The Grosvenor team are always working with your interests in mind. We provide you with a highly experienced in-house team of philatelic professionals backed by an exceptional team of consultants covering all aspects of the philatelic world. Below are the Grosvenor team credentials and roles.
Grosvenor Team
James Grist
Chairman, Auctioneer
James grew up in a Devon rectory and chose to become a professional auctioneer after reading Medieval & Modern Languages at Oxford. Specialising in British Empire countries, James worked previously for both Harmers and Phillips before joining with Andrew Claridge and Nick Mansell to found Grosvenor Auctions in 1997. Among many collecting fields, James has special interests in the Falkland Islands, Antarctica and Pacific Islands. He is married with two children and lives in South West France, travelling regularly to London.
Glyn Page
Director
Glyn joined HR Harmer in 1965 where he was a describer until 1976 specialising in Foreign Countries. He subsequently joined Argyll Etkin Ltd, researching postal history and pricing stock, and in 1986 became a senior describer for Phillips (later Bonhams). He has five daughters and he enjoys spending time in Spain.
Tom Margalski
Office Manager, Director
Tom joined Grosvenor in 2012 after graduating from the University of Kent with a degree in History. He is most clients’ first point of contact and is responsible for the whole range of client services including private and public viewing. Tom’s many responsibilities also include supervision of the scanning of philatelic items, as well as the preparation and despatch of auction lots.
Tom lives in Luton with his partner and is particularly fond of any philatelic item larger than A4 size.
Constanze Dennis
Managing Director, Auctioneer
Constanze began life in the beautiful market town of Chesterfield before reading physics at Oxford University. She joined Sandafayre as a philatelic describer in 2012 moving to Grosvenor in March 2014.
Constanze lives in Luton and enjoys modular origami, computer games and contemporary Middle Eastern art.
Charles Napper
Consultant
Charles worked as a botanist for fourteen years in Cambridge after graduating from university in 1973. He then entered the philatelic trade in 1989, joining Stanley Gibbons Auctions in 1990. He subsequently joined Phillips (later Bonhams) in 1992 as a describer and valuer, responsible for cataloguing Great Britain, British Commonwealth and Foreign countries, and travelling throughout the country and overseas looking at collections and conducting valuation days, before leaving to join Grosvenor.
Charles lives in Cambridge, and has two sons.
Stuart Billington
Consultant
Stuart Billington joined Grosvenor in 2005, as a part time consultant having previously been head of department at Philips (later Bonhams) between 1999 and 2005. With Phillips and Bonhams he spent much time travelling, about 50,000 a miles a year. As part of the Grosvenor team Stuart spends most of his time visiting clients and carrying out valuations. Stuart’s main areas of interest are in the Commonwealth, China and Egypt.
Stuart can be contacted by email, maddocksfarm@hotmail.co.uk, or mobile +44 7749 750 372.
Andrew Williams
Consultant
Andrew was recruited to the Grosvenor team in 2009 initially for his expertise in information technology and publishing. Since then he developed a strong, diverse knowledge of many philatelic areas, his personal collections including the challenging territories of Moldavia & Walachia, Serbia and Montenegro, as well as studies of the fakes and forgeries of the world. His many outside interests include rugby, fencing and the history and coinage of Imperial Rome.
Tristan Brittain
Consultant
Tristan Brittain joined Grosvenor in January 2005. His interest in stamps started in the early 1970s when he was given a large packet of Malayan stamps. After finishing school in Wokingham he went to work for Stanley Gibbons, gaining a useful knowledge of Commonwealth and GB including Postal History. After leaving Stanley Gibbons he worked with various dealers to widen his experience, and travelled frequently to Hong Kong where he developed an extensive knowledge of Asian philately.
Peter Rennie
Consultant
Peter’s interest started at an early stage and continued through the stages of stamp club trading, part time dealing, to 20 years as a full time dealer in all things philatelic.
Peter was employed in the international steamship trade for over 30 years . He has represented Grosvenor for the last 3 years, previously having been a consultant for both Philips and Bonhams arranging and participating in many valuation days in Eastern Canada.
Born in Epsom, Peter emigrated to Canada at age 19. He is married for 48 years, has 4 children, 2 boys and 2 girls, and 8 grandchildren.
Robert P. Odenweller
Consultant
Robert is one of the foremost philatelists in the U.S.A., a researcher, expert, writer, exhibitor and judge. He is a signatory to the Roll of Distinguished Philatelists, a past-president of The Collectors Club (New York) and an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Philatelic Societies in both London and New Zealand. His many philatelic awards include the Lindenberg, Lichtenstein and Luff Awards, and the Smithsonian Philatelic Achievement Award. As an exhibitor his first issues of New Zealand received the APS “Champion of Champions” award, and the F.I.P. Grand Prix d’Honneur. He is currently the senior active F.I.P. judge worldwide, and has been an AIEP expert since 1980.
Stephen D. Schumann
Consultant
Stephen has been a member of the American Philatelic Society for 50 years, the Royal Philatelic Society, London for 36 years and has been active in organised philately for over 40 years. He has served as an elected Director (1989-1991), Member of the Fakes and Forgeries Committee (1990-1998), Committee on Accreditation of National Exhibitions and Judges (2000-2008), and Chairman of the International Committee (1998- present). A trustee of the American Philatelic Research Library since 2009, he received the Luff Award for Exceptional Contributions of Philately in 2007 and became a Vooys Fellow of the American Philatelic Research Library in 2008. In recognition of his philatelic contributions he was invited to sign the Roll of Distinguished Philatelists in 2015.
Charles Bromser
Consultant
Charles is a well-known and respected figure in Australian philately, a writer and international judge with a broad range of personal interests, including astrophilately, Dutch East Indies airmails and post-war Germany. His extensive knowledge and long experience will be an invaluable source of advice for collectors considering the many advantages of sale in London.