Came across an interesting article about history of stamp
collecting which I thought others might enjoy- have edited it
down a bit...don't let the title put you off It picks up on a
number of topics explored on this forum such as age and gender
of collectors, role of dealers, motivation of collectors etc etc
Gelber, Steven M. "Free market metaphor: the historical dynamics
of stamp collecting. (philately as expression of capitalism)."
Comparative Studies in Society and History 34.n4 (Oct 1992):
742(28) Stamp collecting and industrial capitalism in the United
States emerged simultaneously in the mid-nineteenth century.
England issued the first government postage stamp in 1840, and
other nations quickly adopted the idea. The United States
printed its first official stamp in 1847, although it was
preceded by the provisionals issued by local postmasters.
Postage stamps were a product of the industrial revolution. The
adoption of the prepaid penny post in England, while opposed by
the General Post Office, was widel