Ian Kimmerly - A Philatelic Biography

Collecting Interests

Ian’s Canadian Postmark Collection has evolved into two main collections:

Nova Scotia postal history especially strong in Guysborough County which one day might be exhibited.

Prince Edward Island postmarks. Ian received a National Vermeil for P.E.I. 1873-1914 (Confederation through Rural Mail Delivery period).

Solomon Islands After buying a collection of Postal Agency covers Ian became interested in the postal history of this group of islands. He is actively looking for better covers and/or postmarks (e.g. he would love to buy a SS KULAMBANGRA on cover.

Fakes and Forgeries At present this is more an accumulation than a collection. Like many customers in the store, Ian thinks this will perhaps be a retirement project.
Heligoland Another that is more an accumulation than a collection.
Philatelic Literature

Collecting Interests

Like many of his contemporaries, Ian collected stamps as a youth and then intermittently as a teenager. When he was 14 years old he joined the American Philatelic Society but otherwise his collection was undistinguished.

The collection was untouched for nearly 10 years until Ian revived an interest in Canadian town postmarks. The major event which propelled Ian into a serious interest in philately happened in 1976 when he started writing a weekly column on stamp collecting for the Ottawa Citizen. In 1983 Ian moved over to the Globe and Mail until that paper dropped many special interest columns including stamp collecting in 1990.

Needing content for the column, Ian bought and read any books he could find, joined the Ottawa Philatelic Society, and became more immersed in the hobby of his youth. By 1978 Ian was working part-time describing stamps for Jim McIntosh and in partnership with George LeMesurier started Ottawa Stamp Auctions. In 1979 the partnership was dissolved and Ian decided to try his hand as a full-time dealer.

While continuing his association with Jim McIntosh, Ian also started a partnership with Sergio and Liane Sismondo which ran a Rex Auction in 1982 and started attending stamp shows while remaining active with the Ottawa Philatelic Society serving two terms as President.

In 1984, Ian opened a stamp store at 90 Sparks Street, moving to 240 Catherine Street 1990-92, 110 Sparks Street 1993-1994, 112 Sparks Street from 1994 to 2006, and to our current premises in October 2006. In February 1990 the first Ian Kimmerly Stamp Auction was held and in November 2001 the (probably) last Public Auction (#113) was held. During this period Ian received front page newspaper and national television exposure for philately.

Ian Kimmerly Stamps attended many dozens of shows over about a twenty year period including CAPEX 96. After trying an in-house internet auction (KeMP) long before eBay, iankimmerly joined eBay in 1999.

From 1994 to 2000 Ian was an active member of Canada’s Stamp Advisory Committee. In 2000 Ian attended the APS summer seminar on Fakes and Forgeries, and in 2003 returned to teach a course on British North America philately

Ian has often served as an advisor to stamp clubs (he was instrumental in encouraging ORAPEX to become a national level stamp show), a judge at Exhibitions and a speaker at stamp club meetings. Ian has helped hundreds of collectors with knowledge and advice.