In the realm of postal history, dates are fundamental. Ask any collector and they will tell you that in order to understand the importance of a cover, you need to know the chronological context and historical timeline. Arranging the important events into the order in which they happened is a skill the world’s greatest philatelists possess, among other talents.
The ancient race of Time Lords are extraterrestrial people who have a command of time travel and a non-linear perception of time. One of the most famous Time Lords is Doctor Who, and the eleventh incarnation of The Doctor, once went on record as saying, “1482 is a hard year to time travel to, as it is full of glitches”.
It’s a sad story if you start digging around the history of the Congo Free State (1885 to 1908) and there aren’t many, if any, happy stories to lift the gloom of atrocities perpetrated in the colony under the personal rule of King Leopold II. It’s easy to forget that two sets of stamps were created for use in this Central African country which was supposed to be an humanitarian and philanthropic project.
What’s great about history is that events are named after something logical. For example, the 1859 Battle of Solferino takes its name from where the conflict actually took place – Solferino in Italy.
The word ‘Revenues’ in philately refers to the adhesive labels (stamps) which are issued for the collection of taxes on documents or fees, licences and duty applied in the country of origin. T hese can, for example, cover property, firearms, hunting, drugs, medicine,...
One of the ingenious means of communication used by the French during the Siege of Paris, between September 1870 and January 1871, was Ballon Monte, which is mail that was taken out of the city by manned hot-air balloons.
On Tuesday 18th May it is International Museum Day, which is an annual event organised by the International Council of Museums (ICOM) to raise awareness about museums.
From the news that a famous shoe designer to the stars is selling the world famous British Guiana 1c Magenta, and left his owner mark on the back, as well as selling his unique Inverted Jenny block, to a feature about the magic of Virtual Stampex, to the world famous...
To celebrate the 181st birthday of the world’s first postage stamp we take a closer look at what the Museum of Philately has to show on this iconic adhesive.
MUSEUM OF PHILATELY
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