Prepared by Thomas Lera, Winton M. Blount Research Chair, The Council of Philatelists Research Committee, and Charles C. Wooster, President of the Peru Philatelic Study Circle.

COLLECTION SCOPE & CONTENT
The Bernard Peyton Collection consists of 13 volumes of stamps, proofs, essays and covers from Peru from 1779 - 1897.
PROVENANCE
Bernard Peyton of Princeton, New Jersey, donated several significant specialized South American philatelic collections to the Smithsonian’s national philatelic collection.
The specialized collection of Peru, Volumes 1 – 13, was donated on May 24, 1961 (Accession Number 233750).
NARRATIVE DESCRIPTION
This significant international collection was donated by Bernard Peyton to the Smithsonian national philatelic collection. Most of the collection was formed by Arthur Linz, a prominent philatelic writer, before being acquired by Peyton in the 1950s. The collection begins with a comprehensive pre-stamp postal history of Peru. One very important volume relates to the 1857 Pacific Steam Navigation Company issues, including an outstanding assemblage of essays and proofs, the largest known mint multiples of each of the two values and a 1 Real on cover.
Later issues are very specialized and comprehensive with rarities, varieties, multiples, cancellations and covers. Emphasis is on each of the classic issues, 1858-73, often with a full volume devoted to each issue. There is a modest amount of back-of-the-book material as well.
Finally, of considerable importance is an outstanding collection both off and on cover of the British Agencies in Peru and concluding with several fabulous U.S. and Peru combination covers.