Evening star., 1937-12-26

have increased considerably in value
during recent years, according to j.
j. Klemann, jr., former president of
the American Stamp Dealers Asso-
ciation.
1t was not long after the United
States stamps appeared in 1847 that
the growing mail service demanded
more than two varieties. In 1851 q
second issue was made ready, and
three additional values were released
Like the first. this second set Was is
ued imperforate, and a cutting device
was required to separate the stamps.
The 1-cent was intended primarily
for drop letters, the 3-cent was de-
signed for ordinary letters. the scent
for the registration fee. the l0-cent for
letters going 5000 miles or more, and
the 12-cent for quadruple the ordinary
| letter rate.
Accompanying this series were two
types of carrier stamps. selling for !
cent each, but without the denomina-
ton indicated. These stamps were
intended for use in prepaying the
charge for delivery of the letter from
the post Office to its ultimate destina-
ton. Previous to that, private carriers
did this service for similar fee, but
the Government decided that this
was a function of the Federal Post
Office Department and today the post
age rate includes regular delivery with
out additional cost.
| In 1857. at the request of the Post
master General, similar group of
postage stamps was issued. but with
perforations for the first time These
| perforations were considerably closer
together than those in use today. Three
more values were added-24 cents for
mail to Great Britain, 30 cents for
mail to Germany, 80 cents for mail to
prepay multiple rates of postage.
About 1860 the "a. 80 and 80 cent
stamps made their appearance in i'm
perforate form, but how wide a use
they were given is still in dispute.
| These three sets of stamps also af-
ford the specialist wide scope for in
tensive study, as most of the plates
from which the stamps were printed
show many varieties of re-entry and
recutting.
A copy of the celebrated Swedish
error, No. la. 3sk orange, recently was
sold at auction in London for ap-
proximately 100000.
The Universal Postal Union has ac-
cepted and is distributing the first
anniversary stamps of the Franco
government in Spanish Morocco.
Renewed enthusiasm for foreign
stamps is manifest among American
collectors of all ages. British Empire
issues lead the list, but there also is
keen competition for France, Ger
many and Austria.
A Washington philatelist who also
collects autographs recently has ac-
quired the residuary papers of Horace
Mann, the famous educational re-
former The material purchased in
cludes letters by Alexander Hamilton,
Daniel Webster, Charles Sumner,
Henry WadsWorth Longfellow, James
Russell Lowell. John Greenleaf Whit
tier. Henry James, Bayard Taylor.
Louis Agassiz Asa Gray, Josiah
| Quincy. Harriet Beecher Stowe Julia
Ward Howe, Laura Bridgeman. Wen
dell Phillips, Theodore Parker, Sal
mon P. Chase, James A. Garfield.
Sir Isaac Coffin. Gen. Oliver Otis
Howard. Gen. Ethan Allen Hitch
cock, DR.. Mary Putnam jacob, Char
lotte Cushman. Elizabeth Peabody,
Kate Douglas Wiggin, Mrs. Jessie B.
Fremont, Louisa May Alcott. Andrew
D. White, Ralph Waldo Emerson,
Mrs. Nathaniel Hawthorne, Lydia
Sigourney, Maria Mitchell, Edward
Everett, DR.. Samuel Gridley Howe,
Mrs. Horace Mann and Horace Mann,
jr.
Many of the letters are in origi-
nal covers in excellent condition.
Philatelic Agency sales for the first
IL months of 1887 were $2,132, 1876,
as compared with $2,066, ,97403 for the
same period of 1886. Recently, vast
number of small orders have kept the
staff busy.
Charles Kohen, proprietor of the
Hobby Shop, TIC Seventeenth street
NV, has purchased fine specialized
collection of early United States
stamps, including the primary issues
mint.
The 50-subject plates prepared in
the Bureau of Engraving and Printing
tses use in making proofs of recent
stamps for exhibition purposes need
not create excitement among plate
! number block collectors. Never put