Stamp Collecting.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXXVI, Issue 22, 2 June 1906, Page 52

Stamp Collecting.

The ‘‘CoaoelT* 5c stamp of New Brunswick, realised £9 15/ at auction in London. ♦ ♦ 4 The 2 franc brown on yellow, and the 10 franc red on green stamps of IndoChina have been overprinted for use in the French post ollices in China. 4 4 4 The 20c Dutch Indies stamp has appeared in olive green colour, and it is reported that the 2‘. guelden is slate colon r. J 4 4 4 The Id. stamp of Transvaal on the new multiple watermark paper is described as nearer true scarlet than crimson in colour. I* * * The 8 anna violet ami 12 anna purple on red stamps, King’s head type, have appeared for use in the Indian State Patiala. 4 4 + The 9d straw coloured stamp of Great Britain, with hair lines, date 1862. sold for £4 at auction in London, and the £1 brown lilac water-marks anchor, date 1882. unused fetched £25. which is good interest on 20/ even for a quarter of a cent ury. ; 444 Sir William Beilby Avery, Bart., possesses a valuable and varied collection of stamps. His British Colonials are arranged in 36 massive volumes, while a larger number are required to accommodate his general collection. He is ihon. president of the Birmingham Philatelic Society. I 4 4 4 A new set is announced for Hyderabad, in wluch. the main difference is the alteration of ‘’Post Stamp” to “Postage.” The native inscriptions are also altered. In general appearance the stamps are the same as the old designs, but slightly smaller and also square. p- 4 4 4 The late Rev. John Archibald DdnbarDunbar, of Sea Park. Forres, a great authority on natural history and postage stamps, left personal estate in the United Kingdom valued at £151,192. He bequeathed his collection of stamps to the Museum of Science and Art (now the Royal Scottish Museum), of Cham-ber-streel, Edinburgh. I 4 4 4 The ‘’Philatelic Record” states that “The new Swiss stamps of 2,3, and 5 centimes will bear the portrait of William Tell's son, drawn by the Swiss artist, M. Welti, of Munich; and the it), 12, and 15 centimes the head of Helvetia. drawn by Prof. L’E[)latenier, of Chau\ de-Funds.” 4 4 4 "With regard to the stamps overprinted for British post offices in the Levant, it is stated that the reason why the 2Ad. and sd. stamps exist both with surcharge “Levant” and with value in Turkish money is that the stamps overprinted with value in piastres are used exclusively for letters, whilst those over printed “Levant.” are intended for printed matter, post-cards, and parcels, the postage on these being charged in English money, whilst letters are charged for in piastres. ;4 4 4 Notwithstanding that the St. Louis Exhibition commemorative stamps did not take well, still another lot will be issued for the Jamestown Exposition next year to celebrate the tercentenary of the first settlement of white men on the American Continent. Perhaps a. hundred years hence a commemorative nt amp will bo issued in honour of the ’Frisco earthquake. 14 4 4 As far back as 1653 a certain "Mons, de \ elayer, who held the position of JJaitr? des Reqncics under Louis XI

established a private post for the city of Paris, worked under royal letters patent by his own servants. Though intended to operate only within the eity limits, the post also earned letters to Paris from members of the royal suite during the King's absences from town. The letters could be posted in boxes erected for the purpose at convenient points in the city. The adoption of street letter-boxes by the Knglish Post Office in 1855, was, therefore, after all only a revival of the idea carried out in France over two centuries before. 4 4 4 The Nelson centenary stamps issued in Barbados all have black centres with the exception of the farthing value, which is all grey. The other stamps are 4<l green, Id earmine, 2d orange yellow, 2Jd bright violet blue, (id light mauve, and 1/ lake. The stamp is just double the size of the ordinary issue. Tire design is the statue of the hero on its old dwarf pedestal and some palm trees and vegetation in the background. Under the statue is the legend “First monument erected to Nelson’s memory, 1813.” The dates 1805, 1905 are in the bottom corners. In the top border is “Barbados,” and the value in the bottom. The side borders bear the names, Nelson, Trafa Igar.