PHILATELISTS

Two covers addressed to A.A. Rosenblum, one definitely philatelic and the other suspiciously so, are an introduction to the publisher of a classic book The Stamps of the Commonwealth of Australia A Handbook for Philatelists by Alec A. Rosenblum O.B.E., B. Sc. This book was the standard text for this subject from its first edition in 1922 until its greatly expanded sixth edition with its supplement in 1966.

ALFRED GEORGE 'DICK' SALISBURY

ANDREW HOUISON & ROBERT SCOT SKIRVING, EMINENT SYDNEY DOCTORS

ARTHUR FRANCIS BASSET HULL (1862-1945)

This long Tasmanian printed to private order pink 1d Tasmanian wrapper with advertisement was mailed with the HOBART/ 2L/ AP 18/ 91 duplex to München (Munich) Germany with The Federal Australian Philatelist as BOOK POST. The sender is identified as "Published by A.F. Basset Hull, Eldon Chambers, Elizabeth Street" and the price of the journal is described as Post Free, 1s (shilling) per annum (Figure 1).

AUGUST DIETZ, CONFEDERATE STATES PHILATELIST, EDITOR & PUBLISHER

CHARLES L. PACK, PHILATELIST with AUSTRALIAN COLONY INTEREST [USA]

The cover is franked with the green-yellow 3d Roo on Map of Australia stamp (S.G. 37, narrow crown watermark) postmarked BRIGHTON/ VIC, the date is not legible, but most likely is dated ca. 1915. I is addressed to Charles Lathrop Pack Esq, Lakewood, New Jersey. United States of America. A manuscript "via San Francisco per Ventura" has been added (Figure 1).

COVERS to DR. W.I. MITCHELL, BERKELEY CALIF. from TOORAWEENAH, NEW SOUTH WALES

There was something about this cover that suggested to me that there was a good philatelic story attached. It was not definitely philatelically contrived but the careful placement of the stamps, the stamps involved and the clear postmarks x3 on the front suggested that the sender knew that the recipient had more than a passing fancy with philately. The sender could not influence the transit and reception postmarks on the cover’s reverse, but he should have been pleased with the results. I had no knowledge beforehand of Walton I. Mitchell MD and his place in the philatelic world.

DR. LOWELL J. RAGATZ, PROF. AMERICAN HISTORY & PHILATELIST

This possibly unique cut-down cover was sent from the Australian National University, Canberra (pen-deleted) airmail with 26 all coil stamps (block 12 of orange ½d roo, plus blocks of 8 and 6 of the green 3d QE II) were postmarked with 7 copies of the AIR MAIL/ 1-P-5AP56/ CANBERRA A.C.T. postmark, the total postage being 4/- (shillings). The cover was addressed to Dr. Lowell Ragatz, Box 146, Worthington, Ohio, USA. The reverse had no postall markings (Figure 1).

E.L. ANGELOGLOU, DEAN of CAIRO STAMP DEALERS

The cover has a total postage of 1/ 7d made up of a pair of ½d orange KGV heads and the 1/6 Hermes airmail stamp. It has two ENMORE/ 130P 16 JL 36/ N.S.W postmarks plus a blue By Air Mail/ Par Avion vignette. It is addressed to E. L. Angeloglou. Esq./ 13. El. Manakh. St/ Cairo, Egypt. The dates at Enmore, Sydney and Alexandria are written in ink manuscript, on the front (Figure 1).

ERNEST A. KEHR, PHILATELIST & PROLIFIC WRITER ABOUT STAMPS [USA]

The following item appeared on Ebay Australia and was withdrawn by the vendor prematurely:“Advertisement Cover produced by The Royal Horticultural Society of NSW to promote the World's Buckjumping Championship held in Sydney during the Royal Easter Show from the 6th to 15th April 1936. Contestant countries were USA, CANADA, AUSTRALIA. The Cover is addressed to distinguished philatelist Ernest A Kehr (1911-86) franked with 2 x Blue 3d Tasmanian Telephone Cable stamps (issued 1 April 1936) and registered postmarked 2 April 1936 affixed with an R6 Registration Label No 5400 issued at Sydney D" (Figure 1).

ERNEST ALFRED CROME, “JOINT FATHER of AEROPHILATELY”

This cover has been seen on 3 different websites, but two distinct copies were involved. These two were almost totally identical, and both were prepared by E.A. CROME, c/o J. Dougherty, Esq., Mission Station, Mornington Island, Gulf of Carpentaria. The 2d red KGVI head stamp is postmarked G.P.O. SYDNEY/ AIR/3-P21DE39/ 5/ N.S.W-AUST and there is a black manuscript “Received by parachute/ 23/12/39/ John Dougherty” with a purple handstamp MORNINGTON ISLAND. In addition, there is a purple handstamp QANTAS EMPIRE AIRWAYS LTD, associated with a black handstamp PER FLYING BOAT. “CORIO.” G.AEUH. PILOT. with the pilot’s signature (Capt.) R.B. Tapp.

ERNEST OESCH, PHILIPPINE ISLANDS: PAPERS TO & FROM AUSTRALIA

Multiple covers from Australia have been seen on Ebay addressed to Mr. E.H. Oesch, Mindanao (also spelt Mindinao) Estate(s) Co., Padada, Santa Cruz, Davao, Mindanao, Philippine Islands, the first being a registered letter with a Caulfield South, Victoria with a blue registration label. The total postage of 6½d was made up by the 1½d dull scarlet and black swan plus the FIVE PENCE overprint on the violet 4½d KGV head, both being cancelled by a CAULFIELD SOUTH/ 18 NO 31/ VIC postmark. There was also a purple STA. CRUZ, DAVAO P.I./ DEC/ 14/ 1931/ REC'D reception mark (Figure 1).

EVERETT C. ERLE, AMERICAN PHILATELIST, A.P.S. HALL of FAME

This registered cover was sent from 634 MILE T.A.R./ -3 AP 37/ W.A. with three postmarks canceling 5 stamps with a total postage of 6d, made up of pairs of the 1d green and ½d orange KGV heads as well as the 3d blue Centenary of South Australia stamp. The cover has a R6 ‘no name’ registration label and it is addressed to Mr. Everett Erle, 3546-22nd St., San Francisco, Calif, U.S.A (Figure 1).

FRIEDRICH CHARLES KRICHAUFF, STAMP COLLECTOR, PHOTOGRAPHER & ARCHITECT

This unusually addressed cover apparently found its way into the hands of the addressee, F.C. Krichauff, Esq, Stamp Collector, South Australia, in spite of the inadequate address. The ½ anna green embossed stamp from India was up-rated with a blue 2 anna stamp of India, and both were cancelled with the squared circle BOMBAY/ F/ AP 2/ (18)97. The reverse, not seen by me, had Tuticorin, India and Colombo, Ceylon transits and an Adelaide, S.A. receiver mark (Figure 1).

GIANTS of PHILATELY: ALFRED F. LICHTENSTEIN (1876-1947) [USA]

This World War II censored cover was posted 'On His Majesty's Service' from Canberra A.C.T. on 17 FEB 1942 with a machine cancel postmark 'REGISTER/VALUABLE/MAIL'on the 3½d overprint on the 3d blue KGVI stamp. It was sent to Mr. Alfred Lichtenstein at a London S.W. 9, England address. In spite of it being sent from a Commonwealth of Australia Department of the Interior, Acton, Canberra A.C.T., it was subjected to opening with a red '3 Opened by Censor' label, as well as a purple diamond shaped mark '3/ Passed / by/ Censor/ 305'. It had a London reception postmark at Stockwell S.W.9 on 8 May 1942, with a manuscript redirection to Cassila de corred central No 2479 Buenos Aires, Argentina, where it received an Argentinian postmark (not legible) on 26 JUN 42. There were 2 additional Spanish manuscripts, one in black, and one in red, both not identified (Figure 1).

GOULBURN N.S.W. COVER to HENRY CLOTZ, NEW YORK in 1895

A cover from an Australian Colony to an American philatelist is the subject of this paper. It is addressed to Mr. Henry Clotz, P.O.B. N^O 999, New York, U.S. America and has a pair of the 1d lilac ‘View of Sydney’ issued in 1888 as well as the ½d grey Q.V. stamp, postmarked with 2 fine duplex cancels of Goulburn (Type D4 of Hopson & Tobin, 1995): GOULBURN/ MY 11/ 330 PM/ 95/ N.S.W with the barred numeral ‘35' in 3 concentric ovals, as the obliterator on the stamps. The reverse not seen, was back-stamped with a reception postmark of “NY PAID ALL 6/13/95" (Figure 1).

HENRY LUKE WHITE, PASTORALIST, PHILANTHROPIST & PHILATELIST

I was attempting to obtain some meaningful biographical information on Fred Hagen who had an international clientele for his Sydney Stamp Shop, and I stumbled on this lot described as a ‘Hagen front only’. It was sent to a prominent collector H.L.White Esq., Belltrees, Scone, N.S.W. and it had a single and a block of four red Die 1 ‘Roo on Map of Australia’ stamps postmarked with 5 copies of REGISTERED/ 2 JA 13/ SYDNEY N.S.W, being the first day of issue. There was also a Sydney orange/black registration label. This item was sold on account of its rarity for AUD 12,000 (Figure 1).

JUDGE HUGH MONTGOMERIE HAMILTON, GLACIER CLIMBER, PHILATELIST

Only the front of this registered cover was available, but the addressee was easily identifiable by his distinctive name and the name of his residence. It was sent from Melbourne with a MARKET STREET/ 19 MY 30/ MELBOURNE postmark on a reddish violet 4½d KGV head stamp and a R6 Registration label for Market St. Melb. Victoria. It was addressed to Judge H. Montgomerie Hamilton, "Tomabil", Strathfield, Sydney, N.S.W. (Figure 1).

KING GEORGE V CORONATION CELEBRATIONS, GLENORCHY TASMANIA 1911

This Australian 1911 KGV Coronation issue postal card portrait in an oval laurel frame was privately overprinted on the reverse with a message and it was sent to J. Forsyth, Strath Avon, Claremont, the 9rinted 1d stamp being cancelled in an indistinct Claremont 1911 postmark (Figure 1).

MAXIMILIAN TANNENBERG, STAMP DESIGNER of AUSTRALIAN STATES

Two postal items have appeared at two auction sites in the past year addressed to Max Tannenberg. The first is a cover described as follows: "use of the India 4a 6p envelope from Rangoon to Melbourne addressed to Maximillian (sic) Tannenberg". It has a RANGOON/ AUG 19 cds with an 8 barred R duplex obliterator and it was sent to Tannenberg, at his home address 19 Canning Street, Carlton, Melbourne, Australia. There is a pencilled ‘36' (registration number?) as well three examples of insufficient postage paid: a black ink manuscript ‘18cts’; a large oval ‘MORE TO PAY’ handstamp with ‘8' inserted in pencil; and, a large ‘T’ in a circle handstamp. The vendor is not sure if the tax markings were applied in India or Victoria., but he is well aware that Max is a known Australian colony stamp designer. The reverse (not seen) shows that 1884 was the year of the cover being posted, and it was postmarked at Bombay, Melbourne and Carlton (Figure 1).

MOURNING COVER to ARTHUR A. BARTLETT, PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND [CANADA]

A mourning cover from Australia led to an exciting story of Nova Scotia stamps remainders. It was addressed to A.A. Bartlett Esq, "The Hill", Charlottetown, P.E. I. (Prince Edward Island), Canada and it had a manuscript Per SS "Moama" . The red 1d and green ½d Victorian stamps were postmarked MELBOURNE/ PM/ 2 30/ 13 3 00 (Figure 1).

NORMAN COLIN HOPSON, AUSTRALIAN POSTAL HISTORIAN 1929-1998

Norman Hopson and Alexander Robert ‘Bob’ Tobin will always be linked together because of their four seminal volumes published on the N.S.W. and A.C.T. Post, Receiving, Telegraph & Telephone Offices, over the years from 1991 to 1998 and posthumously in 1999. Regretfully I never met them, but their publications largely hijacked me away from stamp collecting to an interest in Australian postmarks, particularly those of N.S.W.

PARLIAMENT HOUSE (SYDNEY) to HALF WAY TREE, JAMAICA

This airmail cover is philatelically contrived with a gutter block of eight red 3d KGVI stamps, the right hand block of four with the By Authority Imprint, and both blocks with the small circle in the selvedge (so-called 'perforation pip') plus a single blue 7½d KGVI stamp, a total of 2/7½d paying the 2/6d airmail rate to the West Indies in 1952. There is added interest as there are 3 postmarks of PARLIAMENT HOUSE/ -3 DE 52/ N.S.W . The cover is addressed to J.M. Nethersole, Chelsea Rd, Halfway Tree, Jamaica, B.W.I., and it was re-addressed in pencil to another (unknown) address (Figure 1).

PRESIDENT FRANKLIN DELANO ROOSEVELT (JANUARY 30, 1882-APRIL 12, 1945)

This simple cover, addressed in what is suggestive of a child’s hand, is addressed to President Roosevelt or His Secretary, America. U.S.A. and the green 1d KGV Head stamp plus the red 2d Submarine Cable stamp are postmarked ULVERSTONE/ -4 MY 36/ TAS, which is a common postmark. There is a blue crayon ‘6/3' in a circle of no known significance (Figure 1).

PROF. MORRIS LOEWY, HOBOKEN N.J., MAGICIAN & STAMP COLLECTOR

A colourful non-Australian-related cover introduced me to the Professor Loewy two years ago and almost simultaneously I found an Australian cover sent to the same man. The Hoboken N.J. cover sold for a cool USD 6,000, the price can be attributed to at least 3 factors: it is a first day cover for the 1901 2c Pan-American Exposition stamp with a May 1 1901 machine cancel; the black vignette of the stamp is shifted upward; it has a multi-coloured vignette; and there are 3 different design exposition labels, one tied by the postmark (Figure 1).