The Boneo Philatelic Society’s spring meeting took place between 28-30th March 2025 at the Devon Hotel in Exeter. With some 25 members, partners, and guests in attendance, this year saw a great attendance.
The program commenced with an introduction by the president, Dr. Jon Higgins, followed by presentations on new acquisitions and discoveries by members.
After this, three engaging presentations were given by fellow members. Simon Martin-Redman shared a detailed look at Sarawak paquebot and ship mail, which included many fascinating examples. Dr. Jon Higgins then delivered a slide presentation on The First Pictorials of the British Empire – Labuan. Finally, Peter Halmkin discussed the Sarawak SG2 Three Cents issue, which proved to be both informative and interactive. What started as a technical discussion turned into a lively and interesting discussion.
After the presentations, members enjoyed a lively auction viewing session. The evening wrapped up with a relaxed dinner—a perfect chance for everyone to catch up and share stories over good food.
Auction Day
After an additional viewing time, the auction kicked off promptly at 10 am, beginning with the highly anticipated J&M Roberts sale before moving into the general auction. As always, the room was buzzing with competitive energy—eager bidders drove prices up, with several lots achieving impressive realisations.
After the auction, the spotlight turned to two fascinating presentations. First, Peter Cockburn took the stage with his insightful talk ‘North Borneo: From Company to Colony,’ discussing into the country’s philatelic evolution. Then, Tom Anderson spoke about the Philatelic Forces Mail.
On Sunday, Malcolm Gascoyne gave a presentation on the ‘Sarawak – First De La Rue Issue’, followed by Roger Johnson who presented on ‘Betong Postmarks and Kuek Forgeries’, and then Jon Higgins, who discussed the ‘Postal History of British North Borneo 1881–1894’.
The Borneo Philatelic Society (BPS) fosters a global community of collectors passionate about the stamps and postal history of Brunei, Labuan, North Borneo (Sabah), and Sarawak. New members are warmly welcomed to join the Society regardless of their level of experience. Find out more about joining the Society.
