Presentations
  • "The 10 Centimes Semeuse (Sower) - Part 1" as been published on YouTube:
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tr5ey0iWP6w
    And Sower_Part_1_PPT_Presentation.pdf

  • "Railway Mail Service Between Rouen and Serquigny" as been published on YouTube:
    https://youtu.be/PPcmkbs8hxg.

  • Show & Tell - October 22, 2023.

  • "The Ten Centimes Red Sower 1906-1921 Postal Stationery" as been published on YouTube: https://youtu.be/asNy3i_6IF4.

  • "Beyond the Stamps of 1892: A journey into the GROUP metaverse" has been published on YouTube: https://youtu.be/Zy8kC5nVUpY.

  • "The New Hebrides Goldfranc definitive series in postal use 1938 - 1953" has been published on YouTube: https://youtu.be/bUjgmvIbNoI.

  • February FCPS Presentation (Youtube)
    by Ed Thomas Marra, Richard Aspnes (February 26, 2023)

    Part I - Vichy Stamp Use in AOF During and After WWII Continuing Tom's presentation from our November Show and Tell, where he provided so much material that I asked if he would do a program on it.
    Indochina Richard Aspnes was similarly enthusiastic when asked for show and tell items. Here is the balance of his intereting material as the other half of today's program.

  • Vichy Stamps on Cover (PDF, 2MB)
    by Thomas Marra, Richard Aspnes (added March 6, 2023)

    Vichy Stamps on Cover - This slide show includes about a dozen covers showing legitimate and philatelic uses of Vichy stamps. There is also an outline of when the stamps were valid and in which colonies. The YouTube video of this presentation contains even more of the history.

  • Vietnam Cover (PDF, 1.5MB)
    by Thomas Marra, Richard Aspnes (added March 6, 2023)

    Vietnam Cover - The first cover is the only mixed franking cover from Hanoi to Toulouse from BPM 411. The pictures include close-ups of the markings and stamps and following that there is commentary about the cover and its legitimacy. A very curious item. A second cover is one of several philatelic covers prepared and dated December 18, 1946, the day before the first Indochina War began.

  • Show And Tell 2022 November 20 (PDF, 25MB)
    by Ed Grabowski (added November 28, 2022)

    In a departure from our usual format, today's program consists of 10 short presentations, including both France and French Colonies, and ranging from 1849 to the middle of the 20th century.

  • Fun With A Centime (PDF, 31MB)
    by Ed Grabowski (added November 28, 2022)

    The French Area One Centime Rate has always fascinated me, including simple 1c rates and wrapper-banded post cards. Examples from France can be readily found; examples from the Offices and Colonies are much rarer. I had a few examples of simple 1c rates franked with Group Type stamps. Some ramblings in this area are presented.

  • THE "EXPERIMENTAL" FRANCO-BRITISH ACCOUNTANCY MARKINGS OF AUGUST 1852 (PDF, 6MB)
    by Jeff Bohn (added November 28, 2022)

    These Franco-British accountancy markings were authorized for use only during the very short eight day period between 18 and 25 August 1852. This presentation describes the intended use of these 'experimental' accountancy markings and shows examples of all the known letters exchanged during the limited period in which these handstamps were used.

  • Group Type Forgeries from Francois Fournier (PDF, 38MB)
    by Loïc Dufresne de Virel (added July 31, 2022)

    The presentation starts with an overview of the breadth and scope of Fournier's activities, before focusing on the albums assembled by the Philatelic Union of Geneva and their French Colonies content. It concludes with a few original items of the Group type, including some seldom seen on the market.

  • France in the Promised Land 1792-1948 (PDF, 21MB)
    by Michael Bass (added July 10, 2022)

    The Christian French nation has a longstanding relationship with the Promised Land. Beginning when Napoleon decided in the late 18th century to conquer the Near East and open up pathways to India and beyond. France has maintained a presence in the Holy Land utilizing Capitulation Treaties with the Ottomans from the 16th century and set up formal postal operations in 1852. When WWI erupted in 1914, those post offices closed, yet France sent troops allied with the British to invade Sinai and Palestine which ended 500 years of ruling the Holy Land. This talk shows French troop mail from the region during the war. France even maintained consulates in Jerusalem and issued stamps and postmarks on the eve of Israels statehood in 1948 as a service to French citizens.

  • La Poste Navale Française (PDF, 9MB)
    by Bruce Downs (added May 24, 2022)

    La Poste Navale Française - Large French naval vessels had their own post office, and the most well-known was that on the Battleship Richelieu, which created its own identifying overprint on stamps for outgoing mail. This talk explores the reason for different stamps bearing this overprint, as well as how the overprinting of RF on the US 6c red airplane issue of the period came about for smaller ships and stations.

  • Philately And International Mail Order Fraud - Professor A Victor Segno (PDF, 10MB)
    by Ed Grabowski (added May 7, 2022)

    Philately and International Mail Order Fraud: The Success of Professor A. Victor Segno in the European African Colonies. Ed fills us in on Segno's exchanges with people in French, British, German, Spanish and Portuguese colonies, with much new postal history and ephemera.

  • The Antilles Tercentenary Issue of Martinique (PDF, 6MB)
    by Dick Stevens (added April 1, 2022)

    The Martinique Tercentary earned its own set of six stamps. You will see original artwork for the two designs, several proofs, and many uses of the stamps over the next several years. As inflation set in, even the two high value stamps became useful for paying postage. It's a collection formed over many, many years, and is well worth seeing.

  • Felix Eboue _Heck No_! - French Administrator and France Libre War Hero (PDF, 5MB)
    by James R. (Jim) Taylor (added April 1, 2022)

    Félix Éboué was born to a disadvantaged family in French Guiana. This is the remarkable story of how he became a colonial leader and an early supporter of General de Gaulle in 1940. He inspired the Free French and aided immensely in their victory.

  • Life and times of the 1f50 Pétain (PDF, 18MB)
    by Mike Bister (added December 23, 2021)

    The 1f50 Pétain stamp, ubiquitous on French mail during the World War II period during which he headed the puppet government based at Vichy, embodies the political, military and social consequences of the Axis Occupation. The presentation of covers and ephemera explores, inter alia, the German and Italian annexations, interzone activity, censorship, POW welfare and youth camps, covert mail and Resistance forgeries and, finally, the Allied invasion and liberation of France.

  • Early New Hebrides Philately and Postal History (PDF, 4MB)
    by Clemons Albert (added December 23, 2021)

    The New Hebrides take on a special position in the philately of the French colonies since they were neither a British nor a French colony but were jointly ruled by both as a so-called condominium. The presentation highlights the philately of the period between the pre-colonial era and the time right after WWII.

  • Algerian [Postal] History to 1830 (PDF, 14MB)
    by Ken Nilsestuen (added October 15, 2021)

    The history of the Barbary pirates and Europeans in Algeria is long and fractious. Maps, postal history, and other documents - including a letter written in 1597 - illustrate that history. The story ends with the French invasion of Algeria in 1830 that put an end to the Barbary pirates.

  • First Maritime Connections With Madagacar Under The French Flag 1881-1888 (PDF, 4MB)
    by Luc MONTERET (added October 2, 2021)

    First Maritime Connections With Madagacar Under The French Flag 1881-1888

  • The Most Beautiful Bridge In Paris (PDF, 17MB)
    by Tom Broadhead (added September 17, 2021)

    Paris, France - the "City of Light" is also a city of bridges. Straddling the Seine River, the French capital is connected above ground by 37 bridges. A bridge across the Seine is documented from Roman times, and bridges today represent construction from the 16th to the 20th centuries. This is a philatelic visit to Paris and its bridges, and you will learn about the history of the most beautiful bridge in Paris.

  • Tunisia Coats Of Arms Issues (PDF, 10MB)
    by Norval Rasmussen (added August 4, 2021)

    This presentation on the first Tunisian stamp issue, the Bey of Tunis's coat of arms, includes the essay by E. Cassi and the large die proofs of the first issue. All three printings of the first issue are followed by the second issue's first printing and all the changes in design and color of the second issue. A detailed description of the differences between the first and second issue makes distinguishing them easy. The postage due use of the stamps is presented with descriptions of the three types of perfins. Examples of the postal use ends the program.

  • The Franchise Militaire (F.M.) Stamps (PDF, 8MB)
    by Dr. Edward J.J. Grabowski (added July 10, 2021)

    While developing a collection of the postal history of the French Colonial Allegorical Group Type as used by all of the colonies, I also started collecting all of the peripheral aspects of colonial postal history that occurred during this era. Among these was use of the French Franchise Militaire stamps. Little has been published on the creation and use of these stamps. Over the past 45 years I amassed about 50 of these covers, and they formed the basis for this presentation. Aspects covered include the reasons for the creation of these stamps, the examples used during the 1901 - 1915 period, the misuse of the stamps and representative uses from the colonies from which I have been able to find examples. This has permitted the development of a number of new conclusions about their use or lack thereof, which has not been obvious in the existing literature.

  • Madagascar - 150 Years Of Political And Philatelic Turmoil (PDF, 14MB)
    by Bob Mustacich (added June 16, 2021)

    This presentation highlights the pre-colonial and colonial postal history of Madagascar, the struggles with postal communication, and the local posts created to address deficiencies resulting from conflicts. The pre-colonial postal history begins with competing French and British interests running through the 19th century. This century is punctuated with military conflicts and a lengthy period of xenophobic hostility by the Malagasy government. The increasing warfare of the French conquest gave rise to local posts by the British and the Norwegian missions. The philately of the French colonial period beginning in the 1890s reveals frequent limitations of postal resources, difficult travel, world war intrigues, the challenges to establish regular air mail, and the struggle for political independence.

  • General Colonies Forged Stamps And More.pdf (PDF, 12MB)
    by G Pauron (added June 16, 2021)

    French Colonies General Issues Counterfeit stamps, faked cancelations, other fakery.

  • Development Of French Airmail In Morocco 1911 1923 (PDF, 7MB)
    by Larry Gardner (added June 16, 2021)

    Presented by Larry Gardner to the France and Colonies Philatelic Society (US) on May 23, 2021.

    This presentation traces the development of airmail service in Morocco, describing how the air pioneers attempted to prove that mail could be moved by air. It starts with the first experimental flight in 1911 and ends in 1923 as routes start to become regular and airmail starts to become a standard form of moving mail in Morocco.

  • Postal Stationery of Dahomey and Togo (PDF, 12MB)
    by Jere Dutt (added April 17, 2021)

    A brief overview of the postal stationery of Dahomey and French Togo. The stationery appears to have been available in the colony and was contemporarily used. Presentation includes both mint and postally used items but not all inclusive. Viewers are welcome to contact me via the email address on the Officers page and on the last slide of this presentation.

  • Postal Issues Of The Paris 1925 Decorative Arts Exposition (PDF, 10MB)
    by Tom Broadhead (added April 4, 2021)

    The 1925 Paris Exposition des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes highlighted France's importance in arts and culture. Although there are no remaining buildings from the exposition, its postal artifacts - 4 designs depicted on 6 stamps and a postal card - are enduring souvenirs. Their history and postal history reflect the machinations of exposition leaders, criticism of designs, a change in postal rates during the time of the exposition, and demonetization at the end of 1925. The stamps were used for a wide variety of postal purposes, ranging from domestic and foreign letters, registry, express, printed matter, pneumatic, and the early development of commercial airmail.

  • The French Congo 1900 Pictorial Issue (PDF, 11MB)
    by Ken Nilsestuen with thanks to Barry Newton (added April 1, 2021)

    In an hour you can learn some basic information about the 1900 pictorial French Congo stamps. More than that, there is some wonderful examples of related postal history and explanations of some new discoveries. It may also help you analyze your own stamps as you see how the speaker discovered new varieties.

  • Balloons and Pigeons: Communication by Airmail During the Siege of Paris 1870-71) (PDF, 9MB)
    by Larry Rosenblum (added Februay 28, 2021)

  • Coinage Stamps Issued in Madagascar 1916-1922 (PDF, 3MB)
    by Luc Monteret (added January 29, 2020)

  • French India 19th Century Postal History: The Secodary Village Post Offices (PDF, 9MB)
    by Dr. Thomas R. Marra (added November 29, 2020)

  • Political Prisoners' Mail from the 1848 Paris "June Days Uprising" (PDF, 15MB)
    by Louis Fiset (added November 14, 2020)

  • 1871 Commune of Paris Prisoners' Mail (PDF, 15MB)
    by Louis Fiset (added November 14, 2020)

  • A Study of the 1904 QUITTANCE Overprints on the 1902 10c Red Group Type Stamp from Guadeloupe (PDF, 25MB)
    FCPS Meeting - October 27, 2020 (added November 4, 2020)

  • Old Mail and Postal Service of the Norwegian Missions in Madagascar (PDF, 4MB)
    by Luc Monteret (added November 3, 2020)

  • First Virtual FCPS Meeting - August 25, 2020
    Guadeloupe Postal History Revisited - Edward Grabowski (PDF, 8MB)
    A backwards look at the exhibit which won the Grand Prix d'Honneur at the Washington 2006 show.
    by Dr. Edward J.J. Grabowski (added August 26, 2020)

  • The Era of the French Colonial Allgorical Group Type - Part II: Madagascar & Dependcies (PDF, 51MB)
    by Dr. Edward J.J. Grabowski (added July 14, 2020)

  • The Era of the French Colonial Allegorical Group Type: French India
    by Dr. Edward J.J. Grabowski (Collectors Club Philatelist, Vol. 95 No. 6) (added July 14, 2019)

  • Use of the Postage Due Jubilee Overprints of New Caledonia
    by Dr. Edward J.J. Grabowski (Collectors Club Philatelist, Vol. 96 No. 4) (added July 14, 2019)

  • The Era of the French Colonial Allegorical Group Type: The Stamp Dealership of N'Gomo, Gabon - A Rich Connection
    by Dr. Edward J.J. Grabowski (Collectors Club Philatelist, Vol. 97 No. 4) (added July 14, 2019)

  • (Exhibit) France's 1962 Anti-Malaria Issue for "The World United Against Malaria" Campaign
    by Larry Fillion (added July 14, 2019)

  • (Exhibit) Morocco's 1962 Anti-Malaria Issue for "The World United Against Malaria" Campaign
    by Larry Fillion (added July 14, 2019)

  • (Exhibit) First Day Covers of South Vietnam's 1962 Anti-Malaria Set of Stamps
    by Larry Fillion (added July 14, 2019)

  • Guadeloupe Postal History
    by Dr. Edward J.J. Grabowski (won the Grand Prix d'Honneur at the Washington 2006 Show) (added July 7, 2019)

  • The Era of the French Colonial Allegorical Group Type: Part IV Postal History From Senegal & Dependencies
    by Dr. Edward J.J. Grabowski (presentated at Westfield Stamp Club, Hamilton Stamp Club, Collectors Club) (added July 4, 2019)

  • The Era of the French Colonial Group Type: Obock
    by Dr. Edward J.J. Grabowski (added July 4, 2019)

  • The Most Beautiful Bridge in Paris
    by Thomas Broadhead

  • Use of the French Franchise Militaire Stamps (F.M.) From the Colonies During the Era of the Group Type
    by Dr. Edward J.J. Grabowski - Hamilton Stamp Club (2014)

  • The Postal History Of The Commune Revolution, Paris 1871
    by Gardner L. Brown (1992)

  • Railway Mail in the French African and Indian Ocean Colonies
    by William M. Waugh (1987)

  • The Regular Issues Of France = According To Their Normal Postal Usage
    by Stanley J. Luft (1984)

  • New Studies Of the Transport Of Mails In Wartime France 1870-1871
    by Gardner L. Brown, Ernst M. Cohn, and Steven C Walske (1986)

  • YouTube French-Themed Stamp Music Videos