The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-11-16
MR.. MANDEL's ALBUM.
It Contains the Most Wonderful
Stamp Collection In the World.

Philadelphia North American.
a stamp album worth 100000. owned
until a few months ago by H. c. Man
del. forms the finest collection of stamps
that has ever been made In this country.
1t was formed strictly as a pictorial his
tory of the United States Postoffice.
1t Is only ffty-five years ago that the
first United States stamp was printed,
and ten years later there were many peo-
pie saving specimens Of Uncle Sam 8
postal pictures, until the gathering of
them became a fad that at one time
equaled the bicycle craze. the camera
craze or the automobile craze.
Many valuable collections of stamps
were made and passed down to history.
but few of the collectors looked upon
their aIoums as representing anything
like history.
That which was neglected by all others
was made the lifework of Mr.. Mandel
and his wife, Mr.. Mandel, during Prest-
dent Johnsons administration, had infiu-
ence which obtained for him the plates
used in making the proof of all sugges-
tions for stamps that were submitted to
the United States Bureau of Engraving
and Printing. He had Mr. Johnson OBJ
plates for years afterward. Everything
that illustrated even me beginning Of a
stamp was carefully collected and pre-
served. When new issue o fstamps was
put out first proofs were obtained from
the artists. and IN many cases the de-
signers or engravers were induced to
place their autographs on the papers.
Thousands of dollars were spent in secur-
ing these historical details.
The different proofs which are made
during the process of Transforming or
transferring the rough designs to the
beautiful print are usually destroyed as
OF no value, but some careful workmen
have taken sufficient interest in their la
Dor to preserve every detail. and these
are the priceless gems that have been
used to form Mr.. MandePs album.
When the first issue OF stamps was
made in 1S47 economy was the ruling mo-
tive. and, instead of engraving new por-
traitfl, some that already had been used
were cut down to answer the purpose.
OF course, this fact was not generally
known, blu tthe indefatgable authors of
Mr. Mandefs matchless collection hunted
up thousands of old banknotes. and other
engravings, until the original source of
the design was discovered, and speci-
men of the note annexed to the album.
OF course, all Of these altered proofs are
unique, and no amount of money could
duplicate them. There is only one of
each, and they were secured by these life
workers in the philatelic field.
There are many interesting historical
Incidents connected with a collection of
stamps. In 1869, when it was determined
to issue a series of stamps bearing ma
tional historic pictures, three paintings
were selected to grace the high values.
On the lucent stamp was a copy of the
Pdiitlth6 ACPh SoS'SiA6 eAiS
iumbus, reduced to microscopic dimen-
sions. On the 24-cent copy of the cele-
brated painting representing the signing
of the Declaration of Independence, and
on the 3O-cent similar reduction of the
historical painting, the surrender of Gen
eral Burgoyne.
This stamp passed through all the
stages to the making of complete plates.
but at the last moment 1t was suppressed.
because 1t was considered rather in bad
taste to depict the discontinue of the
English people on a stamp whose chief
use was to carry letters to that country.
Another historical event Is Illustrated IN
the beautiful set of Omaha or trans-Mis-
sissippi stamps, which were originally
made to be printed in two colors as
shown by the proofs, but the war with
Spain interfered and the facilities of the
Bureau of Engraving and Printing had
to be used to print war revenues. with
the result that the stamps as issued to
the public were each in ITS single appro-
pirate color, instead of bicoored, as
previously decided upon.
This collection of stamp engravngs is
now in the possession of j. c. Morgen-
THAI, of New York. The collection even
tually will be broken up. or, following In
the path of the celebrated philatelic IL
brary of the late John K. Tiffany, may
be acquired by the Earl Of Crawford. or
some other wealthy European.