Collection Building, Curating and Dispersal Services

If I can be of assistance in helping you build, or sell, a world class philatelic collection, please contact me. A few examples of collections I have been involved with are summarized below. I purchase material publicly and directly from my private sources.

I am dedicated to giving my personal attention to a very limited number of clients. See the webpage that I prepared after my inclusion in Linn's Stamp News "Most Influential Philatelists and Their Epic Stamp Stories" issue in March 2022, here.

In 2014 I purchased Vince King's  "Texas under Six Flags" collection of Texas postal history (here). I sold the collection intact to the late Steve Chazen and continued to assist Steve in adding to that collection. It has yet to appear on the auction market.

My memorial to Vince King is here.

After selling my collection of Postal History of the World, 1840-1860, I worked again with Vince King in building his famous Timbromanie collection (here). After TPR2023 I purchased the postal history part of the collection intact and sold to a new client. For this client I added the "Renan" Basle Dove pair on cover to go with the ex King single Basle Dove cover on cover at top,

After working with Mr. Floyd Risvold for over 30 years in building his collection of history and history through the mails, I worked closely with the estate and Spink in the dispersal of the collection.

This culminated in the Spink sale of the collection in January 2010 (a magnificent three volume catalog set). The sale, with pre-sale high estimates which totaled around $2.5m sold for for just over $7m hammer price.

I was able to purchase just over $1.4m at the sale for other clients..

My memorial to Mr. Risvold is here.

William Ainsworth formed one of the largest collections of United States stamps, proofs and postal history based on the subject of Abraham Lincoln. After working with Bill in building the collection, I assisted in the mounting and exhibit of several of these collections both nationally and internationally.

When he decided to sell his material in 2009, I handled the auction of the material for him.

My memorial to William Ainsworth is here.

After helping acquire material, exhibit internationally, and write a book with Mr. Mayer, I handled the sale of the collection through Spink / Shreve in 2008 at public auction for over $2.3m.

My memorial to Frederick Mayer is here.
 

After helping acquire material, exhibit internationally, and write a book with Mr. Mayer, I handled the sale of the collection in 2005. The collection is considered to be the finest collection of a United States single stamp ever formed.

The Frederick Mayer collection of Nova Scotia, valued over $2m, included all of the great rarities. A website of the collection is here. It was sold at auction through H.R. Harmer, Inc. of New York City, in May, 2004.

Acquired privately in 2003 for Steve Walske. The cover was sold as part of the Walske collection of Hawaii in June 2013 by Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries for over $2,242,500 . I consider this cover to be the premier piece in both American and Hawaiian philately.

The "Lafayette" collection of the 1869 issue placed with Harvey Bennett for public auction. Highlighted by the famous 24c invert block which sold for $550,000. Sale total over $3.5m.

The "Lafayette" collection of classic errors of France placed with Spink for a public auction that was held in Paris in November, 2003 ($6.9m total) was highlighted by unique 1fr vermilion vif tete-beche in block which fetched over $1m.

The Frederick Mayer collection of used United States placed with Ivy & Mader and sold January 31, 2003 for over $1m. My favorite of the few covers in the sale was the 20c St. Louis Bear cover above that was purchased by me for another client for $52,250. and has since been resold by me again.

Frederick Mayer collection of Colorado Territory which I helped acquire and mount (see the web site here).