Online Masson 1900-01

Without David Parke Masson’s activities in India and Kashmir as both collector and author, our subject would be impoverished indeed.

The Stamps of Jammu and Kashmir appeared in two volumes. The 1900 volume treats the stamps of the Old Period, together with an account of later reprints & forgeries of that material. The second volume of 1901 updates the first volume and proceeds with the New Rectangulars. An Appendix to the first volume by Capt. Godfrey concerns the earlier postal history as recorded in Persian by the first Postmaster of Kashmir.

Volume I was published by the Philatelic Society of India, Calcutta, Vol. IV (1900). 47 pp plus six b/w plates protected by glassine interleaving. Four full-page samples of native paper are included. Printed for the Society by B.L. Chakravarti, at the New School Book Press.

Volume II was published by the Philatelic Society of India, Calcutta, Vol. V (1901). 41 pp plus eleven b/w plates protected by glassine interleaving. Civil and Military Gazette Press, printers to the Punjab Government, Lahore. Original price of both volumes was 4 rupees or 5 shillings.

Note: Masson’s “1 anna” circular has long been understood to be 4 annas (= ¼ rupee) and vice versa. The interchange has been made throughout the text without comment, but where for reasons the interchange has not been made, notice is given. Masson’s term “originals” means ‘on cover’. And “superfluous” issues refers to what are usually known as the Special Printings of 1874-76.