Monday 4 May 2009

Tea for Joy, Stamp collector

I don't always notice what is going on around me, which is why I've lived in London for ten years, and never noticed the stamp shop Stanley Gibbons on the Strand. Now I'm working across the street, I've suddenly become aware of its existence.

On Friday, I decided to go in and have a look. It is a large shop, full of large leather-bound books, things kept behind counters, and items I never knew existed, such as stamp rulers and tiny magnifying glasses. There were quite a few customers, some of whom looked slightly disfunctional. I was beside myself with excitement.

I saw a book for sale which valued tea cards and cigarette cards. I just bought a whole heap of Brooke Bond cards at a car boot sale recently, without knowing they were worth anything, and so this was a very exciting revelation.

I've convinced myself I'm now sitting on a small fortune (the cards seem to be worth between 20p and £10 each.) I only wish I'd scrabbled around harder at the car boot sale to pick up the cards which were at the bottom of her box.

I bought some flower stamps. This was one of my favourite lunchtime excursions in a long time. And I didn't even venture into their autographs/collectibles department... Surprisingly, when I went back to work, I asked my colleagues if they had ever been to the stamp shop, and none of them had. I wonder what they think of the crazy new girl...

8 comments:

Elyse said...

Ooo, those stamps are beautiful! =D

Miss | A said...

love stamps!!

Lea said...

Thanks so much for posting this. I love stamps so much. I also collect but I haven't got much. I wish there are bloggers who can exchange stamps with me. I am in China now.

Thanks again. I love reading your blogs though I don't leave a comment! Keep up the good work!

Conversation Pieces said...

Love your stamps – they're a fab find. Have to say I have never thought about going to a stamp shop – and we have two very near to our new flat... may venture in at the weekend ;)

Lynne said...

CP - you must go in! Honestly, I bet you end up loving it!

Girl at the Bus Stop said...

I love stamps! I have cover my desk drawer fronts in them. When I was a kid I used to send off for books of stamps 'on approval' and you'd gently remove the ones you wanted and send the book back with the equivalent of what you owed them in usable UK stamps. I always picked flower and butterfly stamps!

Anonymous said...

I know! I forgot about it today – but I'll make it my mission for next week ;)

Also thought you might like to see my friend's post on design stamps... was a bit of a 'saw this and thought of you'!

http://papercutpanic.com/2009/05/03/homage-to-the-stamp/

Anonymous said...

D'oh. That last bit was meant to say 'stamp' obviously!