Ray J. Ceresa

Raymond John Ceresa (25 March 1929 – 10 June 2017) was an English chemist, stamp collector and philatelic expert on postage stamps of Russia and areas from the 1917–23 era. Ceresa wrote a five-volume monumental work on these issues.

Chemistry
Ceresa specialised in block and graft copolymers. He has written several books about the subject:
 * Block and Graft Copolymers (1963)
 * Block and Graft Copolymerization (1973)
 * Block and Graft Copolymerization: v. 2 (1975)

Collecting interests and memberships
The postage stamps of Russia and areas, Russian forgeries, Russian revenues, stamps and documents.

Ceresa was member of the board of directors of the Rossica Society of Russian Philately and was member of BSRP, UPNS, UPV, and socs. in Germany, ANZAC.

Philatelic literature
Ceresa has written a monumental work on the postage stamps of Russia in the 1917–23 era:


 * The Postage Stamps of Russia 1917–23 (1983)

Volume 1. Armenia

 * Part 1 The 60 Kopeck surcharges
 * Part 2 The Small and Medium sized Framed HP Monogram Overprints
 * Part 3 The Large sized Framed HP Monogram Overprints
 * Parts 4/5 The Unframed HP Monogram Overprints
 * Parts 6/7 the 1, 3 and 5 Rouble HH Surcharges
 * Parts 8/9 The 10, 25, 50, and 100 Rouble HH Surcharges
 * Parts 10/13 The Pictorial Issues and Surcharges

Volume 2. Ukraine

 * Parts 1/2 The Trident Issues of Odesa Types I to IV
 * Parts 3/4 The Trident Issues of Odesa Types V and VI
 * Parts 5/6 The Trident Issues of Katerinoslav and Poltava
 * Parts 7/8 The Trident Issues of Kharkiv Types I, II and III
 * Parts 9/13 The Trident Issues of Kyiv Types I, II and III (TEXT)
 * Parts 9/13 The Trident Issues of Kyiv Types I, II and III (PLATES)
 * Parts 14/19 The Trident Issues of Podilia Types Ia to XVIe (TEXT)
 * Parts 14/19 The Trident Issues of Podilia Types Ia to XVIe (PLATES)
 * Parts 20/23 The Special Trident Issues (TEXT)
 * Parts 20/23 The Special Trident Issues (PLATES)
 * Parts 24/26 The Shahiv, Hryven and Vienna Issues. (TEXT)
 * Parts 24/26 The Shahiv, Hryven and Vienna Issues. (PLATES)

Volume 3. Armies and Post Offices

 * Parts 1/2 North Western and Northern Armies
 * Parts 3/5 Siberia, Far East and Related Issues
 * Parts 6/12 South Russia and Russian Refugee Post Issues (TEXT & PLATES "A")
 * Parts 6/12 South Russia and Russian Refugee Post Issues (PLATES "B")
 * Parts 13/15 Russian Post Offices in China
 * Parts 16/18 Russian Post Offices in the Levant and White Armies
 * Parts 19/21 Addenda to North Western and Northern Armies, Siberia and F.E.R.
 * Parts 22/24 Addenda to Issues for S. Russia, Crimea, White Armies & P.O.'s etc.

Volume 4. Transcaucasia

 * Parts 1/5 Azerbaijan sections A and B
 * Parts 6/7 Sections C1 and CII
 * Parts 8/12 Georgia Sections A and B
 * Parts 13/16 Batum sections A and B

Volume 5. The RSFSR

 * Parts 1/5 October 1917 to early March 1920
 * Parts 6/9 March 1920 to August 1921 Armavir to Kharkiv
 * Parts 10/12 Mar1920 to Aug 1921 Kharkov to Zkukovka
 * Parts 13/18 Definitive issues of 1921
 * Parts 13/18 Provisional and Commemorative issues
 * Parts 19/25 1922 issues
 * Parts 19/25 1922 issues continued
 * Parts 26/29 1923 Star Surcharges
 * Parts 30/31 1923 Small Heads
 * Parts 32/40 Late 1923 issues

Supplement:


 * Russian Postage Stamps 1917–1923 Pocket Forgery Guide (2004–2005)
 * Part 1 Russia – North Western Army, Kopeck Values
 * Part 2 Russia- North Western Army, Ruble Values
 * Part 3 Armenia – 60 Kopeck Overprints
 * Part 4A Russia – Ukraine, Odessa Type I
 * Part 4B Russia – Ukraine, Odessa Type II Tridents
 * Part 5 Russia – Northern Army
 * Part 6 Armenia – Small Framed HP Monograms
 * Part 7A Russia – Ukraine, Odessa Type III Tridents
 * Part 8 Russia – Western Army Overprints
 * Part 9 Armenia – Medium Framed HP Monograms
 * Part 10 Russia – Ukraine Odessa Types V
 * Part 11 Russia – Ukraine Odessa Types VI
 * Part 12 South Russia – Don Territory, Kossack Government
 * Part 13 Russia – Siberia, Far Eastern Republic
 * Parts 19/20 Russia – Siberia Priamur and Maritime Provinces and Soviet Far East Issues

Articles in philatelic journals
Ceresa authored many articles in journals of Russian Philatelic Societies.
 * Rossica.
 * Pochta.
 * BJRP – The British Journal of Russian Philately.
 * Ямщик – The Post-Rider.

Honors and awards
Dr. Ray Ceresa was awarded many times for his exhibits and literature. An incomplete list:


 * STAMPEX 2011, Large Vermeil – Revenue Class: 'The Revenue Stamps Used in Armenia from 1918 to 1930'.
 * ROSSICAPEX 2009, Silver medals for two exhibits Armenian Revenues – Their Use on Receipts 1918–1924 and The Trident Revenues of Podolia, Ukraine, 1919 from the American Revenue Association.
 * CHICAGOPEX 2007 Palmares, Silver Bronze – category Literature: 'Russian Postage Stamps  1917–1923, Pocket Forgery Guide, Booklets 8 (Russia – Western Army) and 10A (Russia – Ukraine, Odessa Type Va Tridents).
 * CHICAGOPEX 2006 Palmares, Vermeil – category Literature: 'Russian Postage Stamps  1917–1923, Pocket Forgery Guide, Booklets 7B and 9'.
 * CHICAGOPEX 2004 Palmares, Silver – category Literature: 'Russian Postage Stamps  1917–1923, Pocket Forgery Guide, Booklets 1-4B'.