Long-time philatelist Michael Madesker, one of Canada’s signatory of the Roll of Distinguished Philatelists (RDP), has died at age 96. A leading figure in Canadian philately for more than half a century, Madesker died on Dec. 27 at Mackenzie Health Hospital in Richmond Hill, Ont. In his personal hobby, he was an “eclectic” collector, writer and exhibitor, according to the Philatelic Specialists Society of Canada (PSSC), an invite-only group Madesker was called to join in 1973. Some of his many areas of philatelic interest included Canadian and Israeli stamp booklets, German States parcel post from 1725-1870 and Venice postal history from 1400-1797, each of which he successfully exhibited at the national and international levels. Continue reading →