i6 



THE HUMMING BIRD. 



[February i, 1891 



Report on the December Public Sales of 

 Ostrich and Osprey Feathers, Bird 



Skins, &c. 



— — ■* — 



The sale of Ostrich feathers commenced on the 

 12th December, and lasted three days. 



In all, 2,071 Cases Cape and 2 Cases Egyptian 

 were offered, of which 1,970 Cases of the former 

 sold. 



The weight of feathers offered was 33,000 lbs. 

 The demand was fairly good. There was a decline 

 of 10*. to 15-y. per lb. for the best qualities ; but the 

 common sorts sold well at firm rates. 



White Boos declined 10s. to 15^. per lb. ; Femina 

 Boos 2S. 6d. to 55-. per lb., and drab Boos about 2s. 6d. 

 per lb. Long and Medium black were about 10s. per 

 lb. lower. 



The quantity sold realized ,£107,000. 

 The next Sale will take place on the 2nd March. 

 The price current of Ostrich Feathers is as fol- 

 lows : — 



White Primes, 1st., 2nd. and 3rd. from £,$ 10s. to 

 jQ\6 per lb., according to quality. 



White Femina, from ,£5 to ^10 10s. ; Black from 

 205. to £g. 



Drab, 135. 6d. to £6 10s. Floss, \$s. to 405. ; 

 Spadonas, 50J. to £6 ; Boos white, 80s. to gos ; 

 Boos femina, 525. to 655, 



Egyptian feathers are worth 10 to 15 per cent less 

 than the prices quoted above. 



The sale of Osprey and Peacock Feathers and Bird 

 Skins of all descriptions took place on the 16th 

 January. 



Of 379 packages of Osprey feathers offered, 348 

 packages were sold. 



Long Osprey was in advance of 5s. to 8s. per oz. 

 Short selected was firm, and rather dearer ; red, brown, 

 and White and Grey Paddy were steady. Bird Skins 

 in general dull. Female Birds of Paradise declined 

 to 1 os. gd. 



Long Osprey 13s. to 255. per oz. ; Medium, 29J. to 

 40s. ; Short, 305. to 425. ; Short selected, 525. to 675. ; 

 Red, 2s. 2d. to 4s. White Paddy, 20s. to 255.; Grey 

 Paddy, 10s. to 14s. 6d. ; Impeyan Pheasant, 35. to 

 5 j. 6d. each ; Black Argus, 3^. 2d. Peacock feathers: 

 Eyes extra fine, 5}£d. P er bundle; Neck feathers: 

 gold, 14s. 6d. to 24s per lb. ; blue and green, is. 3d. 

 to 4s. 6d. ; blue small ioj-, per lb. Parrots : rosehead, 

 3d. to zYzd. each ; Parrots, medium, id.to ly^d. Indian 

 Birds, about id. each; Jungle Fowls, flat skins 2s. 4a. 

 each. Osprey skins with cross feathers, \s.\od. to is.nd. 

 each ; Japanese Birds between i)4d. to \y%d each, ex- 

 cept Small King Fishers, which sold at 5 3^^. and S^d. ; 

 and Wax Wings at 4a. and 4%d. Birds of Paradise, 

 male, \2s. 6d. to 155. 6d. ; female, os. to 13s. gd. ; 

 Many Wires, 255. : Black Round, 20s. 6d. to 24s. 6d.; 

 Green Breast Long Tails, 1 is. ; Black, with green 

 breasts, gs. ; Rifle Birds, 85. 3d. to 10s. 3d. ; Standard 

 Wings, 3-s. 2d. ; King Paradise, is. yd. to 2s. Sd. ; 

 Regent birds, 2s. gd. to 4s. ; Pitta, is. ; RedTanagers, 

 g%d. ; Orange Tanagers, 6^.d. ; Bronze King Fishers, 

 $d. ; Seven Colored Finches, 1 id. ; Various Finches, 



2X- to 3 y 2 d. 



The next Sale will take place the 6th of March. 



Messrs. Boucard. Pottier & Co. will be happy to 

 execute Commissions for Gentlemen who cannot 

 attend the Sale. All Goods intended to be catalogued 

 for the next Sale should be forwarded before the 25th 

 of February. 



Report on December and January Public 

 Sales of Postage Stamps. 



On December 12th and 13th, Messrs. Phillips, Lea, 

 & Davies held a sale of the celebrated Caillebotte 

 Collection of Envelopes. The total realized was 

 ;£i,ooo. The highest prices paid were as follows : — 



Baden 1858 stamp to left, rosette with well-defined 

 circle in centre 6 kr. and 12 kr. ,£10 $s. ; Ditto 9 kr. 

 and 18 kr. ^10 155-. ; Ditto, same type large size 3 kr, 

 9 kr. and 12 kr., small size, 6 kr., ^12 55. ; Ditto, 

 same type, large size, 6 kr., 9 kr. and 18 kr., p£ii 5s. 

 Finland, 1850, 10 kop. on white wove paper, on 

 bluish wove paper, and on blue pelure paper, £id 10s. 

 Thurn and Taxis (North), 1861, lilac inscription half- 

 sgr. large size, ^10. Ditto 1862, inscription same 

 colour as stamp, ]/z sgr. 5 shades, 1 sgr. used, 

 2 sgr. unused and used, and 3 sgr. unused, all 

 large, ^10. 



A few others, North German Confederation pro- 

 visionals fetched ,£16 105-., ,£21 10s., and ^12. 

 Great Britain, Mulready Envelopes id. and 2d., 

 £1 125. ; Hanover 1857, large, 1 gr. three shades, 

 1 sgr. unused and used, 2 sgr. two shades, 1 gr. two 

 shades used, 1 sgr., 2 sgr. and 3 sgr., variety with 

 oblique inscription, £18. ; etc., etc. 



In Mr. Thomas Bull's Sale on December 20th : 

 British Guiana 1851, magenta, realized £2 155.; 

 Ditto 1853, 1 cent red, and 4 cent blue, £2 2s. ; 

 Cape of Good Hope, wood-block id. red, fine colour, 

 £2 ; ten very fine proofs in black of various colonial 

 stamps, ,£10 ; New South Wales 3d., orange, on entire 

 original envelope, £4 8s. ; several United States 

 1869, 1866 and i860 realized £3 55.; and £4 155. 

 each, 1866 and i860. 



In the Sale of Messrs. Cheveley & Co., which com- 

 menced on Friday at 6 p.m., several Lots realized 

 a good price. 



Afghanistan, dated 1288, 1,2 and 4 annas, 305. ; 

 Ditto, 1 anna, 105. ; Ditto, 2 and 4 annas, 225. ; 

 British East Africa, 1st. issue ]4, 1 and 4 annas, all 

 unused, 385.; Cape Wood-blocks, id. and 4a., 325., 

 bought by Messrs. Boucard, Pottier & Co. ; Cape 

 Woodblock, 1 red, very fine, 325.; several Ceylon 

 is. gd. green, 215.; another is. .gd. green, fine, 245.; 

 Star perforated, Sd., yellow brown, very fine, 30s. ; 

 Great Britain id., black and pair 2d., both unused, 

 £3 los. Ten unused id. black Mulready Envelopes, 

 £4 los.; several ditto, by pair, id. and 2d., 30s. ; 

 Mulready 2d. wrapper and 2d. Envelope, unused, 

 445. ; etc., etc. 



Messrs. Boucard, Pottier & Co. will be happy 

 to execute Commissions lor Gentlemen who cannot 

 attend the Sales. 



