Jal Cooper

Jal Manekji Cooper, FRGS (d. 1972), was an Indian and the author of several philatelic handbooks.

Cooper was both a stamp dealer [http://www.stampsofindia.com/newssite/vando/trans-001.htm Philately in Transition in India] and a collector. Living in Bombay (present day Mumbai), he was associated with other philatelists like C. D. Desai, [Cooper, Jal; Foreword to the auction catalog: The Unique Collection of India offered by order of the Executors of the late Mr. C. D. Desai, F.R.P.S.L., Robson Lowe (London), May 25 and 26, 1949. Sale Nos. 838-841.] N. D. Cooper, and Robson Lowe.

Cooper's expertise in Indian philately is well known. He is occasionally but erroneously credited with having discovered the Inverted Head 4 Annas. The 1891 reprints show that this error was already known. E. A. Smythies said the error was first discovered at a meeting of the Philatelic Society of London in 1874. [http://www.geocities.com/mjshah.geo/articles/classic_error.html E. A. Smythies, "A Classic Stamp Error," "American Philatelist," pp. 59, 60 [1950] .]

The 'Jal Cooper Philatelic Society', in Varanasi, India is named after him.

Publications

* "Stamps of India", Bombay (1942), 177 pp.; reprint: Bombay (1968).
* "Early Indian Cancellations", Bombay (1948) 92 pp.; reprint: Bombay (1993).
* "India Used Abroad" Western Printers and Publishers Press of Bombay (1950) 100 pp.; reprinted in "India's Stamp Journal" (1972)
* "India Used In Burma" Western Printers and Publishers Press of Bombay (1950) 67 pp.

References