Lambert Sales Co. labels such as this one are virtually the only sources
of used copies of the scarce Philippine imperforate issues of 1925.

The label shown here is one of the beautiful exceptions. It bears a horizontal strip of five 1p imperforate stamps, a right margin arrow block of four of the l0c, and vertical pairs of the 2c and 8c, the latter with a horizontal guideline.

The listings for these stamps in the Scott catalogs are curious indeed. Volume 1 of the Scott Standard Postage Stamp Catalogue identifies an imperforate printing of 1925-31, but lists, prices and identifies colors only for the later 1931 reprints. The much more numerous imperforate reprints were produced six years after the original Lambert Sales Co. order was filled, to meet the demand of incensed collectors who had been unable to get copies for their albums.

Though too few collectors original are aware of it, these 1931 reprints differ on many points from the original imperforate stamps. While the differences in color — and in value — are spelled out in the Scott Specialized Catalogue of United States Stamps, the treatment given the 1925 issues is most unusual. The 1931 reprints have Scott catalog numbers (340-53); the original issues do not. Instead, they appear to be listed as color varieties of the reprints, though they have no numbers of their own. There can be few if any other   instances  in  which reprints receive full catalog status and the original stamps are denied it as such.

As laid out in the table, the most obvious difference between the 1925 issues and the, later reprints is color: The former exhibit shades many Philippines collectors have never seen. Most often the 1931 reprints are found in even many of the most advanced Philippines collections. Most dealers will admit that they do not know the difference, because neither set comes into most stamp firms often enough to make proper comparisons.

On mint sets, the gum is a major difference between the 1925 and the 1931 stamps. The 1931 issue has diagonally lined, or swirled gum, while the 1925 issue is generally smooth by comparison. Paper thickness and tone also vary between the two. The 1931 was printed on a thicker, more yellowish paper, while the 1925 imperforates are on a thinner, whiter paper. The vivid colors used for the 1925 stamps, however, are the"" most reliable difference between the two sets. The extremely short production run of the 1925 imperf orates al-lowed the BEP to take greater care in their printing, and the results are striking in shade and appearance.

It is estimated that 80 percent of the total postal value of the 1925 issue was used by the Lambert Sales Co. to send registered packages from the Philippines to the United States between June 22 and Oct. 26, 1925. The last known package shipment date recorded is Oct. 21. The   company   found  handling imperforate stamps in a major shipping operation to be extremely inconvenient, and discontinued their use.

For the collector, acquiring the 2c to 8c denominations of the 1925 imperforate issue is relatively easy. The l0c to 30c middle values are more difficult, notwithstanding their fairly modest catalog values. With fewer than a thousand of each issue, and a mere 200 copies of the 4p and lOp, the four peso denominations in the set are a genuine challenge mint or used.

One of the most rewarding and enjoyable ways to collect all of these stamps is tied to the Lambert Sales Co. labels with registry datestamps and related shipping information. Full labels with sound stamps are most desirable and most elusive. Similarly, labels with dated cancellations are scarce and sought after.

An exceptional exhibit of the 1925 imperforates and Lambert Sales Co. labels will be displayed during the annual WESTPEX show in San Francisco, Calif., from April 29 to May 1.