BRODSTONE, LEWIS THEODORE

Copyright © 2011-2020 John N. Lupia III

Photograph of Lewis Theodore Brodstone published in Philatelic West and Camera News, Vol. 18, No. 1,  Supplement, issued as an insert in the January 1902 issue.

            He was a collector of paper money and stamps as well as a coin and stamp dealer and publisher of numismatic and philatelic magazines.

            Lewis Theodore Brodstone, July 20, 1872-1936, born in Monroe, Wisconsin son of Norwegian parents, Hans Olai Theodore Brodstone (1846-1881) and Mathilde Emelie Brodstone (1847-1924). His sister is Evaline Brodstone, also known as Lady Vestey (1875-1941). His other sister Katherine married and moved to the small village of Nelson, Nebraska.

Fig. 1. Eveline Brodstone, Lady Vestey.

            In 1885 he lived with his mother and sister in Beaver, Nuckolls County, Nebraska. 

            He worked for the Overland Limited, an electric lighted train on the Chicago Union Pacific & Northwestern Line.

Fig. 2.  The ultra rare The Philatelic West, Volume 1, Number 1, January 1896. Courtesy Lupia Numismatic Library, Special Collection, The Philatelic West.

            1896 Brodstone and Wilkinson published The Philatelic West, Superior Nebraska.

            In 1896 he held the Nebraska state record for  cycling two years in a row. In 1895 at 9,451 miles and in 1896 with 12,028 miles.

Fig. 3. The ultra rare The Philatelic West, Volume 2, Number 1, July 1, 1896. Courtesy Lupia Numismatic Library, Special Collection, The Philatelic West.

Fig. 4. Self-Promotion in the Philatelic West came in every issue. This ad here appeared in Volume 2, No. 3, September (1896) page 7. That was the early days when the pages were actually numbered. 

            In September 1897 at the sixth annual Convention of the Nebraska Philatelic Society Brodstone served as the secretary-treasurer.

            He changed the title of his magazine in 1898 to The Philatelic West and Camera News (1898-1907)

            In September 1903 he was engaged to Miss Madeline Keller, President of the American Souvenir Card Exchange.

            In 1904 he had a column in Youth Magazine called “Stamp Notes”. 

            In May 1905 he purchased the Journal from F. H. Stubbs.

            He changed the title of his magazine in 1907 to Philatelic West and Collectors' World (1907-1924).

Fig. 5. Philatelic West and Collectors World Post Card circular illustrated with a line drawing imitative of the design on the 10c blue, Special Postal Delivery postage stamp, Scott #E, franked by a Scott#300, postmarked May 23, 1907, Superior, Nebraska, duplex cancel. Courtesy Lupia Numismatic Library. Extremely Rare. VF. Estimate $100-$200.

Fig. 6. Philatelic West and Camera News Post Card illustrated by Emile Cohl. Addressed to Miss Katherine Lyon, Nelson, Nebraska, postmarked August 8, 1907. New Year's Dance of Stamp Rulers Bottom : From the Philatelic West And Camera News, Superior, Neb., U.S.A. The collectors magazine. Over 100 pages monthly. 12 years old. Was the first paper in America to have a Souvenir Post Card department. Organ of the largest and most Card Clubs in the U.S. Try it 3 months, 10c : 3 years, 1.00. Inscription : "My birthday had a great time at picnic today." "Hello sis - Her brother".  This was Lewis Brodstone's other sister residing in Nelson, Nebraska. Courtesy Lupia Numismatic Library. Extremely Rare. VF Estimate $150-$200

            In October 1908 he was in communication with Henry Chapman evidenced by a business envelope mailed October 5, 1908 from Superior, Nebraska.

            He applied to the ANA in October-November 1908 and joined the ANA in December 1908.

            311 Central Avenue, Superior, Nebraska.

            He joined the ANA in 1908 and is member no. 1118. He collected Nebraska Broken Bank bills and paper money.

            On October 23, 1908 he returned from a trip to Europe.

            In October 1910 he served on the Credential Committee of the International Order of Odd Fellows. He served as Major L. T. Brodstone, assistant judge advocate general, department of Nebraska, Patriarchs militant, I.O.O.F.

            In 1913 he donated a Centennial of Independence of the Netherlands medal to the Rochester Numismatic Association (RNA)

Courtesy Lupia Numismatic Library.

             In July 1919 he visited the Chicago Coin Club.

             In March 1919 his lifelong friend and editor of Nebraska History and Record of Pioneer Days, Addison E. Sheldon, wrote about Brodstone and his amazing magazine : "L. T. Brodstone of Superior is a genius. No one can read a letter he writes, but he prints the most wonderful, successful, magazine in Nebraska--the Philatelic West. It is one organ of collectors and hobby riders. It circulates all over the world. Its advertising columns are a gold mine. It tells all about the rare coins, stamps, weapons, implements, relics. It is a great popular lecturer on human history for no one can be a "bug" collector without becoming a student of history. From the latest issue we glean that one can now buy World War shrapnel for $4 each; German helmets, $3.00, French and German shell cases, 85 cents, German gas mask $2.50 and war currency at any price you please."

            On August 1, 1924 his sister Evelyn married William Lord Vestey.

            On September 20, 1924 his mother died.

            On August 21, 1925, he traveled to Southampton, England aboard the S.S. Leviathan.

Fig. 5. Brodstone Memorial Hospital. The Hospital was constructed 1927 to 1928 and donated by Lady Vestey to Superior, Nebraska. Photographic post card, Courtesy Lupia Numismatic Library.

            On September 2, 1929, he traveled to Southampton, England aboard the S.S. Leviathan. 

            In August 1930, he sold Philatelic West to Otto Curtis Lightner who renamed it Hobbies, The Magazine For Collectors.

            On October 7, 1930, he traveled to Southampton, England aboard the S.S. Majestic.

            On October 27, 1932, he traveled to Southampton, England aboard the S.S. Manhattan.

            On October 8, 1935, he traveled to Southampton, England aboard the S.S. Berengaria. He visited his sister Lady Evelyn Vestey at her estate Kingswood, Dulwich, London, England.

            On October 8, 1936, he traveled to Quebec, Canada aboard the S.S. Empress Britain.

            He died of post operative complications at Rochester, Olmstead County, Minnesota on November 10, 1936. His sister Lady Vestey donated a park to Superior, Nebraska as a memorial to her brother Lewis.

Photographs of U. S. obsolete paper money, Continental paper money, fractional currency and obsolete European bank notes with the story of Brodstone's bequeathing the collection to the Nebraska State Historical Society was published in Nebraska State Journal, Sunday, July 16, 1939, page 26

            In July 1939 Lady Vestey donated 400 paper money specimens to the Nebraska State Historical Society that belonged to her late brother Lewis.

            Lady Vestey died in a bombing at London on May 23, 1941.

            The largest hoard of Philatelic Literature ever assembled was that of William Reynolds Ricketts (1869-1956). Ricketts was inducted into the Philatelic Society Hall of Fame in 1988 for his many years creating an index to all philatelic literature. Among the hundreds of boxes of books and periodicals was a vast hoard of The Philatelic West. The hoards compiled by Ricketts were purchased by George Atkins, an insurance agent, and philatelist living near Durham, North Carolina. Atkins sold the vast hoards at Eden, North Carolina. 

Fig. 6.  Photograph of the George Atkins sale, Eden, North Carolina.

            John N. Lupia purchased all of The Philatelic West except for a few copies purchased by the American Philatelic Society (APS) for the American Philatelic Research Library (APRL). The Lupia Numismatic Library now has over 1,500 copies of The Philatelic West making it the largest known hoard of that title ever. The NumismaticMall.Com Book Store will be selling a near complete set, various complete volumes and issues. Please visit the Book Store at this website. Or, write john@numismaticmall.com