JOHN N. LUFF, Editor

Vol. 4. No. 1

Issue No. 37

U

NITED STATES: On February 12th, Lincoln's birthday, the 3 cents and I dollar stamps of the new series were issued. The former bears the portrait of our great President and the latter, the most attractive of the series so far, shows a view of the Lincoln Memorial, an architectural masterpiece, massive, simple, dignified, standing foursquare before the world, like the man whose memory it commemorates.

ARGENTINE REPUBLIC:

The 12c

blue of 1888-89 and the 40c olive green of 189 exist imperforate. Mr. Eugene Klein has shown us these varieties in unused blocks of four with full gum.

BAVARIA:

Mr. George W. Angers shows us imperforate blocks or pairs of the 1920 issue: 5 pfennig, 1, 3. 5, 10 and 20 marks, ordinary postage and 3 marks official stamp. These are all of the first, unsurcharged issue of that year. He has also imperforate blocks of 1 mark of 1919 (No. 130) printed in dark gray and in orange. These may be essays for color but their worn condition suggests a late printing and that they may be reprints. Finally, there are imperforate pairs of the 5 pfennig, 5 and 10 marks of 1911, all on white (instead of colored) paper, without watermark. Possibly these are trial prints but probably they are printer's waste.

We have received from Mr. Gordon Thompson the following interesting letter: "I am sending you on this registered cover two new issues of China, the 4c gray (formerly red) and the 15c blue. These were issued to take care of local and foreign postage rates respectively, according to the ruling of the Ministry of Communication promulgated last November. This increase (from 3c and 10c respectively) was never recognized by the northern provinces of China, and in December was ordered disregarded by the provincial governors of Kiangsu, Chekiang and I think by most of the Yangtse Valley provinces. There was nothing left for the Ministry to do but repeal the order 'temporarily.' The order became effective on January 1st and the new stamps appeared in Shanghai on January 2nd, 1923.

"Both designs are very similar to the previous designs but are new engravings. The most striking change in the 4c is that the former 'white-caps' of which there were two immediately in front of bow of the junk, have been completely smoothed down in a These mere 'ground-swell.' waves have always served as the most ready means to distinguish the London print from the Peking print. Also the heavy shade line running around the top and sides of the frame has been removed and all shading marks have been removed from the arabesques and 'beads' at the top. There are smaller changes in the yards of the junk, in the angle made by the smoke of the locomotive and in the Chinese characters.

"The most striking difference in the 15C is the greater prominence of the Temple of Heaven in the background, largely produced by less shading of the sky. The sky shading consists only of horizontal lines and dots. The background of the

stalks of rice at the sides is formed of crossed lines instead of horizontal lines. The entablature above the acanthus leaves consists of a line of color, a clear line and then five white 'pearls' in a horizontal line. The former entablature was a broad horizontal band of color with vertical shade lines. Also there is a door to the temple, the trunks of the trees to the right of the temple are visible, the arabesques at the top are altered and have no shade lines. There are trifling differences in the shapes and spacing of the Chinese characters. There are also noticeable differences in the field of rice and the cut grain.

"We are promised other new values in the near future, which must be brought out since the new 4c gray is duplicated in the present 6c gray."

ZECHO-SLOVAKIA:

CZEC

We are indebted to Mr. George Hora for the following information:

"Permit me to inform you that a new issue of Czecho-Slovak stamps will appear on February 1st, 1923. On the same day all the current stamps from 100 to 1000 hellers will be discontinued; the lower values will remain unchanged. On February 1st the new stamps of 100, 200 and 300 hellers will appear. The other high values will be issued by degrees. The colors, etc., of the new stamps are not yet known. The reason for this unexpected issue or change is that stamps of these types were counterfeited in one of the neighboring states."

Just as we were transcribing the foregoing a letter arrived from another correspondent, enclosing two new Czecho-Slovak stamps, which we assume to belong to the new series announced by Mr. Hora. They are in type A8 of the 1920 issue and are 100 (h) red orange and 200 (h) violet, both on paper tinted yellow. We fail to see that this change will afford much protection against counterfeiting. If fraudulent plates or stones are in existence, it will be very little trouble for the holders to get fresh inks and make imitations of the new stamps.

Of the same issue the 80c on 80c and 3 cor on 3 cor (Nos. 79 and 82) with inverted surcharge. In the "Governo Provvisorio" issue they have the 10c (No. 133) with double surcharge and the 55c (No. 142) with inverted surcharge, also the 50c special delivery stamp of this series (No. 262) with inverted surcharge.

GRE

REECE: We quote from a letter of
Mr. M. D. Toccos, Athens:

"As you surmise in the October number of your Journal, the commemorative stamps that I announced to you will not be issued, but there will be issued others with 'Revolution 1922' overprinted on the following stamps: 1913, 01, 02, Venizelist, current issue and unpaid of Crete and the following values, 5, 10, 50 lepta, 1, 2, 3, 5, 10, 25 drachmae, with red ink. Their circulation will be limited to two months. As they appear I will send you specimens.

"About the 10 lepta brown (No. 344), I have to inform you that this is a form of currency and not valid for postage. This exists rouletted and perforated, as you may see by the specimens which I send you enclosed, which please accept with my compliments. The one that Mr. Skinner has shown you was sent him by me as a curiosity, on an envelope franked with a 40 lepta stamp and this currency."

Hu

[UNGARY: It is with sincere regret that we learn of the death of Alexander Petofi, the Hungarian poet. We were not acquainted with him and understand that his demise occurred some time ago, a century, to be exact. Nevertheless our regret is great, because his death has been made the excuse for a commemora tive issue of stamps.

These stamps are printed at the Government Printing Office, on paper with the Government watermark, and they are sold at post offices. To this extent they seem to be official. On the other hand, they are inscribed "Magyarororsag" (State of Hungary) and value. They do not bear the word "Posta" or anything to indicate that they are available for postal use. At the post office they are sold only in sets, at double face value but they may be obtained wholesale from a charitable or ganization which is to receive all remainders after they have been on sale for a limited period at the post office.