The John Gartner Medal

The John Gartner Medal was established by The Royal Philatelic Society of Victoria in 1998 to honour its late Life Member.  The medal is awarded for the best philatelic work published in Australia within the last two calendar years, or for philatelic authorship and/or publishing excellence over an extended period.  The first award was made in 1999.

The award pays tribute to John Gartner, RDP FAP (1914 – 1998), one of Australia’s most distinguished philatelists and numismatists.  For 30 years, John’s business, Hawthorn Press, played a leading role in publishing philatelic works, including the Australian Commonwealth Specialists’ Catalogue, monographs on stamps and postal history and Philately from Australia.  John Gartner undoubtedly did more than anyone else in Australia to promote the publication of philatelic works of quality.

2001 Award

The Council of The Royal Philatelic Society of Victoria awarded the John Gartner Medal for 2001 to Nelson Eustis FAP, for his lifelong achievement in authoring and publishing The Australian Air Mail Catalogue.

The Australian Air Mail Catalogue was first published in 1937, followed by a supplement in 1941. New editions appeared in 1965, 1976, 1984, 1990 and a sixth edition in 1997. A new edition will appear very shortly.

This record of 64 years of publication by the same author is probably a world record in philatelic literature, and one that will be very difficult to surpass. Each edition has not merely been a reprint of that which preceded, but is an enlarged and updated version.

In addition Nelson has authored a number of other philatelic works, largely concerned with the subject of Australian aerophilately.

The Council of The Royal Philatelic Society of Victoria suggested that the presentation be made at the Federation’s 2001 Annual General Meeting in Canberra in order that Nelson could be honoured in front of a gathering of Australian philatelists from all around the country, many of whom have relied on and benefited from his work over the past sixty four years.

Pictured:  Nelson Eustis receives the John Gartner Medal from newly elected APF President and President of The Royal Philatelic Society of Victoria, John MacDonnell.