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From the PPS committee
Sunday September 20 2009

From JP Cota
Saturday September 19 2009
Stampex 2009 was held recently at its usual London venue, the Islington Business Centre. There were dealers from all over the world who brought in their latest offerings for sale. It was funny how I bumped into fellow society member John Dahl (third from the left) inside the exhibition area. Both John and Tom Poyton (first from the right) participated and their exibits were amongst the prize winners this year.
Image on the left shows John Dahl's Gold medal 5 frame entry "Postage Rates of the Açores" whilst being given a judge's critique.
JOHN SUSSEX TO SIGN ROLL OF DISTINGUISHED PHILATELISTS
From JP Cota / Ron van der Holt
Friday July 10 2009
Senior PPS member Mr John Sussex was recently invited to sign the prestigious Roll of Distinguished Philatelists. This Roll was established in 1921 by the Philatelic Congress of Great Britain with the approval of His Majesty, King George V, who was the first signatory. An invitation to sign the Roll is regarded as the world's pre-eminent philatelic honour.
John Sussex has received various Large Gold medals for his philatelic collections at international level. He was President of the Postal History Society, Chairman of the British Philatelic Foundation, and served as a Council Member of the Royal Philatelic Society London. John has also contributed many colums to the PPS buletin over the years and also served as a buletin editor.
Congratulations John!
Annual Summer meeting- Sunday 28th June 2009
From JP Cota
Friday July 3, 2009
The PPS's annual summer meeting was held at Leslye's Avon residence once again. It was a fabulous day with spectacular warm and sunny weather. Attendants ranged from 3+ to 80+ age groups - so quite a varied bunch of collectors! Quite a few of those who attended brought in their families as well. The day started with a few drinks, followed by a great lunch provided by the host (her home baked almond tart - my favourite - was absolutely delicious)! This followed by the stamp puzzle competitions for the kiddies, which was won by young Quinn van der Holt. Finally, PPS members displayed their philatelic gems to the audience. Everyone had their tea later in the day, as some had to make trips back home whilst few others had to take overseas flights back home!
First Row: 1.Guests drinking and chatting up 2.Meet the president of the PPS, Mr Don Woodley 3.Kids playing in the garden 4.Kids play with water!
Second Row: 5, 6, 7 & 8 It is the stamp puzzle time with parents and PI specialists like Dave Davies giving some tips!
Third Row: 9.Quinn van der Holt, the winner 10.Ian Cota did it! 11.Oran did the toughest puzzle, a native from Portuguese India 12.PPS President's address
Foutht Row: 13.Ron van der Holt on a very interesting Bandmaster's pension story 14.John Dahl on Nyassa 15.Maurice Taylor on Madeira 16.Francis Rodrigues on Portuguese India
(Please double click on images for enlarged versions. Use the go back button to navigate to the main page)
From JP Cota
Friday June 24, 2009
What kind of stamp collector are you? Please take a minute to reflect, then click on the image on the left to test yourself as a philatelist!
Really interesting article from Stamp & Coin Mart - you will be surprised at the result!
A big Thank You to Matt Hill, Stamp & Coin editor, for uploading this great article on their website and giving us the link!.
XX Exposição Luso-Brasileira - EVORA (2 - 11 October 2009) LUBRAPEX 2009
From John Dahl (via email) & JP Cota
Thursday April 9, 2009
This year's exhibition is due to be held at Evora. Some m embers of the PPS have confirmed participation to this great national philatelic event.
PPS AGM 2009: 6-8th March 2009
This year's Annual General Meeting of the PPS was be held on the 7th and 8th March at the Charlecote Pheasant Hotel near Wellesbourne, Warwickshire. There was a good turnout, with the 'usual suspects' from Europe, USA and Asia attending! This year we had the traditional auction reinstated and the displays and competitions were also of excellent quality. The AGM was a great success as our Hon Secretary John Swan made sure nothing was left out from his agenda. Roger Lawson retires as president after a supberb 2 year ternure and Hon President Don Woodley has been elected as the new 'boss' at the PPS AGM.
Please find some photos of the event. More photos shall follow up when other members share their photos (Please double click on each image to see its enlarged version)
First Row: 1. Hon Don Woodley being passed on the PPS president's medal by the outgoing president Hon Roger Lawson. 2. AGM in progress 3.Treasurer Mr Francis Rodrigues reports to the AGM 4. Auction in progress
Second Row: 5. Members appreciating the displays 6. Borja Freire exhibit 7. Clyde Homen presents his display 8. Hal Reyonolds speaks about his Hospital d'alienados
Third Row: 9. Members viewing auction lots 10.Members exchanging views on philatelic material 11. PPS Members' toddlers activities
Third Row: 12. PPS Annual gala dinner 13. Ron van der Hold and David Davies are joint winners of the George Pearson literature prize. 14. Dr Isabel Vieira from Porto wins the Urwick cup for traditional philately 15. The 'twins' Dr Luis and Dr Eduardo Barreiros are the latest Society Trophy winners.
Portuguese philatelic rarities on public auction!
Investphila, the world famous Swiss based philatelic auctioneers are holding 'The Cascais Collection' public auction on the 20th March 2009 in Switzerland. Rarities that include the 'Ferrary & Burrus' block of 8 stamps of the Af 2I stamp (1953 25r greenish blue, die I) and many others. Please see the advertisement on top of this page for links to the auction catalogue.
Hernâni Matos appointed as FIP Postal Stationery Commission Bureau member!
By João Paulo Cota
Thursday January 8, 2009
www.postalstationery.org/
News are just in that renowned Portuguese Postal Stationery expert and a good personal friend of many of our PPS members, Mr Hernâni Matos, has just been appointed to the FIP Postal Stationery Commission Bureau. To read more about this please click on this link for the newsletter article. To know more about the FIP Postal Stationery Commission, please visit the link above. To visit Hernâni's website, please use the link to Inteiros Postais de Portugal under the Philatelic Links on the left colum of this page.
Congratulations Hernâni!
The Portuguese Philatelic Society would like to wish everyone a Happy New Year 2009!
Please do visit us again for more uptodate information on the philately of Portugal and its ex-colonies, as well as for other related world philatelic news.
By John Swan (via email from the USA)
Friday December 30, 2008
News have just been received that our beloved PPS member from the USA, Mr George W. Whetstone has passed away on 21st December 2008 after a long illness. George and both his daughters Barbara and Ann did visit the UK and Portugal on numerous occasions to attend PPS related activities. George did collect Nyassa in particular, and fellow PPS members will never forget his famous special trip to the UK for an AGM just to bid on one single Nyassa cover - which he won too! Such was his passion for his hobby.
May his soul rest in eternal peace.
AFINSA INVESTORS CAN SUE SPANISH GOVERNMENT
By João Paulo Cota
Friday December 5, 2008
Afinsa wilkipedia link
News are just in that a Spanish court has decided that Afinsa, the collapsed Spanish stamp dealer, was operating as an unregulated financial institution, opening thus the way for investors who lost their money to take legal action against the state for not protecting them. Judge Francisco Javier Vaquer of the mercantile court said Afinsa's dealings were financial, and should have been overseen by a regulatory body. The case has become controversial in Spain and neighbouring Portugal, where as many as 350,000 people had invested in Afinsa and a similar company called Forum Filatelico. Investors who lost their savings have started lawsuits and staged demonstrations and sit-ins in Spain.
NEW PORTUGUESE PHILATELIC WEBSITE LAUNCHED- STAMPSPORTUGAL.com
By João Paulo Cota
Friday November 16, 2008
www.stampsportugal.com
This interesting new website specializes in Portuguese philately and sells only stamps from Portugal. STAMPSPORTUGAL.com is being managed by Mr Pedro Almeida, a dedicated philatelist from Portugal who has more than 20+ years 'clocked' on the hobby. His idea behind this venture was to address the lack of websites dealing exclusively with Portuguese stamp material from the 20cents range to the more expensive ones, all under one roof. Collectors can either bid on auctions or they can buy direct from items listed and priced on the website. The website lists stamps with both Afinsa and Scott numbers and pages/stamps are described both in Portuguese and English simultaneously.
NEW PORTUGUESE PHILATELIC WEBSITE LAUNCHED- FILOCEANO
By João Paulo Cota
Friday October 24, 2008
www.filoceano.com
This stunning new website specializing in Portuguese philatelic album related material was just launched recently. Filiceano is being managed by a very dedicated philatelic friend from Portugal, Mr Ademar Baptista, who took up on this project to produce high quality stamp albums for the philatelic needs of P&C collectors. This resulted in the creation of this specialist website that markets a wide range of specially produced albums dedicated to both Portugal and its ex-colonies. Album pages are fully illustrated and described too and they are available in both nut-and-bolt as well as in ring binder systems. The albums are scheduled to be produced and delivered in batches, as per a proposed timetable page given therein. English and French language translated pages are still under construction, but you can always use our very own online translator tool link, available under the reference section menu as above.
BUILD YOUR OWN FREE STAMP ALBUM PAGES!
By João Paulo Cota
Friday September 19, 2008
www.Stamps.About.com
I was just browsing the net for philatelic related material, when I came across this rather interesting website containing immense referenceinformation about philately. I have tried a couple of quadrille page templates they have stored as pdf files and although they were originally designed for younger collectors, they are not bad at all for just anyone! So, if you have some spare time, some spare printing cartridges and of course some spare paper, please try them on! Please use this link for the Templates . There is plenty of other interesting reading material too on the home page - please see website link above.
If you know about any intersting website link that you would like to share with other PPS members, please do let me know and I shall place it on our website.
PPS Summer Meeting 2008: 13th July 2008
This year's Summer Meeting was held at PPS member Maurice Taylor's residence at Amersham, UK. There were 11 members in attendance and besides a glorious sunny day, we had the usual buffet spread, drinks, exhibits and small deals between members. The members who were kind enough to bring in exhibits were:
Dave Davies (Waterlow & Sons archives and 'Bechuanaland specimens'), Don Woody (Postage Dues on cover), John Swan (Bananas (!) and New York Overprints), Francis Rodrigues (Portuguese India Refugo mark on postcard) and Steve Washbourne (meter marks).
Pictures from left to right:
1. Host Maurice Taylor shows his allotment to interested members...
2. Dave Davies (left), Dave McIntyre (center) and Hon Sec. John Swan (right) enjoy a drink.
3. Hon. PPS president Roger Lawson speaks.
4. Dave Davies presents his case on the Waterlow & Sons archives and his finding on the 'Bechuanaland specimens'.
5. Maurice Taylor describing his Madeira pre-philatelic display to the audience.
More photos soon....
PPS AGM 2008: 7th-9th March 2008
The Annual General Meeting of the Portuguese Philatelic Society was held on the 8th March 2008 at the Charlecote Pheasant Hotel, near Stratfford, UK. Details of the event are going to appear in the next PPS bulletin. As usual, it was well attended with member from overseas, both Europe and also from across the pond attending the same.
Dave Davies won the Urwick Cup for his Portuguese India display while Clyde Homen won the George Pearson Literature Prize for this year.
Pictures from left to right (courtesy Ron Van der Holt - please click on images for enlarged views):
1. Start of day's proceedings by the Hon Secretary John Swan (left) and Hon President Roger Lawson (right).
2. The 'famous five' - Ron van der Holt, Hal Reynolds, George Lawson, Clyde Homen and Dave McIntyre.
3. Show Time! Leslye presents her exhibit to an attentive crowd....
4. Dave Davies, Urwick Cup winner (left), Hon President Roger Lawson (centre) and Clyde Homen, George Pearson Literature Prize winner (right).
5. Dinner gathering for PPS members, many of which flew in from various parts of the globe to celebrate the day.
ADVERTISING ON THE PORTUGUESE PHILATELIC SOCIETY BULLETIN AND WEBSITE!
Please note that both the bulletin and website of the PPS have started an advertising service for the benefit of dealers/sellers/buyers who would like to advertise with the PPS. The official A4 size colour bulletin published quarterly can offer a wide range of options, including full colour adverts. As for the website, the available online banner sizes are a 1"x1" (2.5cmx2.5cm) square on the left side of the main page and a 4"x0.75"(10cmx1.9cm)) horizontal strip, either top or bottom of the main webpage. The available advertising rates can be obtained on request by writing to the bulletin Editor or Webmaster respectively .
Cork stamps debut in Portugal - a world first !
By João Paulo Cota
Tuesday December 11, 2007
Wicanders webpage
The world's first ever postage stamps made entirely from cork was recently unveiled by the Portuguese Postal authorities CTT. The stamps are made from wafer-thin “paper cork”, and were designed by Portuguese engraver Joao Machado.
The stamps have a face value of one euro and depict a cork oak tree on a hill. There are a few nice benefits if you become a member of the CTT. For more information, please use the link above... however, the CTT has just informed the pubic that the whole issue has been sold out completely.
Kontaktgroep Spanje - Portugal (KSP) - ANNUAL GATHERING, 17th November 2007, HOLLAND!
By Ron Van der Holt / João Paulo Cota
Sunday December 02, 2007
KSP webpage
Our sister society from Holland, the KSP held its annual gathering on 17th November 2007. Please find some photos....
Pictures from left to right (courtesy Ron Van der Holt - please click on images for enlarged views):
1. Dave Davies explaining his Portuguese India Crowns exhibit
2. The KSP group and invitees celebrating the 20th anniversary of the KPS
3. KPS President Mr Frits von Beekum welcomes the audience during the meet on the 17th November 2007
EGYPT SAYS NO PYRAMIDS PHOTO ON PORTUGUESE STAMPS
By João Paulo Cota
Wednesday September 19, 2007
Tour Egypt article
CAIRO (Reuters) - Egypt has refused to allow images of its Pyramids to be used on a Portuguese postal stamp featuring sites in a competition to name the new seven wonders of the world, the state-run news agency said on Sunday. For more information, please click on the article link above.
PPS SUMMER MEETING – 15th July 2007
The annual event of the PPS was once again hosted by PPS ex-President Mrs Leslye Dinkley at her home at Avon House in Avon Dassett, Warwickshire. PPS members from as far USA, Portugal attended this great and popular event for both members as well as their families.
Pictures from left to right:
1. The audience gathering up for the day's events...
2. PPS Hon President Mr Roger Lawson delivering his speech.
3. Dave Davies raising a point on an exhibit whilst the audience looks on attentively.
4. PPS member Maurice Taylor cutting the cake on the occasion of his birthday.
5. PPS member John Dahl explaining the history behind these mystic Waterlow & Sons " Vasco da Gama salesman's sheetlets" to the audience.
Complete photo album available for viewing on the activities page of the website - please make sure you see them all! You can double click on any image thumbnail for a good quality enlarged image.
PPS AGM – 24th March, 2007

Hotel Eva (Portuguese/English website)
ROBERT (BOB) L HUGGINS (1938-2006) RIP
By João Paulo Cota based on the eulogy by Stephen Washbourne as published in the ISPP journal #160/161, vol 41
Wednesday September 23, 2006
Well known US philatelist, Bob Huggins passed away on the August 16th 2006 due to health problems. He was suffering for a while recently but unfortunately could not recover from the massive heart attack he had on that day.
Bob was a retired banker and served in top banks all over the US. He was a lifelong confirmed bachelor and lived a very stoic and economical life, friends can vouch for that. Yet, he 'lived' philately and his last 50 years were centered around it. He did start off in his teens with a US collection which he traded with a Portugal & Colonies collection and then he went on to take an active interest in this area of philately. He was envied by many to be in a position to have the means to buy material he wanted. Over the years he accumulated several bankers boxes of material that is beyond a normal philatelist's imagination. Bob did participate in several exhibitions and won several laurels too. The strenghts of his collection were in mint stamps complemented with with errors, varities, surcharges, proofs, specimen, etc His specialities were Portugal and Portuguese India, where his crown covers (which he collected actively since the 60's) are just out of this world. He also got a strong interest in 1878-82 provisional townmarks, and his Nyassa and WWI mail collections are just unbelieavably marvellous! His stock books were filled with material that would make anybody's jaws drop!
Being such an avid collector, he was a long standing member of several philatelic organizations that included the International Society for Portuguese Philately (ISPP, USA) where he was a founding member, the Portuguese Philatelic Society (PPS, UK), Clube Filatelico de Portugal (CFP, Portugal) and he was a life long member of the American Philatelic Society (APS, USA).
His collection is currently stored at the Manning's safes, under his brother Leroy's instructions.
May his soul rest in eternal peace.
FORGERIES OF PORTUGAL AND COLONIES BOOK !!!
By João Paulo Cota
Thursday August 10, 2006
This great book on the forgeries of Portugal and its ex-colonies was authored by renowned Britsh philatelist Capt Dave Davies and was published by our very own Portuguese Philatelic Society. This book has 137 pp and is well illustrated with superb coloured scans, sketches and well researched text. A masterpiece on the rich Portuguese philately we all love! Available directly from the author himself. Please send us an email if you are interested. We can accept payments in Euros, GBP and US$ both in cash or cheques. Please inquire for any specific queries. Price is GBP 35 (Eur 52,50 or US$66.50) plus shipping to your address.
JOHN DAHL'S LECTURE AT THE ROYAL PHILATELIC SOCIETY!!!
By João Paulo Cota
Wednesday June 30, 2006
Royal Philatelic Society article
Distinguished PPS member, Mr John Dahl, presented May's Sir Daniel Cooper lecture at the Royal Philatelic Society, London on the 11th May 2006 with his talk and display titled "The embossed issues of Portugal". The lecture was well attended and you will be able to read more details of the same on this Royal Philatelic link.
Mr John Dahl (right) with the president of the Royal, Mr Christopher Harman.
By João Paulo Cota
Wednesday June 27, 2006
The annual summer meeting of the Portuguese Philatelic Society was held on sunday 25th June 2006, on the lawns of the residence of our beloved president, Ms Leslye Dunkley at Avon, Dorset, UK. PPS members from around the world turned up as usual for this great day of fun, good food (always supported by her neighbours), 'shady philatelic' deals between members as well as excellent philatelic exhibits. As usual also, the Portuguese India 'clan' had their own tent but made sure it mixed with the crowd! Photos will be posted shortly. A messsage from the Hon. PPS Secretary, Mr John Swan:
PPS Summer Meeting – 25th. June 2006
Yet again we were treated to the bountiful hospitality of our President, Leslye Dunkley, and yet again we were blessed with gorgeous summer weather. After drinks and the usual sumptuous luncheon fare, as well as the traditional wheeling and dealing by the P.I. mafia, we settled down to some excellent displays which, once again, we were able to enjoy al fresco.
These were as follows:
Alun Southwood - Provisional Townmarks 1879 – 1912
Tom Poynton - Airmails, especially Zeppelins to Cape Verde
Francis Rodrigues - India - World War I Censor Marks
Dave Davies – India – 1871-1888
Maurice Taylor – Madeira – Taxed Bills of Lading
Steve Washburne – Christmas Cards (Christmas being precisely 6 months away)
John Dahl – Sebenta/ Queima das Feitas of Coimbra and Porto Universities
The philatelic proceedings were I fear rather truncated due to a certain football match, although we did of course find time to make well-deserved thankyou presentations to Leslye’s faithful band of helpers. Those present, in addition to the displayers referred to above, were our President Leslye Dunkley, Roger Lawson, Joao Paulo Cota, David McIntyre, Paul Woodness, Ron, Rowan, Oran and Quin van der Holt, and John Swan. It was yet again a memorable afternoon and our warmest thanks go to Leslye for hospitality above and beyond the call of duty.
Pictures from left to right (courtesy Ron Van der Holt - click on images for enlarged views):
1. Anticlockwise we have our Hon president, Ms Leslye Dunkley, John Dahl and Roger Lawson having a chat...
2. Dave David (right) receiving the 'Distinguished Philatelist' award from ISPP and PPS member Stephen Washbourne. This award has been awarded by our US sister society ISPP to Dave for his great philatelic achievements.
3. Alun Southwood presenting his provisional townmarks (1879 – 1912) exhibit.
4. Young Oran Van der Holt, our buddy philatelist and son of our bulletin editor, describing his World Dinossaurs collection to Dave Davis and João Paulo Cota in the 'Portuguese India tent'....
5. Maurice Taylor explaining his exhibit - along with his ever novel and innovative way of wearing the PPS tie!
WASHINGTON 2006 - THE GREATEST STAMP SHOW OF THE DECADE WITH PORTUGAL AND EX-COLONIES EXHIBITS!!!
By Steven Washbourne/João Paulo Cota
Wednesday May 24, 2006
http://www.washington-2006.org/
Washington 2006, the famous American world philatelic exhibition, which ran from 27th May June 3rd at the Washington, DC Convention Center, Washington, USA came to an end recently. There were great exhibits to be seen with lots of the wrold's ratities on display, besides more than 200 dealers on the floor. More information can be viewed and downloaded on the show’s official web site on the link above.
Steven Washbourne, PPS member from the USA was a director on the Jurors panel this year. There were quite a few Portugal and ex-colonies displays at this prestigious event. Some of these exhibitors are PPS members. Details and results as below:
AFINSA STAMP BUILDING COMPANY OFFICES TO BE OPENED FOR JUDICIAL INSPECTION
By h. b.
Wednesday May 17, 2006
www.typicallyspanish.com/news
The National Court judge, Santiago Pedraz, has ordered the lifting of the tapes which have been preventing entry into the Afinsa company, one of the two stamp trading businesses intervened last week.
It means the Judicial Administrator can now start work and searches of the offices and those of company affiliates are expected to continue all week.
The offices of Fórum Filatélico are expected to be opened in a similar way later in the week.
Meanwhile, the National Court judges who are investigating the alleged stamp company frauds, Santiago Pedraz and Fernando Grande-Marlaska, have today called for an office to support the people who have invested in the companies. The idea is also to set up an Internet page where those affected will be able to obtain upto date information.
The top directors of both Afinsa and Forum Filatélico were arrested by the Spanish Police and are still in jail, awaiting results of ongoing Judicial investigations related to this case. Shares of the Spanish philatelic group - the third largest collectibles house worldwide, after Sotheby's and Christies - crashed creating waves in the philatelic markets worldwide; Stanley Gibbons shares fell slightly too. Even though the later is also heavily involved in philatelic investments for the general public, this is in no way connected with their Spanish counterparts actions.
NEW BOOK ON THE PORTUGUESE COLONIAL WAR PUBLISHED IN PORTUGAL

A new philatelic book was recently published in Portugal by the distinguished Portuguese Military Postal Historians, twin brothers Drs. Eduardo and Luis Barreiros. The book, "GUERRA COLONIAL 1961 - 1974: HISTÓRIA DO SERVIÇO POSTAL MILITAR" (Colonial War 1961 - 1974: History of the Military Postal Service) has superb in-depth and well researched information on the Colonial War History of its ex-colonies and is profusely illustrated with high quality images of real photographs and scans of postal history items, some of them very rare that belong to the author's collection. The book has about 400 pages that deals with the postal history of the Portuguese colonial war in high deatail, its postal services, cancels, civilian movements and the mail transport. It also lists all the aerogramme types used in colonial military mail, this being the first attemp by anyone to produce one such catalogue of military related aerogrammes. Both authors are active members of the Portuguese Philatelic Society, UK, and they can both be contacted via email regarding any queries or availability of this book.


























