The Order for Hermes Head Stamps

(This article was translated by Louis Basel from the original which was presented at a meeting of the Academy of Philately (France) in January, 1937. It was subsequently published in Echo de la Timbrologie, April, 1937 and in Greek translation in Philotelia, May, 1937, p. 49 et seq.)

I believe that it is unlikely that a collector would become a pan-philatelist, which must be his ambition, without devoting part of his time to the study of the “large Hermes head” stamps.

Although my pretensions on this subject are very modest, I have searched for a long time to perfect my knowledge on these ultra-classic issues by carefully studying works by the masters of this material and in particular those of Brunel, Nicolaides, Garas, Briault, de Smeth, etc. My education was practically completed thanks to the wisdom of the eminent specialist who is my excellent friend and colleague, Mr. Carpentier.

In other words, I have thus taken a liking to these steadily renewed studies of the different issues, all printed from the same plates, which constitute the theme of a collection of the first issues of Greece. I have dreamt to see if, by the documentation, I could not supply, in my turn, a modest contribution to the works of the Greek stamp specialists.

When, with the great help of a friend, I was able to meet the very friendly conservator of the Mint Museum, Mr. Duren, I dreamt at first to pursue my studies of the colonial stamps. But I thought I could also obtain, besides these French stamps, some interesting communications on the foreign stamps which had been formerly ordered from the Mint and it is thus that I obtained access to the file on the Greek stamps; I have the pleasure to present here the original documents.

I think that I can say, without boasting, that this communication was timely for you must be aware that the Hellenic Phil. Soc. Recently published the “Etude on the Stamps of Greece” of 520 pages, an important monograph to which our compatriot M. Arlaud collaborated.

But if this work, which summarized and completed the previously published information and corrected all that was specifically Greek in the different issues of Athens, it seemed that some points still remained obscure in the first part of this history, that which occurred in Paris. Therefore, it must be the obligation of a Parisian to research it and to bring to light these facts on the early history.

I believe that the documents that I am going to submit to you in their chronological order – as they are classed elsewhere – will permit me to specify definitively a number of previously uncertain details.

I. The request under the authority of the Greek Ambassador in Paris, Mr. Kalergis.

Let me first say that I was a little astonished by the text of the Etude of the SPH concerning the date of the order. This was written, in effect, on page 29, par. 47 and 48:

“Towards 1859, the government of King Otto, continuing these efforts, wrote to Albert Barre, son of the celebrated Jean-Jacques Barre, who had engraved the first Ceres postage stamps of France, and committed to him the manufacture of the model and steel matrix for the Greek stamps.

According to Maury this order was committed to Barre at the end of 1858, and according to Nicolaides at the end of 1860. The opinion of Nicolaides seems to be without foundation and without doubt the order was given to Barre at the end of 1858 or in 1859 considering that by the middle of 1860 a definitive decision had already been made, probably based on Barre’s proposals concerning the classes, the format, the display, the values and the colors of the postage stamps.”

However, it is Nicolaides who was nearer to the truth since the first item in the file, the letter of the Ambassador of Greece in Paris, is dated July 17 1860. Here is the text:

Legation of Greece in Paris Paris, July 17, 1860

The President of the Commission of Coins and Medals

Mr. President:

My government, desiring to introduce in Greece the systems adopted in France for the payment of postage for letters, has sent to Paris Major Karpounis, Director of the Royal Printing Establishment and Mint, with the purpose of obtaining all that is necessary for the manufacture of postage stamps, to produce in Paris a certain number of Greek postage stamps and at the same time to learn the process for their production.

I am therefore depending on your kind help, Mr. President, in obtaining the authorization to manufacture in the Mint all the dies, plates and necessary instruments for the production of our stamps and to print at the same time 510,000 Greek postage stamps.

I would like to believe, Mr. President, that this request will be favorably received and I have the honor to transmit to you the attached information relative to the form, the dimensions and the classes of the postage stamps required. The cost of manufacture as well as the value of the materials will be reimbursed by my Government when I receive the details of prices, signed and approved by the Director of the Mint.

Please accept in advance, Mr. President, my most sincere thanks and at the same time the assurance of my high respect.

The Ambassador of Greece,
Kallergis

In fact, a sheet of the same paper is annexed to this letter, on which is inscribed the following information (Fig. 1):

Thus, this document establishes in an irrefutable manner that it was not Barre who, as it was believed for a long time, proposed the subject, the values and the colors of the Greek stamps. It was the Greek government itself who, from the start, had already agreed on this part of the project. It is meanwhile evident that the French postage stamp had inspired directly this decision; one can even say that they copied the dimensions of 22, 18 and 16 mm, which are the same as those of the French vignettes of the period, and they also copied Barre’s design which showed a profile in a medallion, except that Hermes replaced Napoleon.

II. The authorization of Achille Fould and the response of the President of the
Commission for Coins and Medals, Pelouze.
His Observations.

Nine days later, the President of the Commission of the Mint, Pelouze, informed his supervisor of this request, the Minister of Finances – then an interim appointment – Achille Fould, and he addressed to him, in particular, this remark (Fig. 2):

To His Excellency the Minister of Finances. Paris, July 26, 1860.

Mr. Minister,

This order is of very little importance to the manufacture of French postage stamps which will not suffer; therefore, I do not see any inconvenience to the Director of Manufacture of Postage Stamps, who will be charged with its execution, and I ask you, Mr. Minister, to let me know if I can give him the necessary orders.

Pelouze

As one can see on the same text, the authorization was given on August 6, Storm, the Director of the Post Office, having previously given his approval: by the same logic Hulot would be charged with the manufacture of the plates for the Greek stamps.

But in the meantime, Pelouze, who was already certain of Fould’s affirmative response, had responded on July 27 to the Ambassador of Greece with the following letter:

The Commission of Coins and Medals Paris, July 27, 1860.

Mr. Ambassador,

The Commission of the Mint will be eager to take the necessary measures to satisfy the desire that you have expressed to me by your letter of the 17th of this month relative to the fabrication of the plates and to the printing of postage stamps for the Greek Government, but it believes that it should submit first some observations.

It is important, concerning expenses, the time necessary for the fabrication of the postage stamps and the ease of the Postal Service that the divisions of the postage stamps be reduced to the number strictly necessary; in this connection, The Commission of the Mint thinks that it would be useful, if there is still time, to reduce the number of divisions (classes) of the Greek postage stamps and to eliminate some which do not appear to be indispensable.

As for the colors, the Administration will conform, but it would like to have the ability to adopt those shades which would yield the best impression and which would present the best conditions of preservation and duration.

Finally, Mr. Ambassador, permit me to remark that the Greek Government would find it advantageous to increase the order for postage stamps that it wishes to have printed in Paris and to receive a supply which would represent close to a year’s consumption; this increase will cause neither a loss in time nor an increase in cost. The Greek Administration would find it advantageous to avoid the delays caused by the organization of its service and operations.

The design of the figure representing a head of Hermes has been submitted to the Commission of the Mint, who believes that it would be accepted after being presented to Major Karpounis. The engraving will take two to three months; the plates will be finished only three to four months later, so that the printing could not begin before the month of January next.

The costs could be evaluated thus:

Design and engraving of the original die 1,500 fr.
Manufacture of 7 half-plates @ 1,500 fr each 10,500 fr.
12,000 fr.

To which it will be necessary to add 1.50 c. per thousand stamps manufactured and some additional or unforeseen expenses of little importance.

Pelouze

The Commission of the Mint accepted the principle of the order, but it desired to make three modifications concerning:

III. New letter from the Ambassador of Greece: acceptance of the change of the colors and
the number of stamps printed. Keeping the number of values.

The order for the die
July 31 – August 1, 1860

Embassy of Greece in Paris Paris, July 31, 1860.

Mr. President:

I have received the letter of July 27 which you have written to inform me that the order that I have had the honor to send you on the 17th of the same month has been favorably received and to advise me of some observations of the Commission of the Mint relative to details of the manufacture of our postage stamps.

I am eager to express, Mr. President, all my thanks for this communication and to inform you at the same time that the increase of the order of the stamps that Major Karpounis is charged to have manufactured in Paris would not encounter any difficulty on the part of my Government, and that I see no inconvenience concerning some modifications to those colors which would not present the best conditions for preservation and durability; but concerning the values, a reduction in their number does not appear possible in view of the requirements of our postal service because of the money circulated in our country.

Therefore, I have the honor to ask you, Mr. President, to kindly give the necessary orders so that the engraving of the die is begun as soon as possible and to speed as much as possible the manufacture of the plates and our postage stamps. The costs will be reimbursed by my Government as soon as it is fixed by the Commission of the Mint.

Hoping that you will agree,

The Ambassador of Greece
Kallergis

Thus, the Ambassador of Greece refused to reduce the number of values as the employees of the Mint had advised and maintained the previous proposal so that they would have the complete series of seven values. However, Mr. Kalergis yielded on the other two points.

Concerning the colors of the stamps a firm condition was imposed: the Greek Government would only have the choice of the basic “colors”, and not their shades. One could then observe that the black requested by Athens for the 1 lepton, perhaps as a reminder of the first classic stamps (the Penny Black of Great Britain, numbers of Brazil, 1 kreuzer of Bavaria, 20 c. of 1849, etc.) was replaced by the brown shade. But it is convenient to recall that from the end of 1859 they had sought at the Mint the most appropriate colors for important issues which they were going to create in France. If brown, of which Hulot, however, had dreamt for the 1 centime, was not immediately adopted, in spite of the Director of the Posts Stourm, who would have preferred olive-green, this tint was nevertheless retained for the 2 centimes which, in 1862, was issued in Van Dyck brown at the same time that the design of the value was modified (effigie laurée).

For the 2 lepta the shades ochre-bistre and olive-yellow were chosen in place of the requested pale yellow. But the 5 lepta remained green; this color was also that of the French 5 centimes and offered better conditions of “preservation and durability” as the Commission of the Mint claimed. Regarding this proposal, note that the 5 lepta was issued in two shades: emerald-green and yellow-green. But this last color resembled greatly the famous “bright green” adopted by the Mint for the 5 centimes since May 1860.

There is a curious remark to make concerning the four other colors: these were adopted in the order requested except for the 10 lepta which was switched to the end of the series. It was given the color orange which was previously proposed for the 80 lepta. But is it not curious to bring up another fact? This same value of 10 lepta was taken aside for a real test of printing the numbers on the back of issued stamps: was it a simple coincidence?

Two values were issued in the same colors as those of France: the 20 and 80 lepta. For the 40 lepta, the proposed violet was accepted; perhaps the small number of printings of this value influenced this choice. Hulot declared, in fact, that at this time the color violet, which he had wanted for a long time to adopt for a value of France, was not convenient for a large printing.

This question brings us now to the quantities to be printed. One knows that, in a letter published by Mr. Brunel, Albert Barre declared that the total printing of the issue had been 1,500,000 examples. One would have then nearly triple the number previously proposed. But we must realize that the proportions proposed respectively for each value were respected. The quantities would have then been, approximately, the following:

Only the quantity of 1 lepton stamps was surprising (translator: in view of the relative number found today), but one knows that printed matter (translator: such as newspapers) bearing this value are often destroyed.

I repeat here that this calculation is only a hypothesis but one which appears plausible.

Upon the receipt of the acceptance of the Greek Ambassador on August 1st,1860, the order for the die was given to the Engraver General by the following letter:

To the Engraver General of the Mint. Paris, August 1, 1860.

Sir, the Commission has arranged for you to engrave a die to be used for the manufacture of plates for printing the postage stamps requested by the Greek Government.

The propositions of the Commission having been accepted, I ask you to start work without delay on the engraving of a die conforming to the model that you have submitted for its approval and to proceed with all possible speed in the execution of this work.

Pelouze

Barre had been able to present his design of the profile of Hermes to the Commission of the Mint in one week and he estimated that it would take six months to engrave the die, a period which is double the previous forecast. In fact, it is by an identical note addressed on one part to the controller Barthe, on the other part to Hulot, dated February 1 1861, that they took delivery of the “die”. Here is what was addressed to the controller:

Alarmed that he had still not obtained a positive answer, on April 2, the Ambassador of Greece sent the Secretary of the Embassy to the nearby Commission of the Mint to obtain finally from Hulot a formal agreement and a written explanation of the delay in the delivery of the plates, thus resulting in the following document:

Embassy of His Greek Majesty in Paris Paris, April 3, 1861.

Mr. President,

Mr. Hulot, Director of the Manufacture of Postage Stamps, having been asked yesterday by the Commission of the Mint, in the presence of Mr. Antoniopoilo, Secretary of the Embassy, to say finally if it is possible to deliver the plates, postage stamps, etc. as my Government has been waiting for several months, has responded that this work is still far from being finished and has refused categorically to take the assignment in writing to deliver the stamps in question in the period of two months from April 1. Mr. Hulot has added that he could not promise to deliver all of his work even in three months and that in no case could he take an assignment in writing.

In view of this refusal, I have the honor to ask you, Mr. President, to have the die for our postage stamps, which is now in the hands of Mr. Hulot, returned so that I could take measures that I believe would be more useful for the execution of this work, thus responding to the desires of my Government.

Kalergis

Hulot, wishing to explain the delay and to establish the responsibilities of each, wrote the next day personally to Pelouze (Fig. 3):

Commission of the Mint and Medals Paris April 4 1861.

Mr. President,

The delay in the execution of the postage stamps with the figure of Hermes, of which the Greek Government complained today, cannot be blamed on me. The order for these stamps dates well before August 1860, but I had the die in my hands for only two months, during which time the really specific preparatory work for the multiplication of the die has been very advanced. Thus I have had the honor to tell you in the presence of the Commission that I could not promise to deliver, in the interval of three months, seven plates of different types as Mr. Kallergis desires, but, except for the time spent to engrave changes to the die, I accept the assignment to supply three or perhaps four. Postal service for Greece could certainly begin with these three or four initial plates if the more common stamps were at first placed into circulation as is the practice in England and in France. The last plates to be delivered would be supplied in the fourth and fifth months.

May I observe that no person could execute the same work in the time that I am requesting.

The Director of the Manufacture of Postage Stamps
Hulot

The second phrase is prophetic (sybilline): what were in fact these “preparatory works and special activities for the multiplication of the die”? Hulot, having only used the galvanoplasty process, the conjectures remain quite vague.

For a final effort of conciliation and attempt to still obtain the agreement of the “expert” Hulot, Mr. Kallergis responded the next day.

The Greek Embassy in Paris Paris, April 5, 1861.

Mr. President,

I have received the letter that you had the honor to write to me today transmitting a copy of the letter of Mr. Hulot concerning the manufacture of our stamps. In spite of my desire to see this work continued by the expert hands of Mr. Hulot, it is impossible for me, Mr. President, to make my government wait as long a time as Mr. Hulot requests. All that I can do is to accept a document by which Mr. Hulot will agree to give us four plates with the corresponding number of printed stamps, by June 15 at the latest, and to furnish us all of the rest of the work before July 15 next, with the stipulation of an indemnity of 500 francs for each day he is late.

Kallergis

VIII. Transfer of the Order to Barre
Start of the fabrication of the plates (April 11 – May 8)

What would happen? It is here that Albert Barre was revealed as the true “Deus ex Machina” (the person who intervened to cause a change in the course of events) of this affair.

It is convenient to recall here some less friendly sentiments regarding Hulot, but also to define that it was shared – although perhaps to a lesser degree – by the other civil employees of the Mint who envisaged without displeasure, the idea of a rupture of the contract with the Director of the Manufacture of Postage Stamps. Had not the Commission of the Mint given to the Engraver General, more than two years earlier, instructions to execute “with the title of essay” a plate of 150 stamps? In speaking of it Albert Barre had written to Pelouze, at the end of 1862, asking his permission to present it at the London Exposition.

“If I am not mistaken, this plate is the first important and perfect specimen for the application of the coining press to the reproduction of a typographic engraving. Therefore, the result that I have obtained appears to me to be of interest to those persons in London who are concerned with these special questions; it will demonstrate that the Commission of the Mint of France neglects nothing to present light and progress to the services which are entrusted to it.”

You know that the stamps of this plate had the figure of the Republic of 1849 and that on the essays in blue that he had printed, the Engraver General printed on the back the essay of the large numbers which he had repeated on the 10 lepta.

How then could Barre not accept this fortunate windfall caused by the refusal of Hulot to deliver the plates of the Greek stamps in the time required, while, at the same time, Hulot stated that no one else could replace him and even do better than he? It was then that Albert Barre eagerly accepted and wrote to Pelouze on April 11 in the following terms (Fig. 4):

Engraver General of the Mint Paris April 11, 1861

Mr. President,

I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of the die for the Greek postage stamps which had been sent to me by your order of the 11th.

Furthermore, I certify by this letter the moral commitment that I have made before the Commission of the Mint, Mr. Antpniopoulo being present, to deliver 4 half-plates three months after the receipt of the die, in other words before July 12 and the 3 others before August 12.

It has been agreed that the following reimbursements would be made for this work:

Design and engraving of the original die (from memory) 1,500 fr.
Manufacture of the 7 half-plates @ 1,500 fr. Each 10,500 fr.
12,000 fr.

Plus one franc 50 centimes for each thousand stamps printed and gummed.

Albert Barre

On April 19, the Greek Ambassador accepted on his side and on May 8 A. Barre requested that they give the instructions to permit him to strike in the coining press the clichés which would be used in fabricating the plates.

Authorization was given by Pelouze on May 13. Thus, it is correct that the plates for the Greek stamps had been produced at the Mint.

But, from this moment, the printing of the first Geek stamps became a private affair between Barre and the Greek Government; this is why the records are brief here and mislead us. It contains, in effect, only a single letter, that of Mr. Kallergis, of September 26 which, as a courtesy, brings up to date the President of the Commission of the Mint regarding what had occurred (Fig. 5):

Embassy of His Greek Majesty in Paris Paris, September 26, 1861

Mr. President,

I have the honor to inform you that Mr. Barre, Engraver General of the Mint, has delivered to me during the last two months, the die, the plates and the printed sheets of the Greek stamps, which my government had been authorized to have engraved and printed in the Mint. I am eager to remit to Mr. Barre, who has executed all this work with complete success, the price of his supply according to the evaluation contained in the letter which you had done me the honor to send on July 27 of this year.

The Ambassador of Greece,
Kallergis.

This letter informs us, meanwhile, that Barre had kept his promise and that very likely, as he indicated, four plates of 150 (i.e. in the language of the Mint, four half-plates) were delivered by him before July 12 and the 3 others before August 12.

Where were these stamps printed? At the printing establishment of Ernest Meyer, 22 rue de Verneuil, according to all probability, because Barre, who was only an engraver in metals, possessed only rudimentary means for printing at the Mint. The printer of the Mint was Hulot: he could not be the target of his request and the Engraver General had to go elsewhere to find another suitable method.

The result of the examination of this file shows that there was only one Paris printing, since only a single order was placed and only a single delivery to Athens had occurred in two parts (first with 4 plates, then 3). These were accompanied by stamps which they had printed as well as the découpage material.

These are the conclusions that I believe can be drawn from the examination of the “Greek” file of the Paris Mint.

Length of the Greek postage stamp	22 mm.
Width " " " " "	18 mm.
Diameter of the interior circle	16 mm.

In the middle: the head of Hermes.

Above: ΕΛΛ. ΓΡΑΜΜ.
Below: for the: 1^st class	1. ΛΕΠΤΟΝ 1.
2^nd class	2. ΛΕΠΤΑ 2.
3^rd class	5. ΛΕΠΤΑ 5.
4^th class	10. ΛΕΠΤΑ 10.
5^th class	20. ΛΕΠΤΑ 20.
6^th class	40. ΛΕΠΤΑ 40.
7^th class	80. ΛΕΠΤΑ 80.

Colors: for the: 1^st class	black
2^nd class	pale yellow
3^rd class	green
4^th class	blue
5^th class	violet
6^th class	red
7^th class	orange

Number of stamps to be fabricated in the mint of Paris:

1^st class	150,000
2^nd class	50,000
3^rd class	30,000
4^th class	30,000
5^th class	150,000
6^th class	50,000
7^th class	50,000

1	lepton	450,000
2	lepta	150,000
5	lepta	90,000
10	lepta	90,000
20	lepta	450,000
40	lepta	150,000
80	lepta	150,000