Page:Notes and Queries - Series 9 - Volume 10.djvu/91

 9ts.x.Aua.2,i902.] NOTES AND QUERIES.

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catalogue of known postage stamps, but rather inclines to dwell on the collateral topics suggested by the emissions of each country. He was probably indebted for some of his details to two similar series of articles which appeared in the Magasin Pittoresque, Paris, 1862-6 (' Les Timbres - poste de tous les Etats du Globe,' by M. Natalis Rondot), and in the Bazar, Berlin, 1862-4 (' Beschrei- bung aller Briefmarken der Erde ').

In September, 1862, the first number of the Monthly Intelligencer was published by Wil- liam Macmillan, Birmingham. It was largely, but not exclusively, devoted to stamps, and ceased with the tenth number. A more im- portant periodical was the Monthly Advertiser, published by Edward Moore & Co., Liverpool the true literary progenitor of the copious philatelic press of the present day. No. 1 was dated 15 December, 1862. "Towards the middle of the year 1862," writes Mr. T. W. Kittin the Philatelist, vol. i. p. 31,

" when philately was becoming very popular, ap- pearances led me to conclude that a periodical entirely devoted to that subject would prove a great boon to collectors, and also a lucrative investment to its proprietors. Accordingly, in the summer of the year named, I inserted an advertisement in the Boy s Own Magazine, requesting any gentlemen who were of a similar opinion to join me in the under- taking. This advertisement was productive of in- numerable replies, requesting further information ; but not so many as half-a-dozen of them spoke favourably of my scheme. In order to ' leave not a stone unturned' for the attainment of the end in view, I had personal interviews with many of the leading English collectors residing in or near Lon- don ; and in consequence of its being ' Exhibition year ' I was also enabled to meet several from the country; but public opinion seemed so much against me, that I reluctantly abandoned the enterprise, thinking it folly to undertake what my superiors in the knowledge of philately thought so unpromising. My voluminous correspondence on the subject, and earnest endeavours to bring about the consumma- tion of my wishes, were, however, rewarded with success ; for Mr. A Perris, of Liverpool (one of the few gentlemen who thought favourably of my plans), entered warmly into the matter, but from reasons above stated I declined rendering him any pecuniary assistance, though 1 placed my pen at his service, of which he availed himself. However, finus coronal opus on December 15th, 1862, the harbinger of a new style of literature made its appearance, in the shape of the Monthly Advertiser, afterwards known as the Stamp Collectors' Jteview."

From the outset the late Mr. E. L. Pember- ton was the leading spirit of this magazine, contributing to it the first sketch of his 'Forged Stamps: How to Detect Them,' together with much general criticism. When the second volume began, in January, 1864, he was formally installed as editor. In June of the same year the Revieiv came to an un- timely end "through the folly of the pro-

prietors," writes Mr. Pemberton in the Phila- telical Journal, vol. i. p. 217; " we harve the MS. for the July number by us as written for publication."

The prepared stamp album, like the cata- logue, had its origin in France, and the only example that falls to be mentioned here is the English reproduction of the well-known ' Album-timbres-poste orne des Cartes,' par Justin Lallier. Both French and English first editions were published in Paris in 1862. This handsome book in spite of many errors that were persistently left uu corrected, not- withstanding much adverse criticism in the English journals long retained a hold on public favour, thirteen editions appearing in 1863-76.

It remains to speak only of the price lists of dealers, of which 1362 produced a plentiful crop. Among the more important were those of C. Gloyn, Manchester ; T. W. Kitt, Lon- don ; E. Moore & Co-., Liverpool ; E. L. Pem- bert^n, Birmingham; Stafford Smith & Smith, Bath ; J. J. H. Stockall & Co., Liverpool ; G. Swaysland, Brighton ; H. R. Victor, Belfast; J. J. Woods, Hartlepool; B. York & Co., London.

MR. INGLEBY inquires as to the highest price ever paid for a postage stamp! I believe that the record is held by the la. and 2d. " Post Office " Mauritius of 1847. Only 1,000 copies of these stamps were printed, 500 of each ; and only twenty-one are known to survive, twelve of the Id. and nine of the 2o*. The pair that had formerly been in the collection of Dr. Legrand (Id. used, 2o". unused) was acquired in 1897 by M. Jules Bernichon at the enormous price of 48,000 fr. (1,920/.). The British Museum possesses a pair in the col- lection bequeathed to the nation by the late Mr. T. K. Tapling, M.P. Not far behind the Mauritius stamps comes the Sandwich Islands 2c. of 1851. Only ten copies are known, one of which, used, changed hands in 1897 for 700. But of a still higher degree of rarity is the British. Guiana Ic. of 1856. Of this stamp only a single copy is believed to be in existence, in the collection of M. La Renotiere, Paris, who obtained it many years ago for what would now be considered a ridiculously small sum. P. J. ANDERSON.

University Library, Aberdeen.

NOTES ON SKEAT'S 'CONCISE

DICTIONARY,' 1901.

1. Solace. Prof. Skeat gives solatium as the original Latin form, and proceeds to derive solatium from solatus. This etymology falls to the ground, from the fact that the form solatium is a barbarism, the only form