Page 35 - Delcampe Collections classiques EN-004

Stamps

I have a collection of worldwide stamps, With whom do you share your passion
covers and postcards which each tell a (family, friends, associations, clubs,
fun story of some kind that can easily be etc.)?
shared with non-collectors. I am fortunate to share my passion with
Now the area which I have committed countless friends that I have made over
the most time and effort over the past the years through my participation in lo-
15-years is the postal history of the cal, national and international philatelic
1879 Anglo-Zulu War. The history of clubs and associations. Years ago, as
this 6-month long war between the a much younger person in philately, I
British colonial government in South partnered with the American Philatelic
Africa and the independent Zulu Society to found the Young Philatelic
Kingdom has many fascinating ele- Leaders Fellowship. This program has
ments but the initial successes of the been a major source of pride and has
Zulu army’s defense of their territory helped bring other young people into or-
stands-out in the history of modern ganized philately.
warfare. Within two weeks of the British
invasion, the Zulu army successfully de- What is your favourite item in your col-
feated a British and Colonial field force lection?
at the Battle of iSandlwana, destroying An impossible question of course. I
half a column and forcing the rest to have three children and I could not pick
retire, besieged another at Eshowe and a favorite between them either. I’ll give
halted the advance of a third in the nor- two favorites -
th of their country. The Zulu victory at
iSandlwana would prove the greatest Item #1 - I have long been interested
single defeat to be inflicted on the in unusual 3D items sent through the
British Army during the Victorian era. mail. This is a shoe sole sent by first
My collection of this famous conflict class mail from Maryland to New York
extends well beyond postal items to in 1937. The sender wrote the address
include Zulu shields, spears, beadwork, on one side and wrote his message on
letters, telegrams, period photographs, the other side. Unfortunately, the sender
British uniforms and more. All of this will did not apply enough postage to proper-
be the focus of a museum exhibition at ly pay for the weight of this shoe sole
the Spear Museum of Philatelic History to go through the mail so three 1-cent
at the Royal Philatelic Society, London in postage due stamps were applied with
July 2023. the recipient paying the due amount.

Delcampe Magazine 35