In 1861 the first 'real' stamp catalogue appeared, as the "Catalogue des timbre-postes crées dans les divers états du monde".
It contained 1080 ! stamps and and 132 postal stationeries.
Alfred Potiquet, the author, had access to the stamp registration by Oscar Berger-Levrault, a bookshop owner in Strasbourg (France) who made the first stampcatalogue in the world. This book was not intended for public and Poitiquet added illustrations, and published the book.
However the book was far from complete. Some stamps weren't know yet in 1861.
Among those 'missing' stamps, the blue and red Mauritius for example.
From then on, more countries started to publish their own 'world catalogues'.
As I can't mention them all, I want to add one special one, that appeared in 1862.
It was issued in Belgium by Jean-Baptiste Moes. Member of the city board of the city Elsene (near Brussels). As a 15 year old boy, he organised the first stamp sale.
As he was working as a dealer, he's known as the first stamp dealer in the world.
He published several manuscripts on stamp collecing and one of the first world catalogues : "Manuel du Timbromane".
Among his customers, was Philippe de Ferrary, one of the world greatest collectors. He was impulsive in his buying and seemed to be indifferent to price, so dealers and counterfeiters took advantage of him. Exceptionally dangerous forgeries gained the nickname, "Ferrarities".
J-B Moens was also the first publisher of a book on forgeries. This book, "Manuel du Collectionneur de Timbres-Poste" was translated the same year into English by E. Doble.
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| Jean-Baptiste Moens |
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| JB Moens on a Belgian stamp + label (1973) |
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