The
Art Ortega
Collection
Lot 832
Nineteenth Century U.S. Postage Stamps
Art Ortega began collecting stamps in 1983, yet
it was not until after college that he moved from a
hobbyist into a relatively serious stamp collector.
Collecting a variety of general 19th century U.S.
postage stamps, his interest had always been with
the obscure and hard-to-find items. Art always had
an interest in the Classics, yet found that “Back of
Book” material presented artistic freedom exhibited
by the entrepreneurs, engravers, and printers of the
era. He also experienced success with exhibiting
his collections, the first three exhibits entitled:
The Development of the American Postage
Stamp (1741-1847), American Revenue Stamps
(1798-1871), and American Local Post & Carrier
Stamps (1840-1850) — producing silver and two
gold medals. Another series of exhibits earned gold medals,
Best U.S. History, and Best of Show accolades. Those were
entitled: America: From Colony to Recovery (1633-1871)
and The Innovative American & Entrepreneur (1840-1870).
The second exhibit was a movement into showcasing eclectic
material and was the catalyst for his most recent exhibit.
His latest exhibit: Innovative Uses of Stamps in America (1840-1870) was truly
a refinement and upgrade of rare and unique material, with advanced research
educating viewers on interesting uses of stamps during the mid-19th century. This
highly specialized, three frame exhibit showcased rarely seen and little understood
items such as Hotel Forwarders Handstamps, Wafer Seals, College Stamps, and
rare Sanitary Fair Stamps. His entire exhibit is represented within the pages of this
catalog. Enjoy!
Lot 831
Lot 4397
Lot 1798