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British Library Philatelic Rarities
British Library
1 February 2010 - 31 December 2010
The British Library will be showing significant items in its very special exhibition ‘The British Library Philatelic Rarities’. Much of this material can only be seen at the British Library.
A small book ‘The British Library Treasures in Focus - Stamps’ describing the world rarities shown has been written by Philatelic Curator David Beech and is available to buy from the British Library shop website.
The permanent 1,000 frame ‘Philatelic Exhibition’ has been refreshed with new or not recently exhibited material from the British Library’s world class collections.
Tours and Presentations
The British Library is running a programme of free talks and tours on a variety of philatelic subjects from 'Fakes and Forgeries' to tours of the Centre for Conservation. Bookings can be made on the British Library website.
Tours
Tour of the British Library Philatelic Exhibition
9 - 15 May, 11.30 each day
A philatelic Curator will conduct a tour of the British Library Philatelic Exhibition. The tour will include highlights fromThe British Library Philatelic Rarities, which comprises of fifty philatelic items of special significance and great rarity from around the world. The tour will also include an introduction to the permanent display of about 80,000 items,
The Philatelic Exhibition frames are open to the public year round, (during normal Library opening hours. Admission is free.
Tour of The British Library Centre for Conservation
11 May – Tuesday, 15.00
See the work of conservation on a 'behind the scenes' tour of the studios in the Centre for Conservation. The tours, led by British Library conservators, give an insight into the techniques used to care for the collections There is also a permanent public exhibition “Conservation Uncovered” in the Centre for Conservation.
Please note that the tours are not suitable for young children owing to the types of tools and equipment in use in the studios.
The number of places available are limited, and free tickets for this event must be booked in advance by applying by email to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it marked '2010 Tickets', or by telephone +44 (0)20 7412 7635
Presentations
10 May, 15.00-16.00
The British Library Philatelic Rarities – David Beech
The story behind some of Philately’s greatest rarities, which are currently featured in a special exhibition in the British Library’s Philatelic Exhibition Frames. The presentation will include details of some of the most unusual and rare stamps in the collections, and explain the origin and background to the stamps describing the way in which they were produced, and what today makes the stamps so uncommon.
11 May, 14.00-15.00
Issues of Philatelic Conservation - Paul Skinner
The presentation will highlight some of the challenges of preserving paper objects, the focus being on stamps, letters, and other philatelic materials. This will include an examination of damaging influences, and how to avoid or minimize their effects. Topics covered will include temperature and humidity, exposure to light, acidic paper, handling, atmospheric pollution, storage (including damage caused by some plastics), insect damage, and iron gall ink.
12 May – Wednesday, 15.00-16.00
Philatelic Aspects of the 1919
The story of the men, the machines, and the mail that they carried, in the epic attempts to be the first to fly non-stop across the
13 May, 15.00-16.00
Introduction to the Resources of the British Library for Philatelic Research – David Beech
The British Library is a vast repository of information, which holds many opportunities for the philatelic researcher. David Beech, Head of Philatelic Collections, explores some of the resources available, including maps, newspapers and official publications, and explains how to access them.
14 May, 15.00-16.00
Philatelic Fakes & Forgeries – Paul Skinner
What are the differences between fakes and forgeries? Do you know the signs to look for when trying to determine whether an item is genuine or not? This talk will take a look at the different categories of fakes and forgeries; the manipulation of perforations, cancellations, and colour; examples of postal fraud, and propaganda forgeries.
15 May, 15.00-16.00
The British Post Office as shown on Picture Post Cards – Robert Johnson (Guest Speaker)
A talk based on the collection formed by the speaker over twenty years, and donated to the Library in 2008, which focuses on humorous postcards that incorporate postal themes, and which illustrate the importance of the Post Office to the ordinary man in the street.
9 June, 15.00-16.00
Introduction to the Resources of the British Library for Philatelic Research – David Beech
The British Library is a vast repository of information, which holds many opportunities for the philatelic researcher. David Beech, Head of Philatelic Collections, explores some of the resources available, including maps, newspapers and official publications, and explains how to access them.
14 July, 15.00-16.00
The British Post Office as shown on Picture Post Cards – Robert Johnson (Guest Speaker)
A talk based on the collection formed by the speaker over twenty years, and donated to the Library in 2008, which focuses on humorous postcards that incorporate postal themes, and which illustrate the importance of the Post Office to the ordinary man in the street.
11 August, 15.00-16.00
Basic Principles of Philatelic Printing – David Beech and Paul Skinner
An introduction to some of the methods that are used to print stamps, the speakers will also discuss how such knowledge of production can assist the philatelist classify stamps, and in some instances can be a valuable aid in identifying forgeries.
All British Library events are free, and tickets can be booked in advance online at boxoffice.bl, by telephone +44 (0)1937 546 546, or in person at the Information Desk in the Entrance Hall at the British Library 96 Euston Road, London NW1 2DB.
For further details of this and other philatelic events at the British Library, visitor information and opening times, please go to www.bl.uk/collections/philatelic.