Robert Shaw has been a collector of the early stamps and postal history of Paraguay for over forty years, with a particular focus on the War of the Triple Alliance. This was the deadliest inter-state war in Latin America’s history, with a huge number of casualties, pitching Paraguay up against the alliance of Brazil, Argentina […]
The Collector
ABNC proofs – understanding the different types
The American Bank Note Company was a prolific printer of numerous issues for many Latin American countries. Die and plate proofs take pride of place in many collections or exhibits. However, they are often unmentioned and unpriced in most philatelic catalogues with little information available on the number of proofs printed. So just how scarce […]
The Collector | Peter Bamert | Mexico
Peter Bamert is the editor of the ‘Postal Stationery of Mexico’, a comprehensive work that catalogues Mexico’s envelopes, postal cards, wrappers and more. CLA How did you get interested in collecting postal stationery? PB As a boy I began collecting stamps of the whole world. Then I started a topical collection about reptiles. One day […]
The Numerals Issues of Brazil – Fakes, Forgeries and Counterfeits
Most collectors of Latin America will be familiar with the early postage stamps of Brazil. Bull’s Eyes, Snake’s Eyes, Goat’s Eyes, Cat’s Eyes…collectively, the numeral issues of the Brazilian Empire. Stephen Rose has spent nearly fifty years studying these issues and currently serves as the American Philatelic Society’s Expertiser for Brazilian stamps. In this article, […]
The Collector | Eric Stovner | Mexico
Eric Stovner is a collector of Mexico, specialising in the ‘Mulitas’ issue of 1895-99. CLA How did you first begin to collect stamps? ES My grandmother and great-grandmother gave me stamps when I was very young. My mom encouraged me early on, obtained covers for me and I found opportunities to meet with other collectors. […]
Introducing ELASCA – The European Latin American Stamp Collector Association
Most Latin American countries have their own specialized society but what if your tastes are broader and you want to encompass the region as a whole? Regional societies and journals have thrived in the past, notably The Mainsheet from the UK-based Spanish Main Society. In the US, the Latin America Philatelic Society was active from […]
The Collector | Neal West | Nicaragua
For more than twenty years, Neal West was the President of The Nicaragua Study Group (N.S.G). His most recent exhibit is Nicaragua’s Revenue Based Postal Provisional Stamps and Uses 1908-1911. CLA How did you first begin to collect stamps? NW My father was a life-long stamp collector and not surprisingly (for the period of the late 1940’s […]
The Collector | John Shaw | Paraguay
In the first of a new series, Latin America collectors share an insight into their passion for Central and South American stamps. Here, John Shaw MBE FRPSL discusses – amongst his many interests – his collection of early Paraguay, which was recently displayed at the Royal Philatelic Society London… CLA When and how did you […]