Durango semi-weekly herald., 1906-12-13
POSTAGE STAMP FAD;
CENTER is IN PARIS
tBy william Il. Curtis, Correspondent
OF the d-Herald.)

tBy william Il. Curtis, Correspondent
of the RecordHerald)
WASHINGTON = From 3 to &
o'clock on every Thursday and Sun
day afternoon throughout the year a
crowd of people may be seen among
the trees on the left side OF the
Champs Elysees, Paris. just back be-
hind the grounds of Blysee Palace,
in which the president of France re
sides. This gathering is composed OF
all sorts and conditions of men and
few women and children.
watched them one afternoon last Sep
tember. There were old, decrepit.
hungry looking creatures who looked
like misers and witches: there were
naxen-haired. blue-eyed children, ten
years old and upward; there were
men in silk hats and frock coats who
looked like statesmen; there were EN-
lnent members of the learned profes
sions and motley groups of both sexes
and all ages, both well dressed ant
shabby. These were postage stamI
collectors, for that is the regular, ex
change OF Paris, held twice week,
rain or shine. warm or cold, in tho
open air, throughout the year. Sew.
eral had brought folding tables and
chalrs-I was told that they were
dealers-and they spread out theii
treasures so that customers could see
them. under little squares of glass
which kept the stamps from blowing
Ing away. The tables were always
surrounded by eager groups. Ovei
in one corner an auction sale was
going on. dealer was offering rare
stamps to the highest bidder and com
petition seemed to be lively. Paris
Is more widely affected by the post
age stamp fad than any other city lr
the world. The value of the transac
tions at this exchange. was told
will average $4,000. while sometimes.
they run up as high as $4,000.
Dealers from England, Belgium
Germany and surrounding countries
and from the various provinces o
France frequently attend these sales
Seldom n ThTsday or Sunday passei
without the attendance of several for
eigners, but the larger number o.
those who participate live in Paris
where there are 600 dealers engaged
exclusively in buying and selling
postage stamps and the collectors arc
numbered by the thousand. They in
clude members OF the cabinet, bish
ops. university professors, bankers
merchants, manufacturers, lawyers
doctors, as well as school boys ant
girls, and all gather under the trees
of the Champs Elysees to swap theil
treasures.
Postage stamps first came into use
In England in 1910; in Brazil and
Switzerland in 1S43; in Finland ii
1874; in the United States ii 1S45; IL
France in 1s49, and after that in other
parts of the world. Stamp collect
Ing began almost Immediately. but
for the first few decades II was lin
lted to comparatively a small number
OF people. But the craze has grad
ually increased until now II involves
the interest of hundreds of thousands.
Of people. from emperors and kings
TO the humblest school children. Tho
German kaiser. the Russian czar. the
king OF Italy. the king of Spain and
numerous members of the royal fam
lilies of Europe have been prominent
as collectors for years. The duke
of Edinburg was the first presiden,
Of the International Stamp Collectors
association, and sixteen years ago In
London presided at the first public ex-
hibition ever held. The prince o.
Wales has the most expensive and
valuable collection in England and
probably the second In all the world
He Inherited large part of 1t and
some OF his best specimens from his
father, King Edward. who for many
years was an enthusiastic collector.
The finest collection in the world
belongs to Baron Ferrari. an Italian.
son of the late duchess of Galleria OF
Genoa. who was famous for her phil.
anthropy and in her will left mil
ion dollars to the late Empress Fred
erick OF Germany. Baron Ferrari has
lOt only the largest collection in ex-
stence. but is the proud owner of
,everal stamps which no one else has
,een able to get. He has also paid
higher prices for stamps than any
'ther collector.
This fall there has been an exceed
ngly interesting exposition of post
&c stamps at the Royal Horticultural
Iall In London, where were shown
So exhibits, valued at S1.750. 900.
hey made the most complete collect
on ever brought together and ms