This is the second 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 Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela. The complete series of articles will ultimately replace the Resources section in the menu above.
CHILE
Philatelic Societies
The long-established Sociédad Filatélica de Chile (SOFICH) has existed since 1889. There are over 300 editions of its in-house journal, Chile Filatelico (ES) available free to download on the SOFICH website, stretching back to 1929.
Specialist Catalogues
If you are a collector of Chile and have yet to acquire a copy of what is usually referred to as the ‘SOFICH catalogue’, you are missing out.
The Filatelia Chilena Catalogo Especializado (ES) is a beautifully produced, full colour catalogue that provides a wealth of detail not found in the mainstream titles. Illustrations of pre-philatelic handstamps lead into a detailed treatment of the classic Colon first issue.
Likewise the popular Presidents and Celebrities series highlights the extraordinary scope for specialisation that exists. The black and blue 10c O’Higgins stamp from 1915-28 is shown with no less than 25 varieties.
Of particular note are the treatment of watermarks. Many issues have watermarks printed in opposite or inverted positions and each is priced individually. There are sections devoted to GB used abroad, priced cancellations from the War in the Pacific period, telegraphs, official seals and more. A wonderful volume. More information here.
Note that a free digital version of the catalogue can be accessed from the SOFICH website. A downloadable black and white copy of the 2005 edition is also available.
Earlier catalogues to watch out for are those published by either Socopo (ES) or Victor Vargas (ES) but they are less comprehensive than SOFICH.
Useful Websites
The site www.chilecollector.com (ES) contains a significant depth of information, including a digitised run of The Chile Specialist (EN). This North American journal, published in English, ran from 1991 to 2009 and contains a wealth of detail on Chilean philately. Much to explore on this busy site.
There are a few Facebook Groups focused on Chile. Filatelia de Chile y el Mundo is probably the best of them.
Useful Publications
For the first issues, Gerhard Blank’s Chile First Issues of Postage Stamps 1853-1867 (1989 EN/ES/DE) is the go-to reference book.
Despite being over one hundred years old, there is still a lot of value to be had from Chile. An Outline of the Postal Issues 1766-1919 (EN 1919) by Wilfrid Haworth, although some of the information may now be superseded.
Finally, The Postal History of Chile (2002 EN) by Hugo Brinkgreve and John West is indispensable for the postal history collector. It provides a detailed alphabetical account of every post office and postal agency within the country, together with facsimiles of the hand stamps used by each office, from the pre-adhesive era up until the 1920’s.
Very usefully, it provides a valuation system for many postmarks, both as single stamps or used on cover. Excellent for spotting scarce postmarks.
COLOMBIA
Philatelic Societies
The Colombia-Panama Philatelic Study Group, more commonly known as COPAPHIL (EN), produces a quarterly journal COPACARTA for members. Not all, but a good proportion of these are available to view and download from the society’s website. It also maintains a Facebook Group. The Society’s future is somewhat precarious and it may well be wound up or stop publishing its journal in the not-too-distant future.
Not to be confused with COLOMPHIL, The Colombian Philatelic Research Society, which is now defunct but produced a journal between 1998 and 2004, edited by the renowned Colombia specialist Dieter Bortfeldt.
In Colombia, the Club Filatelico de Bogota (ES) holds occasional auctions for members. CLUFIME, the Club Filatelico de Medellin contains links to some very useful advanced collections of Colombian material.
Specialist Catalogues
Estampillas de Colombia (ES) by Leo Temprano is the catalogue to look out for. It commenced publication in 1965 and has had numerous editions over the years…but they’re not that easy to get hold of.
The most recent edition for the early issues was published in 2008. It covers stamps issued between 1859 and 1900 and is a handbook and catalogue combined. A second volume was published in 2010 and covers the period 1901-1958. The 1984 edition provides additional specialised data and is worth looking out for.
The other catalogue worth searching for is Colombia Catalogo de Estampillas Especializado (ES), published by Alvaro Barriga. A 2016 edition was printed but I have yet to see it.
Useful Websites
Rainer Fuchs’ Colombia Pages is an excellent specialised resource for the private carrier issues.
Useful Publications
The aforementioned COLOMPHIL published a number of well-respected titles, not least of which was the three volume series of Workbooks by Dieter Bortfeldt.
The first of these is invaluable to the classic Colombia collector: Notes on Reprints and Forgeries of Colombian Stamps – The Classic Period 1859-1868 (2004 EN). The oversized images comparing forgeries with the genuine article has helped many a collector.
Colombia’s airmail issues remain perennially popular. The third of Bortfeldt’s Workbooks, The Colombian Airmails (2007 EN), is the key work in helping to identify the fake from the genuine.
A more detailed appraisal of the early SCADTA issues can also be found in the earlier work, Handbook of the SCADTA Provisional Surcharges 1921-1923 (2004 EN), again by Dieter Bortfeldt and Santiago Cruz.
Other useful airmail titles to look out for are Eugenio Gebauer’s The Airpost of Colombia (1963 EN) which was significantly expanded in 1975 as Los Primeros Cincuenta Anos de Correo Aero En Colombia (ES/EN) and published by AVIANCA, the Colombian national airline.
Yet further information is available from Selected Notes on Colombian Airmails, 1920 Onwards (1999 EN) by P.G. Quail.
The later LANSA issues are covered in detail in The LANSA Story (2005 EN) by Alfredo Frolich and Dieter Bortfeldt.
On the Colombian States there are two books of note. Firstly The Sovereign States of Colombia, Antioquia, Bolivar, Boyaca, Cundinamarca, Tolima and Panama (2007 EN). This was the second of the prolific Dieter Bortfeldt’s Workbooks and, once again, invaluable in forgery detection.
Additionally, Notes on the Stamps of the Colombian States (1997 EN) by Gene Scott provides useful detail on four of the states: Bolivar, Antioquia, Cauca and Tolima.
Colombia’s idiosyncratic Cubiertas are covered in Steve Phelps’ 2019 (EN) book, Catalog of the Official Certificates/Cubiertas of Colombia which includes useful rarity data.
Those wishing to explore beyond the Back of the Book may find interest in yet another Bortfeldt title (this time with Carlos Valenzuela Acosta and Alfredo Frohlich) – The Private Mail Carriers of Colombia (2006 EN). This delves in to the fourteen distinct entities that issued their own stamps for private mail services in Colombia, most notably during the 1920s and 1930s.
ECUADOR
Philatelic Societies
The Ecuador Philatelic Association has a blog going back to 2015 but it’s not been updated in a few years – see www.afe-filateliaecuador.blogspot.com (ES). However the site does provide free access to the journal El Colleccionista Ecuatoriana (ES) from its inception in 1935 through to 2007.
Also active is the Guayaquil Philatelic Club (ES) which provides an exceptional online range of journals covering Ecuadorian philately from publications past and present.
Finally, the Ecuador Philatelic Study Group published a highly polished journal, Medio Real (ES/EN) between 2017 and 2025. Copies can be downloaded from the website. Recommended.
Specialist Catalogues
Your best bet is to find a copy of the Catálogo de los Sellos Postales del Ecuador (ES) by Olivier Bertossa. The last edition I am aware of was published in 1996 but the 1994 is more detailed. It has not been reprinted or updated, although a digitised copy is in circulation.
It was a private, limited run and is difficult to find. Of particular note is the detailed appraisal and comparative pricing of the popular Fire Control Marks of 1902. This is merely a footnote in Scott whereas Bertossa devotes six pages of his catalogue to them. Likewise, the Escolares Control Marks of 1907 are another footnote in Scott: Bertossa gives them over four pages.
An alternative option (but equally hard to find) is the Giovanni Cataldi catalogue Catalogo De Los Sellos Postales De La Republica Ecuador (ES). The only edition I have seen is from 1981.
Also worth noting is Georg Maier’s Postal Stationery of Ecuador 1884-2017 (ES/EN), which provides a comprehensive listing of Ecuador’s postal card, letter card, aerogramme and wrapper issues.
Useful Websites
The early classics are well covered at www.ecuaclasico.blogspot.com. The content hasn’t been updated in two decades but is still worthwhile.
Useful Publications
Ecuador’s Central Bank published a very useful and well-illustrated guide to the first issue in 1982 – La Primera Emision De Sellos Postales Del Ecuador 1865-1872 (ES).
Much derided in the twentieth century, the stamps of Nicholas Seebeck have been reappraised in recent years and are now enjoying something of a renaissance, attracting detailed research from some serious philatelists (see the El Salvador section).
With attractive designs and reasonably priced proof material available, there is a lot to discover. Ecuador: The Philately of The Seebeck Era, January 1892 To Mid-June 1897 (Robert D’Elia and Douglas Armitage 2005, EN) takes a deep dive into the period. A very comprehensive 400+ page work that highlights the potential scope.
Next instalment: Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela
Thank you, Nick.
As always, a treasure trove for Latin American area collectors. Well done and a big Gracias, compadre