'An Introduction to Advanced Philately' by Alexander Sefi (1st Edn, 1926), 136pp beautifully hardbound with all photographs, proofs & paper samples in position, No "61" of only 250 copies. A superb book! A highly significant work in the history of technical philately and missing from most libraries.
Sale No: 243
Lot No: 714
Symbol: L
Cat No: Collection
'The Royal Philatelic Collection' edited by Sir John Wilson (1952), being a complete catalogue of the most important and valuable stamp collection ever formed, compiled by the Keeper of the Royal Collection himself. Without doubt, this is the finest philatelic book of all time, produced on the highest-quality paper, extensively illustrated with 64 black & white plates and 12 exceptional colour plates. This is the deluxe edition bound in red Morocco leather with the Royal coat-of-arms emblazoned in gold on the face, in the original slipcase which has split along one join. One of the finest examples we have seen: it still smells new!
Weighing 7 kilograms, this impressive volume should be the cornerstone of every philatelic library worth the name. Far superior to the example in our auction of 31.8.2020 - some foxing - that sold for $4194. We subsequently sold another copy privately for the same price. [As an aside, the production costs were so high that the publishers, the Dropmore Press, were bankrupted. Shades of Thomas Wolsey obsequiously gifting Hampton Court Palace to Henry VIII]
