Halved stamps (part 2)

In the former Dutch Overseas Territory of Curaçao, there was also a problem with a shortage of stamps in 1918. The stock of 1-cent stamps, issued in May 1915, proved to be insufficient. Therefore, the post offices on Curaçao and the other islands were granted permission to use 2-cent and 2-cent stamps, halved, as 1-cent stamps. The stamps were halved from top left to bottom right () but also appear halved from top right to bottom left (/). The halved stamps from top right to bottom left (/) occur the least frequently. The halved 2 cent was used from June 1 to July 15, 1918. The 2½ cent from July 6 to July 15, 1918. What happened after July 15, 1918? Had a new supply of 1-cent stamps arrived by then? No, once again an emergency measure came into effect through the availability of emergency stamps printed on Curaçao with a value of 1 cent. The then Post Director had the emergency stamps printed on brownish striped paper at the 'Curaçaosche Courant'. After the sheets were delivered to the post office in Willemstad, each stamp in the sheet was provided with an impression of a small hand stamp with the letters Haw and an underline. The letters Haw were the initials of the Post Director: Hendrik Albert Willemsen. The stamps were available from July 16, 1918, and were withdrawn from sale on October 31, 1918. Halved stamps and emergency stamps have been used by many postal services around the world as an emergency measure. It is a wonderful collecting area that often illustrates a specific situation (war conditions and other calamities). However, unfortunately, there are also many products born from the imagination of people who are not so scrupulous and merely try to 'make money off the naivety or greed of collectors'. It is therefore always good to think beforehand, inquire, or investigate for yourself whether a particular halved stamp on a piece of mail has been officially announced by the relevant postal service. A good catalogue can usually provide the answer!