......... move slightly one way or another. The centering of the perforation thus observed in the margin between the stamps can be regulated by means of a hand lever, which we see the operator constantly moving. The perforated sheet, which is trimmed on the edges at the same time as it is being perforated, is rolled up and given to the coiling section, which is in the same room. Making the Coils THE large roll, which measures about eight to ten inches in diameter, is placed on a rod at the end of a table so that the sheet can be unrolled along the table. A piece of plain manila paper about six inches wide is first attached to the edge of the sheet. The sheet is then drawn across the table and the stamps are counted by multiples or measurement until the required 500 or 1000 are reached. The sheet is then cut and another piece of manila paper which corresponds with the roll in width is pasted on. This sheet is printed with the denomination of the stamp and the number of stamps in the coil, and it also indicates whether the coil is wound sidewise or endwise. When these sheets are used with the sidewise coil stamps, there are ten rows of these printings, one for each row of stamps to be coiled. The sheet is about 16 to 17 inches long but about six inches on the left side is left blank, the printed portion being used The sheet of stamps is attached to the left side of the manila sheet and another coil is counted. This is repeated until the roll is used up. We notice the girl who counts the stamps for the coils stamp each of the coil wrappers with a rubber stamp. She indicates in this manner her responsibility for the accuracy of the count. The prepared roll is then attached to one of the coiling machines. These are equipped with rotary cutting wheels which sever each rotary sheet into the proper number of strips. The strips pass through guide wheels to the winding spindles, where they are attached by means of the paper cores to notches. The strips are wound on the spindles until the manila sheet appears, and are then cut at the edge of the printed portion. These are pasted down and the finished coils are packed in boxes for shipment to the postmasters. The operation is repeated until the roll is used up. Both sidewise and endwise stamps are counted and coiled in the same manner, although different machines are used for the endwise coils due to the difference in spacing between the cutting knives and the number of winding spindles with which they are equipped. (To be concluded in May Issue.) ARE YOU INTERESTED IN "SPECIMEN" STAMPS ? 178 Fulton Street - New York City offers for sale a magnificent collection of the stamps of the The estimated catalogue value of these stamps, without the Published Monthly by SCOTT STAMP & COIN Co., 33 West 44th St., New York City, N. Y. JOHN N. LUFF, Editor Vol. 4. No. 3 KENT B. STILES, Associate Editor HUGH M. CLARK, Manager NEW YORK, MAY, 1923 Issue No. 39 The issue number with which your subscription will expire is shown at left of address on envelope The Month NITED STATES: The UN By John N. Luff current this office by what means the indicia was changed." 1 cent green and 2 cents carmine stamps have been issued in imperforate sheets. We have a sad tale to tell of a lost variety that would have been of interest to collectors. One of the branch post offices in this city received a lot of sheets of 2 cent stamps, rotary press printing, among which they found a sheet or sheets that had the 11 perforation horizontally but no perforation vertically. People did not seem to want them in that condition, so a lady clerk, thinking to make them more saleable, took her little scissors and cut the stamps apart. When our firm heard of the variety there remained only half a dozen single copies. And that's that. We believe some cynic said: "Deliver me from my friends." Do you blame him? Mr. A. J. Lande sends us a novelty in the line of postal permits. This is a large white envelope which had evidently enclosed a circular, since it had not been sealed. At the upper right is a permit marking reading "U. S. POSTAGE-PAID 2 CENTS-PERMIT 2538," in three lines, in black. Over the "2" is printed in red a large double-lined "1," similar to the numeral used on the revalued postal cards of 1920. An explanation of the alteration in the value is given in a letter to Mr. Lande from the Post Office Inspector in charge of the Post Office at Chicago: "As to the reason for the numeral '1' in red being super-imposed on the figure '2' in the indicia, it is presumed that that amount was found to be sufficient postage for each piece after the envelope had been printed. It is not known by Though it is not so stated, we assume that official consent must have been asked and granted for the change of value. We believe these permit franks are usually printed by the firm using them. Probably such an alteration as we have described would be made by the users of the envelope. AZERBAIJAN: Italy seems to be developing a new line of philatelic faking. This is the creation of sets of picture stamps, inscribed with the names of various countries and placed on the market as being new issues of those countries. This action is entirely without the knowledge or consent of the governments alleged to be making the issues. The result is an injury to the reputation of the country concerned and a swindling of stamp collectors who buy the pretended new issues. Among recent outputs of this sort are the socalled Odessa Famine Relief stamps, an issue alleged to come from Soviet Armenia, and a set of large "stickers" (in more senses than one) that was attributed to Soviet Russia. The latest atrocity is a set of six labels with pretty pictures, stated to have been newly issued in Azerbaijan. They have face values from 500 to 25,000 rubles and are offered both perforated and imperforate to those who care to buy. We do not hesitate to express our belief that Azerbaijan never saw or heard of these labels. They are being offered in great quantities in this country and Europe. One agent called on our firm with a large package containing many hundreds of sheets. Around the package was a wrapper, Of stating that the stamps had been printed by a prominent Italian newspaper. course, the agent claimed that the printing was by order of the Republic of Azerbaijan, but we feel it will be well to wait for further and very convincing information before changing our opinion of the labels. In cases like this it is customary to say "Caveat emptor" but we are inclined to think "Cave canem" might apply better this time. BAIKAL REPUBLIC: Mr. Ernst sends us some Russian stamps which are said to have been overprinted for use in this republic, wherever it may be or may have been. The stamps are the 70 kopeks brown of the 1918 (Kerensky) issue, the 1, 31⁄2, 5, 7 and 10 rubles perforated and the 1, 32 and 5 rubles imperf. of the Czarist issues. So far as we can see, they all have the lozenges of varnish on the face. The stamps have all been overprinted in dark blue with a large shield-shaped design which covers most of the stamps. In the upper part is a four-line inscription in Russian which is said to read: "Temporary Administration of the Baikal." In the lower part is a plow (deserted and idle, by the way) with a sunburst behind it. The stamps are shown both uncancelled and cancelled. Most of the cancellations are not legible but a few read "Verkholensk, 17, 11, 21," and one cover has on the back receiving mark "Chita, 23, 11, 21." It is so difficult to obtain reliable information about issues coming from Siberia (either "white" or "red") that we feel it advisable, for the present, to refrain from any comment on this issue. We shall welcome any information about the stamps or the government that is supposed to have issued them. "For your information, I think this stamp ought to be listed under 'Postage Dues' (Porto); first, because it is surcharged on a 'Due' stamp, and second, because I do not see any other place to put it. There will probably not be any other values of this kind of stamp. It is, according to my information, to be used as payment for special services rendered over the Post Office counters; that is to be affixed to certain receipts, etc., which require extra payment, for instance, delivery of receipt for a purchase of postage stamps, for which receipt they used to charge 10 öre cash. Now this stamp is to be affixed. Also on certain letters with 'value declared' where the amount of money enclosed in the letter is counted and checked by the Post Office Clerk, for which kind of service there is a special charge." We are not inclined to agree with Mr. Pade that this is a postage stamp. We regard it as being a form of revenue stamp, like the 1 penny stamps of Great Britain and some colonies, which are used as revenue stamps on receipts. A similar instance is found in the British India stamps overprinted "Postal Service", which do not pay postage but indicate customs duties on foreign parcels arriving by mail steamers, on which the duty is collected by the Post Office. In the same class is the Newfoundland stamp of 1918, the 5 cents ultramarine with overprint. "Money Order Stamp Tax only", which was not available for postage but only for the payment of a tax on a postal document. HA AYTI: The overprint "T. M." (Timbre Ministerial) by which ordinary postage stamps are converted in to those for official use, recalls the story of the old lady who marked her pies. When she was asked how she knew their contents after they had been baked she replied: "That is simple. I mark the with the jigger." That was a sort O tracing wheel with which designs wer drawn on the top crust before baking Said she: "When I make a mince pic mark on the crust "T. M." ('tis ming When it is some other kind of pi mark it 'T. M.' ('taint mince)." |