The Chartwell Collection

The Chartwell Collection was formed by one man with a great passion for collecting, Sir Humphrey Cripps. Sir Humphrey, the custodian of the collection, was both a great English businessman and philanthropist, but also an enthusiastic philatelist. Educated a Northampton Town and County Grammar School, it was during this period that Sir Humphrey first displayed a passion for collecting. After his death, his children found a shoebox in the back of his wardrobe. Upon opening the lid they discovered thousands of train tickets bundled and carefully placed in the box. Sir Humphrey had retained every train ticket from his time at school and kept them hidden away in perfect chronological order. These were memories of his past and a clear indicator of the true collector he would become. After graduating, Sir Humphrey continued his education at St John’s College, Cambridge, where he read Natural Sciences. On completion of his education, he joined the family firm, Pianoforte Supplies Limited. Sir Humphrey’s personal drive would see him rise to Managing Director of his family’s company in 1960 and Chairman in 1979. Along the way, Sir Humphrey also picked up several other passions. First and foremost, he was a charitable man and at every turn in his business progression he would channel funds regularly into the family charitable foundation. The Cripps Foundation was established in 1956 by the Cripps family and has made huge gifts to universities, colleges, schools, churches, hospitals and museums. Many Cambridge Colleges have benefitted from this generosity, as well as the Fitzwilliam Museum. Residential Courts at St John’s College, Magdalene College, Selwyn College, Queen’s College and the University of Nottingham are named after the Cripps family. His former school also benefitted. The  construction of many facilities were made possible through its generous donations. Sir Humphrey was knighted in 1989, having been High Sheriff of Northamptonshire in 1987 and then Deputy Lieutenant of the County. Sir Humphrey began collecting stamps in the 1950’s and soon became an insatiable collector focussing firstly on all aspects of Great Britain philately and secondly selected stamps of certain countries of the British Empire. Sir Humphrey travelled frequently on business and his interest in stamps went with him. For example, Sir Humphrey regularly visited Bermuda, hence the three Perots and other Bermuda rarities in the collection.

 

The Great Britain collection, housed in over 80 volumes covers all reigns and all aspects of this fascinating area of philately replete with wonderful essays, proofs, rare stamps and covers throughout. It is hard to believe that this collection was all put together by just one dedicated collector and the sale took place in June 2011 in London.