James Richard William Purves (5 March 1903 – 13 May 1979) – generally denoted in publications as J. R. W. Purves and primarily as J.R.W. Purvis -- was a researcher and expert of Australia

Australia

Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...

n stamps, and author of philatelic literature

Philatelic literature

Philatelic literature is written material relating to philately, primarily information about postage stamps and postal history- Background to philatelic literature :...

 of the Australian region. His half century of work in Australian philately earned him the title “The personification of Australia in International Philately.”

Philatelic literature

Purves authored philatelic literature based on his detailed studies of postage stamps. These included numerous books and articles:

• Art and the postage stamp : the present Australian outlook
• The Half Lengths of Victoria (1953)
• North-West Pacific Islands : The Nature And Make-Up Of The Different Overprinting Formes (1953)
• South Australia
  South Australia
  South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
  
   - The Long Stamps of 1902-1912 (1978)
• Victoria: the Postage Dues
• Numerous articles on aspects of the stamps and postal history of Victoria

Collecting interests

The most significant of Purvis’ collections of postage material included collections of philatelic material on:

• Tasmania
  Tasmania
  Tasmania is an Australian island and state. It is south of the continent, separated by Bass Strait. The state includes the island of Tasmania—the 26th largest island in the world—and the surrounding islands. The state has a population of 507,626 , of whom almost half reside in the greater Hobart...
  
  
• Fiji
  Fiji
  Fiji , officially the Republic of Fiji , is an island nation in Melanesia in the South Pacific Ocean about northeast of New Zealand's North Island...
  
  
• Half Lengths of Victoria

Philatelic activity

Purvis was active in all fields of Australian philatelic interest. He helped establish the Royal Philatelic Society of Victoria

Royal Philatelic Society of Victoria

The Royal Philatelic Society of Victoria is a philatelic society based in Melbourne, in the state of Victoria, Australia.- History :The society was founded in Melbourne in 1892 as The Philatelic Society of Victoria and it received the "Royal" prefix in 1947....

 in 1957. For his work with the society, and because of his extensive work in Australian philately, the society established the J.R.W. Purves Medal in 1970 is his honor and named him as the first recipient.

Honors and awards

For his work in the field of philately, Purves was provided numerous awards and honors, including:

• signed the Roll of Distinguished Philatelists
  Roll of Distinguished Philatelists
  The Roll of Distinguished Philatelists is a philatelic award of international scale, created by the Philatelic Congress of Great Britain in 1921...
  
   in 1937
• The Crawford Medal
  Crawford Medal
  The Crawford Medal is a vermeil medal awarded by the Royal Philatelic Society London for the most valuable and original contribution to the study and knowledge of philately published in book form during the relevant period....
  
   in 1954
• The Lichtenstein Medal
  Lichtenstein Medal
  The Lichtenstein Medal, also known as the Alfred F. Lichtenstein Memorial Award for Distinguished Service to Philately is given annually to a living individual for outstanding service to philately.-Origin:...
  
   in 1960
• The J. R.W. Purves Medal in 1970
• Entered in the American Philatelic Society
  American Philatelic Society
  The American Philatelic Society is the largest nonprofit stamp collecting and organization of philately in the world, with almost 44,000 members from 110 countries...
  
   Hall of Fame in 1980.
• Honorary Life Member of the Collectors Club of New York
  Collectors Club of New York
  The Collectors Club of New York, often referred to as the Collectors Club, is a private club and philatelic society in New York City. Founded in 1896, it is one of the oldest existing philatelic societies in the United States...
  
  
• Honorary Life Fellow of the Royal Philatelic Society London in 1969
• Honorary Life Fellow of the Royal Philatelic Society of Victoria
  Royal Philatelic Society of Victoria
  The Royal Philatelic Society of Victoria is a philatelic society based in Melbourne, in the state of Victoria, Australia.- History :The society was founded in Melbourne in 1892 as The Philatelic Society of Victoria and it received the "Royal" prefix in 1947....
  
  

See also

• Philately
  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...
  
  
• Philatelic literature
  Philatelic literature
  Philatelic literature is written material relating to philately, primarily information about postage stamps and postal history- Background to philatelic literature :...
  
  
• Lichtenstein Medal
  Lichtenstein Medal
  The Lichtenstein Medal, also known as the Alfred F. Lichtenstein Memorial Award for Distinguished Service to Philately is given annually to a living individual for outstanding service to philately.-Origin:...
  
  
• Crawford Medal
  Crawford Medal
  The Crawford Medal is a vermeil medal awarded by the Royal Philatelic Society London for the most valuable and original contribution to the study and knowledge of philately published in book form during the relevant period....