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ChasJ. Phillips
“I
.1
FIFTY YEARS
PHILATELY
THE HISToRY OF STANLEY GIBBONS, LTD.

TO WHICH IS ADDED A CHAPTER ON

STAMP COLLECTING AS AN INVESTMENT

BY

CHARLES PHILLIPS

flLonbon
STANLEY GIBBONS, LTD., 39I STRAND, W.C.

Mew moth
STANLEY GIBBONS, 1m, 198 BROADWAY
 CONTENTS
CHAPTER PAGE
I. THE FOUNDER OF THE FIRM . . . . . 7

II. PLYMOUTH, 1856 To 1874 . . . . . I3

III. LONDON, 1874 TO 1890 . . . . . . 21

IV. RETIREMENT OF MR. GIBBONS AND CONVERSION OF

THE BUSINESS INTO A LIMITED COMPANY . 27

V. OUR CHAIRMAN . . . . . . . 31

VI. REMOVAL TO THE STRAND . . . . . 37

VII. SOME COLLECTIONS WE HAVE PURCHASED . . 49

VIII. PURCHASE OF THE BUSINESS OF MESSRS. G. HAMIL

TON-SMITH AND CO. . . . . . . 59

IX. OUR CITY BRANCH . . . . . . . 65

X. THE AUCTION DEPARTMENT. GLENDINING AND C0,.

LTD. . . . . . . . . . 69

XI. OUR AMERICAN BRANCH . . . . . . 85

XII. PUBLICATION DEPARTMENT . . . . . 105

XIII. “NEW ISSUE” DEPARTMENT . . . . . I45

XIV. OUR STOCK AND HOW IT IS ARRANGED . . . I51
XV. OUR REFERENCE COLLECTIONS OF REPRINTS, FOR
GERIES, PHOTOGRAPHS, POSTMARKS, BOOKS, ETC. I63
XVI. OUR STAFF . . . . . . . . I69

STAMP COLLECTING AS AN INVESTMENT . . . ISI

 F ifty Years of Philately
THE HISTORY OF STANLEY GIBBONS, LTD.

INTRODUCTION

N 1893, on the occasion of moving from No. 8 Gower

Street to our new premises at 391 Strand, I published a
short sketch in the Monthly journal of the history of our firm,
in which I stated that the business was started in I854. This
I have since discovered was not quite correct, as Mr. Gibbons
tells me that he started selling stamps when he was sixteen
years old, which was in I856, therefore 1906 is really our jubilee
year.
In looking back over the old books, catalogues, and albums
of my firm, I am much impressed by the enormous strides that
have been made in stamp collecting during the past fifty years,
and I think that perhaps many of my younger readers may be
interested in a short sketch of the history of our business and
in some particulars of those who have helped to build it up to
its present proportions.
I have thought it best from a business point of view to run
“ Fifty Years of Philately ”
on the right-hand pages, the pages
on the left hand being reserved for advertisements of our
publishers.

May, 1906
 E. ST ‘\NLEY GIBBONS
From a photo taken about 1870
 CHAPTER I
THE FOUNDER OF THE FIRM

R. EDWARD STANLEY GIBBONS was born at

No. I3 Treville Street, Plymouth, in I840, the same
year that saw the introduction of Rowland Hill’s scheme of
prepaying postage by means of an adhesive label.
His father was Mr. William Gibbons, a pharmaceutical
chemist at the above address.
iler. Gibbons was educated at Messrs. Hallorans’ Collegiate
Establishment in Torrington Place, Plymouth, where there
were about a hundred pupils. He tells me that his earliest
recollection of postage stamps was about I854, when, as a
youth of fourteen, he remembers possessing a little book about
5 x 3 inches in size, with perhaps twenty stamps in it for the
purpose of exchange. Amongst these was the newly issued
Id., black, Western Australia, then current, and also a rd.
Sydney View. About 1855 Mr. Gibbons was taken from school
and was given the position of junior clerk in the well-known
Naval Bank, Plymouth ; but he had not been there much over
a fortnight when the sudden death of his eldest brother
(William P. L. Gibbons) entirely altered his prospects, and he
was taken from the bank and placed in his father’s shop at
13 Treville Street, Plymouth, as a compounder of pills and
powders.
The fact that young Gibbons had plenty of spare time while
he was an apprentice to the business permitted him to indulge
in stamps, and his father, finding that it was a lucrative
pursuit, allowed him a desk 0n the left-hand counter as one
entered the shop, to accommodate his treasures and corre
spondence. This was in 1856, when our hero was but sixteen
years of age, thisvsmall start being the foundation of what has
become the largest business in the world in this branch of
7
 8 ADVERTISEMENTS

Notice to Collectors.

E are often asked to advise clients who are about to start

collecting as to the most advantageous method of starting,
and how to obtain the best value at the commencement:

If a client starts a collection by ordering even the cheapest

stamps from our Catalogue, the cost soon runs to an appreciable
amount, as our lowest unit for a single stamp is one penny,

whereas it is only a fraction of that amount if he starts with the

cheaper packets.

We therefore recommend beginners to start with a good

packet; the larger and greater number of stamps that it contains,
the better will be the value he will get for his money.

When the contents of the packet have been arranged in his

album, the collector will then be able to see in which countries
he is weakest, and can then with great advantage turn to the
Set List, in which we quote nearly 2000 different sets of stamps,
at prices from 20 per cent. to 50 per cent. less than our retail

Catalogue prices. He can there select just those sets that will
help to make a good display in his album; and eventually, when
he has filled up his pet country or group in this manner, can then
turn to the retail Catalogue and order any particular variety he
may be short of in his collection.

STANLEY GIBBONS, LIMITED,

39!, STRAND (Opposite Hotel Cecil), LONDON, W.C.
 FIFTY YEARS OF PHILATELY 9

commerce, and it is from this period that we date the founda

tion of the firm which this year celebrates its jubilee.
Mr. Gibbons tells me that he first traded as E. S. Gibbons,
but soon merged this into the more euphonious E. Stanley
Gibbons. Shortly afterwards he dropped the E. and altered

E. STANLEY GIBBONS
Present Day

to Stanley, Gibbons, and Co., inserting a comma between

the Stanley and Gibbons to increase the importance of
the firm.
As a young man Mr. Gibbons took a leading part in various
social organizations of his native town, and as I write I
 IO ADVERTISEMENTS

Approval Sheets
and

Collections of Stamps.
NEW SHEETS OF STAMPS FOR BEGINNERS
AND MEDIUM COLLECTORS.

E have just arranging our Approval Sheets of Stamps on an entirely

been
\‘V new and much simpler plan than formerly. The Stamps are mounted
on Sheets, containing an average of 100 Stamps per Sheet. They are all
arranged in the order of our New Catalogue. First, Great Britain and the
Colonies, then all Foreign Countries. These Sheets contain about 6000 difl'erent
Stamps, and a Sheet of any particular country will be sent on demand. The
Sheets arranged to date are over sixty in number, and contain all Great Britain
'
and the Colonies, and all Foreign Countries.

TO ADVANCED COLLECTORS—For Collectors more advanced we

have an assortment of many hundreds of small books of Choice picked Stamps
of every Country or District in the World. Most of these special books contain
inches), and can sent by post in an ordinary registered
3.}

twenty pages (5 x be
envelope to all parts of the world. These books, as a rule, include Used and
Unused Stamps, but Special Approval Books will be made up to suit individual
requirements. writing for such should state
Collectors they wish for Used
if

or Unused Stamps; singles, pairs, or blocks of are required; also, in Used

if

Stamps, special Postmarks are sought for. In all cases, in these books, we
if

shall lay ourselves out to meet the special requirements of each individual client,
>
whether the amount required be large or small.

Great Rarities are our Speciality. We have a large number of Stamps on

hand from £100 to £750 each, and shall'be pleased to give prices and particulars
to advanced Philatelists.

We purchase really RareVSt‘amps/at agmuch‘hig-herCash Price than that paid

'
bylany otheertamp Merchaiitt. .

I
f.‘ .. STANLEY GIBBONS, LIMITED,
391, STRAND (Opposite Hotel Cecil), LONDON, W.C.
 FIFTY YEARS OF PHILATELY n
have before me a number of circulars to which his name is
attached.
One of the earliest of these reads as follows :—

THE AMATEUR
COLOSSEUM OF SCIENCE AND ART
PLYMOUTH
Gentlemen are informed that the above
Company has accommodation for a select
number of members, situated at I5 Treville
‘
Street. _
The above room is fitted up with Curiosities
from all parts of the World, a Library,
Museum, and Philosophical Apparatus.
We beg to inform you that the above room
is intended for Useful Knowledge and Amuse
ment, during the evenings, from 6 pm. to
IO p.m.
Terms may be known on application to
E. S. GIBBONs,
Manager.

Another'concern with which Mr. Gibbons was prominently

associated was the Plymouth Mutual Improvement Associa
tion, which was established in I858, and in the prospectus
for the season 1862—3, which I have before me, the president
‘
is given as Mr. E. Stanley Gibbons.
The lectures of this Association were all given at the
Colosseum, Plymouth, and on 6 May, I860, Mr. Gibbons gave
a lecture, entitled “ The History of Cortes and the Conquest
of Mexico,” which he followed up with many. others on various
subjects.
In I866 Mr. Gibbons was elected President of the Plymouth
Literary Association, and I have before me“ _a_copy of the
address he delivered to the members on the occasion of the
Annual Conversazione on 19 January, I866.
 12 ADVERTISEMENTS

GRAND ... New and (ireatl y

C O LL E lO N QQ Reduced Prices
for 1906.
PACKETS...

NO. 64 CONTAINS 100 VARIETIES,

Including used anl unused. Price 6d. ; post-free, 7d.

No. 65 CONTAINS 250 DIFFERENT VARIETIES,

Both used and unused Stamps, Envelopes I] and Post Cards [1, and is well recommended as a capital
start for a collector. Price a/—; post-free, 2/1.

No. 66. 500 VARIETIES,

Is Strongly recommended as the cheapest collection of 500 different Stamps ever offered—the Stamps
could not be bought separately for three times the marvellously low price at which it is now offered.
The Stamps, etc., are clean, picked specimens, fit for any collection. The best 500 varieties in the trade.
Price 4/—; post-free, 4/1.

No. 67, 1000 VARIETIES.

This packet contains rooo difi'erent Stamps (and no Envelopes, Bands, and Cards), and is the cheapest
packet ever offered by S. G., Ltd., satisfaction being absolutely guaranteed. The price it is offered at
is the lowest ever quoted for such a collection, embracing as it does scores of scarce varieties, provisionals,
new issues, and many very fine and obsolete varieties.
Price r5/—; post-free and registered.

No. 68, 1500 VARIETIES.

Each specimen is in perfect condition, and the 1500 difi'erent Stamps form a noble start for any one. A
large number of really rare and valuable Stamps are contained in this collection; but it is impossible
to enumerate them, as we are constantly adding New Issues and older Stamps when we purchase
such. Satisfaction is guaranteed. Price ,6: 155., post-free and registered.

N0. 69, 2000 VARIETIES.

A grand packet for a dealer or collector, every Stamp being different and genuine, and thus forming a
choice collection in itself or a stock to make up sheets or for exchange purposes.
Price £3, post-free and registered.

N0. 69a, 3000 VARIETIES.

A very fine packet, containing many rare Stamps, all arranged in order, and mounted ready to price or
remove to a collection. Price £8 ros., post-free and registered.

N0. 69b, 4000 VARIETIES.

A valuable collection, all mounted on sheets in order. Really good value, being sold by us to collectors
at less than the price usually charged in the trade. Price £14, post-free and registered.

STANLEY GIBBONS, LIMITED,

39:, STRAND (Opposite Hotel Cecil), LONDON, W.C.
 CHAPTER II
PLYMOUTH, 1856 To 1874

BOUT 1858 or I859 the increase 'of the business necessi

tated an extension from the desk in the shop to a room
on the second floor, where Mr. Gibbons installed his first clerk,
a lady named Miss Cummings, with whom Mr. Gibbons suffered
the same disappointment that has befallen us on numberless
occasions since—Miss Cummings got married, and preferred to
be a clergyman’s wife to learning the rudiments of what was ‘
then the start of a new business.
So the business grew and grew, and eventually the receipts
exceeded those of the drug business, to which Mr. Gibbons
succeeded on the death of his father.
With the aid of a manager he then endeavoured to carry on
both businesses at once ; but a pharmaceutical business, as is
well known, needs personal supervision, and as Mr. Gibbons
preferred stamps to drugs, the latter was neglected and eventu
ally sold.
This enabled our pioneer to give his whole attention to
stamps, and he very distinctly recalls the astonishment of his
friends and their dismal prognostications on his foolishness in
giving up a certainty for an uncertainty ; but Mr. Gibbons had
his heart in the stamp business and quickly built up a foreign
connexion of some magnitude.
In r863 Mr. Gibbons had one of the best transactions
of his life, and the following are exact particulars I have
got from him.
One morning two sailors passing by the Chemist’s shop
noticed the sheets of stamps in one of the windows, and went
“ ”
inside and said, Do you buy used postage stamps ? On
Mr. Gibbons replying in the affirmative, they said they had
some on their ship and would bring them in.
I3
 I4 ADVERTISEMENTS

-
Caucrmvma PnlcEs.
EW Collectors understand the method by which we arrive at
the prices quoted in Parts I and II of our Catalogue, and we
shall therefore proceed to explain the method we follow.

When a new Catalogue is being prepared we go through each of

our two hundred Stock Books and see exactly what varieties are on
hand, what we have been able to purchase during the year at a
substantial decrease in price from former wholesale quotations, and
what replacements have cost us more than formerly. We then
adjust our prices to the Market.

No! a single price is quoted on any stamp which we have not in stock at
the time we gt! {0 press. This means we price only such stamps as we
may have FOR SALE, and consequently have justly earned the repu
tation of being

THE PEOPLE WITH THE 60008.

It is quite useless to try to fool the Collector with estimated,

averaged, or copied prices. “out of stock ” racket
He has had the
worked upon him until it will work no more. Time, temper, and
trouble can be saved by writing to

THE PEOPLE WITH THE 60008,

OTHER\VISE

STANLEY GIBBONS, Ltd.

HEAD OFFICE:
391, STRAND, LONDON, W.C.
 FIFTY YEARS OF 'PHILATELY .15

Sure enough next day the men turned up, and one of them
’
carried a kit-bag full of stamps over his Shoulder. 7

They were asked into the back parlour, and turned out the
contents of the bagon a large round table. ,

The stamps were all triangular Capes, thousands and thou

sands of them, many in large strips and blocks Of eight or more
—Perkins Bacon and Co.’s printings and woodblocks mixed up
anyhow.
Mr. Gibbons, even in those early days, could not imagine how
two sailors could have got a sackfal of triangular Capes,
7
and
asked them for particulars.
One of the men said :—
“
When our boat got to Cape Town we had leave, and some
of us went on shore for a spree, and me and my mate here
happened to go in a show we found folks crowding into and
found a bazaar going on. Some ladies persuaded us to take
a shilling ticket in a raffle, and we won this here bag of stamps
which the ladies had begged all round Cape Town for this
bazaar.”
Well, the men were delighted to take a five-pound note for
the lot, and departed highly pleased.
Mr. Gibbons cannot say what he made out of this haul, but
he thinks fully £500, and perhaps more ; and if we think of the
prices at which he sold these stamps we can only wonder what
that bag would be worth now! A large fortune, beyond a
doubt.
I have before me at the moment of writing the letter copy
book from March, 1864, and I think it is of great interest to
quote extracts from some Of the letters of that period, showing
at what low rates the stamps were sold.

LETTER TO MR. ALEX. ROSENBERG;

I6 March, I864_
[The letter starts about some exchange, and goes on to
say :—1
“
If you will send me a good lot, I can supply you in any
quantity 1d, 4d., and 6d. Cape of Good Hope, rod. a doz.;
genuine old woodblocks, Cape of Good Hope, 35. doz.”
 IF you buy your Stamps here, there, every
where, and anywhere, you must take your
chances whether you got reprints, forgeries,
or genuine Stamps. Many sell unsorted
rubbish as they buy it. They are themselves
incapable of sorting forgeries from genuine
Stamps, and any Collection made out of
Stamps bought in such a haphazard fashion
can scarcely fail to be largely made up of
fakes.
Therefore be careful to buy your Stamps
of responsible dealers with a reputation to
lose.
STANLEY GIBBONS, LTD., have expended
over £3000 on a Collection of Forgeries and
Reprints, solely for the purpose of enabling
them to weed out fakes and frauds from
their stock. In this way they protect them
selves and you from being taken in by
forgeries.
STANLEY GIBBONS' prices compare favour
ably with those of any other responsible
dealer in the world, but even if they were

your
the dearest in the trade, it would still pay
you to be sure of your Stamps.
Fine Sheets of Stamps of all Countries of
the World sent on approval.
Prospectus of Packets and Sets sent post
free on application to

J'tanley Gibbons, Ltd.,

391, J‘trand, London, W.C.

Stamps .
STANLEY GIBBONS, LIMITED,
391, STRAND (Opposite Hotel Cec'l), LONDON, W.C.
 FIFTY YEARS OF PHILATELY I7

M. BROWN. 24 March, 1864.

“
I have much pleasure in acceding to your wishes by en
closing the 3 doz. Blocks, at 108. doz., for which post office
order 30s., per return, will oblige.”

]. PAUWELs. 24 March, 1864.

“
If I send you any more Id. blue and 4d. red woodblocks
they will be 45. each, as I am offered that by several dealers.
I enclose % doz. Is. Capes, at Is. 6d. per dozen.”
STAFFORD SMITH AND SMITH. 24 March, 1864.
“
In reply to yours of the Igth in reference to Cape stamps,
I have a few left, viz. Id., 4d., and 6d. Capes, at 85. gross, and
Blocks at IOS. dozen. These prices are nett cash.”

HAMILTON, Ross, AND Co., Cape Town. 6 Aim-l, 1864.

[Letter ordering some stamps, and saying at the end 2—]
“
Please not to send me rd. triangular, unused, as they are
no good to me.”

Inthe same letter Mr. Gibbons offers to pay Is. per dozen
for used square Id., 4d., 6d., and 15., which were then just
issued, but offers only 3d. per dozen for mixed Id., 4d., 6d.,
and Is. triangular.
On 23 June, 1864, the price of the Cape Errors had gone up,
as there is a letter to Mr. E. H. C. Harley offering him a Id.,
blue, at I5s.
First Removal—About I870 Mr. Gibbons removed from
Treville Street to Lockyer Street, near the Hoe, Plymouth,
and during his residence there had the pleasure of making the
acquaintance of Lieutenant E. B. Evans, R.A., who at that
time was stationed at Bovisand, one of the forts commanding ‘
‘ ‘
the entrance to Plymouth Sound. a

During his residence in Lockyer Street Mr. Gibbons brought

out the V.R. Album, which was the pioneer of the Imperial
Album, and the following year he placed the first edition of the
I mproved Album upon the market.
The Imperial, Mr. Gibbons informs me, was the first album
to have entirely detached squares for the reception of stamps,
B
 I8 ADVERTISEMENTS

Transparent Envelopes.
MADE OF BEST TOUGH WHITE PAPER,
STRONGLY GUMMED 0N FLAP AND AT THE JOINTS.
Invaluable to 1/1: Collzclar for keeping Duplizales, and In Me Dealer for are in
:mding Selertz'on: an Apprwal, a: well a: fbr we in 111': own Slack.

SUPPLIED IN FOUR SIZES:

INCHES. PER 100. PER 1000
A. 2% by 1;. . . . . . . . 5d. . 3/6
B. 3% ,, 2}. . . . . . . . 6d. . 4/6
C. 4; u - . . . . . . 8d. .

D. 6;} ,, 5 . . . . . . . . 1/2 . 10/

Postage extra for (ireat Britain—

A and B, Id. per 100; 3d. per 1000.
C, lid. per 100; 5d. per 1000.
D, 25d. per 100; 7d. per 1000.
Abroad by Parcel Post or Express at actual cost.

Exchange Circular.
ENLARGED TO TWENTY-FOUR PAGES.

Showing prices we allow for Current and Obsolete Stamps by the

loo or 1000 for common varieties, and singly for Rarer ones.
In many cases our ofi’crs are increased to double or treble those of our
previous edition.

MB.—Th¢ [triers quoted in this circular art than given in exchange in slam): 0/ a similar
quality, common stamp: far common, rare for rare, 610‘ are not car/1 prices.

Price SIXPENCE post-free.

STANLEY GIBBONS, LIMITED,

39., STRAND (Opposite Hotel Cecil), LONDON, w.c.
 FIFTY YEARS OF PHILATELY 19

an arrangement which added much to their appearance and to

'
the popularity of this album.
The publication of these works, when in their first editions,
created considerable opposition from other philatelic pub
lishers, resulting in legal actions in the Chancery Court, in all
of which a satisfactory settlement was arrived at.
Eventually Mr. Gibbons decided that Plymouth was too far
west for the successful carrying on of the business, and in I874
he decided to move to the Metropolis.

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 ADVERTISEMENTS

THE
“S. 6.” Stamp Hinges.
1000
‘F STAMP HINGES.~ 1’

SSSS LEYngBONS, Ltd.

h9

minimIliumWhiliiiiimmiiiiihliiimimlll
“l i
llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllIllIll/lllllllllllllllllllllll

have prepared a NEW STAMP HINGE, size as

“1E
above, put up in az'r-tzlg/zl tin boxes, each containing
1000 hinges of good tough paper, doubly gummed, and thus

easily peelable.

Price 6d., post-free 7d., per Box.

ABROAD, POSTAGE EXTRA.

5000, price 2/3; 10,000, price 4/3; 50,000, 20/-. Postage extra.

RAND (Opposite Hotel Cecil), LONDON, W.C.

 CHAPTER III
LONDON, 1874 TO 1890

HEN Mr. Gibbons first came to London in I874, he

settled in a road leading from Clapham Common, and
there the business was carried on in a private house for about
two years.
I am told that Mr. Gibbons had to leave because he could
not convince his landlord that he was not conducting a girls’
school: the lady clerks coming and going at about regular
school hours were looked upon as schoolgirls, and no schools
‘
were desired in that exclusive street.
The business continuing on the up grade, Mr. Gibbons
thought it would be more convenient to live in town, and in
1876 moved to 8 Gower Street, London, W.C., where he re
mained for fourteen years, and it was in that house that he
made his greatest successes, confining himself entirely to a
correspondence business, and, as he states, he offended many
by declining personal interviews. To this, however, he made
a few exceptions, amongst whom I may mention the late Mr.
Gilbert Lockyer and my friend Mr. M. P. Castle, both of whom
have told me of the good times they had hunting through
mixed parcels of old stamps and picking out scarce minor
varieties, which Mr. Gibbons used to let them have for a trifle
as long as they did not want to take up any of his valuable
time.
As a matter of fact, Mr. Gibbons had his hands more than
full ; he used personally to edit all his albums and catalogues,
and in the busy seasons received from two to three hundred
letters a day, all of which, with a very few exceptions, were
answered the same day as received.
During these years Mr. Gibbons had several offers from
philatelists who were desirous of entering the business and were
21
22 ADVERTISEMENTS

IVORY POCKET RULE.

——.-.-._
For Measuring Stamps, Surcharges, dtc.

Most useful for detecting Forged Surcharges.

* *
Fl
0
One side divided
-
into inches,
m __ .
g g 5 and subdivided
‘g 2 up to r/64 inches.
H o
0-1

.
3
o The other side
za

.5
divided
:1

g into Millimetres
o
3

'
_, and
' '-
Centimetres.
g

-
a. ins
.e

..
,
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it

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Price
S

a -
(It ,
o
7 o
1 3

in
6

m
/3

... - ._ o
-
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01
t-z
a _
Post-tree, penny extra.
>
Abroad, iourpence extra.
:

e
a <

Supplied in
1“

Neat Care for Park”.

t9 .
F

I!

1.!
IYORY RULE. CASE TO CARRY RULE
(Actual Size.) iN WAISTCOAT POCKET.
(Actual Size.)

Photographs of the Two Rarest Stamps in the World, the

Id. and 2d. “Post Office” Mauritius of [847.

This pair was purchased by STANLEY GIBBONS, Ltd., for £680 cash.

Price rl- post-free, on neat gilt and black card mount.

STANLEY GIBBONS, LIMITED,

391, STRAND (Opposite Hotel Cecil), LONDON, W.C.
 FIFTY YEARS OF PHILATELY 23

willing to introduce large sums into the concern, but these

he always declined, as he preferred to work alone and un
fettered.
Mr. Gibbons has been frequently asked from what sources
he obtained stamps in his early days, and has kindly looked up
a few examples for which he can vouch.
From a M. Georges Nunes he obtained many valuable sup
plies of old South Americans : one lot in particular, consisting
of many thousands of the small italic figure Brazils, included
some hundred of the 180, 300, and 600 reis ! !
From a student in Stonyhurst College Mr. Gibbons had
literally scores of thousands of the Bolivia eagle series, espe—
cially of the IO c., brown, of which he estimates he had at least
five thousand.
Another remarkable lot was from Georgetown, British
Guiana, and consisted of some three to four hundred circular
(1850 issue) ; the bulk of these were the 12 c., blue, but there
were amongst them some scores of 4 c., orange, and a smaller
number of 8 c., green, but no copy at all of the rare 2 c., rose.
Mr. Gibbons obtained many of his earliest supplies of stamps
from Continental sources ; amongst these, he bought most
largely from Messrs. Zochiesche and Koder, of Leipzig ; from
Der Literarisches Museum, of Dresden. From Signor Caldalli
Curadassi he had fine selections of the old Italian States at
nearly nominal prices.
Mr. Gibbons’ brother, who was a commander in the Royal
Navy (and I am glad to say is still alive, well and hearty, and
aged 76), was of great use in securing useful stock, and bought
many large parcels for the Plymouth firm, on his trips all over
the world. One good lot he bought up was the balance of the
stock of The Fiji Times Express—the originals, not the imita
' ‘
tions which were made some years later.
About I862 or I863 Mr. Gibbons commenced importing un
used stamps direct from the various countries, among the
earliest being Newfoundland, Bermuda, West Australia, British
Columbia, and Ceylon.
Some of his earliest experiences with colonial postmasters
were very funny. For instance, a West Indian Post Office re
turned his money order with the remark that the stamp ordered
 24 ADVERTISEMENTS

PREPARED STAMP MOUNTS.

ACTUAL SIZE AND SHAPE.

_-____ i
No. i. No. a. No. 3.

affixing Stamps in Collections neatly and expeditiously. Far superior to the old plan of gum
FOR
ming the Stamps, and inserting them so that it 15only with great difficulty they can be withdrawn.
These Mounts are made of a thin strong white paper, and are ready gummed. By their use, Stamps
can be removed at any time without injuring them, or in any way disfiguring the Collection. They are
invaluable to those who collect watermarks. They should be used on the hinge system; thus, Moisten
the Stamp, attaching the back of it to one third of the mount, the other two thirds being fastened
to the Album. The Stamp will then be facing the page; but do not turn it over until perfectly dry.
A Collection with the Stamps mounted in this manner is far more valuable, if at any time a sale is
desired. Three sizes are kept in stock: No. 2, medium size, suitable for ordinary-sued adhesives;
No. 1, smaller size; No. 3, large size—for such Stamps as old Portuguese, or for cut Envelopes.

PRICES:
No. x, z, or 3 size, 3d. per 10:; l/6 per 1000, post-free; 5000, 6/6; 10,000, 12/—.

The Prepared Paper can be :ufifilied in Large Sheets, ready Gummed,

at 3d. fer Shut, fast-free.

No. 4. No. 5.
\—/ No. 6.

NEw CH P UN AT the request of many clients we have prepared

a New Cheap Mount, made from a thicker
paper; a gum is employed that permits the Mount to be removed from a book or sheet without
damage to the paper, or tearing the Mount, which can thus be used several times over, such Mounts
being particularly serviceable for exchange clubs, or for use in dealers’ stock books, &c. The Mounts
are put up in neat glazed card boxes, 1000 of a size in a box, and are sold in sets of three sizes, viz.
boxes and 3000 Mounts for 2/6; 9000, price 6/6; or separafely, any size, at 1/— per 1000,
threef rec.
post-

STANLEY GIBBONS, LIMITED,

3391, STRAND (Opposite Hotel Cecil), LONDON, W.C.
 FIFTY YEARS OF PHILATELY 25

did not exist, whereas the letter was actually prepaid with a
copy of the very stamp in question.
The Postmaster at Albany, West Australia, in a letter en
closing £20 worth of unused values, remarked that he had taken
the liberty of sending half a sheet (I20 stamps) Of 2d. printed
in the colour of the 6d., and apologized for charging the last
named price, as he had been charged that by the authorities.
This 2d. proved to be the rare 2d., mauve (1879), and they
were sent out at 5s. each, and gradually raised to 40s., at which
price they were practically Cleared out. Nowadays a good un
used mint copy fetches about £24, and is not easily to be
obtained at that rate.
Such things as Turks Islands provisionals 0f édq 2%d., and
4d., Nevis 4d. and 6d., lithographed, etc. etc., were imported in
hundreds, and sold at double face value.

* * * * * *

Among the noteworthy collections purchased between I874

and I890 Mr. Gibbons quotes that of Mr. B. P. Rodd. A superb
collection was that of Mr. J. D. Beveridge, of Glasgow, especi
ally rich in Confederate Locals. Mr. M. P. Castle’s was a grand
general collection in between twenty and thirty volumes.
Mr. C. T. Reid’s collection was noteworthy, as it consisted
solely of errors, including most of the rarities, such as US. I869
I 5, 24, and 30, inverted centres.
The collection of Major Evans was a remarkably fine one,
”
wonderfully strong in “ native Mauritius, including a number
of reconstructed plates.
Another great purchase was that Of the magnificent Austra
lian collection of Mr. Van Dyck, including probably the most
“ ” “ ”
superb accumulation of Sydneys and Laureated that
has ever been seen.
 26 ADVERTISEMENTS

'TWEEZERS FDR HANDLING STAMPS.

These are invaluable to every Philatelist.

They are of the best obtainable quality, with points very slightly milled, so as not to
damage the Stamps.

They can be put into water without rusting, and can therefore be used
in soaking Stamps.

No. l.—LARGE SIZE, blunt ends, 5 inches long. Price 216; post-free, 2/7; abroad, z/zx.

No. 2.—SMALL SIZE, 4} inches long. Newut size, rounded ends. Price z/l; post-free, 2.31;
abroad, 3/5.

No. 3.—SMAL1. SIZE, 4} inches. Newest size, pointed ends. Highly rccvmmzndzd. Price z/i
post-free, z/z; abroad, z/5,

Now Ready, an entirely New and Complete Series oi

TITLES OF COUNTRIES,
For Blank Albums.
series consists of 250 names of countries, including all the most recent additions, and in
THIS
cluding as it does every country issuing Postage Stamps, is adaptable for any kind of blank
Philatelic Album. Price r/e, post free.

PHILATELIO MAPS:
An entirely New Series oi

Europe, Asia, Africa, North America, South

America, and Oceania.

Maps have been specially engraved for the exclusive use of Stamp Collectors, and
THESE
are beautifully printed in colours. They give the names of all stamp-issuing countries, including
locals, and will be found thoroughly well adapted for instant and easy reference. Size, 7 inches by
10 inches. Set of seven. Price 1/6; post-free, 1/7.

STANLEY GIBBONS, LIMITED,

391, STRAND (Opposite Hotel Cecil), LONDON, W.C.
 CHAPTER IV

RETIREMENT OF MR. GIBBONS AND CONVERSION OF

THE BUSINESS INTO A LIMITED COMPANY

N 1890 Mr. Gibbons found that his health was not so good
as he could wish, his occupation being of a very sedentary
nature, and having accumulated a sufficient fortune for his
requirements during the thirty-six years he had been in busi—
ness, he decided that he would retire and live at his villa in
Richmond. This, however, was easier said than done. The
stock he had accumulated was so enormous that it filled the
house in Gower Street from attic to basement, and when I
visited Mr. Gibbons in 1889, we, after some search, found a
stock of 2%d., 4d., and 6d. Cyprus in his wife’s wardrobe !
After various consultationsa group of four or five well
known collectors thought they might purchase. the business,
and Mr. Gibbons called me in to make a rough and independent
valuation. This occupied about six weeks’ hard work, and,
after all, the proposed arrangements came to naught.
I then talked the matter over with Mr. Gibbons, and offered
to purchase the entire business myself if a satisfactory mode
of deferred payments could be arranged.
The purchase price was fixed at £25,000, and the business
was thereupon turned into a private limited company, 6 %
debentures for the amount of the purchase price being issued
to Mr. Gibbons, of which a certain amount was to be paid off
each year.
The first directors of the company were :—
E. Stanley Gibbons, Twickenham, Chairman.
J. O. C. Phillips, Birmingham.
Commander A. F. Gibbons, R.N., Southampton.
Charles ]. Phillips, Managing Director.
The whole of the ordinary share capital was held by me,
27
 28 ADVERTISEMENTS

The “Ideal” Perforation Gauge.

The Best, Most Reliable, and in every Way the most
convenient Perforation Gauge ever invented.

E Imrnnum] [IIHHIIIIHEY] Flililllllllllll lilillllllllllll] |H H]

III
mm
-' -.. .. .
s

.
'5.
1;
_.g

><’_,<>::,:
I»
I >
. E’s <>

1;
s- “I
0 Y 0
r,

.__1 4
.

s e .-

a
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,

cg},

i
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masons, Lmnreo,
:- I.

gr'i STANLEY

g
391, STRAND, LONDON- F
g

:, v hilt? .. e.$¢i"."¢’5~a 31”“‘55‘é’s7n-13%??? .

,

:2 mt‘mnmu IIMH~‘tv§.‘.' an“ H ...:¢...:¢ “uncut.

"1‘"
i 5

E 51‘. :‘. ...“... IriL . .. ..

-

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L,

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.

H F ...-...... __
2
i

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.

ml
m n m

‘
n
—
,-
ILIHIHHHI lmmllml lllllllllllll IIHHHIHI llllllllllll

The Publishers claim for this Gauge many advantages which

the present gauges do not possess.

It portable, being of a convenient size to be carried in the brewt pocket.

is

It accurate, every gauge having been carefully measured, and the Gauge itself printed from
is

is
an engraved copper plate.

It has three sets of gauges (vertical and horizontal) on the same card, by which plan the perfora
tions of stamps arranged in Albums on the hinge system can be measured without taking them from
the book; also stamps gummed down can be accurately tested without removal from the book. These
are advantages that can be claimed by few, and being printed on stout cardboard, they will not easily
crack. In this respect superior to those printed on thin paper or any transparent substance. It
is
it

will not cockle, and damp has but little efiect on it.
It to 16}, and includes 7}, and 8}, not often found in gauges
8,

has twenty different gauges, from

7

now before the Philatelic public, but which are required more especially for some of the Japanese and

..
Turkish Stamps.
|
|

Each dot bisected by a small vertical line, thus By this arrangement accurate measure
is

ment guaranteed.
is

|
I

In conclusion, we venture to assert that the best Perforation Gauge ever placed before the
is
it

Philatelic public, and in every respect as its name implies—

is

AN "IDEAL" PERFORATION GAUGE.

Price Sixpence; post-free, Sevenpence.

STANLEY GIBBONS, LIBIITED,

391, STRAND (Opposite Hotel Cecil), LONDON, W.C.
 FIFTY YEARS OF PHILATELY 29

with the exception of seven shares held by various friends in

order to have quorum to form a limited liability company.
a
I brought into the business a stock of choice stamps of the
value of close on £5000, and these were added to the stock of
the new company.
Under the new management the business of the company
largely increased, and at the end of the first year’s trading it
was found that the returns were practically double those of the
preceding year.
One of the first undertakings of the company was to estab
lish a house organ under the name of the Monthly journal,
the aim of which was to publish correct and complete lists of
all new issues and discoveries, and original articles by the best
philatelic writers of the day.
For a short time I edited the Monthly journal, but the
pressure of other business compelled me to hand it over in
September, 1890, to our friend Major E. B. Evans, and under
his kindly auspices it has flourished apace; and I sincerely
hope and trust that Major Evans may live to see the jubilee

M
of the Monthly journal as well as the jubilee of our publishers.

GR!“ sun?
EXHIBITION \906
I: m (O'HlY'EEuse" IE?
STRlCTLY PRIVATE

a, .

'
N'
\
 30 ADVERTISEMENTS

Ja/Tw
’ mu;
i-‘SClk‘.
STANLEY GIBBONS
w"
mm “._=l““"|.
Luv.o
ll
,:
SSI STRAND

THE “PHILATELISTS’ VADE MEBUM”

(SECURED BY LETTERS PATENT)
Is an entirely New and Original Invention for enabling Collectors to Mount Stamps without
handling them, and is a multum in parvo of Philatelic requisites.

consists of a pair of broad-headed fiat metal tongs, one of which is fitted with a solid wedge.
ITThe object of this is to permit the free end of a mount held by the tongs to be bent over, moistened,
applied to the back of the stamp, and pressed down, and the mount can then he released, the stamp
lifted, the other end of the mount moistened, and the stamp fastened thereby on the page. In the
handle is inserted a glass of high magnifying power. On one side of the middle part is a millimetre
scale (divided to half millimétres), and on the other a two-inch scale (divided to sixteenths), both
accurately marked off. The stamp can be firmly held along either scale by the tongs. The tongs
are made of solid nickel, polished, and fit into a handsome velvet-lined case, the size of which, when
closed, is slightly less than 6 inches long, 1} inches wide, and only Q inch thick.

PRICE, with case oomplete,2/6; post-tree, 2/7; abroad, 3,9.

POCKET MAGNIFYING GLASSES.

FTER examining some scores of difl'erent sorts, we have been able to get one combining the
greatest power with the largest field obtainable for pocket use. These lasses are mounted
in handsome vulcanite frames, and are very compact. There are two lenses in each, which may
be used singly, or if a very strong power is desired, may be combined. Price 7/6; post-free, 7/7;
abroad, 8/4.

SUROHARGE MEASURER.
HE accompanying illustration will give the
best idea of what this is. It consrsts of a
pair of needle-pointed spring compasses, capable,
by means of an adjusting screw, of measuring with
the greatest accuracy all surcharges up to 40
millimetres in length. In addition to the measure
a millimetre gauge is obtained by running the
head of the screw along a piece of paper, a series
of lines exactly a millimétre apart being thus indented in the pa r. For measuring surcharges on
such stamps as Natal, Straits Settlements, &c., this will be found invaluable, and also in the detection
of forgeries—a forgery or forged surcharge very seldom being exactly the same size as the original.
Price 7/6; post-free. 7/7; abroad. 7/11.

STANLEY GIBBONS, LIMITED,

39r, STRAND (Opposite Hotel Cecil), LONDON, \V.C.
 CHAPTER V

OUR CHAIRMAN

OURS truly, Charles James Phillips, was born in Cherry

Street, Birmingham, on I5 May, I863, and, as a youth,
I lived for some years at Castle Bromwich, attending the pre
paratory school of the Rev. — Bevan.
About I874, our family moved to Edge Hill, Sutton Coldfield,
and while living there I passed, by examination, into King
Edward’s Grammar School, New Street, Birmingham, remain
ing there until about the year I878, when I left school and
entered the offices of Messrs. Bayfield and Bayfield, Chartered
Accountants, Temple Row, Birmingham, as junior clerk. In
the course of time I worked my way up until I was entrusted
with important audits, not only in Birmingham and neighbour
hood, but in Gloucester, Bristol, Cardiff, Derby, etc.
Owing to the personal friendship of the late Mr. Henry
Buckley, I was, in I884, offered a good position in the Assay
Office, of which office Mr. Buckley was Chief Warden. Here
I entirely remodelled the system of book-keeping. I also had
charge of the Record Rooms, and rearranged the records of the
office, extending back to about I780. In the course of this
work I found from the old minute books of the office that the
late Sir Rowland Hill (whose father was a schoolmaster in the
Hagley Road, Birmingham) when a boy had been employed at
the Assay Office as errand boy at a salary of six shillings per
week, and, as was shown by another resolution, this salary
had to be paid direct to Rowland Hill’s father, and not to the
boy himself !
My first recollection of stamp collecting was when a youth
of about ten years of age my father bought one of Stanley
Gibbons’ celebrated guinea packets (still No. II). This was
hung on a Christmas tree, and divided between my brother
William and myself. I started a collection and kept it until
31
32 ADVERTISEMENTS

Mew Etamp (Datalogue

Poo/(£1 SIZE, IN Two VOLUMES. mzw EDITION.

+
VOL. I CONTAINS ALL

Postage Stamps of Great Britain and

the British Bolonies.
NOW READY. Price 2/6; post-free, 2/9.

VOL. II CONTAINS THE

Postage Stamps of the Rest of the World.

NOW READY. Price 2/6; post-free, 2/9.

Nora—The collectorwill find in this Catalogue a mass of useful information given by no other
Catalogue known to us. We divide and price separately all minor varieties of perforation, watermark,
and type, and thus enable the collector to discover the value of rare varieties he may possess, and which
are not given in any other Catalogue.

In issuing the New Edition of our Priced Catalogue, we wish to draw attention to the chief
alterations made therein.

After a trial for some years of small illustrations, we have come to the conclusion that they are not
suitable for the leading Stamp Catalogue, chiefly from the fact that when they have been used in
printing two or three large editions of this work all the fine lines wear out, with the result that, in many
cases, the young collector has had great difficulty in identifying varieties. \Ve therefore decided to go
to the great expense of inserting new and exact-sized illustrations throughout our Catalogue. The cost
has been close upon £800, and we leave our readers to judge whether the result is not greatly superior
to any that has hitherto been attained by similar trade lists. A comparison of this new edition with any
other catalogue will, we venture to think, conclusively prove that for general get-up and for beauty and
clearness it far excels any previously published.

\Ve are rather sorry to say that in order to place the large illustrations in double column it has betn
necessary to enlarge the Catalogues by about an inch, both in width and length.

In this edition also a more expensive paper is used, which being thinner than that in former use, is
better alapted for bringing out the type and illustrations more clearly.

STANLEY GIBBONS, LIMITED.

Head Office and Address for all Correspondence:

39!, STRAND (Opposite Hotel Cecil), LONDON, W.C.

 FIFTY YEARS OF PHILATELY 33

I885, when, on the occasion of my marriage, the collection was

sold to Buckley and the proceeds turned into furniture.
Whilst at the Assay Office I had plenty of spare time (the
office did not open on Saturdays), and started to deal in stamps,

C. J. PHILLIPS

and so quickly did the business of stamp dealing grow that in

May, 1890, I finally left my comfortable position at the Assay
Office, and on 30 June, 1890, moved to London and purchased
the entire business of Stanley, Gibbons, & Co.
C
 34 ADVERTISEMENTS

NOW READY
Entirely Revised and Greatly Enlarged.

THE FIRST VOLUME (COUNTRIES A to L)

OF THE

Third. Edition
AlliFum Weeds
By the Rev. n. B. EARI'sE.

Vol. I. Afghanistan In Luxemburg. About 580 pages, dsmy Eva.

HIS Work is an absolute necessity to the careful Philatelist, who is naturally

anxious to ensure the absence of forgeries from his collection. As a work
of reference, in this particular respect, it stands entirely unrivalled, being com
piled by one who has acquired a world-wide repute, and whose speciality has for
many years been the description of forgeries. An immense amount of labour has
been bestowed on this New Edition, so as to still further increase its usefulness.
Every endeavour has been made by the Author, in the description of new and
dangerous forgeries, etc., to bring the work fully up to date. Amongst the
numerous additions may be noted an elaborate description of technical terms met
with in the course of collecting. This section will be found especially useful for
the guidance of the novice or young collector. The illustrations have been con
siderably augmented, and a large and most interesting series of postmarks,
specially drawn, with an index for reference, will be found included.
together
Altogether the Publishers have no hesitation
in recommending this publication
as a most valuable adjunct to a Philatelic Library, and useful alike to Collector
and Dealer.

VOL. l.—Prlce, bound In embossed gilt cloth, 7/6; post-free, 8/

VOL. ll.—ln the press, ready shortly, price 8/-, post-free. (Orders,
-
PREPAID, can now be booked.) '
.

STANLEY GIBBONS, LIMITED, ‘

391, STRAND (Opposite Hotel Cecil), LONDON, W.C.
 FIFTY YEARS OF PHILATELY 35

About 1886 I started the first Philatelic Society in Birming

ham, which met once or twice a month at the rooms of my
father in Colmore Row. ,'
Mr. James Bottley—then the third most important collector
in Great Britain—was chairman, and amongst regular members
were Messrs. Edward Nettlefold, Henry Buckley, W. B. Avery,
Edmund Shorthouse, Richard Hollick, T. D. F. Evans, and
many others, most of whom are still ardent collectors.
I acted as Hon. Secretary of this Society until I left Bir
mingham.
In 1891 I formed “ The Philatelic Protection Association,”
and acted for some years as secretary. During this time a
number of persons were prosecuted for dealing in, and making
imitations of, postage stamps, and convictions were obtained
in several cases, with sentences varying from three months’ to
three years’ imprisonment. For many years this purged the
English trade, but the Association should now be revived in
order to take proceedings against certain persons well known,
and about whose doings a considerable amount of evidence is
being secured in preparation for future action.
In December, I889, I started a monthly paper under the
title of The Stamp Advertiser and Auction Record, and edited it
myself until it was merged into the Monthly journal when I
moved to London.
An important feature of this paper—and one that brought
it a large subscription list—was a carefully compiled list of
Australian stamps, with the correct prices of the day; this
was the first attempt to accurately appraise the many scarce
things in this interesting group of stamps.
In July, I890, the Monthly journal was started, and I acted
as editor for a few months.
I have two sons, Frank, who entered the firm in January,
1905, and Ernest, now in Germany, who will probably enter
the firm in the course of the year I907.
HEAD OFFICE, 391 STRAND, LONDON
 __ _________.. .

CHAPTER VI
REMOVAL TO THE STRAND

FTER a good deal of consideration it was decided that

private house did not afford sufficient facilities for the
a
reception of clients who wished to make their purchases in
person, and it was thought best that a small shop should be
opened as a kind of feeler to see if new business could be
Obtained in sufficient quantity to pay for the extra expense.
A good deal of trouble was taken to find the right location,
and I well remember inspecting premises in Piccadilly, Regent
Street, and Cheapside, but each of these streets presented some
disadvantages, and eventually we decided to settle in the
Strand, and events have proved this to have been the right
spot.
Our first venture was in a small half-shop at No. 435 Strand,
three doors from the Lowther Arcade—the site now merged
into Coutts’ Bank.
This branch was opened on 6 March, I891, and was from the
commencement under the management of our good friend
Mr. ]. W. Jones, a philatelist of acknowledged acumen.
Those were the days of bargains, and no mistake. One ex
ceptional one occurs to my mind. One day a dear old lady
came in with a dilapidated old Lallier Album. She did not like
the dirty old. stamps in her book, but wanted a nice lot of
bright and many-coloured Russian locals. We let her have
all she wanted—a modest list of cheap stamps, coming to £ IO
in all.
In that old album, amongst all the trash and rubbish, we
found a fine United States, I869, 30 cents, carmine and blue,
Centre inverted, and unused. This passed at once into the
collection of Sir W. B. Avery, Bart, where I supposelit still
remains. I
know only two other copies in the world in an
unused condition.
37
 38 ADVERTISEMENTS

THE

STAMP COLLECTOR.
By HARDY and BACON.

HIS well-known and most interesting handbook was published in 1898 by Mr. George Redway
in his Collector Series. On the failure of this publisher, we purchased the balance of the
edition—about raoo copies—and are now able to ofl'er the work at a great reduction on its
original price.
The chief content: are as follows:

The Issue of Postage Stamps. , History in Postage Stamps.

Collecting—Its Origin and Develop- Local Stamps.
ment. The Stamp Market.
Stamps made for Collectors. Post Cards.
Art in Postage Stamps. Famous Collections.
Stamps with Stories. List of Philatelic Societies.

Well bound in art cloth, gilt lettered, 247 illustrations,

294 pages. Price 4/6; post-free, 4/lo; abroad, 5/l.

THE 'MULREADY ENVELOPE

and its Caricatures.
By MAJOR EDWARD B. EVANS.
Work is a reprint with a few alterations and additions, of a series of papers
in book-form,
THIS
7 that have appeared in "The Monthly Journal." The book consists of :40 pagES and some
45 full-page Illustrations of the most curious varieties of these interesting Caricatures. This New
Work will be of i1terest, not only to Stamp Collectors, but also to those interested in Engravings—
especially in the works of Lnncn, MULREADY, CRUIKSHANK, Dovuz, sz
(H. K. BROWNE), Tune.
HOOK, etc. etc. The Work has been produced in a very superior manner, and is printed on special
paper with extra large margins; and by the kind permission of the Board of Inland Revenue an
Illustration of the original Mulready is also included.

No. 1.—Strongly bound in extra cloth, gilt lettering, marbled burnished edges, etc., 6/—;
post-free, 6/4; abroad, 6/8.
N0. 2.—Edition d: Lust, handsomely bouniL extra gilt, band-made paper, with uncut edges, 10/—;
post'free, 10/4; abroad, 10/8.

STANLEY GIBBONS, LIMITED,

391, STRAND (Opposite Hotel Cecil), LONDON', W.C.
 FIFTY 'YEARS OF PHILATELY 39

In had increased so much that it was decided

1893 business
to combine the shop and offices, and for this purpose we took
our present premises on a lease for twenty-eight years.
In 1900 more room was required, and we were luckily able
to secure the upper three floors of adjoining premises at 390
Strand, and to open communication with 391 on the first and
second floors.

snor AT 391 STRAND, LONDON

Our Head Office in the Strand now contains the following

accommodation :—
Basememf.—This is arranged as a store-room for publications ;
the floor and walls are solidly concreted. Here we have boiler
and hot-water pipes circulating hot air not only through the
basement, but all over the ground floor, shop, etc.
Ground Flown—The shop' is handsomely decorated with
4o ADVERTISEMENTS

A LBUM

arrangements.
L
A

general
showing
(open),
IMP-RBI
THE

'

STANLEY GIBBONS, LIMITED

’,

39:, STRAND (Opposite Hotel Cecil), LONDON W.C.

 FIFTY, YEARS OF PHILATELY 41

solid mahogany fittings, and in cases round the walls there are
artistic displays of the publications of the firm, and also sample
sets and packets of stamps. The Window is one of the most
attractive in the Strand, judging by the number of people who
stop to look in. The contents of the window are changed once
a month, and special attention is paid to artistic and attractive
arrangements of the goods for sale.

a.
ORDER DEPARTMENT

Behind the shop is a long, broad passage leading to the Order

Department. In this passage on the right is the strong-room
of the firm. This is built on a solid stone and brick foundation
extending right through the basement into the solid earth.
The strong-room is protected by one of the best steel doors
six inches thick, then there’is an air space of fourteen inches,
 " ‘

42
~ ADVERTISEMENTS

THE ,

[MPERIAL' ALBUM

|0/= to 50/= each.

@oq ¢

BLANK LEAVES FOR THE 8th, 9th, or 10th

EDITION OF THE IMPERIAL ALIBUM,
Can be supplied at the following prices, all for!;fiu:—

For Nos. 6 or 66 . . 8d. per dozen 4/6 per 100.

n n 70' n - 9d. H ... 5/- n

n n 81 9s 681 or ' l/' n 7/- ’7

Customers should state which Edition and quality when ordering.

STANLEY GIBBONS, LIMITED,

391, STRAND (Opposite Hotel Cecil), LONDON, W.C.
 FIFTY YEARS OF PHILATELY 43

and this is followed by a pair of steel doors, so that even if the

first door gOt red-hot the heat could not penetrate to the con
tents of the strong-room.
__N ext to the strong-room is the Packing Department, where
parcels are all made up, letters copied, entered, and dispatched.
At the end of the packing counter is a large Milner safe six

MANAGER'S PRIVATE OFFICE

feet high, and in this is stored the stock of sets and approval
books and sheets.
We now come to the main office in the building, which is used
as an Order Department, and also as cash and book-keeping
Office. This room is excellently lighted by a large glass dome ;
from the floor to the top of the dome there is a space of 24 feet
6 inches. At one end of the room is a very large Milner safe;
 44 ADVERTISEMENTS

IMPERIAL_ALBUM. TENTH EDITION.

sIZE OF PAGES, s; X iii INCHES.

HE present edition is arranged in three volumes. Two causes have acted to bring about this
result. First, the ever-increasing number of new issues, for which accommodation must be pro
vided; and secondly, the demand by collectors that space shall be found for varieties of perforation
and shade, errors, etc., to conform as closely as possible to the lists given in the Publishers' Catalogue.

Vol. I. THE STAMPS OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE

remains as before, with the latest additions and corrections.
After careful consideration of the best method of dividing the stamps of Foreign Countries,_ it
was thought that the following arrangement would meet with wider approval than any other which
could be suggested.

Vol. II. THE STAMPS OF EUROPE, AND THE COLONIES

AND POSSESSIONS OF EUROPEAN STATES.
V0l.lII. FOREIGN COUNTRIES,
Except Europe and Possessions.
_ This division has the advantage of suitability for the collector who collects any particular country
With its colonies, as well as the practical advantage of making three volumes of very nearly equal bulk.

GREAT BRITAIN AND COIONIES.

526 PAGES. ABOUT 1800 ILLUSTRATIONS.
New issues appearing after the date of this edition are best collated and arranged in blank albums,
wuh movable leaves, such as our Omar. or PHILATELIC ALBUMS, or in the special BLANK
preferably
ALBUM, No. 32 (see page 48).

This Album ls Issued In FOUR qualities only 0! paper, binding, etc.

N0. 5.—On extra stout paper, bound in embossed cloth, gilt lettering, as illustrated, sprinkled edges.
Marone-cv/our covers.
Price without postage, lO/- ; post-free in Great Britain, [0/9.
No. 7.—On extra stout paper, handsomely half bound, gold lines and lettering, gilt edges. Dark
green covers.
Price without postage, I5l- ; post-free In Great Britain, [5/9.
No. B.—On highly rolled plate paper, extra strongly bound in half green morocco, lettered on back,
cloth sides, gilt edges.
Price without postage, 25/-; post-free in Great Britain, 26/-.
NO. 9.—On highly bound in finest green Levant morocco, rounded
rolled plate paper, magnificently
comers, With gold lme round the bevelled edges, lettered on back, gilt edges, patent expanding lock.

Price without postage, 5o/-; post-free in Great Britain, 5l/-.

STANLEY GIBBONS, LIMITED,

39:, STRAND (Opposite Hotel Cecil), LONDON, W.C.
 FIFTY YEARS OF PHILATELY 45

in this the retail order stock is placed every evening. The room
is fittedwith two very long counters and several smaller desks.
The longest desk is used on both sides by the girls who execute
the retail orders. The other long desk is used for the book
keeping.
First Flown—On the first floor there are four rooms, two
looking on to the Strand and the other two facing our large
back oflice. .

On the Strand front I have my private office, where I receive

clients and show the choicest rarities and collections in the
firm’s possession.
In this room there are. two very strong Milner safes, one to
contain reserve stock, special collections, etc., and the other,
and larger one, is used to hold our unique Reference Collection,
of which I shall speak later on. In this room will be found the
portion of our collection of philatelic literature that is printed
in the English language.
Leading out of this room is another on the Strand front used
as editor’s room, and in this room we do practically all the
work on our albums, catalogues, etc. Here also we keep a
reserve set of original clichés of stamps used to illustrate our
various publications. In this room we keep the portion of our
philatelic library that is printed in foreign languages.
The two other rooms on this floor are used entirely by our
Approval Department, one of the most important branches of
the business, and one to which special attention is now being
devoted.
Second Flown—This floor consists also of four rooms : one
room is used entirely for work in connexion with the Monthly
journal and Gibbons Stamp Weekly. The addressing of the
~wrappers used to send out these papers is done by a treadle
machine operating an endless band, on which are set up the
names and addresses of subscribers in metal type. Wrappers
which were formerly addressed by hand at the rate of,
perhaps, forty or fifty per hour are now addressed at- the rate
of 1000 to 1200 per hour. .

Opposite this room is one general correspondence-room,

used exclusively by our shorthand and typewriting staff. The
“‘
typewritersin use are all Yosts,” which after a good trial
 46 ADVERTISEMENTS

IMPERIAL ALBUM.
—0-.-o_—
‘I'EN'I'H EDITION

v01. u. THE STAMPS OF AND THE EUROPE,

COLONIES AND POSSESSIONS OF THE
EUROPEAN STATES.

544 PAGES. i700 ILLUSTRATIONS.

N0. 65.—On extra stout paper, bound in embossed cloth, gilt lettering, sprinkled edges, as illustrated.
M“"""¢"10“"W”-\‘- Price without postage, 12/-; post-tree in Great Britain, 12/9
NO. 67.—On extra stout paper, handsomely half bound, gold lines and lettering, gilt edges. Dark
1"" "W"- Price without postage, 17/6; post-tree in Great Britain, I8/3.
N0. 68.—O_n highly rolled plate paper, extra strongly bound in half green morocco, lettered on back,
Civil! Eldes, Elli edges- Price without postage, 27/6; post-free in Great Britain, 28/6.
N0. 69.—On highly rolled plate paper, magnificently bound in finest green Levant morocco, rounded
corners, with gold line round the bevelled edges, lettered on back, gilt edges, patent expanding
IOCIK- Price without postage, 5o/—; post—tree in Great Britain, 5r/-.

Vol. III. THE STAMPS OF

FOREIGN COUNTRIES,
EXCEPT EUROPE AND POSSESSIONS.

412 PAGES. I500 ILLUSTRATIONS.

N0. 95,—On extra stout paper, bound in embossed cloth, gilt lettering, sprinkled edges, as illustrated.
1110"!!!”le [WI'S- Price without postage, io/-; post-free in Great Britain, lo/9.
N0. 97.—On extra. stout paper, handsomely half bound, gold lines and lettering, gilt edges. Dark
green covers. Price without postage, i5/-; post-tree in Great Britain, I5/9.
N0. 98.eOn highly rolled plate paper, extra strongly bound in half green morocco, lettered on back,
cloth sides, $11! "155- Price without postage, 22/6; post-free in Great Britain, 23/3.
N°_ 99__()n highly rolled plate paper, magnificently bound in finest green Levant morocco, rounded
corners, with gold line round the bevelled edges, lettered on back, gilt edges, patent expanding
lock. Price without postage, 45/-; post-tree in Great Britain, 45/9.

_
STANLEY GIBBONS, LIMITED,
39:, STRAND (Opposite Hotel Cecil), LONDON, W.C.
 FIFTY YEARS OF PHILATELY ‘47

of several other makes are found to be the most satisfactory of

any that we have tried.
Leading out of this room is another room, also used for cor
respondence and as a filing-room for letters. We rather pride
ourselves on our method of filing and handling some three to
four himdred letters a day. The letters are all filed on the
card-index system, and each letter has a flimsy ” copy of the
“

reply attached to it. Any letter of the previous five years, with
our reply to
it,

can be found within couple of minutes.

a
Opposite the second correspondence-room room which

is

is
a
now entirely given up to the “ New Issue ” Department.
Along one side we have nest of drawers divided into six
a

hundred compartments, one for each subscriber to this New

Issue service; two sides are fitted up with wide desks for the
use of the clerks; and the whole room found necessary for
this rapidly growing branch of our business. is 7 g

Fourth Floor.——On this floor there are five rooms. The

largest one used for making up packets and sets, sorting
is

common stamps, etc. etc., and next to this a private room

is

for the female staff. The other rooms on this floor are used
by the caretaker and his family, who live on the premises, and
look after the cleaning, etc.
The whole of the offices are amply protected against fire.
Some years ago we called in Messrs. Merryweather and Sons,
the well-known experts, and on their advice fitted each floor
with fire-bells, buckets of water, etc., and to each floor on the
back we fixed up outside iron fire-escapes, giving access to
premises behind ours.
We have also perfect system of office telephones, each room
a

being able to call up any other room, method that savesan

a

immense amount of running about.

48 ADVERTISEMENTS

SUPPLEMENT
TO THE

IMPERIAL ALBUM.
BLANK ALBUM, N0. 32.

N response to inquiry for a book to hold stamps issued. since the

publication of the Imperial Album, we have brought out one of

the same size, but without illustrations. It contains leaves of

Heavy White Plate Paper

with a neat border of neutral grey, with a quadrillé background inside the
grey border, and name space at top of each page, printed on one side of
leaf only.

Bound in dark green or marone. When ordering mention

colour desired.

No.v 32,—150 leaves bound in cloth, bevelled boards, gold lines on

front of cover, lettered on back “Postage Stamps," with blank

panel above and below in which particulars of contents can be

inserted, gilt edges.

Price 10/6; post-free, 11/3; abroad, 12/3.

STANLEY GIBBONS, LIMITED,

391, STRAND (Opposite Hotel Cecil), LONDON, W.C.
 CHAPTER VII
SOME COLLECTIONS WE HAVE PURCHASED

SHORT account of of the more important collections

a few
purchased since the incorporation of our company may
prove of interest.
Of small collections, both general and specialized, we have
bought many hundreds. Very often we buy a collection to
obtain a few stamps we require, and we then hand over the
balance to our Auction Department, to sell them without
reserve for what they will bring.
The first collection worthy of note that we purchased in
1891 was a superb one of the Philippine Islands, costing
us £550.
This contained complete reconstructed plates of the first
issue 5and IO cuartos and I and 2 reales.
A little later we bought the late Mr. G. T. Ko'ster’s collection
of Mexicans, mostly obtained during his annual visits to that
country. This included over 100 Guadalajaras.
In February we purchased Mr. Charles Colman’s British
Colonials for nearly £2000.
In this there were Canada 12d, used ; British Guiana, I856,
4 c., blue, oblong ; Cape, woodblock errors ; Nova Scotia, New
Brunswick, and Newfoundland shillings, unused, in shades, etc.
In May we purchased a fine general collection formed by the
French Ambassador in China.
In April, 1893, we bought the superb collection of Indian
stamps formed by the late Mr. D. Garth, which was justly
considered to be the finest collection of these stamps in ex
istence.
In for £3000, the fine general collection
1894 we purchased,
of Mr. Ernst Winzer, of Dresden; this was really a double
collection, as Mr. Winzer collected all the stamps he could
obtain, both used and unused.
1) 49
 5o ADVERTISEMENTS

THE

ENVELOPES, WRAPPERS, 610.,

OF THE WORLD.

IMPERIAL ALBUM (8th Edition).

303 pages. 81 by 11‘ inches

HE PRESENT VOLUME has been prepared for the reception of the Stamps cut from En
velopes, Registration Envelopes, Wrappers, etc., for which in previous Editions provision was
made after the Adhesive Stamps ot' the respective countries to which they belong.

In the collection of this class of Philatelic matter the general collector will find his occupation
only second in interest to that of the gathering together Postage Stamps proper; and while the
difficulty of filling the spaces will be much smaller than in the case of Adhesive Stamps, these
excised Stamps, nevertheless, exist in suflicient numbers to add a zest to his labours. The material
advantages which he has in his favour are—(r) a far smaller number of spaces to fill; (2) a larger
proportion of unused specimens obtainable; and (3) last, but not least, he will find that, by a very
moderate outlay, he will be able to build up a much more advanced state towards completion than
would be necessary in the case of Postage Stamps.

The spaces provided do not coincide with the sizes of the Stamps, but allow for fair margins
on all sides of the designs.

It is hoped that the blank

spaces distributed throughout the volume will be suflicient for some
time to come, of new issues in this branch being (with the exception of a few of the
the creation
American countries) strictly limited in frequency and number of values to actual postal requirements.

N0. 85.—Med.tum 4&0, on Extra Stout Paper, bound in embossed cloth, gilt lettering, plain edges,
marone-colour covers.

Price without postage. ro/6; post-free in Great Britain, "/1.

No. 88.—Medlnm M0, on Extra P1118 Heavy Paper, extra strongly bound in half morocco, lettered
on back, but sides plain, gilt edges, no locks or clasps.

Price without postage, 22/6; post-free in Great Britain, 23/3.

STANLEY GIBBONS, LIMITED,

391, STRAND (Opposite Hotel Cecil), LONDON, W.C.
 FIFTY YEARS OF PHILATELY 51

In October, I894, we purchased, for £10,000 net, the cele

brated collection of Australian stamps formed by Mr. M. P.
Castle. -

Later in the same year we purchased the remarkably fine

collection‘of unused British stamps, consisting of postage and
telegraph'stamps, proofs, and es2ays, formed by His Honour
Judge Philbrick, K.C. This collection cost nearly £2000.
In 1895, on the occasion of my first visit to the United States,
I bought the old collection of Mr. Charles T. Harbeck for the
sum of £3000. This collection was interesting, as it contained
two stamps issued later than I870.
Owing to the death of Mr. Gilbert Harrison, his executors
placed his collections in our hands for sale. They were all
highly specialized, and consisted of Portuguese India, Cash
mere, Afghanistan, ]apan, etc. We first sold the stamps on
commission, but eventually bought the whole balance, paying
about £6000 in all for these grand collections.
About 1895 we bought the very old collection of
W. Cooper, of Pembridge Square, W. The price was a large
one, but I‘ am unable to find a record of the exact figure paid.
This collection was a very old one, and contained some re—
markable proofs and essays, and even a number of proofs of
forgeries.
In June, 1895, we bought the large collection of Mr. ]. E.
Wilbey, contained in thirty large volumes, and consisting of
used stamps only, in which this gentleman specialized. This
contained many great rarities, such as superb circular and
large oblong British Guiana, Moldavia first issue, etc.
Early in 1896 we gave £3000 for the collection of Mr. W.
Hughes—Hughes, of the Inner Temple. This was commenced
in I859 and closed in 1874! But it did contain some gems.
Amongst them I remember Cape of Good Hope, woodblock
error 4d., red, unused ; British Guiana, large oblong 4 c., blue,
on sugar paper; Great Britain, Id., plate 77, unused; Moldavia,
8r paras, etc.
Later in the same year we gave Mr. R. Ehrenbach £6000 for
his superb collection of German stamps, one of the finest
specialized collections we ever handled, strong in old stamps,
unused, mint, in singles and blocks.
 52 ADVERTISEMENTS

Local Postage Stamps

OF THE WORLD.

IMPERIAL ALBUIVI (8th Edition)‘

279 pages. 82 by Hi inches.

HIS VOLUME—which is an entirely new departure, being the first of its kind
ever published—provides Spaces for all Local Postage Stamps—with
the exception of those issued by the Government of a State—such as Madrid, Stock
holm, etc., and those issued by Postmasters provisionally, as in the case of the
Confederate Locals, etc.

The Railway Letter Fee Stamps of Great Britain have also been

provided for.

RUSSIAN LOCAL STAMPS have received special attention, and the intro
duction to their study and collection will enable the collector not only to understand

the stamps, but assist him to arrive at a closer approach to the true pronunciation
of the names of the various districts, as well as to their consistent spelling according
to the English language.

No. 75—Medium 4to, on Extra Stout Paper, bound in embossed cloth, gilt
lettering, plain edges, marone-colour covers.
Prloe without postage, 10/6; post-free in Great Britain, 11/1.

No. 78.—Medium 4to, on Extra Fine Heavy Paper, extra strongly bound in half
morocco, lettered on back, but sides plain, gilt edges, no locks or clasps.

Price without postage, 22/6; post-free in Great Britain, 23/2.

STANLEY GIBBONS, LIMITED,

391, STRAND (Opposite Hotel Cecil), LONDON, W.C.
 FIFTY YEARS OF PHILATELY 53

In November, I896, we (in conjunction with a friend) bought

the collection of British stamps formed by the late Earl of
Kingston, the cost price being £1800. To give an idea of the
strength of this collection, I may mention that it contained no
less than fifty-six unused copies of the 6d., 10d, and IS. oc
tagonal stamps.
In 1897, Mr. F. W. Ayer, of Bangor, Maine, U.S.A.,_placed
his collection in our hands for sale. This collection contained
the finest lot of the great rarities that we have ever had in our
possession at one time, and we sold the finest stamps to the
amount of £21,000 in a very short time. Space will allow
mention of only a few things we had in this collection, but
amongst them I remember—
Hawaiian Islands. First issue, eighteen copies, including
two of the very rare 2 c.
Ceylon. Imperf. 4d., 8d., 9d., 15., and 25., mint set.
Cape. Woodblocks. Five errors, including the blue in a
pan.
Buenos Ayres. Five copies each of the red and yellow.
United States. Baltimore, IO c., buff, envelope, only copy
known ; Millbury, two copies ; Brattleboro’, used on letter.
Confederate Locals. Most of the rarities, including Madison,
3 c.; Uniontown, 2 c.; Grove Hill, 5 c.; Rheatown, 5 c.,
used.
Western Australia. 4d., blue, frame inverted.
North' Americans were the strongest lot ever on sale, and
included all known shades, used, unused, and on letters,
etc. etc.
In 1898 webought the general collection of Mr. H. L. Hay
man for £4000. This collection was in twelve volumes, with
Africa highly specialized and very fine. If I remember rightly,
there were over seventy copies of the Cape of Good Hope wood
blocks, including several unused.
In 1899 we bought one of the most interesting collections of
stamps we have ever handled, that of the late Mr. J. Pauwels,
of Torquay. This collection contained stamps from 1840 to
1870. Amongst them I note——
British Guiana, 1856, large oblong 4 0., blue, on sugar
paper.
 54 ADVERTISEMENTS

THE KING’S OWN

Postage Stamp Hlbum.

HIS Album has been specially designed for those Collectors who either com
mence a collection with the Postage Stamps of King. Edward VII., or
who collect these Stamps as 2. Supplement to a General Collection.
THE KING'S OWN ALBUM contains 100 pages of heavy white plate paper outlined
with a neat border of neutral grey, with quadrillé background inside the grey border, and name space
'
at the top of each page.
edge,

SIBNIN

alll
Stamps,
outer

mos
83Hle

mu
the

mounting
from

8}.
9;

‘sunmoo
WVHSONOW
x

P91"!lds!939d
X
6%
Leaves

7.}
for

WW
mm
no

of
GNV
available

u!
all
size

on
'NMUHO
Exact

PRICES.
K.O. l.—Strongly bound in cloth, bevelled boards, with the Oflicial Cypher Monogram and Crown in
gold on cover.
Price 7/6; post-free, 8/-; abroad, 8/9.
K.O.ll.—Handsomely bound in three-quarter Levant morocco, art vellum sides, bevelled boards,
with Official Cypher Monogram and Crown in gold on cover, extra gilt back and edges.
Price 21/—; post-free, 21/8; abroad, 22/6.

Either quality can b: rupjlizd in Royal Red or Royal Blue, and the colour desired .rlwuld 6:
rlatrd when ordering.

STANLEY GIBBONS, LIMITED,

391, STRAND (Opposite Hotel Cecil), LONDON, W.C.
 FIFTY YEARS OF PHILATELY 55

Cape of Good Hope. Both woodblock errors and several

blocks unused.
New South Wales. Twelve unused Sydneys, etc.
Moldavia. 81 p., unused.
Reunion. 15 c. and 30 c., etc.
The cost of this collection, which was contained in two small
books, was £4000.
In 1901 we bought Mr. W. T. Willett’s superb collection of
unused British stamps, containing nearly all the rarities in
mint condition, and many of them in pairs and blocks,
From the same gentleman we had also a pretty lot of Nevis
in whole sheets, the two collections costing us nearly £2000.
A littleZlater on we bought from a well-known collector on
the Continent a specialized collection of Philippines, the early
issues plated and in fine condition.
About the same time we bought a fine lot of New South Wales,
a collection formed by a well-known amateur in Sydney, and
at about the same period we got a set of plates of Sydneys in
London; this little lot ran to four hundred Sydneys and a
great mass of laureated, the two collections costing close
on £4500.
Later on we bought a specialized collection of Hawaiian
Islands, including three of the first issue and most of the
numerals, plated.
At the end of 1901 we paid nearly £3000 for two collections
formed by an amateur of Genoa, the one a superb lot of the
Italian States, wonderfully strong in old stamps on original
letters. The other collection was One of Swiss stamps, and it
contained the following :—
Zurich. 4 rp., eighteen copies ; 6 rp., 103 copies.
Geneva. 5+5 c., four copies.
Basle. Twelve copies.
Vaud. 4 c., pair and two singles, etc.
In 1902 we bought the South African collection of Mr. C.
Hollander for about £1500, also the very fine specialized col
lection of New Zealand formed by Mr. Bate ; and later in the
same year Mr. Ehrenbach’s Dominican Republic and a great
collection of used English from a Scotch amateur.
In 1903 we bought the superb collection of Transvaals in
56 ADVERTISEMENTS

PORTABLE
CASES er
of
To hold the Set
THREE VOLUMES of

IMPERIAL
STAMP
ALBUMS.
SIZE, 12 X 7% X 10% Inches.

N response to the request for a

strong Case in which to keep the

Set of Three Volumes of IMPERIAL
STAMP ALBUMS, we have in
troduced the above. It is made of best
solid hide, lined with haize, with handle
for carrying. It will be found indis
pensable, both for preserving the covers
of the Albums and keeping dust from
the Stamps, also for carrying one’s
collection to Philatelic Meetings and
friends’ houses. Space is allowed for
Vols. I. and II. Stamp Catalogue. It
has a double-action Lever Lock fasten
'
ing, and afi'ords that absolute privacy
which cannot be attained with ordinary locks fastened on the books themselves.

Price 30/-. Oarriage Ext ra

STANLEY GIBBONS, LIMITED,

39!, STRAND (Opposite Hotel Cecil), LONDON, W.Q
 FIFTY YEARS OF PHILATELY 57

seven volumes, formed by Mr. E. ]. N ankivell during the pre

ceding twenty-three years, the price paid being close on £3000.
Later in the same year we bought from a collector in Port
Louis, Mauritius, a choice collection of these popular old
stamps.
A little later on we bought a fine Australian collection con
taining no stamps later than 1885.
And the end of the same year we bought a fine collection of
British Guiana, nothing later than the issue of I882, including
a superb lot of the circular, I850, the rare oblong, 1856, etc.
In r904 we purchased a selection of great rarities to the
amount of £4700 from a well-known titled collector.
In 1905 we bought the second collection of Australian stamps
formed by Mr. M. P. Castle, paying £5750 for it, a grand lot of
the most saleable stamps in the world—amongst them twenty
five unused and 341 used Sydney Views.
Later in the same year we bought a superb collection of
Tasmanians, the Id., and 4d. first issue, plated and nearly
complete.
A little later we purchased Mr. T. W. Hall’s very nice collec
tion of Fiji Islands.
In February, I906, we purchased the celebrated collection of
European stamps formed by Mr. W. W. Mann for the record
price of £30,000, the largest amount that has ever been paid
for a postage stamp collection. This collection is contained in
-
about eighty Oriel Albums, packed full. Every country of
Europe is highly specialized, and here we have even the rarities
in rows of singles, pairs, blocks, and sometimes in panes and
sheets. A detailed account of this great collection will be
found in another portion of this book.
Such is, indeed, only a brief outline of the many fine collec
tions that have passed through our hands during the last few
years. We have had many others—some of great importance,
about which the owners do not want any facts published—and
many indeed of smaller importance ' but I think it is of interest
to put on record this brief summary of some of the most inter
esting collections we have handled.
58
‘
ADVERTISEMENTS

THE PHILATELIST’S BULLEGTING BOOK.

FOR THE COAT POCKET.
With Patent Fastening to Flap.

Size, 6} by 4} inches. Handeomely bound in Art Cloth.

book contains r: pages, having four strips of linen, i-inch wide, arranged horizontally,
EACH
glued at the bottom edge and with the upper one open, for the safe retention and preserva
tion of recent purchases or duplicates. A large pocket is also provided at the back for Envelops
or Stamps in bulk. In daily use by leading London Collectors.

N0. 17.—As illustrated. Price 2/6; post-free, 3/7

“0. 18,—Oblong, twenty-four pages, six strips on each page, interleaved with strong glazed paper to
prevent rubbing. Price 5/-; post-free, 5/4;abroad, 5/6.

THE MONTHLY JOURNAL.

Eur-ran av MAJOR E. B. EVANS.

Published on the last day or each month, and chiefly noted for-
ISL—Wm of all Law Cases of Interest to Philatelists.

and—Billion mmflon on New lsnes.

3rd.—Lfl'gelt Stamp Journal PllblllhOdI recent numbers containing firom 24 to 32 pages.

4th.—Qlll-UW of it: Articles; with MAJOR Evans as Editor this can be taken for granted.

yin—Entirely Oflglnfl Articles by the leading Philatelic Writers of the day.

SUBSCRIPTION—QI— per annum, or 6/- for three years.

Sample C ofy rm! gratis and park/re: on application.

All Subscriptions must be prepaid, and commence with the JULY Number. The Prices for Back
Numbers will be found in the current number of the journal. There is no discount to the Trade.
We STRONGLY RBCOMMIND allpurcltarer: Catalong In suascnlen 'ro “ Tits MONTHLY
oft/u
JOURNAL"—f0min{, as if dues, a continuation of ill: Catalogu: up to M2.

STANLEY GIBBONS, LIMITED,

391, STRAND (Opposite Hotel Cecil), LONDON, W.C.
 97 GRACECHURCH STREET

CHAPTER VIII
PURCHASE OF THE BUSINESS OF MESSRS. G. HAMILTON
SMITH & CO.

N the autumn of 1904 we felt there was scope for a really

good and well-appointed shop in the best portion of the
City.
Many busy City men have no time to come up West during
the day : they arrive in the City at Cannon Street, Liverpool
Street, Fenchurch Street, London Bridge, etc., and after busi
ness hours return home as soon as possible. Lots of men have
a spare half-hour or so in the day, and we thought a nice bright
shop with a private room where a gentleman could sit down
59
 60 ADVERTISEMENTS

Gibbons Stamp weekly

Edited by Mr. E. J. NANKIVELL.
Prepaid subscriptions must commence with the current number, and can be
for 3, 6, or 12 months, but for not less than 3 months, at the following rates,
post-free :—
l

3months . . .
Gt.

15.
Britain
and Colonies.

8d.
1 U.S.A. and France,1!aly,
Canada.

40 c. ‘
or Spain.

to. 2.00
l_.
l
ii
Gemany'

m. 1.70
6 ,, . . . 3s. 3d. 80 c. fc. 4.00 m. 3.25
12 ,, . . . 6s. 6d. $l.60 to. 8.00 m. 6.50

Numbers 1 to 5 inclusive are out of print. .

Remittances should be made by Cheque or Money Orders payable in London
and to the order of Stanley Gibbons, Ltd.
Specimen Copy, iéd. post-free.
In Great Britain it will be cheaper for our readers to order Gibbons Stamp
Weeklyfrom their nearest Newsagent or Stationer, or from the Railway Bookstall.
This will save postage, and the paper will be delivered flat, instead of folded as
it would be if posted.
Gibbons Stamp Weekly is produced in order to help and encourage those who
are either now forming a collection or are about to start the most fascinating
and fashionable hobby of Stamp Collecting.
The aim of Gibbons Stamp Weekly will be to help young collectors by publishing
series of articles on all matters that may be of use to them.
Articles will in due course appear on such subjects as :—
How to choose a Stamp Album, with Advice as to what Stamps to Purchase,
descriptions of the leading kind;_ so as to have a good, sound Investment.
'
0 " buymg Puke“ and sets _ 0n Historical Facts of the past Sixty
five Years that may be learnt from
On Exchange Clubs: how to Start and our Stamps_
how to comm“ them’ with a Model
0n the Geographical Interest of Stamp
Set of Rules. Collecting.
HOW to Mount Stamps- Humorous Incidents connected with
On Measuring Perforations, and how to Stamps
detect Watermarks. Stamps as Works of Art.
On what to avoid in Stamps. How to Collect, and what to Collect.
Etc., etc., etc.
A correspondence column will be opened, and we shall endeavour to reply
fully to all questions sent to us.
Twice a month we propose to give away to every subscriber to Gibbons
Stamp Weekly a genuine postage stamp.
Another feature that we intend to take up is a series of Stamp Competitions
—about one a month.
A very valuable lot of large packets and sets of stamps, albums, etc., will be
given as prizes in these competitions.

STANLEY GIBBONS, LIMITED,

3391, STRAND (Opposite Hotel Cecil), LONDON, W.C.
 FIFTY YEARS OF PHILATELY 61

comfortably, have a smoke, and look at good stamps in fine

condition, would prove an attraction, and after nearly a
year’s trial we are pleased to find that this has proved to
be theucase.

G HAMILTON-SMITH

In looking round I happened to mention the matter to my

friend Mr. Hamilton-Smith, and a suggestion was made that a
combination might be of use to both firms.
Matters were gone into, and it transpired that both partners
 62 ADVERTISEMENTS

‘I'HE EIGHTH EDITION OF

i); g i: .5 Z.0 Q
ONE HUNDRED AND TENTH THOUSAND.

The Best and Largest Album ever Published at the Price.

W
176 LARGE PAGES. Spaces for 4700 Stamps.
48 extra pages added in this Edition without extra charge.
This Album is now selling at the rats of over 1000 copies a month.

THE demand for this Album has simply been phenomenal, and it gives universal
satisfaction—not a single complaint has been received. The last Edition had nearly
20 extra pages added, and now another 48 pages have been added,
and all the Geographical and Historical Notes brought up fully to date.
All the newest stamp-issuing countries, such as Bussahir, Canton, Cayman Isles,
Hoi-hao, Dahomey, etc. etc., have been added.
At the top of each page there is the name of the country, and a mass of valuable
information, including date when Stamps were issued, population, area, reigning
sovereign, capital, etc. Spaces of proper sizes are provided for all Stamps, and the
book is bound in a superior manner in art cloth. The Album contains a pocket to
hold duplicate Stamps, and Fifty Stamps will be presented gratis with
each Album. There is also an Illustrated Frontispiece of the Rarest Stamps, with
prices attached that we pay for each.

Price, bound in handsome art cloth, l/=, or post=free, 1/3.

E. S. says: “I asked a friend where the best place was to buy a Stamp Album cheap. He referred
me to you, saying thst he had bought one and sold it next day for 1/6, after keeping the stamps."
A. A. writes: “Ireceived your Stamp Album on Thursday, and I wonder how you can sell it so
cheap ; (or as soon as a friend saw it he ofi‘ered me 2/- for it. Please send me another."
C. A. W. writes: “Please send me one of your marvellous 1/— Albums, with packet of stamps, in
order that I may convince my incredulous friends that such a thing is possible.”
Miss M. R. writes from Piccadilly: “
I was greatly pleased with the Album I received this morning,
which all my friends admired, and thought it very cheap."

STANLEY GIBBONS, LIMlTED,

39x, STRAND (Opposite Hotel Cecil), LONDON, W. C.
 FIFTY YEARS OF PHILATELY 63

in Hamilton-Smith & Co. were also partners in the auction

business of Glendining & C0., and eventually it was decided
to purchase both businesses and enlarge the capital and scope
of the firm. '

The new capital was fixed at £91,500, and was all taken up
by the directors and one or two friends, and an issue of deben—
tures was made which is also held privately, and no shares or
debentures were offered to the public. It is advisable to men—
tion this, as I often receive inquiries for shares in our company
and have to explain that there are none on the market.
Messrs. G. Hamilton-Smith & C0. had a good general stock
of stamps, specially strong in British Colonials, and I was
agreeably surprised to find how well their stock amalgamated
with our own, and filled up many gaps. This stock was taken
over at a valuation, and even now is not all merged into our
general st0ck.
The two partners in Hamilton-Smith & C0. joined the Board
of Directors, and Mr. G. Hamilton-Smith has taken charge of
the new City branch, and Mr. S. E. Gwyer remains in the
auction business.
64 ADVERTISEMENTS

100 and different, and of a

seen no va ISTAIVIIPS,
It'UISTAGE -,
us a overaIé/genuine
arg presented with each Strand Album.
THE STRAND

POSTAGE STAMP

ALBUM
The book, which is printed on an unusually good quality paper, is bound in a
new and specially designed cover. The shape is as illustrated, and the size a new
and convenient one, viz. 9% in. by 7:} in. Sufficient guards have been inserted so that
when the Album is full the covers shall be level with each other, and not bulged, as
is often the case in imperfectly constructed books.
Concise Geographical and other particulars, with Illustrations, are given at the
head of each country, the pages being divided into rectangles, as is usual, with this
most important innovation, that they vary in size so as to conveniently accommodate
the Stamps desired to be placed in position.
’AA‘AA“““A““‘A‘£ v‘A‘A““““‘A“‘A‘€
No. 14. 320 pages. Nos. 15 and 16 include a series
Spaces for 8000 Stamps. of Six Maps, specially engraved
Nos. 15 and 16. 400 pages. for this Publication, and beauti
Spaces for 11,000 Stamps. fully printed in Colours.
;, vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvwg a www-7771vvvvvvvvvvv4i
Anew and very important departure has been made in Nos. 15 and 16, in includ
ing for the first time in any Philatelic Album a series of Six specially drawn Maps,
printed in colours, and giving the names of all Stamp-issuing Countries. They are of
course fully brought up to date, and are not needlessly encumbered with unnecessary
names, so as to increase their usefulness for easy and instant reference.
Each Album now has four full-page Illustrations of the Watermarks found on all
StamPS- PRICES.
No. 14.—Strongly and neatly bound in plain cloth, gilt lettered, 320 pages, 2/6;
post-free, 2/11; abroad, 3/4.
No. l5.—-Strongly and handsomely bound in plain cloth, with gilt edges and letter
ing, and 6 Maps, and 80 extra leaves, 5/-; post-free, 5/5 ; abroad, 6/-.
No. 16.—Handsomely bound in half morocco, lettered on back, plain cloth sides,
with 6 Maps, gilt edges, 400 pages, 8/6 ; post-free, 9/- ; abroad, 9/6.
For No. 14.—2d. per dozen; 5/- per ICO. post-free.
BLANK LEAVES, For No. 15 or 16, gilt edges —I/3 per dozen; 9,’- per
100, post-free.

STANLEY GIBBONS, LIMITED,

3391, STRAND (Opposite Hotel Cecil), LONDON, W.C.
 CHAPTER IX
OUR CITY BRANCH

N 21 February, 1905, we opened a branch of our business

in the City at 97 Gracechurch Street, E.C., almost facing
Cornhill, and between the corner of Leadenhall Street and
Leadenhall Market.
At this branch we have three large windows, which are fairly
well shown in the foregoing sketch.
These windows contain an artistically arranged display of
stamps and publications, and one generally sees a crowd of
people looking in.
Inside there is a well-fitted shop in which every inch has
been utilized. Leading out of the shop is the private room of
the Manager and Mr. Stanley Mann, and in this room the
better stamps are shown, and purchases are made, often running
into very large figures.
Underneath is a very large basement, used as a packing room
and storeroom for publications.
Leading out of the basement we have constructed a very
strong and fireproof strong-100m. The walls are nearly two
feet thick, and the entrance is protected with a Milner’s steel
door six inches thick ; and inside this is a very tough teak door,
as an extra precaution against fire and water.
The strong-room is twenty-two feet long, and in the interior
we have fitted up sixteen steel lockers, each with its own key.
Some of these lockers are used for reserve stock, private books
and papers, etc., but ten of them are at liberty, and are at the
disposal of clients of the firm who for any reason may wish to
deposit their collections with us during their absence from
town. No charge is made for such accommodation, and a
client has the only key of his locker and can take it away
with him.
E 65
 66 ADVERTISEMENTS

“w THE IMPROVED we
POSTAGE STAMP ALBUM.
FIFTEENTH
EDITION.
Greatly Enlarged and
Re-written.

Size of Page,
10x72 in.
*
One Hundred Slam/s, all diflzr
ml, are presented with each
A [bum said.
Coven OF No. 3.

new Edition is printed on a superior quality paper, especially made for now illustra

it,
and
THIS

is
ted for the first time. About 600 full-sized types of stamps are shown, which will be of great
use to the collector in correctly placing the stamps.
The shape oblong, and spaces are provided to the different requirements of the various
is

according
countries.
A large number of guards have been provided so that the Album shall not bulge when full.
The Album divided into Continents, and the name of the country only given at the head of
is

is
each section.
Eighty different watermarks are illustrated in actual size, and lists are given of the various water
marks of the difl‘erent countries.
.

Special attention has been paid to the binding, which exceptionally strong, and the covers are
is

artistically designed.

PRICES (ALL WELL PACKED):

N0. 2.—Strongly and neatly bound in Plain Cloth, gilt lettered back and sides, 304 pages.
Price 3/6; post-tree. 3/li abroad, 4/6.
;

No. 3.—Well bound in Art Vellum, as illustration, blocked in gold and colours, 30; pages.
Price 5/-; post-free, 5/6; abroad, 6/2.
No. 4.—Handsomely halt bound, Art Velluin sides, gold lines and gilt letters on back, gilt edges, with
extra leaves after each continent, for new issues, making in all 368 pages.
Price 7/6; post-free, 8l- abroad, 8/9.
;

EXTRA LEAVES
Can 6: supph'rd to this and the alder small sizzs, as under:
POST-FREE.
l4th or 15th Edition .. Plain edges, for Nos. or .. . .. 9d. per doz. 5/- per mo.
4 2

;
.

(3' ,, ,, o. .. .. .. .. 1/3 ,, 8/6 ,,

nth or |3th Edition (smaller size)
Plain edges, for Nos. or . .. .. 6d- ,1 3/9
4 2

n
3

Gilt ,, ,, o. .. .. .. .. |/- ,, ,,
7

STANLEY GIBBONS, LIMITED,

391, STRAND (Opposite Hotel Cecil), LONDON, W.C.
 FIFTY YEARS OF PHILATELY 67

For the City branch we have prepared a full set of stock

books, arranged in the order of our Catalogues, and priced at
Catalogue rates. Special discounts are allowed to those clients
who make large purchases. We have also on sale a grand lot
of books of sets about 2000 in number, and a superb lot of
packets ranging from 6d. to £I4 each.
A full line of publications can be seen here at the regular
list prices.
The City branch is prepared to purchase at liberal rates from
any one in the City old general or specialized collections, single
rarities, and especially the higher values of current used
stamps, for which we have a great demand, and for which we
therefore can pay much higher prices than have been obtained
previously in the City.
Mr. George Hamilton-Smith, manager of our City branch
and a director of Stanley Gibbons, Ltd., and Glendining & Co.,
Ltd., was born on 30 January, I870, at Clifton, near Bristol,
and was educated privately.
He first started collecting in 1882 while a schoolboy, but
not in a serious manner. He left Bristol about I890 and re
moved to London, and there commenced dealing in stamps,
and shortly afterwards joined Mr. T. W. Cheveley to manage
his stamp-dealing department, as Mr. Cheveley found all his
time occupied with the stamp auctions.
After about seven months at this work Mr. Hamilton-Smith
thought he could do better on his own account, and in 1894
took an office in London Street, off Fenchurch Street, where
he was in business for about six months, and left there on
meeting Mr. S. E. Gwyer, when they decided to go into partner
ship, and took premises in the name of G. Hamilton-Smith
& Co., at I58 Regent Street, W., and remained there, doing
good business, for some time, but eventually found that they
were not able to buy in that quarter, and so removed to the
City, to IO Bishopsgate Street Within, in 1895, and remained
there until they sold their business to Stanley Gibbons, Ltd,
in January, I905.
68 ADVERTISEMENTS

Glenclining 8: 00., Ltd.,

7-_7
7,
i
ARGYLL STREET, REGENT STREET,
W- LONDON, w. J
(Adjoining Oxflrd Circa: Railway Station.)

guttinnen‘s

PHILATELIG,

NUMISMATIG
a; ; as» any; :3», I
_

Fine ilrt Property.

CATALOGUES MAY BE HAD ON
APPLICATION.
every alternate Thursday
8A and Friday.

SMALL OR LARGE COLLECTIONS

Promptly Catalogued and arranged for Sale.
Value advanced pending realization if desired.
All accounts settled within ten days of Sale.

WEEKLY SALES 01"

Coins, Medals, Antique China, English and Oriental Works of
Art, Jewellery, Silver Plate, Engravings, Coloured Prints,
lvorles, Bronzes, Antiquities, Etc. Etc.

Valuations Ier Probate. Experienced Valuers sent to all parts of the Country.

n—Liun'me: & 00., Miami, AEyli St., Regent St.,

LONDON, w.
 CHAPTER X

THE AUCTION DEPARTMENT, GLENDINING & CO., LTD.,

7 ARGYLL STREET, REGENT STREET, LONDON, W.

HE auction business of Glendining & Co. was established

in the year 1901, at I4 King William Street, Strand, the
first sale being held on 22 January of that year. The cata
logue included a number of interesting war medals and decora
tions, and the auction proved a very successful one, owing to
the support given to the new venture by personal friends.
The first lot to be offered was a Waterloo medal, which in
friendly competition brought three or four times the normal
price usually paid for such a decoration, and the afternoon’s
sale realized about £500. Within a few months sales of coins
were introduced, and from that time forward the monthly sales
of medals and coins have been one of the principal features of
the business. This specialism in the auction business had
hitherto been confined to two or three well-known firms, whose
houses have been established a hundred years or more, but the
success which has attended the new venture proves conclu
sively that there was room in London for auction business of
this kind, if conducted on proper lines. Messrs. Glendining
& Co. have always made prompt settlements with their clients
a first principle, and frequently all vendors’ accounts for sales
have been paid within a week of the auction, and never has the
full settlement been delayed beyond the twelve days which
they pledge themselves to their clients. Possibly this feature
has brought the business together, vendors naturally preferring
to receive a prompt settlement of their accounts, rather than
a polite intimation that their goods have been sold and that
payment will be made in a month’s time or later. After a time
philatelic sales were introduced, but here there were so many
established businesses already in the field that progress was
69
 7o ADVERTISEMENTS

NUMISMATIC AUCTION SALES.

Glendining & 60., Ltd.

Fine flirt, Dumismatic,
and Philatelic Huctioneens,

THE ARGYLL GALLERY,

(whining 7, ARGYLL STREET,
Oxford C171": REGENT STREET,
Railway Slalion.)
LONDON, W.

Coancrrons or

Goins, Tokens,
commemorative Medals,
War Medals,
Decorations, Ete.,
Carefully catalogued and arranged for Sale.

'5'?
Sales by Private Treaty can be arranged if preferred.

Numismatic Sales every Month throughout the Season.

Priced Catalogues can be obtained of the Auc
tioneers after each Sale, showing amounts realised.
Price Two Shillings, post-free.
Liberal Advances pending realisation.

Valuations for Probate, Etc.

GLENDllllllli 8t 00., LTD., 7, Argyll Street, Regent Street, W.

 FIFTY YEARS OF PHILATELY 71

more difficult, and the few sales which were held (more in the
nature of an experiment than otherwise) were of little im
portance. In October, 1902, Mr. Glendining was joined in
partnership by Mr. S. E. Gwyer; the business was removed
from King William Street, Strand, to the Argyll Gallery,
7 Argyll Street, Oxford Circus, and the philatelic sales seriously
and energetically cultivated. Beginning with the collection of
Mr. Murray, which, though small, consisted of choice stamps,
C.
the business has never looked back or had a corner to turn, but
has consistently shown a gradually increasing turnover, and

THIRTEENTH-CENI‘URY SEAL OF THE Town or DUNWICH, Sussax

soon attained a foremost position. In 1904 and 1905 the

auction sales of postage stamps conducted by Messrs. Glen
dining & Co. considerably exceeded the sales of any other firm
of philatelic auctioneers, and from the important collections
placed in their care for disposal the 1906 season should prove
a record one.
I Rare and interesting coins are frequently submitted for com
petition, and amongst the curiosities in numismatics which
have been sold are : copper penny of 1860 (£4), copper farthing
1860 (£6), and a halfpenny of 1872 struck in brass (£7).
72 ADVERTISEMENTS

MUSICAL INSTRUMENT SALES.

Glendining 6: C0., Ltd.,

Fine .flnt, Dumismatic, and
Philatelic fluctioneens,

d.-

&
TH E A RGYLL GALLERY,
ARGYLL STREET, REGENT STREET,
7,

(Adjoining Oxford Cir-cu: Railway Station) w.

Q? Q?
Messrs. GLENDINING 81. Co Ltd sell by Auction at a specially arranged
,

Sale, every month, collections of Musical Instruments:

Violas. Violoncellos. Flutes. Oboes.

Violins. Double Basses. Clarionets. Harps, etc.
By all the most eminent makers of the Italian, French, German,
and English Schools.

Collections and single Instruments included in these Sales at short notice.

ORIENTAL SALES.
Messrs. GLENDINING 8!. C0., Ltd., hold frequent Sales of Oriental Works

of Art, having a unique connection amongst collectors of Ancient

Chinese and Japanese

Pottery. Bronzes. A rms.

Porcelain. Lacquer. A rmour.
Paintings on Glass, etc.
by

Collections catalogued an Oriental expert. Valuations for Probate, etc.

00., LTD., Argyll Street, Regent Street, W.

&

7,

GLENDINING
 FIFTY YEARS OF PHILATELY 73

Bric-a-bac sales are another feature of the business, and all

classes of fine-art property are to be met with suitable for
collections and home decoration. A glance at the catalogues
will disclose interesting objects of vertu, paintings, engravings,
coloured prints, choice old china, antique silver, and the in
numerable articles which gladden the heart of the collector and
connoisseur ; whilst those of a musical turn of mind will find
in the special sales of violins and other stringed instruments
an assortment worthy of inspection. A curious bronze seal of
the thirteenth century, formerly used by the corporation of
Dunwich, Suffolk, a town now under the sea, realized £75,
whilst the celebrated bugle which gave
the order for the charge of the Light
Brigade at Balaclava was bid up to
£1050, a big price even for a relic of
this description. Not only has the auc
tion business shown a consistent increase
in volume, but the results have been so
satisfactory as to produce many record
auction prices far beyond those attained
by any other firm for similar articles; for
instance, the silver medal for conspicuous
Tm; BALACLAVA BUGLE
gallantry issued to Hy. Thompson, A.B.,
R..\I., Perak River, 1876, realized £66. The naval Victoria
Cross awarded to Hy. Curtis for gallantry in the Crimean War
sold for the large sum of£r42 ; a similar decoration to Colonel
F. Cornwallis Maude, C.B., £145. Other interesting decora
tions which have been sold for big prices are the gold
Peninsular Cross awarded to Colonel ]. B. Galiffe, 0.3.,
60th Regiment, £500; a similar decoration to Lieut.-Colonel
Russell Manners, C.B., 74th Regiment, £600; another to
General Sir Manley Power, £545. Some rare medals for
naval services have been sold, the gold medal for Trafalgar
realizing £250; whilst a sword presented to a captain who
served in the same battle went for £72. Silver medals for
Indian battles have sold well; a native’s medal for Seeta
buldee was disposed of for £80, and another for the capture of
Deig for £75. _

Messrs. Glendining 8: Co. make the care of their clients’

74 ADVERTISEMENTS

FINE ART AUCTION SALES.

Glendining & 00., Ltdf

Fine flirt, Dumismatic,
and Philatelic Huctioneens,

THE ARQYLL GALLERY,

1, ARGYLL STREET, REGENT STREET, LONDON, w_
(Ail/bl'nl'ng Oxford Circus Railway Statz'en.

Messrs. GLENDINING & CO., Ltd., conduct

FORTNIGHTLY SALES BY AUCTION of

Pictures,
Engravings,
Coloured Prints,
Antique China,
Antique Furniture,
Jewellery,
Silver Plate,
Sheffield Plate,
Antique Pewter,
ETC. ETC.

Valuations for Probate, etc. EXPERT VALUERS

sent to all parts of the country by arrangement.

GLENDINING & 00., LTD., 7, Argyll Street, Regent Street, W.

 FIFTY YEARS OF PHILATELY 75

property a first con

sideration, and it is
gratifying to report
that of the countless
thousands of valu
able articles which
have been entrusted
to them for dispo
sal none have been
known to go astray.
Besides commodious
strong-rooms for the
storing of valuable
articles, they hold
their clients covered
by an insurance
policy against the
risk of fire and bur
glary.
Visitors and pro
vincial clients will
find the auction gal
lery most centrally
situated, the Tul:e
Railway bringing it
within a fewminutes’
journey of any part
of London, and as a
consequence the at—
tendance of buyers is
invariablyagoodone.
The capital of Glen
dining & C0., Ltd., is
£7500, in ordinary
shares, the whole of
which are held by
Stanley Gibbons,
Ltd., and the Direc
tors of that firm.

Auromus Srmmvmuvs
76 ADVERTISEMENTS

PHILATELIC AUCTION SALES.

Glendining & 00., Ltd.

Fine Hnt, Dumismatic,
and Philatelic .Fluctionccns,

THE ARGYLL GALLERY,

7, ARGYLL STREET, REGENT STREET, LONDON, W.
(Adjoining Oxflra' Circus Raff'way Station.)

uhdu
Messrs. GLENDINING & Co., Ltd., make a speciality of the
sale of Postage Stamps by Auction.
Owners desiring to realize their collections to the best possible
advantage should make early arrangement with the Auctioneers
in order to secure advantageous dates of sale, which are fre
quently engaged several sales in advance.

Collections whilst in the custody of the Auctioneers are insured

against loss by Fire, Burglary, etc.

Four Sales per Month on alternate Thursdays and Fridays

throughout the Season.
The most central and conveniently situated Auction Gallery
in London.

Liberal Advances pending realization can be arranged. Sales by

private treaty.

Expert Valuations for Probate and other purposes on strictly

moderate terms.

0|.ENllllllll0 & 00., LTD., 7, Argyll Street, Regent Street, W.

-
FIFTY YEARS or PHILATELY 77

The present officials are: D. W. Glendining, S. E. Gwyer

(Managing Directors); Charles J. Phillips; G. Hamilton-Smith.
Mr. Douglas William Glendining was born on 19 July, 1863,
in London, and was educated at St. Olave’s, Southwark. He

D. W. GLENDINING

left school at the age of seventeen, and at once entered the

office of Messrs. Holmwood and Holmwood, Marine Insurance
Brokers, Gracechurch Street, EC, and Lloyd’s.
Mr. Glendining left there in December, 1900, and soon after
wards opened as an auctioneer at I4 King William Street,
Strand.
 78 ADVERTISEMENTS

Glendining &. 60., Ltd.,

(Adjoin'
'
Oxfordoircus 7,
way
Station.)
REGENT STREET, LONDON, W

AUCTlONEERS 0F

Philatelic, Numismatic,
Fine“) Art Property.

Postage Stamp Auction Catalogues may be had on application.

Sharp Sales every alternate Thursday and Friday.

SMALL OR LARGE COLLECTIONS

Promptly Catalogued and arranged for Sale. Value advanced pending
realization if desired. All Accounts settled within ten days of Sale.

WEEKLY SALES of
Coins, Medals, Antique Chine,
English and Oriental Works of Art, Jewellery,
Silver Plate, Engravings, Coloured Prints,
lvories, Bronzes, Antiquities, etc. etc.

VALUATIONS FOR PROBATE. Experienced Valuers sent to all parts of the Country.

GLEN DINING 8t C0., Ltd., Auctioneers,

7, Argyll Street, Regent Street, LONDON, W.
 FIFTY YEARS OF PHILATELY 79

His first start in the auction business was in coins and medals,
and from the commencement it was a pronounced success,
which was perhaps due to the fact thatlhe had collected medals
for many years, and has given so much attention to them that

S. E. GWYER

he has come to be recognized as the authority on medals, especi

ally War medals and decorations.
Mr. Glendining soon turned his attention to stamps, and held
some successful sales; this branch did not, however, become
of much importance until Mr. S. E. Gwyer joined him in
October, I902.
 8o ADVERTISEMENTS

Stamp Collecting as a Pastime.

By E. .I. NANKIVELL.
people are at a loss to understand the fascination that surrounds the pursuit of stamp
MANY collecting. They are surprised at the clannishness of stamp collectors and their lifelong devo
tion to their hobby. They are thunderstruck at the enormous prices paid for rare stamps, and at the
fortunes that are spent and made in stamp collecting.
This book will afford a peep behind the scenes, and explain how it is that, after nearly half a
century of existence, stamp collecting has never been more popular than it is to-day.
And perchance many a tired worker in search of a hobby may be persuaded {that of all the relaxa
tions that are open to him none is more attractive or more satisfying than stamp collecting.

Prefuuty Illustrated and well bound in art cloth, price 1/- ," poet-tree, 1/3.

Third Edition.) [Revised to date.

A GLOSSARY FOR PHILATELISTS,
INTITLED E

Stamps and Stamp Collecting.

BY MAJOR E. B. EVANS.

Work is intended to fill a void which has hitherto existed in the Philatelist's Library. It
THIS
will be found invaluable as a most useful and indeed a standard book to refer to in all cases
of doubt or obscurity appertaining to Postage Stamps and their surroundings.
The Collector is not infrequently perplexed by the various terms employed, and the fullest explana
tions are here given of such.
Much interesting information is also included as to the various classes of, and the manufacture
of the paper employed, the typography, the embossing, the perforating or rouletting, together with
many instructive and interesting details connected with the fascinating science of Stamp collecting.

Price 2/- in strong Paper Cover, 4/- in Gilt Cloth; post-tree, 3d. extra.

A COLOUR DICTIONARY,
GIVING 0"!
Two Hundred Names of Colours used in Printing, 61c.

Specially prepared for Stamp Collectors by B. W. WARHURST.

Useful for many businesses in which coloured articles_are bought and sold, and to give a more
definite idea of the colours represented by certain names in common use, which are very frequently
misundetStOOd.
SUITABLE FOR USE IN SCHOOLS.
Printed in TEN dlfl'erently coloured inks on as many different papers, and further explained
by diagram and iLLUSTRATED lN FIFTY-EIGHT COLOURS.

Price 2/6 in strong Paper Cover, 4/6 in Gilt Cloth; postage, 2d. extra.

STANLEY GIBBONS, LIMITED,

39x, STRAND (Opposite Hotel Cecil), LONDON, \V.C.
 FIFTY YEARS OF PHILATELY 81

Mr. Samuel Edward Gwyer, a Director of Glendining & C0.,

Ltd., and of Stanley Gibbons, Ltd., was born on 9 December,
I858, at Keynsham, near Bristol, and was educated first at
Colston’s School, Stapleton, near Bristol, and then at Hays
man’s International College, Hampstead. Finally he was for
some time at school at Bourbourg, near Paris, and while here
started his first stamp collection, and acted as agent for Stanley
Gibbons & Co. for his school in that town.
Mr. Gwyer tells me that after leaving school he got tired of
stamps, and exchanged his first collection for a bike ; tired of
the bike and swapped it for a gold watch ; got hard up and
sold the watch for eight pounds.
About I876 he was articled to Messrs. Walton & Lee,
auctioneers, Mount Street, Piccadilly, but, after paying £250
for his apprenticeship, left them, owing to better prospects,
and then joined an uncle at Derby to learn the colour business,
’
staying there for some six or Seven years.
In 1883 Mr. Gwyer left Derby and came to London, entering
the Chartered Mercantile Bank of India, London, and China,
and after being there about eighteen months was removed to
the East to join their foreign staff.
At this time of leaVing London he sold his second collection,
which was of much more importance than the first one. A
large portion of this collection was acquired by Mr. W. W. Blest,
who made his first considerable purchase from Mr. Gwyer. The
remains of the collection were sold for nearly £200 to the Rev.
W. N. Usher, then in Edinburgh.
On arriving at the Bank’s office in Calcutta he started col
lecting again, and met with one of the disappointments of his
life. He found a large box in the Bank labelled—
“
MAURITIUS AND CEYLON LETTERS, 1848—1863.”
“ “
Visions of Post Offices,” Post Paids,” and strips of the
rarest imperf. Ceylons passed through his mind ; but, alas ! on
opening the box he found that, owing to the damp, the papers
had sunk to pulp, and out of the thousands of letters he was
able to gather up only one solitary stamp—a Ceylon 2d., green,
imperf., badly ant-eaten ! !
About 1888 Mr. Gwyer was promoted to Singapore, and
F 81
 82 ADVERTISEMENTS

THE

Stanley Gibbons Philatelic Handbooks

m. t. “ PORTUGUESE INDIA.”
By the late GILBERT HARRISON and LIBUT. P. H. NAPIER, RN.

A HANDBOOK FOR SPECIALISTS

minor varieties of this difiicult country,
AND DEALERS, with prices of nearly
and full of notes and explanations
all the rare Stamps and
of all the issues.

With two full plates of Photographic Illustration: 0/ the various {Jr/n.

Prloe 4/6 in strong Paper Oovor, or 6/- bound in cloth; post-tree, 3d extra.

No. a. “ SOUTH AUSTRALIA.”

By LIEUT. NAPIER and. the late GORDON SMITH.
Publication is strongly recommended not only to the Student of this particular Colony, but
THIS also to the General Philatelist or Dealer. All the minor varieties of both perforation and water
mark will be found included for the first time, together with the most complete list of the Departmental
Stamps ever compiled. The whole is skilfully scheduled and priced, so as to still further add to its
utility as a finished work of reference.

With three full/late: qf Photographic Illustrations, showing the Departmental thttr: and the
van'vu: type: 15/ :urcharg: an the 10d. Stamps, :tc.

Prloo 7/6 in strong cover, or 9/61n gilt cloth; post-tree, an. extra.

No. 3. “ SHANGHAI.”
By w. a. woman.
interest in the older issues of Shanghai, taken by collectors timing the last two or
increasing
THE
three will now receive, we have no doubt, a fresh impetus from the publication of an
years,
Exhaustive Catalogue of these Stamps for the first time, and we trust the present important work will
be as popular as its predecessors.
We have made it a rule to price only such varieties as are in stock, but our readers will easily
understand that those which have been left unpriced are not necessarily of exceptional rarity, or that
we are unable to supply them.
This Handbook is illustrated with Eight full plates of Photographic Illustrations, showing
the varieties of the early isues and the later surcharges, etc. etc.

Price 5/- in strong cover, or 7f6 tn gilt cloth; post-tree, 3d. extra

STANLEY GIBBONS, LIMITED,

391, STRAND (Opposite Hotel Cecil), LONDON, W.C.
 FIFTY YEARS OF PHILATELY 83

after about a year there was transferred in turn to the Bank’s

branches at Hong Kong, Shanghai, Yokohama, and Kobe, and
then to Penang, where he met Messrs. Castle and Willett, on
their trip round the world.
He next went to Ceylon, and was in turn stationed at
Colombo, Kandy, and Galle, and well remembers another dis
appointment at Colombo, where, on taking over the manage
ment of that branch, he found a room about twenty feet long
packed with letters, but, on proceeding to go through them,
found that the office peon had spent fully twelve months in
soaking off all the stamps, and had sent them to Stanley,
Gibbons, & Co. in London ! !
In December, I894, after nine years in the East, Mr. Gwyer
came home on furlough, and eventually decided to remain in
London, and resigned from the Bank.
In I895 he met Mr. G. Hamilton-Smith, and they joined
forces and started in business in Regent Street.
The auction season 1905—6 promises to be by far the most
irriportant of any in the history of the firm, as far as postage
stamps are concerned. The season opened with the sale of the
important collection of Mr. C. A. Smith—Ryland, and this has
been followed up by sales of the well-known collections of
Monsieur M. Schleisinger, of Brussels; Herr Alberto Philipp,
of Hamburg; the late Mr. Henry Buckley, of Birmingham;
and I learn that the firm have just had entrusted to them for
auction the well-known and large collection of Madame la
Comtesse de Vasconcellos, widow of the late French Minister
to Brazil, etc.
 84 ADVERTISEMENTS

No. 4-
“ SAINT VINCENT.”
WITH NOTES AND PUBLISHERS’ PRICES.
'
By P. H. NAPIER and B. D. BACON.

HE large number of collectors, not only in this country, but also on the other side of the Atlantic,
who now make the postal issues of the various West Indian Colonies of Great Britain the object
of their quest, justifies us in believing that the present volume will be received with as much interest
that which has been evinced for the preceding volumes.
This Handbook is illustrated with two full Autotype Plates, one of which shows illustrations of
the Stamps and surcharges, and the other the various perforationsfound in the Stamps of the Colony.

Price 5/- in strong cover, or 7/6 in gilt cloth; post-tree, 3d. extra.

No. 5. “ BARBADOS.”
By B. D. BACON and F. E. NAPIER.

Wit]: a History and Description of the S tar-watermarked Paper: of

Messrs. Perkin: Bacon 6' Cu.

HIS important publication, consisting of no pages, is illustrated with three sheets of autotypes
of Stamps (specially showing all the varieties of the rd. on half of 5s.), three facsimile reproduc
tions of the Star watermarks; an Appendix containing copies of original correspondence, &c. &c., a list
of the number of stamps of each value printed by Messrs. Perkins Bacon 8: C0., and Messrs. De La Ru:
8! C0., and a full

ercrmc: List, with the Pullirlterr' Prices for stamps in Par/cat Condition.

Prise 7/6 in strong cover, or xo/6 well bound in cloth with gilt edges;
post-free, 3d. extra.

N°-°- Reprints of Postal Adhesive Stamps

AND THEIR CHARACTERISTICS.
BY E. o. BACON.
I68 PAGES WlTl'l 426 ILLUSTRATIONS.

is an entirely and original work compiledby the Author from all the best and most
THIS new
trustworthy authorities. _It will be found of the greatest value as a standard work of reference in
all cases of doubt and Obscurity appertaining to Reprints and other Stamps of a similar kind, such
as Oflicial Imitations of obsol<:.teStamps and Special Printings, &c.

Price 4/- in strong Paper Cover, or 5/6 bound in Cloth;

post-free, 3d. extra.

'
STANLEY GIBBONS, LIMITED,
321, STRAND (Opposite Hotel Cecil), LONDON, W.C
 CHAPTER XI

OUR AMERICAN BRANCH

HIS—our most important branch—commenced in a very

small way. In fact, we first started an agency business
with Mr. E. B. Power, but we soon found that the American
business could be worked up into a big concern, and decided
to have our own staff and offices, and to incorporate our busi
ness as an American concern, registered under the Laws of the
State of New Jersey.
We had the luck to find the right man at the commencement.
Mr. Eustace B. Power was born at Abbey Wood, Kent, on
19 June, 1872, and went to America in September, 1890. He
first settled in Denver, Col., where he found employment with
“
J. 0. Stevens, who conducted a curio store.” He moved to
Chicago in I894, where he took up stamps, and at first acted
as agent for several firms.
In that city, in conjunction with Messrs. J. C. Morgenthau,
Ludwig Wolf, and other Chicago collectors, he formed the
Chicago Stamp and Coin Company, and boldly opened a store
in the heart of the city on Dearborn Street.
In 1895, with Mr. J. C. Morgenthau, he moved to New York,
and worked for him until 1900, when, backed by a well-known
Wall Street capitalist, he launched out “ on his own,” with
what he often admits consisted of “a small stock of stamps
and a large amount of nerve.” _
Mr. Power soon saw that Philately to-day requires vastly
more capital than he could command, and he therefore came
to England, talked the matter over with us, and eventually
signed agreements with our firm.
Under this arrangement we purchased all the stock held by
Mr. Power, who entered our employ as manager of our New
York branch, which was first started in September, 1902, at
small offices in 167 Broadway, New York.
35
 86 ADVERTISEMENTS

N°' 7' “ GRENADA.”

By E. n. BACON and r. H. NAPIER.

HIS Work is the most important and interesting one that we have published up to date, as

it/
comprises not only an exhaustive history of the stamps of Grenada, with their many intricate and
minor varieties, but gives also a full and reliable history and list of all the stamps that have been
by Messrs. Perkins Bacon and Co., clearing that have hitherto been

in
perforated up many points
dispute amongst Philatelists.

The Handbook illustrated with nine full-size autotype plates, viz. :—Two plates of the “A'I
is

and “
"
perforating machine, two plates of “perforations,” three plates of the
“ Star " watermarked
B

papers, and two plates of Grenada stamps; also a large number of illustrations throughout the text.

Price 7/6 in strong Paper Cover, or 9/6 bound in Cloth; post-free, 5d. extra.

~o- 8- “ SiClLY.”

A HISTORY OF THE

Postage J‘ta mps of Jicily.

By DR. EMILIO DIENA. Translated by MAJOR EVANS.

the most complete work that has yet"been published upon any philatelic subject, containing
is

THIS
as does not only a detailed description of‘airexceptionally interesting series of stamps, but also
it

a brief history of the country to which they belong, a biography of the celebrated artist by whom the
fine portrait of King “Bomba” was engraved, a full account of the circumstances under which the
stamps were issued, of the difficulties in the production of the plates, of the various essays and proposals
for subsequent issues, and a description of the postmarks and obliterations.

The book illustrated with twenty full-page autotype plates, showing seven complete or recon
is

structed sheets, varieties of retouches, etc., and various illustrations in the text.

Price 2ll- In strong Paper Cover; post-Iree. 215. 5d.; abroad, 2IS. 9d.

0R

handsomely bound in half Red Morocco, Art Vellum Sides,

o
N
:92
L

extra Gilt Back and Edges. Cloth Pocket inside the Cover
'

to hold Set of Plates.

Price 3o/-; post-free, 305. 5d.; abroad, 3|/~.

STANLEY GIBBONS, LIMITED,

3391, STRAND (Opposite I-Iotel Cecil)I LONDON, W.C.
 FIFTY YEARS OF PHILATELY 87

The business there proving successful, and outgrowing‘the

accommodation, opportunity was taken of Mr. C. ]. Phillips’s
visit to the States in 1904 to secure more commodious premises,

E. B. PO“ ER

and, after careful consideration, in May, 1904, we moved to a

large suite of offices on the eighth floor of the fireproof Gerard
Building, at 198 Broadway, New York, where we are at present
located in well-lighted and convenient premises.
Business having grown to such an extent that it was found
 88 ADVERTISEMENTS

THE FOLLOWING PUBLICATIONS OF THE LONDON PHILATELIC SOCIETY

CAN NOW BE SUPPLIED.
‘r
AFRICA,” PART I. The Postage Stamps, Envelopes, Wrappers,
Post Cards, and Telegraph Stamps of the British Colonies, Possessions,
and Protector-ates in AFRICA.
_ This Part comprises British Bechuanaland, British East Africa, British South Africa
(including British Central Africa), and the Ca e of Good Hope. The Illustrations include
those of the Stamps described, and also Eight beets of Photo-mezzotypes of the Envelopes,
Wrappers, and Post Cards. This Work, already out of print, is now rare.
S. G., Ltd., have a limited supply, price 25/— ; post-free, 25/4; abroad, 25/8.

“AFRICA,” PART II. Comprising Gambia, Gold Coast, Griqualand

West, Lagos, Madagascar, Matabeleland, Mauritius,
Eacsltkfiripualand
an a a. .
With Illustrations of the Stamps described, Thirteen Sheets of Photo-mezzotype Illustrations,
and One Sheet of Coloured Autotype Illustrations.
:47 pages. Price 16/—; post-free, 16/4; abroad, 16/8.
“ IN DIA AND
CEYLON.” The Postage Stamps, Envelopes,
Wrappers, Post Cards, and Telegraph Stamps of BRITISH INDIA and
CEYLON.
With Twenty-four Sheets of Autotype Illustrations.
Price 25/—; post-free, 25/4; abroad, 25/8.

A History of the Adhesive Stamps of the British Isles

AVAILABLE FOR POSTAL AND TELEGRAPH PURPOSES.
COMPILED FROM OFFICIAL SOURCES BY
HASTINGS E. WRIGHT and A. B. CREEKE, Jun.
WITH TWELVE PLATES or PHOTO-MEZZOTVPE ILLUSTRATIONS AND TWENTY-SIX PLATES
or DIAGRAMS.

PUBLISHED sv THE PHILATELIO SOCIETY, LONDON.

Work is the most complete History Of the Stamps of our own Country which has ever
THIS appeared, and consists of about :90 pages, Imperial Bvo (the same Size as the Society’s recent
publications). The text contains numerous Illustrations of Watermarks, Marginal Inscriptions, &c.,
in facsimile, in addition to the Plates of Illustrations mentioned above.

Price a4/—; post-free, 24/6; abroad, :5/—.

A Supplement to the British Isles (With a plate of ten illustrations)

By A. B. CREEKE, Jun.
I’uhli‘rhed in 1903. Price 2/6; post-free, a/7.

WHOLESALE LIST a

FOR

Stamp Dealers, Publishers, and Stationers,

UOTING our Trade Terms for Stamps by dozen and hundred, special reduced
Q for Post Cards and Envelopes, and Trade Terms on all Publications, is
prices
published two or three times a year, and will be sent on receipt of business card,
but cannot be supplied to Collectors.

STANLEY GIBBONS, LINIITED,

3n. STRAND (Opposite Hotel Cecil), LONDON, W.C
 FIFTY YEARS OF PHILATELY 89

too heavy for one man to manage, it became necessary to look

round for another expert, and we were fortunate enough to
secure the services of our old friend Mr. ]. N. Luff, who joined
us in March, 1905.
Mr. Luff is unfortunately in America, and I could not get at
him to interview him personally, sol asked him to be good

L;

MANAGER'S OFFICE, NEW YORK

enough to write himself up, and I think I cannot do better

than print his reply in exlenso.
“
MY DEAR PHILLIPS,
“In a recent letter you announced your intention of
showing me up in print, and calmly asked me to assist you by
supplying all details of my life and deeds that were fit for pub
lication. Your restriction reduces the available material to a
 90 ADVERTISEMENTS

The leaves in this Album are retained in their places by an original and newly patented plan, entirely
doing away with the unsightly screws hitherto necessary on the outside of books of this class.

Pronounced by all who have seen it an ingenious and admirable arrangement, pre-eminently adapted
for the purpose,and completely solving a difficulty experienced by collectors in general.

THE FIFTH EDITION OF

THE PHILATELIC ALBUM.

THE MOST SUITABLE} ALBUM PUBLISHED FOR ADVANCED COLLECTORS.

+
EVERAL important improvements have been introduced into this New Edition suggested by
increased experience, and greatly enhancing the use of this Work. Especially produced in answer
to numerous inquiries for a really permanent blank Album. It will be found suitable for the reception
of the most extensive and com lete collection possible. It is also adaptable for Post Cards,
Revenue Stamps, or entire nvelopes. Collectors using Albums of this class frequently resort to
books not specially manufactured for the purpose, and hence unsuitable, or the more expensive and
very often unsatisfactory mode of having them expressly made ; it is to meet this want that this Album
is published, and all that experience can suggest has been carried out to make it worthy the use
of even the most advanced collectors, and adaptable to any arrangement that may be desirable.
It is likewise especially applicable for the use of those Philatelists who arrange their collections by
the Catalogue published by ourselves or any other standard list. This Album is also peculiarly suitable
for those who collect special countries only, taking as their guide the various lists published by the
London Philatelic Society, etc. Each leaf has a double linen joint on an entirely new plan, alloWing
the leaves to set properly when the book is opened, and giving strength at the same time. A na' ow
marginal border embellishes each page, with a semi-visible network of quadrillé dotted lines, desi d___
to assist the correct insertion of the specimens to be mounted. The leaves are too in number, and
printed on one side only, on a very fine quality white card paper. They are movable, allowing re
arrangement or extension into two or more volumes, as may be desired at any future time. It is hardly
necessary to point out the advantage of this; moreover, if a page becomes 5 oilt, it can be at once
replaced. A handsomely arranged title is included. An inspection is desire where possible.

PRICES:
A.—-Strongly bound in half morocco, gilt ornaments, and lettering; packed in a box, 3o/—;
carriage extra. Under rr lbs., can be sent by parcel post for 3r/—.
B.—Handsomely bound in full Persian morocco, bevelled boards, gilt edges, double-action expanding
lock and key; packed in a box, 50/—; carriage paid, 51/—.
Spare blank linen-jointed leaves can be bad, 1/9 per dozen, or 2/3 per dozen if with gilt edges,
'i
post-free. A sample leaf sent for a}d., post-free.

the request of several London collectors we have prepared an Album of portable size, and
AT convenient for takin to meetings of the Philatelic Society, etc. Our large blank Albums, as
described above, are fountf to be too heavy and cumbersome for such purposes, and our new book will
be found a very suitable one.

The size of the pages in E is n X9} Weight, 7 lbs. :00 leaves.

5,—Strongly bound in half morocco, gilt ornaments, and lettering; packed in a box, :5/—; or 25/9
by parcel post.

STANLEY GIBBONS, LIMITED,

391, STRAND (Opposite Hotel Cecil), LONDON, W.C.
 FIFTY YEARS OF PHILATELY 91

considerable extent, and eliminates a number of chapters that

would probably prove interesting reading. However, such
poor details as remain shall be yours.
“
I question if a majority of your readers bore themselves
with philatelic biographies, and those who do probably care
little for the life of the man aside from his connexion with
stamps ; but, since you ask for these things, here they are.

CORRESPONDENCE ROOM, NEW YORK

“ To
begin at the beginning, I was duly born. Doubtless
the fact that I am here would make it self-evident that I was
born. This auspicious event took place on I6 November, I860,
at a most unreasonably early hour of the morning, as I am
reliably informed. A lifelong aversion to early rising may
possibly be traced to this circumstance. The event which led
‘
up to this borning was the marriage of one Nicholas W. Luff,
’

gentleman, of New York City, and Elizabeth Carman, spinster,

daughter of Samuel Carman, of South Haven, Suffolk Co., New
 ADVERTISEMENTS
7

sauna».

Bee
3,3 AQMSN
55a.sz
E;

STANLEY GIBBONS, LIMITED,

391, STRAND (Opposite Hotel Cecil), LONDON, W.C.
 FIFTY YEARS OF PHILATELY 93

York. Both families were of English descent, blessed wi h a

comfortable amount of this world’s goods, and socially pro
minent in their respective communities.
“
I was born at the paternal home of my mother, possibly
because my parents feared the influence of city life on one very
young.

E. B. POWER LOOKING FOR A WATERMARK

Henley-on-Thames, August, 1905

“My father died when I was four years old; my mother

when I was eighteen.
“Like most Americans, my education began in the public
schools, followed by private tuition for a period, and then four
years at the Bridge Hampton Literary and Commercial Insti
tute, preparatory to entering college. Unfortunately, near the
end of this preparatory period, my last parent died, leaving me
with small fortune, of which the income was more than
a
enough for my needs at that period. Having no friends or
relatives sufficiently interested to advise me, I was left to my
94 ADVERTISEMENTS

NEW EDITION
OF

THE CENTURY ALBUM.

IN TWO QUALITIES.
N0. 2|.—On extra stout highly glazed paper, strongly bound in cloth, gilt lettered
and artistically designed cover, coloured edges.
Prlce 12/6; post-free in Great Britain, 13/4.

N0. 22.—As last, but half bound in morocco, plain sides, raised bands, and gilt
lettering on back, gilt edges ; supplied in strong box.
Price 25/-; post-free in Great Britain, 26/-.

Extra Blank Leaves for this Album, 86. per dozen, plain, or 1/- per dozen
with gilt edges.

STANLEY GIBBONS, LIMITED,

39!, STRAND (Opposite Hotel Cecil), LONDONI W.C.
 FIFTY YEARS OF PHILATELY 95

own devices, and, to my subsequent regret, abandoned my

proposed college course, and also the intent to study and
practise medicine. I travelled for a year, and then, to

J. N. LU Fl"

stop the nagging of relatives, became a clerk in a wholesale

millinery house in New York City, where I remained about
two years.
I
“In the spring of 1882 started ‘out West ’ to make m
fortune, in company with a friend, a very agreeable but quite
 96 ADVERTISEMENTS

In One Volume, 622 pages. Size of each page, 10x 13 inches.

'I'HE

CENTURY ALBUM OF THE

ifiustagt Stamps 0t tin: worth.

MWWW
2ND EDITION.
Including a full Descriptive Catalogue, and illustrated with several thousand
full-sized reproductions of the stamps.

Album is produced in a very large edition at a cost of between £2000 and £3000, and will
THIS
be found to fulfil a long-felt want for an Album in One Volume, of high-class style, and on
thoroughly good and highly surfaced paper, well and strongly bound.
The Century Album is printed on one side of the paper cnly, catalogue and illustrations on the
left, and spaces to correspond on the right-hand pages.
All minor varieties of perforation, watermark, and type are omitted, and only such varieties are
included as can be distinguished by the young Philatelist.
Space has been provided for some 18,000 stamps, and provision made for new issues by the insertion
of numerous blank pages.
Two pages of watermarks, with list of countries in which they may be found, are also provided.
Among the chief alterations made in this the second edition of the Album may be noted the
arrangement of the countries, which now follow in the same order as in the two parts of the current
Catalogue—British Empire first, and Foreign Countries last.
In the previous edition, numbers were placed beneath line of each
the line to mark the vertical
stamp, corresponding to the numbers in the detailed description This method
on the left-hand page.
was found to have many objections in practice, and the new system now adopted, whereby compart
ments for every stamp are marked 05 by dots placed above the dotted lines, will, we believe, be much
preferred and prove more convenient. In many countries, owing to the varying heights of the
stamps, it is impracticable—with the limited space at disposal—to place them in the order in which
they are set forth on the opposite page, but by taking a little trouble in finding the place, the collector
should have no difficulty in properly placing his stamps.
Throughout the Album additional rows have been provided, as well as a large number of blank
pages, for new issues. As it is impossible to forecast where new issues are most likely to appear,
these extra pages should be sufficient for the collector’s wants for a long time ahead. There are over
15, 500 marked-off places for stamps, besides space to accommodate several hundreds in addition.
All new issues down to the time of going to press have been included, and most of them
illustrated.

STANLEY GIBBONS, LIMITED,

391, STRAND (Opposite Hotel Cecil), LONDON, \V.C.
 FIFTY YEARS OF PHILATELY 97

impractical fellow. We finally brought up in the Santa Cruz

Mountains of California and invested my money (the other
fellow had only experience, and a pretty poor quality of that)
in a vineyard and summer resort—as if either one were not
sufficient of an undertaking. Incidentally we, in our ignorance
and enthusiasm, paid more for the property than it was worth,
even had it been in the flourishing condition in which it was
represented to be, and which it was not. These interesting
facts developed in a few months, and we then settled down to
hard work and efforts to rid ourselves of our elephant, which
was not even a white one. This took just eight years.
“
About I January, I889, I stumbled into stamp collecting,
through reading advertisements in a magazine, and thinking
it to be a simple and inexpensive amusement which would
help me to pass rainy days and long winter evenings. From
the beginning I took the fever in a severe form, and was
soon as deeply engaged in the-pursuit as my finances would
permit.
“
In the spring of 1890 I at last succeeded in disposing of my
mountain property, and went to San Francisco to live. A
friend of mine was at that time manager of the Palace Hotel
(well known to tourists throughout the world), and offered me
a very good clerical position in that establishment. There I
remained until the autumn of 1893.
“
Soon after moving to San Francisco I was invited to join
the Pacific Philatelic Society, which included in its membership
many able and active philatelists. Its meetings were devoted
to the study of stamps, and there was always a paper read or
some subject discussed. We never met but that we learned
something new. Those were the days when there were still
things to learn about stamps, when everything had not been
found out and boiled down into catalogue form. There were
fields left to explore and countries to be studied, and we took
the keenest delight in learning something new and imparting
the knowledge to our friends. The labourer is worthy of his
hire, and I think that we received the reward of our diligence
in the bargains that we were able to pick up. Those were the
days in which the man who knew might, with a little searching
and expenditure of a few pence, secure stamps for which to-day
G
 @tlbum.
Siam?

pap.
next
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(See
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gri’t'tsh

STANLEY GIBBONS, LIMITED,

391; STRAND (Opposite I-Iotel Cecil), LONDON, w.c.
 FIFTY YEARS OF PHILATELY 99

he would gladly pay pounds. I have had more than a few

bargains myself, but I have earned them. At that time I had
considerable leisure and a fair amount of ready money, and I
lavished both on stamps. I
Had not done so, I should never
have secured the collection which I have to-day. I have never
hesitated to sacrifice time, pleasure, and perhaps health, to the
study of stamps. From the first I have taken and read all the
best philatelic journals, and have followed up every hint they
gave me. I have done original investigating, both that I
might have subjects to write about and for the love of he
‘
thing. Friends have said to me, Why do you work nights?
You don’t get any thanks for it, or any more salary.' But I
kept it up, to the detriment of my eyesight, I regret to say,
but I feel that I have had my reward in the success that I have
attained. .
“
Inthe summer of 1893 a chance remark in a letter to Mr.
R. F. Albrecht, who was at that time established in New York
City as a dealer in postage stamps, brought me an offer of a
position with him, he having taken an agency for Stanley
Gibbons, Ltd. As I had an inclination to return to my old
home and be near my relatives and old friends, I accepted the
offer, and on 16 October, 1893, joined Mr. Albrecht. After a
few months we found that we were not suited to each other,
and, by mutual agreement, on 2 April, 1894, I left him and
entered the service of the Scott Stamp and Coin C0., where I
remained eleven years. At first I was manager of the Approval
Department, but gradually drifted into writing for the American
journal of Philately, and other work. After Mr. Henry Collin
left the firm and returned to Europe, many of his duties de
volved on me. I took up expert examinations, compiling (but
not pricing) the Standard Catalogue, arranging auction sales,
and similar work. On 1 July, 1901, I became editor of the
American journal of Philately, and on 1 October, 1903, I was
elected President of the Scott Stamp and Coin C0., which posi
tions I retained as long as I remained with that firm. On
1 March, 1905, I joined the forces of Stanley Gibbons, Inc., of
New York.
“
My especial lines of work for many years have been expert
examinations and literary work. In pursuing the former line
 IOO -
ADVERTISEMENTS

BRITISH AFRICA
“hostage fiamp Ellbum.
to the fact that the war in South Africa has caused great attention to be drawn to the
OWING
stamps of the British Possessions on that continent, and to the enormous increase in the number
of collectors that has ensued from the issue of the War Provisionals in Mafeking, Bloemfontein, Pre
toria, etc., we think this a good time at which to place before the public a new and very complete
Album, designed for the British Possessions, etc., on the African Continent.
The Album is designed upon the well-known plan of the Imperial Albums—the stamps in numbered
spaces of the correct sizes on the right-hand page, and the description, full particulars, and illustrations
on the opposite page.
In order to make this a prrmanmt Album we have provided from one to four blank pages afler
rack country, thus making the Album available for the issues of many years to come.

vi vi
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IN TWO QUALITIES.

art vellum, gilt lettered and artistically de

No. 25.—On extra stout paper, strongly bound in
signed cover, coloured edges. Price :o/—. Post-free in Great Britain, :0/7.

No. 26.-—On heavy, highly glazed plate paper, half bound in morocco, art vellum sides, raised
band and full gilt back, gilt lettering and edges, supplied in strong box.
Price ar/—. Post-free in Great Britain, ar/B.

STANLEY GIBBONS, LIMITED,

391, STRAND (Opposite Hotel Cecil), LONDON, W.C.
 FIFTY YEARS OF PHILATELY 101

I have gathered a library which includes all the leading books

and journals published in English and French, and some in
German. I have also a large collection of photographs; a
collection of forgeries ; collections of United States Local and
Russian Rural stamps, which, though not complete, are very
useful for comparison ; and a valuable accumulation of stamps
for reference, consisting of surcharges, types, and varieties,
which are essential for expert work and study. I have also an
extensive collection of reprints, which'ranks with the celebrated
collection of Mr. C. J. Phillips, and also includes reprints of
envelopes, post cards, and local stamps, which are not collected
by Mr. Phillips. I regard this collection as one of my most
useful assets.
“I have written for the philatelic Press almost from the
time I began collecting stamps. The bulk of my- writings has
appeared in the American journal of Philately. My most im
portant effort was the Postage Stamps 0f the United States. In
writing that work I was greatly assisted by my very fine col
lection of United States stamps, which was one of the most
elaborate and complete that has ever been gotten together.
Having served its purpose and reached a point at which addi
tions to it could only be made by very large expenditures, I
reluctantly sold the collection to Stanley Gibbons, Ltd., and it
has now been dispersed. I still retain my collections of Great
Britain and Colonies, Hawaii, Samoa, and Eastern Asia. The
collections are strong in shades, errors of surcharge and per
foration, and include most stamps of a catalogue value of £20
and under. I confess to a special fondness for the old stamps
of Shanghai and Japan. There is still much to be learned
about these interesting old issues. They are free from the
commercial taint which hangs about so many modern stamps,
and they will well repay study by the specialist. My collection
of the large rectangular stamps of the first issue of Shanghai is
probably the finest in existence. It is not arranged in arbitrary
groups, but in the order of the printings, so far as they can be
determined by the evidence presented by the stamps them—
selves.
“ I
am a member—active, corresponding, or honorary—of
every philatelic society of any importance in the United States,
 102 ADVERTISEMENTS

Nut/{y Designed.

JUS'I' PUBLISHED.
In Two SIZES.

STOCK ALBUMS.

STANLEY GIBBONS, Limited,

In introducing these Books to the notice of the Philatelic public, believe they will be found to be a
vast improvement on works of a similar class already published.

The small size is intended for pocket use—being memo. size, with an elastic band.

The larger size (ro§x8§ in.)—opening oblong shape—contains 60 leaves, each leaf having seven
horizontal slits, running almost the entire length of the page. They are arranged for the safe
retention of superfluous or duplicate stamps, in either small or large numbers.

Both dealers and collectors will find these Albums pre-eminently adapted for their use; and they
contain no printing of any kind—an advantage that will especially commend itself to the trade.

PRICES—
No. lk—Pocket size, bound in cloth, with elastic band, r/6 ; post-free, 1/7.

No. lL—Strongly bound, leather back and corners, well guarded, ra/-; post free in Great Britain, ra/7.

STANLEY GIBBONS, LIMITED,

39x, STRAND (Opposite Hotel Cecil), LONDON, W.C.
 FIFTY YEARS OF PHILATELY 103

and of several in other parts of the world. I have been Presi

dent of the National Philatelical Society and the Philatelic
Society, New York, and at present hold that office in the
Collectors’ Club.
“
We will now go to lunch.
“
Faithfully yours,
“
JOHN N. LUFF.”
 IOJr ADVERTISEMENTS

THE SECOND EDITION

OF THE

DUPLIGATE POSTAGE STAMP ALBUM.

GREATLY ENLARGED AND IMPROVED.

NEW EDITION of this Album is published in response to numerous inquiries received from
[7 collectors at home and abroad. It is designed as a convenient means of keeping duplicate or
superfluous stamps arranged for handy reference, more especially for exchange purposes. This improved
edition is so arranged as to be suitable for either the general collector or the specialist. The arrange
ment of the book is that of a series of Pockets, numbered for reference, and securely attached to the
leaves, on one side only. The Pockets are so made, that whilst on the one hand they can be quickly
opened out flat, and their contents at once seen, there is less liability of any stamps being lost than
if they were in ordinary envelopes. By means of the Index, immediate access to any particular stamp
is at once ensured. The Publishers can strongly recommend this Album as an easy method of keeping
duplicates classified, saving both time and trouble, and ready at hand at once when wanted.
Size 6%X 9 in.
‘AA
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The LONDON PHILATELIST (the Organ of the Philatelic Society, London) says:
“We have received from STANLEY GIBBONS, Limited, a copy of an innovation in the
Messrs.
shape of ‘Duplicate Stamp Album.’ The novelty consists in the arrangement of a number
a

of envelopes, three of which are securely fastened to each page of the book—each, while readily
unfolded, being so contrived that its contents are securely held. Every envelope consecutively
is

numbered and indexed, so that ready reference can be obtained to the contents of the volume. As
a

nearly 150 of these neat little receptacles are furnished, will be evident that a large number of dupli
it

cates can be thus stored away. Different sizes are published, all of which are neatly bound, and well
turned out in every respect. We have, after making practical experiments, satisfied ourselves as to the
usefulness of these duplicate books, and therefore cordially recommend them to the notice of collectors."

N0. 11.—Stoutly bound in cloth, gilt lettered, with 72 pockets, price 5/—; post-free, 5/4; abroad, 5/6.
N0. 12.—Stoutly bound in cloth, gilt lettered, with 144 pockets, price 8/6; post-free, post-free, 8/11;
abroad, 9/6.

STANLEY GIBBONS, LIMITED,

39., STRAND (Oppr sit». Hotel Cecil), LON DON, w.c
 CHAPTER XII
PUBLICATION DEPARTMENT

S some of our publications now date back for close on forty

years, a brief account of them may be of interest.
Mr. Gibbons was one of the earliest of the older school of
stamp dealers to recognize the importance of catalogues and
albums in building up a general business, and since his retire
ment we have endeavoured to largely extend this branch.
So successful has this department become that we now
reckon on annual sales of 30,000 catalogues and 50,000 albums,
numbers that we hope to largely increase in the future.
The following are a few of our more important and well
known publications.
The Priced C atalogne.—This was commenced by Mr. Gibbons
in Plymouth, and was at first issued as a monthly list at the
price of 2d. each.
I have no record of the earliest number published, and the
older lists were not dated nor numbered.
It is of real interest to see the prices of former days, and I
quote a few from a catalogue before me that was issued in
November, I872.
Bolivia. I868. 500 c., black, used, 10s., with a note stating,
“
Nine or eleven stars same price.”
British Columbia. 2%d., pink, unused, 6d. ; used, 5d.
British Columbia. IO c._ pink and blue, unused, IS. ;
used, 9d.
Canada. 12d, black, unused, Ios.
Cape of Good Hope. Woodblocks. Id., 35. 6d.; 4d., 3s. ;
‘
both used.
Ceylon. Is. 9d., green, used, 2s. 6d.
Great Britain. Id., black, unused, IS. 6d., Id. V.R., 40s.
each.
India. I854. 4 annas, blue and red, 3d. each.
105
:
106

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STANLEY GIBBONS
AND (Opp Hotel Cecil,
IIIIIII LONDON,
D,
W
 FIFTY YEARS OF PHILATELY 107

Newfoundland. 1857. 15., orange-red, used, 10s.

New South Wales. Sydney, Id., 2s. ; 2d., 2s. ; 3d, 1s 6d.
United States 1869. 90 c., red and black unused, 6s. ;
used, Is.
Western Australia. 2d., oct., chocolate, unused, 5s. ; used,
3s. 6d.
F rom 1879 to 1894 the cataloguewas issued in an enlarged
form and greatly extended. The catalogue proper was in one
portion, and an appendix was supplied containing the illus
trations in a separate volume, and the two parts could either
be supplied separate or bound together. In this form the
catalogue ran through nine editions, the last of which, in 1894,
ran to 12,000 copies.
In September, 1895, with the tenth edition, it was decided
that a radical alteration should be made in the form of the
catalogue, and that it should in future be published in pocket
form in one volume.
In order to avoid the immense labour and cost of resetting
each edition, it was also decided that we should purchase our
own type and keep the catalogue set up, so that future editions
might be produced quicker and more economically.
The outlay for capital account -on this edition was
£680 16s. 9d., and this has been so largely added to in every
edition since this date, that I calculate that over 1£2000 is now
locked up in capital account on the catalogues alone.
This tenth edition in its new form was very successful, and
the entire edition of 20,000 copies was exhausted in a little over
a year.
The eleventh edition appeared early in 1897, and again great
alterations took place.
The stamp catalogue was divided into two parts—V01. I,
Great Britain and Colonies, and Vol. II, Foreign Countries—
and a third volume was issued for Entires.
The twelfth edition appeared in 1899, and was further altered
removed from Vols. I and II,
“ ”
by having the Local Stamps
and they were given in a separate volume called Part IV. This
edition of the catalogue was 30,500.
The thirteenth edition appeared in February, 1900, and only
the two volumes for postage stamps were now issued, as it was
108 ADVERTISEMENTS

THE “G. H.=S.” ALBUM.

his is the outcome of researches and experi
ments, by an experienced Philatelist, to obtain an Album that
will combine all the essentials of a well-bound book, together with the
advantages of detachable leaves, and having been thoroughly put to
the test for the past five years, is now offered to Collectors as the

Best and Cheapest Album obtainable!

sz th
Album, with the
illustliatifins
leaves
give general views of the
released and secured, and it will be seen at
a glance that the action of the patent fastening is simplicity itself,
and is just the very thing wanted by Philatelists, especially by those
who collect in an “advanced” style. Users of all other Albums, in
which the leaves are secured by means of metal spikes, will recognise
the boon of being able to remove or replace the whole of the leaves
without the necessity of unthreading and rethreading them one by
The fastening of this Album
is,

one. moreover, simple and rertaz'n,

there being no such thing as thinking all secure, and then finding
is

the fastening has “not caught.” Another immense advantage of this

Album that when opened out, the leaves lie perfectly flat and even.
is

The following illustrations give details or

the Patent Binding :—
Fig. represents the bracket open for the
1

removal of the leaves, and Fig. shows the

2

a bracket fixed to the back

B

same closed.
is

of the book, and C V-shaped hinged stop,

is
a

which, when pushed down into its proper posi

tion, caught and held by the spring-catch S.
is

A corresponding bracket, with V-shaped stop

a
WW

(not hinged) fixed thereto, attached to the

is
.

‘l‘l‘jm

back of the book at its lower extremity. The

1" W

11'" pages, which are linen-hinged at the back, are

lit

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l"

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l

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FIG. as to fit the V-shaped stops described above.

1.

STANLEY GIBBONS, LIMITED,

391, STRAND (Opposite Hotel Cecil), LONDON, W.C.
 FIFTY YEARS OF PHILATELY 109

decided from this date to cease to import any more Local

Stamps, or Envelopes, Post Cards, etc., and not to publish in
future the portions of the catalogue relating to “ Entires ” or
“ Locals.”
The fourteenth edition of the catalogue appeared in Septem
ber, 1901, and with this edition we started an American cata
logue, being an exact copy of the British one, but with the
prices shown in dollars and cents, and with the illustrations of
US. postage stamps omitted to comply with the American
laws. This edition was 31,000 copies.
The fifteenth and sixteenth editions were on similar lines to
the fourteenth, and appeared in 1903 and 1904 respectively.
The seventeenth edition appeared in 1905, and was chiefly
noteworthy from the fact that the whole of the illustra
tions had been remade, and now appeared in the exact size
of the stamps. To accommodate these new illustrations
the books had to be increased about an inch in width and
height.
The Improved Paslage Stamp Album, No. 0—This is the
leading—as it is the largest—one shilling album on the market.

It is essentially a beginner’s album, and is as good value as

anything we publish.
The book now contains 176 pages, and spaces for about 4700
stamps. At the head of each country there are illustrations of
some of the more important stamps, and short historical and
geographical notes, which are carefully brought up to date in
each edition.
Fifty mixed common stamps are presented gratis with each
 ADVERTISEMENTS

Instructions for Use.-To INSERT THE

PAGES: Push the spring-catch 8 back so as to
release the upper V-stop C (Fig. 1), then knock
the pages up so that the edges are even, and
holding them firmly together, insert the lower
edge of the backs into the bottom bracket,
resting them on the fixed V-stop. Then insert
the upper edge of the backs into the top bracket,
and push the V-stop down into its proper posi
tion (as shown in Fig. 2), when it will be caught
and held by the spring-catch. The pages will
then be firmly held between the V-stops of the
upper and lower brackets. To REMOVE THE
PAGES: Push back the spring-catch S; the
hinged stop C will then fly up, and the pages A
can be removed.

Th¢ |¢aU¢$, which are linen-jointed, are made of the

finest quality paper, and each leaf has a neat border line, with tablet

space for name of country, or other information; the space inside

the border being filled in with a semi-visible quadrillé network of
lines, of a gauge carefully thought out and arranged for the most
convenient disposition of the general run of stamps. This quadrillé
network has also an addition in the shape of semi-visible indicators,

showing the central and half-central lines, both vertically and hori
zontally, an advantage that will be readily appreciated by Collectors,
who have hitherto had to count the lines to find the required positions.

If preferred, we can supply the Album with perfectly plain leaves.

This is published in an upright shape and is of

a medium size, so as to be handy and portable, and yet is designed

to take almost as many stamps on a page as other Albums of a

STANLEY GIBBONS, LIMITED,

391, STRAND (Opposite Hotel Cecil), LONDON, W.C.
 FIFTY YEARS OF PHILATELY III
book sold, and as the remains of old collections and approval
sheets are mixed up with the common stamps, buyers often
find quite a good variety in these packets.
From the following list of editions and quantities printed it
will be seen that this book has been a great commercial success.

EDITION DATE N0. PUBLISHED

1st . .
1891 . . 5,000
2nd . .
1892 . . 7,500
3rd . .
1893 . . 10,450
4th . .
1895 . . I 1,500
5th . .
I896 . . 15,000
6th . .
1898 . . 16,700
7th . .
1900 . . 20,944
8th . .
1902 . . 25,000
9th . .
1905 . . 25,500

The Strand Stamp Album—This album was specially de

signed for young collectors who require an upright album, and
it has been a great success, and has a large sale.

This album is stocked in three styles, as follows :—

No. 14. 320 pages. Spaces for 8000 stamps. Price 25. 6d.
No. 15. 400 pages. Spaces for 11,000 stamps, and with
six maps specially printed for stamp collectors. Price 55.
No. I6. As last, but specially bound in half morocco, very
strong and serviceable. Price 8s. 6d.
1 12 ADVERTISEMENTS

much more cumbersome nature. Each book contains about eighty

leaves, in addition to a frontispiece. The size of the leaves is 10%

inches, deep by 8,7F inches wide, irrespective of the linen joint. It

is published in one quality, as described below; the leaves are backed

with best Japanese silk tissue paper, which prevents all friction, and

which admits of the Album being safely used for embossed stamps.

PRICES
Upright shape, bound whole padded morocco, gold lined, gold

tooled extra, rounded corners, leaves of special hand-made paper

with gilt edge, each leaf being backed with Japanese silk tissue
paper, etc. etc., and fitted in a specially designed cloth-covered

case, lined stvan’sulown . . . . . 40/

iri
The above can be supplied fitted with heavily gilt patent expanding lock
and key, at 5/- extra.

Additional leaves supplied at 3/- per dozen.

STANLEY GIBBONS, Ltd.,

391. Jtrand, LONDON, W.C.
 FIFTY YEARS OF PHILATELY 113

The following editions and numbers have been printed :—

1st edition of 5,000 in December, 1893
2nd ,, 5,250 ,, 1895
3rd ,, 6,400 ,, 1898
4th ,, 7,500 ,, 1900
5th ,, 15,000 ,, 1901
6th ,, 15,000 ,, 1902
7th ,, 15,000 ,, 1904

The Improved Postage Stamp Album, oblong shape.,—No. 2,

3s. 6d. ; N0. 3, 5s. ; N0. 4, 7s._6d.
/ ,, gags;

This is an album for the young collector, and I have no

record as to when it was first published ; but a client tells me
that he has a Third Edition which he purchased at our Ply
mouth house in 1872; the First Edition} must therefore date
back to 1869 or 1870. The next edition of which I can find a
record is the Ninth, which appeared in 1881.
1st edition, 1869 or 1870
—
3rd ,, 1872
— —
10th ,, I884 — —
11th ,, 1887
— —
12th ,, 1891 3500 copies.
13th ,, 1895 3500 ,,

14th ,, 1901 5000 ,,

15th ,, 1902 7500 ,,

These albums are illustrated with about six hundred cuts of

stamps. They are oblong, and spaces of different sizes are
provided for stamps. The size of. the page is 10 by 7% inches.
H
 ADVERTISEMENTS

(OPEN)
ALBUM
CENTURY
THE

STANLEY GIBBONS, LIMITED,

39!, STRAND (Opposite Hotel Cecil), LONDON, W.C.
 FIFTY YEARS OF PHILATELY 115

The Century Album—This album was produced to meet a

demand for a spaced album of the stamps of the world in one
volume.
It has printed descriptions and illustrations of the stamps on
the left-hand page, and spaces to correspond on the right-hand
page.

All minor varieties are omitted, and only such stamps are
listed as can be easily placed by the young collector.
Spaces are provided for 18,000 stamps.
A first edition of 8000 appeared in 1900.
A second edition of 5000 appeared in September, 1903.

The Ideal Album—This is an entirely new album that we

have just prepared at great expense.
Hitherto British collectors have had to buy books of German
make if they wanted the postage stamps of all the world in one
volume at the price of ten shillings, and with spaces of the
proper size for each stamp ; but we have had so many inquiries
for such an album that we decided to try to produce one to
sell at this price.
It is essential that an album of this description should be in
one volume, and in order to make this possible we have had
 ADVERTISEMENTS

___'EEEU‘1'_“_‘

_.

(OPEN)
__

ALBUM
IDEAL
THE

STANLEY GIBBONS, LIMITED,

391, STRAND (Opposite Hotel Cecil), LONDON, W.C.
 FIFTY YEARS OF PHILATELY 117

to print it upon both sides of the paper, and to rigidly cut

down varieties.
With the aim before us of producing a book to suit the great
bulk of general collectors, we have, after much consideration,
decided to limit the Ideal Album to the Postage Stamps of the
World, and to omit all such varieties as Postal Fiscals, Official
or Service Stamps, Postage Due or Unpaid Letter Stamps,
etc. etc.
This album is arranged strictly alphabetically: thus Vathy
will be found under the V’s, and not in French Consular Offices ;
Aitutaki under the A’s, and not after New Zealand, etc. etc.

r
We?
/ ,

94/

/
2W 9%

In order that the beginner may not have any trouble in

arranging his stamps in this album, we have made a complete
set of illustrations of all the stamps in the full actual size, an
important point in arranging the stamps correctly.
About 600 pages. Size, 9% by 11% inches, royal 4t0. Plenty
of room left for new issues. New issues included up to Feb
ruary, 1906. 200 postage stamps, all different, presented free
with each Ideal Album. On the inside of the front cover there
is a permanent linen pocket for duplicates, and in this pocket
the above packet of stamps will be placed in the first 4000
Ideal Albums.
n8 ADVERTISEMENTS

(OPEN)
ALBUM
IMPERIAL
THE

STANLEY GIBBONS, LIMITED,

391, STRAND (Opposite Hotel Cecil), LONDON, W.C.
 FIFTY YEARS OF PHILATELY 119

The first edition was published in March, 1906, and consists

of 4000 albums.
Price, 10s. 9d., post—free ; 0r interleaved and better binding,
15s. 9d., post-free.

The Imperial Album—This is, beyond all doubt, the best

known and most popular stamp album in the world.
The earliest records I can find are of the third edition,
which appeared in 1876, and I think it probable that the first
edition was about 1870, so that this album has now been estab—
lished for about thirty-six years.

The books were designed and edited for many years by Mr.
E; S. Gibbons. Aboutu1891 Major E. B. Evans kindly prepared
an_ edition; and since 1894 until the time of his death Mr.
Gordon Smith had sole charge of these albums.
From 1870 to 1880 the Imperial was in one volume.
From 1880 to 1897 two volumes were used, the first for
Europe and Asia, the second for the rest of the world.

In 1898 the volumes were divided into :—

Vol. I. Postage Stamps of Great Britain and Colonies.
Vol. II. Postage Stamps of the rest of the world.
 '
120
‘
ADVERTISEMENTS

BLANK ALBUM
jfor llbostage $tamps.

HESE Albums are specially designed for those Collectors who desire a Blank
Album without going to the expense of the movable-leaf Albums, such as the
Oriel or Philatelic.

The leaves are of heavy white plate paper with a neat border of neutral
grey, with a quadrillé background inside the grey border, and name space at the
top of each page as illustrated, printed on one side of leaf only.
v6>048w

Strongly bound in cloth, bevelled boards, gold lines on front of cover, lettered on
back “ Postage Stamps," with blank panel above and below, in which particulars of
contents can be inserted, gilt edges.

N0. 3|.—Bound in three colours, red, blue, or green, 100 leaves, 95x71}, price
7/6; post-free, 8/-; abroad, 8/9.

N0. 32.—Bound in two colours, marone or dark green, 150 leaves, Ill; XS}, price
l0/6; post-free, "/3; abroad, [2/3. (See next page.)

STANLEY GIBBONS, LIMITED,

391, STRAND (Opposite Hotel Cecil), LONDON, w.c.
 FIFTY YEARS OF PHILATELY 121

And two extra volumes were issued :—

Vol. III. Local Stamps.
Vol. IV. Envelopes and Wrappers (cut square).
In I903 the Imperial had to be divided into three volumes,
V1Z. :—
Vol. I. Stamps of the British Empire.
Vol. II. Stamps of Europe and Colonies of European States.
Vol. III. Foreign Countries.
The following editions have appeared :—
EDITION. DATE. NO. PRINTED.
Ist and 2nd . 1870—75
—
3rd . . r876 . . —
4th . . I88r . . —
5th . . I885 . . —
6th . . r891 . . 5,200
7th . . I893 . . 6,500
8th . . I898 . . 13,750
9th . .
1901 . . 14,800
roth . . 1903 . . 18,200

Blank Albums with Movable Leaves for advanced Collectors.—

For nearly thirty years many of our greatest and most ad
vanced collectors have used blank albums with movable leaves,
 122 ADVERTISEMENTS

NO MORE DAMAGED STAMPS. ALL FRICTION PREVENTED.

A SEPARATE EDITION 0f the PHILATELlll ALBUM

AS, in compliance with the desire of many collectors, been published, and is now offered as pre
eminently the best ada ted to meet the wishes of a large section of advanced Philatelists. The
arrangement of the cover of tliis Album, as far as regards the liberation of the leaves, is practically the
same as class A and B of the current edition. It is in the leaves themselves the main differences
will be found. They are manufactured of a specially selected cardboard of a granulated tint, with a
raised marginal border, the central or sunken portion intended for the reception of the specimens being
overprinted with a semi-visible network of quadrillé dotted lines as in the other edition. The main
advantage of this plan is that all abrasion is obviated, rendering the Album peculiarly adaptable
where the care of the specimens is of the first consideration.

It is adapted to contain about 1500 Stamps, is of a similar size to Class A and B, and can be
used in unison with them if desired.
This Album contains 30 leaves, and weighs 11 lbs.
C.—Handsomely bound in full Russia leather, rounded corners, gilt edges, improved double-action
expanding lock and key, packed in a box, £5; or £5 rs. od. by parcel post.

A SMALLER SUNK MOUNT ALBUM

Has also been prepared to match E, as described above.

HE most recent requirements of the advanced Philatelist are met by this new edition. As far as
practicable all the suggestions of the best authorities have been adopted, and we have no
hesitation in placing this book on the market as an ideal Album, confident that the specialist and
general collector alike will find careful provision made for the preservation of his gems.
The leaves are of the latest approved size, with a narrow border I} in. at top and bottom, and
1%in. at the sides. The body of the leaf is sunk, the sunk portion measuring 8})(6 in., and is ruled
with very faint quadrillé lines, to aid in accurately placing the specimens. Each leaf has a sheet of
Jap. tissue paper stuck down the back edge to further aid in protecting the stamps from friction. It is
scarcely possible to overstate the amount of injury by friction which is prevented by this ingenious
method for preserving such stamps as British Guiana 1853, Portugal Azores, early Natal, etc.

This Album contains 30 leaves. Size, 11%X95, and weight 7 lbs.

D.—Handsomely bound in half marone morocco, with cloth protecting case, each book containing
30 leaves, 50/— or, 51/- by parcel post.

SPARE BLANK LINEN=JOINTED LEAVES

Can be had for the above Five Albums, at the following rates, post-free:

For A. Size, 121x 10§ inches . . . . . . . r/9 per dozen. :2/6 per 100.
,, B. ,, rziX 10} ,, Gilt edges . . . . . a/3 ,, 15/6 H
,, E. ,, n X 9} ,, . . . . . . . . r/9 ,, 13/6 "
,, C. ,, rzino} ,, Sunk Mounts, gilt edges . . 7/7 ,, 50/_ n
IIEX .
H D' 7, H n n . . IO/— N 7°/_. ”

NOTE.—The sizes of the leaves are from the extreme edges. The rates for parcel post are for Great
Britain only. If
to be sent abroad z/— extra should be sent for a wooden box, and the books will
be sent carriage forward. The leaves of B and C, or E and D, are not interchangeable.

STANLEY GIBBONS, LIMITED,

391, STRAND (Opposite Hotel Cecil), LONDON, W.C.
 FIFTY YEARS OF PHILATELY 123

so that they could arrange their treasures as they wished, and

not be tied down to certain spaces, as in the simpler album.
Probably the oldest and one of the best known of these books
is The Philatelic Album, introduced by Mr. Stanley Gibbons
about 1880, since which time many thousands have been sold.
These albums are now stocked in five different varieties;
three of these have 100 leaves each of very fine quality white
card paper, and the other two have the body of the leaf sunk
in and a raised mount all round, thus protecting the stamps
from all friction.
The Oriel Album is another blank album which we introduced
about 1891, and of which many thousands have been sold all
over the world.
This is also an album with movable leaves, but made of the
best;hand-made paper, and each leaf is backed with fine Japan
ese tissue paper, so as to prevent all friction. Each album is
contained in a cloth drop-in case lined in lamb’s—wool, thus
keeping out all dust. _

Quite a number of our clients have over 100 blank albums,

and at least two have upwards of 200.
Blank Album with Fixed Leaves for Postage Stamps.—~This
album has been specially designed for those collectors who
either commence a collection with the postage stamps of King
Edward VII, or who collect these stamps as a supplement to a
general collection.
The King’s Own Album contains 100 pages of heavy white
plate paper outlined with a neat border of neutral grey, with
quadrillé background inside the grey border, and name space
at the top of each page.
The size of the leaves is 7% by 9% inches. This album was
introduced in 1904, and already nearly 2000 have been sold.
In response to the demand for cheap blank albums, we have
produced two different ones with fixed leaves which will be
found of great use to those who wish to collect pairs, blocks of
four, corner numbers, stamps on letters, etc. etc.
Blank Album No. 31 has 100 leaves, size 9% by 7% inches,
and is sold at 8s. post-free. Blank Album No. 32 has 150
leaves, size 11% by 8% inches, price 115. 3d. post-free.
This latter album, being similar in size and get-up to the
 124 ADVERTISEMENTS

THE ORIEL

IPHSTAGE' STAMP ALBUM.

HIS ALBUM was based on a special order from Mr. M. P. CASTLE, Vice
President of Philatelic Society of London, to whom we have supplied
the

eighty of these books, and to whom reference is kindly permitted. It has met

it,
with an unusually favourable reception from those Collectors who have used
and on account of its general adaptability, has undoubtedly taken a. front
rank in this class of publication. it
Amongst its numerous advantages, one

especially may be named, and that is, its convenient size, rendering ex

it
tremely portable, and suitable for attending Philatelic meetings, etc.

To those Philatelists who are unable to personally inspect same at our

Establishment, a brief description will be acceptable :—

Each Album contains 50 detachable leaves of the best hand-made paper, faced
with Japanese tissue paper, so as to prevent all friction, and bound in half red
is

morocco, with cloth sides finished in gold. A space on the back of the cover
is left plain, so that a Collector can have his books lettered or numbered to
show the contents. Each Album is contained in a cloth drop-in case lined
with lamb's-wool. The leaves, unless specially ordered, are supplied perfectly
blank, without any lined border or background, but desired special leaves
if

can be with a fine quadrillé background, as supplied to the other

supplied
Philatelic Albums of this form. Exact size of leaves from the outside edges,
IO inches by 101; available for mounting stamps, 82- inches by to}.

The price of the Album is 30/-; post-free, 30/7 (abroad extra).

The Leaves, either plain or with quadrillé background, can be supplied at

the price of 4/6 per dozen, or 32/6 per 100.

STANLEY GIBBONS, LIMITED,

391, STRAND (Opposite Hotel Cecil), LONDON, W.C.
 FIFTY YEARS OF PHILATELY 125

Imperial Album, is largely used for new issues as a supplement

to that album.

L
BLANK ALBUM N0. 31

Duplicate and Stock Albums—We publish several albums of

this class; the smaller ones are much used by collectors as
pocket-books to carry about loose stamps for exchange, or to
hold stamps they may purchase in their walks abroad.
The larger books are sold largely to dealers to arrange loose
stock in, and many collectors also use them to hold unsorted
stamps and duplicates.
The following are the best-known of these books :—
The Philatelist’s Collecting Book for the coat pocket. The
6% by 4%
size is inches, and each book contains twelve pages,

with strip of linen fixed at the bottom edge and forming recep
tacles for loose stamps. -'
[1
We also publish a larger size of this book, containing twenty
four pages, and measuring 8 by 6% inches.
391,
STRAND
(Opposite
Hotel
STANLEY GIBBONS,
Cecil),
ADVERTISEMENTS

LIMITED,
LONDON,
MN .eofiiowow so \ceo

W.C.
$me om .uuH
e

2C. ..AMHMOz 2553 one do .2356 613w “:5 308 033.26 one
a em.
+2

5 uotoasm .wfiofin owed

 FIFTY YEARS OF PHILATELY 127

Stock Album. This is 10% by 8% inches, and contains sixty

leaves, each leaf having seven horizontal slits across the page.
Both dealers and collectors make great use of these albums,
and they are quite blank and contain no printing of any kind.

Duplicate Stamp Album—This book is 6%, by 9 inches, and

the arrangement is that of a series of pockets, numbered for
reference, and securely attached to the leaves, on one side only.
The pockets are made so that they can be opened out flat and
the contents easily inspected. This is a very handy method

V
l'

of keeping stamps in groups or countries ready for insertion

in the albums when time permits.
This album is sold in two sizes, one of which has 72 pockets,
and the other I44 pockets.

The Stanley Gibbons Philatelic Handbooks.—Some fifteen

years ago we planned out a scheme for issuing a set of hand
128 ADVERTISEMENTS

£30,000 COLLECTION
Wefig OF
EUROPEAN STAMPS.
E have very much pleasure in announcing that we have pur
chased the celebrated Collection of European Stamps formed
by Mr. W. W. Mann. This collection, as is well known,
includes the magnificent collection formed by Mr. M. P. Castle between
the years 1890 and 1900, and the whole collection is contained in
about Eighty Oriel Albums, packed full. Every country of Europe is
highly specialized, and in every country we find even the rare stamps,
in all varieties of shade, perforation, watermark, type, and in singles,
pairs, blocks of four, and in many cases in full sheets.
The great hulk of the slump: are unused, in mint condi/fon, and
this eol/ertion is heyond doubt the most perfect speak/[zed roller/ion, as we//
as the most valuable collation, of postage s/au/p: that has ezwr been sold.

AUSTRIA.
1850. No less than 198 unused stamps in this interesting first issue. Amongst
these we draw attention to blocks of eight and twenty of the 9 kr., blue, block of
nine of the 6 kr., red-brown, a unique block of eight of the 3 kr., red, with four
crosses attached. Stamps with crosses joined are now practically unobtainable
unused. This issue is divided into four different classes of paper and all are
strongly represented by matchless mint copies.
I858. The chief things in this issue are three unused copies of the rare 2 kr.,
orange, unused and fine.
1867-77. A strong lot of this issue, divided into sets with coarse and fine
whiskers. The rare varieties of the perforations are strongly represented, also a
number of stamps part perf. and bisected stamps, used on letters, and the rare
varieties in small perforations.
1890-91. This is exceptionally strong in varieties of perforation, single and
compound, and also shows a large number of errors, such as corner figures omitted,
figures printed on the back, pairs part perf., etc. etc. The Newspaper stamps are a
good lot. Amongst them we draw attention to the 6 kr. , bright orange, unused, and
the dull yellow, three unused and three used; 6 kr., red, superb copy, unused;
30 kr., rose, brilliant copy, unused, and four used.

AUSTRIAN ITALY (Lombardy).

1850 Issue. In this
first issue, which is rapidly becoming so scarce in mint
condition, there are no less than I67 unused stamps in superb shades. Included in
these there are thirteen specimens of the very rare 45 centes., blue, in the various
types, and any number of blocks of the other values.

STANLEY GIBBONS, LIMITED,

391, STRAND (Opposite Hotel Cecil), LONDON, W.C.
 FIFTY YEARS OF PHILATELY 129

books,under the above general title, from time to time as

we could secure the best philatelic writers on the different
subjects.
We wished these books, as far as possible, to be the most
complete and exhaustive history of the stamps of each country,
and even those issued ten to twelve years ago are still recog
nized as the chief and most reliable books on the countries
with which they deal.
These books are published at prices which practically only
just repay the heavy costs of authors’ fees, printing, plates,
and binding, but I must say that their sale is not so large as
I could wish.
Each book as issued sells well for a few months until 300 or
400 copies have gone, and all the chief societies, collectors of
philatelic literature, and specialists are supplied; but the
general run of collectors seem too busy to buy and read such
books. However, I am sure that they make a great mistake ;
there are many minor little things in every country that do
not get into the priced catalogue, and a collector who will study
such books as these will very soon be able, by his greater know
ledge, to pick up bargains that his less well-read friends will
know nothing about. The really first-class collectors recognize
this, and read all they can about their pet countries, and are
well repaid by so doing.
The first of these books that we issued was Portuguese India,
which appeared in 1893, and was compiled by the late Mr.
Gilbert Harrison and Lieut. F. H. Napier.
This work will be found of great use to collectors of the early
issues of this interesting and difficult country. The types are
all well illustrated, and the differences between the issues
clearly defined.
The next book was entitled South Australia, issued in 1894,
and written by Lieut. F. H. Napier and the late Mr. Gordon
Smith.
This work simplified the collecting of these most interesting
stamps to a wonde ful degree, and properly classified the
numerous printings and perforations. The history and refer
ence lists of the little-known Departmental stamps were also
thoroughly elucidated.
I
I30 ADVERTISEMENTS

£30,000 Collection of European Stamps—continued.

HUNGARY.
1871, Lithographed Issue. In this there are a number of pages 0f superb
unused copies in matchless shades, including singles, pairs and blocks, altogether 95
specimens unused of this issue alone.

The later issues of Hungary are very strong, both in rare perforations, in errors,
and in retouches.

FRANCE.
This country is exceedingly fine. It occupies four volumes, and is, no doubt,
one of the choicest portions of the collection. The numerous shades of all the issues
are represented by a large number of blocks, strips, and single specimens. Among
the rare things we will just note as follows :—
1849-50 Issue. I franc, orange-vermilion, two originals, unused, with gum ;
a Vervelle pair, unused, no gum; two single stamps, used; orange-brown, almost
as rare as the orange-vermilion, two superb specimens unused, with gum, and one
used, lightly cancelled. In the ordinary I franc in carmine and carmine-rose there
are a block of four, two pairs, and eleven single specimens, showing all shades. The
whole of this first issue is extremely strong, but we would draw attention to the 25 c.,
blue. There are some wonderful blocks and pairs in the difierent shades and
splendid specimens of the 20 c., very pale blue, a very rare stamp in a mint condition.
In the 15 c., green, of the same issue, we note, unused with gum, blocks of four
and six, a strip of three, and eight single specimens from dark to pale green. In
the lZ/e-br’c/le of this issue there are a block of six and a pair of the 20 c., black, and a
pair and strip of three of the loo ,' bistre; an unused pair and two used pairs of the
25 c., dull blue, and a fine strip of three of the I franc, carmine.
1858 Issue. A pair, strip of three, and four singles of the rare IO c. Three
blocks of four and ablock of six, with single specimens of the 25 c.
1853-60 Issue. The we. are unusually strong, occupying no less than five
pages and showing a magnificent range of shades from the rare first colours, printed
in the colours of the to c. Presidency, and running through from the palest yellow
lllll'Ts to the darkest brown colours, that it is almost impossible to describe without
seeing them. In the I franc there are a quantity of single specimens, pairs and
blocks, and a very rare piece is the original I franc, lé/e-bFr/w, unused, and a used
pair. In the 20 c., blue, of this issue there are some extremely rare shades, including
several of the pale sky blue, a stamp that is seldom to be found. The 80c. are
represented by several pages, including about 50 specimens. Amongst them there
are three pairs of the 80c., lélbbftbt, in different shades, and a remarkable pair of
the 80c., rose, printed on very rose paper.

Following this issue we have in 186l several pages of the scarce private
perforations both of the La Susse and the private roulettes that were used in the
different towns. In the tiles-Miller there are two pairs unused and a pair used of
the 80c , rose, and a number of the 20c., blue.
The 1870 Issue of Bordeaux are extremely fine, there being several pages
of the 20 c., blue, in all types, including a number with gum of the rare type I. The
shades of the 40 c., from the scarlet to pale yellow-orange, are also extremely fine.
In the 1870 perforated there is about half a sheet of the 4c., grey, containing
If/t-bétllt.’ variety in the second row, and they are interesting and rare in this form.
The liter-brides of the December issue of 1870 are very strong, and contain nearly
twenty specimens.

STANLEY GIBBONS, LIMITED,

39!, STRAND (Opposite Hotel Cecil), LONDON, W.C.
 FIFTY YEARS OF PHILATELY 131

There are three full-sized plates of illustrations, showing the

siX types of surcharges used on the 10d. stamps, etc.
Shanghai, by Mr. W. B. Thornhill, was issued in 1895, and
no less than eight full-page illustrations are given, showing the
varieties of the early issues, etc.
St. Vincent, by Lieut. F. H. Napier and Mr. E. D. Bacon,
was issued in I895, and groups correctly, for the first time, the
perforations, and contains a mass of useful information.
Barbados, by Mr. E. D. Bacon and Lieut. F. H. Napier,
appeared in 1896, and has three full pages of autotype illustra—
tions and full lists of all the Perkins Bacon & Co. stamps,
and also correct illustrations of the different star-watermarked
papers.
Reprints, by Mr. E. D. Bacon, was issued in 1899, and will
be found of the greatest value as a standard work of reference
in all cases of doubt and obscurity appertaining to reprints and
stamps of a similar kind, such as oflicial imitations of obsolete
stamps and special printings, etc.
Grenada, by Mr. E. D. Bacon and Lieut. F. H. Napier,
appeared in 1902, and is one of the most important handbooks
we have published, as it gives not only a complete history of
the stamps of Grenada, but also a full and reliable account of
all the stamps that have been perforated by Messrs. Perkins
Bacon & Co.
Sicily, by Dr. Emilio Diena, issued in 1904, is the largest and
most important handbook we have issued, and gives the fullest
particulars about the stamps, retouches, plates, essays, post
marks, etc. This work is superbly illustrated by means of
twenty full-page autotype plates.
Album Weeds, by the Rev. R. B. Earée, is in two volumes.
The first volume contains from Afghanistan to Luxemburg, and
was published in December, 1905.
This work is an absolute necessity to the careful collector who
is anxious to ensure the absence of forgeries from his collection.
Mr. Earée accurately and most carefully describes all for
geries known to him, and indicates how they may be detected
from the genuine stamps.
I32 ADVERTISEMENTS

£30,000 Collection of European Stamp5~continued

FRANCE—continued.
In the 1872 there are three pairs of the 10 c., bistre and rose, containing the
error, and a single specimen.

In the 1876, type I, there are a quantity of shades of every stamp, and the
whole of the issues are strongly represented.

THURN AND TAXIS.

The rare Issues of 1852—8, both in the Northern and Southern Districts, are
very strong. These stamps, as advanced collectors well know, are extremely scarce
with full gum ; the ordinary catalogued specimens and the things that appear in the
auctions are nearly always, without exception, those that have been mounted in old
collections, and which have lost their gum. Mint copies of these stamps are worth
several times catalogue price, and bring it readily in Germany.
Amongst the better things in this issue we draw attention to the Northern
District I silb. grosch., six specimens of the deep blue, and a pair and five single
copies of the blue and grey-blue ; 2 silb. grosch., rose, seven copies ; 3 silb. grosch.,
buff, a block of four and six single copies.
In
the Southern District we have a pair and five singles of the 3 kreuzer, dark
blue, a superb block of six with full gum, and five single copies of the 3 kreuzer,
blue. In the 6 kreuzer, a block of four and eight single copies, unused. In the
9 kreuzer, a block of four, a pair, and six single copies, these showing all the varying
shades.
SAXON Y.
1850.Here we have the 3 pfennig, from pale red to brownish red, no less
than seven unused specimens; three single specimens used (one being a wonderful copy,
cut from the corner of a sheet and with a margin of about half an inch on two sides);
also a superb single and pair on original letters.
The issue of 1851 is very strongly represented in pairs, blocks of four, and single
specimens; but the gem of this book is a unique block of four of the error % 'neu
groschen, black on pale blue paper, being printed in error on the paper of the
2 neu groschen.

In the 1856 Issue there are three pages of the 5 n. gr., varying from the rare
brown stamps to the bright verniilion. The to n. gr. is represented by a number of
single specimens, pairs, and strips.
In the 1863 Issue there is a very interesting page of these common stamps, but
in the rare first printing on toned paper, gummed with a thick brown gum.

MECKLENBURG-SCHWERIN.
The most interesting page here is that of the 1864 issue, } sch. on dotted
ground ; there are no less than four unused specimens, including two with full gum,
two single specimens, another single and a pair used on original letters.

BREMEN.
1855 imperf. Two strips of three and a strip of five of the 3 gr., black. A
block of four, eight, and single copies of the 5 gr. A large number of singles and
pairs of other values, both used and unused. The later issues pom” en safe and
perforated, very strong, including some lovely shades and interesting varieties.

STANLEY GIBBONS, LIMITED,

39:, STRAND (Opposite Hotel Cecil), LONDON, W.C.
 FIFTY YEARS OF PHILATELY 133

The first volume is nearly 600 pages, profusely illustrated

with cuts of stamps and postmarks.
The second and final volume is now being compiled, and we
hope to publish it at the end of this year.
Various Publications—A history of the publications of the
firm would not be complete unless I noticed the following books,
all of which will be found of great use to the student.

Stamps and Stamp Collecting, by Major E. B. Evans, is a

glossary for stamp collectors, and contains full explanations of
all terms used in connexion with our hobby. Much interesting
information is also given about the manufacture of paper, per
forating, rouletting, printing, embossing, etc. This work has
already run to three editions, and upwards of I0,000 copies
have been sold.

Stamp Collecting as a Pastime, by Mr. E. ]. Nankivell, has

been a huge success, both in Europe and America. It is written
in a light and chatty vein, and explains how, after half a cen
tury of existence, stamp collecting has never been more popular
than it is to-day.
A Colour Dictionary, by Mr. B. W. Warhurst, is of great use
in identifying shades of colour. It is printed in ten different
coloured inks, on ten different-coloured papers, and is illus
trated by fifty-eight colours and diagrams, and has a very
large sale.
The M ulready Envelope and its Caricatures, by Major E. B.
Evans, is a book of 240 pages, and has forty-five full-page
illustrations of the most curious caricatures, by Leech, Mul
ready, Cruikshank, Doyle, Phiz, T. Hook, etc. The book is
printed on special paper, with extra large margins.
The Stamp Collector, by Messrs. Hardy and Bacon, is a most
interesting handbook, originally published by Mr. G. Redway,
from whom we bought his whole stock. The contents of the
book are most interesting, and there are chapters on History
in Postage Stamps—Stamps with Stories—Famous Collections
—The Stamp Market, etc. etc.
The Philatelic Society, London. In 1905 this Society en
tered into an agreement with our firm by which we undertook
I34 ADVERTISEMENTS

£30,000 Collection of European Stamps—continued.

LUBEOK.
In the rare scarce 1859 Issue, with watermark, there are eight specimens of the
{q sch., purple, including some wonderful shades and corner stamps with full gum.
There are nine of the l sch. , orange. The error ZWEIEINHALB on the 2 brown is shown
in single copies, two blocks of four, and a pair with full gum, these latter being very
scarce. The other values are strongly represented in blocks, mostly with gum, and
a number of specimens used with various postmarks, several being on original
letters—really scarce stamps in this condition.

BADEN.
Itis only advanced collectors who understand how really rare are the issues 0.
1851 to 1858 in mint state, with margins and gum. Ordinary copies can be found in
our stock and in the auctions, mostly those that have been taken out of old collections,
but really fine specimens in mint condition are hardly ever now to be met with, and
command a very high price. Of this issue we note amongst the better things in
unused :—
1851. I kr., on buff, a pair and three singles; 3 kr., on orange, two fine
copies; 3kr., on yellow paper, six copies; 6 kr., on yellow-green, one brilliant;
6 kr., on blue-green, three copies.
1853. 3 kr., on green, a superb mint block of four with full gum, and eight
single specimens; 6 kr., on orange, two pairs and four single specimens.
l857. 3kr., on blue, four unused pieces.

BAVARIA.
There are three large books of this country ; almost all issues from the first to
the last are shown in full r/zeelr. All varieties of watermark are carefully marked
out, and the different printings and shades are all strongly represented—nothing
being missing.
BRUNSWICK.
Here the most striking thing is a wonderful lot of the first issue, a group of
which Mr. Castle was very fond, and of which he bought every fine specimen that
came on the market during the many years he was collecting. These include the
pick of the Ehrenbach Collection, and in the 1852 ISSUe, unused, we mention
specially three copies of the l sgr., rose; six copies of the 25gr., blue ; five copies of
the 3sgr., vermilion.
Included in this lot is one perfect set with gum, the finest set that can possibly
exist, in brilliant condition, unused, and, we believe, almost unique.
The later issues of Brunswick are equally strong. and we draw attention
specially to the 1853 1 sgr., on buff paper, a pair and eight single copies, and 3 sgr.,
black on rose, no less than five copies, two of them being the rare dark rose colour—
a stamp that is very seldom met with unused.

HANOVER.
A pretty little lot of an interesting and inexpensive country. Amongst the
better stamps we note :—

STANLEY GIBBONS, LIMITED,

391, STRAND (Opposite Hotel Cecil), LONDON, W.C.
 FIFTY YEARS OF PHILATELY I35

to publish certain works for them. These works will all be, in
general arrangement and get-up, uniform with former publi
cations of the Society, such as Oceania, West Indies, etc. etc. ;
but I hope that many improvements will be introduced in the
illustrations, plates, etc.
The first of these books that we have published is—
Africa, Part III,edited by Mr. E. D. Bacon, assisted by
Messrs. W. D. Beckton, C. J. Daun, T. W. Hall, A. de Reuter
skiold, and R. B. Yardley. This book has thirty full-sized
plates of illustrations, and includes the fullest history of. such
important countries as Orange Free State, St. Helena, Trans—
vaal, Uganda, Zanzibar, etc. etc.
The Philatelic Society of India. In addition to the London
Society, I am pleased to be able to announce that my firm has
made arrangements to publish for the well-known Indian
Society a monumental work which is now in preparation on
the stamps of India, by Messrs. C. Stewart-Wilson and L. L. R.
Hausburg. By consent of the postal authorities in India, this
book will be illustrated by numerous plates of postage stamps,
essays, proofs, etc., a number of which will be printed in India
from the original plates and dies. This book will be published
in the autumn of this year, and will contain a full history of
the Postage and Telegraph Stamps, proofs, essays, and reprints
of the great Indian Empire.
Our ]0urnals.—The firm publishes two journals, one monthly
and the other weekly.

The Monthly journal. When Mr. Gibbons retired in I890

I found the firm were joint publishers of The Philatelic Record
in conjunction with Pemberton, Wilson, & C0., and when I
left Birmingham the same year I also published a monthly
paper. On my removal to London I at once decided to dis—
continue the above-mentioned papers and to issue a new
magazine under the name of The Monthly journal, the first
number of which appeared on 20 July, 1890, under my editor
ship.
In ]anuary, I891, the day of publication was changed to the
month, and so continues to the present time.
last day of each
In September, 1890, however, a far more important change
136 ADVERTISEMENTS

£30,000 Collection of European Stamps~aontinueafl

HANOVER—continued.
1850 Issue. I guten gros., on greyish-blue paper, no less than six unused
copies.
1853 Issue. 3 pf., rose. There are some fine pairs and single specimens,
including some very scarce dark shades.
The issues from 1855 to 1863 are strong in singles, pairs, blocks, and especially
interesting are a number of pieces with dates in the margins and numbers at the
side, top, and bottom.
1861 Issue. We draw special attention to a very pretty page of the i0 gros.,
olive-green—a mint pair and nine single specimens, including some very scarce
colours.
HAMBURG.
The imperf. stamps are exceptionally strong, mostly with the full original brown

1;}
gum, and include a number of pairs and strips. Of the rare sch., bright blue, there
are five unused specimens, and in this value marvellous range of six or seven pages

a
of stamps in all shades, including some colours hardly ever met with.
Some little attempt has also been made at specializing in postmarks, and there
are a number of rare town marks of scarce values.

BERGEDORI‘.
In the first Issue of 1861 there are two unused copies of the rare sch., black

1
on pale lilac, and one only of the sch., black on rose.
3

In the used stamps of the next issue there are several used specimens of each
of the low values, some on portions of envelopes, one of the finest things being a
and sch., used on one letter from Bergedorf to London—used Bergedorf on
4
3

letters being extremely rare. This issue also represented by large number of
is

a
unused sheets, showing the file-bide varieties and the make-up of the sheet in a
very interesting manner.
PRUSSIA.
Fine pages of the early issues, number of long strips showing numbers on
a

edges of sheets, and many pairs and blocks, including scarce shades.
Perhaps the best stamps here are'in the issue 0f1857 with the solid background.
In the silb. gr. there are mint horizontal strip of three and four single copies, and
a
I

in the two silb. gr. five single specimens, several with full gum, and running from
‘

deep to pale blue.

At the end of this country there are some pages of envelope stamps cut out and
used on letters and pieces of letters, having served as adhesives.

OLDENBURG.
This one of the strongest countries in the whole collection, as will be seen by
is

the following short summary of some of the pieces contained in :—

it

1852 Issue.
{5 thaler, Type three unused Type Ia, block of four and two
1,

singles, unused Type 2, six unused, including one very rare variety, bright blue on
;

thick paper; Types and joined. There an extremely interesting and valuable
is
2
1

block of twelve with full gum, also two pairs. TH; thaler, rose. Type five unused;
1,

Type 2, mint pair, superb, and very rare with full gum, unused Type 3, two singles,
a

unused. {U lhaler, yellow, four fine copies, unused.

STANLEY GIBBONS, LIMITED,

39!, STRAND (Opposite HDtel Cecil), LONDON, W.C.
 FIFTY YEARS OF PHILATELY I37

took place, and that was in the editors, the post being taken
by that well-known philatelist Major Edward B. Evans, R.A.
Maj or Evans was born on 3 November, I846, and commenced
collecting stamps when a student at Uppingham Grammar

MAJOR E. B. EVANS, R.A.

School in I861. In 1867 Major Evans received his commission

in the Royal Artillery and went to Malta. On returning to
England some years later he was stationed at Plymouth, and
in I873 made the acquaintance of Mr. Gibbons. In I876 he
went to Mauritius, and while there formed a superb collection
I38 ADVERTISEMENTS

£30,000 Collection of European Stamps—continued.

OLDENBURG—continued.

7,1,7
1855. silb. groschen, black on green, two pairs and five single copies.

2
groschen, black on rose, seven singles, unused. groschen, black on yellow, nine

3
unused and fine block of four used, beside single copies.

7% a
1861. groschen. moss-green, eight unused and three used. groschen, blue

-5-
green, fourteen unused and three used. groschen, yellow-green, lithographic

if
errors, eleven of these rare stamps showing numerous errors and varieties that occur
through defective transferring. groschen, brown, different shades, twenty-nine
specimens. groschen, blue, four pages of those, including a mint block of four and
I

thirty singles, unused, in all shades and varieties, and a superb specimen printed on
both sides. groschen, red, fourteen unused and number used. groschen,
2

3
yellow, eleven unused and seven lithographic errors in transferring.
From this short list will be seen how very strong this country in the

is
it
collection.
PORTUGAL.
highly specialized country, worked out thoroughly in all details by Mr. Castle,
A

and considerably extended by Mr. Mann. Amongst the better things we note in the
1853 Issue. reis, brown, thirteen unused of Die and three unused of the

1.
5

rare Die ll.

25 reis, blue. There are an unused block of four and block of eight

a
with full gum and twenty-one single specimens
In the 50 r. green, same issue, a superb liorizont pair and four single specimens,
i1
,

and of the rare 100 r., three unused.

1855 Issue, with the straight hair, there are no less than twelve specimens un
used of the reis, brown.
5

1856 Issue, curly hair, three unused copies of Type of the very rare 25 r. blue.
1

,
All these early issues are extensively worked out and include quite number of

a
original sheets, blocks, strips, and some hundreds of single specimens, the whole of
the issue being subdivided into the numerous minor types.
1866 Issue. Embossed heads, imperf.,are also very strong, and include a number
of pairs and blocks.
The later perforated stamps are practically complete in all varieties except few

a
varieties of perforations, which are missing.

SPAIN. Vol.
I.

An extraordinarily original lot of issues, unused, including pairs,

the early
blocks, and all varieties of paper, and many blocks of four, used, in difierent shades.
These old stamps with original gum are getting rare and are rapidly rising in value,
and such an opportunity of securing fine old stamps of this country will probably
never again be ofi'ered. list of the rarities in this country would be almost too
A

long and occupy too much space, so we mention only a few of the more important
things :—
In the Issue Of 1851, the rare reales, red, by three fine unused
is

represented
2

and four used.

1852. reales, pale red, five unused and four used.
2

1853. reales, vermilion, six unused, and pair and three singles, used.
2

1853. Madrid, cuartos, bronze, seven unused and three used. cuarto,
I
3

bronze, block of eight, unused, pair and four singles, unused, and four singles,
a

'
used.

STANLEY GIBBONS, LIMITED,

39:, Sl‘RAND (Opposite Hotel Cecil), LONDON, \v.c.
 FIFTY YEARS OF PHILATELY 139

of the stamps of that country and wrote the standard mono

graph on the Mauritius early issues.
Major Evans returned to Great Britain in August, I879, and
was for five years stationed at Wicklow, in Ireland, during
which time he compiled the first detailed catalogue that had
appeared in English.
Major Evans went abroad again in 1885, and this time was
stationed in Bermuda, where he also made many important
discoveries.
In 1890 retired from the Army, and, as before stated, in
he
September of that year he undertook the editorship of The
Monthly journal, which in his able hands has risen to the rank
of the first philatelic journal in the world.
Major Evans takes great pride in the list of New Issues in
the M. f., and usually has to give from four to seven pages to
this subject, and it is generally admitted that this list is the
most complete and accurate one published.
The M. ].caters for fairly advanced collectors and makes a
speciality of original articles by the best writers of the day, and
collectors will find in the files of this journal a great mass of
information of the first importance.

Gibbons Stamp Weekly, edited by Mr. Edward J. Nankivell,

is a popular weekly stamp journal for the general collector, and
more especially for beginners and young collectors. '

G.S.W. is stocked by Messrs. W. H. Smith & Son at their

agencies and bookstalls, and this one firm alone uses 5000 copies
of the paper each week.
Collectors in Great Britain will find this a great advantage,
as they can order the paper from the bookstall or their regular

newsagent and receive it every Thursday morning, unfolded

and not creased.
In G.S.W. we have numerous prize competitions, and twice
a month a stamp is given away with each copy sold.

Our editor, Mr. E. ]. Nankivell, was born at Perranzabuloe,

on the north coast of Cornwall, on 17 September, I848; edu
cated privately, most'y in Ireland; took up shorthand when
he left school, and eventually drifted into journalism, his first

engagement being on the Central News in London, and his

 I40 ADVERTISEMENTS

£30,000 Collection of European Stamps—continued.

SPAIN. Vol. I.-continued.
1‘
1854. 1 real, [lg/z! blue, two pairs and two single specimens, used.
1855. The error, two reales blue, in a long strip.
1865. The error, frame inverted 12 c., rose and blue ; imperf. , one unused and
four used; perforated, a superb unused copy with full gum. One of the greatest
rarities of Europe.
l867. Frame inverted, 25 mils , rose and blue, superb used copy, only two or
three other specimens being known to exist.
I867. 10 mils. , brown, a large block containing a léle-bérlze pair.

ROUMANIA.
The first issue for Moldavia, the rare circular stamps, are represented by no less
than two dozen copies. Amongst them are the following :—
The 27 par., black on rate, one unused and four used, one of them being from
the corner of a sheet with enormous margin.

54 par., blue on green, two unused and ten used, including some wonderful
shades and scarce postmarks.
81 par., blue on Mae, a superb unused copy with large margin all round and full
gum. One of the greatest rarities.
103 par., blue on pink, one unused and five used.
In the small rectangular stamps of 1858, we note the 5 paras, black on bluzlr/i
paper, used, and three copies, used, of the 80 par., red on Muir/1 paper. The later
issues are very strongly represented in all values by singles, pairs, and blocks, and
even full sheets of many of the stamps of 1866 to 1872.

RUSSIA.
In the 1858 issue, imperf., there are four undoubted unused, three of which
have the original gum. This stamp is a rarity really unused, although plenty of
cleaned specimens may be met with.
The same stamps perforated. Three sets and some odd copies
The later issues are strongly represented by a page or two of each value showing
all shades, varieties of paper, and blocks, the rare vertically laid papers being also
strong.
RUSSIAN POST OFFICES IN THE LEVANT.
This is a very pretty and strong group.
Of the l863 Issue, the large square blue stamps, there are a pair and seven
single specimens, showing all shades. But the strength of the collection is in the 1865
Issue, the rare “steamship” type. An attempt has been made at plating these
stamps, and a number of stamps gathered together for that purpose, and note I
amongst them :—
2 k., brown and blue, six copies, unused, a pair, a strip of three, and ten single
copies—no less than twenty-one of these rare stamps.
Of the rather rarer 20 k., blue on red, there are three unused and 12 used
specimens.
The other issues are complete in singles, pairs, and blocks.

STANLEY GIBBONS, LIMITED,

391, STRAND (Opposite Hotel Cecil), LONDON, W.C.
 FIFTY YEARS OF PHILATELY 141

first professional note being of a great speech _ of Disraeli’s at

the Crystal Palace.

EDWARD J. NANKIVELL

Mr. Nankivell is a Fellow of the Institute of Journalists, was

formerly City Editor of the Pall Mall Gazette, is proprietor and
editor of the Reporter’s Magazine, and is a well-known and
prolific writer on stamp matters.
I42 ADVERTISEMENTS

£30,000 Collection of European Stamps—continued.

LIVONIA (Wenden).
Of the 1862 Issue, the rare 2 kop., black on rose, is here, unused, and two used
copies. The Griffin stamp, two used and four unused. All the other issues are
equally strong,

SGHLES WIG-HOLSTEIN.
Some nice pages of the first Issue of 1850, including a pair and ten singles of
the I sch., blue, varying from the brightest to the very palest blue, and a pair and
eight single copies of the 2 sch., dark rose. The other issues are represented by
blocks and sheets of all values. The scarce little stamps of 1864 are very fine, and
a rarity is a specimen of the Ii
sch., blue, mule/ted, and no'less than five stamps of
the rare Type 2.

WURTEMBERG.
A superblot of this country, including many of the great rarities. The late
Mr. Tapling used to say that the test of a really fine collection was the stamps of
this country in an unused condition, and our experience certainly proves this to be
pretty correct.
The Issue Of1851 has been divided into three sets by the different types of the
inscription, which varies in length. The issue is exceptionally strong, and amongst
others we note, all unused, I kr., on buff, 2. pair and eight single specimens ; 3 kr.,
on yellow, 3. block of nine, block of four, a pair, and thirteen single copies; the very
rare 3 kr., printed on orange paper, two fine unused (we believe both these stamps
came from the Ehrenbach Collection); 6 kr. , green, a pair, and eight single specimens;
9 kr., rose, two unused.
The 1856 Issues, with orange thread, are represented by nine of the i kr., five
of the 3 kr., a mint block of four and five single specimens of 6 hr , six of the 9 kr.,
and seven of the 18 kr. In the similar stamps, without the thread, we have two
pages of the I kr., including blocks, a superb pair and five single copies of the 3 kr.,
two copies of the extremely rare 6 kr., green, about the rarest Wurtemberg stamp,
and no less than ten copies of the 9 kr., rose-carmine. The stamps with small
perforations on thick paper are especially strong, there being three copies of the
I kr., six of the 3 kr., four of the 6 kr., and seven of the 9 kr. This is quite
sufficient to show how strongly Wurtemberg is represented, and the later issues are
here in every shade, and mostly in blocks.

BULGARIA.
A nice little book with almost everything in blocks of four and practically com
plete, including the errors 5 in the colour
'
of the I0, but nothing special to which I
can draw attention.

SOUTH BULGARIA (Surcharged with Lion).

A fine lot of genuine stamps with the types properly divided and including
a number of unchronicled varieties, such as double and inverted surcharges, etc. In
Eastern Roumelia a nice lot of blocks, also containing many unchronicled errors,
such as
“ R O ” double, inverted, sideways, and so on.

STANLEY GIBBONS, LIMITED,

39i, STRAND (Opposite Hotel Cecil), LONDON, W.C.
 FIFTY YEARS OF PHILATELY I43

I cannot conclude this brief chapter on our Publication De

partment without acknowledging the great assistance and
courtesy we have invariably received from our printers, Messrs.
William Brendon & Son, Ltd., West Hoe, Plymouth.
l The business of Messrs. Brendon & Son was established in
184I by the late Mr. William Brendon ; it grew steadily year
by year, and in 1891 was moved to the new premises shown
in the subjoined illustration.

< .,.

; mm ’7fi1’w217/lfil'..~
fl'
--'

fir/I
A?“ I n 1"." _.u;§
._

‘.
_

,c.
1.. ..t,
fin.
fI

W. BRENDON SON'S PRINTING WORKS, PLYMOUTH

&

Messrs. Brendon Son make their own type, stereotypes,

8:

etc., to meet the various requirements of their extensive busi

ness and their establishment so thoroughly equipped that
is
;

they are enabled to execute all classes of book and general

printing by the best of present-day methods.
am unable to say when our connexion with Messrs. Brendon
I

commenced, but they tell me they can trace entries in their

books with Mr. E. S. Gibbons back to 1871, when he was in
Plymouth. Certainly for thirty-five years this firm has done
all our work with the excepti0n of short break when its
a

premises were burnt down.

 I44 ADVERTISEMENTS

£30,000 Collection of European Stamps—continued.

FINLAND.
This is an exceptionally strong book and one to which Mr. Castle gave a great
deal of attention. The Issues Of1886 are becoming very scarce in fine unused con
dition with the teeth all complete, and here collectors will have a chance of filling
up many gaps with stamps in extra fine condition that are hardly ever met with in the
market. Amongst the rare things we draw attention to—

The Issue 0f1856, small pearl in the post-horn. 5 kop ,blue, a mint block of four
printed Idle-bribe; also a single unused, and a pair used. Io k0p., rose, a superb
block of six, with the stamps printed té‘le-bfirhe, with full gum, and three single speci
mens, and two used copies on the vertically laid paper. With the larger pearls in
the post-horn, there are one unused and three used pairs, as well as singles.

The 1860 Issue, with the value in kopecs, is very strong, and includes the
'diFferent perforations and some magnificent shades, as well as all varieties of paper.

In Issue, there is a superb lot of blocks, mostly unused, mint, and all
the 1869
varieties of perforation. Amongst the rarer items here we note on the laid paper,
two copies of the error IO pen., purple on grey, and one of the error 5 pen., black on
buff, one of the rarest of the European errors. On the wove paper there are three
copies of the error to pen., in the colour of the 5 pen.

In the 1875 and 1883 Issues, there are a number of [file-berks, compound
perforations, and blocks of almost every thing in the ordinary stamps.

STANLEY GIBBONS, LIMITED,

391, STRAND (Opposite Hotel Cecil), LONDON, W.C.
 CHAPTER XIII
_ “NEW ISSUES”
AT TEN PER CENT. OVER NOMINAL VALUE

A NEW DEPARTMENT JUST STARTED BY STANLEY GIBBONS, LTD.,

FOR THE USE OF STAMP COLLECTORS AND DEALERS

OR some considerabletime past we have been desirous of

“ ”
opening a special department to deal with New Issues
at the lowest possible price at which they can be handled.
Hitherto our great difficulty has been the lack of space—every
inch of our room at 390 and 391 Strand was occupied—but
last year we determined to clear out our enormous stock of up
wards of three-quarters of a million post cards and envelopes,
and this has at last given us ample room in which to develop
this hitherto neglected branch of our business.

This new branch is going to be run absolutely as a new

business, separate accounts will be kept, and we shall be obliged
if our clients will send us separate letters and remittances for
all transactions.

In order to start this new branch on a proper scale, we have

decided to commence it with a cash capital of

£8000,
to which as much again will be added if it is found to be neces
sary.

We have considered most carefully as to the lowest basis

of price upon which we can invest a somewhat large capital
in this new branch, and after calculating the estimated expenses
K 145
 I46 ADVERTISEMENTS

SPECIAL FEATURES.
STANLEY GIBBONS, Ltd., make a speciality of stock éooks of each country in the Catalogue.
These books (which are not_ sent out_oi’ Great Britain) are arranged by experts and contain the picked
stamps of our stock, every minute variety of colour, paper, and perforation being carefully arranged
and priced by our most recent Catalogues.

_ Every stamp is marked in plain figures, and cash purchasers for over £5 from any one book at one
time are allowed a discount of to per cent. on marked prices.

[turclmsers‘of real/y impor/aut amoufzts will have special and most favourable terms qi-ot. d,
varying according to the class of stamp desned.
In order to give some idea of the scope of these books we attach a list, together with the value in
pounds of each group.
£ £
St. Lucia and Tobago . . . 373 Liberia . . . . . . 207
Bermuda, British Honduras, Argentine . . . . . . 427
Dominica, and Turks Islands 621 Hawaii . . . . . . 546
Gambia, Gold Coast, Lagos, and Newfoundland . . . . . 601
Sierra Leone . . . . . 531 Canada . . . . . . 447
Mexico , , _ , , _ 1,072 Russia and Finland . . . . 859
China . . . . . . . 151 Uruguay - t - - - - 527
Peru . . . . . . . 32: Mauritius - - - - - . 479
Antigua, Bahamas, Nevis, and Transvaal - . - - - - 3,992
Seychelles . . . . . 799 Holland and Colonies . . . 816
ltaly and States . . . . 1,689 Great Britain . . . . . 1,837
Germany, States and Colonies
“
. 2,291 Greece . . . . . . 786
France and Colonies . . . 1,817 British Guiana . . . . . 845
Portugal and Colonies . . . 3,288 Orange River Colony . . . 866
Falkland, Nigeria, and St. * Bechuanaland and Zululand 283 .
“Elena . - ~ - - - 428 Griqualand . . . ‘ . . 363 .
Afghanistan - - . - - 2.431 United States . . . . 1,573 .
Barbados . . . . . . 400 Luxemburg _ _ _ . 304 .
India and Native States - - - L364 Austria and Hungary; etc. . 766 .
Spain and Colonies . . . . 2,521 Tasmania _
'-
. . “08; ,
Queensland . . . . . 801 Persia _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 279
South Australia . . . . 1, 176 Egypt _ _ _ . , _ _ 203
St- Vincent - - - . 376 Victoria . . . . . . 1,430
Jamaica. Virgin “lands, Montr British East Africa, British South
serrflt - - - - - 32! Africa, Zanzibar, etc. . . . 1,177
Trinidad - - - - . - 670 Roumania . . . . . . 510
Guatemala . . . . . . I09 flong Kong _ , _ _ _ 293
Grenada and St. Christopher . 581 Dominican Republic _ _ _ 354
Servia . . . . . . . 180 Tonga, etc, _ _ _ _ _ 2.5
Java" - - - - - - - 830 Uganda, etc. . . . . . 255
Shanghai - - - - - . 417 Cape of Good Hope . . . . 1,040
Ceylon . . . . . . 931 Western Australia . . . . 755
Belgium - - - - - - 406 New South Wales . . . . 1,331
Switzerland . . . . . 930 Brazil , , , , , _ , 564
Straits Settlements . . . . 781 New Zealand , _ _ , _ 1,700
Norway and Sweden . . . v582 Natal . . . . . . . 625
Colombia and States . . . 1, 142 Local Stamps , , _ . _ _ 1,062
Turkey . . . . . . 274 And many others.
Any of these large stock books can be sent on approval to collectors known to us, or after the usual
business references. it it
*
Another special feature consists of a new arrangement of stamps in mocks or FOUR. These
are put up in separate volumes, and not mixed With general stock, and specialists in this form of
collecting can have such books as they Wish submitted to them on approval.
Rarities are the great speciality of this firm, and possessing the oldest and most valuab.’e stock of
postage stamps in the world, they are able to quote prices of almost any stamps desired.
Want lists receive the most careful attention. If
stamps required are not in stock, they can
generally be obtained from our large connex1ons in all parts of the world.

STANLEY GIBBONS, LIMITED,

391, STRAND (Opposite Hotel Cecil), LONDON, W.C.
 FIFTY YEARS OF PHILATELY I47

and the probable turnover, we have decided to supply all

“ ”
New Issues at the uniform price of

TEN PER CENT.

upon the nominal value.
In doing this we shall not attempt to trade with our clients’
money, and we do not ask for any cash deposit, but we require
“ ”
all our new Box Holders to settle for all new issues within
six days of receipt of same.
We intend to pay all postages incurred in sending new issues
to our clients, as we do not wish them to be bothered with such
items as debits of Id. or 2%d. on each consignment of goods we
send out.
This is our scheme. Now, what can we do for you per
sonally ?
Do you want new issues of any kind ? If so, give us a fair
trial, and if we don’t please you (which we think we shall do),
then drop us.
“ ”
Each new Box Holder can have just what he collects
put into his box and the stamps sent to him once a fortnight
or once a month.
Each collector can have single specimens, pairs, blocks of
four, panes 0r sheets.
Specimen orders might be as follows :—

A. All British Colonials up to £5 nominal value.

B. I, ’9 ,5 Is. ,I

C. British Colonies of Africa with all new issues of South

America.
D. Horizontal pairs of all West India.

Fl All French, Spanish, and Portuguese stamps with all

their colonies.

And so on, in any combination. _ 7 V H __7

* *
*
 _

I48 ADVERTISEMENTS

New Stamp
4—

Magnifying Glass

ill

WE have pleasure in bringing to the notice of our readers the

new Magnifying Glass shown in the above illustrations. It

is
specially useful for the examination of stamps, to find out the

plate-numbers and for the detection of forgeries in conjunction

with the new edition of Album Weeds. used by placing

It
is

the flat side in contact with the stamp to be examined.

Price of the Magnifying Glass - 5/=

POSTAGE IN GREAT BRITAIN, 2d.

STANLEY GIBBONS, LIMITED,

39!, STRAND (Opposite Hotel Cecil), LONDON, W.C.
 FIFTY YEARS OF PHILATELY 149

TO STAMP DEALERS
The terms for stamp dealers will be just the same—Io %
"
over face value.

A dealer can book an order, say as follows :—

The following quantities of all British Colonials—

I00 each of stamps of id, %d., or Id.
50 ,, 13d, 2d., 23d.
24 ,, 3d., 4d., 5d., 6d.
12 ,, 7d., 8d., 9d., Iod., r5.
,, 15. 6d., 25., 2s. 6d.

3 ,, 3s., 4s., 55., 65., 7s. 6d., 105.

r ,, £1, 305., £2.

EUROPEANS

24 each of all values under 2d.

12 ,, from 23d. to 6d.
3 ,, from 9d. to 25. 6d.
I ,, of all higher values.
And so on.

Clients should note that this “New Issue” department

only supplies such stamps as they are able to buy in
quantities at face value; for many varieties we have to
pay heavy premiums, as many provisionals are obsolete
before we can get money over for them. Such varieties
will be offered from time to time in Gibbons Stamp Weekly,
in which all information about changes in current issues will
be announced.
I50 ADVERTISEMENTS

THE

POSTAGE STAMPS
ENVELOPES, WRAPPERS, POST CARDS,
AND TELEGRAPH STAMPS .

OF THE

British Colonies, Possessions

and Protectorates =

AFRICA.
PART III.
COMPRISING NEW REPUBLIC, NORTHERN NIGERIA, OIL
RIVERS AND NIGER COAST PROTECTORATE, ORANGE
RIVER COLONY WITH ORANGE FREE STATE, ST.HELENA,
SEYCHELLES, SIERRA LEONE, SOUTHERN NIGERIA,
STELLALAND, SWAZIELAND, THE TRANSVAAL WITH
SOUTH AFRICAN REPUBLIC, UGANDA, ZANZIBAR, AND
ZULULAND.

WITH ILLUSTRATIONS OF THE STAMPS DESCRIBED

AND ALSO
THIRTY SHEETS 0F PHOTOGRAVURE ILLUSTRATIONS.
(See page 152).

STANLEY GIBBONS, LIMITED,

39,, STRAND (Opposite uml cml), LONDON, W.C.
 CHAPTER XIV
OUR STOCK AND HOW IT IS ARRANGED

HAVE thought that a short account of our stock of postage

stamps may be of some interest to my readers, and I will
endeavour to make it as concise as possible.
When I took charge of the business in I890 I found that the
stock was so spread about that when we wanted a scarce
variety we had to search through a number of books. We had
remnants of thirty or forty collections, some of them in twenty
volumes : the used stamps were kept in a multitude of small
drawers just deep enough to hold a stamp placed on edge side—
ways ; the unused were in envelopes in alphabetical order.
After a very short time I decided that we must have our
stock kept in such order that at a moment’s notice a client could
have a large selection of any country he desired placed before
him for selection.
I engaged the services of some of the best experts of the day
to help in arranging these books and sorting and classing the
stamps correctly, and amongst those to whom my firm is much
indebted I must mention the late Mr. Gilbert Lockyer, the late
Mr. W. E. Jeff, the late Mr. Gordon Smith, Lieut. Napier, the
late Mr. S. C. Skipton, Mr. B. W. Warhurst, etc.
Our system of

STOCK BOOKS OF EACH COUNTRY

is well known to many clients, but for the information of those

who have not seen those books I will briefly describe them.
When we decide to rearrange a country we first gather to—
gether all the stock we have on hand of that country, wholesale
and retail. We then send this stock and the old book to one
of our experts, who sorts the stamps into a series of white
envelopes for unused stamps and blue envelopes for used
15|
I 52 ADVERTISEMENTS

NOW READY.
AFRICA—~PART III
Thirty Full-page Plates of Illustrations. Over 450 Large Pages of Reading Matter.

WE
have much pleasure in announcing that the Philatelic Society, London, has
entered into an arrangement with our firm by which we agree to publish
certain number of Handbooks that have been in preparation for a
for the Society a
considerable time.
The books will be issued as nearly as possible to match in size and appearance
the other publications of the Society.
The first book that we have published under this arrangement will be the
'
long-expected volume enlitled—
“ AFRICA—Part Ill "
The Colonies and Protectorates included in this book are—
‘
0il Rivers and Niger Coas Southern Nigeria.
'
Protectorate. Stellaland.
New Republic- Swazicland.
Northern Nigeria.
South Afric a n Rc p" bI'm .
Orange Free State.
- Transvaal.
Uran c R! or Colon y.
St, Iii/en; Uganda Protectorate.
1
Seychelles. % Zflfllibar
Sierra Leone. 1
Zululand.
As may be seen from this list, the work is one of the most important that the
J
Society has issued.
The work is edited by Mr. E. D. Bacon, and his collaborators were
Messrs.
W. D. Beckton, C. .l. Daun, T. W. Hall, A. de Reuterskiold, and
R. B. Yardley.
The full-sized plates are thirty in number, and some hundreds of illustrations are
dispersed throughout the text. _
The entire edition of the work consists of 750 copies ; of these about 300 will be
wanted for members of the Society and for other purposes, so that only about 450
will remain for sale.
Price £2 per copy, post-free £2 IS.
It will be advisable to orderearly, as similar publications by the Society have
soon been at a premium. We might mention that West Indies has sold at £4 and
North American Colonies at £5 55., and no copies of either are now on sale
anywhere. .

STANLEY GIBBONS, LIMITED,

391, STRAND (Opposite Hotel Cecil), LONDON, W.C.
 FIFTY YEARS OF PHILATELY I53

stamps; each envelope is numbered in the upper left-hand

corner with the current catalogue number.
The new stock book is then commenced; where we have
them in stock we put in unused blocks of four and two to three
rows of single stamps, and follow these by two rows of used
stamps. The best copies in stock are put in these books, and
it is from these books that we make our catalogue prices for
the ensuing year.
Before we compile a new catalogue we go carefully through
the stock of each country : where we note that last year we
had a fair number of stamps and that there has been a run on
such stamps, our stock being thereby much reduced, we raise
our prices somewhat ; on the contrary, if we find that during
a year we have sold practically no copies of a certain stamp,
that stamp comes down, and continues to do so each year until
we reach a price at which it sells.
By these means, which we have now employed for ten years,
we have been able to get at the real value of almost all stamps,
but my readers must bear in mind that our business is world
wide, om' demand is from all parts of the world, and the ex
perience of a dealer who makes a speciality—say of the London
marketwwould be totally different ; such a man might (and
often does) justly say that Gibbons’ prices, say for Chili, Peru,
etc., are too high and that he could not sell them unless he
practically gave them away, and from his point of view he
would be quite correct. He did nOt know the buyers in South
America, etc., for such goods, and had no outlet for them.
The stock books have been and are of the greatest use to really
serious buyers—such men get a choice of the finest goods in the
market, and to large buyers my firm is now making important
concessions.
We think it only right that the man who places large and
important orders in our hands should have the goods at the
lowest possible prices.
When our turnover was comparatively small our expenses
were heavy, but since the enlargement of our business we have
been enabled to increase our sales to such an extent that our
expenses are now much smaller in comparison with those of
former years.
I54 ADVERTISEMENTS

NEW ALBUM.

(Che IDEAL N0 MINOR l/ARIE TIES.

“hostage Etamp lebum

5:2.
This is a New
_
600 Pages.
and
Up-to-date
ize

d
Album for the I
9&X1111fl.—
GENERAL
COLLECTOR Royal 4to.

‘35

5200 FU LL-SIZE ILLUSTRATIONS printed from new set of cliche's

a

specially made for this Album.

PLENTY OF ROOM LEFT FOR NEW ISSUES. New issues ins

eluded up to February, 1906.

200 POSTAGE J‘TAMPJ, all different,

presented free with each Ideal Album.
On the inside of the front cover there permanent linen pocket for duplicates, and
is
a

in this pocket the above packet of Stamps will be placed in the first
4060 Ideal Albums.
(See page 56).
x

STANLEY GIBBONS, LIMITED,

3gr, STRAND (Opposite Hotel Cecil), LONDON, W.C.
 FIFTY YEARS OF PHILATELY I55

We are now aiming to do a much larger turnover, and we

“
are convinced that the finest business rule is small profits and
quick returns,” and an excellent maxim has it proved.
From this, our jubilee year, and onwards we shall allow the
following discounts on stamps ordered from the catalogues, or
selected from our approval books.
Small purchases under £10 at a time will be strictly net.
Purchasers of over
£Io and under £100 will get IO % discount.
£100 M £500 H 15 % n
£500 will have 20 % discount.

Many regular, almost daily, clients buy a pretty large amount

during a year, and such regular clients can be dealt with on a
basis of their yearly purchases on the following scale :—
Buyers during a year
Of under £100, no discount.
Of over £100 and under £200, IO % discount.
,, £200 ,, £500,15% ,.
,, £500, 20 %vdisc0unt.
These allowances only apply to our general stock in stock
books and not to special collections, the terms of which may
vary according to conditions of purchase.
By this scheme the big buyer will have the choice of the
oldest, largest, and most complete stock in the world, and be
able to obtain the very large rebate of one-fifth from all that
he buys.
Well, all this has arisen out of notes on our stock books;
they are important, and I wish collectors to know our ideas,
and to avail themselves of opportunities such as no other firm
can place before them.
I
Now must proceed to describe other portions of our stock,
especially that branch where we mostly come in touch with
young collectors. I do not mean young in years, but young
in our hobby.
I refer to the
APPROVAL SHEET DEPARTMENT
This is an important branch of our business, and one to
which we give much attention.
 ‘
I56
'
ADVERTISEMENTS

THE IDEAL ALBUM

USXOPEN-KGQ

"m BRITISH cvny_

FOR some years past we have had a great demand for a simple Album, fully illus
trated, with a square for each Stamp, and omitting all minor varieties, and we trust
that collectors and the trade will be pleased with this our latest production.
It is essential that an Album of this description should be in one volume, and in
order to make this possible we have had to print it upon both sides of the paper and
to rigidly cut down varieties.
With the aim before us of producing a book to suit the great bulk of general
collectors, we have, after much consideration, decided to limit THE IDEAL ALBUM
to the Postage Stamp: of [he World, and to omit all such varieties as Postal Fiscals,
Official or Service Stamps, Postage Due or Unpaid Letter Stamps, etc. etc.
This Album is arranged .rlriel/y alphabetirally—thus Vathy will be found under
the V’s and not in French Consular Offices, Aitutaki under the A's and not after New
Zealand, etc. etc.

1D. L—On extra :taul paper, :trongly bound in clot/z, artislz'ea/ly designed
rover in arsorled ea/aurr, sprinkled edger, gold letlered on back, 600 pager.

Price, 10/- each; post-free, 10/9; abroad, 11/6l

1D. 1[.—A: larl, bu! z'm'erlea'l/ed to prevent any chance of
Stamps rubaing, and in superinr and stronger binding.

Price, 15/- each; post-free, 16/-; abroad, 11/i_

STANLEY GIBBONS, LIMITED,

391, STRAND (Opposite Hotel Cecil), LONDON, W.C.
 FIFTY YEARS OF PHILATELY 157

The stamps are arranged on sheets holding ten rows of ten

stamps, that one hundred stamps to a sheet from sixty to

is,

;
one hundred of each sheet are made up at time, and the

a
stamps are all arranged in exact catalogue order. For instance,
“ ”
sheet contains stamps of Great Britain and Antigua;
B A

“ ”
sheet contains Barbados, Bangkok, Bahamas, and Ber—
muda and so on.
;

In our stock we have over sixty different sheets, so collector

a
who goes through them will have had the chance to buy six
thousand different stamps, by no means a bad start for

a
pretty good collection.
No collector ever has the same sheet sent to him twice, as
by means of card index system we keep an exact record of
a

which sheet collector has had, and to test this once turned
a

I
up our old booksand found which sheets had when was a

I
boy at school in Birmingham. I
We always keep a duplicate sheet of each one sent out, and
there any changing of stamps at once detected.
it
is
is
if

No stamp goes on these sheets unless we have upwards of

two hundred in stock, and on such sheets made up of stamps
that we have in quantities we allow on
i
British Colonials '
IO dlscount'
O
A)

Foreign Countries
i

Now the next step that of the collector who has been through
is

these sheets and wants something better, and this we provide

by selection of
a

BLUE APPROVAL BOOKS

Of these books we have some thousands most of the books
;

contain stamps of one or two countries, both used and unused,

and these books that we use mostly for our foreign ap
it
is

proval business.
We have a further lot of blue approval books of mixed
one book may have stamps in priced from Id. to 4d.
it

stamps
,'

each, another book stamps from 6d. to 55., and other books
stamps up to 40s. each. We are, however, not extending this
branch of the business, as we find that collectors much prefer
to receive selections of stampszproperly arranged and classed.
“ ”
Discounts on the blue books same as on approval sheets.
 I 58 ADVERTISEMENTS

Testimonials from Album B uyers

THE following are a few recent testimonials sent
i a in by recent buyers of various
albums :—-
IMPROVED N0. 0.
“J. P.,” WEST NORWOOD.
“A friend of mine ha one, and directly I saw it I offered to buy it; but he would not sell

it,
so
please send one."
“E. A. T.,” (IAMPOLE, CEYLON.
“The Improved Postage Stamp Album, together with the packet of stamps, reached me quite
safe. It is fuIly worth the amount, viz. 15., paid for it. wonder how you can sell so cheap as that,

I
for received it friend of mine saw rs. 50 cts. (equal to ros. 4d.) for it.”

it,
and offered
a
I

7
when
“F. E. R. L.," TRINIDAD.
“Your album the best have seen for even 25., so indeed cheap for rs."
is

it
is
I

“W. J. E. B.,” NEWCASTLE, NATAL.

“Your N o. 0 Album to hand, with thanks. must again compliment you on its excellence, as

I
I
can_out here sell for at least 35., and the stamps for another 9d. or so. will take an early oppor
it

I
tumty of sending for half a dozen.’
“R. D.,” EVAN’S CITY, PA., U.S.A.
“Please find enclosed 35 c. for one Improved Stamp Album and 50 stamps. have a friend who

I
has one, and said that he would not take dollar for it.”
a

“C. J. C.,” CHICHESTER.

“ The rs. Stamp Album received this morning has want you to send
given such satisfaction that

I
another for my younger boy, who won't be satisfied until he gets it.”

“P. K. R.,” HACKNEY DOWNS.

“ Lastweek saw an advertisement of yours, viz. a Stamp Album and fifty stamps for rs. Out
I

of curiosity wrote to you, wishing to see what was. was agreeably surprised to find a most
it
I

marvellous shilling's worth, well worth treble the money, and shall always recommend this publication
to my young friends. You are at liberty to make any use of this letter you think fit."

CENTURY ALBUM.
“O. and 5.,” ST. HELIER'S, JERSEY.
“We beg to acknowledge . . and the Edition de Luxe Century Album. Please accept our
.

compliments on having produced so exquisite a work at so low a price."

“THE Rev. J. A. D—D.,” FORRES, MORAYSHIRE,

“Has over the Century Album, and considers
looked the best album for a beginner he has
it

seen. ' Whatever the great Philatelists may say, beginners do find assistance in arranging their stamps,
as the ‘Century’ just gives the assistance required. It a capital Philatelic Incubator,’ and ought
‘
is

to generate a race of good Philatelists for the opening century."

“A. S. J.," CHEETHAM, MANCHESTER.

“ have just finished putting my collection of stamps into your Century Postage Stamp Album, and
I

am pleased to say they look very well indeed."

BRITISH AFRICA ALBUM.

“W. J. C—H.,” PIETERMARITZBURG, NATAL.
“I see you have adopted my suggestion for a South African edition. have just got mine, and
I

like very much indeed. They ought to sell well."

it

“Mrs. C. M. C.,” GRANGE-OVER—SANDS.

“I think the B. A. Album the nicest have seen—having so many extra blank leaves such an
is
is

advantage, and the binding charming."

is

STANLEY GIBBONS, LIMITED,

39:, STRAND (Opposite Hotel Cecil), LONDON, W.C.
 FIFTY YEARS OF PHILATELY 159

The value of these cheap approval selections sent out on

sheets and in small books now amounts to over 1£1000 daily.
So much for approval books, sheets, and stock books ; now
I must proceed to describe how we keep our loose stock.
First of all there is the
CATALOGUE ORDER DEPARTMENT
This is where we execute all the orders sent in from our
catalogues. In the winter season it takes six clerks all their
time to keep pace with orders from the current catalogue.
We have in use a perfect system—everything is arranged by
numbers. The stamps are all numbered in the catalogue, and
the stock is all numbered to agree with the last catalogue. The
unused retail stock is kept in white envelopes, the used in blue
-
envelopes.
These envelopes are kept in boxes holding about two hundred
filled envelopes, and the several hundred boxes, representing a
valuable stock, are every evening placed in a large Milner’s safe.
All that a client who has our last catalogue has to do is to
quote the name of country, the number of the stamp, and say
if wanted unused or used.
THE WHOLESALE DEPARTMENT
The stamps of which we have under five hundred of a kind
are kept in unfolded sheets in large envelopes, and the enve
lopes are kept in a nest of about two hundred and fifty drawers,
each having a heavy piece of tin at the top to keep the stamps
flat.
Stamps of which we have large stocks are kept in safes in
our strong-rooms.
During the past few years we have found our retail business
has increased so rapidly that we have neglected the wholesale,
in which the profit is now very small, and we only publish a
wholesale list for the trade about once a year.

SETS AND PACKET DEPARTMENT

This is a branch to which we give a great deal ofattention.
Our listlof sets is by far the largest in the trade, and at the
present moment we carry a stock of more than two thousand
diflerent sets. The sets are made up of more or less surplus
 I60 , ADVERTISEMENTS

IMPERIAL ALBUMS.
- “G. J. I'I.,” JOI'IANNESBURG.
“ Enoughcannot be said about these books, for they are superb, and I am very pleased and satisfied
with them for the description given about stamps; and accept my congratulations on the binding and
finish of these books, for I do not think they could be better."

“G. P. 5.," GLASGOW.

“I
am more than leased with your lovely Imperial Albums, and spend many a pleasant hour with
them. Once I am we] started I Will send for your sheets of countries, as they are the most perfect I
have ever seen, and so well arranged."

“C. .,” WOLVERHAMPTON.

“Ihave lately bought your two Imperial Albums, and cannot speak too highly about them. _They
give such an amount of information that it makes stamp collecting a delightful study and occupation."

..‘P. 5, w_," 'rrrcrlFlBLD, HANTS.

“I
should like to say that I have purchased your Imperial Stamp Album, and am exceedingly
pleased with it. It is most useful for information alone, besides being handsomely got up.”
" L. o. 0.," Epsom, AUCKLAND, N.Z.
“I
have received through Messrs. Wilcox, Smith, and Co. volumes I. and II. of your latest ‘Im
perials,’ and must express myself extremely pleased with them in every way. The new_ arrangement of
I
dividing them is a step which highly approve of."

“M. T.,” WEST NORWOOD.

; :‘I collect in your Imperial Album, and I wish to say here that it is unequalled anywhere, in my
opinion.”
'
“Major B. 5.,” LAHINCH, Co. CLARE.
“I
received the stamp books, and am very pleased with them. The arrangement, I think, could
not be better, so I hope to get the other two volumes when they come out."

“ P. M. M.," EDINBURGH.
“I am extremely pleased with the Imperial Album, and think it is very well arranged."

“A. F. 8.," GOVERNOR-GENERAL’S OFFICE, CANADA.

“ I
have great pleasure in telling you that_I am very pleased with the books. They are far superior
”
to any Yankee albums, that cost two or three times as much

“A. R. B.,”VSANDYMOUNT, C0. DUBLIN.

“ I I
it,

am very much pleased with your album ; so far as have examined appears about the most
it

perfect album have ever seen.”

I

“J. W.,” UNIVERSITY STREET, BELFAST.

“ Many thanks for album No. one of the most magnificent have ever seen, and the new
9,

is
it

arrangement could not be better."

“ W. A. A.,” MELDON TERRACE, NEWCASTLE-ON-TYNE.

“ The
album arrived all safe, and my little boy perfectly delighted with it. The book certainly
is

is

splendid value, and makes an excellent birthday present .for a boy. The approval sheet arrived also,
and am highly pleased with the appearance of the specimens."
I

“ W. Y. B. 8.," NEWTON ABBOT.

“I
have this day received your Imperial Stamp Album, and can safely say that am highly
I

pleased with the same in every way.”

“G. C.,” DUNEDIN, NEW ZEALAND.

“
must add to the number of testimonials as to the excellence of your Imperial Stamp Album;
I

invaluable to young collector. may add that have induced several to take your album, and
is
it

haVe shown mine to several old collectors, who find they have nearly to start over again. Stanley
Gibbons a household word here."
is

STANLEY GIBBONS, LIMITED,

391, STRAND (Opposite I-Iotel Cecil), LONDON, W.C.
 FIFTY YEARS OF PHILATELY 161

stock, which we are able to offer at big discounts on catalogue

prices, and beginners will, I think, find sets an advantageous
method of buying.
OUR PACKETS
Are known'wherever stamps are collected, and from the im
mense numbers of repeat orders and letters of thanks that we
receive they must be well liked everywhere.
We have packets to suit all purses, packets at 6d. each, and
packets up to £14. each, always in stock.
The number of packets that passed through our hands last
year was but little short of thirty thousand, and at a rough
estimate they must have contained fully six million stamps,
equal to about twelve large sacks packed full—truly a colossal
number.
The stamps for all our packets are carefully selected, and
torn and heavily cancelled ones are always rejected.
The small packets have the stamps put loose in them ; but
packets containing five hundred stamps each and upwards have
all the stamps carefully mounted on thin sheets of paper in
alphabetical order, and this greatly facilitates their removal
to collections.
I presume I need hardly say that every stamp included in
our packets is fully guaranteed genuine.
We do not include such things as reprints, bogies, locals, cut
cards, etc., such as figure in such large quantities in cheap
packets coming from certain places on the Continent.
 '

162 ADVERTISEMENTS

IMPERIAL ALBUMS—continued.
“E. G.,” HYLTON R.S.O., DURHAM.
“I am delighted with the Imperial Postage Stamp Album which I received a few months ago. It
has greatly increased my philatelic knowlege.”

“Capt. T. B.,” LIMERICK.

“ I
have much pleasure in acknowledging receipt of Imperial Stamp Album. The volumes are
real works of art, and are well worth £5. The binding, paper and printing are of the best, and I find
no difficulty in finding the proper place for each stamp.”

“ W. A.,” HONG KONG.

_“I am -very pleased to say the albums reached me in splendid order. They arrived by last French
Mall. They are the best I have seen, and are well worth the £5, which I think is very cheap."
‘
H e. H. RICHMOND, SURREY.
“ I have received your Imperial Stamp Album, and it has greatly exceeded my expecta
_ Postage
tions.”
“R. E. H.,” KlNCARDINE-ON-FORTH, N.B.
. “I am greatly plea=ed with the album (Imperial No. 8), which I confess surpasses my most san
guine expectations in the perfection of its method and arrangement."

PHILATELIC ALBUMS.
The BOMBAY PHILATELIC C0. write:
“ The by parcel post came to hand They are really nice ; the
Philatelic Albums forwarded "
safely.
customer for whom they were procured is well satisfied with them.

“H. M. T.,” H.B.M. CONSULATE-GENERAL, MESHED, PERSIA.

“I bought two of your Philatelic Albums, large size, and have put my collection of 5500 in, and
write to tell you that I am very pleased with the albums."

A prominent collector and well-known philatelic writer of the United States writes :—
“ Gentlemen,-—The two albums which you shipped me some time last month arrived in good con
dition yesterday, and I
was very glad to receive them.
.“I have used these albums for several years, and have now eight of them. Furthermore, I
consider them the best album in existence, with the possible exception of your sunken mount album of
the same kind. .
“ Heretofore have obtained
I _
themfrom the . . . but the last one that received from them wasI
entirely different from those that I
had been accustomed to receive, inasmuch as the title was changed
to . . . the border around the page was different, having no frame, and the pages themselves are of a
much inferior quality. The linen hinges were completely covered with the paste, so that there was no
pliability, and they were about as stiff as the uncut pages would have been.
“ Besides this, the pages were evidently put into the binder before the paste had dried, and, as a
consequence, almost every page was stuck to its neighbour and badly warped.
“ For the above reasons decided to order directly from you in future, and be sure of receiving a
I
first-class book. I
have mentioned these facts thinking that it might be for your interest to know them,
but I prefer that you will not use my name in the matter.”

..ORIEL ALBUMS.
“ E. W.,” NEW YORK, writes:—
“I think it is the best and neatcst album of any I ever saw."

E. B. P. CRANFORD, NJ.
“The best selling Blank Album in America—a book that is not beaten by anything on the
market."

STANLEY GIBBONS, LIMITED,

391, STRAND (Opposite Hotel Cecil), LONDON, \V.C.
 CHAPTER XV

OUR REFERENCE COLLECTION OF REPRINTS, FORGERIES,

PHOTOGRAPHS, POSTMARKS, BOOKS, ETC.

ROM early days in the history of our firm its chiefs have
recognized the necessity of having on hand for ready
reference all kinds of material that would be of use to assist
in detecting forgeries, reprints, etc.; and during the past ten
years I have given a good deal of time to the formation of such
collections, which I estimate have cost us close on three thousand
pounds. But in these collections we have a mass of material
possessed by no other firm, which we find of the greatest value
in assisting us in our expert work, and in keeping our stock free
from forgeries, fakes, reprints, etc.
I
In this connexion I think may venture to say that the
Philatelic Society, London, has for the past three years recog—
nized the value of our reference collections, for

THE EXPERT COMMITTEE

of that Society (consisting of Messrs. Bacon, Castle, Ehrenbach,

Hausburg, and Yardley) meet once a fortnight at 391 Strand
to examine stamps sent in for their opinion during the pre—
ceding two weeks.
The reference collection of stamps, etc., is now being re
arranged in Oriel Albums, of which at present twenty-three
volumes have been filled. When all our loose material is
mounted Iestimate that we shall have at least forty volumes ;
and I value this collection so highly that I have recently pur—
chased one of Milner’s best fireproof safes, specially built to my
order, to contain it.
The material in this collection is arranged in the exact order
followed by our priced catalogues, and the stamps, etc., of any
country can be referred to in a moment.
I63
 I64 ADVERTISEMENTS

What Buyers say about our Priced Catalogues.

_—_~—__

“H. C. H. 5.,” VWINNIPEO, CANADA.

“Your is very popular with collectors in Western Canada.
new Catalogue The notes which are
so liberally distributed throughout the book are of great assistance, and the prices compare very
favourably with those of your competitors."
' ’ ' '

I! ~

“MEKEEL’S STAMP COLLECTOR."

“ ‘ Gibbons' is a book that should be in the library of every stamp collector in the United States.
Let a collector‘once get hold of a ‘ Gibbons' and‘he will ever after swear by it."

“ It
“0. H. J.,”_ LLANDUDNO. _ G _
is a most excellent production, and reflects great credit upon your firm.”

“H. W. W.,” CHICAGO, U.S.A.

'
“I cannot speak too highly of the new Catalogue. It is so complete, so clear, that it is a credit to
you in every way."

“COLLECTOR,” LILLE, FRANCE, writes:—

“I have your Catalogues,
received Vols. I. and II., and I find them much better than their
predecessors. The prices of French stamps, with some rare exceptions, are absolutely exact, and even
in France one could not obtain fine copies at less prices retail."

“Lieut. F. n. N.,” PBCKHAM, writes:—

“I spent all yesterday
in a close study of the new Catalogue and comparison of prices, and con
gratulate you on a very good piece of work. The book as a Catalogue is a great improvement on the
last edition, and as a priced list I am glad to see you have made an all-round reduction of used stamps.”

Extract from the Reports of the “BERLINER PHILATELISTENCLUB."

(No. 127, 9th February, p. 8.)
“ The chief interest centres naturally in the prices. These prices are the net selling prices of the firm,
and as such they deserve far greater appreciation than the prices estimated in other catalogues."

“O. C. A.,” MASKELIYA, CEYLON.

“I have duly received Vol. I. of new Catalogue. I quite agree with all you write re unissued
varieties. . . . N o matter what your rivals may say,§there is no doubt“ that yours is the standard
" ' A -
Catalogue. '

“R. C.,” STRABANE, Co. TYRONE.

“I
beg to acknowledge receipt of your two Catalogues, with which I
am thoroughly pleased. They
are certainly works of art, a credit to your firm, and invaluable to stamp collectors."

“A. E. T.," PHILADELPHIA.

“I
it,

have gone over your new Catalogue, and am very much pleased with believing that the prices
given are in nearly every case the actual value of the stamps to-day. For completeness and appearance
do not think could be excelled, and am sure that your edition priced in United States money will
it

I
I

meet with a large sale." ,

STANLEY GIBBONS, LIMITED,

39!, STRAND (Opposite Hotel Cecil), LONDON, W.C.
 FIFTY YEARS OF PHILATELY 165

The scope of the collection is somewhat as follows :—

Reprints.—These are very complete, but few known reprints

being lacking. I collect reprints in singles in all varieties, and
where I can obtain them, in entire sheets or in blocks of four.
A block is often useful, the difference in the margin of a stamp
being often almost essential in determining its character, e.g.
old Wurtemberg stamps.
In reprints I also collect as a separate set those having forged
postmarks, such as are so common in Heligoland.

Forgeries.—Our collection of these is very complete, and is

kept as up-to-date as possible ; and I am always anxious to
secure new and dangerous fakes of all kinds, and willing to pay
a fair price for any that are likely to deceive stamp collectors.
Forged stamps can be classed into two broad groups, the one
—and by far the smaller—being composed of forgeries made to
deceive the authorities, such as are rather common in early
issues of Austria, Spain, etc.
The larger group by far is that of forgeries made to deCeive
stamp collectors, and these are to be subdivided into a good
many classes, of which I will briefly note a few :—
First, there is the forgery out-and-out, the whole stamp
imitated, and often the postmark, perforation, and sometimes,
though rarely, the watermark.
Secondly, and becoming rather common, is the penmarked
fiscally used stamp, with the penmarks removed and the stamps
offered as unused. This is very frequently done with such
stamps as the £2, £5, and £10 British South Africa, etc.
Thirdly, removing the word SPECIMEN, and offering the
stamp as unused, or by applying a forged postmark as a
genuine used copy.
Fourthly, forgeries of a surcharge on a genuine stamp. This
(is much in vogue with the Paris forgery-monger, and is a trick
not unknown in London. Surcharges that are frequently
forged in this manner are those of the rarer British Officials,
French Colonials, etc., and none of these should be purchased
except from experts.
F ifthly, forged perforations, made from unperforated copies,
r66 _ ADVERTISEMENTS

REVIEWS
OF THE PRICED CATALOGUES.

First and foremost, the opinion of the editor of the “ London Philatelist” carries weight
all over the world. Mr. M. P. Castle, the able editor of this journal, is so well known
as one of the foremost of the authorities of the day on all branches of our interesting
hobby, that his opinion cannot but be received with a very great amount of respect; he
says :—

“ No wonder can be excited at the delay that has taken place, but rather the reverse, that so great
a task could have been accomplished since the comparatively recent period when Messrs. Stanley
Gibbons wisely decided to discard all their previous ideas of a catalogue, and to bring their firm
well abreast of the times.
" . . . This result—of a really excellent catalogue and a reliable price list—has not been achieved
without an enormous expenditure of time and mone y. —— —— and — -—— have devoted an
immense amount of time towards securing accuracy in the several portions entrusted to their care, and
in many cases the lists denote that thorough and minute acquaintance with the stamps that can only be
acquired by long and patient specialized study. . . . We understand that the pricing of the varieties —
a task only inferior in difficulty to the cataloguing—has been executed by the firm itself, after frequent
consultation with ‘those who know,’ and we have no hesitation in saying that the prices of Messrs.
Stanley Gibbons' New Catalogue form the truest and fairest criterion of philatelic market values that
has hitherto appeared. We have made allusion elsewhere to the subject, and can only here congratulate
the publishers upon their generally accurate appraisement of values.

“. . . It is an honest, genuine, and excellent ratalogue; its publication is a distinct gain to the
cause of philately, and all the vast array of English and Colonial collectors will unite with us in wish
”
ing it and its publishers the success that they have striven so hard to achieve.

“The Philatelic Record

” also has a favourable review of the same work,
which states:—

“The classification appears to us to be all that can be desired, and Stanley Gibbons have been
fortunate in securing the aid of Major Evans in the compilation, as he has had singular experience in
this kind of work, which makes great demands on the patience and accuracy of the compiler. . . .
The catalogue is a marvel of perspicuity and clearness, and the printer must also be complimented
on his portion of the work. No English-speaking collector can afford to be without
it,

is

for
it

the
most complete catalogue of its kind that has yet been produced in England. The amount of informa
tion contained in so small a compass can only be credited by close examination. It perfectly useless
is

to our readers, for we are convinced that not one of them will fail to judge for
it

to recommend
himself."
(Continued on page 168).

STANLEY GIBBONS, LIMITED.

391, STRAND (Opposite Hotel Cecil), LONDON, W.C.“
 FIFTY YEARS OF PHILATELY 167

or from common perforated stamps with extra large margins,

etc;
Now in our reference collection I have collected material that
helps us in exposing all these classes of frauds.

Photographs—An important branch of these collections con

sists of our photographs, and this is a portion that is being
largely extended since my son Frank Phillips (who is an expert
photographer) joined the firm.
I now make a rule of keeping a photograph of any really rare
stamp that passes through our hands, all being in the exact
size of the stamp. In this section I have reproductions of
most of the rare Confederate Locals, U.S. Postmasters’ stamps,
and numerous other rarities that no firm can have in stock at
all times, and which might not be on hand when wanted for
‘
comparison.
Books—The firm’s collection of stamp literature is very im
portant, and is pretty complete mall the standard works in
English, French, German, and Spanish. The old catalogues
are exceptionallylcomplete and very valuable. Many years
ago we were luckily able to- purchase the philatelic library of
Dr. Gray (of the British Museum), and only last year we bought
more than half of judge Philbrick’s stamp books, and have
obtained many rare works from American and other sources.
In concluding these short notes-on our reference collections,
I wish to state that my firm has formed them, not only for its
own use, but for the use of stamp students in general, and we
shall at all times be willing and pleased to allow any real phila
telist access to our collections for the purposes of study or
comparison, when he may wish to clear up any doubtful points
in which these collections may be of use to him.
 168 ADVERTISEMENTS

REVIEWS OF THE PRICED CATALOGUES—continued.‘_

The “ Berliner Briefmarken Zeitung,” in its issue of 22 September, states :—

“At last the long-waited-for catalogue has appeared. It is indeed the most complete, and
especially with reference to prices, the most reliable catalogue that has, up to the present, appeared."

Among private letters and orders received, the following few, picked out of many scores, may be
received with a certain amount of interest for various reasons :—

M‘r. G. F. RAPKIN writes:—

“ Accept my congratulations on having got through your catalogue. You are to be complimented _o_p
such a multum inparvo volume. The worry must have been great, but you will be compensated in
the magnificent return it will make. The flutter in the trade is astonishing."

Monsieur F., PARIS, writes:—

“I have this morning received your catalogue, and I beg you to accept all my congratulations on
this work, which has been well grasped, is very clear, and the work of a master hand. At the same
contained in affording reliable guide for

it,
time, accept my congratulations upon the information

a
"
collectors.

Mr. ‘H. C. D., of IRELAND, writes:—

“I think great work, an excellent new departure, and marvellous that you can produce

it it
it
a

at the price. To praise would be an impertinence. Those who see will be difficult to please if
it

does not fully meet their requirements. it

It should also prove a greatlinduccment to collectors to extend
their collections, and to look more carefully into details."

Mr. 0. W. T., of CAMBLFORD, writes:—

“ It splendid work, and leaves Scott's miles behind. Hope you will have big sale, as is far
is

it
a

and away the multum in pan/o of catalogues.”

STANLEY GIBBONS, LIMITED,

391, STRAND (Opposite Hotel Cecil), LONDON, W.C.
 CHAPTER XVI
OUR STAFF

HISTORY of our firm would not be complete without

mention of the loyal body of employees who have done
‘
so much to make this firm a success.
The officers are as follows :—
Clmirrnan and Managing Director .
Mr. Charles Phillips. (See Chap. V.)
Assistant Manager :
Mr. William H. Phillips. (See below.)
Directors :
Mr. G. Hamilton-Smith. (See Chap. IX.
Mr. S. E. Gwyer. (See Chap. X.)
Mr. D. W. Glendining. (See Chap. X.)
Mr. W. P. Barnsdall. (See page 173.)
Literary Editor .'
Major E. B. Evans, R.A. (See Chap. XII.)
Editor Gibbons Stamp Weekly :
Mr. E. Nankivell. (See Chap. XII.)
Short details of the history of some of the above gentlemen
have been given in earlier chapters, so here I have only to
mention Mr. W. H. Phillips and Mr. W. P. Barnsdall.
Mr. William Henry Phillips is my only brother, and was born
in Cherry Street, Birmingham, on I5 September, I864. He
was educated partly at Castle Bromwich School, and later on
was for some years at King Edward VI’s Grammar School, in
New Street, Birmingham.
After leaving school he entered the employ of Mr. W. H.
Thornbery, consultingjengineer, Birmingham, as mechanical
draughtsman, and remained there from September, 1881, to
February, I883. In March, I883, he entered the employ of
the Birmingham Mach nists Company, and remained there until
169
 I70 ADVERTISEMENTS

TERMS FOR
Examination of Stamps
OWING to the great number of forgeries which are being
offered for sale by unscrupulous persons, a great portion
of our time is being taken up with the expert examination
of surcharges, cancellations, perforations, added margins,
and the score of other tricks that are beingr used by the
faking fraternity.
As this examination can be done only by experts,
Whose time is valuable, we have found it necessary to
1ncrease our charges, which in future will be as follows :—

ONE SHILLING
P E R S T A M P.
Postage and Registration extra.
Where special knowledge is required in exceptional
cases, eg. such as examination of U.S. grilles or of Italian
postmarks, sufficient time must be allowed for sending
such stamps to the recognized experts abroad.
The stamps should be sent
lightly fastened on sheets,
with sufficient space above every stamp for the insertion
of the desired information. The following abbreviations
are used in giving an opinion :—
“ B.” = Bogus, Le. never existed.
“ F.” = Forgery.
“ G.” = Genuine.
“ (i.F.” = Stamp Genuine, surcharge Forged.
“ R.” = Reprint.
“ W. ” = Watermark.

STANLEY GIBBONS, LIMITED,

391, STRAND (Opposite Hotel Cecil), LONDON, W.C.
 FIFTY YEARS OF PHILATELY I7I
the middle of the year I885, when he joined Messrs. Thomas
Astbury 8: Son, of the Smethwick Foundry, as draughtsman
and estimating clerk. In I889 he again joined the Birmingham

W. H. PHILLIPS

Machinists Company as works manager, and left there to re

move to London and join our firm in April, I891.
In 1895 Mr. W. H. Phillips was appointed a Director of the
Company, a position he holds at the present time. He has
charge of a large portion of the correspondence, entire charge
of the cash and banking department, and in my absence acts
as general manager of the head ofiice.
 I72 ADVERTISEMENTS

Collections for Sale.

We constantly have in our hands specialized collections
of one or more countries, which we are prepared to
turn over at a small commission. n a a 1.1 n a a
The following are now on sale and are offered at very
advantageous prices, varying from 30 to 60 per cent. less

than the Stamps would cost if bought separately. a 1.1

Italian States.
The finest and most complete known collection of these
stamps, formed during many years by a collector of Venice.
The collection comprises Parma, Modena, Naples, Tuscany,
Romagna, Roman States, Italy, etc. etc., and includes unused
stamps in singles, blocks, panes, and sheets, and used in extra
ordinary richness in singles, pairs, and strips, with every variety
of postmark and a great profusion of rare and unique errors.
As showing in a small degree the great strength of this superb
collection, we might mention that it contains no less than three
superb unused and five used copies of the rare 3 lire Tuscany.
The whole collection is offered as a bargain for £2800.

North Borneo.
_ The finest known specialized collection of this country,
including a large number of unique Proofs, Essays, and Colour
Trials, and many unchronicled errors and rarities in the early
'
issues. Price £340.

STANLEY GIBBONS, LIMITED,

391, STRAND (Opposite Hotel Cecil), LONDON, W.C.
 FIFTY IY EARS ‘OF. PHILATELY 173.

Mr. William Percy Barnsdall was born in South London on

8 March, I867, educated at Thanet College, Margate, and King’s,
College, London. Matriculated at London University and
passed the "Intermediate Examination for the B.Sc. degree.

W'. P. BARNSDALL

After leaving school he was engaged first at a Greek merchant’s

office, and later as manager of a French import and export
house. In I891, on his father meeting with an accident, he
joined him in business in the wholesale hosiery trade, ‘and as “a
side issue took up accountancy, which‘gradually absorbed the
greater part ,of his time.“ He was appointed Secrerary of our
174 ADVERTISEMENTS

Collections for Sale—continued.

Uganda.
A unique collection of the quaint old missionary type-written
stamps of this territory, including the only known entire sheet
of these typewritten stamps. Catalogue price over £2000,
offered as a bargain in one lot for £1250.

British Colonials.
A unique collection of Proofs and Colour Trials of the
British Colonies, including a very large number of varieties that
have never been chronicled, and of hitherto unknown types;
over 1500 stamps. Price £1050.

Afghanistan.
A superb collection of thirty plates of these quaint old
stamps, manufactured in Cabul by the natives. Some of the
plates are uncut and some are reconstructed. Catalogue price
over £800, offered as a bargain for £475.

Dominican Republic.
The finest and most complete collection of these stamps in
existence. The stamps of 1865 all plated and many in duplicate.
In the issues of 1866 to 1874 there are many full sheets and
nearly all the varieties. The issues of 1880 and 1883 have been
thoroughly worked out and most values plated, showing the
correct position of the errors and varieties. Latter issues very
complete and with many unchronicled errors. A great bargain
at £1150.

STANLEY GIBBONS, LIMITED,

391, STRAND (Opposite Hotel Cecil), LONDON, W.C.
 FIFTY YEARS OF PHILATELY .
175

Company on its enlargement in 1898, and in January, 1900, the

whole of his services were engaged. He was appointed one of
the Directors of the firm in February, 1905, a position he still
holds.
Mr. Barnsdall is chief of the permanent literary staff, and
prepares the numerous albums and catalogues published by
the firm.
Mr. T. Fletcher Fullard, M.A., is head of the Foreign Corre
spondence Department, and is a linguist of great ability, having
a thorough knowledge of—and being able to correspond in—
F rench,_ German, Italian, Spanish, and Portuguese, besides
having a fair knowledge of Dutch, Russian, and modern Greek.
Mr. Fullard was born at Birkenhead and educated at King
Edward VI’s Grammar School, Norwich, Exeter College, Ox
ford, and Gottingen University, and took his MA. degree in
I888. From I892 to end of I894 he acted as private secretary
to the Hon. Andrew D. White, the American Minister at St.
Petersburg, and travelled extensively with him in the Russian
Empire and on the Continent.
In June, 1895, Mr. Fullard joined our firm as senior foreign
correspondent.
Mr. Norman Thornton is chief assistant to Mr. Barnsdall in
literary work on albums, catalogues, etc., and makes up most
of the American stock books, and is one of the most willing and
able workers of the younger generation.
Mr. Stanley Mann is assistant manager and book-keeper at
the City Branch; he also arranges the City stock books, and
is rapidly obtaining a good knowledge of our business, in which
he takes a keen and intelligent interest.
Mr. Frank Phillips is my elder son, and joined the firm only
a year and a half ago. He has been three years abroad to com
plete his education, and has a thorough knowledge of French
and German. At present he is going through each department
of the business, so that he may learn it in every branch. He
is an expert photographer, and prepares a large number of
photographs and enlargements, etc., for our reference collec
tion, as well as taking all the photographs for the Expert
Committee of the Philatelic Society, London.
 ADVERTISEMENTS

Sumner GIBBens, hintirrzn,

NEW ANNOUNCEMENTS
ANNUAL SALE OVER THIRTY THOUSAND PACKETS.

NOW READY, THE FOLLOWING POPULAR SERIES OF

PACKETS OF FOREIGN POSTAGE STAMPS.

A II the S tam): contained in thefillowingPukelr an warranted adsolutzly genuin:
- frzz from reprints. They are aim in good candih'an andjnfzct.
These Packets cannot be sent by book post to Postal Union Countries. The cost by
letter rate is 21rd. for every 100 Stamps. The amount required for postage can
therefore be reckoned, and should be added when remitting.

New AND IMPROVED PACKETS OF Usso at Unusso STAMPS.

No. l.—The Sixpenny Packet of Mixed Continental Stamps contains mo, in
cluding many obsolete and rare. (This packet contains duplicates.) Post-free, 7d.
'No. 2.—The Sixpenny Packet of Used Foreign Stamps contains 50 varieties
all difl'erent, including Egypt, Spain, Chili, New South Wales, Transvaal, Roumania
Porto Argentine, Sweden, Brazil, Turkey, Hoi-hao, French Congo, 810. Post
free, 7fico,
.
No. 3.—The Sixpenny Packet of Used Colonial Stamps contains ra varieties,
'
including Natal, Ceylon, India H.M.S., C ape of Good Hope, British Guiana,
Mauritius, Tasmania, New South Wales Service, Victoria, Janaica, South Australia,
New Zealand, &c. All difl'erent. Post-free, 7d.
No. 4.—The Shilling Packet of Used and Unused Foreign Stamps contains
50 varieties,including French Soudan, Spain, Bulgaria, Portugal, Southern Nigeria,
Italy, Turkey,‘ Finland, Brazil, Roumania, Portugal, Argentine Republic, Ecuador,
Salvador, Greece, Mexico, Shanghai, Philippine Isles, Japan, and others rare. All
difigrent, and warranted genuine. Post-free, r/z.
'No. 6.—Tbe Shilling Packet of Colonial Stamps contains 15 varieties, including
cy'prus, Natal, Jamaica, India, Victoria M. rose, surcharged Ceylon, Straits Settle
me'nts, India Service, Queensland, Hong Kong, Barbados, Western Australia, South
Australia, Centennial New South Wales, Mauritius, Malta, and others rare. All
different, and warranted genuine. Post-free, r/x.
No. 8.—The Eighteenpenny Packet of Used Foreign Stamps contains :00
varieties, including Mauritius, Hong Kong, Finland, Japan 15 and 25 sen, Barbados,
Chili, Brazil, Greece, Russia, Porto Rico, India envelope, Jamaica, Belgium,
Spain, Canada, &c. All difl'erent, and warranted genuine. Post-free, r/7.
No. 7.—The Two Shilling Packet of Rare Used and Unused Foreign Stamps
contains :00 varieties, including Porto Rico, Colombia, New Zealand, Canada, rare
Turkish, Dutch Indies, Ceylon, Mozambique, Mauritius, Portugal, French Colonies,
Orange River Colony, Cyprus, Norway, Costa Rica, Belgium, West Australia, Chili,
Egypt, Bavaria, and others rare. All different, and warranted genuine. Post
free, z/r.
No. 8.—The Five Shilling Packet of Obsolete Stamps contains zoo varieties,
including, amongst others, Victoria newsband, Western Australia provisional, India
H.M.S., British Guiana, Cyprus 21d, Argentine, Greece, Liberia, British South
Africa, Mauritius, provisional Cuba, Hungary 25 kr., Mexico, Bavaria,
Transvaal, old Egyptian, old Swiss, Turkey, Peru, Tunis, Queensland, S Urug’uay,
'n, orto
Rico, Canada, Chili, old Tasmania, old Japan 15 and 25 sen, Siam, Brazi , Sarawak,
and others rare. This packet contains no stamps of the present issue, and is well
worth ro/—. Post-free, 5/1.

STANLEY GIBBONS, LIMITED,

391, STRAND (Opposite Hotel Cecil), LONDON, W.C.
 FIFTY YEARS OF PHILATELY I77

Mr. W. H. Hiscox is the manager of our shop at 39I Strand,

London. He joined me when I was in Birmingham, and for
about a year acted as a clerk and came with me to London in
I890, and has therefore been with us about sixteen years.
Mr. W. H. Andrews entered our employ as book-keeper, but
has recently been placed in charge of the Foreign Approval
Department, which he has already greatly extended. He is
also Secretary to the Company, having been appointed in suc—
cession to Mr. Barnsdall.
Mr. T. Cope joined us about fifteen years ago as errand boy,
but rapidly worked his way up to be a senior corresponding
clerk, and later on took charge of the H orne Approval Depart
ment, which is still under his charge. .

Mr. James Gahagan joined us in 1890, and is our senior

corresponding clerk, and an expert shorthand writer and typist.
Mr. F. Godden came to us in 189I as errand boy, but has
worked his way up to the position of salesman in our Strand
shop. He has also made a specialitylof window dressing, and
the good effects obtained by our Strand and City shops are
entirely due to his artistic taste and arrangements.
Mr. G. A. Stevens only joined us last year as book-keeper.
He is also fully acquainted with the methods of reproduction
of stamps for illustrations, etc., having been formerly with
firms who made this a speciality.
In additionto the above there are four errand boys, none too
many for the dispatch of the numerous parcels and letters sent
out daily.

Our Lady Assistants.—From the earliest days in Plymouth

our firm has employed girls in several departments, and our
business is one for which they are specially suited ; they handle
stamps quickly and neatly, and easily learn the making up of
packets and sets, sorting of common stamps, and general office
work. There is, however, one decided drawback, viz. that
having such a nice and good-looking staff there are frequent
resignations on account of marriage ; last year alone we lost
five ladies in this manner.
M
 ADVERTISEMENTS

PACKETS OF POSTAGE STAMPS—continued.

No. 9.—The Five Shilling Packet of Foreign Stamps contains no varieties
(used and unused) including Cape of Good Hope, Turkey, Nyassa, Belgium, India
On H.M.S., Bran , Japan, Portugal, Spain, U.S. Post Office, Russia, Swiss, British
Guiana, New Zealand, Bul aria, Denmark, South Australia, Mexico, Malta, U.S.,

1.,
Holland, Italy, Victoria, hili, Queensland, Gibraltar, Porto Rico, Greece 1
Argentine cent., Nicaragua, British Honduras, Sirmoor, Hungary, Hayti, Straits

}
Settlements, Natal, &c. All difl'erent. Post-free, 5':.
No. l0.—The Ten Shilling Packet of Used and Unused Stamps contains
100 varieties, all rare and different, including Chin-kiang, obsolete Cyprus, Salvador,
Ecuador, Philippine Islands, Hayti, Tolima c., Azores, Uruguay, Jhind, Finland,

5
surcharged British Honduras, old Victoria, Newfoundland, MeXico, British Bechuana
land, British Guiana, unpaid Greece, Deccan, North Borneo, Nicaragua, Zululand,
set of Egypt, New South Wales 0.5., scarce Spanish, Servia, Ottoman Empire,
6

4
Ceylon envelope, Porto Rico, Bermuda, United States of America, Peru, Dutch
Indies, Republic of Colombia, and others scarce. This packet highly recommended

is
as being well worth 20/—; and the stamps were bought separately, would come to

if

it
over that amount. Post-free, ro/r.
No. ll.—The Guinea Packet of Rare Used and Unused Stamps contains zoo
varieties, including provisional Trinidad, Persia obsolete Japan, official Mexico,
Porto Rico, Antioquia, Ecuador, provisional Ceylon, South African Republic, Java,
rovisional 1881 British Guiana, New Caledonia, Macao, Bhopal, surcharged Peru,
Spanish, Austrian, Levant, Gibraltar, Cuba, Argentine Republic, Egypt, Bundi, Peru
envelope, Greece unpaid, Guatemala, Faridkot, set of Chili, Surinam, Honolulu,

3
Brazil unpaid, and other obsolete issues, Bulgaria, St. Thomas, Fiji Isles, obsolete
Newfoundland, Japan newsband, Hondura, British South Africa, British Honduras,
set of Nicaragua, Set of Philippine (Infant King), Argentine, Tonga, Roumania,
4

Guatemala, and others equally rare. Some of the stamps in this packet are worth
from r/6 to 2/6 each. Post-free, zr/—.
0F

NEW PAUKE'IS UNUSED STAMPS.

GREATLY IMPROVED, AND ALL WARRANTED GENUINE.
No. l2.—The Sixpenny Packet of Unused Stamps contains n varieties, including
Canton, Labuan (Greece, lepton), Tunis, Monaco, Porto Rico, obsolete 2M. Cyprus,
1

North Borneo, and Mauritius. All difl'erent, and warranted genuine. Post-free, 7d.
No. l4.—'Ihe Two Shilling Packet of French Colonial Stamps contains :5
varieties, used and unused, including Obock, Reunion, Trinidad, Hong Kong,
Martinique, Guadeloupe, and others rare. Post-free, all.
No. l6.—-The Shilling Packet of Unused Stamps contains no varieties, including
obsolete 1d. Cyprus, Liberia, Barbados, Newfoundland, Nyassa, Bhopal, Siam,
Angra, Bundi, Jamaica, rare Ceylon envelope, provisional Italy, Mexico, Holland,
Shanghai, and others rare. All different, and warranted genuine. Post-free, r/r.
No. l7.-—The Two Shilling Packet of Russian Local Stamps (Government
issues) contains :0 varieties, including obsolete and rare. All different, and warranted
genuine. Post-free,a/r.
No. I8.—The Half-crown Packet of Unused Stamps contains 40 varieties,
including, amongst others, Sirmoor, Tolima, Cashmere, Guatemala, Dutch Indies,
United States, India pies envelope, Bulgaria, Macao, Uruguay, Nicaragua, United
9

States of Colombia, Alwur, British South Africa, Spain (head of Liberty), South
Australia, Cyprus, Cuba 1888, Travancore, San Marino, Bechuanaland, Roumania,
Malta, Greece, &c. All different, and warranted genuine. Post-free, a/7.
No. 20.-—The Five Shilling Packet of Rare Unused Stamps contains 6o
varieties, including the following uncut envelopes: Ceylon, Canada, and Egypt; also
adhesives: Guatemala, British Guiana provisional c., Newfoundland, Federated
1

Malay States, Labuan, United States, Shanghai, Sandwich Isles, Martinique, Alwur,
Johor, obsolete Tolima, Perak, provisional Ceylon, rovisional West Australia,
Cyprus, Argentine, Mexico Porte de Mar, Granada Con ederation, Cashmere Service,
Brunswick, Swiss newsband, Chili, Becbuanaland, Finland, Jhalawar, Porto Rico,
Belgium, provisional Norway, Spain, British Honduras, Greece, Chefoo and ro
visional Straits Settlements, and many others. All difi'erent, and warranted genuine.
post-free, 5/r.

STANLEY GIBBONS, LIMITED,

391, STRAND (Opposite Hotel Cecil), LONDON, \V.C.
 FIFTY YEARS OF PHILATELY I79

Our senior is Mrs. Bruce, who joined the firm over twenty
five years ago, and who thoroughly understands every branch
of the business.
Mrs. Cannon is our senior saleswoman, and has been with us
nearly twenty years.
Miss Bolton is senior of the catalogue order department, and
joined us in 1893.
Miss Welsh is our senior lady typewriter.
The entire permanent staff consists of twenty-four men and
thirty-two ladies, not counting the employees of Messrs. Glen
dining & Co., Ltd. In addition to these fifty-six employees we
have several able helpers who assist in making up stock books,
arranging special collections, etc. etc., but as these are not on
regular salaries I do not include them in our staff.
180 ADVERTISEMENTS

PACKETS OF POSTAGE STAMPS—continued.

No. 2l.—The Five Shilling Packet of Russian Local Stain 5 (Government
issues) contains 40 varieties, including many obsolete and rare. Al difi'erent, and
warranted genuine. Post-free, 5/1.
No. 22.—The Four Pound Packet of Rare Unused Stamps contains soovarieties,
including, amongst others scarce and obsolete, Alwur, Angola, Antioquia, scarce
Argentine, Azores, Bavaria return letter labels, obsolete Bel ium, Bermuda, Bhopal,
Bolivia, Brazil, British Guiana, Brunswick, Bulgaria, Cape of Good Hope, Cashmere,
Ceylon, Chili, Colombia, Cyprus, Ecuador, Egypt, Faridkot, French Colonies,
Greece, Guatemala, Guinea, Honduras, provisional Italy, Japan, Luxemburg, Macao,
Mauritius, set of 3 Mexico, 1864, Monaco, Mozambique, Newfoundland, set of 4
Nicaragua, Borneo, Persia, Peru, Porto Rico, Philippine Islands, Portugal, Jhind,
Roumania, Russia, St. Thomas, Salvador, San Marino, Servia, Seychelles, Soruth,
Spain, Perak set of Swiss, unpaid Tunis, Turkey, Uruguay, Venezuela, Western
Australia, Zululand, Sudan, Natal, Newfoundland, &c. All difi‘erent, and warranted
genuine. Post-free, £4.

Now Ready, 1/- each, post-free, r/t.

THE IMPERIAL PACKETS OF RARE

USED & UNUSED FOREIGN POSTAGE STAMPS.

The only packets issued that are entirely difl'erent from each other.
Each contains Twenty Varieties, all Warranted Genuine.
N0. 80 contains Azores, provisional Macao, Japan a sen, Cuba, Cyprus (obsolete),
Brazil, Philippine, provisional Ceylon, Roumania, Bavaria 50 pf., India surcharged
H.M.S., Bhopal, Argentine, and other good stamps.
No. 8| contains Hayti, Portu uese Indies, Egypt (1879), Ecuador, Bechuanaland,
China, South Australia 0.5., o cial Italy, Cape of Good Hope, Madagascar, Corea,
and other good stamps.
N0. 32 contains Zululand, Turkey, Brazil, Dutch Indies, Bhopal, Swan River,
Sweden Western Australia, Faridkot, Swiss (unpaid), Greece, Jamaica,
(unpaid),
Transvaal, British Guiana, and other good stamps.
N0. 88 contains Sarawak, provisional Mauritius, surcharged Peru, Monaco,
Transvaal, India Service a mans, Straits Settlements, Sandwich Isles, South Australia,
Chili, Argentine, New Guinea, and other good stamps.

Grand New Variety Packets.

order to meet the wishes of great number of our customers,
a we have prepared a
INseries of packets, as under, entirely difl'erent from one another,
no stamp in any one
packet being in any of the rest of the series; and the purchaser of the series of eight
packets will have 1, 305 extra good varieties, and no duplicates.
These packets do NOT contain any Post Cards, cut Envelopes, Fiscals, or Reprints,
and are well recommended as good value, and are only a small proportion of the
Catalogue value of the single stamps contained in them.
No. 70 contains 500 Stamps of Europe, all difi'erent. Price 7/6; post-free, 7/8
H 71 n 125 n Agia n 7/6 n 717
n 72 n m 11 Africa 1! 7/6 n 7/7
11 73 u n Ansuau‘ n 7/6 n 7/7
n 74 n 125 11 West Indies .. 7/6 n 7/7
,, 75 ,, 125 ,, South America, all different. 7/6 ,, 7/7
H 16 n 100 .. North America H 7/6 n 7/7
H 71 .. 100 .. Central America 11 7/6 .. 7/1
The set of eight packets, containing 1,305 varieties, if all bought at one time, will be
supplied at the special reduced price of 55/-. Postage abroad 2%d. extra for each
125 stamps.

STANLEY GIBBONS, LIMITED,

391, STRAND (Opposite Hotel Cecil), LONDON, W.C.
 STAMP COLLECTING AS AN INVESTMENT

The following article appeared in Gibbons Stamp Weekly, vol. II, and it may
be of interest to reproduce it here, which I do with certain corrections
and additions.

UR worthy editor has asked me to write a short article

on the above subject. It is one that I have already
written about in the Monthly journal for May, 1903, but Mr.
Nankivell thinks that a large proportion of the readers of our
American Special Number of G.S.W. will not have seen my
]
previous notes in the M . ., and that the subject might be
written up from the point of view of the young collector—not
necessarily young in years, but young to our hobby.
I thoroughly believe that in all kinds of collecting—in coins,
stamps, prints, books, etc.—-money can be made eventually by
those who care to give time and study to their hobby, and I
am sure that this applies in a marked degree to stamp collect
ing.
There is, however, no royal road to making a hobby profit
able—no more than there is to making a fortune on the Stock
Exchange. Lots of books are published, both here and in
America, on “ How to become rich quick ” by following certain
systems; but to the outsider all such advice will generally
cause the investor to lose far more than he wins, and I there
fore wish to see if the experience gained in the past quarter of
a century devoted to stamp dealing may not enable me to give
”
some hints to young collectors that may be of use to them.
‘_‘

A beginner must not think that he can spend few pounds in

a

buying at haphazard packets and sets of stamps and sell them

in few months for more than he gave; but even here the
a

“ ”
collector will not have wasted his money entirely,
greenest
as he would have done he had spent the amount in picture
if

“
post cards, in tuck (bad for his Little Mary ”), or in many of
the usual ways that boys have of getting rid of their money.
181
I82 SCRAPS.

Original Gum.
can

N point of condition, it need not be said,

That a stamp's never better than when it’s first made,
And even at that time there are only some
“Well centred,” though all have “original gum.”

’Tis bad perforation makes all the bother—

It slips in at one side, and out at the other;
So there’s only a tithe of the aggregate sum
“Well centred,” though all have “original gum."

The gum on the best of them crinkles and cracks,

And all sorts of matters stick fast to their backs;
So ’tis not long before most of those have become
“Well centred,” but lacking “original gum.”

Of course every man must decide for himself,

And humour his whims in disbursing his pelf,
But for progress the prospect’s remarkably glum
If once he gets stuck on “ original gum.”

I like all my stamps to be fine as a fiddle,

And vastly prefer them set square in the middle,
”
And am free to confess that I don’t care a “ dum
If they have, or have not, “original gum.”
BOGERT AND DURBIN,
The Philatelic Mani/11y.

STANLEY GIBBONS, LIMITED,

391, STRAND (Opposite Hotel Cecil), LONDON, W.C.
 STAMP COLLECTING AS AN INVESTMENT I83

I might also say here that I consider stamp collecting a

real investment for the beginner apart from making money out
of it.
Just think for a moment what advantages the youth who
collects and studies stamps has over one who neglects them.
Stamp collecting teaches him something every hour he spends
at it—geography and history especially ; names of the rulers
of countries, coinage of the world—and gives him the habit of
study and the eye for minutia that will be of help to him
throughout life : his stamps keep a boy occupied on wet days'
and long evenings. He learns how to correspond and some—
thing about keeping accounts if he joins‘a stamp club, and, in
short, I consider that all these things arising out of collecting
are a good investment, and will be of use in any business career.
Before giving my opinion on investments in stamps, I will
mention shortly a few classes of stamps that the collector will
do well to avoid, and afterwards consider how he can take up
a pleasant and interesting hobby, combined with a reasonably
good investment for his money at the same time.

WHAT TO AVOID.—I should strongly advise the investor to

avoid the pitfalls noted below.
Ist. Stamps quoted in advertisements at one-third to one—
tenth part of catalogue price.
Remember that if such stamps are on sale to collectors
at such discounts under catalogue, they are also on sale to
dealers at still greater discounts, and we dealers who publish
catalogues avail ourselves of such opportunities, and in the
following edition of our catalogues materially reduce prices;
so that often a collector who has, say in I904, bought a set of
stamps for 65., then catalogued at 305., finds in his 1905 cata
logue that the price has come down to 8s. Not only has he
made no bargain, but all the people who wanted these particu
lar stamps have been filled up, and when he wants to sell he
finds that there is no market.
2nd. Avoid all stamps cancelled or postmarked to order, such
as the rubbish of Labuan and North Borneo. The supply is
unlimited, like picture post cards, and when you want to realize
you find that you cannot effect a sale.
 184 SCRAPS

'_'MATABELE—
'-- POSTAL -
JuBlLEE.~—

THE- Rom; - MA LE-l893-LEAWNG ~20: 01m Y0 wr-Sa-Mats- AN-Hfluk

AS our readers are doubtless fully aware by this time, the Celebration issue
in the general way, an abomination unto us; still, when
is,

comes in a
it

form which appeals to the instincts of collector of Illustrated Envelopes,

a

we can give hearty welcome, and the more so when plain that the
it is
it

it
a

strict philatelic specialist in no way bound to place on his list of

is

desin'erata.

The envelope, of the device upon which we give an illustration above,

was designed, we are informed, by an ofiicer of the gist Highlanders (note
the artistic arrangement of the kill in the lower vignette), and was sketched
from nature—0n the spot! The native racer, from start to finish, are
depicted in their true colour; and though the Royal Male appears to be
somewhat handicapped by his youth in the earlier course, he shows no
inclination to “ weight for age,” or indeed to wait for any one, in the later.
The presence of the moving spirit in the events of 1893 delicately
is

hinted at by the evident absence of Roads (Rhodes?) in the landscape of

1843, while philately more plainly referred to in the perforating machines,
is

and philatelic and other clubs, in the upper corners and the whole design
;

may serve to remind us of those Jubilee envelopes of 1890 of which so

many of us laid in little stock, with a charitable virtue that, so far, has
f,
a

been entirely its own reward—(M Feb. 1894).

STANLEY GIBBONS, LIMITED,

391, STRAND (Opposite Hotel Cecil), LONDON, W.C.
 STAMP COLLECTING AS AN INVESTMENT I85

3rd. Exercise great care in purchasing used stamps that

have a much greater value than similar stamps unused, such
as Heligoland, Virgin Isles, Bahamas Id., imperf, etc. The
fakers take the genuine stamps, and apply such good imitations
of the postmarks that often only first-rate experts can tell the
good from the bad. Such stamps should only be purchased
from dealers who are really experts, and who have a reputation
'
to maintain.

4th. Avoid stamps made primarily for stamp collectors and

'
only secondarily for postal use.
The most flagrant examples in this respect are the almost
“ ”
endless series of what are termed Seebeck stamps—that is,
I
sets of stamps ranging from cent. to IO dollars, and issued from
Honduras, Nicaragua, and Salvador.
For one stamp of the higher values that is used postally,
hundreds are sold at a nominal price to dealers, and when the
young investor wants to part with such things he will find no
market.
A recent example of rubbish every bit as bad as the Seebecks
will be found in the numerous stamps emanating from Colombia.
These goods (although good for postage, for our publishers have
had many on letters in their mails) were at first offered at about
Is. to the peso, but now, owing to the great depreciation caused
by the war in Colombia, the stamps can be had at 195d. or less
to the peso.

5th. Above all, avoid poor condition.

This is the chief point of all in collecting stamps as an in—

vestment.
If you collectused stamps, see that they are lightly cancelled,
not daubed all over with a mass of ink, so that the design of
the stamp can hardly be seen. In many stamps it is of use
to obtain early dated copies to show when particular colours,
perforations, watermarks, etc., came into use, and as an invest
ment a specialized collection is much improved by a judicious
selection of such stamps.
In unused stamps I consider that well-centred copies are
of more importance than original gum, upon which I consider
far too much stress is laid at the present time. I would
I86 SCRAPS

Anagram (30m petition.

WW
Early in February, 1894, Pearson's Week/j!
had a competition for the cleverest- anagrams on the

words :

“STANLEY GIBBONS, LTD., STAMP DEALER .”

All the letters had to be used, neither more nor less.

The Editor of P. W stated that more than

15,000 readers had competed, and after careful con

sideration the prizes were awarded to the senders of

the following anagrams in the order named :

”
1st. “I beg all my best pals send to Strand.
”
2nd. "My last tip, gentle Bob, read 8. 8. and 8. L.
”
3rd. “A grand list, best send me all by post.
”
4th. “All a grand list, send me best by post.
”
5th. “Spend liberal/y, most and best at
G'.

8.
”
6th. "All smart boys get splendid set.
a

” ”
by

land
in

Best lot
G.

7th. Trade samples.

8.

"
8th. "Pretty labels add blessings to man.

STANLEY GIBBONS, LIMITED,

391, STRAND (Opposite Hotel Cecil), LONDON, W.C.
 STAMP COLLECTING AS AN INVESTMENT I87

certainly sooner have a well-centred stamp, say, of Messrs.

Perkins Bacon & Co.’s printing, without gum, than a similar
stamp with the perforations cutting into the margins of the
stamp but having full gum.
The greatest and most experienced collector of all, M. P.
la Rénotiére, told me some time ago that he frequently washed
the gum from old stamps, such as Austria, etc., as he found
that the strong, thick old gums in time cracked the paper
of the stamps, and sometimes quite destroyed valuable
specimens.
Of course, you must not think for a moment that I am
advocating that gum should be generally removed. I only
want to make the point that in my opinion well-centred stamps
of good colour without gum are preferable to poor copies with
gum.

6th. Purchase from reliable firms. This is most important.

You will see lots of offers of stamps at 25 or 50 per cent. under
catalogue, but most of these are made by people who do not
understand stamps, and who may quite unknowingly offer
you reprints, fakes, and mended stamps which are, of course,
valueless.Buy from firms who have made a study of stamps
for many years ; you will have to pay a little more, but you
“ ”
won’t be had and find your collection full of rubbish when
you want to sell.

7th. Beware of paying fancy prices for stamps of which we

give no Catalogue price.
“
Many dealers, especially the smaller ones, say, We sell
”
everything under Gibbons’ prices ; but many of them, when

they get a stamp not priced, think they have struck a gold
reef, and I have seen the most fancy prices asked—ah, and
sometimes paid too! !-——for stamps we have on sale at a few
shillings. It does not at all follow that because Gibbons does
not affix a price the stamp is rare. It may be that when we
price that country we happen to be sold out, and we put no
-price in the Catalogue until we see what the next parcel of
these stamps that we buy may cost.
Having now mentioned some of the pitfalls in front of the
investor, I will turn to the other side of the picture and see in
I88 SCRAPS

THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHILATELY,

5 November, I870.

A Post Office Incident.

HE following incident, said to have taken place in Paris, is so good, and contains
such a capital moral for the edification of people prone to find fault with the
postmasters, that we translate it with pleasure.
The widow Richard is an old lady addicted to making “ bulls,” and is of a piece
with the good woman who poured out the coffee to feast upon the grounds. It was a
blunder something of this character she had just committed, and for which she had
come to answer at the post office.
The cause of the hubbub occurred in one of the city post offices of Paris, where
the clerk whose duty it was to attend was suddenly accosted by a
to unpaid letters
woman, who rushed in in great trepidation. The woman was the widow Richard.
“Sir,” she exclaimed, in a voice trembling with anger, “ how does it happen, I
should like to know, that when one has prepaid the postage on a letter, the person to
whom it is sent is made to pay for it again?”
“ How it happens, madam?” cried the clerk. “ Why it don’t happen at all.”
“Well, I say that it does happen; and what’s more, that it happened to-day.
There !
”
“ And I tell you again that it is impossible that it should be so.”
“ But of my acquaintance to whom I wrote yesterday, and whose
it is a person
letter I prepaid, who says she had to pay for it too.

it,
She was furious about and

I
don’t wonder she was, for wrote her concerning my own affairs, and she had to pay
I

the postage. It’s downright robbery, say !”

I

Thereupon the widow kicked up such rumpus that was found necessary to call
it
a

in a policeman and take her before magistrate. Instead of pacifying Madam

a

Richard, this proceeding nearly threw her into the last degree of exasperation.
Although the oFficer requested her to assume a proper line of conduct, the widow
persisted in her fury, and stamped and screamed most uproariously.
“ To be told, don’t know what done with
”
too, that she cried.
it
I

“ Done with what ” inquired the magistrate.

?

“ The
receipt,” answered the widow; “the receipt which proves that prepaid
I

the letter.” So saying, she fumbled in all her pockets.

“ There l” she exclaimed suddenly, “ I’ve got Here
"
is
it
it

!
!

And she exhibited triumphantly t0 the magistrate—what do you imagine? A

Postage Stamp The poor lady had taken as receipt for the money she had
it

a
!

paid to the clerk, and had treasured sacredly, instead of sticking on the letter.
it
it

The blunder was duly explained to her amid the laughter of the spectators. She
promptly acknowledged her fault, and regretting she had given way to her anger,
begged the court to deal leniently with her, pleading her ignorance as the cause of the
storming and abuse of which she stood convicted.
The court took the culprit’s general good conduct into consideration, as well as her
contrition, and fined her sixteen francs only. —Stam;> Cal/eclor’: Gazelle.

STANLEY GIBBONS, LIMITED,

39x, STRAND (Opposite Hotel Cecil), LONDON, W.C.
 STAMP COLLECTING AS AN INVESTMENT I89

what branch of collecting he can best combine study, amuse—

ment, and a sound investment.

PROPER TOOLS are as essential to the stamp collector as to

the carpenter ; so before our beginner starts on his collection
he must be properly supplied with an outfit.
To begin with, he will want a good album, priced catalogue,
hinges, and tweezers, and from the commencement he should
subscribe to G.S.W. and obtain the early volumes, which are
replete with useful information.
As he gets on a little it will be wise for him to form a small
library for reference, and he should obtain as soon as possible:—
Stamps and Stamp Collecting, by Major Evans, as this is the
standard work explaining all terms used in collecting ; A
Colour Dictionary, by B. W. Warhurst; Reprints, by E. D.
Bacon; and when more advanced he would do well to sub
scribe to several of the best periodicals, such as The Monthly
journal, edited by Major E. B. Evans.
Broadly speaking, collectors may be divided into two great
groups—the General Collector and the Specialist.

GENERAL COLLECTOR—First Stage. I will first take the

case of the general collector who wants to form a small collec
tion containing stamps of all parts of the world.
This is the plan that most of us adopt in commencing
to collect, and to the beginner is undoubtedly the most
attractive.
In forming a small general collection it is well to ignore all
varieties of paper, perforation, and watermark—just take the
design of the stamps ; it is as well to include as two varieties
stamps that are perforate and imperforate, even when of similar
design and colour.
Be particular in hinging your stamps, keep your books clean
and tidy, and whenever you can replace a stamp by a finer
copy do so without fail. It is also a good rule for a young
collector to keep an account of what his collection has cost
him, so that if he wishes to sell he will know about what he
should get for his album.
The most suitable album for a collector at this stage is
“ ” of the
Stanley Gibbons’ new Ideal Album postage stamps
I90 SCRAPS

How a Drunkard Was Reformed.

~+¥
EFORMS'are wrought in many and curious ways, but
seldom in a stranger manner than that in which a certain
drunkard was sobered. This man had wandered at midnight into
a low public-house. He gave his order, and then leaned against
the bar for support. A man standing near by took from one
pocket an addressed envelope, and from another a stamp, which
he moistened with his tongue. Instead of adhering to the en
velope, as the man intended, the stamp slipped from his fingers
and fluttered to the floor. The tippler saw it fall, and staggered
just

it,
forward to pick it up. as he was about to grasp the
stamp darted in zigzag course toward the side wall like a
a

scared thing. Filled with astonishment, the drunkard drew

back and intently watched the bit of paper, which, upon reach
ing the wall, began to ascend. As ascended the tippler’s face
it

grew more intent, his body more rigid. He saw nothing but
the mysterious moving thing. His mind was affected by years
of ceaseless drinking. He thought that the animated stamp
was warning. At the top of the wainscoting the stamp
a

stopped, squatted as for moment’s rest before ascending

if

higher, and then made a dart towards the tippler’s haggard face.
The trembling sot saw stop, saw hesitate, and leap. He
it
it

was unquestionably doomed he continued longer to drink to

if

excess; the stamp had been given life to warn him. So

it

seemed to him. With

pitiful yell of fear he rushed from the
a

bar-room. From that eventful night until he died prosper;

in

ous circumstances, recently, the man never swallowed a drop of

liquor. The moistened stamp had fallen upon cockroach’s
a

back and stuck there.

STANLEY GIBBONS, LIMITED,

391, STRAND (Opposite Hotel Cecil), LONDON, W.C.
 STAMP COLLECTING AS AN INVESTMENT 191

of the world, in one volume, with all prominent varieties in

cluded, minor varieties being entirely omitted.
Second Stage. A more advanced form of general collecting
is one that includes all important varieties, and a collector who
gets to this stage cannot do better than adopt _“' The Imperial
”
Album as his standby.
This album is divided into three volumes, any one of which
can be obtained separately. They are as follows :—
Vol. I, Stamps of the British Empire.
Vol. II, Stamps of Europe and the Colonies of European States.
Vol. III, Stamps of Foreign Countries.
By this arrangement a general collector can, if he so desire,
confine his attention for a time to one volume and take up the
others when he has filled up all the spaces for cheap stamps.
It is really surprising what a big collection can be got for
a small sum—there are nearly 5000 different varieties cata
loguing at 6d. each or less.
Third Stagel Is only for advanced collectors who can afford
to spend a considerable amount on their collections. At this
stage the collector will adopt blank albums, such as “The
Oriel” or “The Philatelic,” with movable leaves, and will
try to obtain every minute variety that exists. This—for
those who can afford it—is by far the most interesting and
best-paying form of collecting.

THE SPECIALrsr.—Twenty, nay, even ten years ago one

could start a general collection of the stamps of the world,
and with the exception of a few of the great rarities could hope
to make the same fairly complete. Ten years have altered
things immensely, and it is now only a wealthy man who
can get a really nice collection of the world’s postage stamps.
I think I cannot do better than quote here from Mr. Nan
“
kivell’s Stamp Collecting as a Pastime, chapter xiii., on In
”
vestments in Stamps :—
When a stamp collector is charged with being extravagant, with
spending money lavishly and foolishly on a mere hobby, he may very
justifiably reply that even his most extravagant spendings may be
regarded as an investment.
The ordinary investor in, say, industrial securities is fairly content
it he can, with a little risk, secure a steady six or seven per cent. It
192 SCRAPS

JOKES.
Ducxs AND DRAKES.—The “ Ladies’ Window ” clerk at one of our post
”
offices, hearing the usual “rap-rap which announced the presence of an
applicant for a letter, on going to the window found there a Mr. Drake.
“ Next window, if you please, Mr. Drake—this department is exclusively
for Due/Er.”—S.C.M. Gazette.

"I
“ WHEN, in your voyage round the world,
From Sydney’ s port you sail,
A sharp ‘look-out,’ and watchful eye,
Will see approaching—by and by—
A ‘ Laureated Wa/e (Whale).”—Peet Laureate.

Very truly yours,

E. SHORTHOUSE Feb., 1895).

W
In A Booxsl-ior.—Customer : I want a cheap illustrated copy of Gibbon’s
Der/ine and Fall.
Shopman (thinking of his stamps) : That’s the last edition, I believe, sir ?

Customer : Eh? yes, the last edition will suit me very well. It has extra

notes, I believe.

(Shopman serves copy of Gibbam’ I899 Prieed Catalogue, part

i.)

Customer: This the British Empire. want Rome, you know: Gibbon’s
is

Der/ine and Fall—Rome. The standard work.

Be out
ii.

Beg pardon, sir that’s

in

in

Shopman part February

!
:

The ol/eetor-Denler
C

STANLEY GIBBONS, LIMITED,

39!, STRAND (Opposite Hotel Cecil), LONDON, W.C.
 STAMP COLLECTING AS AN INVESTMENT 193

he launches out into more speculative shares, yielding higher rates of

interest, he must be content to face a much greater risk of the capital
invested. Now, the severest test of an investment is the yield of
interest over a series of years covering periods of depression as well as
periods of prosperity. The stamp collector who has used ordinary
discretion in his purchases may confidently submit his investment to
this test.

Now, in looking at an investment, one naturally looks at

What has been done in the past in order to guide him in forming
his ideas as to what to do in the future.
We can do the same thing in stamps, and looking hack on
the years during which I have been in the stamp business I
have made a number of notes on collections that have been sold
during that time. Many have been purchased by our publishers,
the rest by our confréres in the trade. In quite a number of
cases I have been able to get roughly the cost price and the cash
realized, and I find that in the very great majority of cases—
certainly in over 90 per cent—substantial profits have been
made on specialized collections of one or more countries.
Below I give a few examples, for which I can vouch. I
cannot quote names for obvious reasons. I give the cost
price, the net price realized, and about the time occupied in
making the collection.

EXAMPLES OF INVESTMENTS IN ONE COUNTRY ONLY.

NO. COST. SOLD FOR. YEARS MAKING.

1 50 100 8

2 I40 300 5

3 300 450 1%

4 420 485 10

5 450 1250 8
6 650 2250 I5
7 1100 2300 4
8 840 1630 6

EXAMPLES WITH GROUPS OF Two To SEVEN COUNTRIES.

No. COST. SOLD FOR. YEARS MAKING.

20 500 1400 6
21 5500 10,000 I4
22 2800 6000 7
23 4200 5 7 5O 6
24 16,500 29,500 12
194 SCRAPS

JOKES—continued.
THERE is no getting away from the fact that the juniors know a thing or
two, as the following inquiry and observation will show. Both are warranted
facts.

Inquiry : Are the new Newfoundland stamps watermarked P—No._-Oh,

thank you! I never buy unwatermarked stamps; they’re not genuine, you
know !

Observation—I never buy stamps at Blank’s. All his new issues are
unused. He’s a printer, and he prints them himself!
All success to the juniors.— The Collector-Deal”.

“1
FROM Trail): The Post Office has an idiotic rule which precludes the
public from buying postage stamps at offices which are restricted to telegraphic

business. The rule was ingeniously circumvented the other day by a gentle
man who had written a letter in the train and went to a telegraph oflice at a
station en route for the purpose of obtaining stamps. The clerk in charge

having declined to sell them, the traveller asked for a telegraph form and
wrote the following message: “ Postmaster-General, London.—Your clerk

says I cannot purchase two stamps at this OffiC€.——-RATS.” Claiming the

right to affix the stamps himself in accordance with another Post Office rule,
he took the stamps which the clerk handed over, put them in his pocket, tore
up the telegraph form and departed in triumph. The man who could thus

make red tape look ridiculous deserves to be regarded as a public benefactor.

“a
WANTED: A philatelic wall-paper, tastefully ornamented with designs of
postage stamps. As a further suggestion : addresses of stamp dealers may be
added framing each stamp, thus securing the manufacturer an additional profit.

Of course these would be nan/Zing advts., and the firms should be uprig/it and
:tizkm for trade. For a border we might have the cover designs of the
numerous albums. It is also about time we had our china, etc. etc., properly
stamped—Melina Phi/atelirt.

STANLEY GIBBONS, LIMITED,

391, STRAND (Opposite Hotel Cecil), LONDON, \V.C.
 STAMP COLLECTING AS AN INVESTMENT 195

I could give many more examples if necessary, but these are

sufficient to make my point, and the mere string of figures,
without names of countries or owners, which I cannot divulge,
would not be of much interest.
My firm for the past few years has purchased postage stamps
to the value of some £30,000 on an annual average, and the
bulk of such purchases have been specialized collections of one
or more countries. The number of general collections that we
have bought has been relatively small, as the general collec
tions offered to us, as a rule, contain but very little of which
we are really short in our stock.
On the contrary, in special collections, one always finds many
stamps that one wants, and after such collections have been
picked over the balance usually forms a handsome addition
to our stock books.
All this goes to prove that a good investment may be made
by the collector who is willing to give the time to make such
a collection.
“ ”
In selecting a field of operation the investing collector
must be to a large extent guided by his means.
Another point is that he must not let fashion influence him
too much. At the present time the fashion is for Africans and
Australians, and prices in these groups are high, but they are
certainly debenture stocks.
A few years ago Europeans were the fashion, before that
West Indies and North Americans; but I have noticed that
almost every country has a turn,.and although in stamps, as
on the Stock Exchange, one cannot forecast the future, yet
I have no doubt that in a few years’ time the now despised
South and Central Americans, etc., will all be in demand, and
those who have patiently acquired fine special collections will
reap a rich harvest.
For investment purposes, then, I advise the formation of
special collections of one or more countries; but to make a
success the collector must not only accumulate a large mass
of material, but must study all that has been written on his
particular country, and then study the stamps themselves,
and endeavour to find out more than is known by any other
collector about his particular subject.
 A CHRISTMAS ODE.

(Dedz'calea’ to his wife by a fellow-safer” who knows

how it is herself.)

AMONG the misfortunes which trouble a wife,

In the worries and cares of everyday life,
Causing many a wrinkle and many a groan,
And 0ft of dissension a mighty big bone,
Few are greater and none more vexing

(To excuse it is so perplexing)

Than that of having her husband’s mind

Crazy, a few battered stamps to find.

Monthly journal, Dec., I899.

STANLEY GIBBONS, LIMITED,

39:, STRAND (Opposite Hotel Cecil), LONDON, W.C.
 STAMP COLLECTING AS AN INVESTMENT 197

To do this successfully his mass of material must be of good

quality. Dated copies, stamps on letters, bisected stamps
used for a moiety of their value—all have use and all tend to
increase the commercial value of a special collection. Gener
ally speaking, I find that unused stamps pay best, and a special
collection should be chiefly of unused stamps, with a judicious
admixture of used stamps, etc., as named above.
In considering the selection of a country or group to take up,
the question of the amount to be invested is of the first import
ance, and I think that, broadly speaking, we can divide col
lectors who wish to invest money in stamps, combined with
study and relaxation from other affairs, into three classes :—
First. The collector who can spend under £20 per annum.
Second. The collector who can spend from £20 to 7£50 per
annum.
Third. The collector who can spend over £50 per annum.

CLAss I.—N0rway and Sweden. The used stamps are mostly

very cheap. There is a fine lot oféshades, and through the
political changes now taking place the stamps should advance
in value.
Bosnia. Cheap stamps, both used and unused, plenty of
varieties, and no doubt much still remains to be found out
about minor types and varieties.
Great Britain, used. In fine condition, are not common,
are always in demand, and practically sure to show a steady
'
advance in value.

Belgium. A goodselling country ; used stamps quite cheap,

but want a lot of hunting for in good condition.
British Somaliland. A small group, but interesting, and
with a great many minor varieties ; a nice collection will
always be a good seller.
China. Mostly cheap stamps, but with a lot of rare shades
and scarce varieties, the older issues gradually rising in value.
Denmark. A very cheap country if you keep to used stamps;
great scope to hunt for rare shades.
 SCRAPS

Reply of a Philatelist
”
To the Query “Cui Bono P

HINKkindly, pray; do not despise

What may seem useless in your eyes
Before you have consider’d well!
”
See what these “ paper medals tell:
The graver’s tool, the artist’s skill,
A worthy purpose here fulfil;
By value, portrait, symbol, date,
The Stamp can show the Realm or State:
On this small square you look, and find
An index of a nation’s mind!

In every cultivated race

These little messengers find place :
These fragile links bind land to land,
And aid the Love of heart and hand;
Through them the Treasury chests o’erfiow,
And Nations countless thanks will owe
That Englishman whose active brain
Contriv’d this fairy flow of gain!

As notes on music’s varied page

Touch all the chords from youth to age,
So in this book, in fancied chime,
We range these silent notes of time ;
Suggesting to the thoughtful eye
The fitful strains of history.
(Continued on page 200.)

STANLEY GIBBONS, LIMITED,

39:, STRAND_ (Opposite Hotel Cecil), LONDON, W.C.
 STAMP COLLECTING AS AN INVESTMENT 199

Egypt. I can strongly recommend this country; most of

the stamps are cheap at present, but a few of the knowing ones
are making fine collections, thinking that one day this country
will be a British Protectorate and be included in British
Colonies, when a great demand would soon cause the prices
to go higher.
Falkland Islands. A small lot, but old issues scarce and
good, and sale easy.
Gambia. A small country, but sound and good stamps,
pretty sure to increase in value.
Holland and Colonies. A very interesting group, worthy of
more study than they get here, and unused especially getting
quite scarce.
famaica. Used and unused prior to 1872 certainly under
valued.
Russia. The recent war has created quite a demand for
this country. The older issues are pretty and quaint, and a
collection should be easily saleable.
Seychelles. A safe little country in which to put a small
sum. The obsolete stamps must rise considerably in next few
years.
Zululand. A small but sound lot of stamps. The beginner
might omit the postal fiscals.

CLASS II.—Argentine Republic, up to 1890 and omitting the

Officials, is an interesting lot of stamps with a ready sale.
Austria is a big country to really specialize, but used stamps
are cheap, and a collector who took this up seriously would
soon be able to pick up rare varieties in perforations and ypes
that would be overlooked by the general collector. In this
country also one should look out for many quaint and interest
ing varieties of postmarks on the first three issues.
Brazil. Well worthy of more attention than it receives.
It is worthy of note that Brazil was the second country in the
world to adopt the system of paying postage by means of
adhesive labels.
200 SCRAPS

Here, as in mimic gallery plac’d,

Portraits of fair and great are trac’d;
Kings, Emperors, and Chiefs of fame,
Queens—with our own of honour’d name—
And pictur’d stories of each land
From frozen shore to sunny strand:
St. Salvador with flaming crest,
Or Nicaragua’s vales of rest;
From Costa Rica’s tropic steeps,
To where the Alpine Gentian peeps;
Peru can show her Llamas fleet,
Canadians their shrewd Beaver greet;
Australia’s Swan floats proudly by,
Newfoundland’s Seals on icebergs lie ;
”
“The Stars and Stripes their history trace
From Britain’s world~encircling race ;
While Virgin Islands gladly boast
“ Our Lady ” still defends their coast!
In happy proof that all are kin,
Each language sends its tribute in ;
And, token of fraternal band,
The sign is pass’d from hand to hand:
Babel’s confusion here is still’d,
Another tongue the world has fill'd ;
And races, that with jealous caste
Allothers shunn’d for ages past,
Ancient traditions now forget,
To join the world’s new alphabet!

Thus, page we turn,

as each chequer'd
The course of dynasties we learn ;
While art and history combine
To make me PRIZE THESE STAMPS or MINE!

1878. C.

STANLEY GIBBONS, LIMITED,

391, STRAND (Opposite Hotel Cecil), LONDON, w.c.
 STAMP COLLECTING AS AN INVESTMENT 201

Chili. An interesting country

the old issues getting scarce,
;

and rarities can be found by careful search.

FijiIslands. Much to learn here. A finesubject for study,
and more worthy of collectors’ attention than it has received.
France. These stamps always sell well. The used are
cheap, unused getting rarer every year, and a good collection
can always be easily sold.
Greece. A hard country to master, but once understood
few will pay better. A grand lot of shades here ; used stamps
quite cheap ; dated copies very desirable, as they help to sepa
rate printings.
H ong Kong. A
nice little country ; undervalued at present,
both used and unused.
Chamba, Gwalior, Patiala, etc. A nice little group; many
unlisted varieties, and worthy of more attention than they
receive. The Queen’s Head stamps should show a good in
crease in value in next few years.
japan. The war has caused many people to take up this
country, and now that it is so closely allied to Great Britain
by treaty and mutual interest, and to the United States by
“
President Roosevelt, The Peacemaker,” I anticipate a great
demand and increased value for these stamps.
Lagos. A good safe little lot, sure to increase in value.
New South African Republic. Much rarer stamps than most
people think, and well worth getting, if you can find any.
I have been trying for two years to get a set together, and still
want many dates.
Prince Edward Island. Well worthy of attention; many
minor varieties, several varieties of perfs., and not at all
properly listed or valued at present.
St. Helena, St. Lucia, St. Vincent, Sierra Leone. All good
sound countries; stamps that are sure to advance in value
and prove a good investment.
Siam. Much to study here; asmall investment should pay well.
Turkey. Very much neglected and worthy of more attention.
The earlier issues are getting scarcer each year, and I find a
N 2
202 SCRAPS

THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHILATELY,

20 July, 1871.

&Ev

at? TSTA Pie?

N old negro woman lately gave a letter to the mail agent on

the Carolina train at the station near Branchville, United States,

and asked him to send it to her. The agent said the letter must
be stamped.

The old woman became indignant, said the darkies were free, and
“ Whar war de use of
freeing the culled pussons ef you didn’t free de

letters too P
”
and finally yelled out, “ How many stamps he want, eh?”

The mail agent said, “Three.”

Down went the letter, and down went the old woman’s heel.
”
“Dar, dar, dar! Dar’s three stamps ! Dat enuff, eh P

She was in angry earnest, and the bystanders were amused

accordingly. The agent saw the joke, volunteered to pay the money

for the stamp, and thus doubly stamped, the letter was sent to its

destination—Mason’s Stamp Collector’s Magazine.

STANLEY GIBBONS, LIMITED,

39!, STRAND (Opposite Hotel Cecil), LONDON, W.C.
 STAMP COLLECTING AS AN INVESTMENT 203

pretty good demand for them. I should advise beginners, at

any rate, to omit the Government Locals; there are many
imitations of the surcharges, and not much demand for them.

CLASS III.—Great Britain, unused, mint.

Our own stamps
in perfect condition are bound to advance in value. The
supply is gradually becoming smaller and smaller, and the
‘
demand increases year by year.
Cape of Good Hope. Debenture stock, always a safe seller,
and always increasing in value. Triangular stamps, especially
unused, getting scarce ; the issues of 1864 to I883 much under
valued, and stocks in dealers’ hands very poor.
Ceylon. First-class standard stock, safe for steady sale and
good, safe rises. The issues of I867 to 1885, unused, much
undervalued at present.
Dominican Republic. American collectors might do far
worse than take up this country; the old issues are getting
very scarce, and the last year or two there has been a lot of
inquiry for them from a few wideawake people in the States.
It seems highly probable that within the next few years this
Republic may be annexed to the United States, and then the
value of the stamps will increase by leaps and bounds.
France and French Colonies, mint, unused. French are much
rarer than supposed in this country. See how few fine copies
any dealer has got. The French Colonies are neglected here,
but good collections sell readily in Paris and will in time here.
Germany and her States. Have been rather neglected, but
a big demand is setting in for them, and as there is always a
ready sale for these stamps all over the Continent, they must
be sound stock, and I feel sure that a few years hence they will
be very much higher than in 1905.
Italy, with Tuscany, M odena, Sicily, N aples, etc., forms a fine
group to specialize. There are few fine copies amongst English
dealers, and I think a few years will find a very great ap
preciation in values. There is an immense number of these
stamps used for postage in States other than that of the
stamp, and the study of used copies is most interesting, and
will be very profitable.
204 SCRAPS

POSTAL CU RIOSITIES.
THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHILATELY (7 Out, 1870 ).

There are two very curious points in the revelations which occasionally
reach us from the archives of the Post Office. One is the remarkably vague
way in which ignorant people address their letters. Take this example :—
Mr. ——-, Travelling Band, one of the four playing in the street,
Persha (Pershore),
\Vorcestershire.
Please to find him if possible.

THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHILATELY (7 Oct., 1870).

E. R—-—, a cook as lived tempery with a Mrs. L.——, or some such name,
a shoemaker in Castle-street about No. —— Hobern in I85I ; try to make this
out. She is a \Velch person about 5 feet stoutish. Lives in service some ware
in London or naboured. London.

THE AMERICAN JOURNAI. or PHILATELY (7 0a., 1870).

We have more sympathy with the poor little servant maid who bought a
pair of spectacles for her father, and sent them in a letter addressed thus :—
“ My dear Father in Yorkshire at the white cottage with green pailings.‘

THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHILATELY (7 0171., 1870).

This is for her that “maks” dresses for ladies, that livs at tother side of
road to
James Brocklig,
Edensover,
Chesterfield.

THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHILATELY (7 08., 1870).

This is for the young girl that wears spectacles, who minds “two babies,"
30 Sherritf Street,
Off Prince Edwin Street,
Liverpool.

THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHILATELY (7 Oct, 1870).

There is a letter addressed :—
The biggest fool in the world,
Tunbridge.
This is drily endorsed by the Postmaster, to the effect that it cannot be
delivered, as he does not know the writer.

STANLEY GIBBONS, LIMITED,

391, STRAND (Opposite Hotel Cecil), LONDON, W.C.
 STAMP COLLECTING AS AN INVESTMENT 205

Natal. Undervalued at present; not easy to get, either

used or unused, and in good, steady demand.

New South Wales, New Z ealand, Queensland, South Aus

tralia, Tasmania, Victoria, and Western Australia. In my
opinion these countries are still the soundest stamps of all the
world in which to invest. They are the best sellers of all the
stamps I handle, and there are markets for them not only here
and in America, but in France, Germany, Australia, and South
America, the reason being that no stocks of the old issues can
be found outside Great Britain.

Roumania. A very interesting lot of stamps; most of the

issues are cheap, but there are rare varieties and perforations
all through this country which are only known to the student.
The early issues include some of the greatest European rarities.

Spain. The old stamps are a good sound investment,

especially unused, and it wants a lot of hunting to make a
really good collection.
Switzerland. One of the soundest lots of old stamps to
collect. Prices have been low the last few years, and are
bound to advance considerably.

Straits Settlements and Native States are rarer than people

think; much still to be learnt about them, and a nice group
for an advanced specialist.

Trinidad and Turks Islands are sound countries, both used

and unused, if selected copies are taken.

Transvaal. There are few—if any—countries in which the

student can find more bargains than in this one ; only a few
people take the trouble to master the different printings, but
once they are learnt it is surprising the lots of really rare stamps
that one can find at bargain prices. The forthcoming publica
tion of the Philatelic Society’s book on Africa, Part III, will
do much to increase our knowledge and the popularity of these
stamps.

United States.v Advancing in value and demand increasing.

Our New York Branch informs us that stocks in America of
206 SCRAPS

ennv cyos’tage.
HE early squibs on any subject have an abiding interest. The
following is a cutting from a newspaper which, by a casual date at
the back, must be of January, 1840. The Penny Postage commenced on
the 10th of the month. The hint in the sixth verse records the author’s

protest against the usual transfer, namely, that of the merit of the real
labourer to the first Government which is forced by opinion into adoption
of his plan. I remember plenty of this in 1840.

THE UNIVERSAL PENNY POSTAGE.

“ From universal suffrage some
Say every blessing’s sure to come,
As clear as one and one make two ;

But other say it‘s all a hum,

And there’s no blessing like the U
niversal Penny Postage.
“ Of all the
penn’worths Nature gave—
A penny show, a penny shave,
(There’s blacking for a penny too)
A penny biscuit—all must waive
Their claims in favour of the U
niversal Penny Postage.
“ For all things now there’s some new way—
To write, to seal, to fold, to pay ;
And you must talk in idioms new,
And, when you mean Perl-paid, must say,
‘ ’
Pre-paid by order of the U
niversal Penny Postage.
“ If aught's not new the wonder’s great,
The tables are so turned of late,
‘
E’en useful tables,’ thought so true :

Your half-ounce makes one penny/weigh,

According to the school of U

niversal Penny Postage.
(Continued on page 208.)

STANLEY GIBBONS, LIMITED,

391, STRAND (Opposite Hotel Cecil), LONDON, W.C.
 STAMP COLLECTING AS AN INVESTMENT 207

the old issues—especially unused and fine—are very poor, and

a fine collection in good condition will always sell readily, and
should show a good return on money invested.
In Class III, for collectors of considerable means, the ques
tion of a sound investment is perhaps not so important as that
of taking up a country or a group in which they are really
interested; but all the same, it is this class that eventually
makes the most money when they want to dispose of their
collections. The reason, no doubt, is that wealthy collectors
“
get the pick of the market,” and practically absorb the
really fine and rare stamps, and it is this class of stamp that,
if kept for a considerable time, shows a very large profit.
The last few years have seen a great rise in value of all
first—rate goods in prints, furniture, china, silver, etc., and in a
smaller degree the same thing is applying to really rare stamps.
The demand increases, the supply diminishes, through absorp
tion by museums, etc., and prices of the very best stufl are
bound to advance.
Investors of considerable means will be able to select the
cream of the market, and while putting large sums in rare
stamps, will be practically certain of large increases in value.
‘

To the wealthy collector I should like to point out a few

factors that must cause really rare stamps to constantly
advance in value.
First we have the number of wealthy collectors constantly
on the increase, and much of this great increase of interest in
the upper circles of society is due to the fact that there are so
many Royal collectors—foremost amongst these is our own
Royal Philatelist, H.R.H. The Prince of Wales, K.G., President
of the Philatelic Society, London, and one of the most advanced
collectors of the present time. The fact that the Heir to the
Throne is so fond of his stamps has caused Society to take up
our hobby with great enthusiasm.
The sons of the Prince of Wales are also coming on as stamp
collectors. H.R.H. Prince Edward exhibited a portion of his
own collection at the great International Exhibition in London
this year.
Amongst other Royal collectors that one hears of there are
H.R.H. Prince Gustav Adolf of Sweden; the Heir Apparent to
208 SCRAPS

“ Who’d think our great authorities

Would do a thing so (penny) wise?
(Pound-foolish things we know they do !)
How now in history they’ll rise I—
‘
The Government that gave the U
niversal Penny Postage.’
“ O ROWLAND HILL, immortal man,
How can we pay you for your plan?
To you our thanks, our pence, are due :

It was the Emp'ror of Japan

AS much as they that gave the U
niversal Penny Postage.
“ Send up a column to the sky,
Five thousand office inkstands high ;

Take for a basement fair to view,

‘ ’
As many reams of wove demy ;
‘
Write To the author of the U
My
niversal Penny Postage.
A. DE MORGAN.

STANLEY GIBBONS, LIMITED,

391, STRAND (Opposite Hotel Cecil), LONDON, w.c.
 STAMP COLLECTING AS AN INVESTMENT 209

the throne of Portugal; one of the sons of Kaiser Wilhelm of

Germany; the heir to the throne of Siam; and many others.
The next point that to my certain knowledge many of the

is,
greatest collectors in the world are going to follow the example
set by the late Mr. T. K. Tapling, who gave his superb collec
tion (now worth over £150,000) to the British Museum.
know of four of the greatest collections in the world that
I

are being formed by their owners with the intention of bequeath

ing them to their respective countries. These collections are
probably worth over half million pounds sterling, and the
a
rarities that have gone into them will never again be on sale.
Then, last of all, the destruction of rarities that goes on
is

—the latest terrible loss in the great fire at San Francisco—

is

many thousands of pounds’ worth of rare stamps were burnt,

much more than was the case in Baltimore three years ago—and
all these reasons go to prove my point, that really rare stamps
are sound and safe investment for large sums of money, and
a

now even the London Bankers recognize this fact, as know of

I
cases in which they have advanced many thousands of pounds
on stamp collections, when the same bankers would not
advance anything on shares in South African Mining Com—
panies.
In conclusion, want my readers to bear in mind that my
I

remarks are made on behalf of the investor in postage stamps,

in contradistinction to the collector, and taking this point of
view, have naturally found necessary to advise those, who
it
I

seek investments only in stamps, to abstain from many classes

that our publishers find necessary to keep in stock in order
it

to supply the demands of all their customers. For with the

true collector the money he spends he devotes to his amusement,
and he not always thinking of the time when he can get
it
is

all back with compound interest.

 Index to Advertisements.

PAGE
ALBUMS—
Improved N0. 0 . . . . . 62
,, NOs. 2, 3, and 4 . . . . 66
Strand . . . . . . 64
Imperial . . . . 40, 42, 44, 46
,, Supplement . . . . . 48
,, Envelopes . . . . . 50
,, Locals . . . . . 52
,, Cases for . . . . . 56
Ideal . . . . . 154, 156
'
Century . . . . . 92, 94, 96
British Africa . . . . 98, 100

ALBUMS, blank, with fixed leaves—

Blank Albums, Nos. 31 and 32 . . . 48, 120
King‘s Own Album . . . . . 54

ALBUMS, blank, with movable leaves——

The Oriel Album . . . . . 124
Philatelic, A. B. . . . . . 90
,, C. D. . . . . 122, 126
“ G. H.-S.” Album . . 106, 108, 110, 112

ALBUMS FOR DUPLICATES*

Philatelist‘s Collecting Book . . . . 58
Stock Albums, with slits . . . . 102
Duplicate Albums, with pockets . . . . 104
Approval Sheets and Collections . . . . 10
“Album Weeds,” by Rev. R. B. Earée . 34
Auction Departments . . . . 68-78
Africa, by The Philatelic Society, Parts I and II . . 88
,, ,, ,, Part III . . I50, 152

Barbados Handbook . . . . 84.

“ British Isles,” by Wright and Creeke . . 88.

Blank Albums . . 54, 90, 102, 104, 106, 120, 122, 126
British Africa Album I . . . 98, 100
 INDEX TO ADVERTISEMENTS 21 I
PAGE
Catalogues, Priced . . 32

COLLECTORS’ REQUISITES—
Stamp Hinges . . 20, 24
Tweezers . . . . . . 26
Perforation Gauge . . . . . 28
Magnifying Glasses . . . . 30, I48
Surcharge Measurer . . . . 30
Ivory Pocket Rule . . . . . 22
Vade Mecum . . . . . 3o
Philatelic Maps . . . . . 26
Titles of Countries . . . . . 26
Transparent Envelopes . . . . 18
Century Album . . . . . 92, 94, 96
Colour Dictionary, by Warhurst . . . 80
Cases for Imperial Albums . . . . . 56
Duplicate Albums . . . . . 104.

Examination of Stamps . . . . . 170

Exchange Circular . . . . . 18
“ G. H.-S. ”
Album . . . . 106—112
Glendining & C0., Limited . . 68, 70, 72, 74, 76, 78
“ Grenada,” by Bacon and Napier . . . 86
“ Gibbons Stamp Weekly ” . . . . 6o

HANDBOOKS AND GUIDES for Collectors—

Barbados, by Napier and Bacon . . . 84
Grenada ,, ,, ,, . . . . 86
St. Vincent ,, ,, ,, . . 84
Portuguese India, by Harrison and Napier . . 82
South Australia, by Napier and Smith . . . 82
Shanghai, by Thornhill . . . . 82
Reprints, by Bacon . . . . . 84
Sicily, by Diena . . . . . 86
Stamp Collector, by Hardy and Bacon . . . 38
Mulready Envelope and its Caricatures, by Major Evans 38
Stamp Collecting as a Pastime, by Nankivell . . 8o
Stamps and Stamp Collecting, by Major Evans . . 80
Colour Dictionary, by Warhurst . . . 80
Improved Albums . . . . 62, 66
Imperial ,, . . . . 407-46
Ideal ,, . . . . I54, 156
Ivory Pocket Rule . . . . . 22
“ India and Ceylon,” by The Philatelic Society . . . 88

JOURNALSi I
The Monthly Journal . . . . . 58
Gibbons Stamp Weekly . . . . 60
212 INDEX TO ADVERTISEMENTS
PAGE
King’s Own Album . . . . . 54

Mann Collection . 128, r30, r32, r34, r36, r38, 140, 142, 144
Monthly Journal . . 58
Magnifying Glasses . . 30, I48
Mulready Envelope and its Caricatures . 38
Mounts . .~ . 20, 24

Oriel Album . . . . . . 124

PHILATELIC SOCIETY PUBLICATIONS—

Africa, Part I . . . . . 88
,, Part II . . . . . 88
,, Part III . . . . 150, 152
India and Ceylon . . . . . 88
British Isles . . . . . . 88
Philatelic Albums . . . 90, 122, 126
,, Maps . . . . . . 26
Philatelist’s Collecting Book . . . . 58
Perforation Gauge . . . 28
Packets of Stamps 12, 1%6, 178, 180
“Portuguese India,” by Harrison and Napier . 82

“ Reprints,” by Bacon . . . . . 84

Special Collections for Sale . . . 172, 174

Strand Album . . . . . 64
Stock Albums . . . . . . 102
Stock Books of Fine Stamps . . . . r46
Surcharge Measurer . . . . . 30
“ St. Vincent,”
by Bacon and Napier . . . 84
“South Australia,” by Napier and Smith . . . 82
“ Shanghai,” by Thornhill . . . . . 82
“ Sicily,” by Diena . . . . . 86
“
Stamp Collector,”_ by Hardy and Bacon . . . 38
“ Stamp Collecting as a Pastime ” . . . . 80
”
“Stamps and Stamp Collecting . . . . 80
“ Stamp Weekly ” . . . . . 60
Stamp Hinges . . . . . 20, 24

Tweezers . ‘ . . . . . 26
Titles of Countries . . . . . 26
Transparent Envelopes . . . . . r8

Vade Mecum . . . . . . 30

Wholesale List . . . . . . 88

w. rmzrwon AND son, LTD., PLYMOUTH

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