Evening star., 1944-12-31
1tanps
By James Waldo Fa,Oceff.

By James Waldo Favcef.
Thousands Of practitioners of the
worlds favorite hobby interpret the
word stamps" to include poster
labels and, most particularly, the
Christmas Seals issued annually to
raise funds for the continuance Of
the campaign against tuberculosis.
The first such seal, as 1t happens,
was placed in circulation just 40
years ago. 1t was inspired by Einar
Holboel, postal clerk at Copen-
hagen, and was sold in Denmark,
Norway and Sweden in 1904.
This years American seal, de.
signed by Spence Wildey and repre-
senting "a modernistic letter-car-
rier," bear as no other seals ever
did the letters 'U. S. A." and the
four different manufacturers have
placed their Identification marks
under those letters on the sixth
seal from the left in the sixth hori-
zontal row Of each sheet of 100.
According to the information
available, the Eureka Specially Print
ing Co. used the letter e." the Stro-
bridge Lithographing Co. "S," the
Edwards g. Deutsch Lithographing
Co. ID" and the United States
Printing & Lithographing Co. "U."
Perforations of the Eureka type
were punched with compound comb,
12;A by IL; those of the other three
varieties are straight line, 121z by
1914.
1t was announced several weeks
ago that complete sets of all four
sheets may be purchased from the
District Of Columbia tuberculosis
Association, 1901 Eighteenth street
NV.
Seals of the 1914 design also are
understood to be available with the
imprints of England and Canada,
the sheets for use in Quebec bear
ing the words "Joyeux Noel" in
stead of Merry Christmas" Credit
for the innovation of "U. S. A." on
the American edition is given to
Adam Gruenig, a collector residing
at Ceres. Calf.
Specimens of the Christmas Seals
OF previous years, meanwhile, may
be obtained by mail from the Dis
trict tuberculosis Association, the
Arlington County tuberculosis AS
sociation, 4o06 Lee highway, Ar
lington, Va, and the Montgomery
County tuberculosis Association,
7649 Georgetown road, Bethesda.
Md, as follows: 1907, type /, SOC
each; type 2, 25c; 1909, 15c; 1912,
75c; 1913, type 2, So; type 8, 75c;
1914, 81; 1915, 40c; 1916, 35c; 1917,
Sc; 1919 to 1921, inclusive, 1oc; 1922,
&c; 1923, SC; 1924 to 1929, inclusive,
Sc; 1880 to 1888, inclusive, DC; 1884
to date, 1c.
For 1908, copies of type 1 sell for
SIS; type 2, $3.50; type 2 booklet pane
of 6, SO a pane.
Other higher priced items are:
1910, $3.50; 1911, type l, So; type 2,
IS; 1911, type 3 coil, s25 1918, type
l, s35; 1914, essay, 81; 1916, Eu-
reka proof, 81; 1916, Strobridge,
s1.50; 1918, pane of 10. 81; 1918,
type 8 proof, SO; 1929, yellow jacket
proof, Csc; 1880 and 1881, booklet
panes of 10, zoe; 1894, de luxe on
metallized paper, 60c; 1888, SOU
venir pane without gum, 25c; 1899,
perforated booklet pane of 20, Csc.
Collectors desiring specimens Of
the back number" seals are re-
quested to send their orders to the
association Office nearest home. vir-
ginia orders should 60 to Arlington
Montgomery County and other
parts of Maryland to Bethesda
Only orders sent by mail can be
accepted anywhere.
Proceeds from all sales, whether
of 1914 seals or of those of past
years, 60 directly to the support Of
antituberculosis crusade.
The valuable collection of Christ
mas Seals of foreign countries, as
well as all American varieties, be-
longing to the National Tubercu-
losis Society, 1880 Broadway, New
York City, is to be exhibited before
members and friends of the Wash
ington Philatelic Society at the
Lee Sheraton Hotel. Fifteenth and
L streets NV. Wednesday eve
ming, January "a. It will be ex-
planned by Mrs. Sally Mum, di-
rector of publicity of the District
tuberculosis Association. Miss Lois
M. Jund, executive secretary of
the Arlington Association, also will
speak. Seals for 1914 and for all
previous years back to 1924 will be
on sale after the addresses. Phe
public is invited to attend.
Robert Calvin King, assistant
superintendent of the Division of
Stamps in the Post Office Depart
ment since June 10, 1925, and we'll
known to hundreds of stamp COL
lectors for many distinguished serv-
ices to philately, is retiring from
official employment "at the close of
business on December 81, 1914"
A native of Wabash, Ind, born
December %, 1874, Mr.. King was
graduated from the School of
Pharmacy at Purdue University
and was supervising teacher in
the school system of the Philippine
Islands from 1904 to 1907. He
transferred" to the postal branch
Of the Government on July of
the latter year and rose through
the grades to be acting head of the
Stamp Division for long periods OF
time. His regular rating as assist
ant superintendent during nearly
the whole span of two decades made
him the custodian of all documents
relating to the issuance of new
postal paper of every variety. 1t,
therefore, is probable that he ex-
GELS all living authorities on the
imprinted history of stamp produc.
ton.
Mr.. King also was Intimately
associated with the establishment
of the Philatelic Agency and with
its operation from 1922 onward,
His fellow workers in the depart
ment have presented him with a
handsome pocket watch as SYM