John N. (John Nicholas) Luff

Born in New York City in 1860, John Nicholas Luff became one of the best-known stamp experts of his era. He worked as an editor and writer in the philatelic world and was closely associated with major reference works, including the Scott catalog, helping collectors identify and understand stamps with greater accuracy.

Luff also wrote influential books on stamp collecting, including practical guides and studies of United States issues. His work stood out for being careful, methodical, and useful to both advanced collectors and readers just getting started.

He died in 1938, but his reputation lasted well beyond his lifetime. In American philately, he is remembered as an important scholar and organizer whose writing helped turn stamp collecting into a more serious field of study.