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Collectors’ Club Landmark

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History

The Collectors Club was founded in New York City in the summer of 1896 as a way to "gather... all the societies, all the auctions and all the philatelic interests of the city" according to the invitation to join.   One hundred eager stamp collectors responded.   Sixty-six were from the City, and the rest from across the United States and as far away as Shanghai, China.   While it was originally organized along the lines of other New York City Victorian clubs, the Club soon gained a national reputation among collectors because of the members' intense interest and prominence in philately.

Founding members included John W. Scott of catalog and album fame, John Luff, Hiram Deats, and Charles Mekeel.   Later members included such famous names as Alfred F. Lichtenstein, Theodore Steinway, Alfred Caspary, Col. Green, and Harry Lindquist.   Franklin D. Roosevelt and the Earl of Crawford were among the honorary members.

You will find an excellent and more extensive history in "The Collectors Club, 1896 - 1991" by John D. Dowd in PhiLITex 92, Bulletin No. 1, available in many philatelic libraries.

Clubhouse

The Club is housed in an elegant five-story brownstone in the Murray Hill section of Manhattan, in the shadow of the Empire State Building.   In 1902 famous architect Stanford White completely redesigned the structure for an art dealer and collector, whose new home garnered lavish praise for its beauty and became a showcase for his art collection.   Thanks to the generosity of Alfred Lichtenstein, one of the giants of early philately, it became the Club's permanent home in 1938.   The building was designated a New York City Historical Landmark in 1979.

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