Discussion - Member to Member Sales - Research Center
Discussion - Member to Member Sales - Research Center
The island of Staffa was/is uninhabited, so any need for a postal service is dubious, at best.
These are often referred to as bogus issues, though some would argue that these are locals.
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I remember back in 1976 when I had just started collecting stamps, my mother bought me a U.S. Bicentennial silver plated Stamp & Coin set from Staffa in a frame. It was the pride of my collection for quite some time before I figured out what it really was. I think she paid $25.00 for it. She should have saved her money.
Bob
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I notice this is an old thread, but thought I might resurrect it as I have some issues with these in my collection.
I bought these lovelies...two sheets of them, as a teenager. Not sure if they are bogus stamps from Staffa or something else?
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Here's a close up version...
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05:00:29pm
They are indeed Cinderellas. Still very collectible, just not legitimate postal issues.
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Yes, that's one of MANY bogus Staffa issues.
I get them in mixed lots and WW accumulations from time to time. But unlike Lundy (which actually had an operational private postal service), they really don't have any retail value other than as bulk stamps/cinderellas.
It's interesting that Feigenbaum was Chairman of Stanley Gibbons as one time!
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I only vaguely remember this but did they not have island to mainland stamps for a short period in the 60's?
Somewhat like Kaulbach Island in Canada although maybe not central gov't sactioned?
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I ran into Clive Feigenbaum at an ASDA show some 10 years ago (or was is APS) when he was still allowed to have a table and sell his material. He had some very interesting originals (Middle East was my area of interest then, and he had a lot of interesting rare material in that area).
He also was paying good money for more (he offered to buy my collection) and he displayed prominently the more interesting original stuff. But as far as what he sold to unsuspecting collectors, it was mostly his counterfeits, I am told. He sold directly or through third parties (he had many companies, see for example http://www.stampdile.com/index.php although I don't know anything more about them) , so you did not know the source of the stamps. They are still around. rrr...
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Thanks everyone. Guess I'll just see what they will bring from the Cinderella collectors. I have no interest in that area right now.
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10:15:57pm
Interesting. I only thought counterfeits were stamps that were made to look like the original. Never thought someone would make something random up!
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"Stamps" made from countries that don't exist are known as "fantasy" stamps. If the "stamps" are from a place that does exist, like stated, they are "bogus" issues.
With a couple of exceptions, many of the islands around Scotland have had "stamps" printed with their names on them. Most are uninhabited. Many are wildlife refuges. The "stamps" printed for those islands were sold to visitors as souvenirs with the money going to help support the wildlife refuge.
"Counterfeit" stamps are made to defraud a government, in the same way as counterfeit money. Of course counterfeit stamps can wind up in stamp collections when an unwary collector purchases one. Some counterfeit stamps can be quite valuable depending on who the counterfeiter was.
"Fraudlent" stamps are made to defraud stamp collectors.
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12:25:00am
That is a wonderful explanation! Thank you.
So those "stamps" were more like Stickers signifying a donation amount. That is actually really cool idea. So that is what a Cinderella is? They are not used for postage then I take it? Kind of how some people collect the old Easter Seals?
But what you were saying is this guy was making "bogus" stamps to line his own pockets.
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Yes, many bogus stamps are solely to line the pockets of someone from the money paid by stamp collectors. However, many people like to collect bogus stamps and Cinderellas.
The very simplest definition of a "Cinderella" is anything that is not a postage stamp.
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One of my worst (and at the same best) purchases ever includes Staffa.
About 10 years back I bought a large sheet lot blindly. What I got was part of 'Feigenbaum stock', thousands upon thousands of sheets in printer bundles. Staffa, Bernera, Eynhollow, State of Oman...It's all there
At first I was pretty badly disappointed with it (as I was hoping for Ajman etc. Sand Dunes), but there's a silver lining in every cloud. Once I dug in deeper, it turned out quite a nice topic to study/research. And having hundreds of specimens of the same sheet; it was heaven for flyspecking 
Though I've been swapping and giving away the duplicates actively for years I've still got a decent sized box of them to 'dispose'.
-k-
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I have been following this thread for over a week and I now can provide some information as I found my book about Staffa. Alastair de Watteville owned the islet from 1972 to 1978 and wrote a booklet about it in 1998.
The carriage labels/Cinderella stamps were started in 1968 by the boatmen transporting tourists to the islet. They could buy the labels for use on postcards sold by the boatmen. In 1974 the owner of the islet hired a contractor to produce stamps for the tourist trade (this is probably Clive Feigenbaum). In 1976 a new boat was launched for the tourist trade and a letter box was placed on the islet for visitor use. All postcards sold on the boat and dropped in the box were transported to the Isle of Mull and entered the mail stream there.
In 1978 the contractor got over zealous and issued a set of New England USA bicentennial stamps for Staffa Island - the owner terminated the contract and no stamps have been issued since.
However - I have a set of 12 bicycle stamp FDC dated April 6, 1978 that are very professional in appearance and the cover cachets include the artist's name. These don't resemble Feigenbaum's work at all so I wonder where they came from.
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Staffa is a wonderful island but it is small and uninhabited, and not many tourists land there.
I saw it in 1974 at the age of 14 from the deck of the old paddle-steamer, the King George V. I remember vividly how impressed I was when I saw the memorial plaque on the ship recording her part in the rescue of the BEF from Dunkirk (75 years ago this week).
I also remember being excited seeing the basalt pillars on the island and the entrance to Fingal's cave.
Great memories.
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rvangorder I have an old "catalogue of British Local stamps" which lists your Bicycle set then a Dog set and 25th Anniversary of the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II but doesn't list the USA Bi-centennial set
"just been checking and it would appear to be 1979 when there was problems with the Bi-centennial stamps and that was a dispute with the USA Customs who demanded that the gold on the stamps be subject to duty as the stamps were not issued for genuine postal use"
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03:37:07pm
There have been lots of interesting characters in and around the hobby over the years.
Does anyone know if Phillip de Rochambeau is still involved ?
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Staffa stamps were largely the creation of Clive Feigenbaum. Googling him will pull up all kinds of philatelic shenanigans.
The island of Staffa was/is uninhabited, so any need for a postal service is dubious, at best.
These are often referred to as bogus issues, though some would argue that these are locals.
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President - West Essex Philatelic Society www.wepsonline.org
16 Mar 2011
03:36:27pm
re: On stamps from Staffa
I remember back in 1976 when I had just started collecting stamps, my mother bought me a U.S. Bicentennial silver plated Stamp & Coin set from Staffa in a frame. It was the pride of my collection for quite some time before I figured out what it really was. I think she paid $25.00 for it. She should have saved her money.
Bob
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this post
re: On stamps from Staffa
I notice this is an old thread, but thought I might resurrect it as I have some issues with these in my collection.
I bought these lovelies...two sheets of them, as a teenager. Not sure if they are bogus stamps from Staffa or something else?
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re: On stamps from Staffa
Here's a close up version...
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They who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety. -Benjamin Franklin
16 May 2015
05:00:29pm
re: On stamps from Staffa
They are indeed Cinderellas. Still very collectible, just not legitimate postal issues.
Login to Like
this post
re: On stamps from Staffa
Yes, that's one of MANY bogus Staffa issues.
I get them in mixed lots and WW accumulations from time to time. But unlike Lundy (which actually had an operational private postal service), they really don't have any retail value other than as bulk stamps/cinderellas.
It's interesting that Feigenbaum was Chairman of Stanley Gibbons as one time!
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this post
05:09:09pm
re: On stamps from Staffa
I only vaguely remember this but did they not have island to mainland stamps for a short period in the 60's?
Somewhat like Kaulbach Island in Canada although maybe not central gov't sactioned?
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Retired Ap. Book Mod, Pres Golden Gate Stamp Club, Hi Tech Consultant
16 May 2015
05:50:34pm
re: On stamps from Staffa
I ran into Clive Feigenbaum at an ASDA show some 10 years ago (or was is APS) when he was still allowed to have a table and sell his material. He had some very interesting originals (Middle East was my area of interest then, and he had a lot of interesting rare material in that area).
He also was paying good money for more (he offered to buy my collection) and he displayed prominently the more interesting original stuff. But as far as what he sold to unsuspecting collectors, it was mostly his counterfeits, I am told. He sold directly or through third parties (he had many companies, see for example http://www.stampdile.com/index.php although I don't know anything more about them) , so you did not know the source of the stamps. They are still around. rrr...
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re: On stamps from Staffa
Thanks everyone. Guess I'll just see what they will bring from the Cinderella collectors. I have no interest in that area right now.
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this post
Wanting to bring the joy of stamp collecting to younger generations
16 May 2015
10:15:57pm
re: On stamps from Staffa
Interesting. I only thought counterfeits were stamps that were made to look like the original. Never thought someone would make something random up!
Login to Like
this post
re: On stamps from Staffa
"Stamps" made from countries that don't exist are known as "fantasy" stamps. If the "stamps" are from a place that does exist, like stated, they are "bogus" issues.
With a couple of exceptions, many of the islands around Scotland have had "stamps" printed with their names on them. Most are uninhabited. Many are wildlife refuges. The "stamps" printed for those islands were sold to visitors as souvenirs with the money going to help support the wildlife refuge.
"Counterfeit" stamps are made to defraud a government, in the same way as counterfeit money. Of course counterfeit stamps can wind up in stamp collections when an unwary collector purchases one. Some counterfeit stamps can be quite valuable depending on who the counterfeiter was.
"Fraudlent" stamps are made to defraud stamp collectors.
Login to Like
this post
Wanting to bring the joy of stamp collecting to younger generations
17 May 2015
12:25:00am
re: On stamps from Staffa
That is a wonderful explanation! Thank you.
So those "stamps" were more like Stickers signifying a donation amount. That is actually really cool idea. So that is what a Cinderella is? They are not used for postage then I take it? Kind of how some people collect the old Easter Seals?
But what you were saying is this guy was making "bogus" stamps to line his own pockets.
Login to Like
this post
re: On stamps from Staffa
Yes, many bogus stamps are solely to line the pockets of someone from the money paid by stamp collectors. However, many people like to collect bogus stamps and Cinderellas.
The very simplest definition of a "Cinderella" is anything that is not a postage stamp.
Login to Like
this post
re: On stamps from Staffa
One of my worst (and at the same best) purchases ever includes Staffa.
About 10 years back I bought a large sheet lot blindly. What I got was part of 'Feigenbaum stock', thousands upon thousands of sheets in printer bundles. Staffa, Bernera, Eynhollow, State of Oman...It's all there
At first I was pretty badly disappointed with it (as I was hoping for Ajman etc. Sand Dunes), but there's a silver lining in every cloud. Once I dug in deeper, it turned out quite a nice topic to study/research. And having hundreds of specimens of the same sheet; it was heaven for flyspecking
Though I've been swapping and giving away the duplicates actively for years I've still got a decent sized box of them to 'dispose'.
-k-
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likes this post.
Login to Like.
re: On stamps from Staffa
I have been following this thread for over a week and I now can provide some information as I found my book about Staffa. Alastair de Watteville owned the islet from 1972 to 1978 and wrote a booklet about it in 1998.
The carriage labels/Cinderella stamps were started in 1968 by the boatmen transporting tourists to the islet. They could buy the labels for use on postcards sold by the boatmen. In 1974 the owner of the islet hired a contractor to produce stamps for the tourist trade (this is probably Clive Feigenbaum). In 1976 a new boat was launched for the tourist trade and a letter box was placed on the islet for visitor use. All postcards sold on the boat and dropped in the box were transported to the Isle of Mull and entered the mail stream there.
In 1978 the contractor got over zealous and issued a set of New England USA bicentennial stamps for Staffa Island - the owner terminated the contract and no stamps have been issued since.
However - I have a set of 12 bicycle stamp FDC dated April 6, 1978 that are very professional in appearance and the cover cachets include the artist's name. These don't resemble Feigenbaum's work at all so I wonder where they came from.
Login to Like
this post
re: On stamps from Staffa
Staffa is a wonderful island but it is small and uninhabited, and not many tourists land there.
I saw it in 1974 at the age of 14 from the deck of the old paddle-steamer, the King George V. I remember vividly how impressed I was when I saw the memorial plaque on the ship recording her part in the rescue of the BEF from Dunkirk (75 years ago this week).
I also remember being excited seeing the basalt pillars on the island and the entrance to Fingal's cave.
Great memories.
Login to Like
this post
re: On stamps from Staffa
rvangorder I have an old "catalogue of British Local stamps" which lists your Bicycle set then a Dog set and 25th Anniversary of the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II but doesn't list the USA Bi-centennial set
"just been checking and it would appear to be 1979 when there was problems with the Bi-centennial stamps and that was a dispute with the USA Customs who demanded that the gold on the stamps be subject to duty as the stamps were not issued for genuine postal use"
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Silence in the face of adversity is the father of complicity and collusion, the first cousins of conspiracy..
26 May 2015
03:37:07pm
re: On stamps from Staffa
There have been lots of interesting characters in and around the hobby over the years.
Does anyone know if Phillip de Rochambeau is still involved ?
Login to Like
this post