An Introduction To Advanced Philately by Sefi

An
Introduction to Advanced Philately

- Alexander Joseph Sefi

While going through Vol. 30 No. 3 (3rd lithography, and surface printing in the
Quarter 1981) of Philatelic Literature first edition and additionally
Review I came across the noted photogravure in the second) and how
bibliophile William Hagan’s regular these processes affects its appearance
column Philatelic Literature Price Trends; and what abnormalities could occur
this particular issue’s column deals with, during the manufacture of the printing
amongst other things, A.J. Sefi’s surface, or during the actual printing of
masterpiece An Introduction to Advanced the stamp.
Philately. 1 Hagan describes the first
edition as well as the “Ordinary” second The first edition of Sefi’s book was
edition; but since he did not have access published in 1926; it was printed on
to the ‘De Luxe’ version of the second handmade paper and was a limited
edition he does not cover it. He ends his edition of two hundred and fifty copies2.
piece saying, “If someone will lend or sell Hagan mentions that he has not seen the
me this edition I’ll describe it.” dust jacket for this edition and nor have I;
it is possible that it was not issued with
Being fortunate in possessing a copy of one. The second edition, published 1932,
the ‘De Luxe’ edition, I will, in this article, was printed in both an ordinary edition of
describe it. However before doing so, I three hundred and fifty copies as well as
would like to give a brief background of a deluxe edition of fifty copies, the former
this book especially to readers who do printed on machine and the latter on
not have access to Sefi’s book. handmade paper. Both editions are
accompanied by a dust jacket.

The title of the book can be a bit

misleading especially if one expects the
book to erudite on stamp collecting and
its processes, famous stamps etc. Rather
the author adopts the method of
“…explaining and illustrating the
characteristics of stamps produced by
different processes”. He takes one single
design and shows how it is reproduced by
different processes (line engraving,
2 Brian J. Birch mentions in his Bibliography of
1 The full title of the book is An Introduction to General Literature in the Philatelic Library of Brian
Advanced Philately: With Special Reference to J. Birch that of the 250 copies, 240 were
Typical Methods of Stamp Production. numbered.
Description of the Deluxe Edition

If I have to stick to Hagan’s original style,
I would describe the deluxe edition as
follows:

SEFI (A.J.). An Introduction to Advanced
Philately. Rowley & Rowley Limited.
MCMXXXII. London. Quarto, 10¼ in.3,
XX + 130 pp. (4). Twenty-one plates
covered with bound-in rice paper, six
paper samples. Gilt top and deckle
fore-edge and bottom. Half leather
brown cover with brown cloth.4 Spine
has title, author, and “Second Edition”
gold stamped. Brown dust jacket
printed in black and red with the title
itself, the city, and publication date in
red; the subtitle, the author and his
credential 5 , “Second Edition”, the
publisher’s ornament, and the
publisher printed in black. Spine of
the dust jacket has the title, author
and his credential, “Price 50/- Nett
(De Luxe Edition)”, and publisher
printed in black6. Title page is similar
to the front of the dust jacket. Each
chapter has the first letter printed in annotated bibliography) would be as
red as well. A limited edition of four follows:
hundred copies so stated and then
hand numbered below.7 Autographed Sefi, Alexander J. An Introduction to
by the author signing as “A.J. Sefi” Advanced Philately: With Special
below the numbering. Reference to Typical Methods of Stamp
Production. 2nd ed. London: Rowley &
A more modern bibliography (using the Rowley Limited, 1932
Chicago Manual of Style 16th edition, (2) + xvi + (4) + 130 + (1) pp + (3) p, (21)
plates and (6) paper samples bound
3 Hagan measures the ordinary edition at 9¾ in.
in. Erratum slip bound in after page 4.
4 The cloth is in a slightly lighter shade of brown
266 x 200 mm. Hard Bound in Half
than the leather. The covers are plain.
5 “Editor of the Philatelic Journal of Great Britain” Brown Leather and Brown Cloth with
6 The dust jackets of the two editions are quite gilt lettering on spine. Gilt top edge
similar to each other excepting that the spine of and deckle fore-edge and bottom. DJ.
the dust jacket of the ordinary edition has “18/-” De luxe edition of 50 copies numbered
(shillings) printed. 351 to 400 this being 364/400.
7 The exact wording is “This is the Second Edition,
limited to four hundred copies, of which three Printed on ‘Millbourn’ Hand-Made

hundred and fifty (numbered 1 to 350) constitute paper. Signed by author on the page
the ordinary edition and fifty (printed on facing the title page. Price 50/-
“Millbourn” Hand-Made paper and numbered 351 (shillings) on DJ spine.
to 400) the “de luxe” edition”. My copy is
numbered 364.
Valuation

Before estimating the valuation of the
different editions, I would like to mention
that my estimates are based on recent
auction estimates as well as prices quoted
by various philatelic literature dealers
from time to time.

The first edition (without the dust jacket)
is typically available for between US$150
and US$250. For example, in the 352nd
Heinrich Köhler sale held on 3 Nov 2012,
lot #9304 (numbered 203/250) bought
€150 (approx. US$190) + buyers
premium.

The second ordinary edition would likely
cost US$150 to US$250. However, in the
364th Heinrich Köhler auction held on 21
Mar 2017, lot #10021 (numbered
101/350) (which also contained the first
edition of Stanley Phillips’ Stamp
Collecting) bought a surprisingly high
€620 (approximately US$680) plus
buyer’s premium. I say surprisingly since,
as I write this, I know at least two dealers
offering this book for US$180 and US$250
respectively.

Finally, the second deluxe edition is
relatively rare and I am unable to readily
find it in recent literature auctions. Given
the limited printing a copy can come up
for sale only once in a few years and on
such occasions it would be the desirous
buyer who would set its true worth.
Nevertheless I would take it to be worth
at least between US$350 to US$500, if not
more.

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Introduction to Advanced Philately

The title of the book can be a bit

limited to four hundred copies, of which three Printed on ‘Millbourn’ Hand-Made

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