[Ill.u.s.tration: STAMPS]
This Department is conducted in the interest of stamp collectors, and the Editor will be pleased to answer any question on the subject so far as possible. Correspondents should address Editor Stamp Department.
At present all collectors appear to be hunting for varieties of the United States stamps of the 1872 issue, some of the new varieties of which were ill.u.s.trated in these columns a short time ago. The fact that the Continental Bank-Note Company were the successors of the National Bank-Note Company in the printing of that issue has led to the belief that each of the stamps printed by the Continental Company from the plates made by the National Company bears some mark to distinguish the company printing the stamps. Several of the values of the 1872 issue having been found with such a mark, it would seem that all the values were treated in the same manner, the only difficulty being to discover the mark. No help can be obtained from the bank-note companies, as they preserve absolute secrecy in regard to the stamps, it thus being left to the collectors to study out the marks. While these exceedingly small varieties will greatly puzzle the collector, they lead to one great object, by showing that a close study of stamps is necessary in order to be a successful collector, and only those who are willing to study out these minute variations can get the full pleasure of the pursuit.
The auction season in stamps will close with the month of May, and the great sales held this year show that collectors are using that method for buying to a larger extent than ever.
An English paper states that the current adhesives of France have been surcharged "Poste Francaise," for use of French offices in Madagascar.
There are nine values.
ADVERTIs.e.m.e.nTS.
WALTER BAKER & CO.
[Ill.u.s.tration]
The Largest Manufacturers of
PURE, HIGH GRADE
COCOAS AND CHOCOLATES
On this Continent, have received
HIGHEST AWARDS
from the great
Industrial and Food
EXPOSITIONS
In Europe and America.
Unlike the Dutch Process, no Alkalies or other Chemicals or Dyes are used in any of their preparations.
Their delicious BREAKFAST COCOA is absolutely pure and soluble, and _costs less than one cent a cup_.
SOLD BY GROCERS EVERYWHERE.
WALTER BAKER & CO. DORCHESTER, Ma.s.s.
[Ill.u.s.tration]
WONDER CABINET =FREE=. Missing Link Puzzle, Devil"s Bottle, Pocket Camera, Latest Wire Puzzle, Spook Photos, Book of Sleight of Hand, Total Value 60c. Sent free with immense catalogue of 1000 Bargains for 10c. for postage.
INGERSOLL & BRO., 65 Cortlandt Street, N. Y.
[Ill.u.s.tration: Ivory Soap]
To cleanse matting, use four tablespoonfuls of Ivory Soap shavings and a handful of salt to a pailful of warm water. Rub the matting with a cloth or sponge well squeezed out.
THE PROCTER & GAMBLE CO., CIN"TI.
[Ill.u.s.tration]
3 Million, 134 Thousand, 9 Hundred and Thirty-four Packages sold in 1894, which made 15 Million, 674 Thousand, 7 Hundred and Thirty-five Gallons of
[Ill.u.s.tration: HIRES" Rootbeer]
or 313 Million, 494 Thousand, 7 Hundred gla.s.ses, sufficient to give every man, woman and child in the United States, five gla.s.ses each-- Did you get yours? Be sure and get some this year. The whole family will enjoy it. A 25 cent package makes 5 gallons. Sold everywhere. Made only by
The Chas. E. Hires Co., Philada.
MONARCH
King of all Bicycles.
[Ill.u.s.tration]
TRADE-MARK.