already issued several commemoratives. The first of these was issued on June 22, 1929, to celebrate the centenary of the Catholic - Emancipation Act. The central feature of these stamps is a portrait of Daniel O’Connell, the great Irish orator and patriot. O'Connell contested the election for County Clare in 1828, and was returned by a huge majority, but he could not take his seat in Parliament because he, being a staunch Catholic,

could not comply with the Test Act which compelled all officers under the Crown to receive the sacrament of Holy Communion according to the rites of the Anglican Church. O’Connell’s election almost caused a civil war between the Irish Protestants and Catholics. As a result the Test Act of 1673 and the Corporation Act of 1661 were repealed and in 1829 the Catholic Emancipation Act was passed allowing Catholics to enter the British Parliament. A fresh election was ordered and O'Connell was again elected by an overwhelming majority. The next Irish Commemorative to be issued was that of the Shannon Barrage (October 16, 1930), .celebrating the completion of the Shannon hydroelectric scheme. On June 10, 1931, another commemorative stamp was is-

sued, having as its central feature a labourer with a scythe. This was to celebrate the bi-ccntenary of the founding of the Royal Dublin Society The latest Irish commemorative was issued last year to celebrate the holding at Dublin of the International Eucharistic Congress. Four commemoratives in four successive years is not a bad record. Soon the whole of the world’s history will be recorded philatelically by means of commemoratives. The writer lias been constantly harping upon the necessity of watching the condition of the stamps in ° ne s collection. Many collectors, especially beginners, fail to realize the importance of keeping stamps entire, clean and in good condition. There is no doubt that condition counts for a very great deal and this will be brought

home very forcibly by the perusal of any dealer's list. For instance, in the latest bulletin to hand from a well-known British stamp dealer the 8d scarlet stamp of Newfoundland imperforate catalogued at from £5 to £l5, a superb used copy with large margins, is offered at £2, but for a used copy of the same issue in very fair condition the price is exactly half, viz., £l. Stamps with the bloom of perfect condition upon them will always sell well, because it is for them that advanced collectors are looking.