Evening star., 1942-01-04
AMONG THE STAMP COLLECTORS
News of the Phatelc World Its Interests and of
the Stamp Press-Ls of Local Meetings.
Bv James Waldo Fawcetf.

lately IN Gne prevailing CTlSlS dS lOl'
lows: There are those who believe
that collecting stamps, or any other
hobby for that matter, is waste Of
time, but any person who expresses
such a belief is simply displaying
ignorance of the fundamental prin-
ciples of psychology. Now is the
time to capitalize on your STAMP
collecting and let it help you relax
forget your troubles for a while"
Robert o. Truman wisely declares
"In those cities where blackoutS art
necessary, stamps will play an i'm
portant part in strengthening
morale, providing a relaxation fol
the mind during those hours of un.
certainty"
The Philatelic Agency reports
total sales in amount OF $l,699, SIC
"last year" Since stamps cost only
about 8 cents per 1000 to manufac-
ture and specimens purchased by
collectors generally are exempt from
postal duty, this large and impress
sive sum was, in effect, free gift
to the Government of the United
States from the philatelic public.
Mrs Edward B. Martin writes that
the American flag presented to her
husband and herself at the Postage
Stamp Centenary banquet in 1910
now flies daily at South River, N. j.,
where she makes her home with her
brother and his wife.
The current stamps of the Philip
pines now are under Japanese con-
troll. What will be done with them
is anybody's guess, but one thing
Is sure-the precedent set by the
Nipponese invaders will be remem-
bered when at last American troops
take possession of the smoldering
ruins OF Toxic.
Local stamp collectors, learning Of
the occupation of Manila on Friday,
asked: What will become of the
Elizalde group of philatelic en-
thusiasts?" The reference was to
the circle which included: Pablo M
Esperidion. Walter Bruggmann, Edu-
ardo Yrezabal, Flora j. Policarpio
and others.
A slogan cancellation from the
Antipodes reads: Advance Aus
tralia."
Five different types of Keep En-
Flying" poster stamps are an
nounced by the Poster Stamp Pub
fishing Co., 2445 South Damen ave-
nue., Chicago. at a penny each plus
postage.
The United States continues to
maintain postal relations with Swe-
den, Switzerland, Turkey, SPAN,
Portugal and unoccupied France,
but letters addressed to residents of
those countries are subject to the
chances of war.
The Free France overprint was
being applied to the stamps of ST.
Pierre and Miquelon long before
the coup d'etat of the De Gaullists.
Postmaster General Frank c..
Walker has issued an appeal to the
American people to use airmail
rather than telephone facilities dur
ing the emergency.
Why not stamp in recognition of
the heroic defense of Wake Island
by the marines? Commemorative
have been authorized by President
Roosevelt in the past with far less
justification.
Robert D. Byrnes, stamp editor of
the Hartford Courant, says: "Nauru,
one of the islands reported taken
by the japanese. was once known
as Pleasant Island, and the post
Office there as late as 1910 used that
designation in the cancellation.
There now are 787 military post
Offices and stations under the Ameri-
can Flag. One list appeared in the
Postal Bulletin of october 7, an
other in that of December 4.
The American Forestry ASsocia-
ton, 9t9 Seventeenth street NV,
has brought out a poster label to
publicize conservation as an aspect
of national defense. Captions read:
Defend America" Industry Must
Have Resources" and Prevent For
est Fires" The stickers are sold at
81 per 100, proceeds to the educa-
tional work of the organization.
DR.. Emil Ferdinand, philatelic
curator of the Library of Congress,
writes: II have read about the cir
cles appearing on envelopes from
Germany and wish to suggest
possible explanation of them. Tran
sit mail I have noticed, bears a
circle with two letters, either a large
"A and small 81 or a large "A and
small d. These symbols, I have
supposed, might signify 'Auslands-
brief or foreign letter and Aus
land-drucksache' or foreign i'm
print Gmprints for foreign coun-
tries). Parcels of books coming
from Germany to America by way
of Lisbon were marked 'Ad.' Letters
from Oslo were stamped Abb All
letters from occupied territories pass
through Berlin"
The art of engraving may have
been known to the ancients. A tradi-
ton dating back nearly 1000 years
suggests that Marcus Vafro intro
duced the portraits of 700 individuals
in his numerous books, as he could
not bear the idea that all trace of
their features should be lost" These
illustrations. Pliny says, were trans
mitted to all parts Of the earth, so
that anywhere it might be possible
to see them"
Perhaps the technique of how to
make such pictures was lost. In
any case, legend of medieval origin
sets up a claim to the invention of
engraving in behalf of Alexander
Alberto Cunio and his twin sister
Isabella. William s. Walsh, in his
Handy Book of Curious Informa-
STAMPS AND COINS.
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