Telegram-herald., 1889-05-17
COLLECTION OF CURIOS.
Tho Fascination of Having Some thing
Your Noishbor Can Not Get

According 10 writer in the Philatelic
Gazette, one of the reasons, If not the main
one, why phllately has such a fascination
about IT, IS because the desire TO obtain
something which your neighbor lacks Is so
strong as 10 keep the collector in what
may be called = state % delightful ex-
pectancy. He Is always looking out for
something rare, and when he obtains q
stamp which none of his companions
possesses, or, possibly, has ever seen, what
"a thrill of Joy radiates throughout his
whole system as he triumphantly exhibits
itl Thanksgiving dinners, the new gun
and such trifies sink into insignificance
alongside the pleasure experienced in the
possession of that stamp, and if, in his
transports, be feels a momentary superb
ority can we blame him, for have we not
all, al some period in our life as collector,
had a taste of the same pleasUrei
Taking this, then, as an acknowledged
fact, feel safe in saying that the collection
Of odditios sor rarities IS by far the most
fascinating branch OF the whole pursuit
ana for these reasons:
The regular issues of stamps can be OBJ
tanned from any large dealer by simply pay
ing his price, and If your means are un-
limited your album Will be graced ior dis
gr2cedl Dy lew Olank spaces.
Then these stamps are The same as all col
lectors get, but where is there dealer who
can supply oddities on demand, True, there
are 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 a number OF varieties on
hand, aud when they are gone they must
wait for others to turn up, with no Ger
taiuty that they will materialize," while,
with the regular issues, it is somewhat diff
ferent, as there are few stamps which can
not be produced II the price is forthcoming
II you Look over two or three collections
OF the regular issues you VIII ind that they
comprise pretty much tho same spcci
mems, allowing, OF course, for the size Of
the collection, but examine the same num-
Der Of "odd" collections and you viii find
them containing g hundreds OF different speci-
mems.
A collection which has been obtained
through exchanging or from your own ef-
forts in discovery affords much more pleas
ure team one which has been purchased
This opinion / suppose Will sound strange
as coming from a dealer. but nevertheless
firmly believe ID what 1 state.
\ collection which tas been purchased
poss ssses interest as having cost many dol
lars, but valuable specimens which have
been picked up az vari0us times possesses
greater interest as having cost nothing
IN money, bus much IN tine and patience
ard Il Is this time spent IN discovering
winch gives oddities interest n the ewes Il
tho possess0r. as tine and patience must be
his ms.nstsy in order 20 obtain them. and all
who VII practice these are sure 70 meet
w.th abundant reward.
Hero. then. IL where oddities posses d
peculiar charm. They can not be had en-,
demand So the collector telves for them.
and while others are striving 20 obtain tho
regular issues, watch al col ec.ors have.
ne is unesrt1lnE specimens. ~ winch some
are very hard 60 duplicate. and whLe ex-
nlolfing his Collection be can rrn- with
PRIDE 70 certain stamps and say 4 never
saw others ike them Row nary on. le~,-
ors Of the regular issues rs1 cay The sane