(From the collection of Henry J. Duveen, Esq.)
Of other American collections, that of Mr. Francis C. Foster, of Boston, impressed me as much as any that I have seen across the Atlantic. Mr. Foster has been interested in stamps probably longer than any other living collector in the United States, and his collection now comprises the United States, the possessions, and British North America. In the general issues of the Republic he has a superb set of the premières gravures, and all the early issues are extensively shown, together with the beautiful proofs and essays associated with them. The Confederate States Postmasters' stamps include the 5c. Athens used on the envelope; the 5c. and 10c. Goliad; and the Livingston, Alabama. The late Mr. Thorne, an old New York collector, showed me his collection in 1906, which was of great proportions and was exclusively composed of blocks of four, a state in which he had the greatest difficulty in obtaining even many modern stamps. His collection, or some of it, has been disposed of by auction in America. The late Mr. J. F. Seybold, of Syracuse, had the credit of fostering the cult of collecting the used stamps on the entire envelope or letter, which from the historical point of view is extremely useful. His collection, however, was bought for about £5,000 by Mr. J. T. Coit, and subsequently realised nearly £7,000 at auction.
A PAGE OF THE 5 CENTS AND 13 CENTS HAWAIIAN "MISSIONARY" STAMPS.
(From the "Crocker" Collection.)
Of the great collections of the Continent, that of M. Philippe la Rénotière is the greatest ever brought together, but its owner has not been in the habit of exhibiting it, and the number of living philatelists who have seen even portions of it must be extremely few. He has certainly got together in the aggregate a collection greater than the Tapling one, and he has absorbed in the process the albums of Sir Daniel Cooper and Judge Philbrick, and has had the pick of all the greatest collections which have come on the market for many years. It was estimated years ago that he must have spent a quarter of a million of money on the collection,[20] and as he commenced about 1864, the extent of his treasures has brought him to be regarded as a philatelic Comte de Monte Cristo. The unique British Guiana 1 cent stamp of 1856 is in this collection, together with five Post Office Mauritius, including one of the two known copies of the 1d. unused. Other great rarities are mostly represented by several copies.
HAWAIIAN ISLANDS 1851. THE 5 CENTS "MISSIONARY" STAMP ON ORIGINAL ENVELOPE.