Product Description

Mauritius is famous for its dodo but there is another near-extinct export that has its own fabulous story - the world's most sought after postage stamps. "Post Office Mauritius" is an adventure that begins at a fancy dress ball on a tropical Indian Ocean island, and unfolds through discoveries of the stamps in Bordeaux, Mauritius, India and Britain. It is the fascinating story of the birth of philately: the first collectors were women, but schoolboys and kings were also collectors. Today, the men who hunt the legendary Blue Mauritius are no petty paper-chasers; they take their vocation as seriously as if they were big game hunters from Empire days. And there is still a chance that, at any moment, more treasure may be discovered...

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #326667 in Books
• Published on: 2006-08-03
• Original language: English
• Binding: Hardcover
• 320 pages

Synopsis
Mauritius is famous for its dodo but there is another near-extinct export that has its own fabulous story - the world's most sought after postage stamps. "Post Office Mauritius" is an adventure that begins at a fancy dress ball on a tropical Indian Ocean island, and unfolds through discoveries of the stamps in Bordeaux, Mauritius, India and Britain. It is the fascinating story of the birth of philately: the first collectors were women, but schoolboys and kings were also collectors. Today, the men who hunt the legendary Blue Mauritius are no petty paper-chasers; they take their vocation as seriously as if they were big game hunters from Empire days. And there is still a chance that, at any moment, more treasure may be discovered...

About the Author
HELEN MORGAN was trained as an art historian and archivist. She lives in Melbourne, Australia, with her Mauritian husband, Mike. This is her first book.

Customer Reviews

Interesting read for philatelists and history buffs alike
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.