Blue Mauritius
The Hunt for the World's Most Valuable Stamps
Published on 4. June 2015
336 pages
978-1-78239-774-8 (ISBN)
Description
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.
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.
Reviews / Votes
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 * Who among us, upon reading of this adventure, can resist another quick once-over through those musty family letters in the attic? -- Simon Garfield * Wall Street Journal * 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 *More details
Edition
Main
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Illustrations
Integrated prints and line drawings throughout
File size
3,94 MB
ISBN-13
978-1-78239-774-8 (9781782397748)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
Book
04/2009
Atlantic Books
€24.00
Shipment within 3-4 weeks
Person
Helen Morgan trained as an art historian and archivist. She lives in Melbourne, Australia, with her Mauritian husband. This is her first book.
Content
- Intro
- About the Author
- Blue Mauritius
- Copyright page
- Epigraphs
- Contents
- List of illustrations
- Author's Note
- Introduction
- Chapter 1
- Chapter 2
- Chapter 3
- Chapter 4
- Chapter 5
- Chapter 6
- Chapter 7
- Chapter 8
- Chapter 9
- Chapter 10
- Chapter 11
- Chapter 12
- Postscript
- Glossary
- Biographies of the Stamps
- Notes and Sources
- Bibliography
- Acknowledgements
- Mauritius Philatelic Society
