Argentina, Bolivia and Brazil – Philatelic Resources Part 1

This is the first in a series of articles highlighting key philatelic resources for collectors of Central and South American stamps. The next article in the series will be published in a few weeks and will cover Chile, Colombia and Ecuador. The complete series of articles will ultimately replace the Resources section in the menu above.

ARGENTINA

Stamp Dealer Association

SOCOFIRA (the Sociedad de Comerciantes Filatélicos de la República Argentina) (ES) represents Argentina’s leading stamp dealers with dealer profiles provided on its website (no website as of August 2026).

Philatelic Societies

The first philatelic society established in South America was SOFIRA (Sociédad Filatelica de la República Argentina – the Philatelic Society of the Argentine Republic) (ES), established in 1887. No active website.

The FAEF Federacion Argentina de Entidades Filatelicas (The Argentine Federation of Philatelic Entities) (ES) represents the interests of Argentina’s eighteen regional philatelic societies.

CEFILOZA (ES) is one of the more active societies and publishes its own excellent catalogue (see below). It has been operative since 1941 and also produces an in-house journal, with downloads available on its website.

Specialist Catalogues

Argentina has a number of specialized catalogues to choose from:

Mello Teggia Sellos Postales 1856-2010 República Argentina (ES). Classified by Yvert et Tellier numbers. Good for the general collector with prices shown in pesos. Last published in 2010 with supplements published up until 2019.

GJ (Gottig Jalil) Catalogo Especializado de Sellos de la República Argentina (ES). More expansive than Mello Teggia. The two volume 2018/2019 edition is the latest and is reviewed here. Often simply referred to as the GJ catalogue, this work is beautifully presented in full colour and extensively illustrated. Volume 1 covers the early regional issues of Corrientes, Buenos Aires and Cordoba, followed by Confederation and then Republic issues through until 1999. The second volume picks up in 2000, carrying right through until October 2018. The remaining two thirds of Volume 2 cover the Officials, Government Departmental overprints and Telegraphs. The ‘GJ’ lists a huge number of varieties that go way beyond the more mainstream catalogues. For example, the Scott Classic Specialized lists 19 variants of the popular Rivadavia issues: the GJ catalogue lists no less than 290 individually priced varieties with 123 of them illustrated in colour.

GZ Cefiloza Catalogo Especializado de Sellos Postales (ES). An excellent, specialized, downloadable only catalogue which is available free of charge from CEFILOZA (see above). Illustrated in colour and listing numerous varieties, including dedicated sections to officials and perfins. Being a digital catalogue, updates are frequently made to keep the work up to date.

Kneitschel 1958 Catalogo de los Sellos Postales de la Republica Argentina (ES). The bible of Argentinian philately, this two volume work is an essential aid in taking a deep dive into the early classics, including proofs, essays, trials, postmarks and so much more. Eleven editions were published in total: 1943, 1945, 1948, 1950, 1952, 1958, 1961, 1965, 1968, 1970 and 1974. The 1943 edition includes private and railway telegraphs, charity labels, reprints and forgeries. The ’52 is strong on ‘escudito’ forgeries. The ’65 gives first day cancellations and a detailed listing of first flights. But it’s the 1958 that shines.

Samuel Klass – Catálogo de Sellos Postales de la Argentina (ES). Complimentary to Kneitschel and another detailed work. Aim for the 1970 edition.

Useful Websites

Foro Filatelia Argentina (ES) is an active forum and useful resource, discussing every aspect of Argentinian philately. Multiple structured sub-forums and a good place to ask questions from fellow collectors.

If you collect (or are contemplating) the 1938-1951 definitive issue then Antonio Rubiera’s website is indispensable. The website is as complicated as the issue but it it delves into a level of detail you won’t find elsewhere. The site is no longer available online: search for somestamps.com/arg3551 in the Wayback Machine.

Useful Publications

For collectors of the early classics I recommend Pablo Alejandro Reim’s book Joyas Filatelicas De La Republica Argentina 1862-1867 (2022 ES). Beautifully illustrated, it is a visual guide to the stamps, postmarks and postal history of the era.

Research into identifying early postmarks and cancellations is also made easier with Matasellos Argentinos 1862-1880 by Juan Carlos Pedret (1970’s? ES)

For the Rivadavia enthusiast, Gustavo de la Torre’s Rivadavia 5c Identification & Classification Method (2007 ES/EN)is extremely useful. Although written in Spanish, it was also sold with an English translation.

Students of the Corrientes issues should acquire the Collector’s Club publication on the subject by Louis Stich (1957 EN), plus Argentine Research on Corrientes by Charles Jewell (1964 EN).

BOLIVIA

Philatelic Societies

The Federación Filatelica Boliviana was founded in 1971 to represent the interests of Bolivia’s regional philatelic societies. They publish a magazine Postales de Bolivia (ES) but this isn’t available online. Enquiries should be sent to Martha Villarroel de Peredo ma************@***il.com.

CEFILCO (Centro Filatelico Cochabamba) is the largest philatelic society in Bolivia and is renowned for its catalogue (see below). They have an active Facebook presence with a focus on classic material.

Specialist Catalogues

Bolivia is well-served with specialist catalogues with a number of options to choose from, all published in recent years.

The most substantial is the 2022 Cefibol, Especializado en Filatelia Boliviana (ES) by Daniel Gonzalez Fernandez. This is a six-hundred page catalogue with over 3000 images and pricing in US dollars. Excellent coverage of varieties. Also available as a digital download.

CEFILCO compiled their first catalogue in 1960 and have published over a dozen editions since. The CEFILCO Catalogo de Sellos Postales Oficiales de Bolivia (ES) is now in its thirteenth edition and was last published in 2024.

The nearly identically titled Catalogo de Sellos Postales de Bolivia (ES) was published by the Centro Filatelico Chuquisaca in 2022. A strong, well-illustrated pre-philatelic section and good coverage of print volumes and varieties.

Finally there is Claus Lange’s Katalog und Handbuch der Briefmarken der Republik Bolivien (2016 DE). Published in German, this is a comprehensive, multi-part reference work in five volumes. It provides a highly detailed documentation of Bolivian stamps and postal stationery from the Garcia ‘Challas’ stamps up until 2024. This is more handbook than catalogue and provides plenty of background information on each issue. Volume 1 covers the period 1859 to 1945 which should satisfy the classic Bolivia collector. Highly recommended.

For the Condor enthusiast, it is worth noting that Claus Lange has been building an inventory of all known Condor stamps on cover. Each cover is illustrated with comments in an ongoing series of articles in the ARGE Lateinamerika journal ‘Rundbrief’.

BRAZIL

Stamp Dealer Association

The Brazilian Association of Philatelic Traders (EN/PT) represents stamp dealers from across the country.

Philatelic Societies

After a period of inactivity, the Brazil Philatelic Association  (EN) is back up and firing on all cylinders. Its journal, Bulls Eyes, is published twice a year. Over two-hundred back issues, stretching back to 1968, are now available online via the Society’s website. Regular, well-attended Zoom presentations keep members connected. The BPA’s Facebook Group is also active and worth joining.

Filabras, The Association of Brazilian Philatelists (PT) bills itself as the largest philatelic club in Latin America with over 2000 members. A remarkable achievement for a society that only commenced activity in 2020. The society is web based and makes no charge for membership. The website gives access to copies of the Filabras magazine, together with a plethora of links to a host of Brazil related philatelic downloads. Equally active is its Facebook Group with an astonishing 4500 members.

In Brazil, FEBRAF Federação Brasileira de Filatelia (PT) represents the interests of numerous philatelic associations across the country.

Finally, Arbeitsgemeinschaft Brasilien e.V (DE) is a German/Brazilian society but with 30% of its members outside Germany. It has over 100 papers published.

Specialist Catalogues

The Brazilian philatelic market has been dominated by the RHM Catalogo de Selos do Brasil (PT) for many years. Named after the  Sao Paulo dealer, the late Rolf Harald Myer, it isn’t unusual for international auctioneers to quote RHM catalogue numbers when describing Brazilian classics.

RHM is a prolific catalogue publisher with eight titles published over the past ten years and more on their way. Broadly they divide into three styles: the simplified, the specialised and the encyclopedic. The latest specialised editions are the two-volume 59th (2016) and the 61st (2019).

The 2019 edition was the last conventional, comprehensive RHM catalogue. RHM subsequently began replacing that format with a series of much more detailed encyclopedic volumes, beginning with the 1C–3C volumes in 2023–24 and followed by the ‘Imperial’ volume (1I) in 2026. In summary:

Catálogo Enciclopédico de Selos e História Postal do Brasil – Volume 1I (PT). This is designated the 62nd edition. It has 432 pages, more than 1,830 illustrations and covers pre-philately and issues up until the ‘Coloridos’ in 1866. This is RHM’s most comprehensive coverage of the early years of Brazilian philately to date with sixty-eight pages devoted to the Bull’s Eyes alone. An impressive volume.

Catálogo Enciclopédico de Selos do Brasil – Volume 1C (PT). This picks up in 1900 and covers all the commemorative issues through until 1970. It also forms part of the 62nd edition. It differs from the specialised catalogues by including additional data on each issue such as illustrations of varieties, first day and commemorative postmarks, designer, printing process etc.

For those interested in modern issues there are two further volumes: Volume 2C covering the period 1971-1994 and Volume 3C covering 1995 through to 2024.

Catalogo Especializado Da Emissao Madrugada Republicana – Volume 1E (PT). A highly specialised addition to the portfolio, focusing only on the Madrugada issues from 1894 to 1906.

You’ll note that if you just rely on the encyclopedia volumes then you’re going to be missing out on the remaining issues from between 1866 and 1900 (Dom Pedro’s etc) plus the later definitives, so a copy of one of the specialised catalogues is still a necessity if you need complete coverage.

An alternative is to look out for a copy of RHM’s Catalogo Enciclopedico de Selos e Historia Postal do Brasil (PT) from 1999. This is a single volume ‘encylcopedia style’ publication which includes a detailed appraisal of the Imperial period (including fiscals) amongst a wealth of data on all aspects of Brazilian philately up until 1890.

RHM is undertaking an ambitious multi-volume replacement for its traditional catalogue, expanding the scope from stamp identification and varieties into detailed technical studies, postal markings, covers, pre-philately and postal history. The project was announced in 2023 as an eight-volume undertaking. Thus I would anticipate that those gaps will be filled with further encyclopedia editions over the course of the next few years.

If you need to cross-refer RHM with Scott, Michel or Yvert & Tellier then the ArGe Brasilien (2017 DE) handbook is well worth picking up.

Filabras also publish an excellent online catalogue (PT) which carries a wealth of data on each issue.

Useful Websites

The Carimbologia blog (EN/PT) is an interesting study of early Brazilian post offices and their associated cancellations. There are numerous enthusiast Brazilian collector websites to hunt for.

Useful Publications

Brazil is well-endowed with philatelic literature, particularly with studies of the early issues. With a view to keeping things concise, I mention just a brief selection from the many options available.

Any collector with a passing interest in cancellations cannot fail to be impressed by the thousands of mute cancellations in use during the Dom Pedro period in the 1860’s and ’70’s. The primary source in understanding these cancellations is Paulo Ayres pioneering 1937 publication Catalogo de Carimbos (PT/EN/FR). This has been built upon by subsequent authors over the years, notably Mute Cancellations of the Brazil Empire (EN/PT) by James Alfred Dingler & Klerman Wanderly Lopes and the work of Reinhold Koester and Fabio Monteiro.

Dingler and Lopes published their significantly expanded edition in 2000. This has been developed further still by a second edition, published by the Brazil Philatelic Association in 2026 and now including a very useful scarcity index for every cancellation.

Brazil’s famous first issue is an understandably popular topic. For a visual feast, Bull’s Eyes on Cover (EN/DE/PT) by Bernd Juchert is hard to beat (the 2015 second edition). The best study of their successors, the ‘Inclinados’, is Brazil 1844-1866: Slanted Numerals Handbook (PT/EN) by Walter Goncalves Taveira, published in 2001.

For later issues, Historia Postal Dos Selos Comemorativos No Brasil 1900-1942 (2007 PT/EN) by Luiz A. Duff Azevedo provides a well-illustrated understanding of Brazil’s commemorative issues in the first part of the twentieth century.

Finally, for spotting forgeries, Marcelo Studart’s handbook Falsificacoes e Fraudacoes na Filatelia Brasileira (PT), published in 1995, is a very useful tool to have on hand. More on this subject here.

Next instalment: Chile, Colombia and Ecuador