The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1894-08-24
ETAeE STAMP FAD.
&C 4 HARMLESS Amost-
W. .no BECAME A MANIA.

=. of DOllarS @
''' : r,.t Have No Real value-some
'p -. specimsns For Which F"ou-
= Price. . Are Asked and Given
,..ce stamp mania is one OF
= p pp curious of human fads' re-
mos. Nov York writer. A collection
';ns is at the most worth ,,,,;e1, ,he Mensns ~
y The fashion may 60 oussas IL
r in, and then the stamps Will %
60 much waste paper:
~ tad . broke out in 1861 in the form
few ", sporadic cases among school
~ ma;den ladies' 1t was not only
.'n1ass .a,L fad, but i'll the case OF the
l, ~ h was even All educative
w., :. nroved the easiest, the pleasant
Nd = the most efficacious way OF
- =. tnowledge of geography into
adolescent mind.
a." :, now that these first few sporadic
sts have developed into something
u,;ncly like an epidemic one begins
aorlate whether the craze Of the
,a,olist is not distinct bar to hu-
nropress. inasmuch as it consumes
.ro amount of brain force and vital
rav that might better be turned into
!. ond more useful channels Of &C
- : tho United States alone there is an
.nization called the American Phlla-
! association, which numbers 1000
,bers But this represents only q
ii fraction Of the philatelists actual
in the country.
The greatest and most famous Of liv-
nhilatelists - considered merely
IN the philatelist point Of VIEWS
Philippe de Fcrrari, a dignified,
urteous and white haired old gentle
an who lives in Paris. He is son OF
\ late Duchess de Galliera, who was
so q passionate lover Of stamps.
His collection is valued at $500, 900.
L has been known to pay $500 for an
hmm which contained only single
kamp that he coveted. For more yalu
|hle collections he has never limited his
kpenditures.
Next to the Ferrari collection comes
bat Of Baron Arthur de Rothschild,
Ehich is SO valuable that it's owner, with
he true jealousy Of the collector, re-
eres the pages containing his rarest
keasures for the delectation only of
limself and his most intimate friends.
Now, what constitutes the enormous
alue Of these collections? It is not the
lumber of the specimens. There are
nme than 5000 different varieties of
lamps now actually in existence. A
ertain number can be obtained at com
aratiyely light expense.
But the rarer. ones command large
rices Never mind whether the rarity
's created by age or accident.
The MacMahon stamp in France is
70 blue rose, the unattainable ideal of
le collector. When the marshal was
resident of France, his wife was anx-
'us to see his image set in stamps.
Designs were accordingly prepared,
At the postal commissioner rejected
'em and adopted another design. New
theless there is a legend that some of
ese MacMahon stamps got into circu-
tion. II a single specimen ever turns
p It will be priceless.
Another lost pleiad is postage stamp
sued BY the government of British
uiana in 1855. It has disappeared from
9 market, and specimens held in the
nds Of private collectors are valued
$3.50.
A set Of four 1850 stamps also issued
British Guiana bring anywhere from
W to $500, and set Of four 1852
awaiian stamps are valued at 81. 500.
The 10 and 80 cent reunion stamps
Ing $500. The New Brunswick cent
mp, with the head Of O'Connell, is
rely parted with under $3.50.
Rare Is also the black Canadian IL
my stamp, valued at $125.
but the collector does not stop at le'
innate issues Of stamps. He gives
ICY prices for varieties Of shades, fol
tloratlons, errors and watcrmarks.
AZ q recent stamp exhibition in Wien
an enthusiastio collector named Gi.
10 displayed with pride the error
france-a stamp Of 25 centimei
nted in blue instead of black, tht
nor Of Afghanistan and q STAMP
Tn a missing ornament in a corner.
Dr. Mailman Of Vienna had ever
re wondrous delights to unfold, fol
was the proud possessor Of the two
. errors" Of the Cape Of Goot
'pe' stamps Of penny and 1 pence
pectively, which are blue instead O
and red instead Of blue.
such errors fetch a very higf
ce, kept down only by the uneasines'
creating new values" by wanting
sprinting.
10 article on philately could be com
'1e without some notice of the 1000,