Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-12-23
STAMP COLLECTIONS
ONE OF THE FINEST GATHERED
BY THE PRINCE OF WALES.
The Art Of Philately-One Enthusiast
Has Spent Million Dollars
for Specimens.
From the London Globe.

From the London Globe
Mr. Fred ]. Melville, president of the Lon
don Philatelic Society. in his newly issued
"a. B. c. of Stamp Collecting" gives an ac-
count of the chief collections of stamps in
the world. He states that the stamp col
lection most talked about is that of the
Prince of Wales 1t is understood that the
prince has been collector since his youth
full days, when he was midshipman on the
Bacchante. Many non-philatelists have
doubted the reality of the interest taken in
the hobby by his royal h,ghness. But there
is no question among collectors that he
does take a lively concern In philatelic mat
tiers. Indeed, on several occasions, col
lectors have had to thank him for throwing
light on uncertain scientific points in con-
nection with the study Of stamps 1t is on
record that the prince wrote of stamp col
lecting to a friend, saying, 1T Is one of the
greatest pleasure of my life
An eminent philatelist has charge of the
princes collection. which is probably worth
between 10000 and 10000 1t comprises
only stamps of Britain and her colonies,
and special feature is the fine series of
stamps cut from the imprimatur sheets al
Somerset House. When plates are made for
printing stamps of Great Britain, the first
impression is sent to the stamp department
Somerset House, as proof and for pur-
poses of registration. These are termed the
imprimatur sheets, and are all imperforate.
Only a single sheet from each plate Is is
sued in this FORM and, owing to official
regulation, no more stamps may hereafter
be cut from the sheets now at. Somerset
House.
Among other royal collectors may be men,
toned the late Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Go
Prince Doria Pamphili of Italy and the
Crown Prince of Siam. The Empress of
Germany has been said to encourage her
sons in the pursuit on account of It's educa-
tional and recreative value.
Philip Won Ferrary.
The greatest stamp collection in the
world is that of Herr Philip Won Ferrary
He started collecting In the sixties, and is
believed to have spent nearly quarter of
a million pounds in the formation of the
collection. He employs two secretaries to
look after it, One of these has charge of
the adhesive stamps. the other is intrusted
with the section devoted to entries. Herr
Ferrary is intensely keen in his search for
varieties. He includes in his collection
used and unused specimen of each
stamp. His hunt for varieties brings him
frequently to London and to other great
centers of philatelic interest
Some OF his purchases have been notable.
The collection of Sir Daniel Cooper "a
founder and the first president Of the Phil
atelic Society was acquired by Herr Fer
rary in 1873 for f3, 600. Judge Philbrick
also president of the Philatelic Society,
whose fine collection comprised many of
the greatest rarities, disposed of his al
buns in 1882 to Ferrary for $4,000 A few
OF the chief gems of the Ferrary collection
are the single known specimen of the 1-cent
British Guiana 1856, no fewer than three
copies of the circular 2-cent British Guiana
OF 1850, and four post office Mauritius
stamps.
Next to this collection may be placed In
order of magnitude and value the splendid
collection bequeathed to the British nation
in 1891 by Mr.. T. K. TAPPING. NJ. p The
value of this collection is certainly over
FOO 600. Had itS
today have been practically on par with
that of Herr Ferrary; but since the collec-
ton was handed over to the trustees of the
British Museum no effort has been made
to add, new issues or to fill any blanks; con-
seauently the Partisan collector has far
outdistanced his late English rival The
TAPPING collection contains nearly all the
great rarities. A very fine pair of the post
office Mauritius stamps is included During
the compilation of his own collection Mr.
TAPPING amalgamated with a very good one
by Mr.. w. As. Westoby and another
formed by Mr.. w. E. Image, paying CO 900
for the latter.
The TAPPING Collection.
1t is not easy to decide which is the next
best collection to the TAPPING one in Great
Britain. There are two which are very
nearly equal. those of Mr.. w. B. Avery of
Birmingham and Mr.. H. J. Duveen. The
former began collecting when he was only
eight years old. BY the time he was sew
enteen he had between 1900 and LOCO speci-
mems. which he sold in 1875. A couple of
years later he started fresh collection In
small Lincoln" album.
In 1887 he was going to sell his entire col
lection again, but, as he watched the grad 4
uai dispersal of some Of his rarities. he
changed his mind, kept what remained Of
his collection and entered enthusiastically
into the filling of spaces in a new SEM
album. Soon afterward he bought fine
collection OF Australian stamps from