So he began to put together an exceptional collection of stamps from both countries. Although he hardly ever showed them or even exhibited them publicly, he was well known in insider circles and was a feared counterbidder at auctions as “the American”. And so, over the years, he amassed a collection that is unrivalled. It is immortalised on 226 pages in this book, each page more impressive than the next.
The focus of the collection is on the beauty of the stamps, some of which are in unique condition. Letters or even large units are not in the foreground for once, although they do occur. Contrary to the title of the book, there are even cancelled stamps. And always when unused stamps are scarce or non-existent. Example: Aichach Provisional. The result is a special kind of cabinet of rarities. So if you want to see what the really important rarities of German philately look like, all you have to do is pick up this book. They will definitely find what they are looking for, even though the majority of collectors can hardly afford such rarities.
The Austrian part of the collection is far less extensive, comprising only 15 pages. However, there are six examples of the yellow and vermilion or pink-coloured Merkur alone, i.e. the newspaper stamp from 1851, which Wright can even document with a unique official reprint from 1884. This section on Austria concludes with the 4 Kr. red newspaper stamp of Lombardy and Veneto from 1858, one of the rarest unused stamps in the world, which Wright can call his own with probably the most beautiful example. Unique!
In brief: Format 25.5 x 34.5 cm, 238 pages, art paper, in colour, hardcover with gold embossed title and spine, with dust jacket, retail price: 99 euros plus shipping costs. Available from: Heinrich Köhler Auktionshaus GmbH & Co. KG, Hasengartenstr. 25, 65189 Wiesbaden, Tel. 06 11/341 49-0, e-mail: info@heinrich-koehler.de, www.heinrich-koehler.de
Translated with DeepL (www.deepl.com)
