Vol. 55: Brazil – Dom Pedro Issues 1866-1878 - The Pablo Reim Collection

Among Brazil's most popular early stamps are the three issues of the so-called large Dom Pedro series of stamps, which appeared in 1866-1878. These issues replaced the previous so-called bull's-, goat's- and cat's-eye issues. The portrait of Emperor Dom Pedro was now the design that the American Bank Note Company produced by steel engraving in many different values. The issues are still among the most beautiful designs that Brazil has ever issued. They were collected by many enthusiasts in the past, especially as a wide variety of "dumb" and local postmarks of Brazil - which are quite affordable in good condition - could easily be collected on the stamps.

But anyone who hears the name of the collector Pablo Reim (b. 23 June 1955) of Buenos Aires knows that this well-known philatelist prefers and appreciates the special, the unusual. In addition to his home country of Argentina, he has several Brazil collections of outstanding quality. This specialised Dom Pedro collection is also an example of what competence, knowledge and many a lucky acquisition of rarities can bring about.

The collection, which is described throughout in English, is a traditional collection of its type. This means that it is dedicated in a specialised way to the stamps themselves, for which essays and proofs, then the stamps themselves, and finally their usage on cover are presented. As if this were a simple challenge, Reim has tried to put together for each value what was truly unusual: the largest known multiples and rarest letter frankings with some very unusual destinations and postage rates. He has succeeded in doing this very well and thus the reader finds many items of exquisite rarity and quality in pristine condition. The descriptions are kept short, but always provide the correct explanation for weight steps and postage for usages on cover. The collector of these issues will probably have his heart set on them, because he has probably never seen so many such things before. And if he has, then only in many auction catalogues of recent decades. In this book he gets such a comprehensive and concentrated view of these charming issues as is only rarely possible.

— Wolfgang Maassen (AIJP)

168 pages, hardbound with dust jacket, in English and German