BARRETT, SIDNEY FRANCIS

Copyright 2011-2025 John N. Lupia

Sidney Francis Barrett (1892-1958) was born on October 5, 1892, in Manhattan, New York.

Edward Stern (1881-1953), Eugene N. Costales, and Sidney Barrett traded as the Economist Stamp Company, Nassau Street, New York. The firm did business for forty four years from 1904 to 1948.  Edward Stern,  Eugene N. Costales, and Sidney Barrett were life members of the APS and Collector's Club, New York. Economist Stamp began by Edward Stern in 1904.  Ed Stern was a trustee in the Sons of Philately from 1902- 1903.  Stern worked closely with Victor M. Berthold, John Murray Batlels, and A. Krassa especially on postal stationery indicia varieties and the paper on which they were printed. Sidney F. Barrett joined the firm in 1922 as Secretary and Treasurer and partner from 1929 to 1951. Eugene N. Costales became a partner from 1926 to 1932.

The 1904 Trow's New York Copartnership and Corporation Directory lists Edward Stern the owner of Economist Stamp Company, 79 Nassau Street, New York, New York, and was a registered trade name in the state of New York.

Ed Stern's address was  2113 Third Avenue, New York and the shop located at 79 Nassau Street. Postmarked registered London June 8, 1904 arrived in New York June 16, 1904. In 1906 Stern moves his residence to 102 Nassau Street. write john@numismaticmall.com

June 30, 1908 sent to Philatelic Hall of Fame, William R. Ricketts, Forty Forty, Pennsylvania. Receioving camcel July 1 9 AM, 1908. Stern's corner card with octagonal designed address label on while rectangular stamp on Postal Stationery #U383. $600 write john@numismaticmall.com

In 1909, 17 year old Sidney F. Barrett joined the Manhattan Stamp Co., as a full time stamp dealer.

Stern's advertisement in the American Philatelist Vol. 23, No. 3, May (1910) : 22

Stern's advertisement in the American Philatelist, Vol. 25, No. 1, November (1911) : 137

Stern's advertisement for their 1911 Price List  in the American Philatelist, Vol. 25, No. 1, November (1911) : 126.  By August 1912 the new address was 87 Nassau Street, New York, New York.

Stern's address is 87 Nassau Street, New York City, New York changed from 79 Nassau Street, postmarked registered October 8, 1912 sent to ANA Member #1542 and APS Member # 1421, Dr. Walton I. Mitchell (-1960), Wichita, Kansas. Printed corner card and Cinderella/ label as seal on the back flap. $400 write john@numsimaticmall.com

Economist Stamp Co., postmarked January 30, 1917, RPO Hudson Terminal Station, New York with Schermack to stamp dealer, E. H. Van Siclen, New York, New York addressed to his day job office at Johns Mansville Co., a manufacturer and marketer of building materials, including insulation, commercial roofing, and other products derived from materials like asbestos. Their New York operations were part of a larger corporation that began with the 1901 merger of the H.W. Johns Manufacturing Co. (New York) and the Manville Covering Co. (Wisconsin). 

Economist Stamp Co., postmarked June 27, 1917 to Frank Emerson Greene, Balboa Heights, Canal Zone. write john@numismaticmall.com

In 1919, Eugene N. Costales lived in Brooklyn, New York and was APS Member #4846.

Economist Stamp Co., postmarked registered June 10, 1919 to renowned philatelist, Fred Melville, London, England. Cinderellas on back as flap seals, sending and receiving cancels. write john@numsimaticmall.com

Sidney Barrett served in the army during WWI until March 21, 1919. He joined Stanley Gibbons firm after his military duty. 

In 1922, Eugene N. Costales working for Scott Stamp & Coin Co.

Discovery of 2¢ perf 11-1/2 to 12 somewhat irregular forgery by Edward Stern was reported in  The Stamp Collectors" Fortnightly, Vol. 23, No. 704, Saturday March 4 (1922) : 76. This was when Sidney Barrett began as Secretary and Treasurer in the Economist Stamp Co.

In the early 1920's Edward Stern purchased part of the late Czar Nicholas' collection.

In 1923, Eugene N. Costales working for Scott Stamp & Coin Co., compiled the 1923 Edition of Scott's Specialized United States Catalogue of Postage Stamps.

Ed Stern sells the C. F. Heyerman collection of 1869 pictorial and Pan-American inverts to Col. Edward H. R. Green.

In 1924, Eugene N. Costales working for Scott Stamp & Coin Co., compiled the 1924 Edition of Scott's Specialized United States Catalogue of Postage Stamps.

In 1924 The Weekly Philatelic Gossip, Vol. 9, N. 39,  reported a slur against Ed Stern by "warning from Latvia" and defended his reputation in the December 27, 1924 issue. Stern had travelled to Russia with Maurice Sherman reporting on the state of philately there which was published in the July 5, 1924, issue of the The Weekly Philatelic Gossip.

In 1926 Eugene N. Costales became a partner in Economist Stamp Co. 

In 1927 Sidney Barrett and Edward Stern were elected on the 15 member board of directors of the Association For Stamp Exhibitions to serve until March 1930. The list of all the board members reads like the Who's Who of Philately including : Charles M. Ams, Fernal Hutchins, Eugene Klein, John J. Klemann, Jr., Edward S. Knapp, John N. Luff, H. C. Needham, S. Newbury, C. J. Phillips, Joseph Solomon Rich, B. Schlesinger, George B. Sloane, and A. H. Wilhelm.

In 1929, Sidney Barrett became a partner in the Economist Stamp Company and remained with the firm until 1951.

In 1929, Edward Stern bought a collection for $100,000 that was formerly owned by Sir Nicholas Waterhouse, a fellow of the Royal Philatelic Society of London. 

First Flight Peru to New York, May 17, 1929, back stamped Cristobal, Canal Zone. $300 write john@numismaticmall.com

In 1930, Stern exhibited at the Collectors Club, New York, his collection of signatures of the Presidents of the United States on covers and several signers of the Declaration of Independence, including a rare one of Benjamin Franklin. 

In 1931, while at Paris, he sold to King George V a part of a collection of rare stamps of British Colonies, previously owned by an American collector.

In 1932, Costales left Economist Stamp Co. to establish his own independent firm under his own name. 

In 1942 Sidney Barrett was issued a draft card listing his wife May E. Barrett.

Sidney Barrett was the Treasurer of the American Stamp Dealers Association, and later on president.

Ed Stern traded at 299 Madison Avenue, New York at the end of his career and died on November 6, 1953. The Airpost Journal published his obituary written by Sidney Barrett.

Ed Stern Collection was sold at Parke-Bernet on March 15, 1955. 

Sidney Barrett  lived at 340 East 57th Street, New York City, New York.

Sidney Barrett  died in Eastern Long Island Hospital, Greenport, on June 20, 1958, four months before his 66th birthday,

Sidney Barrett is buried in the Emily F. French Memorial Cemetery, Shelter Island, Suffolk County, New York.

Bibliography:

The Record American, June 20, 1958, page 1, obit 

Stamps, Vol. 85, (1953) : 295 obit on Stern