Stamp Collecting.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXXIII, Issue VI, 6 August 1904, Page 57

Stamp Collecting.

'A smart definition of a true philatelist is:—“When a stamp collector forgets to count his stamps periodically, he has certainly become a thorough philatelist.” It is estimated that in Boston there are more really active philatelists than even in New York. A handbook on the stamps of Siam has been prepared by the New England Stamp Company. • • • The Spanish stamps punctured with holes have been used on telegrams, and also perforated with a letter “T.” The stamps with bars are remainders, which were thus cancelled in sheets. • Forged British and German Levant stamps are being offered for sale freely in England, also forgeries of the stamps of Thessaly, Turkey, Servia and Crete. Seventy-five per cent, discount is offered by the vendors to induce business in these frauds. • • • At a sale of stamps in Smith’s, Edinburgh, the following were some of the prices realised:—New Brunswick, fid yellow, £1 1/-, Virgin Islands, 1/ crimson white, mint, £1 1/; N.S.W., 1850, Sydney view, £1 6/; Great Britain —10/ grey-green, wmk. Anchor on ■white paper, £1 6/; £1 brown-lilac, ■wmk. Maltese Cross, postally used, £1 6/; £1 brown-lilac, wmk. Anchor on White naner £ 1 16/: £5 oransre. £ 1 8/.

The Deutscher Philatelisten Verband (German PhilafelistK’ Union), With its chief seat in Gossnitz, SA., was founded in 1889 by Herr GUsewald. It now numbers 932 members and 27 branch societies all over the world. The extensive stamp exchange of this society sold during 1903 in its four sections stamps and entires to the value of about £2618. • • • The King’s bead issue of stamps for the West African colony of Lagos comprises the following values and colours: —id dull green and green; Id dull purple and black on red; 2d dull purple and dark blue; 21d dull purple and ultramarine on blue; 3d dull purple and chestnut; fid dull purple and purple; 1/ dull green and black; 2/C dull green and carmine; 5/ dull green and blue; 10/ dull green and brown. • • • When France elected' a President, in 1848,Louis Bonaparte obtained 5,431,226 votes; in 1852 it was thought necessary to familiarise the people with the august portrait of their future Emperor. The President having been made Emperor by the votes of 7,439,216 enthusiastic supporters, and the profile being sufficiently imperial, the only changes made in the stamps were the alteration of the upper inscription and the suppression of the letter “B” under the portrait. After the glorious campaign in Italy in 1859 the laurels were therefore added in December, 1862. • • • A statement was published in an English stamp journal that a “number of the British Id stamp of 1900 were ac-

cidentally printed blue instead of green.”. While some of these stamps are undoubtedly blue, they were not originally printed, in that colour, the change being due to chemical action. The writer has a distinctly blue stamp that was on a letter in a mail that had been fumigated. The fact is that a large number of the British stamps are printed in fugitive colours, which fade more or less under the action of water. In the 2d, 4d, and 1/ of the present King’s Head issue the green colour application of a little water bccou,-.. a distinct blue, and after a timO tins is apparently dissolved out of the stamp, leaving a very pale greenish yellow stamp. ■ • • • A good deal of fuss was made in Finland when the stamps of Russia were made to replace those of the Grand Duchy. A funny story is told as the reason for the change being made. Probably it is not true, but it hns the merit of showing the necessity of uniformity in postal matters within the Empire. The anecdote is as follows: — “Quite recently, in the course of an excursion on the frontier of the Grand Duchy, the Czar stopped in the middle of the day to write a letter. Having finished his letter he requested one of his aides-de-camp to accompany him to the post office in the nearest village. This place happened to be in Finland itself. The Czar and Ids aide-de-camp arrived at the post office in the strictest incognito. The. sovereign took from his pocket-book a Russian stamp, affixed it to the envelope and handed the letter to the official. *1 beg your pardon,’ said the latter, ‘but you have used a Russian stamp; a stamp of Finland is required.’ ‘I have none,’ said

the Czar, 'but here is a rouble; give me a stamp of the country and return the change.’ T again beg pardon,’ said the official, 'hut you have given me a paper rouble. That is Russian currency; 1 can only take Finnish money here.’ The Czar turned impatiently to his companion, and remarked how ridiculous and troublesome these formalities were.”