Updated 27th June 2008  

“STAMP LOVER” Celebrates 100 years of enthusiasm

“The keynote of the STAMP LOVER will be enthusiasm” wrote Fred Melville founder of the Junior Philatelic Society in the very first edition of the journal in June 1908.  A century later, the Junior’s successor, the National Philatelic Society, celebrates the centenary of the Stamp Lover with a bumper edition. 

The special 100-page issue features a re-design, with full colour illustrations and articles which reflect the diversity of philatelic interests and which also review the development of philately during the past century.

The issue is prefaced with an extract from the very first issue, including the editorial where Fred Melville expresses his views about enthusiasm for stamps, stamp collecting and the Junior Philatelic Society. That enthusiasm has been reflected ever since in the pages of subsequent issues of the Stamp Lover. 

Articles by expert contributors not only mark the Centenary but also inform and educate on philatelic issues today. As will be seen below, subjects include research, social philately, aerophilately, Machins, thematics, postal stationery and computers in philately. There is also a look back to 1908 and the issues current then, as well as a philatelic history of the 1908 Franco-British Exhibition. 

Accordingly, the British Philatelic Trust, has provided financial support for which we are grateful, to enable local philatelic societies in the UK to receive copies. This will allow their members to benefit from the research provided by our contributors.   

Copies of the Centenary issue may also be obtained from the Hon Secretary at National Philatelic Society, c/o The British Postal Museum & Archive, Freeling House, Phoenix Place, London WC1X 0DL, for £3 each) including postage. Cheques should be payable to National Philatelic Society.

This 100-page special edition has something for everyone - 

• Odd Jottings - You found it in a skip? - A tale of a collection being placed in a skip by grieving relatives gives "Old Codger" further food for thought.
  

• National PS Meeting at Harrogate 2008 - A fine series of varied displays, some by members who had not previously been able to get to a London meeting of the Society, and an excellent presentation by Michael Sefi FRPSL, the Keeper of the Royal Philatelic Collection made for a successful country meeting on 2 May 2008. Chris Oliver describes all.
  

• Has much changed? - Richard West looks at philately in 1908 - the year Stamp Lover was first published. 
  
  

• Computers and Philately - Chris King explains how computers have improved his enjoyment and knowledge of philately and offers his experience and advice.
  
  

• Philatelic Research - A Basic Guide - A systematic approach is invaluable for those embarking on a philatelic research project. In this article, David R Beech sets out some basic concepts to this end.
  
  

• British Stamp Exhibitions - Glenn Morgan describes  the JPS Exhibition of the Stamps of the British Empire in 1908 and then moves on to the present day as he looks forward to London 2010.
  
  

• The Growth of Transatlantic Airmails - The challenges faced by the pioneers of transatlantic airmails are recalled in this suitably illustrated article by Richard Beith.
  
  

• Introducing Social Philately - Social Philately began during the 1980s and was included as an "experimental class" in the International Exhibition in Melbourne in 1999. Christine Earle explains what Social Philately is all about and how to get started.
  
  

• The Iconic Machin Stamps - over 40 years old, the Machin image on British stamps has been one of the top iconic images of the 20th Century. In this article, Michael Lockton looks at their usage - pre decimal 1967-1971 - transitional 1970-1972 and decimal only post March 1972.
  
  

• Thematic Philately - Thematic collecting ("Topical" in the USA) has been around for over one hundred years, expanding greatly over the past 60 years. How to chose a theme, how to display and where to start, are all addressed in this article by John Hayward, Vice Chairman of the British Thematic Association.
  
  

• 1908 and all that..... - In the United States, 1908 saw the release of the new Franklin and Washington definitives. The years of their currency would provide a tremendous field for philatelic study as Michael L Goodman explains. 
  
  

• 1908-2008-2012: The Franco-British Exhibition and the Olympic Games - These two major events in 1908, a look forward to the Games of 2008 and 2012, and a description of Post Office involvement with the London Games of 1948, are all covered in this article by Bob Wilcock. 
  
  

• The Ideal Stamp - the public furore over the designs of the first King George V postage stamps of Great Britain led the Junior Philatelic society (now the National PS) to run a competition to design an ideal stamp. The result was "The Ideal Stamp" shown on the cover of the Centenary issue (and on Home page of this website). This article by Francis Kiddle covers  the background to the competition and the competition itself, followed by a detailed study of the stamps themselves.
  
  

• Changing perceptions of value and rarity of Postal Stationery - Dr Alan Huggins explains how the attraction and methods of collecting postal stationery have changed since the nineteenth century and concludes that there are many instances globally where really rare items of postal stationery are currently seriously undervalued.
  

PLUS -  Regular Features - 

• Michael L Goodman's reports on Recent Displays at the National PS - Sugar & Slavery" by David Hunter (February 2008) and Austria & Lombardy-Venetia 1850 by Keith Tranmer (March 2008)
  
  

• Checklist of Articles in the British Philatelic Press - our twice yearly listing covers the period July - December 2007
  
  

• Stamp Fairs Listing covering June-August 2008.
  
  

• Note from the President, National PS News, Letters to the Editor, Other Philatelic News 

"Fascinated by Forgeries"

                  - An Afternoon Philatelic Seminar on  Thursday 28th August 2008

Philatelic forgeries often more valuable than some of their genuine counterparts, judging by auction results. The National Philatelic Society, which holds its own forgery collection, is devoting a seminar to the subject when John Shaw, FRPSL will describe some of the modern ways in which forgeries can be detected and discuss material produced by some renowned forgers before opening the meeting to further discussion.  

John is notable philatelist in the many specialist societies to which he belongs, at societies in his neighbourhood, and as member of the notable expertising committee at the Royal Philatelic Society London. This is an opportunity to learn more about forgeries and some of the philatelic items of which you should be wary. 

The venue is the Phoenix Centre, Phoenix Place, London WC1X 0DL, on Thursday, 28^th August 2008, commencing at 2pm.  This event has been organised through the British Postal Museum and Archive in the adjoining Phoenix Centre, where Royal Mail are kindly providing a meeting room.

The National Philatelic Society Library will be open to all attendees from 11am and until 6.30 pm on the day of the Seminar. 

There will be a charge of £5 (£3 for members of the National Philatelic Society). Places are limited and the deadline for applications is Saturday, 23^rd August 2008. Click here for a programme/booking form which should be  completed and sent to Christopher Oliver, National Philatelic Society, c/o The British Postal Museum & Archive, Freeling House, Phoenix Place, London WC1X 0DL

PLEASE NOTE CHANGE OF DATE - This seminar was originally advertised on the National Philatelic Society Programme for 2007-08 as taking place in May 2008. 

March 2008

108th Annual General Meeting of the National Philatelic Society 14th July 2007 
                                        
                                            - A New President and a New Librarian

Held in the Northampton Suite at City University, London on Saturday 14th July, this AGM came at the end at the end of a very eventful twelve months, with the Society moving from Charterhouse Street at the end of March, and now successfully based at the Royal Mail Archives. Two months earlier our President, Richard "Dickie" Pratt had sadly died - on 17th February 2007. A distinguished philatelist, Richard had given wonderful support to the Society for very many years and had been President since 2004. A full tribute appeared in the June 2007 issue of stamp Lover.  

Appointed by the Annual General Meeting, our new President is Christopher Oliver who has been a member of Council since 2004 and has masterminded the National Philatelic Society Philatelic Seminars that our now a regular feature of our annual programme. 

The AGM also saw the election of Mike Bramwell as our Hon. Librarian in place of Glenn Morgan who wishes to spend more time on other matters, after fifteen years in the job, culminating the planning and execution of this year's Library moves. Glenn's work for the Society over this period has been much appreciated and we are fortunate that both he and Peter Wood who also stood down from Council this year, are still very much involved with the Society. The other Officers and Council members are unchanged.

                                                                       _________________________

About our New President  - Chris's collecting interests started at the age of seven, nine years later he

 decided to specialise in South Africa. He has been General Secretary of the South African Collectors’ Society since 2003, and in the same year he became and remains Chairman of the Middlesex Philatelic Federation.

Being interested in history, our new President has also developed a fun collection of the stamps of the U.S.A. called “The History of the U.S.A. as seen through its philatelic material". Chris says that "This is neither thematic nor social philately but has elements of each in it. It would be shunned in most organised philatelic circles but is enjoyable to me".  

When not involved with philately or attending historical society, church or planning advisory meetings, Chris uses some of his spare time, weather permitting, on his allotment. 

Annual Competitions, December 2006 

The last annual Competitions to be held at Charterhouse Street took place on Saturday 9 December, being well attended with a good range of entries, except for the Aerophilately Class for which there were no contestants. 

The winner of the Traditional Philately class was Ron Rakusen, with Hong  Kong Centennial of British Occupation. Second was Charlie Mead with Fiji - Government Printing Office Franks and third Mike Goodman with USA - The Flag Definitives 1995-2005. 

In the Postal History class, John Leathes took first place with U-Boat Operations 1915-1918, second was David Alford with Fiji Postage Rates during the reign of King George V, and third, Jonathan Spooner with Indian Civilian Postcard Rates. 

There two Thematic entries, the winner being  John Henderson with the 1999 Tour de France.

The judges were Brian Asquith FRPSL and Brian Sole. 

 Traditionally, Competitions Day sees the presentation of the Johnson Award for philatelic writing  which was presented to Mike
 Goodman for his article “The Packet Brings a Stamp Shop into Your Home" The award is presented annually to the author the
 most popular article to appear in the magazine during the previous year.  

The presentations were preceded by a well-attended auction and seasonal refreshment.