SENF BROTHERS

Fig. Emil Louis Richard Senf and Wilhelm August Louis Senf.

Wilhelm August Louis Senf (1852-1940), was born on August 2, 1852 at Leipzig, Germany.

Emil Louis Richard Senf (1855-1941), was born on August 2, 1855 at Leipzig, Germany.

The younger brother Richard published his first stamp price list on March 22, 1872. Since he was not of legal age to apply for a license as a dealer in Leipzig he ran the company under a pseudonym H. Werninick & Co., London, S.E.

In 1874, Richard Senf published a Universal Directory listing all the stamp dealers of every country.

Richard Senf published a stamp journal, the Illustriertes Briefmarken Journal, in Leipzig, Germany, beginning January 1, 1874. By July 7, 1874, Louis purchased the magazine from his brother Richard.

Fig. The first issue of Illustriertes Briefmarken Journal, in Leipzig, Germany, beginning January 1, 1874.

By April 1, 1880 the two brothers joined together to form the Senf Brothers publishing together Illustriertes Briefmarken Journal.

As the name suggests the contents of each issue contained full color facsimile replicas of all the new stamps issues worldwide. This was tempting to many to cut these stamps out of the magazines and pass them on as forgeries.

Fig. Illustriertes Briefmarken Journal, Vol. 14, No. 1, January 8 (1887) Courtesy Lupia Numismatic Library.

In 1890, Louis Senf left the company. Richard Senf was the sole proprietor of the "Senf Brothers" until he retired in 1910.

By 1903 Wilhelm August Louis Senf began a new business W. A. Senf & Company that sold stamps until 1953, more than a decade after his demise.

Fig. Heinrich Neubauer.

In 1910, Richard Senf resigns and hands over his company to his son-in-law, Heinrich Neubauer.

Wilhelm August Louis Senf died on February 12, 1940.

Emil Louis Richard Senf died on January 17, 1941.

Bibliography:

Varro E. Tyler, “The Gebrüder Senf Facsimiles”, The American Philatelic Congress Book 34 (1968): 193.