Dundee Philatelic Weekend

Last weekend I attended the 14th Philatelic Weekend in Dundee. A social gathering of some 70+ stamp collectors, locked up in a hotel with good food, wonderful displays and little free time. Sounds scary? I can assure you it isn’t. I would easily qualify it as the most important and most enjoyable event of my bi-annual calendar.

Stamp collecting can be a bit of a solitary pastime and going to a local club isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but events such as these are so perfect in that there’s always one or two (if not more) who share your specific interests. Though I must say that this year has been a top event, and not just because of that great Isle of Man sheet that came free in the introductory pack. 

No, it was because I got acquainted with some wonderful people. And all thanks to a little, eight-page display I put up on my stamp engravers. Which was quite an impromptu display as it happened, for the night before I went to the weekend, I decided on showing something completely different than I had prepared for. 

And so I happened to show a page on the engraver Charles Gordon Yorke who, besides stamps, also engraved beautiful banknotes, such as this Canadian one from 1954. 

Through that note I got into touch with a lady who not only collected waterfalls, but had actually served on the British Stamp Advisory Committee for decades, having only retired a couple of years ago. I spent hours listening to her stories. One of the things I liked most was that she said the committee should not so much be judged by what it allowed to get through but by what it managed to stop getting through!

Another page I showed included a non-approved die by Bohumil Heinz for a stamp commemorating the Czech painter Josef Manes. The actual issue featured in a display by a lady who, as a member of the Czechoslovakian Society, had actually met the engraver Martin Cinovsky, whilst celebrating the club’s 50th anniversary. Needless to say, I hung on every word from her as well.

We also had a mini auction, and yet another lady and I were locked in battle over this particular Slania item, which included the 2002 Sweden-Thailand joint issue, plus special black print of the engraved part. I let it go to well over £20 before I decided to give up. Never a good idea of course for it kept niggling in my mind that I should have gone on. Just as well then that I’ve since found it on the internet and am now the proud owner of an identical item, and that for less money as well!

So all in all it was a fantastic weekend and I can thoroughly recommend it to anyone who might be on the fence with regard to such events. Go for it, you’ll love it!

See yous later 

Adrian