COLLECTION OR EXPLORATION?

Livingstone and Stanley were explorers in a general sense, but single-minded in their efforts to find a source of the Nile. Collectors too can be single-minded in a quest for completion, or allow a philatelic project to offer diversions and tributaries, bringing extra pleasures and experience.

Several of my clients collect Belgium seriously, and whilst still aiming for completion, have found added depth and riches by making side-tracks into back-of-book material and postmarks. Belgium is particularly rich in these.

The first Epaulettes and Medallions offer shades, plates, watermarks, perforations, and above all numeral postmarks for some 200 towns. Later period diversions include proofs and essays, plates, papers and gums, railway stamps (and their many fascinating cancels), telegraphs, precancels, booklets, postal stationery, semi-private miniature sheets and overprints, private posts, German Occupations in WWI and WWII. And then there are revenues, the hidden parallel universe that stamp collectors often forget. I'm working on a new edition of Benelux Revenues; in case you are interested just let me know and I will email you when it is published. Of course postal history is the other avenue to explore, and could include the Napoleonic period (new French Department numbers were created for occupied Belgium), the expansion of the posts in the 19th century, Channel ferries to Belgium, 20th century pioneer and first flights, railway routes and so on.

Speaking of Livingstone and Stanley, Stanley played a big part in setting up the Belgian Congo as a personal fief for the Belgian Royal family. The same complexity of specialist study is possible for this colonial country.

In fact, most countries, whether European, Commonwealth or more exotic Foreign all offer the same possibilities to wander from the main track and make fascinating discoveries.

I have spent half a century in professional philately covering most countries of the world, and am always happy to chat on the phone if you need any guidance about a new collecting field.
John Barefoot