The Maltex Philatelic Exhibition, Malta’s annual major stamp and postal history event, will this year be celebrating the 45th anniversary of the Malta Philatelic Society’s existence. It will be held at The Green Lounge of the Hotel Phoenicia in Floriana and will be open to the public from next Friday to Sunday.
Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi will open the exhibition at 6 p.m. on Thursday and will be taken around to view the exhibits by Society President Alfred Bonnici.
In his introductory article to the Maltex 2011 exhibition leaflet, Dr Bonnici recalls Louis Frank and gives credit to this Dutch gentleman, resident in Malta, who in 1966 was instrumental in calling a gathering of stamp collectors at the Catholic Institute in Floriana. He was the inspiration behind the formation of a society for philatelists. Dr Bonnici then goes on to give a brief history of the Society and to mention some of its progress and achievements since its inception.
Maltex is now in its 12th year. The exhibition has grown from strength to strength and has become an anticipated annual fixture in the Malta calendar. Credit here is due to the much loved, admired and respected late Anthony Fenech, whose idea it was for the Society to organise its first stamp exhibition in 2000 and to make this an annual event.
The exhibits on display will include stamps showing events leading towards the attainment of Malta’s full statehood from Roman times (280 BC) to EU membership (2004) (Carmel G. Bonavia); London postmarks on G.B. Queen Victoria stamps (Carmel Bonello); Messageries Imperiales from Marseille to Levant via Malta 1853-1866 (Alfred Bonnici); Malta – early handstamps from pre-1890 (Anthony Camilleri); stamps and souvenir sheets issued in 1979 to commemorate the Death Centenary of Sir Rowland Hill (John A. Cardona); a philatelic presentation tracing the development of medicine in the Maltese islands from ancient times to the present day (Lino Cutajar); the Malta miniature sheets series 40th Anniversary – 1971-2011 (John De Battista); history of Malta on hand -painted covers of the 2009 Definitive Issue (Anthony Grech); stamps, postal stationery, postal history, railway documents and philatelic items depicting the work of Paul Delvaux (Christopher Howe); letters and postcards from prisoners of war in concentration and extermination camps during World War II (John Micallef); G.B. stamps used in Malta and Malta made in the USA (Karl Oberholzer); Maltese first-day-covers from the Crown Agents (Samuel Parnis); revenue stamps and fiscally used postage stamps (Anthony Sant); Great Britain and Malta official postal stationery cards used to and from Malta from 1877 to 1952 (Hadrian Wood).
Exhibits from juniors include commemorative covers of the British Royal Family from 11 year-old twins, Gabriel and Isaac Grixti; and Maltese buses – a Maltese icon that is no more from Gerald Parnis.
Special features among the exhibits will be a selection of recently acquired items by the Postal Museum and a range of artwork and other interesting stamp material from Maltapost.
A temporary Branch Post Office will be open throughout the exhibition and mail posted at this Office will receive the special Maltex handstamp. Local and foreign dealers will be in attendance to cater for collectors’ needs and to give advice on valuations, etc. Maltapost, The Sliema Stamp Shop and John Curtin Ltd. will be giving away stamp tokens to young collectors.
A few souvenir metal key chains from last year’s Maltex commemorating the 150th anniversary of Malta’s first stamp issue are still available and can be obtained against a small donation.
The exhibition will be open to the public from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and from 9 a.m. to noon on Sunday. Admission is free.