Blue Mauritius The Hunt for the World's Most Valuable Stamp (Hardcover)

by Hellen Morgan (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Review
“[An] enticing history . . . one of the most romantic stories in the whole of philately.” —Wall Street Journal

“Fascinating . . . an absorbing look at the early development of one of the world’s most enticing hobbies.”— Sunday Business Post (London) --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Description

Blue Mauritius is an adventure that begins at a ball on a tropical island in the Indian Ocean, and unfolds through discoveries of the legendary stamp in Bordeaux, Mauritius, India, and Britain. It is the fascinating story of the birth of philately, the first collectors, and those who hunt the the world's most sought after postage stamps.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 336 pages
• Publisher: Overlook Hardcover (October 2, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1590200772
• ISBN-13: 978-1590200773
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 6.2 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #51,517 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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  #1 in	Books > History > Asia > Mauritius
  #2 in	Books > Home & Garden > Antiques & Collectibles > Stamps
  #34 in	Books > History > Asia > India

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Deep scholarship, deep interest for any stamp collector, January 1, 2009

By	Robert C. Ross (New Jersey) - See all my reviews (TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

My father bought me my second stamp album for $1.00 at a garage sale, a Stanley Gibbons World Wide album. There was one battered Mauritis stamp on that page with descriptions like "Embossed: profile of Queen, with diadem, to left on solid beaded oval, in a reticulated inscribed frame, with scalloped edge."

My mother required me to do "research" on each stamp I hinged into the new album, and my notes for Mauritis contain the following entries:

-- A "Popular Science" ad: "Milford 9-T, NH GIANT collection! Over 200 different stamps including Timor. Rhodesia. Mauritius, etc. Rushed, only lOc to approval applicants!"

-- Stella clavisque maris indici: "The star and key of the Indian Ocean"; on stamps of Mauritius.

-- A long extract from the 1911 "Brittanica" including "The currency of Mauritius is rupees and cents of a rupee, the Indian rupee ( = iorf.) being the standard unit. The metric system of weights and measures has been in force since 1878."

-- Mark Twain: "From one citizen you gather the idea that Mauritius was made first, and then heaven; and that heaven was copied after Mauritius. Another one tells you that this is an exaggeration...."

And, of course, short histories of the stamps of the island including that it was the fifth country to issue stamps, the story of the watchmaker who engraved "Post Office" incorrectly for "Post Paid", the discovery of a cover by a boy in Bordeaux, the Governor's Ball and much more.

Helen Morgan has now done a wonderful amount of research and produced a true biography of the first issue of these beautiful stamps. She writes that she was motivated by

"the visual appeal of the stamps; their production and the early history of the postal service and communication in Mauritius; the philatelic detective work required to unravel their status as the first issue of Mauritius during the 1860s; philatelic research as a science; the provenance of the known examples and the history of collecting, both `big game' and 'small'; those who have owned, lusted after and studied the stamps; the concepts of rarity, intrinsic value, true worth and fame; the role that accident, chance and determined hunting have played in the discovery of the known examples; the apocryphal stories surrounding the stamps, and their appearance in fiction from at least 1896 onwards, including the likes of Billy Bunter and the Blue Mauritius in the 1950s and an episode of The Avengers."

The book is a treasure trove of information and Morgan is maintaining an excellent blog on the book and her other interests, including a Research Companion website bringing together subject entries from the narrative, including a biography for each of the twenty-seven stamps, with bibliographical citations and related images.

My collecting intrests left Mauritius many years ago, but this wonderful book rekindled the excitement I felt as I researched that first battered example from so many years ago.

Robert C. Ross 2009

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars a book to be admired as much as the valued stamp , October 12, 2008

By	John E. Drury "jedrury" (Washington, DC United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

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.

5.0 out of 5 stars Stamp History and Adventure, May 17, 2009

By	James E. Rozeveld "JR" (APO, AE United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Good story about the Blue Mauritius. Brings you back to the very early days of stamp collecting. Great historical journey searching for stamp treasure.