| PAGE |
| PREFACE | 7 |
| PHILATELIC TERMS | 21 |
| CHAPTER I |
| THE GENESIS OF THE POST | 55 |
| The earliest letter-carriers—The Roman posita—Princely Postmasters of Thurn and Taxis—Sir Brian Tuke—Hobson of "Hobson's Choice"—The General Letter Office of England—Dockwra's Penny Post of 1680—Povey's "Halfpenny Carriage"—The Edinburgh and other Penny Posts—Postal rates before 1840—Uniform Penny Postage—The Postage Stamp regarded as the royal diplomata—The growth of the postal business. |
| CHAPTER II |
| THE DEVELOPMENT OF AN IDEA | 77 |
| Early instances of contrivances to denote prepayment of postage—The "Two-Sous" Post—Billets de port payÉ—A passage of wit between the French Sappho and M. Pellisson—Dockwra's letter-marks—Some fabulous stamped wrappers of the Dutch Indies—Letter-sheets used in Sardinia—Lieut. Treffenberg's proposals for "Postage Charts" in Sweden—The postage-stamp idea "in the air"—Early British reformers and their proposals—The Lords of the Treasury start a competition—Mr. Cheverton's prize plan—A find of papers relating to the contest—A square inch of gummed paper—The Sydney embossed envelopes—The Mulready envelope—The Parliamentary envelopes—The adhesive stamp popularly preferred to the Mulready envelope. |
| CHAPTER III |
| SOME EARLY PIONEERS OF PHILATELY | 113 |
| "Hobbyhorsical" collections—The application of the term "Foreign Stamp Collecting"—The Stamp Exchange in Birchin Lane—A celebrated lady stamp-dealer—The Saturday rendezvous at the All Hallows Staining Rectory—Prominent collectors of the first period—The first stamp catalogues—The words Philately and Timbrologie—Philatelic periodicals—Justin Lallier's albums—The Philatelic Society, London. |
| CHAPTER IV |
| ON FORMING A COLLECTION | 133 |
| The cost of packet collections—The beginner's album—Accessories—Preparation of stamps for mounting—The requirements of "condition"—The use of the stamp-hinge—A suggestion for the ideal mount—A handy gauge for use in arranging stamps—"Writing-up." |
| CHAPTER V |
| THE SCOPE OF A MODERN COLLECTION | 151 |
| The historical collection: literary and philatelic—The quest for rariora—The "grangerising" of philatelic monographs: its advantages and possibilities—Historic documents—Proposals and essays—Original drawings—Sources of stamp-engravings—Proofs and trials—Comparative rarity of some stamps in pairs, &c., or on original envelopes—Coloured postmarks—Portraits, maps, and contemporary records—A lost opportunity. |
| CHAPTER VI |
| ON LIMITING A COLLECTION | 197 |
| The difficulties of a general collection—The unconscious trend to specialism—Technical limitations: Modes of production; Printers—Geographical groupings: Europe and divisions—Suggested groupings of British Colonies—United States, Protectorates and Spheres of Influence—Islands of the Pacific—The financial side of the "great" philatelic countries. |
| CHAPTER VII |
| STAMP-COLLECTING AS AN INVESTMENT | 209 |
| The collector, the dealer, and the combination—The factor of expense—Natural rise of cost—Past possibilities in British "Collector's Consols," in Barbados, in British Guiana, in Canada, in "Capes"—Modern speculations: Cayman Islands—Further investments: Ceylon, Cyprus, Fiji Times Express, Gambia, India, Labuan, West Indies—The "Post Office" Mauritius—The early Nevis, British North America, Sydney Views, New Zealand—Provisionals: bon fide and speculative—Some notable appreciations—"Booms." |
| CHAPTER VIII |
| FORGERIES, FAKES, AND FANCIES | 237 |
| Early counterfeits and their exposers—The "honest" facsimile—"Album Weeds"—Forgeries classified—Frauds on the British Post Office—Forgeries "paying" postage—The One Rupee, India—Fraudulent alteration of values—The British 10s. and £1 "Anchor"—A too-clever "fake"—Joined pairs—Drastic tests—New South Wales "Views" and "Registered"—The Swiss Cantonals—Government "imitations"—"Bogus" stamps. |
| CHAPTER IX |
| FAMOUS COLLECTIONS | 261 |
| The "mania" in the 'sixties—Some wonderful early collections—The first auction sale—Judge Philbrick and his collection—The Image collection—Lord Crawford's "United States" and "Great Britain"—Other great modern collections—M. la RÉnotiÈre's "legions of stamps"—Synopsis of sale
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