The Philatelic Traders’ Society (PTS), a U.K. dealers association, welcomed thousands of philatelists to London, England, this fall for Stampex International.
The biannual show ran from Sept. 28- Oct. 1 with a national-level exhibition, a bourse with hundreds of dealers, auction firms and other businesses, 14 seminars, several society meetings and social events.
English actor and collector Samuel West, who starred in the 1998 Canadian comedy Rupert’s Land, attended the show, where he judged the “best-dressed stand.” A booth shared by the Great British Philatelic Society plus Heinrich Köhler and Corinphila, the oldest auction firms in Germany and Switzerland, respectively, earned the victory.
“The partnership gives space and advantage to both organizations, and they display impressive publications, friendly staff, a classy backdrop and free chocolate,” said West, who added, “What’s not to like?”
A collector since age five, West said he views stamp collecting “as an art form” during a 2017 interview with the Financial Times.
“The serious collectors don’t keep their stamps in an album nowadays, they present them on sheets that can be displayed easily on a board. When you see them at a show it’s quite beautiful.”
U.K.-born collector Graham Beck, who now lives in New Jersey and hosts the Exploring Stamps podcast, interviewed West in September 2020. To view the episode, visit youtu.be/Fu35uViRAJg.
The Stampex bourse included Stamp Active Network, a U.K. organization that promotes stamp collecting among young people. The group hosted activities with four local schools during the event.
“All the children enjoyed it a lot, and many came to register for the school philatelic society,” said one school representative.
For more details about the program, visit stampactive.co.uk.
Stampex also featured 14 “Stampex Talks,” many of which were livestreamed and are now available on the society’s YouTube channel at bit.ly/3NmaJlR.