RARE STAMPS

Hokitika Guardian, 23 September 1931, Page 3

RARE STAMPS

EXHIBITION IN AUCKLAND.

THE “DEATH MASK” SERIES

FINE GOVERNMENT DISPLAY.

To commemorate the coronation of King Peter in 1901, the Serbian Government issued a special stamp showing the profile of the new king and his ancestor, Kara George. It was generally acknowledged that the stamp was an attractive one, but before it had been ltpiyy days in issue its sale was stopped,,, and the Serbian Government officials even went to great pains in an endeavour to buy in all used copies. The reason for the cancellation of the new stamp was the discovery that, when looked upon upsidedown it showed the face of the murdered King Alexander. It was asserted that, the engraver had been inspired by exQueen Nathalie the wife of the murdered monarch and the stamps became known throughout Europe as the “King’s Death Mask” series- Copies of this notorious issue form one of the most interesting exhibits at the Auckland Society’s display which opened at the Hall of Industries, Queen’s Arcade on Friday last.

The exhibition, which is the first display of its kind held in Auckland, will remain open for a week. Every country in the world i s represented, and many of th exhibits should appeal almost as much to the man in the street as to the ardent philatelist. Admission will he free.

“THE BISECTED SHILLING.” One of the exhibits alone i,s insured for £SOO. This is a collection of New Zealand stamps loaned by the General Post Office, and it contains one of the rare “bisected shilling” stamps which were sold for a short period in 1856. The “bisected shilling” stamps came in o existence as the resuit of the supply of 6d stamps running out, the Government getting over the difficulty by cutting shilling stamps in half and selling each half as a fid issue. For anyone who specialises in the collection of New Zealand stamps this exhibit should carry the ■ strongest appeal. A novelty exhibit is a number o! paper panels on which all manner of designs have been worked in stamps. Tlie panels, which are the work o! Airs L. B. Esam, of Hastings, are 9ft long and 3ft wide, and each one contains approximately 16,000 stamps. The Stuart Royal tartan and the popular Mickey the Mouse are included among the designs shown in this exhibit. The production of a series of postage and revenue stamps commemorating the New Zealand Internationa! Exhibition of 1906-7 is shown in a frame exhibited by the Government. The, display ■ comprises, the,., original drawings of the artist, Mr L. J. Steele, of Auckland, specimens of trial processes, and the finished articles. OLD PIGEON POST. For fine colour work a series of stamps, issued this year to ate’ the New Delhi are much admired, and a few old Nova Scotia issue's are considered by experts to be among the gems of the collection. Of course there are a number of the well-known “penny blacks,” the first stamps ever issued, and several “Mulready envelopes,” which were used for penny postage before stamps were e\oi thought of. Of particular interest to Aucklanders "'ill be a series of special stamps used for the pigeon service between Auckland and the Great Barrier Island at the end of last centuiy. ! n years long since passed the New Zealand Government fhib-let the backs of postage stamps for advertising space, and there are several pages of stamps “boosting” Mr feo-and-so s baby soap and Mr Somebody else’s bale ing powder. Another interesting series shows the evolution of transport over the water from the days of the slave galleys to the present aeroplane services.

The smallest stamp in the world is represented hv a tiny issue, less than half an inch square. This was issued in Mecklenberg in 1856. The largest '■■tamp i s one issued in the United States of America in 1863 for newspaper end periodical postage. Tt is three and three-quarter inches long and tuo inches wide.