The Philatelic Database – Archive of Stamp Collecting Articles

Here is a quite detailed discussion of the first stamp issues of France (1849-60). It is based on a learned article extracted from “The Stamp Collector’s Magazine” (November 1, 1872) and written by the distinguished early philatelist Overy Taylor. It’s an interesting account of these classic stamps.

Let’s go back in time some 60 years. World War II had just ended and many countries were busily rebuilding their ruined economies. Family life was slowly coming back to normal after many years of privations during the war.

In 1909 ballet impresario Sergei Diaghilev began to produce a series of ballets which were to bring international fame to the dancers Pavlova, Karsavina and Nijinsky. They have been immortalised on numerous stamp issues ever since.

The following article was first published in the “Oxford Junior Encyclopaedia” (1957) and is a sound introduction to the various different railway systems around the world at the time.

I discovered this interesting article in an English newspaper, The Standard published in 1910. It should be of great interest to French postal historians.

Obock is a French Colony on the Red Sea coast of Africa, on the gulf of Aden. The territory embraces 2,300 square miles with a population of 22,370. Stamps will be issued on January 1st.

Being a maritime nation, St. Pierre and Miquelon naturally issue a number of stamps related to fishing. This is a fine example depicting the fish freezer “Le Galantry” and was designed and engraved by H. Cheffer and recess printed, it was issued for the Economic and Social Development Fund. Perf 13.

Those who read the Canadian Philatelist’s series on French cancellations saw a lot of information on cancellations, many of which carried no noticeable value premium. But printing varieties usually do sell for more than the basic stamp.

Bernie Madoff dominated the news from the revelation of his Ponzi scheme for investment to his recent sentencing. We should remember he is not the first, nor will he be the last, of the villains who separate people from their money.

Here’s another of our bilingual philatelic crosswords. This one’s clues are in English and the answers in French. The only exception is where the answer refers to a society or group with an English name.

I have recently acquired from New Zealand a collection of early philatelic journals. Amongst this acquisition was The Stamp Collector’s Magazine (February 1, 1871), published in London. The magazine published articles by such philatelic notables as Moëns, Ferrary and Edward Pemberton. We hope to publish some of these in the future…

Since 2002, Guantanamo Bay in Cuba has been the location of various combatants captured in Afganistan. When was the start of Cuba’s association with prisoners-of-war? Go back 104 years to 1898.

I recently acquired some copies of The Eastern Philatelist for 1889 (published by W. H. Goodrich, Fitchburg, Massachusetts) and in the February edition found this rather charming and evocative poem entitled “Their Designs.”

This fascinating postcard tied with a French Indo-China stamp and cancelled Tonkin 1904 depicts a view of the colonial Pho-Lu post office more than a century ago.

In 1900, France issued the Liberty, Equality, Fraternity stamps and started using many new cancel formats. Some literature on French cancellations stops naming (Type 16, Type of 1885, etc.) cancels at this point. This article reviews a few of the more interesting ones from the early 20th century.

This map shall be of great use to history students and philatelists alike. Given that 1914 is an important date in the history of France as it was about to suffer great losses in the First World War (1914-18).

The Palais Garnier is regarded as one of the architectural masterpieces of its time.

The 1 franc issue pictured is one of four recess-printed stamps issued in 1941 with the portrait of Marshal Pétain as head of state.

This first day cover shows the five attractive stamps depicting Cambodian temples issued February 1, 1966.

This interesting first flight cover was one of the early Pan American services.

December 2008 – Paris, France: Despite the instability of the world economy, the value of collectible stamps continues to rise as evidenced at the 2008 Autumn Philatelic Exhibition.