Evening star., 1935-08-04


masters doubtless supposing they would
never be called upon to account for
them. For the protection Of his de-
partment and to avoid rendering an
equivalent In service for stamps that
had never been paid for, Postmaster
General Blair promptly declared that
upon a given date all stamps pre-
viouSly issued would no longer be valid
for postage Only i short time was
allowed and holders were given notice
that during the interval the stamps
would be redeemed If presented for
the purpose This was Immediately
followed by a new issue of stamps,
known as the series of 1861
How long did that series last?'
at was replaced in March, 1859,
by a new issue, popularity known as
"the horseback, steamboat and rail-
road stamps" The supposed fitness
of things" did not strike the public
in that light, and, owing to the un-
popularity Of the stamp, they were
superseded in May, 1870, by a new
issue. In this series return was
made to the custom which had pre-
NdI1Cu 1oft W 4oOo VI oAOAAAAAA6
the stamps with the portraits Of dead
American celebrities. The people were
glad to see Washington ct al back
again, and the new stamps were pro-
nounced a success. The series of
1870 was discontinued on February
%, 1890, but In the intervening 20
years so many changes had been
made in the designs and colors that
the original series is hardly recog-
nizable in the stamps just passing
into postal history. The late series
Therefore lasted 20 years
What was the average life Of the
previous issues?' asked the reporter.
There were four different issues
from l847 to 1869, and their average
duration was therefore five and one
half years. The changes I referred to
were in colors and took place mainly
in the latter part of 1887. There
were previously, however, some modi-
fications in the designs and colors, oC-
casioned principally by changes in the
rates Of postage. The design OF the i
cent stamp was changed in 1887. The
head of Franklin was allowed to re-
main. but it was re-engraved and a new
border substituted. 1t continued to
be printed in ultra marine blue. The
2-cent stamp, originally printed in
brown, was changed to vermillion in
1875, for the reason that the 10-cent
stamp, being printed in a slightly
different shade of the same color,
the two denominations we're fire.
quently confounded with each other.
Ion October l, 1888, letter postage
was reduced from cents to cents
and, since Washington had always
filled the leading place in the various
issues, a new 2-cent stamp bearing his
portrait was gotten out, replacing the
head Of Jackson on the old one. 1t
was printed in metallic red, but this
color was changed in 1887 to light
green
1.-The Scent stamp, not represent
ing any single rate of postage, was
discontinued, but, some demand having
arisen, its issue was shortly resumed
AS before, it was printed in dark
green, but in 1887 this color was sup
planted by vermillion. The Accent
stamp was adopted in 1888 to meet
the new double rate of letter postage
The head Of Jackson, abandoned on
the 2-cent denomination, was placed
on the new stamp. 1t was printed in
dark green and this was changed to
carmine In 1887. The scent stamp
was introduced in 1875 to meet the
uniform foreign letter rate estab-
lished by the international postal con-
vention of 1874. 1t bore the head of
Zachary Taylor and was printed in
deep blue. In 1881 the old design
was replaced with a new one, bearing
the head of Garfield and printed in
chocolate. This color gave way to a
steel blue in 1887.
THE Scent stamp, bearing the
bust of Lincoln, introduced in 1870,
remained unchanged in design and
color (cochineal red) up to the present
time. The same was the case with the
l0-cent stamp. containing the head
Of Jefferson and printed in light
brown, and also with the 15-cent
stamp with the profile of Webster in
orange.
THE 30-cent stamp, containing the
bust of Hamilton and printed in black,
went unchanged in design and color
until 1887, when it appeared in brown,
without any alteration of the design.
The 90-cent stamp, containing the
handsome features and symmetrical
lead of Perry, with beautiful and ap-
propriate surroundings, was also left
untouched in design, but in 1887 the
gallant commodore was stripped OF
his dress of carmine and robed in
royal purple.
1.-The series originally embraced a
12-cent stamp, with the bust of Henry
Clay, printed in a neutral tint of
purple, and a 12-cent stamp, with the
head of Winfield Scott, in pure purple.
A 7-cent stamp. bearing the profile of
Stanton, was added shortly after the
introduction of the series in 1870,
but this denomination as well as the
II and "a cent stamps, was diScon-
tinued July l, 1875"
Louis P. Lochner, manager of the
Associated Press, Berlin. is a stamp
collector. Wherever ne travels in
pursuit Of news he gathers speci-
mems for his albums. Recently he
has been in CzechoSlovakia, and it
may be presumed that he returned
heavy laden with the attractive
stamps Of that interesting country.
Maurice S. Petty, vice president
Washington Airmail Society, will
speak from Station WMAL Tuesday
evening at $50. His subject will be
"Airmail Collecting as a Hobby"
The Collectors Club, Branch S, So
ciety of Philatehc Americans, will meet
at the Thomson School, Twelfth street,
Tuesday evening at 8. Visitors well
come.
The Washington Philatelic Society
will meet at the Hotel Carlton. Six
teenth street, Wednesday evening at g.
Mr.. Robinette will exhibit the material
TO be sold at the A. P. S. convention
auction, Wednesday evening, August
IA. The public Is invited.