Edward Denny Bacon
Encyclopedia
Sir Edward Denny Bacon was a British philatelist who helped the enlargement and mounting of collections possessed by rich collectors of his time and became the curator of the Royal Philatelic Collection
between 1913 and 1938.
's) and of postal stationery
(later Thomas Tapling
's).
He joined the Philatelic Society, London in 1880, in which he served in every possible main post. He was elected President in 1917.
He was known to help some British collectors to manage their philatelic possessions. The first one was Thomas Keay Tapling; when Tapling bequeathed his collection to the British Museum, Bacon mounted the ensemble and wrote its description, a task he achieved for an exhibition in February 1897, after Tapling's death in 1891. After that, he managed Henry J. Duveen's collection, and published in 1911 the catalogue of the Crawford Library
. In 1907 Bacon was the first President of the Philatelic Literature Society
. Bacon was also a member of the Fiscal Philatelic Society
.
, "Philatelist to the King", died in September 1913, Bacon was invited by King George V
to be the Curator of the Royal Philatelic Collection
. He accepted and travelled from his residence in Croydon to Buckingham Palace two or three times a week until his death to work on the collection, to buy stamps, to receive items from the post offices in the United Kingdom, and the British Dominions and colonies, and to mount all this in uniform red stamp album
s, while Tilleard had accumulated and mounted only when the King was preparing an exhibition at the Royal Philatelic Society London. Nevertheless, John Wilson
, Keeper of the Collection after Bacon's death, criticised the way Bacon added new hinges without removing old ones.
Whereas deafness isolated Bacon from the others members of the Royal Court, he alone succeeded in balancing the collection's budget when the King bought a lot and to mount every project, essay and issued stamp received. During World War I, the session in the Stamp Room placed inside Buckingham Palace diverted the King from matters of state and the war, and made him consider the curator as a friend like Tilleard.
After George V's death in January 1936, Bacon continued his tasks on a collection that became part of the royal heritage. Even if Kings Edward VIII
and George VI
were less enthusiastic stamp collectors than their father, they made sure that all British and colonial postal authorities continued to send philatelic material to the Curator. But Edward VIII ordered that the collection had to be financially self-sufficient, thanks to the sales of duplicate stamps. In July 1936 Bacon was authorised to sell two 500 dollar stamps of the Straits Settlements
featuring King Edward VII
for 1,000 pounds.
In April 1938 Bacon announced to the King his retirement on the next first of September. John Wilson
was quickly chosen because, as President of the Royal Philatelic Society London and chairman of its Expert Committee, he already knew the collection well. However, Bacon died of an illness in June 1938.
, then Commander in 1922 and Knight in 1932.
In 1906 he received the first Lindenberg Medal from the Berliner Philatelisten-Klub von 1888 and was amongst the first to sign the Roll of Distinguished Philatelists
with King George V.
Royal Philatelic Collection
The Royal Philatelic Collection is the postage stamp collection of the British Royal Family. It is the most comprehensive collection of items related to the philately of the United Kingdom and the British Commonwealth, with many unique pieces.- Early history :...
between 1913 and 1938.
Early life
Edward Bacon was the son of a malt producer of London, where he worked until it closed in 1895.Philately
After 1895 he decided then to become a full-time philatelist. His two main collections were of Japanese stamps (that became Philipp von FerraryPhilipp von Ferrary
Philip Ferrari de La Renotière, Duke of Gallièra was a legendary stamp collector, assembling probably the most complete worldwide collection that ever existed, or is likely to exist...
's) and of postal stationery
Postal stationery
A piece of postal stationery is a stationery item, such as a stamped envelope, letter sheet, postal card, lettercard, aerogram or wrapper, with an imprinted stamp or inscription indicating that a specific rate of postage or related service has been prepaid...
(later Thomas Tapling
Thomas Tapling
Thomas Keay Tapling was an English businessman and politician. He played first class cricket and was also an eminent philatelist who formed one of the greatest stamp collections of his era.- Early life :...
's).
He joined the Philatelic Society, London in 1880, in which he served in every possible main post. He was elected President in 1917.
He was known to help some British collectors to manage their philatelic possessions. The first one was Thomas Keay Tapling; when Tapling bequeathed his collection to the British Museum, Bacon mounted the ensemble and wrote its description, a task he achieved for an exhibition in February 1897, after Tapling's death in 1891. After that, he managed Henry J. Duveen's collection, and published in 1911 the catalogue of the Crawford Library
Crawford Library
The Crawford Library is a library of early books about philately formed between 1898 and 1913 by James Lindsay, 26th Earl of Crawford. By the time of his death in 1913, Crawford was thought to have amassed the greatest philatelic library of his time...
. In 1907 Bacon was the first President of the Philatelic Literature Society
Philatelic Literature Society
The Philatelic Literature Society was a short-lived society to promote the cause of philatelic literature among philatelists at a time when information about philately could be hard to obtain and philatelic books expensive.-Formation:...
. Bacon was also a member of the Fiscal Philatelic Society
Fiscal Philatelic Society
The Fiscal Philatelic Society was an early twentieth century philatelic society that is seen as a predecessor to today's Cinderella Stamp Club and The Revenue Society...
.
The Royal Philatelic Collection
A week after John Alexander TilleardJohn Alexander Tilleard
John Alexander Tilleard was a British solicitor and the philatelist who helped King George V to constitute his collection, known as the Royal Philatelic Collection.- Biography :...
, "Philatelist to the King", died in September 1913, Bacon was invited by King George V
George V of the United Kingdom
George V was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 through the First World War until his death in 1936....
to be the Curator of the Royal Philatelic Collection
Royal Philatelic Collection
The Royal Philatelic Collection is the postage stamp collection of the British Royal Family. It is the most comprehensive collection of items related to the philately of the United Kingdom and the British Commonwealth, with many unique pieces.- Early history :...
. He accepted and travelled from his residence in Croydon to Buckingham Palace two or three times a week until his death to work on the collection, to buy stamps, to receive items from the post offices in the United Kingdom, and the British Dominions and colonies, and to mount all this in uniform red stamp album
Stamp album
A stamp album is a book, often loose-leafed , in which a collection of postage stamps may be stored and displayed.- Overview :...
s, while Tilleard had accumulated and mounted only when the King was preparing an exhibition at the Royal Philatelic Society London. Nevertheless, John Wilson
John Wilson (philatelist)
John Mitchell Harvey Wilson was a British philatelist, Keeper of the Royal Philatelic Collection from 1938 to 1969...
, Keeper of the Collection after Bacon's death, criticised the way Bacon added new hinges without removing old ones.
Whereas deafness isolated Bacon from the others members of the Royal Court, he alone succeeded in balancing the collection's budget when the King bought a lot and to mount every project, essay and issued stamp received. During World War I, the session in the Stamp Room placed inside Buckingham Palace diverted the King from matters of state and the war, and made him consider the curator as a friend like Tilleard.
After George V's death in January 1936, Bacon continued his tasks on a collection that became part of the royal heritage. Even if Kings Edward VIII
Edward VIII of the United Kingdom
Edward VIII was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth, and Emperor of India, from 20 January to 11 December 1936.Before his accession to the throne, Edward was Prince of Wales and Duke of Cornwall and Rothesay...
and George VI
George VI of the United Kingdom
George VI was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 until his death...
were less enthusiastic stamp collectors than their father, they made sure that all British and colonial postal authorities continued to send philatelic material to the Curator. But Edward VIII ordered that the collection had to be financially self-sufficient, thanks to the sales of duplicate stamps. In July 1936 Bacon was authorised to sell two 500 dollar stamps of the Straits Settlements
Straits Settlements
The Straits Settlements were a group of British territories located in Southeast Asia.Originally established in 1826 as part of the territories controlled by the British East India Company, the Straits Settlements came under direct British control as a crown colony on 1 April 1867...
featuring King Edward VII
Edward VII of the United Kingdom
Edward VII was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions and Emperor of India from 22 January 1901 until his death in 1910...
for 1,000 pounds.
In April 1938 Bacon announced to the King his retirement on the next first of September. John Wilson
John Wilson (philatelist)
John Mitchell Harvey Wilson was a British philatelist, Keeper of the Royal Philatelic Collection from 1938 to 1969...
was quickly chosen because, as President of the Royal Philatelic Society London and chairman of its Expert Committee, he already knew the collection well. However, Bacon died of an illness in June 1938.
Titles and awards
In 1917 Bacon was made a Member of the Royal Victorian OrderRoyal Victorian Order
The Royal Victorian Order is a dynastic order of knighthood and a house order of chivalry recognising distinguished personal service to the order's Sovereign, the reigning monarch of the Commonwealth realms, any members of her family, or any of her viceroys...
, then Commander in 1922 and Knight in 1932.
In 1906 he received the first Lindenberg Medal from the Berliner Philatelisten-Klub von 1888 and was amongst the first to sign the Roll of Distinguished Philatelists
Roll of Distinguished Philatelists
The Roll of Distinguished Philatelists is a philatelic award of international scale, created by the Philatelic Congress of Great Britain in 1921...
with King George V.
Publications
- Saint Vincent: With Notes and Publisher's Prices. 1895. (With Francis H. Napier)
- Reprints of Postal Adhesive Stamps and Their Characteristics. 1899. (Reprint by Lowell Ragatz, 1954.)
- The Line Engraved Postage Stamps of Great Britain Printed by Perkins, Bacon and Co.Perkins BaconMessrs. Perkins, Bacon & Co was a printer of books, bank notes and postage stamps, most notable for printing the Penny Black, the world's first adhesive postage stamps, in 1840.- Origins :...
. Two volumes. London: Chas. Nissen & Co. Ltd.Charles NissenCharles Nissen was a philatelist, and stamp dealer who discovered the famous stock exchange forgery and wrote, with Bertram McGowan, the definitive book on the plating of the Penny Black.-The Royal Philatelic Collection:...
, 1920. (Awarded the Crawford MedalCrawford MedalThe Crawford Medal is a vermeil medal awarded by the Royal Philatelic Society London for the most valuable and original contribution to the study and knowledge of philately published in book form during the relevant period....
in 1921.) Vol. 1 Electronic version here. - The Stamps of the Electric Telegraph Company (Great Britain): Issues of 1851-1861. London: Chas. Nissen & Co. Ltd., 1927.
- Catalogue of Lord Crawford's philatelic library :
- Bibliotheca Lindesiana. Vol. VII: A Bibliography of the Writings General, Special and Periodical Forming the Literature of Philately, 1911. 200 copies were printed for libraries and bibliophiles.
- The Catalogue of the Philatelic Library of the Earl of Crawford, K.T., Royal Philatelic Society London, 1911. 300 books printed.
- A supplement was published in 1926, then an Addenda in 1938.
- Second edition of this catalogue, corrected by Bacon and with the Library references, British LibraryBritish LibraryThe British Library is the national library of the United Kingdom, and is the world's largest library in terms of total number of items. The library is a major research library, holding over 150 million items from every country in the world, in virtually all known languages and in many formats,...
, 1991.
External links
- Biography at Who Was Who in British Philately.
- Biography in the American Philatelic SocietyAmerican Philatelic SocietyThe American Philatelic Society is the largest nonprofit stamp collecting and organization of philately in the world, with almost 44,000 members from 110 countries...
's Hall of Fame, posthumous tribute awarded in 1972.