Any Good Books On France Stamps Out There?

Hello everyone. I recently purchased a Scott France Specialty album and am moving stamps over to it from my basic worldwide album. I was wondering if there was a go-to book (in English) that describes stamps of France. I'd like to read about the background of subject, design, etc.

The engraving and art work of many of these stamps is absolutely beautiful. I am mainly focusing on issues up to around 1960 so an older book would likely work fine. Thanks!

You'll find a few articles etc here

https://www.franceandcolonies.org/index.php

It's well worth picking up a Spink/Maury catalogue. Doesn't need to be the current version.

Spink Maury is a beautiful Stamp Catalogue.

It does not address your wishes however, not in English
and does not offer commentary on design, background etc.
Not sure many catalogues would.

This was actually the link I meant to post. I have the book about la sémeuse, but not the others

https://www.fcps.org.uk/index.php/p...publications

You'll find that Maury gives details of designers (Yvert doesn't), as does Gibbons's French catalogue.

Thanks for your replies. I was actually hoping for something with info on the impetus/sponsor for an issue, draft designs, public's response, etc. Like some of Rodney Juell's or Gary Griffith's books on US stamps. I suppose there are many books of this sort in French but my command of the language faded quickly after high school.

Also not translated, but closer to what the OP was hoping for is this huge doorstopping tome:

Le Patrimoine du Timbre-Poste Francais(1998). The expertiser and dealer Brun is among the authors. It goes into the backstory of each stamp.

Well, you sold me on that! Thank you.

Following Greaden's recommendation, I picked up a copy of the Patrimoine, which arrived today. It's an extraordinary production, and I'm very grateful to Greaden for mentioning it.



And it came in a 2' x 3' La Poste mailbag.

Is anyone familiar with the Yvert publication Le Spécialisé: Timbres de France?

I already have the Spink/Maury Timbres de France - an excellent publication - but am looking for more detail on the early issues, as I have a collection of 20c Napoleons (Sc 15/16, Yt 14) with various shades/papers, beyond what Maury mentions. Does the Yvert publication go into more depth on these issues?

Link to Yvert site - https://www.yvert.com/A-185193-le-s...-france.aspx

Thanks! ~Greg

Greg - My general feeling about this is that it looks great, but isn't amazingly detailed, aside from the balloon covers that I can't afford. I'll take a few pics of the Napoleons for you later, so you can get an idea.





Sorry about the picture quality.

Thanks Geoff! On the last page, are those pictures of the various shades or of various cancels? - I can't quite make out the text underneath the images.

I think they were shades - I'll check later.

I was just gifted a 1975 version of "Catalogue Specialise des Timbres de France, Tome 1, 1849-1900). All in French, but extremely detailed on varieties for fly specking. However, Black and White, so not very good for color differences. Also, in French, which I will have to learn to interpret the varieties. However, it is quite an impressive book for the specialists out there.

Greg - they refer to shades, although how useful the illustrations are for identification purposes is uncertain.

GeoffHa & Partime - thanks for info, much appreciated.

I will probably go ahead and order - that's not as in depth as I was hoping, but will still be helpful (and I'm a sucker for a nicely designed catalogue). My spoken French is pathetic (it's been far too long since my French courses in school) but reading is good.

Somewhat related, Yvert has just released a nice looking France & Monaco revenue catalogue, might pick that up too to figure out the couple pages of French revenues I have somewhere.

~Greg

The Specialized catalogue arrived, and it is indeed a beautifully produced volume, of the highest quality & large colour illustrations. Would look right at home on the coffee table. It will be somewhat useful for shades for the 20c, but yes, not quite as in depth as I was hoping.

However, excellent info on the details of printing production for the various series, proofs, rates, etc - should be a great read and nice resource long term.