Follow the adventures of the world's most sought-after postage stamps - from a tropical Indian Ocean island to the hushed atmosphere of the modern auction room - in this dramatic and passionate tale of the first stamp hunters.In September 1847 colored 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 Amuritius' Port Louis to Bordeaux, India and Great Britain, Switzerland and Japan, into the fantasies and imagination of stamp collectors everywhere.
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"* 'Will strike a chord with anyone who has ever felt the thrill of buying a little glassine packet of stamps, tipping them out, finding the longed-for Missing One and making the proud, complete set... the stories of these stamps are often extraordinary.' - Ann Wroe, Daily Telegraph * 'Fascinating... not just an entertaining and meticulously researched history of Mauritius and its stamps, but also an absorbing look at the early development of one of the world's most widespread hobbies.' - Kieron Wood, Sunday Business Post * 'Fascinating... A very well and extensively researched book, not only of the stamps, but also of the various personalities, dealers, collectors and others who have discovered, handled or possessed them... Mauritius in 1847 is brought vividly to life.' - Philatelic Explorer"
About the Author
Helen Morgan trained as an art historian and archivist. She lives in Melbourne, Australia, with her Mauritian husband. This is her first book.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
This is an excellent book for readers that are interested in history and "treasure hunting" stories. It is not only a highly readable piece of well-documented research into the history of the famous "Post Office" stamps, but also a fascinating collection of stories that even those that are not already enamoured with philately would find interesting. The book follows each of the known examples in detail, covering discovery and changes of ownership as the stamps passed from dealers to famous collections, but the writing is well-structured so casual readers can probably skim any parts they find a little too detailed without feeling that they are missing much, but this is a minor quibble. It is a well-written historical study, and that it is approachable and enjoyable for casual readers, with no previous knowledge of Mauritius or the "Post Office" stamps, at all is admirable.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
Thoroughly recommend this, at a very reasonable price. Researches the history of these most coveted stamps, but see the Helen Morgan website to save keep turning to the reference section and wearing out the book.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
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5.0 out of 5 stars
5 reviews
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
a book to be admired as much as the valued stamp
12 Oct 2008
By John E. Drury
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
A book of deep scholarship, exactitude and completeness; wonderfully written conveying a sense of the collector's passion and the excitement of discovery. In Helen Morgan's world, the search of, and affirmation for rarity and worth is contained in the history of the first issuance of the the Blue Mauritius in September 1847 and the story of the many collectors and philatelists who have owned or now own one of the treasured stamps called Blue Mauritius. Drawing on sources worldwide in many languages, Morgan's philately is more than the love of those "dirty little pieces of paper, " but the study of countries and their histories and the beauty of the art of the commonplace. Her concluding chapter of the return of two of the prized stamps to an honored place on the small island nation of Mauritius is a fitting coda to a story well told.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
a stamp collector's dream come true
6 Sep 2011
By adorian
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Paperback
As a stamp collector, I loved this book. It gives us a detailed account of the fates of the first stamps issued by the tiny island of Mauritius, and how these stamps soon became the most wanted items in the wild and wacky world of stamp collecting. (In many ways, this book reminded me of an equally enjoyable book about the different pairs of ruby red slippers prepared for Judy Garland to wear in The Wizard of Oz and how they were "removed" from the MGM studio and made their way into the marketplace.) Different people find them, sell them, and watch their value soar. True, there are some stamps that are rarer, but for some reason it was the Mauritius one penny and two penny issues of 1847 that captured the imaginations of collectors. Along the way, we get an interesting social history of the island, we learn about the difficulties of trying to post a letter by ship, and we learn about novels and short stories featuring these stamps in their plots.
You don't have to be an expert to get caught up in the thrill of "Will a poor schoolboy find one these and become rich?" It's a great and fascinating story, told with the right amount of verve to keep the reader turning those pages.
You don't have to be an expert to get caught up in the thrill of "Will a poor schoolboy find one these and become rich?" It's a great and fascinating story, told with the right amount of verve to keep the reader turning those pages.
3 of 4 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Philatelists Pleasure
13 Jan 2009
By John S. Seidl
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Hardcover
This is an amazing piece of research that reads like a detective novel. While it is a book on stamp collecting it is an adventure, a quest, and a dream described. Really well written and will be enjoyed by philatelists, historians, and anyone with a taste for exotic locations like Mauritius.
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