Chapter 16 Worldwide Stamp Shops Guide [PREV] [NEXT] [HOME]

This chapter was last modified on 21 November, 1997.

Please send all bug reports, additions etc. to the Editor, Kaleb S. KEITHLEY. Make certain RCSFAQ appears in the subject.

Section 16.1 Intro

Check Linn's for lots and lots of ads. The APS has a list of all dealers that are members of the APS. Most catalogues feature ads by dealers. Consult the Yellow Pages, etc.

N.B. a mention in this FAQ does not guarantee quality, nor is it intended as free advertising for any company. If you have opinions about certain dealers, companies etc., send them in and they will be listed.

Any opinions quoted are purely personal and the editor of this FAQ will not be held responsible for them

Section 16.2 Mail order

The mail order companies most often discussed on r.c.s. and the STAMPSLIST are:

Harris

Address: H.E. Harris & Co., 202 N.Court Street, Florence, AL. 35630, USA

Mystic

Mystic Stamp Company 24 Mill Street Camden, N.Y. 13316

Kenmore

Address: OM-872, Milford, NH 03055, USA Opinions:

Jamestown Stamp Company, Inc.

Address: Jamestown, NY 14701-0019, USA.

Section 16.3 London

                    CENTRAL LONDON STAMP DEALERS

A*+Simon Andrews, 6 Cecil Court, WC2N tel: 0171 240 1051; fax: 0171 379 1477 specialised GB, incuding postal history; also France

B*Argyll Etkin Gallery, 48 New Conduit Street, New Bond Street, W1R 9FB tel: 0171 437 7800; fax: 0171 434 1060 wordwide postal history, rare stamps

A*+Rowan Baker, 28 Bedfordbury, WC2N 4RB tel: 0171 379 1448; fax: 0171 244 7027 GB and USA

A*+Leo Baresch Ltd, 110 St Martin's Lane, WC2 4AZ tel: 0171 240 1963; fax: 0273 84 5501 All world, particularly Austria, Switzerland, Liechtenstein

A*Cameo Stamps, 6 Buckingham Street, WC2N 6JR tel: 0171 742 3202; fax: 0181 994 4306 thematics all world; GB, Channel Islands

A*Michael Chipperfield, Manfield House, 376 Strand, WC2R tel: 0171 240 9179; fax: 0171 240 1626 fine, rare & unusual GB, including postal history

A*+Continental Stamp Supplies, 79 Strand, WC2H tel: 0171 836 1999; fax: 0171 240 4626 Poland, Baltic States, E & W Europe

B*Davitt Felder Ltd, 77 New Bond Street, London W1Y 9DB, tel: 0171 4937290; fax: 0171 495 0008.

A*Embassy Philatelists, Manfield House, 376 Strand, WC2R tel: 0171 240 1527 "fine to rare" GB

B*+Euro-Yu, 138 New Bond Street, W1Y tel: 0171 495 0242; fax: 0171 495 0244 E & W Europe, partic Austria, Bosnia, Balkans, Baltic States & Russia

David Field, 1 Hobart Place, SW1W tel: 0171 235 7340

*J A L Franks Ltd, 7 New Oxford Street, WC1A 1BA tel: 0171 405 0274; fax: 0171 430 1259 airmails, Zeppelins, crash covers, rocket mail

*Ze'ev Galibov, 48 Portland Place, W1N 3DG tel: 0171 636 4193; fax: 0171 323 0392 Holy Land, Palestine, Israel, Middle East, GB

A*+Stanley Gibbons, 399 Strand, WC2R tel: 0171 836 8444; fax: 0171 836 7342 GB etc etc

A*+John Lister, 49 Shelton Street, WC2H tel: 0171 240 6693; fax: 0171 379 8007 wholesale, new issues

A*London Stamp Exchange, 5 Buckingham Street, WC2N tel: 0171 930 1413 world postal history

A*M & S Stamps, 77 Strand, WC2R tel: 0171 240 3778

C C Rayner, Stonehouse Court, Bishopsgate, EC3A tel: 0171 247 9066

Robson Lowe, 8 King Street, SW1Y tel: 0171 839 4034; fax: 0171 839 1611

C Rosendale Stamps, 41 Queen Victoria Street, EC4N 4SA tel: 0171 236 8729 GB, W Europe

C*Ross-Shiells Ltd, 4 Eldon Street, EC2M 7 LS tel: 0171 247 8011 George VI Commonwealth, general, sets and collections

A Steven Scott, 77 Strand, WC2R 0DE tel: 0171 836 2341; fax: 0171 240 5419 GB - 1912 onwards - Commonwealth

A*Southern Stamp Service Ltd, Manfield House, 376/9 Strand, London WC2 0LH, tel: 0171 240 0666; fax: 0171 240 1626. Hungary, Japan

A+Strand Stamp Centre, 79 Strand, WC2R tel: 0171 836 2579

A*Paul Styllis Ltd, 53-64 Chancery Lane, WC2A 1QX tel: 0171 430 0255 Cyprus

A*Vera Trinder Ltd, 38 Bedford Street, WC2E 9EU tel: 0171 836 2365; fax: 0171 836 0873 Philatelic literature - new and second hand - huge stock, and all supplies

C H Wallace, 13 Poultry, EC2R tel: 0171 236 9557

A = situated in area around Strand/Covent Garden/Trafagar Square B = situated in area around New Bond Street, south of Oxford Street C = situated in City of London area * = member of the Philatelic Traders' Society (PTS) + = open Saturday mornings

****************************

The Strand Stamp Fair Royal National Hotel Russell Square London WC1 First or second Wednesday every month - info from Trevor David 0181 946 4489

Charing Cross Market junction Northumberland Avenue & Embankment Place London SW1 every Saturday, 8am - 4pm, left turn out of Embankment Underground Station

Other fairs are held in London at 65 Brushfields, Spitalfields, London E1, and at International Students House, 229 Great Portland Street, London W1 - for information telephone 0171 247 6590 and 0171 636 6559, respectively.

A diary to all stamp fairs and auctions is always included in Stamp International published monthly at œ1.60

Checked as far as possible to 12th October 1994

Note: when telephoning from outside the UK do not dial the "0"; international code is 44

Michael Meadowcroft, Waterloo Lodge, 72 Waterloo Lane, Leeds LS13 2 JF +44 113 257 6232 (tel); +44 113 257 9009 (fax); E-Mail: meadowcroft@bramley.demon.co.uk

Section 16.4 New York

William D. Schieber writes: Unfortunately, New York is no longer the stamp town it once was. The high cost of doing buiness in this city has driven most dealers to more hospitable places. On Nassau Street, where there were once entire buildings filled with stamp dealers, there are now only a few left. You might wish to visit one of the few that remain; there are a few other dealers scattered throughout the city. The NY yellow pages lists them under "stamps for collectors".

You may be able to go to an auction. Christies, Ivy Shreve & Mader and Robert Siegel all hold major auctions here. Aution schedules are published in Linn's Stamp News, and elsewhere. It is fun go to one of these to watch the bidding for rare items. Just keep your hands in your pockets!

The US Postal Service has philatelic centres at nine major post offices in Manhattan. You may be able to have post cards and letters hand concelled there, but I am not certain. There is also a mobile post office at the Farmers Market which is held in Union Square on (I believe) Wednesday and Saturday.

Section 16.4.1 Subway Stamp Shop

Subway Stamp Shop
2121 Beale Avenue
Altoona, PA 16601
United States of America

Telephone: 1-800-221-9960 24 hour FAx: (814) 946-9997

Dave Mills writes: A mail-order supply house which has a very large stock of supplies and some literature. Good prices, but a bit slow on shipments. Don't visit them in person --- they aren't particularly sociable, and don't have anything to show you anyway.

Section 16.5 Washington, D.C.

David Lee writes:

Philatelic highlights of Washington, DC area...

Background

Air travel to Washington, DC is reached through three airports; Dulles International, Baltimore-Washington International and Washington- National Airports. National Airport is the closest, next to Alexandria, Va and served by METRO (subway).. Dulles is in western Loundon County about 30 miles from DC and served by bus, limousine and taxi; BWI is just south of Baltimore, MD and served similarly. Hotels tend to be expensive in DC; staying in Maryland or Virginia especially if adjacent to a METRO station is convenient and less expensive. DC is sectioned into four geographic areas; Northwest (NW), Southwest (SW), Northeast (NE) and Southeast (SE).. Numbered streets ( i.e. 4th ) run north and south while alphabetic ( K street ) runs east and west. In addition, state named streets ( New York ) run diagonally.. Movement within DC is best done by METRO as parking and traffic is a big problem especially in summer time and around tourist sights.. Tourmobile and Gray Line bus service is also advised as the best way to see all national monuments; most are in DC, but several are in nearby Virginia..

Information: METRO: (202) 637-7000; Gray Line: (202) 289-1995; Tourmobile: (202) 554-7950

Philatelic highlights

1. National Postal Museum.. Located at 2 Massachusetts Ave. NE in the DC main post office building. This is directly across the street from Union Station at North Capitol and First Street NE. METRO serves Union Station and a shopping/food mall is located in Union Station. NPM is opened every day except Christmas Day (Dec 25) from 10 am to 5:30 pm and guided tours are available. A book store and a philatelic post office is located inside the NPM. The DC main post office is a working post office and there is access between the two facilities. NPM has a philatelic library which is opened to the public by appointment during weekday hours.

2. Bureau of Engraving and Printing.. Located at 14th and C Streets, SW near the 14th Street Bridge just below Independence Ave. Continuous self- guided tours available 9 am to 2 pm weekdays. Visitors Center hours are 8:30 am to 3:30 pm. The BEP is closed on all Federal holidays and the week between Christmas and New Year's day. Tickets are required (free) for the tour and can be picked up at the kiosk on the 15th Street side of the building; strongly recommended during summer tourist months. BEP souvenirs and philatelic items can be purchased at the Visitors Center; exhibits are also presented. 24 Hour Information: (202) 874-3188

3. USPS Corporate Headquarters.. 475 L'Enfant Plaza, SW. on 9th Street SW just below Independence Ave. A philatelic sales window is located inside the headquarters building as is a small stamp exhibit; both opened on Monday through Saturdays. The postal service's Historian and Library is also located in this building and is available to the public by appointment.

4. Railway Mail Service Library... Opened by appointment, but handles most requests by mail. Located at 12 East Rosemont Ave., Alexandria, VA 22301. Includes artifacts, mail route schedules,..etc. relating to Railway Mail Service/Postal Transportation Service. Write Curator, Library...

5. National Archives.. Located at 8th and Pennsylvannia Ave. NW. Opened from 10 am to 9:30 pm, 1 April to Labor Day; then 10 am to 5:30 pm rest of the year. Guided tours are available. Houses postal records prior to 1971; contains information such as post master appointment records, post office site locations reports ..etc. Telephone: (202) 501-5000

6. Pavilion at the Old Post Office.. Located on corner of 12th Street NW between Pennsylvannia and Constitution Ave. Working post office originally housing the USPS headquarters; partly converted to indoor shopping mall..

Major area stamp shows

1. NAPEX.. Sponsored by National Philatelic Exhibitions of Washington and normally held during Memorial Day Weekend at McLean Hilton Hotel, west of Washington at Tyson's Corner, VA.. This is a 3 day stamp show and is part of the APS World Series of Philately competition.

2. BALPEX... Sponsored by Baltimore Philatelic Society and normally held during Labor Day Weekend at the Hunt Valley Marriott Motel north of Baltimore in Hunt Valley, MD. This is a 3 day show and is part of the APS World Series of Philately competition.

3. SPRINGPEX... Sponsored by Springfield Stamp Club and held during mid-March at the Lee High School in Springfield, VA. A large, local 2 day show with open exhibits and a bourse; located across from Springfield Mall Shopping Center.

Retail stamp stores

Most stamp retail stores are located in the Virginia and Maryland suburbs. Consult telephone "Yellow" pages..

Section 16.6 Elsewhere

Bil Hansen writes: I have tried the dealers in Manila (Philippines) and found one that's worth the trouble of a taxi if you have a specific Philippine want, but not otherwise. Nothing in Male (Maldives) or Abdijan (Cote d'Ivoire).

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