Kedrowsky as collector (04/06/03)

Kedrowsky as collector

While serving in various Ukrainian governmental positions, Volodymyr Kedrowsky began to collect Ukrainian stamps and banknotes. During the time that he lived in Austria, he was able to organize his collection. He provided information for the stamp catalogue of Hugo Michel, Germany's leading philatelic reference. Printed in 1923 or 1924, the catalogue was the most complete and accurate reference of Ukrainian stamps at that time.

Kedrowsky also disposed of a large portion of his collection. The well-known German collector, dealer and auctioneer Heinrich Kohler of Berlin acquired many of his items. Kohler was purported to have amassed a most extensive collection of Ukrainian philatelic issues - over 32,000 stamps. How this collection was eventually disposed of is unknown. Kohler exhibited portions of his Ukraine collection in October 1926 at the International Philatelic Exhibition in New York City.

Shortly after coming to the United States, Kedrowsky donated part of his collection to the Library of Congress. Another portion (mostly duplicates) was in the permanent collection in the old Gimbel's Department Store in New York. The fate of these stamps is also unknown.

In the late 1920s Kedrowsky contributed to and wrote articles for the Scott Stamp and Coin Co. of New York City. Throughout the late 1920s and 1930s he sold off segments of his collections of other European nations.

Kedrowsky also had a vast collection of Ukrainian paper money (banknotes). Portions of his holdings were disposed of through the years. He was recognized for his expertise regarding Ukrainian paper currency by Borys Martos (a close friend) and Yakiv Zozulia, the authors of the fine reference work "Hroshi Ukrainskoi Derzhavy, 1917-1920" (Money of the Ukrainian State, 1917-1920), published in 1972. The co-authors made it a point to recognize Kedrowsky's contribution in their work.

Figures 5 and 6 show some of the noteworthy items remaining from Kedrowsky's collection.

Additional information on Kedrowsky

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