Library

The Spellman Museum Library is the major philatelic library in New England and one of a handful of significant philatelic libraries in the United States. Its holdings include items from the collection of Francis Cardinal Spellman, the National Philatelic Museum, the Boston University Philatelic Library Collection, and the H.E. Harris Company. In addition, the museum has items from individual collectors including Harry Lindquist, Marcus W. White, Lloyd B. Gatchell, Bernard Davis, and Clemens E. Prokesch. The Library includes the George W. Angers Memorial Collection of the American Air Mail Society including the Airpost Journal and American Air Mail catalogues, major philatelic exhibition catalogues from 1893 to the present, and name auction sales.

The Library collection documents worldwide postal services and the history, production, use, and hobby of stamps and postal related items. It includes: 4,800 handbooks, pamphlets, postal service publications; 885 trade catalogues; 1,100 philatelic exhibition catalogues; 360 philatelic auction catalogues of individual sales; 35 runs of auction firm sales; 200 significant runs of philatelic periodicals from 1879 to the present.

For information about use of the Library, please refer to our page regarding services at the museum.