About Us

I began in stamps as a collector in the early 1960's. I was working as office junior in a drawing office, starting out to become an architect. I had day release from work to go to college to build up my "O" levels for university entrance and one day on my moped, a car turned across my path and my life changed. After 3 months in hospital with a broken knee plus 6 months recovery I had worked a sort of apprenticeship in a local stamp shop, this led on to working on London's West End and ultimately for B. Alan Ltd in East Croydon, I had developed a specialized kmowledge in the newly issued Machin's. I met my wife Linda on a family holiday, a Mediterranean cruise. Married, we bought a house in South Norwood while I still worked for B. Alan and she at the Post Office. We even had a lodger for a brief period, Rick Warren, who also worked for B. Alan (Now owner of Mayfair Auctions). A fortuitous find on this trip round local post offices I spotted the 6p uncoated paper, for a change, right time, right place, this set my independence in motion.

Ground work established, we went our own way in 1974, moving to Daventry and doing as many stamp fairs as possible. I was making a good name for myself as a Machin expert. I had found in kiloware a 10½p yellow Machin with all over phosphor and datestamped "WARE". I knew where that was a a Saturday trip to WARE saw me buy 6 sheets of that variety. I wholesaled these quickly and it gave me a financial base to acquire more diverse items. I maintained a new issue service, acquiring fresh items on my travels. We moved to Northampton so Linda could be nearer to where she worked for the County Council. I took to running a local stamp shop and eventually we both moved to Pevensey near Eastbourne to run a local shop and post office. At the end of the lease we set up a small extension lease, sold that and moved to be nearer my brother in Moreton, Dorsetshire. This was working just fine, a tourist hot spot in summer, (in what was a very rural spot we sold 50 outers of ice cream a week, around £500 worth) and stamp fairs during the winter. Another lease ending was looming and although we might have been able to force an extension, the rent requirement was more than the mortgage would have cost.

So, we moved on to Irthingborough, back in Northants yet again, this was a much bigger shop and PO and we had a mortgage. I was caught up in the PO Horizon debacle in 2003 and should soon get compensation for all losses and interest, anyway by 2004 just 4 years into my mortgage we were doing nicely, the mortgage was paid off and although the loss of the PO revenue hurt at the time, we were still doing better even without the PO. We sold up in 2010 after I broke my hip and could no longer run it on my own. We 'retired' to Luton to be nearer Linda's mum, I was now back to dealing in stamps full time and Linda had a small pension from NCC. When Linda's mum passed away , we moved to Rushden, both now on pensions I thought that we would tick along nicely. But no!, Linda had health issues and is now sadly in a care home, then next, the Covid Pandemic, no stamp fairs, no income!

Then came an opportunity to get an office next to my colleague Mark Johnson which I took and now with stamp fairs starting up again I have fully reworked and sorted my stock and am now launching my own website, yes you are at my website, thank you! I will endeavour to showcase as much as I can on here for your pleasure. Stamp collecting is a very social hobby and by far the best is face to face dealing but times have changed, we are now in the age of the Internet, the cellphone, social media and video apps etc. Of course stamp fairs will cintinue but I think fewer will exist as it is now easier to remotely browse stock. If I don't see you at a fair or here at my office, I hope my website offers you something of interest.