The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1895-02-03

and came to San Francisco via the West
Indies and Mexico on the 29th of January,
having avoided the Eastern portion of the
United States in order to escape the rigors
Of the winter there.
Stanley Gibbons has been interested in
stamps ever since he was lad of 9 years
of age, when, as a schooboy, he began their
collection This was in 1919, only nine
years after adhesive postage-stamps first
came into use. He soon began to traffic IN
the fascinating little bits of paper, with
the result that it Melted him nice sum
for pocket-money.
When he left school he was apprenticed
to his father to learn the chemists bust
ness, or what we call pharmacist or drug
gist. While thus engaged he was given
ample latitude to indulge in his propensity
for dealing IN stamps, and soon was dong
quite a respectable amount of trade in this
line in the town of Plymouth, England.
In fact, he found it paid so well that on the
death of his father which occurred in 1865,
he sold out the druggist business and re-
moved to London, where he set up as an
exclusive dealer in stamps.
His business up to this time had been
carried on almost entirely by mail, but
upon his advent in London he gave some
what more attention TO local trade. Later
he entered the publishing business, issuing
stamp catalogues and price-lists and
albums, and by his industry and honorable
methods of business he laid the foundation
Tor the present firm, which carries stock
valued at f1G0 900, or $500, 900. The firms
patrons are to-day found in every corner
of the globe.
About three years ago Mr.. Gibbons,
being in failing health, owing to his sed-
entary occupation, undertook to organize
stock company to which to transfer his
- I'll L. L. Il
to give 1t the attention which he thought
it required. For reasons unnecessary to
state the project fell through.
Charles j. Phillips, then a dealer doing a
good business in Birmingham, England,
was called in to value the stock, and when
the scheme miscarried Mr.. Gibbons and he
entered into an arrangement by which
Phillips was to take active charge of the
business and Gibbons was to retire. The
arrangement included a fixed stipulated
sum to be allowed Mr.. Gibbons out OF the
business and his complete retirement as an
active member Since then Mr.. Gibbons
has devoted large portion of his time to
making annual pilgrimageS to various
parts OF the world. He has twice been up
the Nile, and has also visited the points of
interest along the northern coast of Africa
and has taken in India and Ceylon. This
is his first trip to the United States, and
he hopes at some future time to pay his
respects to the East.
Being asked to what he attributed his re-
markable success in his peculiar branch of
trade Mr.. Gibbons modestly disclaimed
having any remarkable ability, attubuting
his success to what he called his plodding
nature and the fairness with which he al
ways endeavored to treat his patrons. He
also mentioned a few features of his meth
DDS OF doing business. One was to always
have on deposit at the more important
n
issues of stamps could be Immediately for
warded to him. In this way he was always
the first in the market with the stamps,
and this fact not only brought him large
amount of new business but frequently
provided him with good supply of stamps
that had but short life and which conse-
quently soon became quite scarce and
valuable.
Another feature that placed large profits
In his Golfers was the purchase from yarl-
Gus governments of stamps that had be-
come obsolete, owing to change in the
currency, or to the adoption of new post
age rates. Through his wide correspond
ence he was also frequently enabled to
buy quantities of rare used stamps in for
eign countries. In one case he made pur-
chase of 700 OF what are known as the cir
cular British Guiana stamps for few hun
dred pounds. As these stamps are worth
from $50 to $500 each, it will not take much
ngurlng TO snow what enormous prontS
were realized on this one lot.
Mr.. Gibbons bears the unique distinction
of being the first and only retired stamp
merchant, and his firm that of being the
Oldest of its kind in Great Britain, where
to-day there are probably nearly a thou
sand stamp-dealers, and the second oldest
stamp firm in the world.
Stanley Gibbons, Limited, as the firm is
now called, holds the record for the high
est price ever paid for a single. stamp, and
also foI q collection. 1t holds the former |