Italian Related Motorcycle Stamp Collector From New Zealand

Hiya people,

As a kid I collected stamps.... as an adult I collected motorcycles... so I combined those interests and started collecting motorcycle stamps back in the 1990's.

My main interest with real motorcycles was and is Italian motorcycles, so in 2000 I decided to re focus my collection.
Now I collect, "Any philatelic material that depicts a motorcycle, or part thereof, or name of manufacturer, recognisable as being of ITALIAN ORIGIN."

In this area I collect: Stamps, mint and used, FDC, Postally used covers, Maximum Cards, Miniature-Souvenir Sheets, Booklets, Postal Stationery, Cancellations, Metermarks, Proofs, Errors or any other philatelic items.

I thought it would be a smaller collection, but was I wrong! I now have seven albums full!

Anywho that's me.
Regards
Gavin
New Zealand

Hi Gavin, welcome!
Good to hear about your collection, there is a motorcycles thread on here somewhere, try the search function to find it. Amazing how what sounds like a narrow collecting criteria can lead to so much material!
Nice to have a NZ member, we don't seem to have many. I've visited a couple of times, its a fantastic country.
Glad you've found us, I'm sure you'll enjoy it here.

Welcome Gavin

I'm looking forward to seeing some of your bike collection and stamps.

Hello and welcome, Gavin. I, too, would love to see some pictures of your collection.

Stampgal said "Amazing how what sounds like a narrow collecting criteria can lead to so much material!"

It really is! I did it to cut down a little and it went crazy... or I did... or both I expect:)
I then had to have the stamp mint and used, fdc, then postally used covers etc I even found a couple of error stamps that fit the theme.
I enjoy it.

Regards from Northern New Zealand,
Gavin

Al and Spainishmoss.
Anything in particular you would like to see?
I will read up on how to post pictures.
I have some early motorcycle related covers (Not Italian related) that I think are interesting. Or if their is a stamp you have never seen then I might have it and be able to show you.

Regards
Gavin

Welcome anustanz

Great that you joined us. Can't wait to see pics of your collection. Sounds wonderful.

Dianne

Agust,

How about a picture of your very favorite piece?

Thanks!

Aimee

Wow Aimee, that's a tough question!

I will pick from my main collection of Italian motorcycle related items. It would have to be a cover. Anyone can have a stamp but

postally used covers are unique and can tell a story and ask questions which makes them interesting on a human level.

The one I have picked does not even have a stamp on it!

It's postmarked 13/8/1916 and send from "Angelo Baldwin Motociclista"
Meaning he was a dispatch rider in the Italian army in the first world war. The letter was checked by the military censer in Milan.

It's posted to Gauiglia(?) Baldwin.... was it his mother?, wife, girlfriend or sister? She was she lived in Lugano only 5 miles into Switzerland from the Italian border. Why did she keep it all those years? What did he say in the letter it contained? Did he survive the war or was he one of the 700 thousand Italian deaths in WW1?
Was it the last communication she had with him and it was a treasured memento of her lost love??

This item is my favorite piece because it talks to me.

Thanks for the question!
Regards
Gavin

Hello agustanz, welcome.

Lovely cover and a wonderful way to collect.

I started out recently collecting hexagon-shaped stamps and then cancels and then hex-shapes on stamps (like bee honeycomb). It has led me into areas of collecting and countries I never thought I would look at before. Always nice to learn and explore.

Lovely cover, agustanz!
If you post it in the "favourite cover" thread, more folk will get to see and appreciate it.
EDIT - oh I just noticed you've found that thread already, I'll shut up!

Wow, Gavin. What a great cover and wonderful story to go with it. In a way, it would almost be a shame to know the real story.
It's always nice to keep the romance alive, no?!

Thanks Aimee, I consider myself lucky to be the custodian of that cover.
And yes I think it's better to be able to wonder what might have been rather the know all the facts.
What do you collect??
Regards
Gsvin

Thanks Stampgal, yes the cover I posted here was from my specialist Italian motorcycle related collection and the one in the "favorite cover" thread was my favorite overall.
That one that was opened by my great great great grandmother 142 years ago.

This forum has really got me thinking you know! I never fully realized that it was people connected to the postal items that gives me a real connection to the item.
Explains why I like covers so much.

I have 5 USA envelopes here from 1916 that still have the original hand written letters in them... all about what motorcycle he was going to buy next and how much he could get in trade for the one he had.... the covers have zero postal value as they are all ripped through the stamp, but to me they are a priceless window into someone's life from almost 100 years ago.

Thanks for getting me thinking, I appreciate it!
By the way what do you collect?

Regards
Gavin

i am sure my brother in law Paul in Holland can relate..his email is opaguzzi..for Moto-Guzzi of course !