Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1920-02-19
STAMP CURIOSITIES
New Groups Formed from OH Russian
Empire Produce Strange Devices

The editor Of the Stamp Collectors An
nual, d. 3. Armstrong, has sent to the
New Europe an account OF the strange
new stamp issues which have come out
of Russia during the recent period OF dis
solution of the old Czaristic empire. The
stamps number some 500 specimens, all
told, many Of them crude and revealing
the difficulties under which the groups is-
suing them work. Paper and printing are
sometimes mere makeshifts, while each
group hao sought to produce design
symobolic Of it's history or aspirations.
The Russian stamps. says the above
authority, constitute zone of the most in
teresting and fascinating groups of the
popular stamp issue of the new Europe
1.-THE stor; Of Russian reconstruction. as
indeed Of the whole Of the new Europe,
Is written in postage stampS,' ne says.
Weird and symbolcal stamp designs of
the dozen or more free and independent
States that have arisen phoenlxlke, from
the ashes of the erstwhie Romanof ON
pirc. typify the national inspirations of
their peoples, while their primitive char
acter and often crude workmanship are
eloquent of the difficulties under which
these paper tokens of newborn author
ity have been evolved. In the aggregate
they number. perhaps, some five hundred
|
and varieties. Certain of the earlier and
tentative series have already attained a
considerable degree of rarity.
Conspicuous upon the postage stamps
Of the Ukraine is the republican emblem
of a three forked pike, adopted from the
arms of the Grand Duke St. Vladimir Of
Kiev. When 1t was found that the Boil
sheviki were smuggling large supplies of
stamps acoSJs the frontier. which were
being rct-iled at n huge discount, this
device WAC impressed as q control upon
all stamps sold by the ukranian post off,
ces Subsequently stamps of special genre
after the designs of the eminent artist
Georges Narbut, were introduced, print
ed at the photographic establishment of
Mr.. ku2spko at Kiev. 4 special printing
upon thick cardboard was made for use
as paper currency. The triform emblem
on a shield was likewise imposed upon
the former Austrian stamps by the gov
eminent of the West Ukraine republic.
1.-THE Crssacks of the Dons have so
far contonted themselves with surcharg-
ing ca anceG values upon the former
Russit t%pcs, but from the adjacent ku-
ban republic have lately emanated, un-
der the auspices of General Denkin's vol
untee- army. particular postage stamps
in designs based on those Of the former
imperial issues, but with a vgnette of a
knight on horseback in the center, in
scribed Russian Union.
Georgia likewise presents upon its ma
tional postage stamps one Of the ancient
Sassanide knights. surrounded by astron-
or1ical signs. Azerbajan is the next pros
pective candidate for the stamp collect
ors' favor From Batum, under British
military authority. emanated six litho-
graphed stamps, adorned with large tree
in a circular frame and iettered Post of
Batum.'
In the Baltic States, Lettonia repro
duces upon her postage stamps the ma
tional badge--three ears of wheat within
a sun-ray. emblematic Of agriculture. Ow
ing to paper shortage, the first supplies
were printed upon the backs of abandoned
German staff maps of the district, and
later printings took place upon cigarette
and copying paper To mark the liberia
ton of Riga from the Bolsheviki, three
stamps in an allegorical design, portray
ing two female figures CRiga and Let
tonia) embracing before the walls of a
large city. were introduced. Lithuania s
first postage stamps were locally printed
in plain type-set designs. but the current
series manufactured in Berlin. bears an
elaborate figure of st. Michael on horse
back. An early printing was made upon
thick Silurian grey peer. previously en-
ployed far the printing of bread tickets.
The Esthonan stamps issued at Re-
val in December 1915 Were OF an UMPIRE
tentious character, Inscribed 'Eesti Post
; The latest varieties however represent
fight of seagulls over the waves, and
on the high values. an ancient Viking
war galley.
Special postage stamps have recently
been provided for the northwest Rus
sian army. both overprinted on obsolete
Russian types. and in special designs IN
cooperating the letters %. X. c, A. North
! Russian Army Corps autographed at Re
! val Since October 1917, the postage
stamps of Finland have borne the figure
of the Lion of the North. after the de.
sign of the architect. Eliel Saariren, in
place Of the one-time Russitied designs
With perhaps unconscious irony, the
government of Soviet Russia retains up
on ito two current postage stamps the ale
CORY of the Sword Of Freedom severinG
the Chain of Bondage, originated by Mr.
Zarin of the State Printing Works under
KerenSky's regime"