Stamp Collecting.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXXI, Issue XVII, 24 October 1903, Page 56

Stamp Collecting.

The new 2/6 stamp issued for Barbadoes is lilac and green. • • • Penny postage started in England on Friday. January 13, 1840. The sudden increase in the number of letters forwarded caused the Postmaster-General to instruct offices throughout the kingdom to close earlier in order to allow sufficient time to sort the letters. • • • All the old Portuguese stamps with embossed heads were printed one at a time, and it is therefore impossible that more than one variety should appear on the same sheet. It is a pity that the system is not still in force, and then so many fresh issues for Portuguese colonies would not appear, neither would there be such stocks of “remainders'’ to be disposed of. • • • Some of the better class of United States stamps realise high prices, as trill be een from the following auction sales: 1847, 5c., orange-brown, unused, £1 9/2; ditto, 10c., horizontal pair, red cancellation, £1 10/2; 1851, 5c., unused, £lO 14/6; ditto, 10c.. £2 11/; ditto, 10c., ditto, pair, £5 5/10; 1857-60, 5c., brick-red, light shade, unused, £ 16 17/6; ditto, 5c., brown, Type 1. £4 7/6; 1861-66; 3c., scarlet, cancelled with four pen-lines, £6 11/3; ditto. 5e., olive-yel-low. unused. £lO 10/6: ditto. 90c.. blue, £2 3/8; 1867, le.,grilled, 11 x 13, £1 8/; 24c., ditto, £2 10/; 30c.. ditto, £2 11/; 90e.. ditto. £6 9/2; and 1869, 90c., deep shade, £ 4 13, 9. • • • In the June number of the “London Philatelist” appears a quotation from another journal stating that at Niue Island there are not more than ten white residents, and that there is no use for the 3d., 6d., and 1/ values. Then follows the denunciation: “These various surcharges for practically uninhabited islets seem to us utterly indefensible and unworthy of the Government of a responsible colony. It is impossible to regard the recent issues of New Zealand with any other feeling but aversion ami contempt.” It is rather funny that notwithstanding this attack the first issue for Niue (Id. New Zealand surcharged with rubber stamp impression) is now quoted in London at. 25/. used or unused, while the “Theef” sliilling reaches pounds. I • • • The experiments made to reprint stamps so as to appear like the originals are varied. For instance, as far back at 1870 the newspaper tax stamps of Lombardo, Venetia, were reprinted. The type was the Arms of Austria, enclosed in a square frame, inscribed “Kais. Kon.” at left, “Zeitungs” at top, “Stampel” at right, and value in “Kreuzer” at foot: balls and lanceheads in the comers. Typograplied in colour on white paper. The original stamp was issued in 1858, and in 1870 a supply was struck off upon white paper, but as this paper did not possess a sufficient appearance of age, it was coloured with tobacco. The edition consisted of 10,000 copies of each

of the three values. The gum is white, instead of yellowish, and the paper is either too white or too brown. e e e The dignity of French officials seems to be carefully guarded. A writer in a London paper states that in Paris he had to wait 35 minutes before he could be served with stamps. He adds: “And it is just as well not to upbraid the sluggish French official. A Parisian dared to tell a post office official the other day that he “was slower than any snail”; for thus displaying his knowledge of comparative zoology the Frenchman had to pay 12/ and costs for having insulted a public official on duty.” It is nice to live in a free country. where one may growl at Government officials because they are public servants, but the biggest grumbler must admit that the ladies in attendance at the Auckland post office would get through a lot of stamps in half an hour. As a foreigner once remarked: “You English want, to go abroad to know the full value of the privileges you enjoy.” • • • '(< The following extract from E.W.S.N. is of interest as showing the minor varieties of Niue stamps and the prices at present asked for them in London: Niue, Ist issue, overprinted “Niue” in green—-Id., unused, fine, 25/; fair, 15/; used, 25/; 2nd and 3rd issues, overprinted “Niue” and value — Id. green, 2d.; do. wide space variety in pair, 7d.; Id. carmine, 2d.: wide space, in pair, 2/; Id. carmine, 5/; block, 20/; (a) wide space between C and E, in pair, Bd.; (b) no stop after “Beni” in pair, 1/2; (e) a and b on same stamp, in pair, 2/8; (d) broken E like F. in pair, 1/2; 24d., carmine overprint, 4d.; 2Jd., vermilion overprint, 3d.; (a) dotles variety, in block of four, rare, 15/9; 3d., nett. 4d.: do. no wmk., variety 3/6; 6d., nett. 7d.; do. no wmk., variety 5/; 1/, thief error, £5 (only 100 issued); block. £2O: za 1/, corrected surcharge, 1/2; no wmk., variety, 15/ (very rare).