Benjamin H. Homan, Jr.

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Benjamin H. Homan, Jr.

Benjamin H. Homan (1904-1976), renowned for his extraordinary collection of British Commonwealth stamps, joined A. Krassa to establish the firm Homan-Krassa in 1926. The New York-based business bought and sold some of the rarest U.S. classic stamps. His plating of St. Lucia remains one of philately’s finest achievements. Homan’s donation to the Smithsonian Institution included, among many others, essays and dies and proof plates of New South Wales, French stampless covers, postal fiscal stamps of the Austrian monarchy, essays of Paraguay, and die proofs of Honduran, Liberian, and San Salvadoran stamps.

Homan, a man of many interests and talents, studied electrical engineering, earned a law degree, and worked as a statistician before forming the Homan-Krassa partnership. He served as a flight instructor during WW II. An amateur photographer, his work appeared in Life and other major magazines.

Mary T. Sheahan, National Postal Museum