Jean Gulbenkian is a successful chemist and scientist who has devoted his life to the study and education of chemistry. But another important and lesser known part of his life is his love of collecting stamps. A philatelist is a stamp collector who adheres to various principles of philately when building their collection. Philatelists not only gather stamps but also delve into their chosen philatelic direction, study the history of mail, organize their collections and prepare them for participation in philatelic exhibitions.
At first glance, this simple and accessible definition hides a great interest. For Gulbenkian, philately represents more than a hobby; it is a profound connection to history, art and culture, offering both personal joy and a meaningful contribution to the world of stamp collecting. I had the opportunity to speak with Gulbenkian about his journey in the fields of chemistry and philately and how these two passions intertwine in his life.
How did you decide to become a chemist?
After completing school, I was torn between pursuing a career in chemistry or physics. Ultimately, I chose chemistry. I went to Moscow, graduated, became a graduate student, worked in various scientific research companies, then taught chemistry at a school. I haven’t been working for a year now. I became a pensioner, but I write articles and tutor children in chemistry.
How did you get interested in collecting stamps?
Every child has an interest at a young age: one plays football, one wants to do boxing, one draws. Stamps were acceptable, so I decided to collect them. By the way, they were not easy to collect, because few stamps were published at that time. Now let me turn to another question. Some people collect stamps only to look at them briefly and then set them aside. There is also a person who is interested in the samples he has collected, looks at them and examines them. That is philately. I started collecting stamps about cinema from the 70s. In this way, you cannot only collect for yourself, but also introduce others to your collection. When I started collecting stamps about cinema, my whole house was flooded with cinema literature, and when I got a new stamp, I knew, for example, this person wrote the script of this movie, this one is the main character of that movie, and so on. I used to get magazines about movies; I would get books at the National Library. Then there were so many books that I gave away many books due to lack of space.
In other words, have you watched almost all of the popular movies?
It is not possible to watch all movies at once. There are stamps whose films I have not seen. During the Soviet Union, many films were not available. I have attended closed viewings for many years. One day I realized that I love cinema. Unfortunately, I am not a filmmaker, but I have a great connection with cinema. The connection is the love for cinema.
How did your love for stamps begin?
When I was little, my uncle gave me an album. He collected stamps related to the Soviet Union, and I developed an interest in stamps. It is true that it was not so popular at that time, but I was interested anyway. The first stamp that caught my eye was red in color (of the Egyptian pyramids). The first stamps were on a geographical theme. At that time, they were sealed stamps. I collected most of them in the 90s, after the collapse of the Soviet Union, when it was easier to get them.
Do you have any awards or successes in this field?
I participated in a number of exhibitions and received awards and honors. I received my first big award during the exhibition dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the Genocide. On April 13, 2023, as part of the events of the 100th anniversary of Armenian cinema, an exhibition of my stamps was opened at the Cinema House in Yerevan. Harutyun Khachatryan, president of the Union of Cinematographers of Armenia, as well as artists connected with the world of cinema were also present at the opening of the exhibition. My stamps were also shown at the Golden Apricot film festival in 2023.
What is your favorite stamp about Armenian cinema?
I can’t remember. I can’t single out one. The letters written by Parajanov, Hamo Beknazaryan, Henrik Malyan, Aram Khachatryan and many other people were very important to me. It was difficult to collect all this, but everything was collected slowly, after which it should be arranged according to years and topics. This was not easy either. I don’t remember how I got most of the stamps anymore, but some stamps have a special story — for example, Parajanov’s letter to his wife and son from the detention center. To get it, I gave Zaven Sargsyan, the former director of the Sergei Parajanov Museum, three magazines in which there were exclusive articles about the director.
My interest is not only in cinema but also Calouste Gulbenkian. We tried to understand in time whether there is a blood relation or not. We didn’t find it. My father once met Nubar Gulbenkian, the son of Calouste Gulbenkian, but they did not find anything in common. My father, Khoren Gulbenkian, was a biologist by profession.
Do you donate stamps?
I give them to people who love and collect them. If they have to collect it just for beauty or stop in the middle, it is better not to collect it. In the Soviet years, almost everyone was involved in philately, because parents gave their children colorful stamps and instilled a love for them. Today, children’s philately almost does not exist. The main reason is that stamps are very expensive. Although they are sold in all postal services, they are not affordable. Dealing in philately is an expensive pleasure․ I would very much like my grandchildren to continue my hobby, but modern children have other interests and occupations.
Where do you get the stamps?
First of all, I want to say that a stamp is not only something to stick on a letter, but also a business for many countries. For example, there are small countries where stamps are sold at high prices, because they are very beautiful and expensive. We, the philatelists, can be said to be the main beneficiaries of that business. Sometimes we exchange with other philatelists. Sometimes we sell this or that stamp to buy another stamp. Sometimes even by selling it, we are able to solve certain financial problems.
Anna Harutyunyan
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