Evening star., 1935-11-24
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BY JAMES WALDO FAwCETT.

The latest and most interesting de-
velopment of Washington's claim to
be the philatelic capital of the world
Is the museum recently established
in the main lobby of the Bureau Of
Engraving and Printing. In five large
cases and seven capacious wall frames
there, Alvin w. Hall, director, has
placed on permanent exhibition ma
chine parts, tools, instruments, draw
ings, photographs, proofs and finished
copies representing the processes and
methods used in the manufacture OF
both currency and stamps. The dis
play constitutes the most notable
showing of its kind to be found any
where on this side of the Atlantic.
It should be inspected and studied
with care by every collector.
To illustrate the scope of the show,
the following list of the contents of
single case may be cited: Blank roll
of stamp paper: printed and gummed
ated stitched unit of 100 sheets of
400-subject postage; lot of 100 per-
forated stitched banded sheets OF
stamps ready for shipment: imper-
forate 400-subject 2-cent postage with
electric eye register marks: perforated
400-subject 2-cent postage with elec-
trio eye register marks; 400-subject
1l2-cent gummed and perforated
sheet precancelled; precancelling roll;
imperforate 150-subject endWise coil
stock; perforated 150-subject endWise
coil stock; finished coil containing 500
1-cent stamps perforated between
ends; finished coil containing 1000
1-cent stamps perforated between
ends; imperforate 170-subject sidewiSe
coil stock; perforated 170-subject side
wise coil stock: finished coils contain
ing 500, 1000, 1000 and 5000 1-cent
stamps perforated between sides;
whole sheet of 360-subject book work
perforated preparatory to trimming
and cutting in half; half-sheet of 360-
subject book work cut preparatory to
gathering; gathered half-sheets with
separator papers preparatory to sep
arating into three units; unit contain
ing gathered stamps with separator
papers ready for stitching; unit of
stamps and separator papers stitched
ready for reducing to books; finished
books of "a 1-cent stamps, 96 1-cent
stamps, II 2-cent stamps, "a 2-cent
stamps, 48 2-cent stamps and II s.
cent stamps.
Another case contains the original
drawing-really a page torn from a
school text book-of the Connecticut
tercentenary commemorative; the de-
sign for the same as modelled by
the bureau; engraved die: roll from
finished die; original model, reduced
to stamp size and bearing the approval
signature of Postmaster General Far
ley; proof of finished die: curved plate
made from original die by transfer
process, and proof of finished plate.
On the top of the case, for the con-
venience of visitors, is a 10-inch mag
nifying glass by the aid of which every
detail of the plate below may be
examined with ease
Still third case displays technical
materials and devices with explana-
tory text prepared by Mr.. Hall on
Printing Processes" In adjacent
frames are process proofs, color
samples, ETC., and around the walls
are completed examples of the bu-
reau's productions.
The museum was organized and
set up by John M. Smith, superin-
tendent of the postage stamp division,
and Henry j. Holtzclaw, mechanical
expert and engraver. Intended at
first only for the golden jubilee con-
vention of the American PhilateIc
Society, it has been continued and
improved and will be maintained in
definitely.
Mr.. Hall has said: THE display is
Of interest to our own bureau family.
1t affords 4,200 employees an oppor-
tunity to see the whole process of
the work which they individually are
engaged in doing. Also, since August
6, it has been viewed by approxi-
mately 10000 visitors, representing
the general public"
Museum hours are 9 to II am. and
! to 2:30 pm.
The 25-cent trans-Paciic airnail
stamp, brought out Friday for the
first clipper plane flight from San
Francisco to Manila, but also valid
for ordinary postal uses, has been ap-
plauded by local collectors as one of
the most notably distinctive issues
ever produced. Sky blue in color, the
design is symbolic composition, re-
f1ecting the whole history of COM
munication between America and the
Orient.
Collectors who have covers aboard
the China Clipper are advised to save
clippings of the news reports of the
planes take off" and progress. No
other philatelic event in recent years
has had more interesting publicity.
Frst-day sales figures for the
Boulder Dam and Michigan stamps
indicate that Washington cancellations
should be about Is times as valuable
as those of Boulder City and Lansing.
Czechoslovakia will bring out a new
series of airmails and a new series of
newspaper stamps about January l..
Meanwhile, lkr portrait of Presi-
dent Masaryk has appeared.
Syria announces regular and air.
mail stamps for the Damascus Indus
trial Exhibition to be held next year.
In the first set the values are 1p, l15p.
Up, 3p. 4p, 413p, 5p and 712p. In the
second they are 15p, 1p, Up, 3p, 5p
and 10p.
Japan will have a new 11a-sen
stamp for use on domestic mail De-
cember /. 1t is intended principally
Tor the accommodation of the New
Year greeting business of the Nip
ponese post Office. The design shows
Mount Fuji.
French Guiana on October 20
brought out six commemorative for
the tercentenary of the founding of
the colony. The values listed are 4Oc,
sepia; soc, red; 1.50fr, ultramarine: !:
1.75fr, cerise; STR, brown, and 10fr,
hluo-Croop