About the collector
Welcome to Advanced stamp collecting, based in Austria. Dedicated to moving beyond basic stamp issues, this space documents decades of philatelic study into plate flaws, subtle shade varieties, perforation nuances, and rare errors across Germany, Great Britain, and the Commonwealth.
From a father's legacy to specialized philately
I am an Englishman from Yorkshire, now living in a village in Austria, about 60 km from Vienna. Like many collectors, my fascination with stamps began in childhood, when I would study my father’s modest mixed lots.
After a long hiatus, my father’s passing brought his carefully assembled Great Britain collection back into my hands—including singles, gutter pairs, first day covers, and Channel Islands issues from Jersey, Guernsey, and the Isle of Man.
In tribute to my dad, I began building a comprehensive Great Britain collection, spanning from the Penny Black and Penny Reds— both imperforate and perforated forms—to the end of the Queen Elizabeth II era. Since then, my interests have expanded to include European and Commonwealth material in greater depth, particularly Germany, Austria & Turkey and not forgetting Japan.
This is an ongoing project, and I will continue to develop both the collection and these pages.
I will now begin the substantial task of exploring the issues of the German Empire.
I have been a keen member of Stampboards.com as johnrcrow and recommend this platform as a splendid source of philatelic information.
Uncovering German varieties, flaws, and shades
My philatelic journey deepened as I became captivated by German philately—from the German States and the German Empire to the eras that followed. The discipline and precision of German philatelic research inspired me to examine plate varieties, printing flaws, subtle shade differences, and perforation anomalies with greater care. These details can elevate an otherwise common stamp into an elusive rarity, significantly affecting both its catalogue value and historical importance. While parts of the collection have been selectively sold, comprehensive high-resolution scans have been preserved to document every notable variety and flaw.
Recognized research and community contributions
While many podcasts and forums only touch the surface of stamp collecting, true philatelic understanding comes from exhaustive examination. As an active long-time contributor to Stampboards.com, I have published extensive technical breakdowns and was awarded poster of the month three times. Having had both the time and resources to acquire and inspect vast specialized holdings, I actively welcome questions, discussions, and observations from fellow enthusiasts seeking deeper insights into rare variants.
"Looking past the standard catalogue entries to uncover hidden flaws and distinct shades is where true philately comes alive."
Advanced stamp collecting, Idolsberg, Austria