Paulo Rodolpho Comelli

FRPSL, MCBF, APF, APS, CCNY, CNP/ Setembro 2002
Fellow da Royal Philatelic Society London,

Presidente da Câmara Brasileira de Filatelia, entre 1990 a 2003,

Membro da Academia Portuguesa de Filatelia,

Sócio da American Philatelic Society, Collectors Club de Nova York,

Clube Nacional do Porto - Portugal

Membro do Clube Filatélico do ParaguayFund

Jurado Internacional da FIP.

 Rio de Janeiro (RJ) - 1943, Belo Horizonte (MG) -2011.

He started in philately at the age of 15, at the encouragement of his father who was also a collector. He specialized in classic stamps and Postal History of Brazil. Comelli used to say:'Philately is an auxiliary science of history. It helps to create awareness of citizenship in children and adolescents, through historical / geographical aspects and the cult of the tradition that it entails. Philately should be a compulsory subject in school curricula '.

Paulo Comelli was one of the most awarded Brazilian exhibitors. His collections received a total of 19 medals (7 Gold and 12 Gold Grande), both in national and international exhibitions.

The collection of the Brazilian empire, 'Dom Pedro II (1866 - 1878) - American Bank Note', was awarded a total of 15 medals (7 Gold 8 Gold Great), in addition to 6 major prizes / special prizes, between 1985 (BRAPEX - Belo Horizonte, Brazil) and 1996 (CAPEX - Toronto, Canada).
 

The collection 'Brazilian Mail to Foreign Destinations - From Correio Mor to UPU'   was awarded 4 Gold Grande medals, in the following exhibitions:

- STAMPSHOW 2002, Atlantic City, USA (grand prize).
- ESPAÑA 2006, Malaga, Spain.
- EFIRO 2008 - Bucharest, Romania.
- INDIPEX 2011 - New Delhi, India (FIP grand prize).

 

In addition to being an emeritus collector / exhibitor, Paulo Comelli was also a great researcher, having written hundreds of articles on traditional Brazilian philately, postal history, forgeries of the classical period, etc. These articles were published both in national and international magazines. In FEFIBRA's magazine A Filatelia Brasileira , he also published several studies on counterfeiting. From his collection on Dom Pedro II, a book with 638 pages was born, In the last two years he had been working on the elaboration of another book, 'Carimbo do Império in Rio Grande do Sul'.

'Roll of Distinguished Philatelists (RDP)'is a prize instituted in 1921 by the Philatelic Congress of Great Britain. On November 24, 2007, Paulo Comelli had his name included in the RDP.

In Philately, both national and worldwide, Comelli held several important positions:

a) Editor of Mosaico magazine, of the Brazilian Chamber of Philately (CBF) - from 1990 to 2003.
b) President of CBF - from 1990 to 2003.
c) Vice- President of the Brazilian Philatelic Federation (FEBRAF) - from 1997 to 2001.
d) Vice President of the Inter Ameriacana Federation of Philately (FIAF) - from 1998 to 2001.
e) Director of the International Philatelic Experts Association (AIEP) - from 2006 to 2009.
f) Director of the International Philately Federation (FIP) - from 2009 to 2012 (position not completed).

He was a member of the following philatelic entities: CBF, AIEP, APS (Americam Philatelica, Society), RPSL (Royal Philatelic Society, London), CFP (Centro Filatélico del Paraguay), CCNY (The Collectors Club of New York). He was also a founding partner of FEFIBRA (Federation of Philatelists of Brazil).

PAULO RODOLPHO COMELLI passed away on the night of May 9, 2011, at the age of 68. In June 2011, the Spanish Post Office issued a personalized stamp in his honor. The English magazine STAMP MAGAZINE, in the July 2011 edition, published a note in his honor.