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| Inverted USA classic |
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ABOVE: Swiss Basle Dove pair - only
two are in private hands |
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He has started some countries, like USA and Switzerland - to name only two, and included what he was able to find. But what he found is extremely rare and valuable. From the USA he has the famous 1869 American Eagle 30c flag invert on a card proof, mint, and used, and the 10c and 30c values. The US high-lights include a fine array of proofs for both values, costing easily $100,000 to $120,000, as well as an extensive range of covers. The covers include combination franking with Hawaii and France as well as a triple combination usage with Peru and British stamps. He shows also USA Local i.e. Boyd's City Express, Carrier and Sanitary Fair stamps that feature doves, eagles or a pigeon carrier. As far as Switzerland is concerned he has an astonishing selection of Basle Doves - three singles, two on cover and a horizontal pair (of which one pair is on cover); Double Geneva eagles on and off cover, showing also the eagle in the wrongly-cut 'Double Geneva', and enormous multiples of the small and large Geneva eagles. Collecting these kinds of Swiss 'birds' means big money.
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ABOVE, FROM TOP: USA
1869 inverted flag proof
on card; USA inverted
flag issue- only eight of
these exist; used copy of
the USA flag inverted |
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| ABOVE: Geneva small eagle block of 10 |
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| ABOVE: Multiple(18) of the Geneva large eagle |
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| Two decade search |
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Newfoundland 1897 Ptarmigan on cover. It took over 20
years for Dr. Woo to acquire this cover. He eventually had
to buy a whole section of a major stamp collection to obtain it |
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A Newfoundland 1867 cover to Australia (Ptarmigan bird) was Dr. Woo's hardest catch. He recalled: 'It took me over 20 years to acquire this stamp on cover. I eventually had to buy a whole section of a major stamp collection to obtain this cover'. It just shows that bird catching can be passionate, and sometimes obsessive, hobby.
It's interesting to note that although Dr. Woo loves to compete in FIP world exhibitions, the most rewarding experience for him is being invited to participate in non-competitive shows like Anphilex N.Y.96, and Monaco in 1997, 1999 and 2000. But what has given him the most pleasure? He recalled: 'Although I showed only a few selected pages of may Bird Collection in Claridges 1999, the positive comments I received from several world-famous philatelic personages in respect of my collection was something I will probably never forget'. |
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