Blue MauritiusThe Hunt for the World's Most Valuable Stamp

"Follow the adventures of the world's most sought-after postage stamps - from a tropical Indian Ocean island to the hushed atmosphere of the modern auction room - in this dramatic and passionate tale of the first stamp hunters." "Mauritius is famous for its dodo but there is another near-extinct export with its own fabulous story. The island was one of the first countries in the world to produce postage stamps when in September 1847 the coloured squares of paper were used to send out admission cards to a fancy-dress ball hosted by the Governor's wife." "Even now, the 'Post Office Mauritius' stamps have become synonymous with fame, wealth and mystery. The most coveted scraps of paper in existence, this is their story, from their birth during days of sail, taking them from Port Louis to Bordeaux, India and Great Britain, Switzerland and Japan, into the hearts of collectors everywhere."--BOOK JACKET.