David Phillips, Author at Korea Stamp Society

The Lure and Lore of Korean Legend: Kongjwi Patjwi and Hare’s Liver

July 20, 2022July 1, 2022 David Phillips92Leave a Comment

The first set of the five part Korean Fables series which will eventually comprize twenty different stamps and twenty souvenir sheets made its appearance on Sept. 1, 1969 with four stamps depicting scenes of “Kongjwi and Patjwi” a sort of Korean Cinderella legend.

First Korean photo gravure stamp issued (1969)

June 30, 2021August 20, 2021 David Phillips6082 Comments

On May 1, 1969 the Republic of Korea released its first postage stamp produced by means of newly installed photogravure printing equipment. The 7W blue regular stamp features the flag of Korea. The photogravure production represents a distinct advance over the lithographed stamps which have been produced by the Korean Government Printing Agency since the […]

The “phantom 20” USMG variety

September 19, 2020September 18, 2020 David Phillips875Leave a Comment

Once again, as John E. Strout’s article from KP Vol. XIII No. 2 (May 1964) demonstrates, we have ample evidence that the philately of Korea is full of pleasant surprises. Insofar as this writer has been able to determine the variety which he describes has never before been brought to the light of day in […]

Download (KSS members only): “Handbook of Philatelic Forgeries – Korean Empire”

November 13, 2019November 17, 2019 David Phillips13611 Comment

One of the most challenging aspects of collecting Korean stamps is that there are many forgeries/counterfeits/fakes of both the stamps as well as the overprints and cancellations of the early “Empire” issues from 1884 to 1900. Very often, the stamps, overprints and the cancellations can all be forgeries. Fortunately, there are few or none known […]

Andrew B Graham Co. business card shows Korea’s second issue

November 10, 2019October 21, 2019 David Phillips727Leave a Comment

Here is a nice item which is rarely seen. I have often wondered why the second issue of Korea was printed in Washington, DC since the first issue was done in Japan. In any event the stamps were printed by Andrew B Graham Co. a Washington, DC lithographer.