Evening star., 1936-09-06


p = y r = n
via: and 10k, slate, Bracislavia with
ruined castle and Danube River in
foreground.
The Associated Press says: 1T Is
not often that an official bisect comes
out. In fact, 1t has been years since
one has appeared. But collectors have
a current example to add to this
rather rare group.
The stamp comes from Guatemala,
the particular item being the l.
centavo, brown and carmine, pictur-
ing Lake Atitlan, Of the recently is
sued set. 1t has diagonal perfora-
ton running from the upper left
hand corner to the lower right.
This makes possible the separation
of the oblong stamp into two triangles,
either Of which can be used to pay
postage of 1A-centavo. The reason
behind the diagonal perforation is
to provide lower value stamps than
were available in the original de-
signing.
"Bisects, which, in the language
Of philatelists. means stamps cut in
two by some offlcial method to create
two adhesives of value one-half Of
the original denomination never have
been numerous. Generally, such
;,t0 or l,,o f1 ~
urgent need or in cases where an
overprint lowering the face value is
not satisfactory"
Poland overprinted two stamps for
the Gordon Bennett balloon races,
August 80.
The Hartford Courant reports:
First philatelic reflections of the
revolution in Spain come from
Majorca, in control Of the insurgents.
where two values Of the regular set
have been overprinted. The outcome
of the struggle may have an important
bearing on whether these issues get
catalog recognition"
Only $4,000 sets Of the Silver Jubi-
lee stamps of Mauritius were issued.
K. Z. Parker writes in Mekeel's S
Weekly Stamp News: When the new
Canadian issues appeared, much in
terest was occasioned by the discovery
of the so-called secret mark which
consists of the date 1885 in very
small numerals practically hidden
away in the design. 1t is to be found
in all the postage designs and also
in those for the special delivery and
airnlail stamps. Recently q set Of
postage dues was issued. The writer
has seen no mention in the philatelic
press of the secret mark on these, but
1t is there in a form which lends
authority to the use of the term
secret mark For 1t not q simple
1885 all in one piece or place
Instead, the numerals have been sepa-
rated and it takes some trouble to
hunt for them, but search with q
magnifying glass will reveal, Il in the
top curl Of the acanthus scroll at the
left, g. in the inner branch. near
the bottom of the same scroll, be-
tween "A and p in the bottom label
and on a horizontal line with cents
- in the top curl of the scroll at the
right, and s. in the lower left portion
of the right scroll. beside s. Of cents.
The purpose Of the minute date in
the other designs was mysterious
enough, but why split it into four
sections? Can it actually be naively
intended as q secret mark tc escape
the notice of would-be counter
feiters?"
The Graf Zeppelin Hindenburg or
its maiden voyage from Germany te
the United States Is said to have car
ried 200,00 covers, a total mail loac
Of l ton.
F. w. Loso, director, department Of
business education, public schools Of
Elizabeth, N. j.. Is gathering ma
terial for text book on philately to
consist OF approximately 40 chapters
WIlJVC11 Wy CAPCI W III tAiCiI lCcPcSeAVS
philatelic fields. Among those CO.
operating are: Harry L. Lindquist
August Dietz, Stephen G. Rich, STAN
ley H. Ashbrook, DELI Norona, Harry
NJ Konweiser, Alfred H. Lichten-
stein, Clarence w. Brazer, Laurence
B. Mason, William c. Steiger, Charles
w. Gramm and Elliott Perry.
Alden H. Whitney, Washington
philatelist, urges a budget system
for building up stamp collections
1.-The average collector" he explains
should be able to afford a dollar a
week for specimens for his albums
If itelligently spent. the sum Of ap-
proximately $50 a year would signify
at the end of decade a collection
worth at least $500 or 5000.
1.-The dificulty is that most prac.
titioners of the philatelic hobby have
no definite policy. They buy in hit
or-miss fashion with little regard fol
ultimate consequences. A far better
plan would be to concentrate on Q
single country. say Japan. for period
of three or four months, during which
time all money spent for stamps
would be invested within the boun.