Books for Exhibitors
Have you wanted to give exhibiting a try but don’t know how to get started? Or perhaps you’re an experienced exhibitor who wants to bump that Large Vermeil up a couple points to a Gold. Either way, our library staff is here to help! All of these books are available to anyone in Canada through our catalogue, if you are interested in checking anything out, please don’t hesitate to email us!
Thematic Exhibiting by Wobbe Vegter (2010)
Wobbe Vegter, the author of this work, has written numerous articles on thematic exhibiting which have been published internationally. Here, he has compiled his best pieces of advice on the whole exhibiting process into one quick reference guide. This book is a good place to start for beginners. It contains great general information, with plenty of specifics for thematic exhibitors. With a layout that is very clear and reader-friendly, this book will give fabulous guidance to one curious about exhibiting.
The Philatelic Exhibitors Handbook by Randy L. Neil (3rd edition, 2006)
This book, now on its third edition, has served as the “bible” for many exhibitors since the publication of its first edition in 1988. Written accessibly, yet still packed full of information, this book covers every aspect of exhibiting from deciding on a topic through receiving comments from the judges.
The Path to Gold : 175 Proven Stamp Exhibiting Tips by Steven Zwillinger (2016)
This American Association of Philatelic Exhibitors publication is a compilation of Steven Zwillinger’s beloved “Exhibiting Tips” column from The American Stamp Dealer & Collector. The exhibit pages shown as examples in this book draw from the work of highly accomplished exhibitors, and are published in beautiful full colour.
Let’s Talk Exhibiting by David Piercey (2022)
We simply had to include this phenomenal work by the David Piercey, FRPSC, published by the Royal Philatelic Society of Canada. This book consists of updated columns from Piercey’s pieces on exhibiting from The Canadian Philatelist, and is also available in French. The RPSC arranged for this publication in the hope that it will encourage more collectors to exhibit and introduce the public to the history, topics, and enchantment of philately.
Manual of Philatelic Judging by the APS Committee on Accreditation of National Exhibitions and Judges (2002)
What better way to improve your exhibit than to look at it from the perspective of a judge? We have multiple previous editions of this work on our shelves, but there is a current version of this work available digitally on the American Philatelic Society’s website. If you are interested in learning more about exhibiting or judging, we recommend the APS’s “Judging Information” page on their website as well.
Award Winning Philatelic Treatment and Presentation by Dr. Edwin J. Andrews (2021)
Would you like to up the “frame appeal” of your exhibit? This book provides details on how to mount and present the stamps and pieces of postal history in your exhibit. It is important to give your exhibit a presentation and treatment that is clean, elegant, and allows the pieces in your exhibit to shine. This work by accomplished exhibitor, Edwin J. Andrews, will provide you with all the tools to allow your treatment and presentation to enhance rather than detract from your exhibit.
Creating the Philatelic Exhibit Synopsis : A Master Class by Andrew McFarlane (2021)
The synopsis, prepared for the judges in advance of the exhibit, is often “misunderstood and underrated,” but can hugely improve the judges’ overall impression of your exhibit. This volume provides clear guidance, as well as full colour illustrations.
The Philatelic Summit Papers (Number 1-5, 2012)
This series of papers published as part of the 2012 “International Philatelic Summit” provide interesting musings on exhibiting from experts in the field. We have five of these papers available in our library, each of which hones in on a specific topic or provides a unique perspective on exhibiting.
Number 1: The Ever-Changing Paradigm of Philatelic Exhibiting by James Peter Gough
Number 2: Judging Postal History Exhibits of the Early Second Period (1875-1914) by Henrik Mouritsen
Number 3: Thoughts on Treatment : Using Treatment to Enhance the Appreciation of a Traditional Exhibit by Christopher G. Harman
Number 4: Optimizing Your Postal Stationery Exhibit by Lars Engelbrecht
Number 5: Perspectives on Exhibiting (Generally) by James Peter Gough
— Natalie Mitchell
Library Manager, Greene Foundation