Toronto philatelist Michel Houde has received the highest honour of the Philatelic Specialists Society of Canada (PSSC).
The Herbert Dubé Lectureship Award is presented to members who have published a “significant paper in either book form or in one of the leading philatelic journals” and have presented their work at one of the PSSC’s monthly meetings, according to the society’s website.
Houde received the award following the group’s March 16 meeting, where he highlighted his recent book, British Consulate Post Office at Bangkok 1855-1885, which was published last July. The book explores the Thailand capital’s postal history and social philately from the stampless era until 1885, when the British Consulate Post Office closed in Bangkok.
“What moved me to write this book was my 40-year fascination with the British Post Office at Bangkok, the desire to put into print my knowledge before it is too late for me to do so and to make it available to the hobby. This is the first book dealing exclusively with this subject,” Houde writes on his website, michelhoude.com, which fully outlines the more than 400-page publication.
The PSSC’s Dubé Award includes a medal, a certificate and an original work of Canadian art, which for this year was a watercolour landscape, Oasis, by Ontario artist Tomas Del Balso.