Designers Collector: Postage stamps

Describe what it is that you collect. How many items? Where is it kept?

I have a collection of vintage postage stamps. It’s a precious/non-precious collection; there’s huge sentimental value attached to it, but the collection itself is a bit of a mess—a ragtag bunch of stamps that I often pull out by the handful to admire.

It’s not a huge collection, but it spans multiple generations within my family and serves as a beautiful reminder of how I’ve always loved and appreciated this thing called “design”.

I currently keep everything in a neat little stack, with the stamps housed in a plastic container on my bookshelf. The collection has travelled with me from house to house, as well as to different spots within each home—just as transient as the stamps themselves.

Why did you start collecting this? When did you start?

My fascination with visual culture started at a young age. For example, I collected books, not to read (shhh… don’t tell my teachers!), but to admire the beautiful artwork, printing techniques and finishing—long before I knew what any of it actually meant. I don’t know exactly how I ended up joining Canada Post’s Stamp Travellers’ Club, but my inaugural certificate says I joined in 1994, when I was eight. What a perfect age for exploring curiosities and potential passions.

Every month or so, I’d receive a big envelope in the mail and feel very fancy that it was addressed directly to me. Inside was all kinds of Stamp Club paraphernalia, thoughtfully designed and beautifully printed. I received these packages consistently for years. I distinctly remember it cost $20 to sign up and, over time, I amassed an abundance of materials that fuelled my stamp obsession. It was well worth the registration fee.

My grandfather—seeing how much I enjoyed stamps—gifted me additional large brown envelopes every so often, each jam packed with stamps from all over the world. I think they came from a friend’s collection, someone who clearly had correspondence with people everywhere. From Japan, to the Caribbean, to Scandinavia and all over North America, I now realize how fortunate I was to have so much incredible design from around the world at my fingertips.

What is it about this collectible that you love so much? How does what you collect inspire you as a designer?

What’s not to love?! The colour, the imagery, the typography, the history, the stories.

I love the fact that stamps are such practical items with a very specific job, and yet humans around the world chose not to make them boring. They could all look exactly the same and no one would think twice. But instead, they are tiny works of art, with imagery reflecting each location, constantly changing form. They give us a glimpse into a moment in time, capturing a geographic region and symbolizing the love humans have for beautifully designed artifacts.

I’m especially drawn to the way texture and colour bring stamps to life. I also love that no two stamps affixed to envelopes and dropped into the postal system are ever truly the same. They’re time-stamped as they pass through offices, taking on an additional layer of history that shares the story of their journey.

What is your favourite item in your collection (at this moment)?

It’s impossible to choose a favourite. The whole package is my favourite: the vintage stamps, my grandfather’s stamp collector’s book and my more than 30-year-old Stamp Travellers’ Club certificate that forever places my love of stamps on display. 

What is the dream item you aspire to have in your collection?

This collection is a funny thing because I stumbled into having it, and I’ve never really had the desire to grow it, except when I received those jam-packed envelopes from my grandfather in the 1990s, of course. It feels more like a little time capsule from my childhood than an active collection. 

I love the idea that these stamps are such a connective force in my life. Whenever I need a reminder of what I’m doing here, I can sift through the piles, appreciating the through line from my childhood to my professional passions today—a linear path amidst the very nonlinear route I took to get here.