Leading German philatelist Karl Louis, one of the shareholders in the Global Philatelic Network, comprising Heinrich Köhler, Corinphila, H R Harmer and John Bull, reveals a favourite philatelic item. Some years ago, at Stampex 2012 in London, I spotted an amazing mixed-franking cover bearing three different 2d. blue stamps at one of the dealer’s booths. The cover was addressed to the Reverend W W Phelps, … Continue reading My Favourite…
Over many centuries, ships, boats and maritime vessels of all kinds have been used as a means of transport for mail along rivers, and over lakes and seas. In more recent decades, historic ships and boats used for mail transportation have repeatedly been featured on stamps, sheetlets and booklets. An important number originate from British territories, the Channel Islands of Jersey and Guernsey or the … Continue reading Over the Sea – Ship and Maritime Mail
‘The Stamp House’ was a well-known building (a pub actually) in North Bersted, near Bognor. The ‘Rising Sun’ pub’s owner, Richard Sharpe, collected postage stamps, and this was to form the basis of his future fame. As the years progressed, his stamp collection grew, and he began decorating a few picture frames with his spare stamps. Then, in 1882, a customer bet Mr Sharpe he … Continue reading ‘The Stamp House’
If any style of picture postcards epitomised their worldwide appeal and transmission, it was those of ocean liners. Catering for rich travellers, hopeful emigrants and globetrotting business people, they arrived on the scene in a big way, just as the picture postcard was establishing its world media domination (otherwise known as the ‘Golden Age’). Postcards of liners were published in huge quantities during the 20th … Continue reading The World-wide Connection
‘Out of an abundance of caution’, this year’s on-premises version of the APS Summer Seminar on Philately, held annually without fail since 1980, was cancelled, due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic crisis. Typically, Summer Seminar would enroll between 65–85 students for a combination of week-long and shorter courses, ranging from Stamp Technology and Exhibiting, to specialist courses on Washington-Franklins and engaging with postal history. Utilising … Continue reading APS Summer Seminar on Philately Posts Record Numbers
At least that’s the title of an editorial by Andrew Nelson that ran in the 5 June edition of the Wall Street Journal. ‘Of course,’ was my immediate reaction. Although it should come as no surprise to collectors, the hobby provides respite during troubling times (such as we are now experiencing on several fronts) and an opportunity to expend as much intellectual energy as you … Continue reading Why Stamp Collecting is Back in Vogue
The frequently cited ‘Spanish flu’ epidemic of 1918 has not been mentioned explicitly on European stamps, but I assume it was one reason (among others) for the numerous charity issues with surcharges for the benefit of the Red Cross and other welfare organisations. The most lethal disease affecting lungs until today is tuberculosis. The Global Tuberculosis Report of the WHO gives a number of 10 … Continue reading Red Cross and Anti-tuberculosis Issues
Just as this edition of PE was going to press, the news broke that Autumn Stampex was being replaced with a Virtual Stampex event. Continue reading Autumn Stampex replaced by Virtual Stampex 2020
With London 2020 postponed, Stanley Gibbons decided to launch an online, single-sheet philatelic competition aimed at bringing the philatelic community together during the current crisis. Titled the Stanley Gibbons Blue competition, the competition took its inspiration from prestigious institutions who award ‘Blues’ to those individuals who represent the highest level of excellence in their field. In the competition, a Stanley Gibbons Blue was awarded to … Continue reading Stanley Gibbons sings the Blues
In mid-April 2020, The Guardian newspaper in the UK ran an interesting article titled ‘Post modern: why millennials have fallen in love with stamp collecting’. This must-read article had an interview with the Chair of the prestigious Philatelic Trader’s Society (PTS) in the UK. The article got wide coverage, and I was sent the link to it by several clients, in case I had not … Continue reading Positive stamp article in The Guardian
