The Royal Philatelic Society London Comes to GASS 2023
One of the more exciting philatelic exchange programs in recent memory began in May, when the United States Philatelic Classics Society (USPCS) came to London to show a magnificent display of early U.S. material on 48 frames. Covering pre-stamp, Postmasters’ Provisionals, the 1847 issue, the large banknotes of the 1880s, and Hawai’i philately, the presentation was an incredible array of outstanding material.
In return, the Royal Philatelic Society London (RPSL) has been invited to put on a display at GASS in Cleveland on 50 frames, with an overall title of “Classic Stamps of Britain and the Empire.”
Six UK-based members of the Royal will display alongside eight frames from the society itself. These frames will show Bahamas from the original collection of Louis Bradbury and Natal from the collection of Eric W. Mann. These two members donated their collections to the Royal many years ago and the society is very pleased for them to be seen in the U.S. for the first time. The many Chalon Heads which occur in those collections are complemented by Chris Harman’s eight frame contribution on Perkins Bacon printings of Empire Classics. Joseph Hackmey adds a very important collection of the lithographed issues of Victoria, Australia, 1850-1855. Relieving the scene of Classic stamps, Simon Richards contributes his Grenada postal stationery, and Chris King contributes a postal history display of “Mail across the North Sea.” To complete this wonderful display, the earliest postage stamps of 1840 are beautifully presented by Simon Beresford-Wylie’s Penny Blacks and Twopenny Blues, while Alan Druce has frames of imprimatur Penny Reds, a more extensive representation, he tells me, than any other collection.
The Royal looks forward to completing this “once in a lifetime” exchange in Cleveland this August and fostering bonds of philatelic excellence and friendship that will last for years to come.
The RPSL Display at GASS 2023
Bahamas (Collection of Louis Bradbury): 4 frames
The Bradbury collection includes outstanding pre-adhesive material, stamps, proofs, covers, and archive material (printed by Perkins Bacon and later by De La Rue) to 1877.
Unclaimed cover bearing one Brown-lake and strip of three "Crimson-lake" paying the 4d single rate to Jamaica. Carried by Governor Bailey to St. Thomas and by Tyne (RMSP) to Kingston. Courtesy RPSL, Collection of Louis Bradbury.
Natal (Collection of Eric W. Mann): 4 frames
This display, bequeathed to the Royal by past President Eric Mann, includes a very fine range of 1857 embossed issue, including some exceptional covers. The 1859-65 Chalon Head issue printed first by Perkins Bacon and then by De La Rue include a number of very striking multiples and usages, while the section comprising the 1869-74 “Postage” overprints is really remarkable.
Development and Usage of the World’s First Postage Stamps by Simon Beresford-Wylie FRPSL: 8 frames
This exhibit traces the development and usage of the world’s first postage stamps, from the introduction of the Uniform Penny Post on January 10th, 1840 to the 1d and 2d stamps issued in 1840 and 1841. Included in the exhibit are examples of entries to the 1839 Treasury competition, original and late proof printings for the 1d and 2d issues (rejected and accepted dies), and examples (imprimaturs, mint, used, and covers) from all of the first plates used to print the 1d and 2d issues.
Master Die Proof, Penny Black. Courtesy of Simon Beresford-Wylie.
Penny Red Imprimaturs from the Record Sheets by Alan Druce FRPSL: 5 frames
The last time this type of material was shown at the Royal was by Lord Crawford in 1904, when he showed imprimatur corner copies of Penny Blacks. This collection of over 600 1d Reds and Twopenny Blues is more extensive.
Victoria Classics by Joseph Hackmey RDP, FRPSL: 8 frames
The display is devoted to the Half-Length issues from January 1850 to May 1855, lithographed during the first part of the period by Thomas Ham and (as of February 1854) by Campbell and Ferguson, which until July 1854 was called just J. S. Campbell. There were three values: one penny, two pence, and three pence. The display is arranged chronologically according to the sequence of printings. It shows unused stamps, used stamps, and multiples, as well as covers demonstrating a variety of rates, destinations, and routes of postage.
Queen Victoria Half-Lengths, Victoria. Courtesy of Joseph Hackmey.
Perkins Bacon – Classic Stamps of the British Empire by Chris Harman RDP, Hon. FRPSL: 8 frames
The display is extracted from a collection that ranges across all British Empire countries and a few foreign ones for which Perkins Bacon either printed stamps or supplied plates for the stamps to be printed locally. The wide-ranging frames cover Pacific Steam Navigation Co., Trinidad, Mauritius, North American Maritime Colonies, Cape of Good Hope, St. Helena, Australian States, New Zealand, Ceylon, and St. Vincent.
Queen Victoria Definitives, St, Vincent and the Grenadines. Courtesy of Chris Harman.
Mail Across the North Sea by Chris King RDP, Hon. FRPSL: 8 frames
This display shows mail across the North Sea – between the United Kingdom and Denmark, in both directions – from the end of the eighteenth century until the beginning of the General Postal Union, which came into force in both countries on July 1st, 1875.
Registered folded letter sent to Rønne on the island of Bornholm via Ostend, Aachen and Hamburg, bearing a pair of 4d Rose and single 1/- Green making 1/8d prepaid, July 1858. Courtesy of Chris King.
Granada Postal Stationery by Simon Richards FRPSL: 5 frames
Grenada’s stationery is particularly interesting as it features Perkins Bacon printings of postcards as well as De La Rue. Grenada also used a full range of postal stationery registered envelopes, including size I and K, and had four denominations of newspaper wrappers. With an extensive range of essay and proof material this exhibit ought to convince collectors to start collecting postal stationery!
First DLR 1d card, to W.B. Lindsey, Esq. of St. Vincent. Courtesy of Simon Richards.
To see all these incredible exhibits and many more, join us in Cleveland for the 2023 Great American Stamp Show — August 10-13.
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