The Observer's Book of Postage Stamps

Postage stamps have only been in existence the past 150 years or so. The author, an architect by profession, describes their birth and traces their development throughout the world by relating them wherever possible to their artistic and social context. He explains how they are produced, examines the characteristics of different printers and designers, and gives advice on methods of collecting. An unusual feature is the geographicallly arranged gazetteer of countries, which will assist in identifying stamps, in locating obscure places of origin, and in tracing the consequences of political upheavals-from the nineteenth-century mergings of German and Italian States to the latest proclamations of independence in Africa. The book has a helpful glossary and three indexes. There are 17 plates in full colour and 502 black and white illustrations. Mr. New concerns himself much more with aesthetics than with technicalities, and after reading his book both the novice and the collector of long standing will truly appreciate the art of postage stamp design.