OUR SAILOR KING'S FAVORITE HOBBY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 83, 16 July 1910, Page 9

OUR SAILOR KING'S FAVORITE HOBBY.

HIS MAJESTY AS A STA.UPCOLLKCTOR. For some years King George has been president of the Royal "Philatelic Society He has been no figure-head, for there 'is no more enthusiastic stamp-collector in the world than his Majesty. His collection is estimated to be worth €IOO,OOO, arid his knowledge of stamps is such that on several occasions collectors have had to thank him for throwing Jii»ht on uncertain scientific points com-prum" | tin- study of stamps. Furthermore, whenever a Philatelic Congress has been held his Majesty has evinced the greatest interest in' the, proceedings, and on several occasions has invited foreign stamp-collectors to meet hini in order that thev might discus* philatelic matters. At the great London Philatelic Exhibition of 18117, the Kinohe was then, of course. Duke of Yorkvisited the Institute of Painters in Water Colors, where the exhibition was being held, twice, and on one occa«'on was accompanied by his father. As evidence of the keen interest the King takes in the scholarly side of collecting, an incident \vh ; ; 1 weai-red clm--'"g the Royal tour ot iiu- ,t r , i,, r ,, s ,v ritr-worthy. Que-i Alw wT- .•xnmiuing ;m exhibit ot <he s;.ii'.iis rf ''an-..!;, nothing especia'li- toe- v-:.-,etv ■>: l-'")l. bearing an excellent portrait of the i.-te Prince Consort. -Expressing her astonishment that the late 'Prince Consort's portrait appeared on the stamps, the Queen turned to the King and enquired if he possessed a copy in his collection. Upon which, with a smile, the King remarked, "Yes," adding that it was the l"2d of the same issue he lacked. The Prince Consort stamp is worth, used, about £l; the I2d black, anything under £75!

In 1900 a great stamp exhibition was held at the Royal Horticultural Hall, and not only did the King himself exhibit, but also his son, the Duke of Cornwall, the Heir Apparent. Unique proofs and prints of our English stamps were exhibited by his Majesty, amongst great rarities shown being that gem of the first water, the Post Office Mauritius twopenny blue, for which King George paid £ 1450 at an auction. Prince Edward exhibited in the junior class a fine collection of unused stamps of Liberia, mostly in pairs, and practically complete from the first perforated issue, as well as a general collection of unused stamps of France and her colonies. In each case the young Prince's exhibits were marked ''Not for competition," probably owing to a chivalrous disinclination to elbow boys not so advantageously placed as himself out of the prizes set apart for them.

Even as recently as March of this year the King showed his great interest in stamp-collecting hy a donation to the Royal Philatelic Society of a magnifisent collection of envelopes, postcards and wrappers, representing practically all the stamps issued in Great Britain and the colonics. This included some extremely rare 'tilling*—the Mauritius one shilling yellow, which is one of the six rarest envelopes in the world, and is to-day of great value. The Ceylon envelopes of the first issue are also extremely scarce, and the postcards included'by his Majesty in his gift to the society comprise varieties catalogued at many thousands of pounds apiece. It has been the custom of his Majesty to send a representative to attend evenstamp auction of importance on his behalf, and many have been the tussles between dealers and the Royal representative. "His Majesty never stopped to consider price when he had set ais mii: 1 c.r obtaining a prize," said one of these dealers the other day, ''and he is just as enthusiastic to-day as he was fifteen or twenty years ago. The 'Open Sesame' to the King's interest is a rare stamp, and it seldom fails to secure an audience for the possessor." It must not be thought that his Majesty is one of those aristocratic stampcollectors who purchase rarities, have them placed in a glass case, and then foraet all about them. He takes a scientific, historical and artistic interest in his stamps, and no reararngement is ! permitted until his express sanction lias been given. He considers stamp-collect-ing a valuable means of mental culture, i and a great aid to historical and artis- | tic research of the various periods. It is really the intellectual side of collecting that appeals to him. On several ocasions it has been remarked that his Majesty intended to sell his collection, but such rumors have always been promptly denied. "I am too fond "of my collection to part with it," he remarked a short time ago, when this rumor was reported, for which denial stamp enthusiasts in England were exceedingly grateful, fearing that were the collection to be put up for sale it might be bought by some rich American or Continental collector.