Robson Lowe
Encyclopedia
John Harry Robson Lowe Robbie to his friends, was an English professional philatelist
, stamp dealer
and stamp auctioneer.
, having published many definitive works on the subject and having introduced the term in his first major book Handstruck Postage Stamps of the Empire 1680-1900 in 1948. In 1970 he was awarded the Lichtenstein Medal
by the Collectors Club of New York
.
He started his philatelic career at Fox & Co. in 1926 and then established his own firm, Robson Lowe Ltd. in Regent Street, London in 1926. He moved premises to 50 Pall Mall in 1940 and ran an auction business from Bournemouth starting in 1945. For health reasons he was unable to serve in the military during World War Two. He refused to sign the Roll of Distinguished Philatelists
due to the refusal to remove the name of South African Adrian Albert Jurgens
, whom he considered a stamp forger
.
Lowe was regarded as something of a raconteur and a larger-than-life character. According to one story, while playing cards in South Africa, and possibly after several drinks, he won an orange farm, but was able subsequently to swap it for a stamp collection.
As well as leading in postal history, Lowe was one of the first to recognise the potential of revenue philately
which had been long neglected. In 1990, he was the first President of The Revenue Society
.
for Volume 5 of The Encyclopaedia of British Empire Postage Stamps and in 1991 he became the first stamp dealer to be made an Honorary member of the Royal Philatelic Society London.
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...
, stamp dealer
Stamp dealer
A stamp dealer is a company or an individual who deals in postage stamps and philatelic products. It also includes individuals who sell postage stamps for day to day use or official stamps for use on court documents.-Stamps on Approval Basis:...
and stamp auctioneer.
Life and career
Lowe is regarded by philatelists as the father of postal historyPostal history
Postal history is the study of postal systems and how they operate and, or, the study of postage stamps and covers and associated material illustrating historical episodes of postal systems...
, having published many definitive works on the subject and having introduced the term in his first major book Handstruck Postage Stamps of the Empire 1680-1900 in 1948. In 1970 he was awarded 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:...
by 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...
.
He started his philatelic career at Fox & Co. in 1926 and then established his own firm, Robson Lowe Ltd. in Regent Street, London in 1926. He moved premises to 50 Pall Mall in 1940 and ran an auction business from Bournemouth starting in 1945. For health reasons he was unable to serve in the military during World War Two. He refused to sign 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...
due to the refusal to remove the name of South African Adrian Albert Jurgens
Adrian Albert Jurgens
Adrian Albert Jurgens was a South African philatelist and signatory to the Roll of Distinguished Philatelists of Southern Africa in 1948 and the Roll of Distinguished Philatelists in Great Britain in 1952....
, whom he considered a stamp forger
Philatelic fakes and forgeries
In general, philatelic fakes and forgeries refers to labels that look like postage stamps but are not. Most have been produced to deceive or defraud...
.
Lowe was regarded as something of a raconteur and a larger-than-life character. According to one story, while playing cards in South Africa, and possibly after several drinks, he won an orange farm, but was able subsequently to swap it for a stamp collection.
As well as leading in postal history, Lowe was one of the first to recognise the potential of revenue philately
Revenue stamp
A revenue stamp, tax stamp or fiscal stamp is a adhesive label used to collect taxes or fees on documents, tobacco, alcoholic drinks, drugs and medicines, playing cards, hunting licenses, firearm registration, and many other things...
which had been long neglected. In 1990, he was the first President of The Revenue Society
Revenue Society
The Revenue Society was formed in 1990 and is the only international philatelic society which covers revenue stamps of the whole world...
.
Publications
Lowe was responsible for the publication of many of the key works in philately. His personal magnum opus was The Encyclopaedia of British Empire Postage Stamps which he never quite finished but which stands as a monument to his life's work. The encyclopaedia was based on the earlier Regent series. In 1974 he received the Crawford MedalCrawford 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....
for Volume 5 of The Encyclopaedia of British Empire Postage Stamps and in 1991 he became the first stamp dealer to be made an Honorary member of the Royal Philatelic Society London.
- The Encyclopaedia of British Empire Postage Stamps
- Vol. 1, Great Britain and the Empire in Europe, 1948. (Second edition 1952)
- Vol. 2, The Empire In Africa, 1949.
- Vol. 3, The Empire in Asia, 1951.
- Vol. 4, The Empire in Australasia, 1962. (Supplement 1976)
- Vol. 5, North America, 1973. (One volume ordinary edition and two volume deluxe edition)
- Vol. 6, Leeward Islands, 1990.
- The Regent Stamp Catalogue, 1932.
- The Regent Encyclopaedia of Empire Postage Stamps, Halcyon Book Company Ltd., London, 1935.
- Handstruck Postage Stamps of the Empire 1680-1900, H. Joseph Ltd., 1937. (Second edition 1938)
- The Work of Jean de SperatiJean de SperatiJean de Sperati was among the most noted stamp forgers of the world. Even professional stamp authenticators of his time attested to the genuineness of his stamps...
, 1955. - The Codrington Correspondence, 1743-1851, 1951, 2nd impression 1968.
- British Postage Stamps of the 19th Century 1st ed. 1968, 2nd ed. 1979.
- The Kings of Egypt and Their Stamps 1860-1960, 1969.
- 1922 Ireland, 1972.
- Brunei 1895 Star and Crescent Issue, 1973.
- The Uganda Missionaries, 1974.
- The De La RueDe La RueDe La Rue plc is a British security printing, papermaking and cash handling systems company headquartered in Basingstoke, Hampshire. It also has a factory on the Team Valley Trading Estate, Gateshead, and other facilities at Loughton, Essex and Bathford, Somerset...
Key PlatesKey type stampKey type stamps are stamps of a uniform design that were widely used by colonial territories in the 19th and 20th centuries.- Origins :The idea was invented by Perkins Bacon who used it to print stamps for Trinidad , Barbados and Mauritius , all featuring the same Britannia design.- Key plate...
, 1979. - Indian Field Post Offices 1903-04, 1979.
- The Gee-Ma Forgeries, 1980. Forged overprints and cancellations of China, Japanese Occupation, Great Britain and Tibet.
- From China and Tibet: A commentary on letters written by missionaries working in the interior. 1844-1865, 1981.
- The Oswald Schroder Forgeries, 1981. A study of this little known forger.
- British Line Engraved Stamps Repaired Impressions, 1855-1879, 1982.
- The De La Rue Punch Book, 1987.
- The Knights of Malta, The Lazara Correspondence, 1987, 1789-1797 period, the French Revolution.
- Historical Letters to Gratious Street, London 1570 - 1601, 1988.
- The OnegliaErasmo OnegliaErasmo Oneglia was an Italian printer, born in Turin, who was also a successful stamp forger in the 1890s and early 1900s.Oneglia's first forgeries are believed to have been of the early stamps of Newfoundland and they are included in the second edition of Robert Brisco Earee's Album Weeds in...
Engraved Forgeries Commonly Attributed to Angelo Panelli, James Bendon, Limassol, Cyprus, 1996. (with Carl Walske). - The Work of Jean de Sperati II, 2001. (with Carl Walske).