Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-02-01
LIKENESS ON STAMPS
QUEEN ISABELLA THE FIRST w0-
MAN so HoNoRED HERE.

Representative Saeppard's defense OF
women in the House of Representatives re-
Gently. In connection with the incident Of
the ejectment OF Mrs. Minor Morris from
the White House offices, during which Mrs.
Sheppard stated that IL Queen Isabella OF
Spain had not risked her personal fortune
In aiding Columbus to fit out his fleet no
ships would have left the Spanish shore. re-
calls the fact that Isabella was the first
woman to be nonored with place on
United States postage stamps.
In 1902 when the Post Office Department
decided to bring out an entire new series
OF postage stamps 1t was suggested by q
young woman stamp collector to the depart
ment that 1t would be graceful thing to
place the likeness OF woman upon one OF
the stamps of the new issue. The Idea met
with instant approval and the announce
ment made that womans portrait would
adorn one of the stamps of the proposed
series. Incidentally 1t was suggested that
the department would be glad to have per-
sons interested send in the names Of famous
American women eligible for the honor of
q place In the gallery of postal issues.
AS might have been supposed vast num-
Der of names of Austrious women We're
forwarded. but large plurality favored be-
slowing the distinction upon Martha WASH
ington, wife of the first President of the
United States. After due elaboration the
department decided that Martha Washing
toms likeness should be substituted for that
of Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman, on the
eightcent stamp.
Martha Washington Suggested.
After some difficulty a portrait of Martha
Washington was procured. 1t represents
her wearing the old-fashioned head dress
tied about her neck by wide strings Of
chiffon. The oval within which the face ap-
=, ln,, ra1
leaves and the entire design is one of ex-
IRENE beauty. The stamp is printed In a
delicate lavender shade, and has been de-
clared to be the most artistic postage stamp
the United States has ever issued.
The decision to place the likeness of Mar
tina Washington upon postage stamp, sup
planting one of the great generals of the
civil war, was duly exploited. 1t was de-
clared that to Mrs. Washington would be-
long the distinction of being The first wom-
an to be honored by a place on our post
age stamps, and the department officials
accepted this statement until collector
called attention TO the fact that this honor
did not belong to Martha Washington, that
the claim had been pre-empted ten years
previously by another woman, and a for
eigner at that, In the person of Queen lsa-
bella of Spain Attention was directed 10
the 81 stamp of the Columbian series, is
sued to commemorate the worlds fair at
Chicago In 1893. Upon this stamp appeared
the likenesses of Queen Isabella and Chris
topher Columbus, side by side in ovals. the
stamps being twice as large as our cur
rent stamps.
Isabella is also depicted on the fve-cent
denomination, where she sits upon her
throne and listens to Columbus as he APP
peals to her for aid in fitting out the ships
To make the VOYAGE 20 an unknown part OF
the world The eight-cent stamp depicts
Isabella restoring Columbus to favor; the
ten-cent denomination presents the scene
where Columbus introduces to Ferdina ne
and Isabella the indians who returned with
him. Isabella sits upon her throne and
hears the official announcement OF Column
bus of his discovery, according TO the
scene on the fifteen-cent stamp, and upon
the one dollar denomination is engraved
the dramatic scene where Isabella pledges
her jewels to aid Columbus In MS unoer-
taking The picture on the So stamp shows
Columbus describing to Isabella his third
voyage to the western hemisphere. Thus
1t appears that Queen Isabella has been ex-
ploited upon seven United States postage
efa