Evening star., 1946-02-03
stamps
By James Waldo FawceH

and the Axis-controlled or occu-
pied lands Of Europe, plus the jap
anese occupation issues of the Phil
ippine Islands, produced during the
Second World War, may represent
ideas repugnant to collectors in the
United States, but 1t cannot be de-
MED that many Of them are beauti-
full and a still larger number pos
sessed of authentic historical in
tereSt.
Mr.. and Mrs Hugh M Clark have
edited for the Scott Publications a
supplementary catalogue of all the
postal adhesiyes brought out by the
Axis governments and by provisional
regimes sponsored by the Axis be-
tween 1s41 and 1945. Their booklet
was published last week, and a hur-
ried glance over its 81 pages will suf-
fce to convince the average philatel-
list that the stamps they have listed
are likely to be sought with avidity
by thousands of enthusiasts in the
years to come.
Whether the Axis issues will be
available in sufficient quantities to
meet the demand remains to be
seen. The policy of the Allied mill
tary authorities after We day was
to destroy all such material as
promptly as possible BY so doing,
they undoubtedly increased the
value of the specimens not hqui-
dated. Some of the stamps cata-
logued by Mr.. and Mrs. Clark,
therefore, eventually may be priced
beyond the reach of ordinary collec-
tors. Thus far no appraisal of any
Of the Axis labels has been at
tempted. But it Is only a question
of time until the market will stabil-
ize. Perhaps year from now every
Axis sticker will be admitted to the
regular Scott catalogue with prices
attached. They are stamps, and
collectors will not bother themselves
or each other overmuch about the
political and economic errors which
were involved in their manufacture
and distribution.
Meanwhile, Mr.. and Mrs. Clark
have performed useful service to
the philatelic public. The terri
tories they have dealt with in their
booklet literally run from A to z,
as follows: Albania, Andorra, Bel
gium, Bohemia and Moravia, Bull
garia, Cephalonia, Corfu, Croatia,
Czechslovakia, Denmark, Finland,
France, Germany. Greece, Hun
gary, Ionian Islands, Italy. Ithaca,
Karelia, Laibach, Lubiana, Monte
negro, the Netherlands, Norway; the
Philippines, Poland, Romania, Rus
sia German occupation), San Ma
rino, Serbia, Yugoslavia and Zante.
In some Of these areas stamp pro-
duction appears to have been little
disturbed by the intervention of the
German or Italian military. Bel
gium, for instance, seems to have
continued to bring out handsome
semipostal issues during the war
just as it did before. Among the
charity lots were: A series of nine
portrait stamps showing great schol-
ars Of the Renaissance; series Of IL
bearing different representations of
st. Martin and the beggar: a sec
ond series of eight for the fight
against tuberculosis, the designs re-
producing statues in Petit Sablon
Park in Brussels; series of six in
aid of the restoration of Orval Abb
bey, the central features of the
designs being floral initials; sec
ond winter relief series of 10 Offer
ing views of celebrated churches,
and series of six for the Belgian
Red Cross showing portrait of Sir
Anthony van Dyck and five of his
pictures.
All Of the stamps thus described
are artistic in character. The aver
age collector undoubtedly would be
delighted to own copies of them.
But their prices probably will be
prohibitive-a fact which in itself
will supply a reason why they will
be wanted by philatelists with
means sufficient to indulge their de-
sire for them.
For beauty of design the stamps Of
France, sponsored by the so-called
Vichy government, would be apt to
win the highest prize, if one were
available. The coats Of arms of
eight provinces or departments"
were displayed on series of regular
postage issues. Single issues bearing
views Of the town hall belfry at
Arras, the Chateau de Chenonceaux
and the Dauphine Alps are listed. A
dozen semipostals carrying the
shields of an equal number of diff
ferent towns, six portraits of Mar
shall Petain, series of six portraits
of 10th century heroes, including
Chevalier Bayard; a set of six pro-
vincial costume pictures of the 18th
century, and finally a series of six
eminent Frenchmen of the 18th
century are groups which have OBJ
|vious appeal without consideration
of what fate befen the provisional
regime which created them.
But the wartime stamps of
Germany are propaganda issues
Ipredominantly - unqualified propa-
Iganda. Mr.. and Mrs. Clark list six
different types Of designs spotlight
ing Hitler. A set brought out in 1943
Illustrates the whole arsenal of war
machines, from hand grenades to
panzers and stukaS. The next year
the same conception was worked out
in Is semipostals showing tanks, sea
raiders, rockets and railway artil-
lery in action. Several series were
devoted to publicizing the Reich
labor corps. There also were indi-
vidual issues for the Brown Ribbon
races, the 150th anniversary of the
death of Mozart, the 10th ami
verSary of the National Socialist
party, the so-called stamp days" of
the Culture Fund, the centenary of
the birth of the Austrian writer.
Peter Rosegger; the 800th ami
Iversary of Lubbock and the 1,2O0th
anniversary of Fulda. Some of the
compositions are genuine works of
art, even if the message" they were
intended to convey is deplorable.
The same remark might be made
with regard to the four new stamps
produced by the Japanese for the
Philippines. Admittedly they SYM
bolize conquest and slavery. bu.
/ their focioY,e