Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-11-03
WHAT IS PHILATELY?
Progress of the Mania for the Col
lection Of Postage Stamps.
THE CONFEDERATE HAND STAMPS
A Feature Of the Service Between Mexico
and This Country.
SOME VERY VALUABLE COLLECTIONS
WRITTEN FOR THE DISPATCH, /,

rwRTrTEN FOR THE DIsPATCH.I
Philately-what is it? Even wise oId
Noah Webster did not know the word, but
progression" is the worlds motto, and to
day, in the appendix Of the unabridged, We
find that philately is ''the collection Of
stamps of different countries, and the intel
ligent study and systematic arrangement Of
them" The name was coined by NJ. Her
jim, a celebrated French collector. The sci
ence has made more rapid strides than any
other pursuit of like nature. The stamp
collector few years ago was denominated q
crank, and the collection of these little bits
of paper taken up with secrecy and ridi-
culed as childish pastime. The public
press scoffed and scorned at the collection Of
stamps-now it is fast becoming the philan-
thropist's friend, by opening up its columns
and permitting him to air his views and ad-
vocate Philatelia's cause.
The study is being taken up in every
country, in the Scotland hamlet as well as
in the most populous city. The progress Of
| the science or mania can be judged by the
number of phiIatelic societies. The first
one was started in London, then followed
one in France, and three years ago the Ma
tional Philatelic Society of New York was
organized. The association, which is just
about to celebrate its third anniversary, has
already 800 members. and among its officers
are some Of the most influential men of our
country. Since the founding of the Ameri-
can society the progress in this country has
been phenomenal and almost every corner In
the United States has some lover Of the
hobby. To the true philatellst the value Of
his colleerion lies in
THE ARTISTIC FEATURES
of and the history of each stamp. The
materialist, money making collector, sees
only the monetary value, but the prices paid
for these rare specimens show how highly
priced they are. The Sterling collection,
which consisted largely of United States
proofs, brought over 81, 1000. Rob G. II.
Brock, of Philadelphia, has, perhaps, the
finest collection in America, valued at $780,
900. He prizes them as he would rare
painting. Each stamp has its history, and
the whole collection a peculiar fascination,
and hours are spent looking over the series
with friends who, too, love the science.
According to stamp catalogues, among
the United States stamps, the New Haven,
Conn.,, 5-cent red stamp of 1845 is the most
valuable-$350. The Brattleboro, 8 cents,
1S45 $3.50, and the 3-cent, 1912, New York
stamp, buff in color, 800. Stamps that
were once plentiful are now becoming
scarce, and once worth but few cents now
command dollars. There is peculiar fascin-
alton in these bright bits of paper that
come to US from every cline. The charm is
subtle, whatever it is, and "no lotus Of
South Atric's land ever held its victims in
more bending servitude than does the god
dess Philatelia exert over her willing sub
iects."
Among the various issues of postage
stamps of our country the Confederate
stamp has a history making it the most
interesting of souvenirs. After the use of
United States stamps had been abandoned
in the seeded States, and before the Gov
ernment had provided its own issue Of
stamps, Southern postmasters were left to
their own resources for such facilities in the
line of stamps as were required by the neces-
sites Of the Southern mail service.
AFEATURE OF INTEREST.
The ''hand stamp of 81 certainly pos
sesses romantic associations-iti is in itself
history of the pressure of the war. To the
stamp collector these Confederate "hand
stamps" have distinct value, consisting OF
a great variety of patterns differing in form
and device, according to the fancy or eccen-
tricity of the postmaster. Struck in vari-
ETY. of colors, they make an interesting series
in the collectors album and allude to the
most memorable events of our national his
tory. To-day we can scarcely conceive of
time when unperforated stamps were used,
and postofice clerks outfit not complete
without pair of scissors.
Among varieties in collections are the
unperforated English stamp, mutilated and
cut in every conceivable way-"some with
rwik 4ho h0ff Il
most in the shape of diamond-all evi-
IDENTIFY done in hurry by the clerk under
some particular stress of business" If
every business man carried pair of scissors
to-day, what grand opening for another
trust" company.
From a newspaper in 1851 this item sp-
pears: ''Great call for postofice stamps.
Seventeen hundred dollars worth Of stamps
were sold during business hours in Boston
on Friday last. This too under the rule
that no individual can purchase more than
S. worth at time. The reduction Of post
age has even at this early time given ample
evidence that correspondence will be mate
rally increased" Among
POSTAL ODDITIES
in the service the system in old Mexico
is perhaps the most curious. Under the q.
P. U. ruling, a letter can be sent from
the northernmost corner of Maine to the
most southern point of Mexico for 2-cent
stamp, but vice versa in Mexico resident
there cannot communicate with his next
door neighbor without paying the local
rates cents-the same beyond the borders
into the United States, but back again it is
only cents. So these Mexicans who live
on the borders take advantage
of our postal system, and each
morning with mail bags full Of
unposted letters, step across the river to adj
j iacent American towns, patronize our post
Offices and send their mail back into their
own country or abroad into ours ornamented
with profles of Washington and Jefferson"
If there is perfect postal system in the
world our Government has just claim to
it. Already our system is being studied by
officers from the land OF the celestials, and |
when we ponder over japanese mail service |
we hope how soon it may be improved.
Now where no railroad exists the mail is |
carried by a man travelling day and night |
the carrier being exchanged at every sta |
tion. These carriers generally require i've
days to go 250 miles. The new stamp issue |
is now under discussion. The present con-
tract expires this year, while the next pro-
vides for bids for two series of stamps-one
being the size now in use, the other about |
one-third smaller. Postmaster General
Wanamaker is reported to have said, that |
he believed the smaller stamp would be
quite as useful and popular as the size now
in use, and by reducing the size of the
stamp, a material saving would be effected,
which could be expended in a better and
everyway more desirable color.
While postage stamps are Sin everybody's
mouth" except the wise ones, who use a
sponge, we little realize the care and minute
ness of their progress in manufacture. Even
It the last stage each sheet is counted II |