From Dennis Mitton Group Leader Bermuda BWISC
Email www.dmitton@hotmail.com
No news is good news so they say but not if you have to produce a newsletter!! Sorry for the delay but until a few days ago there was little to report but now lots of news.
Not a lot of interest but as a warning to everyone who hasn't bid on a Harmers sale in the last 3 years you have been struck of their mailing list----- like me!! This is unheard of as everyone gets a Harmers cat, well thats how it used to be but no longer. If you havent recd a cat recently then contact them and get reinstated. There is some good Bermuda (Keyplates in particular) coming up at Bonhams (was Phillips) on 11/12th Sept. Get a free cat by contacting Stuart Billington at Bonhams, 101 Bond St, London W1S 1Sr or email stuart.billington@bonhams.com
There were 2 major events in London. Stampex which started a day before Philatex. From the buying aspect Stampex was poor. There was nothing much of Bermuda. I bought one modest cover more in desperation than anything else. However there was an excellent display by members of the RPS. No Bermuda but West Indies by Messrs. Nathan, Greenwood, Farmer and Oliver plus some awesome exhibits of other areas. Worth going for the displays. No displays at Philatex but more dealers and a lot to buy. I bought 8 covers which is a record for me. Most interesting and among the cheapest was a QV GB 1891 PSC to St. Georges which had local H4 St G on the front and H4 Hamilton on the back. I don't recall seeing both strikes on a single item before. Also as a bonus on a stand there were 4 very attractive Spanish girls who would have given a Dorset dealer the hots if he had gone to the show. Also a Floridian member could have come to London instead of going to Panama for the same reason and he would have ended up with some covers as well!!!
Charles Freeland tells me he and Michel are doing an update on their excellent book. If you have any prestamp item with Bermuda marks which is not in their book then could you send a photocopy (zerox) showing front and back to Charles. If you are lucky Charles will tell you which ship transported it.
I was invited by Geoff to see his display at Ferndown Phil. Soc. It was a superb display of pre stamp and QV postal history. Geoff reckons PH ended when QV died. He gave an informed talk with personal touches. It is only possible to mention a few items. I liked the cover to Canada with 3d yellow with the late use of the PM5 handstamp used as a datestamp. The postmark collection included a complete collection of K1's. Not many of those around. In Geoffs opinion the rarest cancel on stamp is the H1 of St. Georges. When I got home I found I was lacking this one and I reckon I have a fairly good cancel collection of QV. There were many other interesting items. A great evenings entertainment. Thanks again Geoff.