Bryan daily eagle and pilot. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1909-1918, 1911-09-07
INTERNATIONAL CONVEN-
TON OF >PH|LATEL|STs
Noted Collections of Stamps on Elk
hibition, Some of Them
Worth Millions.

Vienna, Sept. with princes, no
bles, statesmen and scholars among
the patrons, DR.. friedrich Ritter Wag-
ner Won Jouregg, postmaster general
of Austria-Hungary as president and
the king of England as one of the
Exhibitors, the greatest exhibition OF
rare postage stamps ever displayed
was opened today in Vienna The In
ternational Philatellc Exhibition is the
official title of the display and the
philatelists of the United States, as
well as all the leading nations of Eu-
rope, Asia and Africa, have placed
their collections on view. Millions of
dollars would not buy some of the
collections, and yet there is no exist
ent collection that is complete.
| Among the Americans exhibiting Is
Henry j. Croker, who spelIalizes in
the stamps of Hawaii The most val
liable item is Hawaiian two-cent
stamp, lightly cancelled, of the date of
1851. The only other known specimen
of this rarity was sold in Paris few
years ago FOR about $4,000, and was not
nearly so perfect as Mr.. Crocker's
stamp. The stamp is very crude and
is on coarse paper, badly printed with
a mineral 80" In the center and bear
ing the words, Hawaiian Postage,
Two Cents" II any new specimen of
this stamp should be found the lucky
owner could probably get $4,000 for Il.
Other rare stamps in the Crocber
/ collection are the so-called mission
airy SERIES" which date from the days
when the house of Kamehameha Nruled
the destinies of the Paradise of the
: Pacific" The regular Hawaiian stamps
of that time were printed in Boston
and are by no means rare, but during
shortage the Kanaka printers OF
Honolulu were called upon to supply
the deficiency The examples of their
crude art are highly priced by collec-
tors because OF their rarity. Many at
tempts to issue counterfeits have been
foiled by the keen eyes OF the philatel-
| lists, trained to note the most minute
differences.
1t Is an Illustration of the POSSIBLE
/ tiles of finding fortunes in old stamps
to know that one of the most interest
ing of Mr.. Crocker's exhibits-an old
envelope bearing two thirteen-cent
stamps-was found in pile of rub
blsh in cellar in Cherry street, New
York
complete collection of the stamps
OF the Panama Canal Zone, both be-
fore and since 1t was acquired by the
United States, is exhibited by f. r.
Alderman of New Jersey. When the
United States took charge of the big
ditch postage stamps were supplied
for the zone by surcharging regular
United States stamps with the words,
Canal Zone" printed across the face
in black letters. Several mistakes
were made in the printing, and these
Irregularities add immensely to the
value of the stamps in the eyes OF col
lectors. j. Murray Bartels of New
York is here with his rare collection
of Philippine stamps.
OF the exhibits of Europeans the
greatest interest naturally centers in
the display of rarities from the collec-
ton of King George V of England. AS
Duke of York and later as Prince OF
Wales. the British king was an enthu-
siastic collector of postage stamps and
his ardor has not abated, although the
cares of state prevent him from spendR
ing much time with his collection. The
rare Mauritius stamp for which King
George paid $1,000 is among the dis
plays. Another notable stamp is the
four-cent British Guiana stamp, with
the zone cent" error. for which its
owner, NJ. Ronotiere of Paris, has re-
fused $4,000. NJ. Ronotiere has col
lection representing an investment of
not less than s1,50O,OOO.
The exhibition has attracted philatel-
lists from all over the world, anxious
TO feast their eyes on the treasures
which they may not hope to own.
Armed guards are stationed in the ex-
hibition hall and the stamps are all
placed in glass cases, to be seen but
not handled. Heavy insurance is car
ried by the society in charge of the
exhibition.
!