Waterbury evening Democrat., 1889-04-10
COLLECTION OF CuRlOs.
The Fascination of Having Somethin
 Your Neishbor Can Not Get.

The Fascination of Having Something
 Your Neishbor Can Not Get.
 According to writer in the Philatelic Gazette, one of the reasons, if not the main one, why philately has such fascination about it, is because the desire to obtain something which your neighbor lacks is so strong as to keep the collector in what may be called state of delightful ex- pectancy. He Is always looking out for something rare, and when he obtains a stamp which none of his companions possesses, or, possibly, has ever seen, what thrill of joy radiates throughout his whole system he triumphantly exhibits it! Thanksgiving dinners, the new gun and such trif1es sink into insignifcance alongside the pleasure experienced in the possession of that stamp, and If, ill his transports, he feels momentary superi- ority can we blame him, for have we not all, at some period in our life as a collector, had a taste of the same pleasures
 Taking this, then, as an acknowledged fact, feel safe in saying that the collection of oddities Tor rarities is by far the most fascinating branch of the whole pursuit and for these reasons:
 The regular issues of stamps can be ob- tained from any large dealer by simply pay ing his price, and if your means are un- limited your album will be graced Cor dis graced) by few blank spaces.
 Then these stamps are the same as all col lectors get, but where is there a dealer who can supply oddities on demanda True, there are 8 few dealers who Cater to the wants of collectors in this line, but they can not furnish any variety which may be ordered. They only have number of varieties on hand, and when they are gone they must wait for others to turn up, with no cer- tainty that they will "materialize," while, |, ( $. J: ferent, as there are few stamps which can not be produced if the price is forthcoming
 If you look over two or three collections of the regular issues you will find that they comprise pretty much the same speci- mems, allowing, of course, for the size of the collection, but examine the same num- Der of todd" collections and you will find them containing hundreds of different speci- mems.
 A collection which has been obtained through exchanging or from your own ef- forts in discovery affords much moro pleas ure than one which has been purchased This opinion I suppose will sound strange as coming from dealer, but nevertheless firmly believe in what state.
 A collection which has been purchased possesses interest as having cost many dol lars, but valuable specimens which have been picked up at various times possesses greater interest as having cost nothing in money, but much in time and patience, and it is this time spent in discovering which gives oddities interest in tho eyes of the possessor, as time and patience must be his mainstay in order to obtain them, and all who will practice these are sure to meet with abundant reward.
 Here, then, is where oddities possess a peculiar charm. They can not be had on demand, so the collector delves for them, and while others are striving to obtain the regular issues, which all collectors have, he is unearthing specimens, of which some are very hard to duplicate, and while ex- hiblting his collection he can point with pride to certain stamps and say: T never saw others like them" How many collect ors of the regular issues can say the same.