The history of stamp collecting 5, booming 1862

Inspired by a series of articles by K. Kouwenberg that appeared in the monthly magazine Philatelie in the late 1970s, Rob Smit re-examines the history of stamp collecting in biweekly installments. This is part 5, booming 1862. We can safely call 1862 the most important year in the history of philately. In the 'Philatelic Journal of Great Britain' of April 1, 1916, we read that E.L. Pemberton (1844-1878) (whom we will return to later in this series) stated in 1863 that before 1856 he knew of hardly more than three or four adults who collected stamps; it was a leisure activity for the youth. From 1858 onwards, this changed cautiously, and from the beginning of the 1960s, drastically. The entry of adult collectors led to a different approach. A genuine trade developed from which money could be earned, and on the one hand, a great need for information arose, as well as an increasing number of collectors who wanted to put their knowledge on paper. In 1862, this came to a head. In that year, many catalogues appeared, as well as the first album and many articles in magazines. John Edward Gray includes a bibliography in his catalogue published in 1862 containing no fewer than 18 publications that also appeared in 1862.

Although a number of dealers were already active before 1862 (usually as a side activity), 1862 appears to be the first year in which such a demand for stamps arose that a number of dealers could live off the stamp trade alone.

Lapante's stamp business was located in this building at 1 rue Christine in Paris.

It was also the year in which price lists were issued, making it clear that not every stamp represented the same value, and that a collection could simply be worth money. The realization of the latter likely contributed to a drastic change in general opinion regarding stamp collecting. It was no longer (only) something for the youth, but a respected hobby for adults. Originally, most collectors could be found in and around London and Paris. Paris has even had a stamp fair since 1860. Outside of England and France, collecting seems to have been largely limited to countries such as Germany, Belgium, and the United States. In 1862, we see that the virus is spreading worldwide. Even in the Netherlands, a Dutch-language stamp catalogue was published as early as 1862. Simultaneously with the increasing demand—how could it be otherwise—the first reprints and forgeries entered the market. Publications discussing the recognition of these reprints also appeared for the first time in 1862. In the upcoming installments of this series, we will discuss a person in each episode who played an important role in the maturation of philately in or around 1862. Next time, we begin with Edard Laplante. He was possibly the first full-time stamp dealer to live entirely from the stamp trade.