Los Angeles herald., 1893-01-05
COLUMBIAN POSTAGE STAMPS,
Postal CuriOsities Which Lack
Artistic Merit.
The Various Denominations and
Their characteristics.
Poorly Executed Engravings of Histori-
cal Paintings-The Last Evidence
of Wanamaker's Rule of the
Postoffce Department.

The new issue of Columbian stamps,
about which so much noise has been
Iads, are on sale at the Los Angeles
postoffice. Artistically they are fail-
ure and an eyesore. From business
point of view they are failure. The
issuance of these Columbian chromos ia
the most ridiculous mistake OF the
numerous blunders made by the figure
head postmaster general. These stamps
are larger than the ordinary stamps by
nearly half an inch, but are OF the same
width. To be exact, the new stamps
are, in all denominations, seven-eighths
of an inch by 1872 inches. The
stamps are issued in the denominations
of l, 2, 3, 4, 5. 6, 10, 10, 30 and DO
cents, and 81, So, $3, $4 and s5. Each
denomination is OF color and design
peculiar to the designers poor taste.
The stamps have the general appear
ance of piece OF court plaster, and are
bad limitations of historical paintings,
purporting to represent traditional
scenes in the life OF Columbus. The
various scenes are as follows:
One cent, Columbus in Sight OF Land,
from the painting by William FL. Pow
ell. This design is inclosed in circle
and represents Columbus standing on
the deck of his ship with sailors
grouped around him, all eagerly gazing
at the long-sought shore in the distance.
On either side is seated figure, on the
left an Indian woman and child, on the
right an Indian warrior with feathered
head dress. The stamp is Antwerp blue,
rather dark color.
The 2-cent stamp is about as artistic as
Chinese washee ticket. The Landing
of Columbus is intended to be repre-
sented, but looks more like mud scow
aground in San Diego's great harbor.
The 3-cent bears picture OF the flag
ship of Columbus, the Santa Maria, in
mid-ocean. 1t is taken from a Spanish
engraving and is printed in a medium
shade of green.
The 4-cent is intended to represent
the Fleet of Columbus, showing the
three caravels, Santa Maria, Nina and
Pinta, under full sail in mid. ocean. 1t
10 poor in color, bad in finish, and the
vessels are evidently in fog.
The 5-cent, bearing Columbus Solicit
ing Aid from Isabella (Brogik), done in
shocolate-brown the 10 cent, with CO.
ori), printed in Vandyke. brown; the To-
cent with Columbus Announcing His
Discovery (R. Baloca), of daik green
color, and the 30-cent, with Columbus
at La Rabida (R. Maro), done in Sien-
na-brown, are of somewhat similar
character, the most notice ible thing
about them being the great number of
figures that are compressed into such
small space. On the cent stamps
there are no less than % figures crowded
into the small space OF the stamp pic
ture, and on the 15-cent there are %.
The 50-cent bears the only animals in
the collection. 1t has reproduction of
the Recall of Columbus, by A. G,
Heaton, in which there are four horses
or donkeys. There are also five men.
This stamp is carbon blue.
The 6-cent bears Columbus Welcomed
at Barcelona. in the center and between
two figures, Ferdinand on one side and
Bobadilla on the other. The picture is
a reproduction of panel by Randolph
Rogers and is printed in royal purple.
The more valuable stamps are official
ly described in brief as follows:
ne-dollar-Isabella Pledging Her
Jewels, after the painting by Munoz
Degrain. Color, rose salmon.
wo-dollar-Columbus in Chains, al
ter the painting by Leutze. Color. toned
mineral red.
Three e-dollar-Columbus Describing
His Third Voyage, after the painting by
Francisco Jover. Color, light yellow
green.
ur-dollar-Portraits in circles, sep
arated BY an ornate device of Isabella
and Columbus, the portrait OF Isabella
after the well-known painting in Madrid,
and that of Columbus after the Soto
painting. The color is carmine, and in
appearance the stamp ranks with the
best OF the series.
The So, the highest stamp of the issue,
has profile of the head OF Columbus,
after the cast provided by the treasury
department for the souvenir 50.cent
pieces. The profile is in circle, on the
right of which is the figure of America,
represented by female Indian in fig
ure Of Liberty. Both figures are in sit
ting posture. The stamp is beautiful in
design and would be equal to any but
forits color-black.
The new stamps will be issued during
the year 1893 only, and they will then
be valuable only as curiosities.
Fortunately, other stamps will also be
on sale this year. for those who are not
affected with the Columbian craze.