Evening star., 1947-05-25
News About Stamps
By james Waldo Fowcett

No one who attended the Gem
tenary international Philatelic Ex-
hibition at Grand Central Palace
in New York last week ever will
forget the experience. The display
and Its correlated activities immeas-
urably surpassed any similar enter
prise Of years gone by. III any proof
Of the progress achieved by world
wide pf1ilately were needed, it could
be found not merely In what was
achieved but In the art and the
skill with which it was accomplished.
When the exhibition opened on
Saturday, May IT. a veritable tidal
wave of people swept into the build
ing. The police estimate of the
crowd was 10000. A throng nearly
as numerous paid admission the Sec
ond day, and the rule thus estab-
lished prevailed up to and including
last night, despite rainy weather.
Reporters noticed at once and
commented upon repeatedly the fact
that thousands of children were
present at the show. They came
with their parents, with their
teachers and with friends Of their
own ages; and the enthusiasm and
intelligence with which they viewed
the material available were indica-
tive Of development of tremendous
Significance to the future of the
worlds greatest hobby.
Every stamp known to the cata-
loguers was exhibited, The price
less rarities rubbed metaphoric ell
bows with the commonest and least
precious specimens, the latter dis
played for their historic connota-
tion If for nothing else. Three large
floors of space were required for the
seemingly endless lines of easels and
frames. Meeting on terms of equal
ity in the show were collectors of
every conceivable class and condi-
ton. The famous classics were
grouped in the Court of Honor with
King George VI as the ranking ex-
hibitor. Francis Cardinal Spellman
won honors for his stamps relating to
religion. Col. Spencer Cosby, valde-
mar Weiergang and Philip H. Ward,
jr., all well known in Washington,
were among the recipients of awards
for outstanding specimens.
The displays of the Bureau of
Engraving and Printing, the Post
Office Department, the governments
of Canada and Switzerland, the
American Bank Note Co. and the
United States International Envel-
ope Corp. were magnetic centers of
attraction from morning until night.
Many dealers, philatelic publishers,
collectors, societies, etc, had hand
Somely decorated booths.
Prescott Thorp was responsible for
the editing Of the catalogue Tro-
jan task satisfactorily executed. The
overall direction of the whole af-
fair was in the hands of Harry L.
Lindquist, editor and publisher of
Stamps Magazine and president of
the National Federation of Stamp
Clubs.
Local philatelists attending In
cluded Mrs. Catherine l.. Manning,
Mrs. Edward B. Martin, Philip
Simms Warren, David H. Daven-
port, Albert F. Kurze, Mrs. Grace
Lowering MacKnight, William M.
Stuart, Gerard Ten Eyck Beeckman,
Frederick Uhlig, jr.: Mr.. and Mrs.
Milton H. Cullen, DR.. Melville G..
Skinner, Samuel M. Burgess, Mr..
and Mrs. Joseph A. Herbert, Mr..
and Mrs. D. Uyeno, Sven Yort,
John F.. Steele, H. Bocorselski, Fred
erick r. Rice, Max Virgins, r. r.
Hungerford, H. H. Marsh, DR.. Ellis
Haworth, DR.. Albert c. Schwarting,
Col. Charles S. Hamilton, Mai.
James T. De Voss and Col. c. r.
Donohugh.
Also, Rear Admiral Paul H. Bas-
tedo, G. Ellsworth Rue, James r.
Raymond, H. A. Robinette, Claire
Hallard Fawcett, Raymond G. Gil
mite, Charles H. Vaughan, Arthur
j. Wood, Mrs. Jane Duvan, Robert
A. Traux, Harry P. Jones, Capt. Will
liam G. Shaw III, Col. Cosby and
Mr.. Weiergang.
The Post Office Department was
represented by ]. j. Lawler, Robert
E. Fellers. Herbert S. Chamberlin,
James Bell and Pearl Bond, and
the Bureau of Engraving and Print
ing by Alvin w. Hall, John Maynard
Smith, Donald r. Mcleod, Edward
r. Grove and James Thompson,
The centenary 15-cent souvenir
sheet, released at the exhibition
Monday has been subject of criti-
cism mainly because of haste in pro-
duction. Copies were smeared, torn,
creased, printed with the red stamp
off-center and margins too narrow.
The number sold reached 2,325 SOL,
with f1rst-day covers reported at
502,175. Many collectors are plan
ming to use both the Scent and To-
cent imperfs, cut from the sheets.
for authentic first-day mailings on
the actual centennial of the first
two United States stamps, July /.
The new centenary scent air.
mail envelope is on sale at ordinary
post offices but not at the Philatelic
Agency.
Collectors interested in the forth
coming doctors stamp may be in
terested to know that a modern
copy of Sir Luke Fildes' famous
painting may be seen on a wall of
the Maxwell & Tennyson Pharmacy,
1901 street NV.
Airmail service to Shanghai,
China, will be inaugurated on Route
F. A. M. IA on June 8. Collectors
desiring cachets are advised to con-
suit local postal personnel imme-
diately for details.
With President Truman's blessing,