[2] His two main collections were of Japanese stamps (later acquired by Philipp von Ferrary) and of postal stationery (later in the ownership of Thomas Tapling).

[2] He accepted and travelled from his residence in Croydon to Buckingham Palace two or three times a week until his death to work on the collection, to buy stamps, to receive items from the post offices in the United Kingdom, and the British Dominions and colonies, and to mount all this in uniform red stamp albums,[8] while Tilleard had accumulated and mounted only when the King was preparing an exhibition at the Royal Philatelic Society London.

[9] Whereas deafness[10] isolated Bacon from the others members of the Royal Court, he alone succeeded in balancing the collection's budget when the King bought a lot and to mount every project, essay and issued stamp received.

Even if Kings Edward VIII and George VI were less enthusiastic stamp collectors than their father, they made sure that all British and colonial postal authorities continued to send philatelic material to the Curator.

John Wilson was quickly chosen because, as President of the Royal Philatelic Society London and chairman of its Expert Committee, he already knew the collection well.