The Stamp Album

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 44, 14 May 1927, Page 22 (Supplement)

The Stamp Album

CONTINUED POPULARITY.

A writer in “The Nation and Athenfi'urvi** comments that the most distinctive feature of the past year for those interested ir* philately has been the continued popularity of stamp-collect-ing, in spite of what has been generally a lean time in commercial circles. While many luxury trades have been severely hit because of the rather impaired financial resources of a large proportion of those who usually have sufficient surplus to devote to such affairs, stamp-collectors seem to have been able, generally speaking, to keep up their collections. The number of new issues has been considerable, both from the Colonies and in foreign countries, and prominent members of the trade state that newly-issued stamps are still the most popular of all with collectors. This, at first sight, may seem to he surprising, ns, for a variety of causes, the quantity of emissions seems to be growing in snowball-like proportions, and, apart entirely from a question of outlay, it is really a difficult task to keep track of them all, not to mention the amount of time required to keep them properly classified and tabulated.

One must assume that this popularity of the new issue, and particularly the British Colonial new issue, is based on first, the comparative simplicity of this type of stamp—apart from a difference of shade here and there and occasional changes of watermark, modern British Colonial stamps are quite straightforward; and secondly—and this is probably the more important factor—is the financial aspect. British Colonial stamps can bt? purchased at a slight percentage over face value, and when one considers the increases in price of stamps quite recently issued, there is no wonder’ that the temptation to accumulate this class of stamp is very strong.

“ MANDATED.”

i here are intimations in British stamp papers that the League of Nations doesn’t think much of the new Tanganyika stamps with their combination of King George’s portrait and the (inscription “Mandated Territory of Tanganyika”—and that accordingly it may he that the series will have a (short life and then be withdrawn from circulation. The nub of this situation is that Tanganyika, once German East Africa, is not, strictly speaking, a British possession in the sense that Bermuda, St. ;T\il ts-Nevis, and similar British colonies tare*. Tanganyika is administered by ja British Governor, but this is done [under a mandate which is approved by tthe League of Nations. A giraffe was the uniform design on the stamps which preceded the King George head set. If Great Britain had [been content merely to place the inscription “Mandated Territory,” etc., on a scries showing the giraffe, all might 'have been well. Blit by issuing stamps •with both this wording and King <leorge’s likeness, Great Britain ap-

parently has stirred speculation at Geneva as to whether this may not be interpreted as being equivalent to political propaganda on England’s part—particularly at this time when Germany, not long since admitted to the league, is still agitating for restoration of he” former colonies, comments an American writer.

German East Africa was conquered in 1918 and was subsequently divided between the British and the Belgians. In March, 1921, the district of Ujiji and Bukoba, formerly administered by the Belgians, was handed over to the British jurisdiction and has since been administered by Britain, under the mandates approved by the league. The territory comprises some 365.000 square miles and extends from the Umba River on the north to the Rovuma River in the south.

INTERESTING OVERPRINT.

It is expected that all the remaining values to 10/- in the new pictorial postage stamps series of the Union of South Africa will he issued shortly as supplies have now reached the Dominion (says a London daily paper). An interesting addition to the stamps of South-West Africa is in the form of a variety of overprint. The stamps of the new pictorial scries, of which the 4d, Id and 6d have been issued, are overprinted alternately in English and Afrikaans throughout the sheets. For use in South-West Africa the stamps were overprinted vertically. Now the Id value has appeared with the English overprint on the Afrikaans.

CHRISTCHURCH SOCIETY.

The Christchurch Philatelic Society has been fortunate in securing a keen and energetic secretary, Mr \V. Peers, and as a result of his efforts in “rounding up** members the attendances at the society’s meetings are growing fast. On Thursday evening Mr R. J. G. Collins presided over one of the best gatherings of members and visitors that the society has had for some years. One of the subjects before the meeting was an invitation to the society to join the Committee of Honour for the Third International Philatelic Exhibition of South Africa, which is to he held in Durban next year. The invitation was accepted. It was agreed that a medal should he given for competition at the exhibition in a class of New Zealand stamps to be specified by the committee.

The display for the evening was a fine collection of three albums of stamps on original covers, by Mr G. Russell. The display was most entertaining. containing, as it did, some particularly interesting envelopes, including Baden-Powell stamps of the siege of Mafeking, the envelopes of ruling monarchs and their relations, showing the private franks or crests a copy of a stamp picked by an American committee of experts as the most beautiful stamp issued, and many other interesting items.

A hearty vote of thanks was carried with acclamation, with a few words of appreciation on behalf of the visitors, by Mr G. E. Franklin. J.P.