My next venture from stamping around Edinburgh was a trip back to London, through the Chunnel to Paris.  My father had often told me of the joys of browsing the outdoor stamp market during his trips to Paris, and so this was an obvious first stop.  Bright and early Saturday morning, a stroll down the Champs Elysees towards Place de La Concorde lead me to the Avenue Marigny,  where dealers had already set up their stalls and were welcoming customers.  Dealers from around the region set up here three times a week, on Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays, a sign that the market remains healthy in the heart of Paris.  Over the weekend I spent many hours here, combing through boxes of covers and postcards and trading stories with other dealers and collectors.  As a fun souvenir, I picked up two old postcards, each depicting the market (one in 1941, the other 1896). This space has been used for trading stamps since the mid-nineteenth century, when the land was given to the City of Paris by a collector for the express purpose of using it as a bourse for philatelists.

A bit off the standard philatelic track, I also took a trip down to the Port de Vanves, one of many regular Parisian flea markets.  Having heard that some dealers offer stamps and postcards, and being interested in antiques in general, I thought it worth a trip to see an area a bit further outside central Paris.  Unfortunately this trip was met with less success, and most of what was left on offer was miscellaneous bric-a-brac, mixed in with dealers of discount clothes, purses, etc.  To my eyes, any treasures which might have been there had already been snapped up.  Lest any reader find me too enthusiastic about my stops so far, I would suggest that unless one is a particular

A scene along the Avenue Marigny

fan of flea market shopping, this is probably not the best stop for someone with a short time to spend browsing for their collections – philatelic or antique – in Paris.  I have heard enthusiastic reviews of the Puces de Clingancourt, which I understand is one of the largest flea markets on the continent, but my time was limited and I did not have a chance to stop by.  I welcome comments from any readers on their experiences browsing the markets of Paris!

Yesterday I was back on the stamp trail, and my last stop in the city was Avenue Drouot, a long-time centre of philately in Paris as well as the home of several antique dealers and auction houses.  I counted over a dozen stamp shops within about three city blocks, and dropped in on specialists in French philately, new issues, and postal history.  I particularly enjoyed my visit to Behr – this family-held firm (of three generations!) was very welcoming, and the superb material listed in their catalogues was a pleasure to browse.

All in all, to see such an interesting cluster of shops within such a small area was a treat, and a fitting end to my time here.  Onwards!

A chance discovery - an Edinburgh church book sale!

As I have an early-morning train to catch tomorrow on my way to Paris, I thought I would have a quick bite to eat and call it an early night.  Having seen all the sights I had come to see (or so I thought), my search for a restaurant had me stumble upon something I never miss back home – a church book sale.  And was this ever a book sale!

Larger than anything I’d seen in Ottawa, this sale included thousands of books, prints, stamps, postcards, vintage records, and original artwork (complete with a small catalogue prepared for the occasion!).  The sight of four boxes of Sotheby’s,Christies’, and Bonham’s auctions catalogues of Old Masters, British and European drawings and watercolours, and antiques and decorative arts, including various name sales, had me cursing the airline weight limits and postage fees once again when I saw the price of 1GBP each.  For fear of yielding to temptation I even skipped a few sections of books outright, preferring not to see what I was missing (though I did catch a nice contemporary multi-volume account of the Boer War).

A nice way to end the visit, with a relaxing day spent on board trains to look forward to tomorrow.

A very un-stererotypically sunny Edinburgh day greeted me upon arrival at the Waverly train station, bright and early after a trip from London on board the Caledonian Sleeper (a good option for those traveling between these two cities and looking to save what amounts to nearly a business day in travel time).

This being my first visit to Scotland, I was greatly looking forward to it, though sadly my trip will take me no further than Edinburgh this time.  While not at rich as London in stops for the antique hunter, Edinburgh is a charming, historic city that not only has its gems, but also is a much more manageable city than the one I had just left.  While a couple antique shops can be found in the streets surrounding the Royal Mile, my most pleasant stop was at a small print shop in the Grassmarket area, along West Port Road, called Scottish Pictures. For beautifully hand-colored Scottish scenes and maps, this should be your stop in Edinburgh.  The owner, Ian Smith and I enjoyed a long conversation, and I likely kept him from his work for far too long.  Nevertheless, I was pleased to leave having met a new friend (and with a sharp-looking print of the Edinburgh Post Office!).

A bit further away from the tourist section, a trip to the “New Town” is a worthwhile one for the antique hunter (and a convenient walk on my way to Robert Murray’s Stamp Shop on Inverleigh Gardens).  What should have been a relatively short jaunt turned into a much more relaxed stroll as I wandered down Hannover Street towards Inverleigh, discovering antique as well

Yours truly outside Robert Murray's Stamp Shop

as second hand and rare book shops along the way.  Since my literature purchases in London already left me facing either hefty Royal Mail bills for shipping back to Canada, or chiropractor bills when I got home, this was more a research than buying trip, but had I a crate to fill I could have easily done so.

A not-to-miss stop in Edinburgh for philatelists is Robert Murray’s Stamp Shop, a traditional shop, the sort of which sadly fewer and fewer remain.

It was bustling when I arrived shortly after opening time, with collectors tucked into whatever convenient nook could be found to pore through cartons of kiloware, albums of country collectors, or, in my case, boxes of postal history.  The staff very friendly and helpful, and I was encouraged to hear of the incredible growth of their regular local gatherings of NEW collectors, which now draw upwards of 40-50 collectors on a regular basis.  Following the London show, this was yet another strong sign for the future of the hobby – from the international down to the local levels.  Visit Robert Murray’s website, and drop in if you’re in Edinburgh.

Yours truly at the opening of London 2010

A faint London drizzle could not dampen the spirits of the crowd that lined their way around the front car park of the Islington Business & Design Centre at 9:50am yesterday, waiting to be among the first to pour through the riches brought from all corners of the world to this premier philatelic gathering.  From the famous Treskilling yellow, presented by the auction house of David Feldmann, to the inexpensive albums and boxes that will bring collectors “hours of fun,” the show had something for everyone.  My goal at this show was simple- to meet new people and to find a few choice pieces to bring back home – you’ll start to see these listed on my website next month.  Though I’d previously attended the annual Sindelfingen show in Germany (another worthwhile stop for collectors in the neighbourhood) this was the first international show I have attended in the UK, and it did not disappoint.  The crowds were an encouraging sight, rebutting the naysayers who predict the death of our hobby.  To my eyes, the postal history dealers looked particularly busy, at least over the first two days.

I was particularly proud to see incredibly strong representation by Canadian exhibitors, whose diverse exhibits truly illustrated the rewards of studying Canadian philately and postal history.  Cheers to Guillaume Vadeboncoeur , Jill Hare, Ron Brigham, and finally the superb Bytowne collection.  Bravo!

I will head once again to the show tomorrow, and then up to Edinburgh to continue the search for treasures. Whether I will need to make a stop before coming home to pick up another suitcase to carry my new acquisitions home is another matter – sadly, I don’t think the airlines consider the plight of those of us addicted to buying philatelic literature when establishing weight limits!  Cheerio!

With one day to go before the opening of London 2010, I thought I would turn from the exhibits and museums and visit some of London’s popular areas for antiques, books, prints, and everything in between.  Perhaps the most famous of these is Portobello Road, which was my first stop of the day.  Though on Saturdays this is a bustling marketplace, with dealers of all sorts setting out their wares on the roadside, my visit on a Friday was a bit calmer, as only those dealers with storefronts were open.  One dealer mentioned  that non-market days tended to be the most popular days for visits from the trade, and from interior decorators and designers.

Even on a weekday, Portobello Road is worth a visit, and the surrounding area of Notting Hill is a pleasant place for a stroll. Highlights of my visit included a stop at one unique shop which stocks one of the UK’s largest selections of antique boxes of all kinds.  The store is a thrilling site for those who appreciate the fine craftsmanship and woodwork of these treasures.  For those whose interests fall more towards antique maps and prints, the Portobello Print and Map Shop is not to be missed.  The owner, William Burr, is friendly and welcoming and is a fount of knowledge on this fascinating field.

A short Tube ride away I found myself in Leicester Square, famous as London’s theatre district but important to collectors because of a small alleyway nearby – Cecil Court.  Cecil Court is a real treat for collectors of books, prints, and all things ephemera.  This small street is home to over a half-dozen rare and second hand book dealers, along with print specialists and others.  This was a particularly good day for browsing prints, and  the shopof

The View down Cecil Court, London

Storey’s Ltd ended the day on a high note.  Timed to coincide with the UK’s nail-biting election, they displayed a selection of the famous “Election” prints of Hogarth.

Then to a nearby pub for a restorative whisky and to plan my day at the opening of the London 2010 Philatelic Exhibition!  Until then!