St. Paul daily globe., 1888-05-13
OLD POSTAGE STAMPS.
The Mania for Their Collection The
Flour City Agency.
A PECULIAR OCCUPATION.
Some of the Minneapolis Enthusiasts
and Their Collections The Value
of Different Varieties.

The collection of postage stamps
seems to have become mania. Years
ago school children used to collect
stamps as sort of geographical object
lesson; now it is business, with sup
ply depots, agencies and agents, bu-
reaus of correspondence and other
means of traffic and exchange. Scott &
Co., of New York, have capital of over
100000 invested in stamps, and occupy
five-story building with the various
departments of their peculiar business.
There are about 500 agencies scattered
about the country, and there is an
American Phiiatelic association, of
which j. K. Tiffany, of st. Louis, is
president, who is credited with
having the finest collection of
the city. E. P. Sterling, of
Trenton, N. j., recently sold collec-
tlon OF revenue stamps only for $1,000.
Three years ago the son of the Duchess
de Galliera possessed the largest collec-
ton OF postage stamps. AT that time he
had paid no less than e70.000 for this gi-
gantic collection, and the special Ii
brary thus obtained counted nearly 800
volumes. NJ. de Rothchild's collection
Is valued at 10000, and it is only to
7PNNlol iAlCiiuS Illdt Juc
ing the rareSt specimens are ever shown.
At the Paris miut a remarkable collec-
ton of French and foreign postage
stamps is kept, and the collection of the
admiralty is famous throughout the
world. AS rule rare postage stamps
vary in price according to their appear
ance; If they are well preserved they
are lar more expensive than those on
Which the design and color are obliter-
ated. There are about 10000 varieties
of stamps, and the value, of course. is
graded from the 1-cent stamp of
the current issue to the stamp
OF New Caledonia, of which
only photograph is obtainable.
Counterfeiting of stamps has become SO
common and remunerative that even
the government has found it necessary
to prohibit the printing of cuts of stamps
IN book form. III Minneapolis the Flour
City Stamp company, which has an of
flee in the Stillman block, carries Oh a
business, the extent of which would
astonlsh most people. Its customers
consist mainly of school children, but
there are many adults who take deep
interest and who are willing to pay a
good round sum for a rare specimen.
The finest collection in the city is un-
doubtedly that of Geo. r. Buckley, which
CONTAINS SOOu stamps. lie could probably
sell it for $4,000, but would sooner part
with his mustache or even life. II. E.
Ladd, the real estate dealer, has also a
fine collection. John Bartlett has a
collection of 5000 stamps, and there are
probably hundred collectors who have
from 1000 to $4,000 stamps. Among the
Juveniles who have become enthusias-
tic to degree which would entitle
them to the appellation of "crank," if
they were older, are: Fred King,
Clarence Blethen, Charlie Pillsbury,
Fallace Linten. Carl Swenson, George
and Penny Bausman, Carl DeLaittre,
Elliott, Sanford Small, Charles jerome,
Jessie Sherman, Roy Hooker, Archie
Morse, Fred Kenyon, Alvan Skiles,
Alfred Owre, Harvey Wilcox, Fred
Heckrich, Ellis Sutton, Bob Hastings,
AIvee Ladd.