XVII. Meeting of the PPCP

Dear friends of philately and visitors to the PPCP website, on 2 October 2025, the 17th meeting of the Prestige Philately Club Prague took place at Café Mozart. The working session was opened with a short welcome speech by the Club President, JUDr. Tomáš Mádl, who informed the members about the course of the meeting and introduced the distinguished guests, including Jan Rihák, Director of the graphic and design studio Eternia; PhDr. Ing. Tomáš Hejda, PPCP’s PR and media representative and owner and Director of PR Mollo, Dušan Martinček, professional Prague photographer, Jindřich Jirásek, co-organiser of the international Sběratel fair, PhDr. Pavel Carbol, Ph.D. and Bohdan Hromádko. The agenda of the meeting was truly diverse.

Following the introductory speech by Mr Mádl, the ceremonial induction of a new member, Mr Břetislav Pour, took place in line with established Club traditions. The ceremony included the signing of the Club’s Charter, presentation of the Club badge and certificate, and professional photography. Mr Pour’s collecting passion focuses on pre-stamp postal markings of the Czech lands and the first Austrian definitive issue.

The next point on the agenda was a presentation on Villa Stiassni, delivered by Dr Pavel Carbol, who spoke about its fascinating history and introduced a unique publication dedicated to this Brno landmark. The villa, completed in 1929, was built in the modern purist style based on a design by Ernst Wiesner. It was commissioned by Alfred Stiassni and his wife Hermína (born as Weinmannová), after whom the villa takes its name. Since 2009, the villa has been administered by the National Heritage Institute, and it was opened to the public in 2014. It is listed in the catalogue of modern architecture of the international organisation Iconic Houses, which brings together outstanding works of world architects, artist homes, and studios of the 20th century open to the public as house museums. Dr Carbol offered the possibility of organising an off-site Club meeting at Villa Stiassni, highlighting that such a venue would be ideal for a ceremonial event of our kind. Further details will be specified in due course; the off-site session could take place shortly after Biennale 2026 (September or October 2026).

The third point of the programme was devoted to a summary of the General Assembly of the Union of Czech Philatelists, which brought significant changes to its leadership. The new Presidium has been rejuvenated, with most members now aged 40–60 years, ensuring continuity and long-term perspective. The newly elected Presidium set out several priorities, with a key focus on addressing the decline in membership, a challenge shared by philatelic organisations across Europe. The stabilisation of the membership base will therefore be a top priority. A potential closer cooperation between the Union and the PPCP was also discussed – during the General Assembly, Tomáš Mádl spoke on behalf of PPCP and offered collaboration, including potential joint involvement in the planned PRAGA 2028 Stamp Exhibition. Another important goal of the Presidium is the digitalisation and modernisation of the Union’s communication. It was also positively noted that Mrs Šulcová was elected to the Presidium – for the first time in many years, a woman has joined the leadership of the Union. Moreover, Mrs Šulcová intends to strengthen the Union’s presence and activity on social media.

Election of New Representatives:

• Chairman: J. Kraus
• Vice-Chairman: M. Musil
• Executive Secretary: J. Berr
• Members of the Presidium: F. Beneš, J. Černý, P. Fencl, J. Chudoba, V. Münzberger, Z. Šulcová
• Alternates: J. Sedlák, R. Šorejs
• Audit Committee: V. Beneš (Chairman), T. Pazderník, R. Schindler

Another topic discussed was the upcoming exhibition at the Postal Museum in Prague. PPCP members were informed that the exhibition space of the Postal Museum allows for the installation of approximately eleven frames. The exhibits are currently being finalised, with the majority already prepared. Given that this will be a short-term exhibition, these premises were selected as they, despite their smaller capacity, offer a very attractive setting for a compact display. The exhibition is planned to take place around 17 November, coinciding with the Czech national holiday, when higher visitor numbers in the capital are expected. The installation of exhibits will take place on 10 November 2025, and the exhibition is scheduled to run for two weeks. It was agreed that Club members will have free admission. A special black print titled “The Fight for Freedom and Democracy” will also be prepared. The official opening ceremony will take place on Monday, 10 November 2025. Guests are expected to arrive at 5:30 p.m., with the opening beginning at 6:00 p.m. A broader group of guests is expected to be invited, and it is essential that PPCP members inform the secretary in advance whether they will be accompanied, no later than by the end of this Sunday (an e-mail requesting this information has already been sent). This information is necessary due to the limited space and to ensure sufficient capacity. It was also proposed to arrange promotion of the exhibition, in the form of a press article and potentially also media coverage on television or other outlets. However, quick action is required given the short timeframe before the event.

A very important point of discussion was also the preparation of the Biennale 2026, which is planned to take place again at the Municipal House in Prague. In this context, JUDr. Tomáš Mádl informed the members that preparations for Biennale 2026 are entering a key decision-making phase and that PPCP is organising the event in cooperation with its partners. The importance of promoting the event well in advance was emphasised, as the Biennale will represent one of the most significant philatelic events in the region and will serve as a prestigious showcase of the Prestige Philately Club Prague.

Main Dates of Biennale 2026:

• Thursday, 27 August 2026 – Delivery and installation of exhibition frames
• Friday, 28 August 2026 – Installation of exhibits; official opening ceremony for PPCP Members and guests (venue to be confirmed)
• Saturday, 29 August – Sunday, 6 September 2026 – Exhibition open to the public
• Friday, 4 September and Saturday, 5 September 2026 – Cooperation with the Sběratel Fair
• Saturday, 5 September 2026 – Stanley Gibbons Auction
• Sunday, 6 September 2026 – Auction by Petr Pflanzer Flaška
• Monday, 7 September 2026 – Dismantling of the exhibition and removal of frames

It was noted that the PPCP Club is counting on close cooperation with the Sběratel fair, with the intention that the partnership be mutually beneficial. Dr. Tomáš Mádl expressed his wish that, in time, Sběratel itself might become a member of PPCP, which would further strengthen the cooperation between the two entities.

As mentioned earlier, cooperation has once again been established with the Municipal House, where the Biennale 2026 will take place. A contract has already been signed, and the event will conclude with two major auctions. Another key partner is Stanley Gibbons, through whose involvement it has been arranged to exhibit the world’s most valuable stamp – the One Cent Magenta, last displayed in the Czech Republic in 1978. The exhibition of this iconic philatelic item is expected to attract significant publicity and media attention. Stanley Gibbons has already sent a draft agreement addressing, among other things, issues of transportation, insurance, and security of the exhibit. Another traditional partner will be the Club de Monte-Carlo de l’Elite de la Philatélie. Discussions are also underway with Joel Feldman, who has extensive business activities in the Czech Republic and has expressed interest in organising his own event as part of the exhibition week. Furthermore, a potential collaboration with Vindobona has been proposed. On 5 October, Dr. Tomáš Mádl sent a letter to the President of Vindobona offering cooperation. Mr Winter was asked to verify whether Vindobona could lend five to seven exhibition frames with attractive collections, with a preference for stamps over postal covers, as stamps are generally more appealing to the wider philatelic public.

The accompanying materials will include a collectible euro banknote featuring the One Cent Magenta motif, planned in three variants. In addition, personalised stamps, catalogues, and black prints are being prepared, with the catalogues expected to be produced in smaller quantities due to lower sales in previous years. It was also emphasised that the catalogue must be bilingual, i.e., available in English as well, and that it is essential to standardise typography – fonts and text sizes – to maintain a consistent graphic identity. The Biennale exhibition itself is expected to comprise around 50 frames and display cases. Currently, nine proposed exhibits have been submitted. Mr Šorejs invited all members to consider what collections they could contribute and to submit their proposals as soon as possible. The accompanying programme of the Biennale is intended to include not only the auctions but also expert and curated lectures, as well as other cultural events.

Another item on the agenda was a proposal presented by Mrs Šorejsová. Mrs Šorejsová introduced the idea that there is a lack of philately-themed merchandise on the market. Her daughter, who works as a designer for a major, though unnamed, international company, joined her in this project, and together they created a collection of promotional items that could be sold to help support and popularise philately. Mrs Šorejsová also expressed her willingness to assist the Club in other ways, such as by contacting various philatelic associations or helping to prepare an accompanying programme for the Biennale. A sample of the merchandise was circulated among members so that everyone could familiarise themselves with its design.

The next Christmas meeting – the XVIII in order – will take place on 11 December at Café Mozart. Until then, the Club and its members have considerable work ahead, particularly in preparation for Biennale 2026 and in maintaining cooperation with partners such as Stanley Gibbons and Sběratel.