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      <title>Stamps and Postal History — LPS Forum</title>
      <link>http://philib.org/vanilla/index.php?p=/</link>
      <pubDate>Wed, 29 Apr 2026 14:14:29 +0000</pubDate>
          <description>Stamps and Postal History — LPS Forum</description>
    <language>en</language>
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    <item>
        <title>1c rate to Canada, 1958</title>
        <link>http://philib.org/vanilla/index.php?p=/discussion/209/1c-rate-to-canada-1958</link>
        <pubDate>Tue, 28 Oct 2025 14:28:23 +0000</pubDate>
        <category>Stamps and Postal History</category>
        <dc:creator>JohnSchorn</dc:creator>
        <guid isPermaLink="false">209@/vanilla/index.php?p=/discussions</guid>
        <description><![CDATA[All, I recently acquired this cover for my Presidential series exhibit.  The flap isn't sealed, so I assume that this is a printed matter rate.  While I have a few 2c Presidential covers sent to the US, this is the first time I've seen a cover with only 1c.  None of my 2c covers shows a year in the postmark, so I'm wondering whether the printed matter rate went from 1c to 2c at some point after 1958.  Or perhaps this 1c rate was for Canada?  Any thoughts would be appreciated.  Thanks, John<br /><img src="http://philib.org/vanilla/uploads/editor/wz/4i2926sk3llf.jpg" alt="" /><br />]]>
        </description>
    </item>
    <item>
        <title>And further crash-cover follow-up</title>
        <link>http://philib.org/vanilla/index.php?p=/discussion/206/and-further-crash-cover-follow-up</link>
        <pubDate>Tue, 15 Jul 2025 08:28:25 +0000</pubDate>
        <category>Stamps and Postal History</category>
        <dc:creator>MartinGiles</dc:creator>
        <guid isPermaLink="false">206@/vanilla/index.php?p=/discussions</guid>
        <description><![CDATA[In a recent <i>LPS Journal</i>, Mik Wisniewski wrote about “The early postal service between Britain and Liberia” [1], and in that context, suggested to me in an e-mail that “The LPS might also want to consider having more active links with the West Africa Study Circle group.”  The WASC used to be called the “<i>British</i> West Africa …”, and does not include Liberia: Liberia is barely present in their online index for their journal, <i>Cameo</i>.  But I thought that I would try the experiment: online membership is just £5, and they hold meetings in London, where I live.<br /><br />Anyway, the first virtual meeting I attended offered plenty of food for thought for a philatelic newbie such as myself—the six presentations were all interesting— and, browsing through <i>Cameo</i>, I see more than the index would suggest.  For example, an article about Graham Greene [2] and <i>The Heart of the Matter</i> (which is set in Sierra Leone and which I have not yet read), reflects on why Greene (who was not a stamp collector), would have the central character, the deputy police commissioner Major Scobie (also not a collector), experience a plot twist based on a stamp album clutched by a young woman, Helen.  He gives her more stamps, including a “complete set of Liberians surcharged for the American occupation” [3].<br /><br />In another recent <i>LPS Journal</i>, Marty wrote about crash covers from a fatally-incomplete 1938 flight, sharing four covers (from four different <i>LPS</i> members)[4].  I followed up in this <i>Forum</i> with a fifth [5].  Marty wrote that “Liberia is considered the rarest country of origin for the mail recovered from this crash.”  <br /><br />I find in <i>Cameo</i> a whole series of articles about the history of that airmail route, and one article [6] shares further details and another recovered cover, of which it says: “This cover lost its stamp and airmail etiquette through being soaked in snow. It is the only one known from Sierra Leone (unless you know otherwise).”  I have also encountered a further cover from the same flight, but on a routing from Brazil to Germany—presumably also unusual—joining the flight in Morocco [7].<br /><br />Maybe our Liberia covers make up more of the story than we thought.  Maybe I should carry on browsing through <i>Cameo</i> to see what else I pick up.  Maybe you would like to, too.<br /><br />[1] Mik Wisniewski, “The early postal service between Britain and Liberia”, <i>LPS Journal, The Journal of the Liberian Philatelic Society</i>, 8(2), April-June 2025, 17-26)<br />[2] Kevin Lowther, “Graham Greene and the Author: Both Bitten by the ‘African Bug’”, <i>Cameo</i>, 19(3), (October 2018), 155-160<br />[3] Graham Greene, <i>The Heart of the Matter</i>, (London: Penguin Books; 1962), 47<br />[4] Martin Nee, “Liberia Aircraft Accident Mail”, <i>LPS Journal, The Journal of the Liberian Philatelic Society</i>, 6(4), October-December 2023, 16-17<br />[5] Martin Giles, “Another crash cover”, <i>LPS Forum</i>, (January 2024)<br />[6] Barbara Priddy, “British West Africa and the French Airmail Services Part I: the Toulouse-Dakar service”, <i>Cameo</i>, 20(2), (June 2019), 98-102<br />[7] Wobbe Vegtar, “Werner von Siemens”, <i>Philamath</i>, 37(4), (April 2016), 3-7<br />]]>
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    </item>
    <item>
        <title>Bryant Korn's LPS article on Dando, Todhunter &amp; Smith</title>
        <link>http://philib.org/vanilla/index.php?p=/discussion/207/bryant-korns-lps-article-on-dando-todhunter-smith</link>
        <pubDate>Tue, 15 Jul 2025 11:21:00 +0000</pubDate>
        <category>Stamps and Postal History</category>
        <dc:creator>mikwizzy</dc:creator>
        <guid isPermaLink="false">207@/vanilla/index.php?p=/discussions</guid>
        <description><![CDATA[My thanks to Bryant Korn for his recent article on Dando, Todhunter &amp; Smith in the latest LPS Journal. It’s saved me a lot of work!!<br />By coincidence I’m looking into the so-called defaced proofs of the first issues that they were involved in.<br /><br />In case it’s of interest to anyone some additional information to supplement Bryant’s.<br /><br /><b>Dando</b><br />1851 Census shows Richard Dando, Shoreditch, London Engraver &amp; Printer as Head of household<br />Interestingly, a “Thomas F Todhorter” (sic) is shown as a “visitor” to this address on Census Day. “Todhorter” is shown with a DoB of 1824 and a birth location of High Wycombe – the same as TF Todhunter..<br />Todhorter is obviously T.F. Todhunter. I’m unable to access the original handwritten census record but the early censuses have spelling errors in them and there are also transcription errors that occurred when digitising the records.<br />Todhorter’s occupation is shown as “stations clerk” which I take to be another error and should read “stationer”<br /><br />Todhunter would have been 17 at the time so was probably employed by Dando in his already established business rather than a partner. <br /><br />1871 Census shows Richard J Dando, Hackney, London Retired as Head of household<br />1881 Census shows Richard James Dando in Lambeth, London as Head of household<br /><br />Dando’s DoB possibly 1812 or 1822<br />Dando Died 1885<br /><br /><b>Todhunter</b><br />1851 Census listed as Visitor to Richard Dando’s household in Shoreditch<br />Recorded as Thomas F Todhorter<br />1861 Census shows Thomas F. Todhunter in Hackney, London, Stationer as Head of household<br />1871 Census Thomas F. Todhunter in East Dulwich, London, Stationer as Head of Household<br />1881 Census Thomas F. Todhunter in Camberwell London as Head of household. Occupation is listed as Stationmaster but again this must be a transcription error<br /><br />Todhunter’s DoB 1824<br />Todhunter’s death 1897<br /><br />Bruns (LPS Journal) comments “ in 1862 the name of the firm was changed to T. F.Todhunter, (Mackal gives 1863) at 22 Gresham St while in 1877 the address became 64 Gresham Street, E.C.". The company is listed in the Post Office Directory of 1880 as T.F. Todhunter. <br /><br /><b>Douglas Feldwick<br /></b>Feldwick is generally credited as the engraver of the first issues probably as an employee of D,T&amp;S for the 1860 issues and then in his own right for the 1880 issues, although in 1860 he would only have been 14 years old.<br /><br />1861 Census shows Duglass (sic) Feldwick in Westminster, London, Engraver (although only 14 years old)<br />1871 Census shows Douglas Feldwick in East Greenwich, London, Engraver Head of household<br />1881 Census shows Douglas Feldwick in Holborn London, Engraver Head of household<br />1891 Census shows Douglas Deldwick Fulham, London Head of household. Occupation is shown as “Oilman”<br />1901 Census shows Douglas Feldwick in Croydon, Engraver as Head of household<br />1911 Census shows Douglas Feldwick in Croydon, London Engraver as Head of household<br /><br />Feldwick DoB. 1847/8<br />Feldwick Died 1913<br /><br />The 1860 and 1861 Post Office Directory contains no record of a D. Feldwick. By 1876, however, he is listed as operating from 16 Holborn London and continued there at least until 1882. He is not listed in the 1884 directory implying he had ceased trading or had moved out of central London.<br />]]>
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    <item>
        <title>Bileski and Ruislip</title>
        <link>http://philib.org/vanilla/index.php?p=/discussion/208/bileski-and-ruislip</link>
        <pubDate>Sun, 19 Oct 2025 12:42:57 +0000</pubDate>
        <category>Stamps and Postal History</category>
        <dc:creator>mikwizzy</dc:creator>
        <guid isPermaLink="false">208@/vanilla/index.php?p=/discussions</guid>
        <description><![CDATA[One of my other collecting interests is in illustrated covers of the 1937 Coronation of King George.<br /><br />I recently came across several covers produced by the Ruislip Stamp Co. in Middlesex near London. Trying to find out a little more about them I came across an article that stated that the company was set up in the late 1930's by no other than Kasimir Bileski!<br /><br />I've been unable to verify this but I'd be interested if anyone knows any more<br />]]>
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    <item>
        <title>1952 Ashmun set (#332-337, C68/69) and Arthur Szyk</title>
        <link>http://philib.org/vanilla/index.php?p=/discussion/205/1952-ashmun-set-332-337-c68-69-and-arthur-szyk</link>
        <pubDate>Sat, 07 Jun 2025 09:42:05 +0000</pubDate>
        <category>Stamps and Postal History</category>
        <dc:creator>mikwizzy</dc:creator>
        <guid isPermaLink="false">205@/vanilla/index.php?p=/discussions</guid>
        <description><![CDATA[Saleski states that Arthur Szyk was the designer of the 1952 Ashmun set<br /><br />Does anyone have any information to corroborate this?<br />I've been unable to find anyone else saying this.<br /><br />The 1949 set (#309-312) is also credited to Szyk and certainly seems to match his style whilst the 1952 set does not.<br />Also, Szyk died in 1951 <br /><br /><br />]]>
        </description>
    </item>
    <item>
        <title>Douglas Feldwick 1860/1880 issues</title>
        <link>http://philib.org/vanilla/index.php?p=/discussion/203/douglas-feldwick-1860-1880-issues</link>
        <pubDate>Tue, 22 Apr 2025 07:58:14 +0000</pubDate>
        <category>Stamps and Postal History</category>
        <dc:creator>mikwizzy</dc:creator>
        <guid isPermaLink="false">203@/vanilla/index.php?p=/discussions</guid>
        <description><![CDATA[Can anyone add to the limited information about Douglas Feldwick, the engraver involved in the 1860/1880 issues?<br /><br />He’s credited as the engraver of the 1c and 2c 1880 issues and probably also the other 1880 issues and the 1860 issues as well as the 1881 3c.<br /><br />It’s thought he was an employee of Dando, Todhuneter &amp; Smith in 1860 when they produced the first Liberia stamps but then operated independently from at least 1876 until at least 1882 at 16 Holborn, London.<br /><br />There’s some biographical info on the LPS website (birth, death etc) but little else<br /><br />Can you add to, or correct, what little we know?<br /><br />]]>
        </description>
    </item>
    <item>
        <title>A spot of Hopps follow-up</title>
        <link>http://philib.org/vanilla/index.php?p=/discussion/202/a-spot-of-hopps-follow-up</link>
        <pubDate>Sun, 20 Apr 2025 15:18:21 +0000</pubDate>
        <category>Stamps and Postal History</category>
        <dc:creator>MartinGiles</dc:creator>
        <guid isPermaLink="false">202@/vanilla/index.php?p=/discussions</guid>
        <description><![CDATA[This is unimportant—but it tickled me, and I like to see loose ends tied up.  <br /><br />The <i>LPS Journal</i> recently carried my article “Martin Giles, ‘Yes! we have no collectors’, <i>LPS Journal, The Journal of the Liberian Philatelic Society</i> 7(4) (October-December 2024), 4-10”, centred on a letter to an Edward Hopps.  In that article, I also looked at frequent recipients of paquebot covers bearing Liberian stamps.  <br /><br />One that I highlighted was Gus Lund, with covers through the 1970s-1980s.  I noted that I also had paquebot covers to a “Barbara Lund” in the 1950s, and “Gustav Lund” in the 1930s, both in California.  I speculated that they might have been his parents, in some kind of philatelic dynasty.<br /><br />I have now come across two things in particular: (1) an obituary of Gus Lund and of his wife (Adrianne Zettel Lund), at <a href="https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/seattletimes/name/adrianne-z-lund-obituary?id=28771013" rel="nofollow">https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/seattletimes/name/adrianne-z-lund-obituary?id=28771013</a>); and (2) a seller  from India on eBay (“alphaomegaphilately”) currently offering about 200 paquebot covers from Gus Lund’s collection, in multiple lots, at about $1 per cover.<br /><br />The critical point—that I had not guessed—was that Gus Lund <i>died at the age of 100</i>.  He had been philatelically active across 87 years.<br /><br />1950s Barbara was not his <i>mother</i>, but his <i>daughter</i>.  The 1930s Gustav was Gus <i>himself</i>.  We see covers to a succession of addresses following them (including Adrianne) all around the USA as Gus’s Chemistry studies at UC Berkeley and career with Shell Oil directed.<br /><br />If only Gus had enjoyed a more Liberian focus, rather than just paquebot markings, this would have been a good story, but it is still nice to settle it.  Wrong and yet right.<br /><br />It seems right to log that update here in the Forum.  Or is there a better way to handle corrections and follow-up?<br />]]>
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    <item>
        <title>Bryant's 1881 postal card article</title>
        <link>http://philib.org/vanilla/index.php?p=/discussion/200/bryants-1881-postal-card-article</link>
        <pubDate>Sat, 18 Jan 2025 15:56:10 +0000</pubDate>
        <category>Stamps and Postal History</category>
        <dc:creator>mikwizzy</dc:creator>
        <guid isPermaLink="false">200@/vanilla/index.php?p=/discussions</guid>
        <description><![CDATA[Bryant<br />thanks for your recent article in the LPS about the 1881 postal card.<br /><br />To add to your list of postally used but not cancelled by the Liberian PO I have a card to Koln/Cologne. According to the message on the back it's dated Grand Bassa 14 October 1884. There's a Liverpool cancel for 2 November 1884 and a Cologne cancel for 14 November 1884.<br /><br />It's addressed to someone at the  Kolnische Newspaper<br />The message at the back mentions the President of Liberia (Hilary Johnson) but if anyone can translate I'd love to know the rest!<br /><br /><img src="http://philib.org/vanilla/uploads/editor/ml/7xsd0jfkx346.jpg" alt="" /><br /><img src="http://philib.org/vanilla/uploads/editor/fp/7z9nukydzpw5.jpg" alt="" /><br />]]>
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    </item>
    <item>
        <title>Teschemacher connections</title>
        <link>http://philib.org/vanilla/index.php?p=/discussion/199/teschemacher-connections</link>
        <pubDate>Fri, 20 Dec 2024 09:33:13 +0000</pubDate>
        <category>Stamps and Postal History</category>
        <dc:creator>MartinGiles</dc:creator>
        <guid isPermaLink="false">199@/vanilla/index.php?p=/discussions</guid>
        <description><![CDATA[We have long known that four series of stamps produced for Liberia by the German <i>Reichsdruckerei</i> in 1923-4 (Scott #209-213; #214-227 and their Official equivalents #O141-O154; and #F30-F34) were based on designs by a German artist called Teschemacher, although Fred Farr speculated that (a) Teschemacher was an employee of J.W. West, and (b) that he may only have designed the vignettes [1,2].<br /><br />We now know that the artist was a famous architect who was born and lived in Berlin—Erich Teschemacher (1886-1957) [3]—but not how he came to be contracted by J.W. West to design stamps for Liberia.  I was interested therefore to purchase the postcard attached here.<br /><br /><img src="http://philib.org/vanilla/uploads/editor/c3/7rbxwfqaw7f8.jpeg" alt="" /><br /><br />This card went from Greenville to the Teschemacher family in Elberfeld, now a district of Wuppertal: the reverse is unsigned, and offers only an expression of New Year greetings and wishes for the coming 1894.<br /><br />The Teschemacher name is pretty rare, with only an estimated 119 Teschemachers in Germany “today” [4], but the Wuppertal branch of the family has been illustrious.  Since Gert Teschemacher—born in the 15th century and “the progenitor of the extensive Old Elberfeld Teschemacher family” (“<i>der Stammvater der reichverzweigten Alt-Elberfelder Familie Teschemacher</i>”)—moved the family to Elberfeld from Aachen [5], they have furnished the town with merchants, yarn bleachers, farm owners, and 13 mayors through the 17th and 18th centuries, and also figures meriting individual and extensive Wikipedia pages, such as Werner Teschemacher (1590-1638, an annalist, humanist and reformed theologian) and Jacob Engelbert Teschemacher (1711-1782, an organ builder).  The very substantial <i>Teschemacher Hof</i>, dating from 1540, is the oldest surviving half-timbered “<i>Bergisch</i>” house in Wuppertal and remained in the family until 1911, when the city took ownership.<br /><br />There has also been a Cologne branch of the family, including the operatic soprano Margarete Teschemacher (1903–1959), also at Wikipedia levels of renown … but Erich Teschemacher was from Berlin.<br /><br />All the same … if there was already a Teschemacher family connection with Liberia, perhaps that explains how Erich came to be fingered for work by J.W. West or the <i>Reichsdruckerei</i>.<br /><br />Has anybody else seen anything germane to a Teschemacher connection to Liberia?<br /><br />[1] Fred Farr [Notes, part 2/3], <i>LPS Letter</i>, 10, (March 1967), 3<br />[2] Fred Farr [Notes, part 3/3], <i>LPS Letter</i>, 11, (April 1967), 2<br />[3] Martin Giles, “Stamp designer, Erich Teschemacher: Who was he?”, <i>LPS Journal, The Journal of the Liberian Philatelic Society</i>, 5(4) (October-December 2022), 7-11<br />[4] <a href="http://www.name-statistics.org/de/" rel="nofollow">http://www.name-statistics.org/de/</a>, accessed December 18th 2024<br />[5] <a href="https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Teschemacher-2" rel="nofollow">https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Teschemacher-2</a>, accessed December 18th 2024<br />]]>
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    <item>
        <title>Werner forgeries</title>
        <link>http://philib.org/vanilla/index.php?p=/discussion/198/werner-forgeries</link>
        <pubDate>Sun, 14 Jul 2024 11:34:26 +0000</pubDate>
        <category>Stamps and Postal History</category>
        <dc:creator>mikwizzy</dc:creator>
        <guid isPermaLink="false">198@/vanilla/index.php?p=/discussions</guid>
        <description><![CDATA[I saw this item recently on eBay marked as "Werner forgeries" of the 1893 registration issues<br /><br />Anyone know anything about Werner?<br /><br /><a href="https://www.ebay.com/itm/166861610135?itmmeta=01J2R0CQSEFVSJ032W3T9DEKBB&amp;hash=item26d9ba1c97:g:raQAAOSw5RtmjkcL&amp;itmprp=enc%3AAQAJAAAAwPWAvKgu44BcN4QFJGITgScm9OJ7KrWtCN8LRwkvKbomYbioqFUD3XI3AUPFgRGZqqfxzFc6TrAWylv3h7D2K83iAqDnEP%2FzvYlpTRcCbMrvL92MRSKPhljDEj5%2B4ghVZZeguPGBa0wlOV8A%2FHolCni6e%2FLbTP3paNGaE7oH10G4YFSxl9ny9z%2BSLzTmjFtxZ%2BZCZsZb0EOwFloEPK4mEpgni%2Fkll%2FH36GmTiM13Er%2FNEgSgOoGLXfOVabyUTB%2BGrA%3D%3D%7Ctkp%3ABk9SR-b8soCWZA" rel="nofollow">https://www.ebay.com/itm/166861610135?itmmeta=01J2R0CQSEFVSJ032W3T9DEKBB&amp;amp;hash=item26d9ba1c97:g:raQAAOSw5RtmjkcL&amp;amp;itmprp=enc:AQAJAAAAwPWAvKgu44BcN4QFJGITgScm9OJ7KrWtCN8LRwkvKbomYbioqFUD3XI3AUPFgRGZqqfxzFc6TrAWylv3h7D2K83iAqDnEP/zvYlpTRcCbMrvL92MRSKPhljDEj5+4ghVZZeguPGBa0wlOV8A/HolCni6e/LbTP3paNGaE7oH10G4YFSxl9ny9z+SLzTmjFtxZ+ZCZsZb0EOwFloEPK4mEpgni/kll/H36GmTiM13Er/NEgSgOoGLXfOVabyUTB+GrA==|tkp:Bk9SR-b8soCWZA</a>]]>
        </description>
    </item>
    <item>
        <title>Büttikofer cover</title>
        <link>http://philib.org/vanilla/index.php?p=/discussion/194/buettikofer-cover</link>
        <pubDate>Tue, 26 Mar 2024 07:52:29 +0000</pubDate>
        <category>Stamps and Postal History</category>
        <dc:creator>MartinGiles</dc:creator>
        <guid isPermaLink="false">194@/vanilla/index.php?p=/discussions</guid>
        <description><![CDATA[I see that a Swiss 1881 cover is being auctioned by Jean-Paul Bach <i>AG</i> of Basel, addressed to “Monsieur John Büttikofer, Esq.” at the “Dutsch factorey” in Monrovia.  <br /><br />In case there are members whose commitment and pockets are deeper than mine, I thought you might be interested: minimum bid is CHF 1,800++.<br /><br />I take it that this is Johann Büttikofer (1850 – 1927), the Swiss zoologist who wrote <i>Reisebilder aus Liberia</i> (Leiden: E. J. Brill; 1890).  Büttikofer worked in Rotterdam, wrote the book in Dutch, and since his Dutch-sponsored first expedition spanned 1879-82, this appears to fit.<br /><br />Are covers to Büttikofer commonly found?<br /><img src="http://philib.org/vanilla/uploads/editor/fe/dgs2yyesj96m.jpg" alt="" /><br /><img src="http://philib.org/vanilla/uploads/editor/ms/6z9ptg8uckdi.jpg" alt="" /><br />]]>
        </description>
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    <item>
        <title>1858 postal treaty - Britain &amp; Liberia</title>
        <link>http://philib.org/vanilla/index.php?p=/discussion/176/1858-postal-treaty-britain-liberia</link>
        <pubDate>Mon, 27 Feb 2023 16:08:44 +0000</pubDate>
        <category>Stamps and Postal History</category>
        <dc:creator>mikwizzy</dc:creator>
        <guid isPermaLink="false">176@/vanilla/index.php?p=/discussions</guid>
        <description><![CDATA[Given my other post - asking how early international postage was organised and managed - elicited a nil response from everyone, I thought I'd better try to find out for myself.<br /><br />What I found out may be of interest to others. (?)<br /><br />Prior to the creation of the Universal Postal Union (UPU) in 1874, it appears that countries set up individual postal treaties - bilateral arrangements between themselves and each other country, setting responsibilities, procedures etc.<br /><br />One such was established on January 20, 1858 between Great Britain and Liberia.<br /><br />The basic system sets out that letters up to 1/2 ounce from Britain to Liberia would cost 6d (6 old pennies in British pre-decimal currency) with 5d covering British postage and 1d for Liberian.<br />For mail coming from Liberia to Britain the rate is specified as 12 (US) cents with 2c for Liberia postage and 10c for British.  (Scott #2 is 12c)<br /><br />In terms of accounting procedures, the arrangement specifies that detailed records be kept by both countries in terms of the mail coming in and going out (detailed by different categories of mail) and that every 3 months accounts between the two countries postal agencies be settled (using "British money") based on who owed what to who. It would be interesting to find out if such records were accurately kept in Liberia! <br /> <br />The Convention must have been every bureaucrats' dream-come-true given the amount of technical detail that it contains in its 13 pages. Details are specified in terms of dealing with insufficient postage, missing postage, registered letters, newspapers, book post, undeliverable mail etc. <br /><br />There is also a detailed table showing rates (in British money) for mail posted in Liberia but going via Britain to a third country destination and vice versa (presumably showing all known postal destinations at that time). A letter from Monrovia to Schwartzberg-Sondershausen via Britain for example would require postage of 1 shilling (=12d, pennies) whilst one to California would require postage of 1 shilling and 6 and one half d. <br /><br />Of course, it's also interesting that this agreement was signed some two years before Liberia actually had any postal stamps or a postal department. Apparently,  similar postal arrangements were also made by Liberia with France and Germany around this time.<br /><br />This could make an interesting article for the LPS Journal!<br />]]>
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    <item>
        <title>The forgery business</title>
        <link>http://philib.org/vanilla/index.php?p=/discussion/195/the-forgery-business</link>
        <pubDate>Thu, 11 Apr 2024 16:19:50 +0000</pubDate>
        <category>Stamps and Postal History</category>
        <dc:creator>mikwizzy</dc:creator>
        <guid isPermaLink="false">195@/vanilla/index.php?p=/discussions</guid>
        <description><![CDATA[Some of you will have seen my article in the last LPS Journal on the Forgers of the first Liberia issues where I wondered who's busy producing forgeries right now<br /><br />Turns out - in the case of GB stamps - it's the Chinese turning out a million "counterfeit" stamps a week!<br /><a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-68786782" rel="nofollow">https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-68786782</a><br /><br />Good job Fournier and the Spiro's didn't have access to todays technology!<br /><br /><br />]]>
        </description>
    </item>
    <item>
        <title>American Colonization Society and Settlers to Liberia</title>
        <link>http://philib.org/vanilla/index.php?p=/discussion/193/american-colonization-society-and-settlers-to-liberia</link>
        <pubDate>Tue, 13 Feb 2024 16:42:19 +0000</pubDate>
        <category>Stamps and Postal History</category>
        <dc:creator>mikwizzy</dc:creator>
        <guid isPermaLink="false">193@/vanilla/index.php?p=/discussions</guid>
        <description><![CDATA[In case its of interest/use to others, here's a link:<br /><br /><a href="https://www.theshipslist.com/ships/Arrivals/liberia.shtml" rel="nofollow">https://www.theshipslist.com/ships/Arrivals/liberia.shtml</a><br /><br />The website is a family history one but it appears that someone has started to put together information on the early Liberia settlers. Lots of names, dates, events etc<br />  ]]>
        </description>
    </item>
    <item>
        <title>Worst forgery ever?</title>
        <link>http://philib.org/vanilla/index.php?p=/discussion/192/worst-forgery-ever</link>
        <pubDate>Mon, 15 Jan 2024 14:32:01 +0000</pubDate>
        <category>Stamps and Postal History</category>
        <dc:creator>mikwizzy</dc:creator>
        <guid isPermaLink="false">192@/vanilla/index.php?p=/discussions</guid>
        <description><![CDATA[I was sent this and asked if I knew who the forger was<br /><br />Anyone seen this before?<br /><br /><img src="http://philib.org/vanilla/uploads/editor/34/qrn3jvory3wj.jpg" alt="" /><br /><br />]]>
        </description>
    </item>
    <item>
        <title>Forgeries</title>
        <link>http://philib.org/vanilla/index.php?p=/discussion/191/forgeries</link>
        <pubDate>Sun, 14 Jan 2024 19:41:22 +0000</pubDate>
        <category>Stamps and Postal History</category>
        <dc:creator>Gilldad</dc:creator>
        <guid isPermaLink="false">191@/vanilla/index.php?p=/discussions</guid>
        <description><![CDATA[Looking for some reference material to identify the various forgers of the early issues (Fournier / Spiro / Ventwring etc.) I'd appreciate any suggestions.]]>
        </description>
    </item>
    <item>
        <title>Another crash cover</title>
        <link>http://philib.org/vanilla/index.php?p=/discussion/190/another-crash-cover</link>
        <pubDate>Fri, 12 Jan 2024 14:58:22 +0000</pubDate>
        <category>Stamps and Postal History</category>
        <dc:creator>MartinGiles</dc:creator>
        <guid isPermaLink="false">190@/vanilla/index.php?p=/discussions</guid>
        <description><![CDATA[Marty Nee wrote recently in the <i>LPS Journal</i> about crash covers recovered from a mail flight that crashed in the Pyrenees in 1938 (Martin Nee, “Liberia Aircraft Accident Mail”, <i>LPS Journal</i>, <i>The Journal of the Liberian Philatelic Society</i>, 6(4), October-December 2023, 16-17), and illustrated four covers from that crash.  I just picked up another.  It continues the Barclay harvest, although in this case the six Barclays make up way over the 21¢ airmail rate.  <br /><br />The reverse only shows that the sender was “D. van EE, Dutch House, Monrovia” as opposed to the intended recipient also “D. van EE” in Rotterdam.  <br /><br />Further to Marty’s description of the incident, information with the cover adds only the assertion that the impact was “10 metres from the summit”, the ‘plane was named “Ville de Toulouse” (Marty noted that it was routed to Toulouse on its way to Paris), and that the pilot was Henri Guy.<br /><br /><img src="http://philib.org/vanilla/uploads/editor/be/i3jrn6jjmdmg.jpeg" alt="" /><br /><br /><br />]]>
        </description>
    </item>
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        <title>Mystery Revenue Marking?</title>
        <link>http://philib.org/vanilla/index.php?p=/discussion/189/mystery-revenue-marking</link>
        <pubDate>Sun, 03 Dec 2023 23:42:08 +0000</pubDate>
        <category>Stamps and Postal History</category>
        <dc:creator>seredag</dc:creator>
        <guid isPermaLink="false">189@/vanilla/index.php?p=/discussions</guid>
        <description><![CDATA[Attached is a scan of the 10 cent value of the 1921 definitive series, handstamped with the "BUREAU OF INTERNALREVENUE" fourth provisional series marking.  While admittedly no great treasure as such, this copy bears a marking I have not seen elsewhere.  Notably, it has a double lined "X" pressed into it.  This is very clear on the stamp itself, but you must look closely at the scan to see it.  I say pressed into the stamp because it has no ink, but is rather a sharply defined well centered indentation only slightly smaller than the stamp itself.  Does anyone have any information on this marking?  Is it common?  Scarce?  Any thoughts would be appreciated.<br /><br /><br /><img src="http://philib.org/vanilla/uploads/editor/bl/n2az4q20u230.jpg" alt="" /><br /><br />]]>
        </description>
    </item>
    <item>
        <title>Pan-African Postal Union</title>
        <link>http://philib.org/vanilla/index.php?p=/discussion/188/pan-african-postal-union</link>
        <pubDate>Sat, 25 Nov 2023 10:24:14 +0000</pubDate>
        <category>Stamps and Postal History</category>
        <dc:creator>MartinGiles</dc:creator>
        <guid isPermaLink="false">188@/vanilla/index.php?p=/discussions</guid>
        <description><![CDATA[Liberia (or rather Stamperija) seems recently to have opted for a burst of commemorative themes that are more Liberia-related than usual (or at least, more than cricket, Bruce Lee or Frank Zappa), with the Liberia Bicentennial series, the President, Vice-President and First Lady, and now celebration of the inauguration of the “PAPU Tower” in Arusha (Tanzania) for the Pan-African Postal Union.<br /><br />To echo Bryant Korn’s words in a 2020 <i>LPS Journal</i>, “And since everyone loves a pygmy hippo, who needs a better reason!”;(1)  let’s celebrate.  The PAPU stamps are a multi-country series, appropriately enough, and “Being an African Joint Stamp Issue, all member states of the union are required to incorporate into the design, an iconic emblem or national natural artefact of their choice in their respective countries.”(2)   Thus Nigeria (not a Stamperija client) has a semi-postal N255 commemorative stamp (N250 in value with a surcharge of N5) that depicts the Zuma Rock: for Liberia, the rule means the national flag and a rare reappearance of Coat of Arms, and a pygmy hippo.  (There are also designs with a secretary bird, a chameleon, and a butterfly).  <br /><br /><img src="http://philib.org/vanilla/uploads/editor/gy/0knxak9wphg3.jpeg" alt="" /><br /><br />Stamperija also show PAPU stamps so far for Burundi, the CAR, Niger, and Sierra Leone.<br /><br />This highlights so much of a turnaround for Liberia.  Aside from a non-functioning mail system, it was Liberia’s failure to pay its postal costs for the previous decade that resulted in international airlines, the UPU and the PAPU, among others, imposing an embargo on mail entering and leaving Liberia from June 2002.(3)  Even in 2016, when the Government of Liberia had paid to the UPU USD4.3 million arrears, they were still negotiating a debt-interest waiver and lower indexation of fees, and had reduced debts to the PAPU by 40%.  (This at a time when Liberia joined PAPU member countries to celebrate Pan African Posts Day with an announcement of the lifting of the ban on exportation of perishable products that had been imposed during its Ebola crisis.)(4)   Liberia was still in arrears to the PAPU when the George Weah inauguration stamps were announced in 2018,(5)  although Liberia had been elected to the Administrative Council of PAPU in 2012.(6) <br /><br />The building of the 17-storey PAPU (by the Chinese, of course) started in 2020,  scheduled to take 30 months.(7)<br /><br />Tanzania, as hosts, marked the first decade of the PAPU in 1990 with stamps (Scott #TZ 540-543 and souvenir sheet #544), followed just 18 days later by eight stamps and two souvenir sheets showing animals that had become extinct since the year 1800 (#TZ 545-554).  I hope that Liberia is not now conflating PAPU and imminent extinction into the same issuance.<br /><br />(1)  Bryant E. Korn, “Liberia’s One Dollar Hippopotamus”, <i>LPS Journal (Journal of the Liberian Philatelic Society</i>, 3(1) (January-March 2020): 9-14<br />(2)  “NIPOST launches new N255 stamp”, <i>The Punch</i> (Nigeria), (September 7th 2023)<br />(3)  Gaenor Lipson, “Business Briefs”, <i>Sunday Times</i> (Johannesburg), (July 21st 2002)  <br />(4)  Jimmey C. Fahngon, “Liberia Celebrates”, <i>The News</i> (Monrovia), (January 19th 2016)<br />(5)  Prince Parker, “Posts Launches Weah's Inaugural Postage Stamp”, <i>The News</i> (Monrovia), July 24th 2018<br />(6)  “Nation Elected to Papu High Post”, <i>allAfrica.com</i>, (April 18th 2012) <br />(7)  Deus Ngowi, “African Postal Union Office Construction Kicks Off”, <i>The Daily News</i> (Dar es Salaam), January 9th 2020<br />]]>
        </description>
    </item>
    <item>
        <title>Fun with ChatGPT</title>
        <link>http://philib.org/vanilla/index.php?p=/discussion/187/fun-with-chatgpt</link>
        <pubDate>Tue, 07 Nov 2023 10:51:48 +0000</pubDate>
        <category>Stamps and Postal History</category>
        <dc:creator>MartinGiles</dc:creator>
        <guid isPermaLink="false">187@/vanilla/index.php?p=/discussions</guid>
        <description><![CDATA[Every page of ChatGPT (<a href="https://chat.openai.com" rel="nofollow">https://chat.openai.com</a>) bears the legend: “ChatGPT can make mistakes. Consider checking important information.”  <br /><br />Nonetheless, last night I was multitasking in front of the TV (and next to my wife), and I thought it would be interesting to experiment.<br /><br />Some way down the list of my explorations of the designers of Liberia’s stamps, I have surveyed 44 Liberian stamps designed by the Victor Whiteley studio, plus some personal history, bringing together an account that is solid but not scintillating.  I wondered whether AI might scrape the internet and offer me something surprising.<br /><br />No.  Not so much.<br /><br />ChatGPT’s response to a bland prompt (“The postage stamps designed for the Republic of Liberia by the Victor Whiteley studio”) was, in full:<br /><br /><div>“I'm sorry, but I do not have specific information about postage stamps designed for the Republic of Liberia by the Victor Whiteley studio in my knowledge. It's possible that this is a relatively obscure or specialized topic, and information about such stamps may not be readily available in widely accessible sources.<br /><br />“If you are interested in learning more about these stamps, I recommend reaching out to philatelic organizations, stamp collectors, or specialized libraries and archives that may have more detailed information on the topic. Additionally, you can try conducting online research or contacting experts in philately for more specific information.”</div><br /><br />Fair enough: the field of enquiry is a <i>bit</i> niche, and I have apparently out-geeked <i>l'intelligence artificielle du jour</i>.  Nevertheless, the advice is well phrased, and perhaps I should reach out to the members of the Liberian Philatelic Society.<br /><br />Out of curiosity, however, I thought to try the same ploy going back to the artist Erich Teschemacher, since there might be more “out there”.  With the same prompt, the result was more bizarre (again in full):<br /><br /><div>“Erich Teschemacher, a German artist and designer, is known for creating postage stamps for the Republic of Liberia. Liberia, a country in West Africa, has a rich history of issuing interesting and collectible postage stamps. Erich Teschemacher's designs for Liberia's stamps are notable for their unique and artistic qualities.<br /><br />“<b>One of Teschemacher's most famous stamp designs for Liberia is the ‘Bursting Bud’ series issued in 1921. These stamps featured a beautiful illustration of a flower bud just before it bursts open, symbolizing the growth and development of the nation. The set included various denominations and color variations.</b><br /><br />“Liberia's stamp issues are diverse and include many thematic subjects, including nature, history, culture, and famous personalities. Erich Teschemacher's contributions to the country's stamp designs are highly regarded by philatelists and collectors for their artistic quality and historical significance. Collectors often seek out these stamps for their unique and attractive designs.”</div><br /><br />This time, the general chatbot bloviation is again well-written … but what is that bollocular bit that I have highlighted in the middle?  To take the words of Jay Leno: what is <i>that</i> all about?<br /><br />To test this, I zoomed in on that detail with the further prompt, “The ‘Bursting Bud’ series of postage stamps issued by Liberia in 1921 and designed by Erich Teschemacher.”  The response:  <br /><br /><div>“The ‘Bursting Bud’ series of postage stamps was indeed issued by Liberia in 1921 and featured designs created by Erich Teschemacher, a German artist. These stamps are well-known for their striking and artistic designs, which showcase various aspects of nature, including flowers, insects, and other elements. The series consisted of several denominations and a variety of designs, all centered around the ‘Bursting Bud’ theme.<br /><br />“Erich Teschemacher was a renowned artist and designer, known for his intricate and detailed artwork. His contributions to the field of philately, particularly through the ‘Bursting Bud’ series, have made these stamps highly sought after by collectors and enthusiasts. The stamps from this series are considered philatelic classics and are often prized for their aesthetic beauty and historical significance.”</div><br /><br />Have I seeded the internet with a new hallucination for future AI to build upon and to propagate?  Has anybody any idea what this “Bursting Bud” business is all about?<br />]]>
        </description>
    </item>
    <item>
        <title>Oldest post office</title>
        <link>http://philib.org/vanilla/index.php?p=/discussion/186/oldest-post-office</link>
        <pubDate>Sat, 23 Sep 2023 10:42:54 +0000</pubDate>
        <category>Stamps and Postal History</category>
        <dc:creator>mikwizzy</dc:creator>
        <guid isPermaLink="false">186@/vanilla/index.php?p=/discussions</guid>
        <description><![CDATA[nothing to do with Liberia as such, but I live about 5 miles away from the  world's oldest post office, recently taken over by a couple from Florida! This may crop up in a pub quiz sometime!<br /><br />I wonder if any Liberia items ever came through here!<br /><br /><a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-south-scotland-66842343" rel="nofollow">https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-south-scotland-66842343</a><br /><br />]]>
        </description>
    </item>
    <item>
        <title>1880 1c &amp; 12 mint with gum ???</title>
        <link>http://philib.org/vanilla/index.php?p=/discussion/180/1880-1c-12-mint-with-gum</link>
        <pubDate>Tue, 30 May 2023 15:33:33 +0000</pubDate>
        <category>Stamps and Postal History</category>
        <dc:creator>mikwizzy</dc:creator>
        <guid isPermaLink="false">180@/vanilla/index.php?p=/discussions</guid>
        <description><![CDATA[I know that the 1880 issues are meant to have been issued without gum<br /><br />But I have a 1c and a 12c mint that to my untrained eye look genuine but both have full gum on the back<br />Difficult to tell from the scans but the gum on both is quite wrinkled and yellow<br />I'm also aware that items with gum have been found to be forgeries <br /><br />The 1c has what appears to be the initial V.K. in violet in the bottom right corner<br /><br /><img src="http://philib.org/vanilla/uploads/editor/tv/8ovji2rtjsx4.jpg" alt="" /><br /><br /><br /><img src="http://philib.org/vanilla/uploads/editor/bg/vdxrx9t8jr0s.jpg" alt="" /><br /><br />Any thoughts, comments, ideas?<br />]]>
        </description>
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        <title>1892 postal reply card</title>
        <link>http://philib.org/vanilla/index.php?p=/discussion/185/1892-postal-reply-card</link>
        <pubDate>Sat, 12 Aug 2023 15:20:45 +0000</pubDate>
        <category>Stamps and Postal History</category>
        <dc:creator>mikwizzy</dc:creator>
        <guid isPermaLink="false">185@/vanilla/index.php?p=/discussions</guid>
        <description><![CDATA[I admit I haven't looked extensively, but has anyone seen the REPLY part of this card postally used?<br /><br />The card came in 2 detachable parts - one for the sender to send a message to the recipient and the other for the recipient to detach and send a pre-paid reply back.<br /><br />By definition, the sender would have to be in Liberia and the REPLY part of the card sent back to Liberia but I've never seen the REPLY part postally used.<br /><br />I assume most if not all of the used cards would have been for collectors rather than genuine postal users<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> ]]>
        </description>
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    <item>
        <title>First issue forgeries and Roy Mackal</title>
        <link>http://philib.org/vanilla/index.php?p=/discussion/178/first-issue-forgeries-and-roy-mackal</link>
        <pubDate>Mon, 20 Mar 2023 08:34:55 +0000</pubDate>
        <category>Stamps and Postal History</category>
        <dc:creator>mikwizzy</dc:creator>
        <guid isPermaLink="false">178@/vanilla/index.php?p=/discussions</guid>
        <description><![CDATA[I was reading Roy's 1996 LPS article on teh bforgers of the first issue<br /><br />He writes<br />"In a future article I will point out one major identifying feature for each forger which is sufficient for identification"<br /><br />The only other article of his on the topic that I can find is Jan-March 1997 where he describes how to identify the Fournier forgeries.<br /><br />Does anyone know if he did ever reveal the one feature per forger?<br /><br /><br />]]>
        </description>
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        <title>Berlin issues CTO</title>
        <link>http://philib.org/vanilla/index.php?p=/discussion/183/berlin-issues-cto</link>
        <pubDate>Thu, 08 Jun 2023 10:41:31 +0000</pubDate>
        <category>Stamps and Postal History</category>
        <dc:creator>Manfred</dc:creator>
        <guid isPermaLink="false">183@/vanilla/index.php?p=/discussions</guid>
        <description><![CDATA[From <i>Mekeel's Weekly Stamp New</i>s, June 1, 1925:<br /><div>— Mr Frank Haglund, Seattle, Washington, writes that he has received a warning from the Stockholm Philatelic Society to the effect that the new Liberian stamps with the slight cancellations are open to question on the score of philatelic regularity. Mr. Haglund says: "It is true that Liberia sent an order to Berlin for these stamps but before the stamps were received in Liberia, and used there, a quantity of them was sent from Berlin to Hamburg, where they were canceled with names of the largest cities in Liberia." Collectors should be guided accordingly.</div>"Hamburg" seems to point directly to the German headquarters of J. W. West.]]>
        </description>
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        <title>An 1860 curiosity</title>
        <link>http://philib.org/vanilla/index.php?p=/discussion/181/an-1860-curiosity</link>
        <pubDate>Mon, 05 Jun 2023 13:50:55 +0000</pubDate>
        <category>Stamps and Postal History</category>
        <dc:creator>mikwizzy</dc:creator>
        <guid isPermaLink="false">181@/vanilla/index.php?p=/discussions</guid>
        <description><![CDATA[Trawling through some old philatelic publications I came across an odd item about the first Liberia issues 1860.<br /><br />A letter in the Stamp Collector's Magazine in 1865 referred to an incident where a French ship carrying (amongst other things) gunpowder blew up in Liverpool (UK) harbour. Liverpool was the port from which much of the commercial shipping heading to West Africa set out at this time. Retrieved from the wreckage was a package that was found to contain a "large" quantity of Liberia postage stamps. These were judged to be forgeries by the Liberian consul in London of the time.<br /><br />Has anyone heard of this story before?<br /><b><i>IF</i></b> this is true why would forgeries of the first issues be sent <b><i>TO</i></b> Liberia? All I can think of would be to get them cancelled and then re-sell. Mint forgeries produced in Europe at this time would simply be sold to collectors of dealers. Any other ideas?<br />]]>
        </description>
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    <item>
        <title>Brown paper varieties of 1923</title>
        <link>http://philib.org/vanilla/index.php?p=/discussion/182/brown-paper-varieties-of-1923</link>
        <pubDate>Thu, 08 Jun 2023 10:11:44 +0000</pubDate>
        <category>Stamps and Postal History</category>
        <dc:creator>Manfred</dc:creator>
        <guid isPermaLink="false">182@/vanilla/index.php?p=/discussions</guid>
        <description><![CDATA[<i>Mekeel's Weekly Stamp News</i>, Oct. 6, 1924, contains an interesting note reproduced from <i>Stanley Gibbons Monthly Journal</i>:<br /><div>LIBERIA. — Mr. H. Lueders shows us the 30c, 50c, 75c, and the 1, 2, and 5 dollars, both ordinary and service, of the current "plasters," on clear white paper instead of the coloured paper associated with earlier deliveries. Enquiries on the spot elicited the information that the colouring was probably due to the paper between which the stamps had been packed, as it was understood that no new printing had been made. We notice that the new Registration issue spells "Grenville" "Greenville," the former spelling having been current on previous registration stamps. — <i>Stanley Gibbons Monthly Journal</i>.</div>The original idea may have been to give the higher values extra protection, and it backfired. The brown paper merely being the result of inappropriate packaging material would also explain the gum issues usually observed with these varieties.]]>
        </description>
    </item>
    <item>
        <title>Forgers of the first issues</title>
        <link>http://philib.org/vanilla/index.php?p=/discussion/179/forgers-of-the-first-issues</link>
        <pubDate>Fri, 31 Mar 2023 09:37:39 +0000</pubDate>
        <category>Stamps and Postal History</category>
        <dc:creator>mikwizzy</dc:creator>
        <guid isPermaLink="false">179@/vanilla/index.php?p=/discussions</guid>
        <description><![CDATA[Mackal in his 1996 LPS article mentions a number of names in connection with the forgers of the first issues<br /><br />Forger #2 (Spiro) he mentions Zechmayer<br />Forger #4 he mentions Ventwring<br />Forger #6 he mentions Sartori, Behrman, Wkras<br />Forger #19 he mentions Paris<br /><br />Some cursory internet searching fails to find any existence of these people (except Zechmeyer) <br /><br />Anyone know anything about any of them?<br />]]>
        </description>
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    <item>
        <title># 64 Color Trial?</title>
        <link>http://philib.org/vanilla/index.php?p=/discussion/177/64-color-trial</link>
        <pubDate>Mon, 06 Mar 2023 18:56:22 +0000</pubDate>
        <category>Stamps and Postal History</category>
        <dc:creator>nee361</dc:creator>
        <guid isPermaLink="false">177@/vanilla/index.php?p=/discussions</guid>
        <description><![CDATA[<img src="http://philib.org/vanilla/uploads/editor/pl/7xdhpppjy24u.jpg" alt="" /><br /><br />This stamp came from the Dr Michael Goldstein Liberia collection.  It is gummed and has "proof" written in pencil on the rear.  I am concerned that it might be some kind of color changeling.  I showed it to Bryant Korn and his opinion is that it is a color trial.  Has anyone ever seen a CT for # 64 before?  The colors are a big improvment over the issued stamp!]]>
        </description>
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    <item>
        <title>Cancellation</title>
        <link>http://philib.org/vanilla/index.php?p=/discussion/172/cancellation</link>
        <pubDate>Sun, 22 Jan 2023 18:48:05 +0000</pubDate>
        <category>Stamps and Postal History</category>
        <dc:creator>Gilldad</dc:creator>
        <guid isPermaLink="false">172@/vanilla/index.php?p=/discussions</guid>
        <description><![CDATA[I was what type of cancellation or notation is on the attached stamp.]]>
        </description>
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