Author, publisher and patrons posed for the photographers in Monaco. From left: Karl Louis (Corinphila), Hervé Barbelin, Wolfgang Maassen, Robert Abensur (President of the Académie de Philatélie, Paris) and Dieter Michelson (Heinrich Köhler). Photo: Claudia Maassen
As part of the Edition d’Or presentations of the Global Philatelic Network (GPN), Managing Director Dieter Michelson also presented a book sponsored by Köhler/Corinphila, which has already appeared in French in 2019 under the title “À l’aube de la philatélie. Oscar Berger-Levrault. Ouvrages et correspondances (1860-1869)” and had been first published (in an edition of 100 copies, long out of print). In the discussion with the author Hervé Barbelin and the publisher of the now available German and English book version, Wolfgang Maassen, Phil*Creativ Verlag, they pointed out what is special, even unique about this new work: “In der Morgenröte der Philatelie” (In the dawn of philately) is the German title and the book contains countless first letters from collectors from 1860 onwards to and from Oscar Berger-Levrault.
The name Berger-Levrault has had a good reputation in France for centuries. Today a well-known media company, the former printing house, bookshop and publishing house was known to almost everyone even far beyond the borders of France. Philatelists and especially philatelic historians are particularly familiar with one son of this dynasty, namely Oscar Berger-Levrault, who published the first “List of Stamps” in September 1861, which a few months later became the basis for the first stamp catalogues published in various countries. Why this was so can be seen in this book, because Oscar Berger-Levrault kept up an extensive correspondence with numerous collectors of his time: in France, in Europe, but also with philatelists in the USA. Barbelin was able to concretely prove – and document – this thanks to his insight into the family and company archives. He gained access to material that was previously completely unknown. In addition, Barbelin prints the complete first stamp list for the first time, and of course also goes into more detail about Berger Levrault’s own catalogues from 1864 (in German) and 1867 (in French). The latter’s correspondence from 1860/61 is of great importance because for the first time – verifiably! – who belonged to the early philatelists of that time. In this respect they can rightly be called the “birth certificates” of philately.
The German or the English version of the book can be ordered for 58 Euros plus postage from Phil*Creativ Verlag, Vogelsrather Weg 27, 41366 Schwalmtal, Tel. ++49 21 63/ 48 66 or by mail to faktura@philcreativ.de.
