The morning call., 1890-08-24
WANAMAKER'S
POOR STAMPS.
Philatelists Consider Them Bad
in Every Respect.
The Paper Is Flimsy, the Ink Is Poor, the De-
signs Are Caricatures, and the Whole
Issue Is the Worst Ever Made.

T%HE characteristics of the latest issue
Xxx of postage-stamps which were forced
sykSS upon the people of the United States
by the policy of the present Postmaster
General were, says the New York Times,
much discussed by the delegates to the
Convention of American Philatelists held
in New York in the early part Of this
month.
Doubtless the most difficult persons to
please with new issue of stamps would be
these specialists, who are familiar with all
the postage stamps that have ever been
issued in this or any other country. AT the
same time they are competent critics, and
their objections so exactly coincide with
the popular dislike that the deluslon about
there being some hidden artistic merit
which escapes the vulgar eye in these
cheaply made, flimsy. poorly printed, badly
engraved, fading specimens OF the Wanna
maker art is diSpelled. What these men
say only shows that the evidences oil poor
workmanship are more offensive 10 edu-
Gated observers than to the general puDllc.
and that the effort to produce stamps at
lower cost is wretched failure when the
net results are considered.
President John *. Tiffany OF the associa-
ton is lawyer of st. Louis Speaking oil
the stamps he said: Everybody who likes
a pretty thing is dissatisfied with them.
Put dozen tWo-cent stamps in teaspoon
ful of ammonia and they will fade so that
the ammonia can be used for carmine ink.
| did this and wrote long letter with the
ink.
THE WHOLE SET is INFERIOR
To former issues. There are nine new
stamps, but the ten and fifteen cent ones
are the least effective.
Willard +. Walton of Philadelphia, Secre-
tow of tho asCnpio linn said. "'InlS is the
worst series ever issued. both in regard to
execution and material. The stamps are
disgrace to the country"
Ii. i. Calman, editor of the American
journal of Phllately IN this city, said:
"lhe heads on the 1-cent and 2-cent stamps
are those of boobies and not Of statesmen
Of the United States, as they pnrport TO be.
In every respect these new stamps are
discredit to the country. No attention has
been paid to the mixing OF colorS. Especl-
ally is this true of the 2-cent stamp, which
appears in all shades FROM blood-red t04a
light pink"
{. B. Corwin, Vice-President Of the asso-
ciatOn and editor of the official Journal, the
Metropolitan Philatelist, said: The new
twO-cent stamp presents already at least a
dozen shades, and IL little manipulation with
water will produce dozen more. The one
cent stamp has degenerated into a washed
out-loOking blue"
Ii. n. Terrett of Woodside, l.. l., Chair
man of the Board of Trustees OF the asso-
citation, and owner of one OF the hnest col
lections OF United States envelopes, post
age and revenue stamps in the country,
declared that the series was 1.-The worst
ever issued by the Government" John
Wanamaker" said Mr.. TeTrett, wanted
TO have the work
DONE AS CHEAPLY AS POSSIBLE,
But he overreached himself. The engray-
ing is poor, the colors run, and the peIfora-
ton is so bad that you cannot separate the
stamps without tearing them"
Said g. d. Mekeel of st. Louis. one of the
largest stamp collectors and dealers in the
West: They undertook to lessen expense
by printing 400 of The tWn-cent stamps In
one sheet in place of the customary 200.
This required the ink to be mixed with too
much oil, which accounts for the color rub
bling off. The color of tue two-cent stamp
was at first very dark. They evidently
found the ink too expensive, for the color
has been growing lighter all the time.
There are now about dozen shades,
showing that the ink has been diluted"
II. +. hetcheson of the staff OF Posto flee
Inspectors, Montreal, said: 1.-The epgrav-
ing and the paper are both very much in
ferior to Canadian and English stamps and
are poorer than in any former issue
They used poor ink in order TO get
cheap work." said a. Il. Rogers of this
city, who owns one of the finest mounted
collections in this country. =" The coloring
of the two-cent stamp comes clear through
to the geatine. Collectors will probably
discard the two-cent stamp. as there are
already about twenty-five shades"
The pOorness and fimsiness of the paper
Is the greatest defect in the stamps" said
Charles A. Hobbs of Belmont, Mass, but
the whole series is cheap looking"
j. w. Scott of Brooklyn, callei the Gath
er of Philately," said 1.-The paper used in
these stamps is so poor that when sent by
mail they stick together. and when soaked
to separate them the color washes out"