Clive Feigenbaum
Encyclopedia
Clive Harold Feigenbaum was a colourful and controversial British businessman who was involved in a life-long series of scandals in the world of philately
. Particularly notable was the sale of "gold" stamps from Staffa
and his role in the collapse of attempts to list Stanley Gibbons on the Unlisted Securities Market
in 1984.
, for selling "labels resembling stamps" without indicating that they were not genuine postage stamps. In 1984 he applied for re-admission but withdrew his application before it could be considered following adverse press comment about his business affairs.
and George Base were also charged in connection with the same matter and it was from James Mackay that Fiegenbaum had received the stolen items. Feigenbaum, who had denied the charges, was cleared on the judge's direction.
in the 1970s.
imported into the United States. The stamps were to commemorate the United States Bicentenary and were in sets of up to 13 priced at $20 each, the total retail price of the stamps being $5.2 million. Fiegenbaum argued that as Staffa had a legitimate mail service the stamps were not liable for the duty, however, the mail service at Staffa, a remote uninhabited Scottish Island, actually amounted to no more than a mail box on a jetty where letters could be mailed back to the mainland, weather permitting. As no-one lived on Staffa and visitors were invariably from the mainland in the first place, it was doubtful whether the mail service amounted to anything more than a tourist curiosity. Feigenbaum had the right to produce stamps marked Staffa in return for a fee paid to the island's owner, who operated the postal service.
in London but the attempt failed after newspaper disclosures about his previous business problems.
was forced to cancel the issue of poor quality stamps to commemorate the 85th birthday of H.M. The Queen Mother. The stamps had been organised by Feigenbuam but are not thought to have been approved by Clarence House. It is not likely they would have been as they contained errors and were so poorly produced that the perforations did not puncture the paper. The Crown Agents recommended their destruction.
in the west of Scotland, for which one of his firms produced "stamps" of doubtful validity.
Philately
Philately is the study of stamps and postal history and other related items. Philately involves more than just stamp collecting, which does not necessarily involve the study of stamps. It is possible to be a philatelist without owning any stamps...
. Particularly notable was the sale of "gold" stamps from Staffa
Staffa
Staffa from the Old Norse for stave or pillar island, is an island of the Inner Hebrides in Argyll and Bute, Scotland. The Vikings gave it this name as its columnar basalt reminded them of their houses, which were built from vertically placed tree-logs....
and his role in the collapse of attempts to list Stanley Gibbons on the Unlisted Securities Market
Unlisted Securities Market
The Unlisted Securities Market , which ran from 1980 to 1996, was a stock exchange set up by the London Stock Exchange to cater for companies too small to qualify for a full listing....
in 1984.
Early life
According to the biographical profile on the website of his firm Stampdile Limited, Feigenbaum started dealing in stamps as a child and had his own shop in Paddington by the age of 18.Expelled from The Philatelic Traders Society
In 1970 Feigenbaum was expelled from the trade body for stamp dealers, The Philatelic Traders SocietyPhilatelic Traders Society
The Philatelic Traders' Society is a trade association for stamp dealers and philatelic traders which was established in Britain in 1929 and continues to this day.- Activities :...
, for selling "labels resembling stamps" without indicating that they were not genuine postage stamps. In 1984 he applied for re-admission but withdrew his application before it could be considered following adverse press comment about his business affairs.
Criminal charges
In 1971 he was charged with 14 counts of receiving and dishonestly handling stolen stamps and proofs. James A. MackayJames A. Mackay
James Alexander Mackay was a prolific Scottish writer and philatelist whose reputation was damaged by a criminal conviction for theft and repeated accusations of plagiarism. In an obituary by John Holman, Editor of the British Philatelic Bulletin, Mackay was described as a "philatelic writer...
and George Base were also charged in connection with the same matter and it was from James Mackay that Fiegenbaum had received the stolen items. Feigenbaum, who had denied the charges, was cleared on the judge's direction.
Nagaland
Feigenbaum is believed to have been behind the issue of bogus stamps for NagalandNagaland
Nagaland is a state in the far north-eastern part of India. It borders the state of Assam to the west, Arunachal Pradesh and part of Assam to the north, Burma to the east and Manipur to the south. The state capital is Kohima, and the largest city is Dimapur...
in the 1970s.
Staffa Island
In 1979 Feigenbaum became involved in a dispute with the U.S. Customs Service about whether 20% duty applied to 'gold' stamps of StaffaStaffa
Staffa from the Old Norse for stave or pillar island, is an island of the Inner Hebrides in Argyll and Bute, Scotland. The Vikings gave it this name as its columnar basalt reminded them of their houses, which were built from vertically placed tree-logs....
imported into the United States. The stamps were to commemorate the United States Bicentenary and were in sets of up to 13 priced at $20 each, the total retail price of the stamps being $5.2 million. Fiegenbaum argued that as Staffa had a legitimate mail service the stamps were not liable for the duty, however, the mail service at Staffa, a remote uninhabited Scottish Island, actually amounted to no more than a mail box on a jetty where letters could be mailed back to the mainland, weather permitting. As no-one lived on Staffa and visitors were invariably from the mainland in the first place, it was doubtful whether the mail service amounted to anything more than a tourist curiosity. Feigenbaum had the right to produce stamps marked Staffa in return for a fee paid to the island's owner, who operated the postal service.
Involvement with Stanley Gibbons
In 1984 Feigenbaum attempted to list Stanley Gibbons, of which he was Chairman, on the Unlisted Securities MarketUnlisted Securities Market
The Unlisted Securities Market , which ran from 1980 to 1996, was a stock exchange set up by the London Stock Exchange to cater for companies too small to qualify for a full listing....
in London but the attempt failed after newspaper disclosures about his previous business problems.
Bernera Islands
In 1985, Feigenbaum returned to 'gold' stamps with a series on the life and times of H.M. The Queen Mother supposedly from the Scottish Bernera Islands. The stamps had a face value of £10 each and were marketed as "22-carat gold-embossed stamps". The Bernera Islands in fact had a full postal service provided by Royal Mail and at a lot less than £10 per stamp.Tanzania
Also in 1985, TanzaniaTanzania
The United Republic of Tanzania is a country in East Africa bordered by Kenya and Uganda to the north, Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west, and Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique to the south. The country's eastern borders lie on the Indian Ocean.Tanzania is a state...
was forced to cancel the issue of poor quality stamps to commemorate the 85th birthday of H.M. The Queen Mother. The stamps had been organised by Feigenbuam but are not thought to have been approved by Clarence House. It is not likely they would have been as they contained errors and were so poorly produced that the perforations did not puncture the paper. The Crown Agents recommended their destruction.
US litigation
In 1986, Feigenbaum and companies he and his associates controlled, was named in litigation relating to tax shelter schemes in the United States. The companies controlled included companies registered in Liberia for tax reasons.Tuvalu
In the late 1980s, Feigenbaum, as Chairman of the Philatelic Distribution Corporation was involved in a complicated legal case alleging fraud in relation to a contract with the government of Tuvalu, formerly the Gilbert & Ellice Islands, relating to the deliberate production of stamps with errors for sale to collectors at inflated prices. At one point he was jailed for contempt of court.Easdale Island
Feignbaum was a former owner of the island of EasdaleEasdale
Easdale is one of the Slate Islands, in the Firth of Lorn, Scotland. Once the centre of the British slate industry, there has been some recent island regeneration....
in the west of Scotland, for which one of his firms produced "stamps" of doubtful validity.