RMS BULLETIN NO. 538 May/June 2009

V. A. Hospitals [by Win Lang, Golden Orange bulletin, June 1979]

Do NOT confuse covers issued by military branch hospitals and Veterans Administration hospitals. At the end of World War Two, 176 V.A. hospitals existed, with at least one in every state and one in Puerto Rico. Many are now long gone.

Almost all...there seems to be a question about a very few...issued a 40 strike cover, in dark blue, either with silver or with gold ink overlay. Some read ―Billboard‖ inside, some did not. Each had a sketch of its building on the back. There are any number of variations, such as striker and/or paper colors, etc.

Eventually the V.A. went to one universal cover and there are at least five different sets of such covers. We are here concerned with individual issues.

Here is a list [of hospital locations] as authenticated by the V.A. An asterisk * means no covers known:

Alabama: Birmingham, Montgomery, Tuscaloosa, Tuskegee. Arizona: Phoenix, Tucson, Whipple. Arkansas: Fayetteville, Little Rock. California: Fresno, Livermore, Long Beach, Los Angeles, Martinez*, Oakland, Palo Alto, San Francisco, San Fernando, Sepulveda. Colorado: Denver, Ft. Lyons, Grand Junction. Connecticut: Newington, West Haven. Delaware: Wilmington. Florida: Bay Pines, Coral Cables, Gainesville*, Lake City, Miami*. continued on p.3 2 RMS Bulletin May/June 2009, No. 538

The President’s Message OFFICIAL REVISION DATE COMING UP FOR RMS WEB Spring arrived on March 20th and I'm sure after our long cold and snowy winter everyone is glad. SITE

Spring brings lots of good things, such as All classified ads end their six-month run on flowers. green grass, Passover, Easter and June 30th. It‘s time to renew current ads and/or matchcover swapfests. send in new ones. 50 words+name,address for $10 (check made out to RMS). Literally global Many attending the Southern Swapfest reported advertising for six months for only $10...can‘t it was a huge success. The Sierra-Diablo, Trans- beat that! Send text and check to the Ed. Canada, AMCAL and United Eastern Swapfests are all fast approaching and hopefully you will be And, are you advertising your wants elsewhere able to attend one or all of them. The Forest City on the RMS web site? You can be listed on the Club is having a one day auction in May and they Collectors On-Line database, the Category- hope you will attend. Collector database, and the Trading Center...all free! Just send the appropriate info into the RMS is five months away. I hope you have Ed...and voilá! your reservations made as the United Eastern Club is promising all of us a great time. Send in THE RMS BULLETIN your auction lots, nominations for Hall of Fame and Outstanding Collector. Information was The RMS Bulletin is a bimonthly publication of the included in the last RMS bulletin. Start working Rathkamp Matchcover Society. RMS dues are $20 (single), $25 (single) for Canada and $35 (single) for on a great display for the convention and also one overseas. Add. family members are $4 each. Dues are for a swapfest you are attending. to be submitted to Treasurer. All articles, advertisements, comments, and letters should be sent Contact your local library and do a display or to the Editor. Publication dates are: Sept., Nov., Jan, contact your local newspaper and do an article Mar., May, and Jul. Deadline for all submissions is 30 days before the publication month. This publication is about matchcover collecting and invite everyone owned by the Rathkamp Matchcover Society and is to attend a swapfest or the RMS Convention. made available for public distribution through first class (Canadian and overseas) and bulk mail rates. Take some time to write a new collector encouraging them to attend a swapfest and send RMS WEB SITE: http://www.matchcover.org them a few matchcovers and send a note and a RMS OFFICERS (2008-2010): few matchcovers to a collector you haven't heard from in awhile. President: Shirley Sayers, 1290 Corporation St., Beaver, PA 15009 E-Mail: [email protected] I hope to see all of you soon at a swapfest or the 1st V.P.: Bill Gigantino, 197 Bradley Ave., Hamden, RMS Convention. CT 06514-3911 E-Mail: [email protected] 2nd V.P.: Wally Mains, 105 Roger Lane, Florence, KY 41042-2334 [email protected] Happy Spring, Secretary: Charles Specht, 2306 Belmore Dr., Cham- paign, IL 61821 E-Mail: charlesspecht@ hotmail.com RMS President, Membership/Treasurer: Terry Rowe, 1509 S. Dugan Rd., Urbana, OH 43078-9209 (937) 653-3947 E-mail: [email protected] Shirley Sayers Editor: Mike Prero, 12659 Eckard Way Auburn, CA 95603 Tel: (530) 885-3604 E-Mail: [email protected]

RMS Bulletin May/June 1996,2009, No. 460538 3 3 Georgia: Atlanta*, Augusta, Dublin*. Idaho: Boise. Illinois: Chicago, Danville, Downey, Dwight, Hines, Marion. Indiana: Fort Wayne, Indianapolis, Marion. [Ed: I don‟t know if the latter is an error] Iowa: Clinton, Des Moines, Iowa City, Knoxville. Kansas: Topeka, Wadsworth, Wichita. Kentucky: Ft. Thomas, Lexington, Louisville. Louisiana: Alexandria, New Orleans*, Shreveport*. Maine: Togus. Maryland: Baltimore, Fort Howard, Perry Point. Massachusetts: Bedford, Boston, Brockton, Northampton, Rutland Heights, West Roxbury. Michigan: Ann Arbor, Battle Creek, Dearborn, Iron Mountain, Saginaw. Minnesota: Minneapolis, St. Cloud. Mississippi: Biloxi, Jackson. Missouri: Jefferson Barracks, Kansas City, Popular Bluffs, St. Louis, Springfield*. Montana: Fort Harrison, Miles City. Nebraska: Grand Island, Omaha, Lincoln. Nevada: Reno. New Hampshire: Manchester. New Jersey: East Orange, Lyons. New Mexico: Albuquerque, Fort Bayard. New York: Albany, Batavia, Bath, Bronx, Brooklyn, Buffalo, Canadaigua, Castle Point, Montrose, Northport, New York City, Sunmount, Staten Island. North Carolina: Dunham, Fayetteville, Oteen, Salisbury. North Dakota: Fargo, Minot. Ohio: Brecksville, Chilicothe, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Dayton. Oklahoma: Muskogee, Oklahoma City. Oregon: Camp White, Portland, Roseburg*. Pennsylvania: Altoona, Butler, Coatsville, Aspinwall, Erie, Lebanon, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Wilkes-Barre. Rhode Island: Providence. South Carolina: Charleston*, Columbia. Tennessee: Memphis, Mountain Home, Murfreesboro, Nashville. Texas: Amarillo, Big Spring, Bonham, Dallas, Houston, Marlin, McKinney*, Kerrville*, Temple, Waco. Utah: Salt Lake City. Vermont: White River Junction. Virginia: Kecoughtan, Richmond, Roanoke, Salem*. Washington: American Lake, Seattle, Spokane, Vancouver, Walla Walla. Washington, DC: Washington, DC. West Virginia: Beckley, Clarksburg, Huntington, Martinsburg. Wisconsin: Madison, Tomah, Waukesha, Wood. Wyoming: Cheyenne, Sheridan. Puerto Rico: San Juan.

Any definite knowledge of existing covers from those with an asterisk will be appreciated. The Army, Navy, and Marines each had their own hospitals and R&R Centers in various locations. Many issued covers. (The Coast Guard and the C.B. came under the Navy. There was no U.S. Air Force at this time, but the U.S. Army Air Corps came under the Army) Again, these hospitals continued on p.14 4 RMS Bulletin May/June 2009, No. 538 Show ‘em What You’ve Got!

UES Display Categories June 17-20, 2009, Plaza Hotel, Hagerstown, MD (1-800-732-0906)

Club Presenting Category Restrictions -Berks County MC Filigrees None -New MC ? -Tri-State Cardinal MC Birds (No chickens) None -Connecticut MC Soda Covers Only -Penn-Ohio MC Funeral Homes No Albums -MARVA Donkeys & Elephants None -Garden State MC Vegetables Covers Only -Keystone/Lehigh MC General Transportation None -Trans Canada MC Best Canadian None -Forest City MC Judge's Choice None -Liberty Bell MC Pets no albums -Huggable Bears MC Bears None -Empire MC Chain Restaurants None -UES First Time Winner -UES Open -UES Best of Show

Special thanks to Stella WiIliams for most of this info. Current Club Sizes ? Penn-Ohio Matchcover Club 140 Angelus Matchcover Club 30 Phillu-Quebec Enrg. ? Badger Matchcover Club 42 Rocky Mountain MC 12 Berks County Matchcover Club 86 San Diego Matchcover Club 64 Connecticut Matchcover Club 157 Sierra-Diablo MC 75? Denver Strikers Matchcover Club 81 Southeastern MC 75 Empire Matchcover Club ? Southern Ontario MC 52 Forest City Matchcover Club 73 Tobacco Club ? Garden State Matchcover Club 96 Trans Canada Matchcover Club 111 Girlie Matchcover Club 89 Tri-State Cardinal MC 48 Great Lakes Matchcover Club 22 Windy City Matchcover Club 42 Huggable Bears Club ? Keystone-Lehigh Matchcover Club It‘s interesting that the three 89 Liberty Bell Matchcover Club largest clubs are all in Califor- 69 Lone Star Matchcover Club nia, rather than the East. 294 Long Beach Matchcover Club ? MARVA Matchcover Club 35 New England Matchcover Club 71 New Moon Matchbox & Label Club ? Northern Lites Matchcover Club Based on information gath- 60 Pacific Northwest Coast Matchbook Collectors Club ered in March 2009 RMS Bulletin May/June 2009, No. 538 5 she'd check on the others the next time she got What’s New! down there, Since they were a gift I didn't inquire by Joe DeGennaro about the cost. I wish you could see them in color since they are really quite beautiful. They appear to be six boxes glued together and then the large label glued on top of them. I hope you enjoy them. Happy Hunting! ______Other Ways of Fixing Covers?

Ref last issue‘s RMS Insta-Poll dealing with doctoring/fixing covers, Dean Hodgdon, OK, sent in these:

[continued on p. 21]

A friend of mine who lives in Tampa recently sent me the two large boxes pictured. She found them in a shop in St. Augustine, thought they were very colorful and felt I might enjoy them, When I thanked her and asked her about them she said she couldn't remember the name of the shop but that there were others available yet these were the most interesting. She said 6 RMS Bulletin May/June 2009, No. 538

Russian Souvenir Set (2) - 2007

Here‘s a second Russian souvenir set (see last issue for the first); this one consists of 12 boxes. Notice, as with the first set, there are no strikers. It‘s common in Europe for the factory to sell sets to collectors like this. See p. 19 for the remaining three boxes. [all have been reduced] [Thanks to Hans Everink, Netherlands, for these] RMS Bulletin May/June 2009, No. 538 7

though used to some extent in Latin-America, were rarely seen in the United States.

When the average man wanted to light his cigar, he generally fished out a lucifer match out The Tortured History of the of a bunch loose in his pocket and struck it on his trousers, though frequent applications tended to Match: III add an unwonted shine to the cloth. [Excerpted from Diamond Match Company‟s Fifty Years of Match Making 1878-1928] During the last half-century matches and the [so keep in mind that this was written in 1928] whole match industry have gone through a revolution which has not only created an The everyday life of fifty years ago, as essentially new product, but has transformed compared to that of the present, would probably match making from a dangerous, and in places show as many contrasts as resemblances, and the fatal, hand trade, to a healthful and almost contrasts would certainly be more striking...The automatic process. electric motor and gas engine had just been invented, but were not yet put to work, while the Fifty years ago the match most in use in this gasoline engine was not originated until a few country and elsewhere was the so-called Lucifer. years later… This was made with white or yellow phosphorus and sulphur. The phosphorus was noxious to work Buildings were still built of stone instead of with, and the sulphur emitted santanic fumes steel, and, as a consequence, were limited to half a while burning. Of these objections, the poison of dozen stories. Portland cement was just being the phosphorus was infinitely more important, but introduced into the United States. The elevated was less noticeable to the consumer. railway in New York was being constructed, and was considered a triumph, though at present The odors of the Lucifer match were so certain streets are calling for its destruction. objectionable that parlor matches were devised to save the air of the parlor from contamination. The telephone had just been created but was They substituted stearic acid for the sulphur but little known. Typewriters were being still retained the poisonous phosphorus, and their experimented with, but were build upside down chlorate of potash made them, go off with a series and were still a novelty. of explosions that scattered dangerous bits of fire over the carpet. They would also explode when In the kitchen the old wood range was as yet in trodden upon, which increased the danger of almost universal use, though coal was employed having them around. Nevertheless they were to some extent in the cities...The wages of a considerably used among the wealthier classes in skilled workman in the United States were about the Southern and Western states, though but little $2 a day, while the price of wheat averaged $1 a known outside of America. bushel. In Europe their place was taken by the vesta ...Smoking was still looked at askance by the match. This was a miniature wax or stearine ladies. Men who smoked in the house were candle dipped with a match head. It gave a longer expected to do so in their den, and to wear light than the wooden match, but cost a shilling a smoking jackets so as to keep any taint of the box, or twelve times as much. It was more delicate tobacco from offending the ladies. Even on the than the wooden match and the head was more Boston Commons, there was for years a ―smoking liable to fly off in lighting. Nor was the vesta in circle‖ to which men were supposed to retire favor with smokers, for the burning stearine when they wished to indulge in a cigar. Cigarettes, injured the flavor of the cigar. 8 RMS Bulletin May/June 2009, No. 538

The United States Army

The Army and Air Force Exchange Service (AAFES) has a dual mission of providing products and services to military families worldwide and generating earnings to supplement military morale, welfare and recreation (MWR) programs. While most of AAFES‘ earnings go to MWR programs ($272.7 million in 2007) the remainder funds new and improved exchange stores.

AAFES operates more than 3,000 facilities worldwide, in more than 30 countries, five U.S. territories and 49 states. AAFES operates some 174 main stores and more than 1,300 restaurants, such as , , Popeyes and . AAFES also provides military communities with convenience, specialty stores and movie theaters on installations worldwide, including locations in Iraqi . In 2007, the Exchange Catalog and Exchange Online store offered customers more than 30,200 items via the online site. In the past 10 years, $2.4 billion has been contributed by AAFES to military MWR programs. AAFES is a joint military activity providing quality merchandise and services to active duty, guard and reserve members, military retirees and their families.

The Army and Air Force Exchange linage dates back to 1895 when the War Department established the first formal post exchanges. [http://www.aafes.com/] RMS Bulletin September/OctoberMay/June 2009, No. 1996,538 No. 462 9 9 "What's your best estimate of how many covers you currently have in your trading and or dupe stock (not your collections)? - March 2009; 74 responding

100 -2 Well, that‘s quite a spread, all the way from 100 to 200,000! From the comments of 200 -1 several participants, though, I think the smaller numbers may somewhat misleading 250 -1 in that they stated that they make a conscious effort to get rid of dupes and unneeded 350 -1 covers as soon as they can, either by trading or simply donating them away to various 500 -1 clubs, freebie tables, etc. On the other hand, the poll question posed did specify num- 650 -1 bers currently on hand, so... 700 -1 800 -2 The reported numbers here add up to 1,036,950 covers and only 74 collectors re- 1,000 -5 sponded for this poll. That‘s 74 out of the 921 currently known collectors in the 1,500 -4 hobby, and every collector has at least some extra covers, so...there must be, at a 2,000 -6 minimum, at least a few more million such covers out there. If this poll‘s showing is 2,500 -3 anywhere near an accurate picture of the whole, then there must be close to 3,000 -4 12,858,180 covers that are currently being held in the hobby as dupes/trading/ 3,500 -1 unwanted stock. 4,000 -4 5,000 -5 Now, while it‘s true that covers are always coming into the hobby and out of the 5,500 -1 hobby, I believe the number of covers coming into the hobby (from outside the 7,000 -2 hobby) vastly outnumber those leaving the hobby. For example, covers sold by col- 10,000 -8 lectors on ebay may well end up in the hands of non-collectors, such as a selection of 12,000 -1 Railroad covers going to a Railroad paraphernalia enthusiast, but those are almost 15,000 -4 always single covers or small groups. On the other hand, similar quantities are com- 18,000 -1 ing into the hobby as collectors purchase similar lots on ebay from non-collectors... 20,000 -3 while much, much larger accumulations from the outside find their way into the 30,000 -3 hobby every day....1,500 covers here, 30,000 covers there, and so on. 35,000 -2 50,000 -2 There may also be an occasional blip here and there in this process, such as when 70,000 -1 an entire collection is lost in a fire or some such, but that‘s pretty rare. And on the 75,000 -1 other side, of course, new covers are still being manufactured, and they continue to 100,000 –1 come into the hobby all the time—For the last 15 years, for example, just think of all 150,000 –1 the new Tobacco and Casino covers that have appeared. 200,000 –1

Overall, then, the future outlook, as far as sheer numbers of covers available to the collector, both as needed covers and as dupe/trading/donation stock looks very rosy, indeed, I would think. Unfortunately, comparative numbers from earlier times in the hobby is unavailable, but I would also conclude that the today‘s average collection size and the average amount of ‗extras‘ on hand are significantly larger than what they were in earlier times. I know my collections certainly continue to grow (but that would be expected of any collection, because that is what a collector does), but my ‗extra‘ covers far exceed what I would ever have dreamed of before.

Fueling this ‗trend‘ is the additional fact that there are fewer collectors collecting now, so I have to wonder that even if there were no new covers coming into the hobby at all from outside sources, if numbers inside the hobby wouldn‘t still continue to grow as more covers are continually being recycled into fewer hands. So, what does all this really mean? ....A rosy future for collectors! 10 RMS Bulletin May/June 2009, No. 538

I’m In Love!

I don‘t advertise that I collect Sets & Series, merely culling them out of my dupes and trading stock, but the more I‘ve worked with them...the more I‘ve become enamored with them. This is a category that simply has a lot of the things that I usually look for in a category that would attract my interest— numbers, variety, and I‘ll never get them all!—Which means that I‘ll be happily searching and finding until I‘m finally called to that big Convention in the sky

Numbers? We‘re talking huge! Tens of thousands!...Dare I say, a hundred thousand+?! Think of all the various sets and series you‘ve seen in the years you‘ve been in the hobby. They‘re all over the place!

Variety? In the extreme! What‘s really interesting about Sets & Series is that it literally contains just about all other categories! You‘d be hard put to think of more than a very few categories that never have in sets or series. A couple that come to mind might be Classiques and Jupiter 1-8s, both very short -lived with extremely few issues.

What‘s a set? Same design in multiple issues, usually in different colors or with different related pictures, such as the Group I sets and all those collector-generated convention sets. Usually seen are 3-, 5- and 7- sets, but they certainly come in larger numbers. Zodiac sets, for example, would come in sets of 12. Some number over 100, especially certain Portuguese sets. What about two? Do two covers constitute a set. They do in my book!

What‘s a series? Same design in multiple issues, usually with something like different dates, different advertisers, etc. Something like all those Champion Spark Plug covers, or the familiar KFOX series. RMS Bulletin May/June 2009, No. 538 11

With Sets & Series!

When you embark on collecting in this category, the first thing you‘re confronted with is that you‘re dealing with lots of covers...and lots means you have to come up with some system of organization almost immediately. And the immediately is important, because the numbers are quickly going to become insurmountable when you eventually decide later to sit down with those thousands of covers and make some sort of sense to it all.

And, as happens on a regular basis when dealing with conjunctives, organizing your Sets & Series collection is going to call for some perplexing, perhaps even occasionally agonizing, decisions. That means setting priorities. You can organize any way that strikes you, of course, but, here, probably the most logical and common way is simply to use the categories already used within the hobby. Here, though, they would be used as subcategories. So, my dog sets go under DOGS; my girlie sets go under GIRLIES, and so forth.

I already knew this was going to be a big collection when I started, so I planned ahead and set up separate albums for each subcategory. Many, if not most, will eventually require multiple albums, which in turn means that you‘re going to need space...something a little more than that little cranny where you stuck that inch binder of Red Pagodas.

With all these covers, do I have a favorite? Yes! I especially like a series of covers made up of successive years—First Anniversary-1946, Second Anniversary-1947, etc. The killer is...and here‟s where some of that agony comes into play...They‘re Dated covers, and my Dated collection takes precedence, so I only have such in my Sets & Series if they‘re dupes! Well, life is a series of compromises...Someone once said that...Didn‟t he? 12 RMS Bulletin May/June 2009, No. 538

Take A Look At

You already belong to the oldest and biggest matchcover collecting club in the world, but if that‘s all you belong to in the hobby, or if you only belong to RMS and your own local regional club, you‘re missing out on some valuable sources and services.

A survey I did some years ago showed that the ‗average‘ collector belonged to no less than six clubs within the hobby, but I don‘t think that‘s true anymore. [I still belong to six, though] If you were to spread out various rosters and compare members, you‘d see that where there was duplication it‘s basically the same relatively small group of ‗die-hard‘ collectors, bless their hearts! But, you‘d also see that every club has a very significant percentage of members that are to be seen nowhere else in the hobby. If that‘s you, take a look at what those other clubs have to offer that could be of benefit to your collecting efforts.

Bulletins Frequency per year: Number of pages per issue: Color?*: Sierra-Diablo (12 electronic/10 hard copy) Angelus (15 pp) Liberty Bell Long Beach (10 issues) Phillu-Quebec (12 pp) Lone Star (electronic) Badger (6 issues) Trans Canada (12 pp) Phillu-Quebec (partial) Denver Strikers (6 issues) Great Lakes (10 pp) Sierra-Diablo (electronic) Great Lakes (6 issues) Connecticut (8 pp) Southeastern (electronic) New England (6 issues) Forest City (8 pages) Trans Canada PNMCC (6 issues) Liberty Bell (8 pp) Tri-State Card. (electronic) Rocky Mountain (6 issues) Long Beach (8 pp) [*Occasional color inserts Southeastern (6 issues) MARVA (8 pp) not counted] Tri-State (6 issues) PNMCC (8 pp) Windy City (6 issues) San Diego (8 pp) Optional Electronic? Empire (5 issues) Sierra-Diablo (8 pp) Liberty Bell (5 issues) Tri-State (8 pp) Lone Star Angelus (4 issues) Empire (6 pages) Sierra-Diablo Berks County (4 issues) Garden State (6 pp)? Southeastern Connecticut (4 issues) Rocky Mountain (6pp) Trans Canada Forest City (4 issues) Badger (4 pp)? Tri-State Cardinal Garden State (4 issues) Berks County (4 pp)? MARVA (4 issues) Denver Strikers (4 pp)? Phillu-Quebec (4 issues; bilingual) Keystone-Lehigh ( 4 pp)? San Diego (4 issues) New England (4 pp) Penn-Ohio (4 issues)? Southeastern (4 pp) Keystone-Lehigh (4 issues) Windy City (2 pp) Trans Canada (4 issues) Penn-Ohio (2 pp)? Dues:

Trans Canada ($19) Denver Strikers ($6) Empire ($5) Keystone-Lehigh ($3) Phillu-Quebec ($12 CAN) Forest City ($6) Garden State ($5) Penn-Ohio ? Liberty Bell ($10) Rocky Mountain ($6) Long Beach ($5) Windy City ? Sierra-Diablo ($10) Angelus ($5) MARVA ($5) Southern Ontario ($0) Great Lakes ($8) Badger ($5) New England ($5) PNMCC ($7) Berks County ($5) San Diego ($5) Tri-State ($7) Connecticut ($5) Southeastern ($5) RMS Bulletin May/June 2009, No. 538 13

Those Regional Clubs

Auctions: Club Meetings: Web Site: Note that I have listed Angelus Great Lakes (12) Liberty Bell the clubs in descending Forest City (@ 2 years) San Diego (11) Lone Star order of whatever the Garden State Forest City (11) PNMCC topic was. Great Lakes Angelus (7) Sierra-Diablo Liberty Bell Tri-State(7) Trans Canada As you can see, Long Beach Long Beach (6) there‘s quite a range of MARVA Rocky Mountain (6) services and offerings to be had among the various Phillu-Quebec Southeastern (6) regional clubs. Quick summary: PNMCC Southern Ontario (6) Sierra-Diablo Windy City (6) Bulletin frequency = 12-4 issues Trans Canada Empire (5) Bulletin pages = 15-2 pages Liberty Bell (5) Color Bulletins = 7 clubs Swapfests: New England (5) Electronic Bulletins = 5 clubs Connecticut (@ 5 years) Berks County (4) Dues = $19-free Forest City (@ 2 years) Connecticut (4) Auctions = 11 clubs Keystone-Lehigh MARVA (4) Swapfests = 8 clubs Long Beach Badger (3) Raffles/Drawings = 5 clubs Phillu-Quebec Denver Strikers (2) Club meetings = 12-0 Sierra-Diablo Garden State? Web site = 5 clubs Southeastern Penn-Ohio? Trans Canada/S. Ontario Keystone-Lehigh (1) For anyone who‘s been in the hobby for a Trans Canada (1) couple of decades, you can see quite a bit of Raffles/Drawings: PNMCC (0) change has occurred. The number of bulletins per Angelus Sierra-Diablo (0) year have gone down, as well as the average Long Beach number of pages—both a response to rising costs PNMCC and declining memberships. The frequency of club meetings has certainly San Diego gone down, as officers knock themselves out trying to attract attendees while Sierra-Diablo fewer and fewer collectors actually attend. Notice, two clubs actually have no meetings at all.

With reference to the latter, it may be that more and more collectors want the advantages of belonging to a club without the demands of going to meetings...and/or, these days...the ever increasing travel costs. Also, it used to be that club meetings offered the only practical way for collectors to be in touch with one another, but, today, the internet ties most of us together. Still, I always enjoyed the club meetings I went to...as long as more than a handful of people showed up.

What‘s really interesting about all of the above information, though, is the variety of options that a collector has when looking for clubs to join—the variety of costs, the format and content of the bulletins, the special activities a club may offer, web site access, and so forth. There‘s something for every collector: whether the collector is ‗semi-serious‘ or fanatical, whether the collector is more into the social activities or just wants to focus on the covers, whether he or she is looking to participate and volunteer or just be on the receiving end—all those needs and more can be met by one or more clubs within the hobby.

So, once again, I urge all collectors to belong to multiple clubs and reap even more benefits! 14 RMS Bulletin May/June 2009, No. 538

VA Hospitals—con’t (and their covers) had nothing to do with V.A. Hospitals.

Ed note: All of the above was done by Win Lang in 1979. Since then, John William, OH, has updated, and thus produced, a more comprehensive listing of the covers, themselves, should you be interested. John‘s listing was done in 1993/94. It lists some new locations, as well as 225 single covers and twelve VA sets, ranging from 5-10 covers each. This list may be obtained from: John Williams, 910 Howard Ln., Vandalia, OH 45377-1866 ([email protected]). ______Peterhoff Castle Set

This is a c. 2005 Russian box set featuring the Peterhoff Castle, located SW of Saint-Pétersbourg. Its imposing central building, overhanging 146 richly decorated fountains, evokes splendors of Russia of Pierre the Large and Catherine II....Beautiful photos on the boxes.

[Thanks to Claude Pelletier, CAN, for this] RMS Bulletin May/June 2009, No. 538 15 business, Drive the Chevy to the Levy, Art, Found A Peek At Other Bulletins [based on current issues on hand as of this writing] It On ebay, ads, auction, drawing

-Angelus MC: [Apr-Jun 2009] 15 pages+raffle -Rocky Mountain MC: [Jan-Feb 2009] 6 pages, flyer, club business, Quarterly Combo, Cocktail club business, Douglas, Wyoming; Matches In Napkins for the Amazing Nebbish, Matchbook The Media; Small Towns, Casino News Memories, What IS the Category?, Zodiac Room, The Scruffy Files, auction, raffle -San Diego MC: [Spring 2009] 8 pages, club business, Mexicana de Aviacion, The Real -Badger State MC: [Mar-Apr 2009] 4 pages, Edward G. Robinson, Evolution of the Motel club business, Airlines, Shucking Matches.., Happy Easter To All -Sierra-Diablo MC: [Apr 2009] 8-pages, club business, April Fools!, Errors XI: Reverse -Berks County MC: [Apr-May 2009] 4 pages, Creasing.., Disney Monorail, Hobby Costs, club business, Sheraton and Four Points Smoking Chester-Bridgeport Ferry, ads, auction, drawing Bans -Trans Canada MC: [Mar 2009] 8 pages -Connecticut MC: [Late Winter-Spring 2009] 6 (magazine format, full color)e, club business, Life pages (inc. 1 color), club business, The Arrigoni Without Woolworths, Self Lighting Safety Tapers Hotel, Pan American Displays, ads No. 2, David Duncan House, Trans Canada Swapfest Schedule, auction -Denver Strikers MC: [Mar-Apr 2009] 4 pages, club business, From A To Z, New Categories? -Windy City MC: [Mar-Apr 2009] 2 pages, club business -Girlie MCC: [April 2009] 4 pp+catalog A Couple Of Nice Old Unions supplement (Singles #4329-4382+various new sets), club news, ads

-Great Lakes MC: [Mar-Apr 2009] 10 pages, club business, On The Inside, Abraham Lincoln On Matches, Olympic Sets From China, Greek Restaurants, Miscut Matchcovers

-Lone Star MC: [Mar-Apr 2009] 8 pages, club business, Collecting Newspapers & Magazines, What‘s Wrong With An Ad? Interesting Covers, Union Match Co., Department Stores, USS Constellation, What‘s Goin‘ On Elsewhere, ads

-Long Beach MC: [Mar 2009] 8 pages, club business, Fill It Up!, Esther Williams, Johnny Weismuller, Extinguished Match, auction drawing, raffle

-MARVA: [Mar 2009] 8 pages, club business, Local Leads, O‘Donnell‘s, On The Road Again

-PNMCC: [Jan-Feb 2009] 8 pages, club 16 RMS Bulletin May/June 2009, No. 538

Churchill-

Franklin Delano Roosevelt (1882- 1945) - Roosevelt entered politics in 1910 and was elected to the New York State Senate as a Democrat. He was reelected in 1912, and supported Woodrow Wilson at the Democratic Convention. Wilson appointed him Assistant Secretary of the Navy, 1913-1920. An energetic, efficient administrator, he specialized in the business side of naval administration, preparing him for his future role in World War II. His popularity and success resulted in his nomination for vice-president by Democrats in 1920. However, popular sentiment against Wilson's plan for US participation in the League of Nations propelled Republican Warren Harding into the presidency, and Roosevelt returned to private life.

In 1921, Roosevelt contracted poliomyelitis. Despite courageous efforts to overcome his crippling illness, he never regained the use of his legs. In time, he established a foundation to help other polio victims, and inspired and directed the March of Dimes program that eventually funded a vaccine.

In 1928, Gov. Alfred E. Smith became the Democratic candidate for president and arranged for Roosevelt's nomination to succeed him as governor of New York. Smith lost the election to Herbert Hoover; but Roosevelt was elected governor. Following his reelection in 1930, Roosevelt began to campaign for the presidency. Roosevelt's bold efforts to combat the Depression in New York enhanced his reputation. In 1932, Roosevelt won the nomination as the Democratic Party candidate for president. His activist approach and personal charm helped defeat Hoover by seven million votes.

The Depression worsened in the months preceding the inauguration in 1933. Factory closings, farm foreclosures, and bank failures increased, while unemployment soared. Roosevelt faced the greatest crisis in American history since the Civil War. He undertook immediate actions to initiate his New Deal. To halt depositor panics, he closed the banks temporarily. Then he worked with Congress to pass recovery legislation which set up agencies such as the AAA (Agricultural Adjustment Administration) to support farm prices and the CCC (Civilian Conservation Corps) to employ young men. Other agencies assisted business and labor, insured bank deposits, regulated the stock market, subsidized home and farm mortgage payments, and aided the unemployed. These measures revived confidence in the economy. Banks reopened and direct relief saved millions from starvation. But the New Deal measures also involved government directly in areas of social and economic life as never before and resulted in greatly increased spending and unbalanced budgets, which led to criticisms of his programs. However, the nation-at-large supported Roosevelt and elected additional Democrats to state legislatures and governorships. Another flurry of New Deal legislation followed in 1935, including establishment of the Works Projects Administration (WPA) which provided jobs for laborers and many others, and the Social Security Act which provided unemployment compensation and a program of old-age and survivors' benefits.

RMS Bulletin May/June 2009, No. 538 17 Roosevelt: II

Roosevelt easily defeated Alfred Landon in 1936 and went on to defeat Wendell Willkie in 1940 and Thomas E. Dewey in 1944, becoming the only president to serve more than two terms.

After his overwhelming victory in 1936, Roosevelt took on the Supreme Court, which had declared various legislation unconstitutional, and members of his own party. He proposed adding new justices to the Court, but critics said he was "packing" the Court and undermining the separation of powers. His proposal was defeated, but the Court began to decide in favor of New Deal legislation. During the 1938 election, he campaigned against many Democratic opponents, but this backfired when most were reelected to Congress. These setbacks, coupled with the recession that occurred midway through his second term, represented the low-point in his career. By 1939, Roosevelt was focusing more on foreign affairs with the outbreak of war in Europe. Reform legislation diminished, and the Depression would not fully abate until the nation mobilized for war.

When the war started in 1939, Roosevelt stated that, although neutral, America couldn‘t remain inactive in the face of Nazi aggression. Accordingly, he tried to make American aid available to Britain, France, and China. He also took measures to build up the military in the face of isolationism.

With the fall of France in 1940, the American mood and Roosevelt's policy changed dramatically. Congress enacted a military draft and Roosevelt signed a "lend-lease" bill in 1941 to furnish aid to nations at war with the Axis. America, though still neutral, was becoming the "arsenal of democracy", as its factories began producing as they had in the years before the Depression. The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, in December, brought the nation irrevocably into the war. Roosevelt worked with and through his military advisers, overriding them when necessary, and took an active role in choosing the principal field commanders and in making decisions regarding wartime strategy.

He put through "The Declaration of the United Nations," 1942, in which all nations fighting the Axis agreed not to make a separate peace and pledged a peacekeeping organization (now the UN) upon victory. He gave priority to the western European front and had General George Marshall plan a holding operation in the Pacific and organize an expeditionary force for an invasion of Europe. America and its allies invaded North Africa in November 1942 and Sicily and Italy in 1943. The D-Day landings on Normandy , June 6, 1944, were followed by the allied invasion of Germany six months later. By April 1945 victory in Europe was certain.

The unending stress and strain literally wore Roosevelt out. During a vacation at Warm Springs, Georgia, on April 12, 1945, he suffered a massive stroke and died without regaining consciousness. He was 63 years old. His death came on the eve of complete military victory in Europe and within months of victory over Japan. He was buried in the Rose Garden of his estate at Hyde Park, New York . [http:// www.fdrlibrary.marist.edu/fdrbio.html] 18 RMS Bulletin May/June 2009, No. 538 [Please check the Mail Box column for answers on last issue‟s

States Boxes Set?

Billijo Piper, KY: Billijo sent in this box showing Ken Maynard on one side and Big Eagle on the other. Since „ARIZONA‟ appears on each side, Billijo was wondering if there is a box for each of the 48 states. Or, I‟m thinking, perhaps this is part of a Western Movie Stars set...or a Famous Indians set?

Does anyone have any similiar boxes, and , if so, how many and who is shown on these?

This is an Australian box; manufacturer is Hanna Match.

If anyone has a definitive answer, please let us know....And, if you have a question about a set or series, send in a clear pic and details, and we‟ll see what information we can garner from our readers.

Gem was a Universal box trademark, introduced c. 1987, in one of the company‘s last dying gasps before it folded as a manufacturer, and later continued by Atlas/ Diamond.

The boxes are exactly the same size as Universal‘s very successful box, the American Ace. Why it was necessary to introduce the ―Gem‖ line escapes me. I‘m not a box collector, per se, but I don‘t see any real difference between Ace and Gem boxes, except that the striker is usually at the bottom of an opened Ace box and usually/always in the middle of a Gem box...but I can‘t see where that would make any difference to an advertiser. No stats available on Gem boxes. RMS Bulletin May/June 2009, No. 538 19 [Russian souvenir set - continued from p. 6]

Keystone/Lehigh Matchcover Club

This Pennsylvania club was originally formed as the Lehigh Valley matchcover Club in 1954. In 1987, it merged with the Keystone matchcover Club to form the Keystone-Lehigh Matchcover Club. The merger was due to poor attendance (a chronic problem for most clubs), and that is why there‘s currently only one meeting a year.

Keystone-Lehigh Matchcover Club currently hasMembership privileges includes voting at the annual meeting, submission of auction lots, and displays at the swapfest. Anyone is welcome to attend and join in the fun, but only members may participate in the above manner. Dues are $3.00 annually.

The club holds only one meeting per year, and that‘s at its traditional annual Halloween swapfest held in late October/early November of each year. We try to put out 3 - 4 bulletins a year to keep members up to date on the events to be held at the

swapfest. ONLY $10 puts your classified ad on the RMS Web Site for six months, where all FMI: President/Treasurer Jane Ruffner, 105 the world can see it! Fifty words+name Gibraltar Rd., Reading PA 19606-3321 (610-779- and address. Ads run from July 1st to 3161) or [email protected]. I‘m certain Jane December 31st. Now‘s the right time to would be more than happy to sign you up as a get yours in in time for the next 6th month new Keystone-Lehigh member. period. Congratulations to Send ad text and check (made out to RMS) to: Mike Prero, 12659 Eckard Way, Badger State MC Auburn, CA 95603. on its 38th anniversary Want graphics with your ad? We can do that, too, for slightly more. this month! 1020 RMS Bulletin RMS September/October Bulletin May/June 1995, 2009 No., No. 456 53 8 Ed. Barry Turner, MI, The Mail Box also confirmed the same information. John Boal, CA: John sent in these two covers, Mike Schwimmer, MA: showing a misspelling of Ref last issue‟s article on the town of Duarte. The Qualities, Mike sent in one on the left shows this one, which was “Daurte”. unlisted.

Bill Gigantino, CT: The over-sized matches featured in Joe's last "What's New" article are available at areohome. com, and there are many more to choose from. They are much less on the web than in a Pier 1 store. ($2.90) Ellen Gutting and I were able to obtain 25 for the Mermaid club. The matches were in stock and shipped in two days.

Irene Fair, IN: Your ―Qualities‖ article [last issue] led me to search my covers, and I found 3 by Diamond Match Co. Also, while looking for the ―Qualities‖, I noticed two Lion Green Hat John Clark, FL: Ref last issue‟s query re the Safety Book Match Hertz Airline Set/Series I have two more covers Albert Pick-Barth Co. in the "Hertz rent a car" series/set - Continental covers. Are these rare or and Delta. Also have a somewhat similar front a dime a dozen? strike cover for Continental with the Hertz ad on the front and the airline on the back. Ed. Green Hat is certainly a keeper! There In the January/February issue you inquired were only 76 listed, and about one particular Albert Pick series. I have a the one pictured here cover from The Pick Carter, Cleveland, in the wasn‟t one of them, so same design you pictured and exactly the same now there are 77 listed! A inside print. There are however at least four nice find! Those three other very similar series with different hotels DQ‟s you found are also listed inside, all by Match Corp., plus one by Lion worth keeping, even (but no manumark). struck.

RMS Bulletin May/June 2009, No. 538 21

Ed: Here‟s a manumark Duane Ready, error I recently came PA: Enjoyed the across—NORHBROOK, Churchill article IL should be [last issue] . NORTHBROOK, IL. Duane sent pics of Manumark errors are 8 Churchill covers quite uncommon. that he has; one pictured here.

Rich Greene, NJ: [Ref Dean Hodgdon, last issue‟s article on OK: [Other Ways “Qualities”] There was of Fixing Covers? a "Quality" footer you con‟t from p. 5] missed!"Liberty Quality" 1. The NEHI- This was a footer I Royal Crown tried to promote on the cover has had the matches I use as a striker removed. calling card and sample to get clients to order 2. The Ottaray matches. A few times Hotel cover has when Greene Graphic had the striker Solutions did matches painted on. for LBMC, I made special arrangements with Atlantis Match to do a 3. The Runnymede Hotel cover has something I Liberty Quality footer. They only let me do it a added later—Patricia Nimock‘s ‗Protect-It‘ few times, but it's not just a club thing. My dog, crystal clear acrylic varnish. I put some on the Cinder the Wonder Dog also has his own matches, painted striker. It is time consuming to do. Putting and the first 2 times I ordered a case, I was varnish on striker without removing striker didn‘t allowed to use the Liberty Quality footer. They work out. Striker didn‘t improve as I thought it were very resistant, but as a favor to me they would. allowed it. I believe this is the most recent and in all likelihood the last "Quality" footer for all time. RMS Convention Club Display When I re-ordered his matches last year through Awards Atlantis, manufacturing at Atlas rejected the Liberty Quality footer, and replaced it with the There‘s only one more bulletin before the con- Altas Footer. vention, and the Ed. still hasn‘t been informed of

this year‘s display categories from several clubs. I Footers have a very special significance now. don‘t even know if those clubs are presenting a They identify for the government the company display award this year. and factory where the matches were made.

Atlantis used a bullet in their footer, Atlas uses a That makes it kind of rough for collectors in- star in a circle: BE SAFE (Zapf Dingbats capital tending to enter displays, don‘t you think? J) KEEP COVER CLOSED. Now that Atlantis no longer manufactures, matches ordered through Please check Convention Central on the RMS them carry the Atlas footer. Check out a web site to see if your club‘s display category has D.D.Bean footer to see what theirs is. Bean & been listed or whether your club should even be Atlas are the only 2 N. American companies left listed. making matchbooks. 22 RMS Bulletin May/June 2009, No. 538

Hobby Glossary

Bits & Pieces Debossed - opposite of embossed; design is pressed into cover‘s surface, raising parts of the inside (i.e., Cameos)

If they’d only have Delchester Matchcover Club - PA-based club; known! This is on a 1954-mid 1970s. Nebraska cover from the

1980s? Delta Hotel Set (I) - 1986 set of 4 covers.

[Ed. note: Thanks to our Delta Hotel Set (II) - 1987 set of 5 covers. ever-working politicians, we, here in California, are Delta Match Co. - New Orleans-based company; now the highest taxed 1920s-1960s; eventually changed to Trans Match people in the United in 1970. States! As I write this on

March 29th, it‘s sunny Denmead Match Book Co. - small, short-lived and in the 70s—but, boy, Akron, OH-based company; 1930s. we pay for it! Brother, have you got a dime?!!] Denver Strikers Matchcover Club - Denver-

based club; 1987-present. Mike Schwimmer, MA, collects flats, so if you Dependable - Pacific Match Co. box trademark; have any that you don‘t pre-1964. want, send them to Mike.

He‘ll give them a good Detached Striker - covers which have the striker home. stapled on; common in some foreign covers.

Diamond Match - Diamond footer; 1920-1923. Answer to Last Issue’s 54 currently listed.

Matchcover Mystery Diamond Match Co. - oldest and most famous US match manufacturer; originally a CT-based “Which came first, the 10-strike, 30-strike, or 40 company formed by a merger of 12 match -strike?” companies in 1880; currently produces all US box matches; 1880-present. The 40-strike, which first appeared in 1931. Diamond Matches - Diamond box trademark; Matchcover Mysteries: # 80 dates not available.

Diamond Quality (DQ) - highly regarded, much “In which year did Monarch Match Company sought-after Diamond footer; 1923-1936; Harry merge with Superior Match Company?” Branchaud‘s collection numbered 5000+. 3,613

currently listed. That‘s a pretty tough one, as it‘s fairly obscure...but, someone may be able to come up Diamond Safety - old Diamond box trademark; with it. In any event, the answer in our next issue, introduced c. 1920. so stay tuned for more scintillating knowledge!

RMS Bulletin January/FebruaryMay/June 2009, No. 1996, 538 No. 458 19 23

Group #1 - Second Baseball [January 1953 RMS Bulletin - by J. M. Deer]

The covers in Second Baseball number twenty-four. There are eight red, eight Green and eight Blue. All have a black border entirely around the picture on the front; and the history on the back. The history of the player on the back is printed over a design of a white clad batter. The covers portray the head or bust of player. The set came out in 1935. Apparently there is no rhyme or reason to this set inasmuch as the players selected were from teams in the National League, three each in number. In the writer‘s opinion, this set is one of the hardest to obtain, and it follows that newer collectors, desiring covers from this group, had better be prepared with their ―pound of flesh‖.

Third Baseball - Type 1. This set varies somewhat from the First and Second Baseball. It comes in three colors- Green, Blue and Red borders. The saddle has a baseball together with the players name and team. The Diamond imprint is in white on the corresponding color of border. The portrait of the player is on front of cover, and the history of the player on the back. Like First Baseball, however, it is regarded as incomplete. Approximately 182 players were printed, but whether they were intended to be printed once in each color has never been determined since no complete sets exist. Approximately 240 covers have shown up of this particular set. That there are still lots of these covers around the desks of “veteran collectors‖, this write entertains no doubt since ever so often he finds one or two. This set was made by Diamond in 1935 and 1936. Tom Torrent, Al Polick and Ellis Wroe, to name a few, probably can contribute much information as to the where-a-bouts of these covers.

Third Baseball - Type 2. This set is similar in design to Tp. #1. It, also, comes in three colors- Green, Blue, and Red, however, this set IS complete; and since it was uniform, it was listed separately as Type 2. Type 2 was marketed in two issues. Presumably, the First issue was in Black ink, and the Second issue in Brown ink. There are 69 covers in each set, and all the players, except ‗Diz‘ Dean, are photographed in bust. All players are Chicago Cubs, except Paul Waner and ‗Diz‘ Dean, who are shown as members of the Pittsburgh Pirates and St. Louis Cardinals respectively. Don‘t ask me why, as I do not pretend to know. Apparently, this set is the easiest to get with the Black ink set the easier, and the Brown set the harder.

********* NON-ATTENDERS CONTEST - Wilkes-Barre, Pa., Convention by Frank Ryan, Philadelphia, Pa.

This contest was won by Mrs. George Hall, RMS #613, San Francisco, Calif., and here the committee had to cast lots. Three had the correct answer on the number of covers, but no one had the correct person. No one gave the correct formula for figuring the number of covers. The clues were as follows: First, the person who brought the covers to the convention was FRANK J. RYAN and he gave them to FRED NORDENBROOK. In Article 2 of the June 1952 Bulletin and starting with the wording NON ATTENDERS CONTEST, the number of words in this paragraph and the one following ending with the words ―do not miss any‖ amount to 150 - count them! Also, in this article, it says, ―we thought of rhyming same, but to be frank etc.‖ and from these underlined words you can work out the name, Frank Ryan. We were a bit disappointed with the number that entered this contest. To be exact, there were only 6 entrants.

[Ed. Well, now we know that there was apathy at least as far back as 1952!]

24 RMS Bulletin May/June 2009, No. 538

My Most Prized Cover

This a set of 28 boxes which I believe are from the city of Irkutsk, Siberia, Russia. The individuals boxes are in a 8‖x11‖ shallow box with a hinged top. I believe the pictures on the boxes are of monuments, memorials, government and private buildings, and other significant sructures within Irkutsk. I received the set in 1990. Unfortunately, I do not read Cyrillic (and the printing is very small).

Before I retired in 1995, I worked for U.S. Dept of Agriculture for 30 yrs. During that time, I had a friend who worked in the dept's attache office. In Jan 1990, he went to the USSR on a business/ pleasure trip. On the pleasure end, he rode the Trans-Siberian Railway, at least as far as Irkutsk. He said it was the coldest two weeks he had ever experienced, and he grew up in Chicago! Anyway, he knew I collected boxes, and he sought them out wherever he went. Sometimes when he asked for matches, he would be given 'a' wooden match. The hotels and restaurants he frequented did not have matches for the taking, but he found the set at a state tobacco and newspaper store, or kiosk. He did not think that the set was for tourists, as Irkutsk, being near the border with Mongolia, is not usually a tourist destination unless you're riding the Trans-Siberian Railway. As I recall, he said the set cost about 50 cents. I am about 99% sure the set is from Irkutsk, although he was in other cities. The box containing the set is cardboard, but the individual boxes are of a wood-like material, similar to very thin plywood or the kind used in making model planes. There is no printing on the bottom of the big box; the index for the pictures is on the underside of the top. The pictures are sort of miniature paintings.

Dave Walters, VA [Ed. Note: This is the last in this series unless others wish to send in theirs] RMS Bulletin May/June 2009, No. 538 25

Minimax Hiltons

They are the crème-de-la-crème of the Hiltons—Minimax! One never hears about them, though, and they‘re rarely referenced at all in the hobby literature. I certainly haven‘t seen anything about them in years, other than what I‘ve written, myself.

Minimax were the early Hilton covers, 1930-1944. You know one when you see it because it bears the distinctive Minimax logo. The idea was ‗minimum cost/maximum service‘. There aren‘t many of them. The late Jim Moffett‘s collection numbered 22 in October of 1989...and I only have seven or so. I think I actually found one on the AMCAL freebie tables one year. That made my day! It‘s interesting to note that of the seven I have, all are Nationals (or at least ‗regionals‘)—no single location covers with the Minimax logo. I would have liked to have seen if Jim had any. Perhaps there weren‘t any.

The Hilton chain, itself, is a long-lasting one, and it‘s still going strong today, with its name recognized around the world. And, over all those years—and with all those locations, domestic and foreign—a lot of Hilton covers have been produced. Many were stock, with some big series being issued (something like the Holiday Inn or Best Western series), but there are quite a few non-stocks, as well. And, since it‘s an international chain, there are a number of covers from exotic, global locations. I haven‘t received any recent, record-breaking counts in the last several years, but Frank Lawton, CA, reported having a total of 3,521 in October of 1988.

So...figure 3,521 Hiltons and, say, there were about 22 Minimax‟s...that‘s about half of one per cent! Moral: Minimax‟s aren‟t easy! You might accidently stumble across one or two in your collecting career, but if you have any hope of putting together a goodly number, you‘re going to have to really focus in a go after them specifically—advertising, contacting Hilton collectors, and so forth.

26 RMS Bulletin May/June 2009, No. 538

A Proposal For a Traveling Exhibition

Here is a suggestion, or at least the beginnings of one...based on feedback from a recent Insta-poll regarding what RMS can or should be doing about publicizing the hobby, combined with the RMS Bulletin‟s bimonthly report of various collectors publicizing the hobby on their own...Why not combine the two? [What a stroke of genius!....Now watch various people come up with a bunch of good reasons why it can‟t work!]

Here‘s my ‗vision‘—A traveling exhibition (display) that could gradually work its way back and forth around the country. Really a travelling display, it would have everything necessary to make an informative, eye-catching display (i.e...instant publicity).

Where would the material come from? RMS acquires, puts it together, fashions it all into a mobile, ready-to-ship-anywhere package. RMS members, conveniently spread out throughout the country, would do the foot work of lining up the display sites. A collector, for example, might approach his or her local library with the idea of a display and secure an OK and a set time. RMS would then mail him the display package; the collector sets it up and later disassembles it at the end of the display run; and either ships it back to RMS or forwards it on to the next collector who has already set everything up at his location for the next designated display. And so it would go.

RMS would own the material, which it would have either obtained either through donations from members or simply buying it through various sources [RMS is loaded! They can afford to buy it. Collectors are too often asked to donate]. The question arises, though, what would be appropriate display material?

Well, on a general level, we‘d want material that was interesting, colorful, and eye-catching. That would be easy enough. The problem would be with the specific content. It‘s one thing to tailor a display to the probably interests of that library in Los Angeles, but what we need here, is a display that would be of interest to all possible locations [so RMS would not have to be constantly changing the display contents but rather using the same display over and over]. Thus, as far as material content, then, we need to come up with something that would have an appeal from one end of the country to another...... Hmmmmmm....Now what could that possible be?....Hey, I know!....How about a History display! [You knew that was coming, I know].

Am I suggesting History just because I teach History and it‘s my favorite topic? No! History is something that transcends the peculiarities of all locations, and it‘s a topic that most people have at least some interest in, even if only for reasons of nostalgia. Imagine, walking into your local library, bank, whatever, and seeing a dazzling display of past Political Campaigns, Navy Ships, World War II Patriotics, a chronological series of Coca-Cola covers, and an array of Famous Places and Events— National Parks World Fairs, Amusement Parks, and so forth. Why, you‘d be stopped right in your tracks, losing sight of your original destination altogether, amidst the widest assortment of ohhhhs and ahhhhs from yourself and the vast crowd of onlookers around you. Amazing! And, of course, a plug for both RMS and the local collector would be a prominent part of the display...and think of the calls and letters that local collector would receive from people who would just love to find a home for grandpa‟s cherished matchcover collection.

So, all it would take is RMS to put the display together, someone in RMS to keep track of where it‘s supposed to be, when, and if it ever came back from the last location...and those local collectors willing to go out and secure display locations... RMS Bulletin May/June 2009, No. 538 27

Editorial

The Continuing Shift In The Hobby: I

...I was thinking the other day [that happens occasionally], that it now seems fairly safe to say that most of the useable covers that will have ever been produced in almost all categories...have already been produced, at least domestically! And, many of the hobby‘s traditional categories are no longer being added to, at all. You‘re not going to see Hospital covers anymore; no more Bus, Taxi, Train, covers; no Hardware, Jewelry, Laundry, National and State Park covers; already there are drastically fewer and fewer Hotel/Motel/Restaurant covers, traditionally the mainstay of the industry...and, thus, the hobby. Try walking into your local fast food, paint, or department store and asking for matches. Nope! There was a time...but not today.

That puts a distinct premium on covers now in existence. Older covers, of course, have always had an added attraction for most collectors, but this is different. A Train cover is special now, simply because they don‘t make them anymore; a Ship cover is special now, simply because...they don‘t make them anymore.

I think this explains, in part, anyway, the distinct shift in the last ten years or so from a ‗bartering‘ economy‘ within the hobby to a ‗money‘ economy. If one goes back to the very first hobby bulletins, it becomes readily apparent that covers have always been sold within the hobby, but, until the last decade or two, it was never the ‗norm‘. The norm was always trading, usually one for one, and any physically able collector could go out into his or her own local community and easily gather as trading stock just about whatever the collector was interested in obtaining. Not so true anymore. Now, some hardy collectors still do that, but it‘s no longer as easy as it was, nor is it anywhere nearly as rewarding. That leaves most collectors today with only one main option for obtaining covers— buying.

There are several different modes of buying, but they all involve...buying! The options here include: 1) scouring a local community, offering to bulk buy collections and accumulations; 2) bulk buying from other collectors that have surplus stock; 3) bulk buying by from estate collections; 4) buying specifics from other collectors; and 5) auctions, of which there are several different kinds—convention/ swapfest auctions, bulletin auctions, silent auctions, collector-owned on-line auctions; and ebay.

With the lessening availability of ‗free‘, easily accessible covers locally, and the corresponding drastic drop in trading, this increasing emphasis on buying has also focused more attention on collector -oriented events. As an editor, I try and keep my finger on the pulse of the hobby, and more and more I hear from collectors that they‘re disenchanted with such-and-such convention, or that swapfest, or blank‘s club meeting because of things like...―no sellers,‖ ―mediocre auction lots‖, struck and damaged material on the freebie tables, too much time focused on non-cover and non-collector-oriented activities. When I hear people complaining, these days, about a particular event, it‘s not because of poor hotel services or bad food, as was the case when I first became an editor in the early 1980‘s; it‘s about, in one way or another, how their attempts to secure more covers for their collections have been stymied. The focus of their attention is on obtaining covers; everything else is secondary. Now, that‘s not everyone‟s view within the hobby; some people are more interested in the social aspects. Nothing wrong with that...but the pendulum, I believe, has definitely swung the other way.

28 RMS Bulletin May/June 2009, No. 538

Loren Moore, Sierra- RMS BULLETIN AUCTION features a Diablo MC, has a display going 75%/25% split (you get 75% of what your lots sell at a local Wells Fargo Blank in Roseville, CA, for). Send your lots to Pat Shappell, 109 Wood starting last month. Ln., Reading, PA 19606-2446 (Tel: 610-779- 0733). Steve Weiner, New England MC, and Mark Bean, of D.D. Bean, are doing a Recent RMS Area Awards: display at the Civil Center in Jaffrey, NH, this -Forest City MC - Eric Missal month. There are four showcases with -New England MC - Steve Weiner matchcovers and related items to collecting -San Diego MC - Tom Meek covers. -Southeastern MC - John Clark -Southeastern Swapfest - Bob Hofacker ...Have you publicized the hobby recently? Send -Rocky Mountain MC - Chuck Cunliffe (2007) us the details and pics, please. -Rocky Mountain MC - Richard Giardini (2008)

Convention Display Categories: -Phillu-Quebec: Best Birds Display -Forest City: Best Automobile Dealer Display -Liberty Bell: Best Civil War Personalities

CLASSIFIED ADS

FREE COVERS! I will send members covers in their preferred categories, if they send a SASE, along with what they would like. I will do my best to satisfy all requests. I have restaurants, hotels, and motels and smaller quantities of other categories. If I cannot send specifically what the member requests, I will send covers that can be used for trading stock. Howard Kapnic, 12651 SW 16 Court #202, Pembroke Pines, FL 33027 ([email protected])...... M/J09

I HAVE STARS AND FEDERALS matchbooks to sell or trade for Railroad and Fred Harvey matchbooks that I need. Russell Potter 918-962-5271, 19088 192nd Ave., Spiro, OK 74959……………………………………………...... S/O08

[Ed. Another pitiful showing for the classified ads. I keep pushing every year for free classified ads, but to no avail.]

Classified ad policy: Ads are published on a space available basis. Please keep „em short and send them in as soon as possible! 10¢ a word. Ads offering free items, etc. are free. Check should be made out to “RMS.” Send to Ed. ASAP (I always need as much warning as possible). Fee schedule for larger-sized ads may be seen on the last page.

RMS Bulletin November/DecemberMay/June 2009, No. 53 1995,8 No. 457 21 29

Flea Markets

Merriam-Webster‘s Dictionary defines a flea market as an ―open-air market for secondhand articles and antiques.‖ Although its origin is nearly impossible to trace, it is commonly believed that the flea market first appeared during the 1960s, in Paris, France. The term itself is translated from the French phrase, march´e aux puces. [Wikipedia indicates that the term may have originally come from the fleas that infested the clothing being sold]

A second explanation is printed in the book Flea Markets in Europe . In the Introduction, the author writes, "In the time of Emperor Napoleon III, the imperial architect Haussmann made plans for the broad, straight boulevards with rows of square houses in the center of Paris, along which army divisions could march with much pompous noise. The plans forced many dealers in second-hand goods to flee their old dwellings; the alleys and slums were demolished. These dislodged merchants were, however, allowed to continue selling their wares undisturbed right in the north of Paris, just outside of the former fort, in front of the gate Porte de Clignancourt. The first stalls were erected in about 1860. The gathering together of all these exiles from the slums of Paris was soon given the name "Marche aux Puces", meaning "flee market", later translation. [http://www.findafleamarket.com/page7.htm]

Generally, a flea market has been described as a venue renting ―space to anyone [offering for sale to the public] merchandise, products, items, services and all other legal needs of the buying public.‖ Individuals renting space and selling within these venues are known as vendors. Flea markets are truly much more than the above description suggests, however; today, flea markets have become a multi- billion dollar worldwide industry that seems to defy precise definition.

As a phenomenon, flea markets are often thought to be the ―incubators and breeding grounds of entrepreneurs‖ that are so representative of our free enterprise system. At one time, many believed that selling items at a flea market was the only way one could start a business without making a long-term commitment and without access to a large amount of capital. In 2000, it was estimated that at least 5,000 ―flea markets, swap meets, open-air, farmers, antique and collectible markets and special events‖ existed within this country, with more than a million vendors catering to over a hundred million customers each year.

Now, ―the world has gone digital‖ and these flea markets, swap meets, and auctions are being conducted on-line, as well as off-line. You can find these on-line flea markets, swap meets and auctions at Internet sites such as: ebay.com, traderonline.com, napster.com, morpheus.com, as well as numerous others. There are so many of these on-line markets that it is virtually impossible to keep up with all the websites. [http://www.smu.edu/csr/ articles/2005/Winter/smc_9-2.pdf]

The San Jose Flea Market [cover shown here], was founded by George Bumb Sr. in March 1960. While working in the solid waste and landfill business, he witnessed an abundance of treasures thrown away every day and realized he could make a profit. After visiting swap meets in Los Angeles and Paris‘ Thieves Market for inspiration, he started the famous flea market in California on 120 acres of an old meat-processing plant and remodeled it. Now, the San Jose Flea Market is the largest open-air market in the U.S. and has become a California landmark with over four million visitors each year. 3022 RMS Bulletin RMS November/December Bulletin May/June 1995, 2009 No., No. 457 53 8 prohibited factory labor by children below the age MATCHBOOKS IN THE of 14 years, that provision and others were long LAW BOOKS: PART 61 disregarded.

by Kenneth H. Ryesky, Esq. M. C. Mehta, an activist public interest lawyer, brought an action in the Indian Supreme Court to ======enforce the Constitutional provisions prohibiting Ken Ryesky (RMS # 9003), member of the New child labor and requiring the education of York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania Bars, children. Various industries were targeted. The practices law in East Northport, NY and teaches industry with one of the most egregious records of Business Law at Queens College of the City violation was the match and firework industry in University of New York. He can be reached Sivakasi and vicinity, where an estimated 45,000 at P.O. Box 926, East Northport, NY 11731 or by children labored, and where several were killed e-mail at [email protected]. and injured in a notorious industrial accident. ======When the concept for this Column was first The Court devised a scheme which included, discussed with Mike Prero, our RMS Bulletin among other things, financial incentive for parents Editor, I envisioned three or four installments on to withdraw their children from the factories and mentions of matches in the legal literature. All place them into the classroom [146]. initial expectations have been handily surpassed, and the positive reception from the readership has The matchboxes here are just two of many from been most gratifying and inspiring. With Part 61, the match factories of Sivakasi. Hans Everink has this Column's run now passes the ten year graciously permitted the use of these images from mark. Profuse thanks are in order to Mike, and his collection which he posted on the Intenet. also to all of the readers who have provided specimens to illustrate this Column. It is you who [To be continued] have enabled this Column to continue. ======[146] Mehta v. State of Tamil Nadu, [1996] During the past decade, several technological A.I.R. 699 (Sup. Ct. India, 1996). advances have (A) made it easier to obtain illustrations from vigilant readers; and (B) expanded the universe of readily available legal literature, in which additional matchbooks and matchboxes are to be found. The lawyer or researcher is no longer limited to the books in the local law library, for the Internet transcends national boundaries and geographical distance. Accordingly, we begin our eleventh year with some matches from the legal literature of India.

As in Europe and America, the legal system of India has had to deal with social complications that accompany the benefits of industrialization. One such problem is child labor, which, in addition to the obvious safety issues, also serves to impair the education of children who work instead of attending school. Though the Constitution of India has long RMS Bulletin May/June 2009, No. 538 31 - - - - - RMS MEMBERSHIP REPORT – MAY/JUNE 2009 SPONSOR

NEW MEMBERS (*=will trade) 9688*-Ruth De Long, 440 E. Walnut St., Lebanon, PA 17042 ...... James De Long COLLECTS: Animals, Irish, Xmas, Music and the name Jim/James. (Email: [email protected])

ADDRESS CORRECTION 9356-Robert A. Rieder, 12772 W 7TH Dr., Lakewood, CO 80401-4632 9381-John Nicholson, 12 Sebastian Court, 160 Queen‘s Road, St. John‘s, NF A1C 2B5 Canada 9510-James De Long, 440 E. Walnut St., Lebanon, PA 17042

REINSTATED 7919*-Gregg Hudspeth, 2234 Harry Brooks Drive N.W., Atlanta, GA 30318-1969 COLLECTS: Hotels, Restaurants, Country Clubs & Girlies (Email: [email protected]) 8014*-Dan Smith, 114 Eldorado Ct., Minooka, IL 60447-9348 COLLECTS: General (Email: [email protected]) 9509--James B. Stirling, 20 Miller Road, Bethany, CT 06504-3224 COLLECTS: Funeral Homes

Respectfully submitted,

Terry Rowe

Terry L. Rowe ------

BEFORE YOU MOVE, PLEASE LET TERRY KNOW YOUR NEW ADDRESS SO HE CAN UPDATE YOUR LABEL. HIS ADDRESS IS AT THE BOTTOM RIGHT SIDE OF PAGE 2 ON EVERY BULLETIN.

------George Heffernon

THE RMS BOWLING THIS YEAR WILL BE ON AUGUST Dr. George Heffernon, RMS No. 343, Life 10, 2009. IF INTERESTED, BE IN THE LOBBY AT 7 PM. Member, passed away In February. He was one of very few "old timers" having a 3 digit THE BOWLING ALLEYS IN THE AREA ARE ALL membership number. Dr. Heffernon was very CLOSED MONDAY AND TUESDAY EXCEPT FOR THIS fond of his collections and deeply enjoyed ONE AND THEY ARE NOT OPENED IN THE AM. working with them. Our condolences to his PLEASE LET TERRY KNOW IF YOU ARE INTERESTED family and the many friends he had in the IN BOWLING THIS YEAR. hobby.

BIRTHDAY CLUB: The following club members will be celebrating ------birthdays on the dates indicated. Please check your latest roster to get current addresses and categories: Helen Byers (5/10), Bob Borton (5/27), Ruth Liebman HAVE A NEW E-MAIL (6/4), Gary Robins (6/6) ADDRESS? PLEASE LET THE ED KNOW . If you‘re interested in receiving 200-300 covers or boxes during your birthday month, send an SASE #10 envelope to: Wally and Pat Mains, 105 Roger Ln., Florence, KY 41042-2334. NEW MEMBERS ARE ALWAYS WELCOME. 32 RMS Bulletin May/June 2009, No. 538

Terry L. Rowe PRSRT STD. RMS Membership Secretary/Treasurer U.S. POSTAGE 1509 S. Dugan Rd. PAID Urbana, OH 43078-9209 URBANA, OH

PERMIT NO. 200 ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED

The Voice of the Hobby RMS BULLETIN The Official Publication of the Rathkamp Matchcover Society Published Bi-Monthly Complete Convention Info!

RMS Convention: “Convention Central‖ at http://www.matchcover.org FOREST CITY AUCTION 2009: May 2, 2009. Comfort Inn, Austintown, OH, 330-792-9740. AMCAL Convention: “AMCAL Central‖ at Room: $59.00 inc continental breakfast. Huge http://www.matchcover.org/sierra auction. FMI: Larry Kozak 440-777-5667 or [email protected] COMING UP! AMCAL 2009: May 17-23, 2009. Piccadilly Inn Airport, 5115 E. McKinley, Fresno, CA. Room: Jul/Aug: ―Famous Places‖ $83. Special super album raffle and much more. FMI: http://matchover.org/sierra Sep/Oct: ―Banks & S&L‘s‖

UNITED EASTERN SWAPFEST: Jun 17-20, Nov/Dec: ―Building Regional Clubs‖ 2009. Plaza Hotel, Hagerstown, PA (1-800-732-

0906). Room: $89-$118). Auctions, Awards Jan/Feb: ―Collecting Presidents‖ banquet, Dealers, Displays, Grab tables, Free Chicken & Pizza meal, and more. FMI: Stella Williams, [email protected] or 937-890- 8684 . ADVERTISING RATES Display Ads Full-Page = $55.00 Quarter-Page = $17.50 RMS CONVENTION 2009: Aug. 10-15, Plaza Half-Page = $30.00 Eighth-Page = $10.00 (N/A for Hotel, Hagerstown, MD.800-732-0906/e-mail: businesses) plazahtlmd @myactv.net. Single: $89+tax; Suite: Classified Ads $118-154+tax. First 20 words or less, $2.00; .10 per word thereafter. Same ad, three consecutive issues, 10% discount. Check made out to RMS must accompany first ad.

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All material is due to Editor NLT 30 days before appropriate publication month: Jan, Mar, May, Jul, Sep, Nov.