Raymond Henry Weill
Encyclopedia
Raymond Henry Weill of New Orleans, Louisiana
, and his brother Roger G. Weill
, were famous dealers of rare postage stamp
s, commonly referred to as the Weill brothers.
of New Orleans. They quickly gained a reputation of selling the rarest of postage stamps but also served and encouraged youngsters who visited their stamp store. Raymond loved to travel and would travel to review and purchase stamp collections throughout the country, while Roger preferred to remain tending the shop. Some of the most important collections known in philately, including those built by the brothers themselves, were sold by the Weill brothers. Some of the famous rare postage stamps sold through the Weill brothers include the famous cover bearing two 1-penny Post Office Mauritius stamps
from the collection of Louise Boyd Dale
.
The cover sold through a Harmer auction in 1968 for the sum of $380,000.00, the highest sum ever recorded for the sale of a philatelic item up to that time.
in Washington, D.C.
Raymond donated his library of philatelic literature and papers to the Postal History Foundation in Tucson, Arizona
. In 1989 the firm sold its stock for ten million dollars; however, the brothers decided afterwards to continue their work and did so until they both died.
for exceptional contributions to philately, and, in 1988, he and his brother Roger were awarded the Neinken medal by the Philatelic Foundation
. Weill was named to the American Philatelic Society Hall of Fame
in 2004.
New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans is a major United States port and the largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana. The New Orleans metropolitan area has a population of 1,235,650 as of 2009, the 46th largest in the USA. The New Orleans – Metairie – Bogalusa combined statistical area has a population...
, and his brother Roger G. Weill
Roger G. Weill
Roger G. Weill , of New Orleans, was a stamp dealer who sold some of the world’s greatest philatelic rarities.-Philatelic activity:Roger and his brother Raymond and their father Fernand formed the Raymond H. Weill Company in 1932...
, were famous dealers of rare postage stamp
Postage stamp
A postage stamp is a small piece of paper that is purchased and displayed on an item of mail as evidence of payment of postage. Typically, stamps are made from special paper, with a national designation and denomination on the face, and a gum adhesive on the reverse side...
s, commonly referred to as the Weill brothers.
Selling rare stamps
The Weill brothers, and their father Fernand, in 1932 opened their philatelic store at 407 Royal Street in the French QuarterFrench Quarter
The French Quarter, also known as Vieux Carré, is the oldest neighborhood in the city of New Orleans. When New Orleans was founded in 1718 by Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne de Bienville, the city was originally centered on the French Quarter, or the Vieux Carré as it was known then...
of New Orleans. They quickly gained a reputation of selling the rarest of postage stamps but also served and encouraged youngsters who visited their stamp store. Raymond loved to travel and would travel to review and purchase stamp collections throughout the country, while Roger preferred to remain tending the shop. Some of the most important collections known in philately, including those built by the brothers themselves, were sold by the Weill brothers. Some of the famous rare postage stamps sold through the Weill brothers include the famous cover bearing two 1-penny Post Office Mauritius stamps
Postage stamps and postal history of Mauritius
Mauritius, a small island in the southwest Indian Ocean, is of towering importance in the world of philately for a number of reasons. Its first two postage stamps issued in 1847, the so-called "Post Office" stamps, are of legendary rarity and value. They were the first stamps issued in any part...
from the collection of Louise Boyd Dale
Louise Boyd Dale
Louise Boyd Dale was a philatelist and the daughter of fellow philatelist Alfred F. Lichtenstein.Born in New York City, she was raised as a stamp collector from an early age in the environment of her father’s rare collections and numerous prominent philatelic friends, she herself became a...
.
The cover sold through a Harmer auction in 1968 for the sum of $380,000.00, the highest sum ever recorded for the sale of a philatelic item up to that time.
Philatelic philanthropy
The Weill brothers were regarded in the philatelic world as being honest, reputable, and generous. They supported their local stamp club, the Crescent City Stamp Club, as well as national philatelic organizations. One of the rarest American stamps is the “inverted Curtis Jenny” 24 cent airmail stamp of 1918, listed in the Scott catalog as C3a. The brothers felt that such a rare American stamp should be reserved for all Americans, and they donated a copy of the stamp to the Smithsonian InstitutionSmithsonian Institution
The Smithsonian Institution is an educational and research institute and associated museum complex, administered and funded by the government of the United States and by funds from its endowment, contributions, and profits from its retail operations, concessions, licensing activities, and magazines...
in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
Raymond donated his library of philatelic literature and papers to the Postal History Foundation in Tucson, Arizona
Tucson, Arizona
Tucson is a city in and the county seat of Pima County, Arizona, United States. The city is located 118 miles southeast of Phoenix and 60 miles north of the U.S.-Mexico border. The 2010 United States Census puts the city's population at 520,116 with a metropolitan area population at 1,020,200...
. In 1989 the firm sold its stock for ten million dollars; however, the brothers decided afterwards to continue their work and did so until they both died.
Honors and awards
In 1998 Raymond Weill was awarded the Luff AwardLuff Award
The Luff Award is awarded by the American Philatelic Society for meritorious contributions to philately by living philatelists.-Established:...
for exceptional contributions to philately, and, in 1988, he and his brother Roger were awarded the Neinken medal by the Philatelic Foundation
Philatelic Foundation
The Philatelic Foundation is a philatelic organization granted a charter in 1945 by the University of the State of New York as a Nonprofit Educational Institution.-Location:...
. Weill was named to the American Philatelic Society Hall of Fame
American Philatelic Society Hall of Fame
The American Philatelic Society Hall of Fame award honors deceased philatelists who have contributed significantly to the field of national and/or international philately.-History:...
in 2004.