Douglas N. Muir is the Curator of Philately

Philately

Philately is the study of stamps and postal history and other related items. Philately involves more than just stamp collecting, which does not necessarily involve the study of stamps. It is possible to be a philatelist without owning any stamps...

 at the British Postal Museum & Archive and a signatory to the Book of Scottish Philatelists.

Muir was born in Balfron

Balfron

Balfron, is a village in the Stirling council area of Scotland. It is situated near Endrick Water on the A875 road, 18 miles west of Stirling and 16 miles north of Glasgow. Although a rural settlement, it lies within commuting distance of Glasgow, and serves as a dormitory town.-History:The name...

, Scotland, and subsequently attended Glasgow University where he studied geography and archaeology. His first job was as a language teacher in Pforzheim in Germany.

He worked as a philatelic journalist on Stamp Collecting, the Philatelic Magazine and then as Editor of the British Philatelic Bulletin

British Philatelic Bulletin

The British Philatelic Bulletin is the official publication of the British Post Office Philatelic Bureau aimed at stamp collectors.The Bulletin gives detailed information about future British stamp issues and also features articles about past issues from noted philatelists.-History:The Bulletin was...

. He was also the founder of the Postal Mechanisation Study Circle.

Publications

• An Introduction to British Postal Mechanisation, Postal Mechanisation Study Circle, 1979. (With Martin Robertson)
• Postal Reform and the Penny Black: A New Appreciation, National Postal Museum, London, 1990. ISBN 095159480X
• The Story of Definitive Stamps, Royal Mail
  Royal Mail
  Royal Mail is the government-owned postal service in the United Kingdom. Royal Mail Holdings plc owns Royal Mail Group Limited, which in turn operates the brands Royal Mail and Parcelforce Worldwide...
  
  , London, 1994. ISBN 0946165041 (With Richard West)
• 'A Timeless Classic: The Evolution of Machin's Icon', The British Postal Museum & Archive, 2007 ISBN 978-0-9553569-1-9
• George V and the GPO: Stamps, Conflict & Creativity, The British Postal Museum & Archive, 2010. ISBN 095535692X

External links

• http://www.icons.org.uk/theicons/collection/queen-s-head-stamp-design/features/douglas-muir-curator-of-philately
• http://www.gbstamps.com/gbcc/gbcc_muir_intvw1.html