Download or read book The One Cent Magenta written by James Barron and published by Algonquin Books. This book was released on 2017-03-07 with total page 188 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: An inside look at the obsessive, secretive, and often bizarre world of high-profile stamp collecting, told through the journey of the world’s most sought-after stamp. When it was issued in 1856, it cost a penny. In 2014, this tiny square of faded red paper sold at Sotheby’s for nearly $9.5 million, the largest amount ever paid for a postage stamp at auction. Through the stories of the eccentric characters who have bought, owned, and sold the one-cent magenta in the years in between, James Barron delivers a fascinating tale of global history and immense wealth, and of the human desire to collect. One-cent magentas were provisional stamps, printed quickly in what was then British Guiana when a shipment of official stamps from London did not arrive. They were intended for periodicals, and most were thrown out with the newspapers. But one stamp survived. The singular one-cent magenta has had only nine owners since a twelve-year-old boy discovered it in 1873 as he sorted through papers in his uncle’s house. He soon sold it for what would be $17 today. (That’s been called the worst stamp deal in history.) Among later owners was a fabulously wealthy Frenchman who hid the stamp from almost everyone (even King George V of England couldn’t get a peek); a businessman who traveled with the stamp in a briefcase he handcuffed to his wrist; and John E. du Pont, an heir to the chemical fortune, who died while serving a thirty-year sentence for the murder of Olympic wrestler Dave Schultz. Recommended for fans of Nicholas A. Basbanes, Susan Orlean, and Simon Winchester, The One-Cent Magenta explores the intersection of obsessive pursuits and great affluence and asks why we want most what is most rare.

Download or read book A History of America in Thirty Six Postage Stamps written by Chris West and published by Macmillan + ORM. This book was released on 2014-10-28 with total page 297 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: DISCOVER THE INCREDIBLE STORY OF AMERICA THROUGH ITS BEAUTIFUL AND DIVERSE POSTAGE STAMPS IN THIS EXUBERANT AND ALWAYS CHARMING HISTORY. In A History of America in Thirty-six Postage Stamps, Chris West explores America's own rich philatelic history. From George Washington's dour gaze to the charging buffalo of the western frontier and Lindbergh's soaring biplane, American stamps are a vivid window into our country's extraordinary and distinctive past. With the always accessible and spirited West as your guide, discover the remarkable breadth of America's short history through a fresh lens. On their own, stamps can be curiosities, even artistic marvels; in this book, stamps become a window into the larger sweep of history.

Download or read book Famous Stamps and Their Stories written by Montgomery Mulford and published by . This book was released on 1934 with total page 168 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book How to Collect Stamps written by H.E. Harris & Co and published by Whitman Pub Llc. This book was released on 1988-11 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Discusses where and how to obtain stamps; tools, accessories, catalogues, and albums; identification of stamps; and the history of stamps. Includes a dictionary of terms.

Download or read book 100 Greatest American Stamps written by Janet Klug and published by Whitman Publishing. This book was released on 2007 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Graphic Stamps written by Tony Brook and published by . This book was released on 201? with total page 328 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "The Archive Series is a bibliographic celebration of graphic design archives and collections. The first title in the new series is devoted to the design of postage stamps. Sourced from the collections of stamp design experts Iain Follett and Blair Thomson, the book celebrates the brilliance of postage stamp design from around the world."--Provided by publisher.

Download or read book The Queen s Stamps written by Nicholas Courtney and published by Methuen Pub Limited. This book was released on 2014-12-01 with total page 384 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The first and definitive history of the finest stamp collection in the world, now in paperback with a new index and epilogue This elegant book is the definitive account of one of the world's most important and extensive stamp collections, and the monarchs and keepers who have contributed to it. Inaugurated by Queen Victoria, and enlarged by five successive British monarchs, the main body of the Collection came into being under George V, whose passionate and shrewd acquisition of many other private collections has ensured the unique and comprehensive character of his own. This is a story told through the stamps themselves, many of the most famous of which are produced here in full color, as well as through astonishing anecdotes featuring the kings, queens, and courtiers who brought them together. This informative, surprising, highly illustrated volume is written to appeal to the general reader with an interest in Royal history, as well as to the specialist enthusiast.

Download or read book Stamp of the Century written by Kellen Diamanti and published by . This book was released on 2018-05 with total page 403 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Stamp of the Century recounts the stories of passionate collectors and dealers, society women, captains of industry, and even thieves and murderers who bought, sold, stole, fenced, and mutilated the Inverted Jenny.

Download or read book The Evolution of Paleontological Art written by Renee M. Clary and published by Geological Society of America. This book was released on 2022-01-28 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "This volume samples the history of art about fossils-and the visual conceptualization of their significance-starting with biblical and mythological depictions, extending to renditions of ancient life in long-vanished habitats, and on to a modern understanding that paleoart conveys lessons for the betterment of the human condition. Twenty-nine chapters illustrate how art about fossils has come to be a significant teaching tool not only about evolution of past life, but also about conservation of our planet for the benefit of future generations"--

Download or read book A History of Britain in Thirty six Postage Stamps written by Chris West and published by Macmillan. This book was released on 2013-10-22 with total page 290 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Explores the history of England through 36 of its fascinating, often beautiful, and sometimes eccentric postage stamps, emphasizing how stamps have always mirrored the events, attitudes, and styles of their time.

Download or read book Every Stamp Tells a Story written by Cheryl Ganz and published by Smithsonian Institution. This book was released on 2014-12-02 with total page 415 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Every stamp and piece of mail tells a story. In fact, each often tells multiple stories, ranging from concept to art design to production to usage, often with tales of politics, history, technology, biography, genealogy, economics, geography, disaster, and triumph. The lens of philately offers a fresh and engaging story of American history, culture, and identity, and it can also help deepen the understanding of world cultures. The William H. Gross Stamp Gallery, opened at the Smithsonian National Postal Museum in September 2013, has many such stories to tell. Chief philately curator Cheryl R. Ganz guides readers through some of the gallery's nearly 20,000 objects that together illustrate the history of our nation's postal operations and postage stamps.

Download or read book Blue Mauritius written by Helen Morgan and published by Atlantic Books Ltd. This book was released on 2015-06-04 with total page 245 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In September 1847 coloured squares of paper were stuck to envelopes and used to send out admission cards to a fancy-dress ball on the tropical island of Mauritius. No-one at the party would have guessed that the envelopes bearing these stamps would one day be worth more than a million dollars. When a two pence 'Blue Mauritius' surfaced on the fledgling French stamp-collecting market in 1865 it gained instant celebrity. Then in 1903, when a perfect specimen, discovered in a childhood album, was bought at auction by the Prince of Wales, the Blue Mauritius gained super-star status. Even now, the stamps of 'Post Office Mauritius' remain synonymous with fame, wealth and mystery. Helen Morgan tells the fascinating story of the most coveted scraps of paper in existence, from Mauritius' Port Louis to Bordeaux, India and Great Britain, Switzerland and Japan, into the fantasies and imagination of stamp collectors everywhere.

Download or read book The Duck Stamp Story written by Eric Jay Dolin and published by . This book was released on 2000 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Hunters, collectors, conservationists and art lovers will all want this book on their shelves. Dolin's research skills and Dumaine's knowledge of the stamp market come together perfectly to detail the history and collector values of the Federal Duck Stamp. With Everything from production figures and collector values to little-known facts that have remained buried for decades, Dolin and Dumaine show readers that the Duck Stamp program is not only one of the best conservation programmes in the world, it is also the richest art contest. This book crosses the boundaries of collecting, conservation, art and history. It will become the standard by which other books are judged.

Download or read book Stamp Collecting For Dummies written by Richard L. Sine and published by For Dummies. This book was released on 2001-08-15 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Postage stamps have evolved quite a bit since Great Britain’s 1840 Penny Black, the world’s first adhesive postage stamp. From simple designs featuring the monarch to works of art literally condensed to postage stamp size, hundreds of thousands of different stamps have been issued in the past 164 years—and the great majority of them remain reasonably priced for collectors. With so many stamps to collect from so many countries, a philatelist’s choices are virtually unlimited--which can be both a blessing and a curse, especially if you’re a newcomer to the art of stamp collecting. Interested in starting a stamp collection, but not sure where to begin? This is the guide for you. Expert Richard Sine fills you in on everything you need to know about selecting, finding, buying, presenting and caring for stamps. An internationally recognized collector and author on stamp collecting (he used to write the New York Times stamp column) he also has much wisdom to impart to collectors who’ve been at it for a while. A gold mine of expert advice and guidance, Stamp Collecting For Dummies is on how to: Start or diversify your collection Decide what to collect Catalog and organize your collection Handle, protect, store, and display stamps Identify rare and valuable stamps Buy stamps online and through auction houses Unlike most authors on the subject who tend to be pretty stuffy—to put it politely—expert Richard Sine focuses on the side of stamp collecting that’s enjoyable, educational, and fun. With humor, tons of interesting anecdotes about stamps and the men and women who love them, and loads of insider tips, he covers all the bases, including: Getting the biggest bang for you stamp-collecting buck Researching, locating and buying stamps through traditional sources and online Showing off your collection at exhibits Customizing your collection Housing your stamps and protecting them against the elements The ten keys to identifying and authenticating stamps Stamp Collecting For Dummies is your total guide to starting and building on a really cool stamp collection.

Download or read book The Stamp Art and Postal History of Michael Thompson and Michael Hernandez de Luna written by Michael Thompson and published by Bad Press Books. This book was released on 2000 with total page 162 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book features two Chicago artists who have taken on the International Postal Authorities and really scored a bulls eye! Their unique and often hilarious home-made stamps have been sent from virtually every country in the world and arrived to tell the tale. This is their story. We have chosen them from the cream of the crop for this must-see book -- lavishly illustrated in full colour and complete with essays from leading authorities in both the stamp and art worlds. Sure to offer hours of viewing pleasure and provide a welcome addition to any coffee table.

Download or read book Popular Mechanics written by and published by . This book was released on 1939-12 with total page 272 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Popular Mechanics inspires, instructs and influences readers to help them master the modern world. Whether it’s practical DIY home-improvement tips, gadgets and digital technology, information on the newest cars or the latest breakthroughs in science -- PM is the ultimate guide to our high-tech lifestyle.

Download or read book Popular Mechanics written by and published by . This book was released on 1939-05 with total page 254 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Popular Mechanics inspires, instructs and influences readers to help them master the modern world. Whether it’s practical DIY home-improvement tips, gadgets and digital technology, information on the newest cars or the latest breakthroughs in science -- PM is the ultimate guide to our high-tech lifestyle.