RMS BULLETIN NO. 541 November/December 2009

by Mike Prero

Regional clubs are a wonderful extra for the collector, but they‘re the lifeblood of the organized hobby. It‘s the clubs that organize all the large gatherings--swapfests, conventions, etc. It‘s the clubs that pull in most of the new people into the hobby (because they attract local people to their local activities). And, it‘s the clubs that forward, directly or indirectly, most collectors on to the national hobby organization, RMS.

Thus, it follows that the more regional clubs the hobby has, the healthier the organized hobby will be. More clubs mean more collectors, more advertising to the public, more activities, more exchanging information--a tighter, more efficient, more effective network altogether.

The tough part has always been building those regional clubs. They‘re fragile constructs, it turns out…and, in the past…and in the present…a number of potential clubs have never materialized…and more have eventually ‗withered‘ on the vine. Thus, I offer my thoughts on the subject, for whatever they‘re worth:

Step 1. There must be a group of local collectors (say, within a hundred-mile radius) willing to get together on a regular basis for hobby reasons. How many is a ‗group‘? I imagine you could get a club off the ground and going with as little as 3-4 collectors, but they would have to be really active and really dedicated. Normally, I should think, we‘d probably be looking at 10+ as a starting point.

Step 2. [and this one‟s usually the killer] Some of the local collectors have to be willing to be the officers who do the work required by a club--handling dues and membership, putting out a bulletin, scheduling and organizing meetings, refreshments, activities…

Step 3. Have regular meetings in order to provide local collectors with 1) an opportunity to obtain covers, 2) an opportunity to obtain and share information, 3) an opportunity to have input into the hobby, and 4) an opportunity to further the goals of the hobby through club publicity, group activities, etc.…along with socializing with peers and just having a good time.

But, you can‘t have meetings if the local collectors don‘t show up…and local collectors continued on p.3 2 RMS Bulletin November/December 2009, No. 541 names and addresses of ten new RMS members.

The President’s Message Take a few minutes to send them some matchcovers and welcome them to our hobby. Fall has finally arrived and winter is fast approaching. Before we all know it the holidays Family is an important part of everyone‘s life will all be here and gone and the snow will be and I hope all of you will take a few minutes to knee deep. Oh my! contact your matchcover family and especially take time to enjoy your everyday family. Swapfests are now about to end for a few months after the Keystone-Lehigh in October and Rich and I wish to extend all of you a happy, Phillu-Quebec in November so this should give healthy and safe holiday season. We hope that you some extra time to put together a display for 2010 will bring nothing but the best of everything your local library or write an article for your local to all of you as well. newspaper or the RMS Bulletin.

Everyone should be able to catch up on their Shirley Sayers trading and start putting together a few displays RMS President for upcoming events. ______

The last issue of the RMS Bulletin had the

THE RMS BULLETIN

The RMS Bulletin is a bimonthly publication of the Rathkamp Matchcover Society. RMS dues are $20 (single), $25 (single) for Canada and $35 (single) for overseas. Add. family members are $4 each. Dues are to be submitted to Treasurer. All articles, advertisements, comments, and letters should be sent to the Editor. Publication dates are: Sept., Nov., Jan, Mar., May, and Jul. Deadline for all submissions is 30 days before the publication month. This publication is owned by the Rathkamp Matchcover Society and is made available for public distribution through first class (Canadian and overseas) and bulk mail rates.

RMS WEB SITE: http://www.matchcover.org

RMS OFFICERS (2008-2010):

President: Shirley Sayers, 1290 Corporation St., Beaver, PA 15009 E-Mail: [email protected] 1st V.P.: Bill Gigantino, 197 Bradley Ave., Hamden, CT 06514-3911 E-Mail: [email protected] 2nd V.P.: Wally Mains, 105 Roger Lane, Florence, KY 41042-2334 [email protected] Secretary: Charles Specht, 2306 Belmore Dr., Cham- paign, IL 61821 E-Mail: charlesspecht@ hotmail.com Membership/Treasurer: Terry Rowe, 1509 S. Dugan Rd., Urbana, OH 43078-9209 (937) 653-3947 E-mail: [email protected] Editor: Mike Prero, 12659 Eckard Way Auburn, CA 95603 Tel: (530) 885-3604 E-Mail: [email protected] RMS Bulletin May/JuneNovember/December 1996, No. 460 2009 , No. 5 41 3 3 often don‟t show up…and that‟s also usually a critical factor in whether or not a club succeeds, because, no matter how many attractive activities, great refreshments, creative ideas, etc. the club officers may come up with…the single greatest drawing card for meetings is…other collectors!… People who come with new material, new information, new opportunities for trading, selling, and so on. There‘s nothing as deadly to club meetings as having the same stalwart 4-5 people show up over and over again when everyone else doesn‘t. Who‘s going to drive 40-70-100 miles for that, especially with gas prices continually soaring? Thus, there has to be some commitment on the part of those local collectors to support the club by showing up…but how you get that commitment is a question that clubs across the country have been trying to answer for years.

Exception - While having such meetings is the ideal and is certainly advantageous and recommended, it‘s not actually an absolute necessity. Sierra-Diablo, for example, is a regional club that stopped having meetings altogether a number of years ago and yet is still healthy and thriving. It should be noted, however, that that club offers an exceptional auction and a widely recognized bulletin. So, a club that has no meetings has to have something to offer! [And, if truth be told, I‟ve often gotten the impression that many to most collectors in any given area would just as soon not deal with meetings. Yes, I know! Why on earth would that be? Well, ask all the local club members who don‟t show up for meetings!…And, they‟ll invariably cite the problems I‟ve noted above, plus the usual “prior commitments” and “no time”.

Step 4. Once the club is formed, unless it‘s going to remain a small informal gathering of local collectors, it has to then develop those items which will draw in members from outside the local area, members who would not reasonably be expected to attend meetings. Those items are a good bulletin and a good auction (usually tied to the bulletin as a bulletin auction). Without those, there‘s no real reason why a collector, say, in Pennsylvania should bother joining a club in California.

It used to be that such collectors joined other clubs to have access to their rosters in order to make more contacts for trading, and it used to be that trading was the main way that most collectors obtained covers. Neither of those situations is true anymore. Collectors may now easily find peer contacts on the internet, and buying is now the primary way of obtaining covers for most collectors. So, what‘s that club in California got to offer that collector in Pennsylvania?…A good bulletin that offers useful collecting information and keeps the collector appraised of what‘s going on, hobby-wise, in that particular area, and a good auction that gives the collector the opportunity to find and obtain the material that he or she is out to collect.

Again, though, in order to do this, someone has to be willing to handle the auction; someone has to be willing to do the bulletins; someone has to be willing to see to the printing and the mailing…and so we‘re back to Step 2: Some of the local collectors have to be willing to do the work. It‘s hard to find those people…and it‘s hard to replace them when they eventually step down.

Step 5. Well, if you‘ve managed to successfully negotiate the first four steps, the rest, really, is maintenance…but it‘s important maintenance! Your local collectors are going to gradually diminish in numbers over time (attrition, one way or another), so a club that‘s going to remain viable normally has to be constantly looking for new members, especially local members (normally) because they‘re the ones that typically do the work, as well as keeping the meetings going. So, clubs should be…

 Advertising their local meeting dates and places. This can include flyers, postings on various bulletin boards, and so forth, but I would think the best approach would be to run a blurb in the local newspaper or weekly advertising circular. Most newspapers have, for example, something 4 RMS Bulletin November/December 2009, No. 541 akin to a ―Community Activities‖ section, column, or some such area, and, if all else fails, a small classified ad can be run from time to time.

At the same time, the club can always get free publicity simply by…

 Getting a local newspaper to run an article on a local collector‘s collection or even the club, itself. And, as has been shown many times before, that‘s a surprisingly easy thing to do. Newspapers are always looking for local ‗items of interest‘ and ‗human interest stories‘ to fill all that space that has to be filled.

 Having members appear on radio and TV stations, although I think the newspapers are a better avenue, simply because with newspaper articles the target audience has something to refer back to later, whereas with radio and TV spots it‘s basically a one-time shot…if you missed it when it was on, you don‘t have the opportunity to stumble across it later on.

 Setting up informational booths at fairs and such get-togethers.

 Setting up displays at local libraries, banks, and other business venues.

 Giving informational presentations to local groups (ex. Elks collection presentation to the Elks Club, Military collection presentation to the local VFW and American Legion).

 Staging collectibles fairs, swapfests, etc. and making certain they‘re publicized.

Any of the above activities may well bring in new members directly, but they‘re all guaranteed to publicize the club. Plus, such activities draw accumulations to the club. Non-collectors contact the club with bags, boxes, albums from grandpa. ―Would you be interested in this?‖ ―Could I sell this?‖ ―I‘d like to donate these.‖

One more idea for bringing in new members to the club is for the club to participate in joint ventures with related local clubs. For example, Sierra-Diablo has been looking into the possibility of having ephemera collectors, post card collectors, casino fans, and the like take part in its swapfest. This could boost attendance and interest while always presenting the possibility of signing up new members just by ‗rubbing shoulders‘ with these adjacent collectors.

Well, there are other aspects of maintenance besides keeping the membership at least stable. How about keeping the auctions going? Can‘t have an auction without material to sell. Where‘s that material going to come from?

 From club members. That‘s not only normally the initial source, but the main source for most club auctions. However, that‘s a source that may eventually run dry.

 From collections consigned or bought. This is always a great source, and the ideal would be to have a steady stream of these being fed into the club auction. Some clubs take such collections on consignment (charging a percentage for making up the lots and doing all the work), while other clubs prefer to buy the collection outright and then take 100% of the auction proceedings. Of course, occasionally, a club may even have such a collection donated to it by a member or the remaining spouse of that member. Continued on page 27 RMS Bulletin November/December 2009, No. 541 5 c o u r s e w e 'd What’s New! also love to know if they have by Joe DeGennaro matches). Well, I'm pleasantly surprised to share a new box and cover with you that I'm sure will please The lipstick box all the Hard Rock and Disney as well as lipstick pictured here is box collectors out there. Both were given to me from ―TODD at this year's RMS Convention. See why its such E N G L I S H ' S a good idea to attend the convention! bluezoo‖ located in the Walt The cover, a 20 strike, pictured here both Disney World outside and inside is from the new Hard Rock Dolphin Hotel at Hotel & Casino in Tulsa, Oklahoma. It's dark D i s n e y purple with yellow print and black, red and blue W o r l d . W e in the design. Just when i was close to giving up haven 't seen adding new covers or boxes to my Hard Rock anything new list this cover gives me hope that there will be from this location in a couple of years so perhaps more to come. I heard recently that there is the there will be more to come from this great possibility of new Hard Rock Hotel & Casino at vacation resort in the future. The box is dark blue Aqueduct Raceway in New York, but that may with white, medium blue and light blue print. The be few years down the road. If any of you know wavy lines on one side are also light blue. I got of any other Hard Rock Hotel & Casinos that this box from a non-Disney collector (thanks have opened recently please let me know so I again Bob) so if any of you out there have any can share that info with our membership (of more to add please let me know. Until next time take care, happy collecting and happy hunting.

[Ed. Note: These are really dark covers, so I‟m not sure how much you‟re actually going to be able to see after the printing]

Pre-UN Cover

In 1945, representatives of 50 countries met in San Francisco at the United Nations Conference on International Organization to draw up the United Nations Charter. Those delegates deliberated on the basis of proposals worked out by the representatives of China, the Soviet Union, the United King- dom and the United States at Dumbarton Oaks, United States in August-October 1944. The Char- ter was signed on 26 June 1945 by the representatives of the 50 coun- tries. Poland, which was not repre- sented at the Conference, signed it later and became one of the origi- nal 51 Member States. 6 RMS Bulletin November/December 2009, No. 541

Bulgarian Box Set –2008 A set of 25 boxes, featuring famous places around the world (6 shown) [Special thanks to Hans Everink, Netherlands for these.]

RMS Bulletin November/December 2009, No. 541 7 discovery that has been one of the greatest boons to

mankind, for it resulted in the first friction match. His friends urged him to patent his invention, but the little

chemist refused. ―The idea is not sufficiently important to warrant it,‖ he retorted.

History Of The Match: I Walker‘s friction matches were sold in round, tin containers for one shilling a hundred, and twopence for [This information has been taken from Match-Box the tin. His first recorded sale, in the ledger he Labels of the World, author and date unknown, but it scrupulously kept, was made on 7th April, 1827—to a was probably in the late 1940s. This first part covers Mr. Hixon, a Stockton solicitor, in which he refers to John Walker, a subject which has been done to death them as ―Friction Lights,‖ although he probably began within the hobby, but the information here adds a selling his lights late in 1826. number of points not covered elsewhere, I believe. Note: This series is complimentary to our previous Walker‘s earliest lights were fitted with cardboard series, “The Tortured History of the Match] stems, but he quickly improved on this by using wooden splints, employing aged inmates of Stockton The First Friction Match: Its Inventor, John almshouses, who splint them by hand. Later, he also Walker employed the elder pupils of the local grammar school, paying them sixpence per hundred. At first, they cut During the latter half of the 1826, the first friction the splints by hand, with a knife, from the edge of a match, as we know it, was invented by John Walker, a flat piece of wood planed to one-sixth of an inch north-country chemist. A middle-aged bachelor, his thickness and three inches in length. Walker‘s lights all quaint old-fashioned bow-fronted shop, with its tiny had wooden splints just three inches long, one-sixth of diamond pane windows, in the High Street of Stockton an inch broad, and one-twentieth thick, unlike the -on-Tees, was a well-known landmark in the town. modern match, which is usually square in section.

Born in May 1871, the third son of an elder John One of the pupils, thinking to mass produce the Walker, grocer and wine merchant of Stockton, he was splints, sought to abolish the tedious task of cutting the articled to Watson Alcock, county Durham, leading sticks by hand by using a jack-plane. This put a curve surgeon. Impressed by his pupil‘s uncanny ability to on the splints so they would not lie flat in the box. absorb his medical studies, he raised him to his Walker was annoyed at this and promptly gave up on personal assistant, but Walker, unable to conquer a his part-time employees at the school. growing aversion to witnessing and performing surgical operations, ultimately threw up his profession The tin containers were gradually replaced by at the age of 38 and adopted that of a druggist, setting pasteboard boxes, contracted from a local bookbinder, up his new business in the High Street , taking up his John Ellis, for three-halfpence each. In each box, a residence with a niece in a fine house on the riverside, piece of sandpaper was inserted with the matches. To with a splendid lawn in front running down to the ignite the light, the head of the match was placed on water‘s edge. the folded sandpaper and drawn out sharply, when, if the head did not come off, as was often the case, the A small, dapper little man, invariably cheery and match flared into a fizzling crack, similar to modern good-humored and a great favorite with his customers, fireworks—the fuzee match beloved by boys on Guy he habitually wore a brown tailcoat, knee breeches, Fawkes night. white cravat and a tall beaver hat. He was a born scientist and keenly interested in botany, mineralogy, Walker never attempted to sell his matches on a wide and chemistry. He spent his time between chemical scale, but met only the local demands in the vicinity of experiments in the rear of his shop, amid an array of Durham. test tubes, liquids and mysterious substances, and roaming the countryside collecting botanical Commercial cliques now pressed him to do so, but specimens, which he studied, classified, and preserved he still refused to patent the invention or form a with scientific thoroughness. company to exploit it. Instead, he simply carried his matches as a proprietary line, as was the general During one of his experiments, he made the continued on p. 31 8 RMS Bulletin November/December 2009, No. 541

The United States Army

A military ‗camp‘ is a semi-permanent lodging for an army, or any part thereof. When would you need camps, rather than the more permanent installations, such as bases, forts, etc.? During wartime. Thus, we see a proliferation of army camps during World War II, Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan, and so forth. With the end of the conflict, the camps tend to disappear rapidly, except for the relatively few that become elevated to bigger, permanent sites.

Since so many of our Military covers stem from the World War II era (which was also before the anti -smoking campaigns!), Army Camp covers abound! And, since almost none still survive today as ‗camps‘, they‘re gems of U. S. history. ―See that shopping center over there, Bobby? That‘s where Camp Crowley used to be 65 years ago. That‘s were Grandpa did his basic training before going to fight in Germany.‖

There are at least 409 covers from Army camps currently listed, and those are just the ones with ―camp‖ in the installation name. So there are probably more that are listed individual unit designations, etc. All sizes, mostly front-strike, of course—which makes them even more desirable! If you‘re interested in the Military or U.S. History, the Military category of collecting is a rich and wonderful area to get into. RMS Bulletin September/OctoberNovember/December 1996, 2009 No., No. 462 541 9 9 “Why have you chosen not to join RMS?” [August - 16 responding ]

In case you were wondering why you hadn‘t been queried for another RMS Insta-Poll after the last issue, I decided to poll collectors who were not RMS members as to why they had decided not to join the national organization.

I sent out some 90 e-mails and eventually received 16 responses, so that says something important in itself. The resulting conclusion was backed up by the few responses sent in, as noted below.

The bulk of non-RMS collectors, I perceive, are not really focused on the hobby in the same way we are. They‘re scaling back from collecting, part-time collectors, on the verge of leaving, satisfied with the small local slice of the hobby they have, into their local club for the social activities and connections, and so forth. What RMS can draw from this information is that it‘s a losing proposition to target this group for membership.

Results:

-Only collect on a very limited/part-time basis (3)

-No relevance because of it‘s not local and can‘t attend conventions (3)

-Dues are too high (3)

-Already belong to enough clubs (2)

-Too old/scaling back (2)

-Reluctance to trade with foreign collectors (1)

-RMS is focused on matchcovers, and I focus on labels/boxes (1)

-changed address/lapsed paperwork/no follow-up (1) Answer to Last Issue’s Matchcover Mystery

“Which came first: Jersey SF, Lion SF, or Manhattan SF?”

Larry Cole, NY; Judi Wittwer, AZ; and Claude Pelletier, CAN, got this one correct. Lion came first, in 1919; then Jersey in 1935; and finally Manhattan in 1936.

Matchcover Mysteries: #83

Where was the Helio Match Co. headquartered?

Answer in our next issue! 10 RMS Bulletin November/December 2009, No. 541

Editorial

Winter Doldrums: A Solution

You know, once the Long Beach and Keystone-Lehigh swapfests are over in October, there‘s nothing really going on in the hobby, of an ‗event‘ nature, until the Southeastern Swapfest in March. It‘s the winter doldrums! Actually, it‘s the fall- winter doldrums!

Yawn! With the exception of small occasional blips in December, as various club Christmas parties blossom across the country, the hobby basically goes into a four-month hibernation. It‘s the weather, of course. Who wants to venture forth amidst wind and rain, sleet and snow?

True, this doesn‘t mean that collectors are hibernating. We‘re still collecting, still sorting, still buying in auctions and trading. And, every once and awhile we might even venture outside to check whether or not we can see our shadows. But, generally, it‘s just that we retreat to our homes and, with our noses pressed up against the living room window, we pretty much just watch November, December, January, and February roll on by while the elements rain down from the heavens.

What we need is some big hobby event in the winter to spark interest, maintain enthusiasm, and keep the continuity flowing, instead of just waiting out this big ‗blah‘ spell. But, it can‘t be a ‗physical‘ get- together, because it‘s just too much of a hassle to travel in the winter [After all, we don‟t all live in California!] So...how can we get together without...‗getting together‘?!

I have an idea. [!] Using the internet and [groan] the post office, RMS puts on a huge annual auction, open to every collector in the country (and Canada), regardless of club affiliation. This would be the biggest single auction in the hobby, separate from, and far beyond the scope of, the RMS Bulletin auction. It would be posted on the RMS web site for on-line collectors and sent as a hard copy via mail for everyone else who requests it, and it would run, perhaps, from something like January 15th to February 15th. That would be smack dab in winter, but late enough for everyone‘s New Year‘s activities to be over with.

Of course, RMS would garner additional income from all this, but that‘s not the main reason I‘m proposing this. I really do believe that hobby needs some focal point activity during the winter...and, I have to admit, it galls me to see ebay continually siphoning off hobby dollars. Would there be enough interest and participation to justify such an effort by RMS? I have no idea. But there are at least five regional clubs that have regular bulletin auctions throughout the year, plus RMS‘s bulletin auction, plus various private mail and on-line hobby auctions...so the auction bidders are already out there.

But auction bidders would be only half the problem. We can‘t auction what we don‘t have. We‘d have to have good participation from sellers, as well. And, in that vein, my suggestion, for this particular event, would be to abandon the usual ―10 lots per seller‖ restriction and put it on a ‗first come-first served‘ basis, until the auction is filled.

As usual, there would have to be volunteers to do all the work, but that‘s normally never been a problem, thanks to all the good souls who tirelessly offer their services for the good of the club and the good of the hobby.

Anyhow, it seems like a good idea to me. RMS Bulletin November/December 2009, No. 541 11

St. Basil’s

Arguably the most recognized building in Russia, it is an international symbol for the nation and for the city of Moscow. I visited it in 1972 and was more impressed with it than I was with St. Peter‘s, in Rome. It is beautifully exotic, especially to the eye of a Western traveler—the colors, the shapes. Once seen, the memory lasts forever.

The cathedral was commissioned by Ivan IV (also known as Ivan the Terrible) in Moscow to com- memorate the capture of the Khanate of Kazan, and built from 1555 to 1561. In 1588, Tsar Fedor Ivanovich had a chapel added on the eastern side above the grave of Basil Fool for Christ , a Russian Orthodox saint after whom the cathedral was popularly named. Saint Basil's is located at the southeast end of Red Square, just across from the Kremlin. Not particularly large, it consists of nine chapels built on a single foundation. The cathedral's design follows that of contemporary tented churches. The inte- rior of the cathedral is a collection of separate chapels, each filled with icons, medieval painted walls, and varying artwork on the top inside of the domes. The feeling is intimate and varied, in contrast to Western cathedrals which usually consist of a massive nave with one artistic style. The initial concept was to build a cluster of chapels, one dedicated to each of the saints on whose feast day the tsar had won a battle, but the construction of a single central tower unifies these spaces into a single cathedral. A popular historical legend says that Ivan had the architect, Postnik Yakovlev, blinded to prevent him from building a more magnificent building for anyone else. In fact, Postnik Yakovlev built a number of churches after Saint Basil's, including one in Kazan. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ Saint_Basil%27s_Cathedral] 12 RMS Bulletin November/December 2009, No. 541

Error Sequence

Now, here‘s something you don‘t often see—a whole sequence of errors for the same cover. Actually, there are two errors here, both with the colors [Too bad this isn‟t in color—Of course, if this were on the web site, it would be!]

The background color here is supposed to be orange, and the darker box color and most of the text is supposed to be brown (The text on the side of the box is a much darker brown).

In the first cover, none of the brown has printed.

In the second cover, only the brown on the bottom part of the cover has printed (note the half- filled circle on the left).

The third cover has the brown correctly printed...but the orange background failed to print (only a thin partial strip just beneath the striker)

The fourth cover is almost there! It has all of the brown and most of the orange background, but it‘s still missing the orange on the top strip of the cover.

The last cover is just right! Everything‘s there! By the way, you should be able to see the staple holes in all of these covers, so these aren‘t simply production samples pulled at various points along the printing process. They‘re real covers!

[Special thanks to Loren Moore, CA, for spotting these...and then giving them to me! They are now part of The Ed.‟s Error collection]

RMS Bulletin November/December 2009, No. 541 13

Interesting Covers

1. An interesting Crown cover from a private yacht [from John Mathot, MA]

2. The cover to the right is from the Rex Match Co., which is what the mm‘s normally say, but I had never seen one like this before—Rex Book Match [from Loren Moore, CA]

3. Lion Safety First from Death Valley [from Loren Moore, CA]

4. Old Lion cover from Grauman‘s Chinese Theatre [from Loren Moore, CA]

5. Universal XL cover from Mt. Rainier National Park [from Loren Moore, CA]

6. A Diamond Quality Golf-Tee cover, c. 1920s. It had golf-tees attached to the back panel. [from Loren Moore, CA]

14 RMS Bulletin November/December 2009, No. 541

Editorial [again!]

The Vast Abyss Of The Inland Empire!

If you were to check the hobby demographics against a map of the United States (such as the one on the RMS web site), you would notice a striking feature. There‘s basically nothing, hobby-wise, in the great interior of the country!

If you were to put a dot for each regional club on said map, you‘d see that all the dots (with one exception) are along the edges! Only Rocky Mountain Matchcover Club is in the interior.

If your were to put a similar mark on said map where both the annual AMCAL and RMS conventions are held, you‘d see that they‘re almost always on the edge of the continent, rather than in the interior. AMCAL, of course, is always in California, so it‘s always on the edge. But even with the RMS conventions, which are held in different locations each year, only five of the 65 conventions have been in an interior state. Those notable exceptions were:

-Des Moines, IA -Las Vegas, NV -Des Moines, IA -St. Louis, MO -St. Louis, MO (1961) (1969) (1973) (1984) (2007)

Even those conventions held in Canada have all been...on the edge of Canada! [Although, in Canada‟s case, it should be noted, they have a good excuse...All they have in their interior is polar bears!] We, on the other hand, have people...collectors...motherhood and apple pie! But, I‘m getting ahead of myself, here.

What about the hobby‘s swapfests and other special get-togethers? Where are they being held? Um...... [guess]...... Yes, that‘s right! On the edges! Long Beach Swapfest-> California! Sierra-Diablo Swapfest-> California! Southern Swapfest-> Florida! UES-> Maryland! Trans Canada Swapfest-> Niagara Falls area! Keystone-Lehigh Valley Swapfest-> Pennsylvania!

Demographically, as of this writing, 13% of known collectors are located in the interior states [not counting collectors overseas and in Hawaii; Canadian collectors counted as being in the „edge‟ areas]. And, that‘s the argument for having everything in the fringe states—that‘s where 87% of the collectors are located. So, I suppose you could say that those collectors in the interior are just a victim of geographical circumstances. That doesn‘t change the resulting fact that those collectors are still, more or less, the stepchildren of the hobby. Whatever‘s happening, it‘s never near them

On the other hand, activity locations have a lot to do with making the activity available to the largest number of people, and, it could be argued, those collectors in the interior had to know the general disadvantages and advantages of living in the interior when they first decided to live...in the interior.

One equalizer, and of growing importance, though, is the internet. With the internet, those lonesome collectors in places like Nevada, Oklahoma, Kansas, and Utah, don‘t feel so left out anymore. They can literally bring the hobby right to themselves whenever they want and for a negligible cost—certainly far, far cheaper than telephones and fax machines. Still, I wonder what it would be like to have a convention in, say, Goodland, Kansas. RMS Bulletin November/December 2009, No. 541 15 - Rocky Mountain MC: [July-August 2009] 8 pages,

A Peek At Other Bulletins club business, The Perils of Pauline, Casinos of the [based on current issues on hand as of this writing] Past-The Sands, Updating Casino Covers, Casino

Fandango Update, ebay Prices Angelus MC: [October-December 2009] 15 pp+Events flyer, club news, Quarterly Combos, Fangs -San Diego MC: [Fall 2009] 8 pages, club business, For The Memory, Dead and Buried?, Interview With a Shock As Collectors Learn Of AMCAL‘s Closing, Vampire Collector, World Renown Black Cats, The Smokey Bear, Silhouette Designs On Matchcovers, Giant Matchbook: Christmas Greeting, auction, raffle New Matchcover Finds in Los Angeles

-Badger State MC: [September-October 2009] 4 pp., -Sierra-Diablo MC: [October 2009] 8-pages (full- club news, The Hobby Nobody Knows: Phillumeny; V color e-mail edition), club business, The United -J Day Nations, AMCAL-Reorganized (letters from San

Diego, Sierra-Diablo, and Angelus clubs), Southern -Connecticut MC: [Late Summer/Fall 2009] 7 pp, Swapfest info, ads, auction club news, Sets & Series Update, Cliff‘s New ‗BFF‘

-Tobacco Club: [July 2009] 8 pages+color insert, Denver Strikers MC: [September-October 2009] 4 club business, misc. old and new finds, New Almark pp., club news, The Big Yellow School Bus, It Is set, RMS Convention Schedule Halloween And We Are Going To The Devil, The

Quiet Woman And Other Headless People! Trans-Canada MC: [September 2009] 7 pp. (full-

color e-mail edition), Canadian Pullmatch, Bob Bush, -Empire MC: [October 2009] 6 pp., club news, A auction New Find From Hard Rock, What‘s New From Walt

Disney World/Epcot -Tri-State Cardinals MC: [August 2009] 10 pages

(magazine format), club business, Covers-Covers- Forest City MC: [September 2009] 4 pp,+meeting Covers, RMS Convention news, Recipes Not On a flyer, club business, A Thanksgiving Day Prayer Matchbook Yet, ads

Garden State MC: [Summer 2009] 7 pages, club -Windy City MC: business, Roller Skating, Tobacco Page, The Brew [September-October 2009] Pub, auction 1 pg., club business Great Lakes MC: [September 2009] 10 pages, club business, Yosemite Hotel, 82, Getting An Upgrade; [Ed. note: In case you‟re Nugget Hotel Casino; Match-Ups wondering why some clubs may not appear Liberty Bell MC: [September 2009] 8 pages (full- here from issue to issue— color, magazine format), club business, RMS Recap I may not be on that Notes, ads club‟s current bulletin mailing list, that club may -Lone Star MC: [November-December2009] 8 pages only issue a quarterly (full-color e-mail edition), club business, Collecting bulletin, that bulletin may Manumarks, WW II Boxes, Antique Cars, USS Robert K. Huntington, What‘s Going on Elsewhere, ads have arrived too late to include, etc.] -New Moon MC: [September 2009] 8 pages (2 in color), club business, Box listings update, On The Freebie Table-RMS, On The Road You could make a whole company out of this? -Pacific Northwest MCC: [July-August 2009] 8 Who woulda thunk?! pages, club business, Mermaids, Found It On ebay, ads, auction, drawing

16 RMS Bulletin November/December 2009, No. 541

King

For almost a thousand years, the world has read of Arthur‘s brave deeds and the exploits of the Knights of the Round Table. The Arthurian body of stories was Europe‘s first romantic literature. Today, we‘re surrounded by films, plays, cartoons, comic books, and such—all stemming from the tales of this legendary king of Medieval Britain. But who was he? What was he? Did he even exist?

We don‘t know. There probably was a Celtic warrior back in the 400s who had some success against the invading Saxons, and upon whom the Arthurian stories were ultimately based. But that person‘s name, and deeds, if he ever existed, have long since been lost. Plus, since the story of Arthur is the story of the Celts in Britain trying to keep the invading Saxons out, all the castles, knights, jousting, etc.—all the things that we now automatically associate with King Arthur—never existed in that time period. They were all added to the circulating legends later, as the Middle Ages kept evolving, and as the stories were told and retold, with more and more exaggerations and embellishments.

Think of all the incredible sub-stories involved in the Arthurian literature that have since become classics in and of themselves—―Sir Gawain and the Green Knight‖, ―Tristram and Iseult‖, ―Lancelot and Guinevere‖, and ―The Quest For the Holy Grail‖. Of course, there‘s no proof that any of these other characters existed, either, but they‘ve certainly had an effect on our culture, our language, and our thinking. And it‘s not just the characters. When the terribly wounded Arthur is taken to the magic isle, ‗Avalon‘ comes down to us as synonymous with the ultimate mystical wonderland. When Arthur smites his foes with his magical sword, ‘Excalibur‘ is bequeathed to us as the symbol of hope, salvation, and everything good.

And what about the Round Table? There were quite a few Medieval kings who purposely had round RMS Bulletin November/December 2009, No. 541 17

Arthur!

tables...to foster the idea that they were somehow the heirs, direct or not, of Arthur, his power, and or his ideals. And where would Round Table Pizza be without the Arthurian literature?!

Although there were earlier written stories about Arthur and his knights, it was Sir Thomas Malory‘s Le Morte Darthur, c. 1469, that solidified the legend into the literary classic it has been ever since. Many poets, novelists, and playwrights have based their works on Malory‘s romantic prose.

The Arthurian legend was comprised of the first European stories to give women a major role— Guinevere, Morgana Le Fay, Lady Nimue. Prior to this, women appeared in stories merely as background and as a support for the men. And the import of the legend goes on...

As Arthur was leaving for Avalon, he said he would return when Britain‘s need was greatest, and there were more than a few who looked for that return during World War II.

Because there are so many facets to the King Arthur legend, there are more covers available to the collector, at least if he or she lumps then all together under one collection. I keep mine separate, by individual Literary Characters, but you could certainly have a King Arthur collection made up of covers such as ―The Camelot Motel‖, ―Excalibur Bar‖, ―Roundtable Pizza‖, ―The Lancelot Lounge,‖ and so on. Actually, that would be a nice ‗quest‘—to see, for example, how many Knights of the Round Table you could find covers for. Gawain, Kay, Mordred, Pelles, Galahad, Perivale, etc. I‘ve certainly come across some. Currently, I have four actual King Arthur covers...and I‘m always still looking! 18 RMS Bulletin November/December 2009, No. 541 [Please check the Mail Box column for answers on last issue‟s query

Calendar Art Sets?

Herb Price, IA, who maintains the Calendar Art Sets listing, is trying to find out if these covers represent singles, parts of a set, or parts of different sets. If anyone has information that can help him out, please let us know.

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.

Giant - Lion Match Company‘s manumark for its 11-stick, 9 1/16‖x3 3/8‖ covers; 1936-c. 1993 [most come from the 1940s-1950s]. Mel Garrett‘s, KS, collection numbered 626 in 6/93.

Many, if not most, of the Giants were Features, as noted in the above manumark— quite spectacular! How about the USS Missouri, the 1939 Golden Gate International Exposition, The Chicago Municipal Airport, lots of Christmas...I even have one in velvet!

These are truly great collector covers.

These have been greatly reduced! RMS Bulletin November/December 2009, No. 541 19 Up-To-Date MIDGET LIST

An up-to-date Midget List is now available at no charge. It is on an Excel spreadsheet and contains over 8500 listings of all Midget covers and variations known to me. This includes my own collection of over 4000 and includes all of the covers known in the Hiller listing.

I am continually updating with information from Maryland-Virginia current sale listings, new acquisitions, and from Matchbook Club the valuable cooperation of Midget collectors who have given me access to view and record The MARVA Matchbook Collecting Club is covers and variations in their collections that based in the Metropolitan Washington, DC area have not appeared on any list. I will periodically and serves the Maryland, Virginia, and send updated information to all those who have Washington, D.C. region. The club, however, is requested the full listing. not restricted to local members. A fair number of members are scattered across North America and Included in the Midget List will be advertiser more are welcome. The club was formed with the name, city and state where known, and merger in 1970 of The Old Dominion Club (est. manumark (Lion, Diamond or Ohio). I have not 1951) and National Capital Match Collectors Club assigned numbers to each cover, but cover (NACAMCO) (est. 1949). Original members numbers from the Hiller listing are included. included Lorne Branton, Edith Cooper (RMS's first woman president), Ed Keller, George If you would like this new Midget List, simply Loveless, Bob and Elizabeth Oliver, Ed Perkins, request it via email and I will send it to your Raymond and Madeline Smith, and Charlie email address at no charge. I cannot send Wissel. MARVA meets formally four times a printed copies. Should you not have a computer, year: March, May, September, and November. At ask a friend who has and I can send it to them. the present time, our meetings have been held at You can then make arrangements with them to the Fairfax County Mason District Office in have a printed copy made. Annandale, VA.

Midgets covers are an MARVA also participates at the United Eastern important category in our Swapfest in Hagerstown, MD in June, primarily to hobby, and I am happy to present a display award. Many of the members provide the listing to all who assist with the various functions. The club request it and to work to keep encourages support of RMS and has a high it current. Should you find that percentage of its members in RMS, as well you have any unlisted covers, MARVA publishes an informative newsletter, please send me the appropriate The MARVA Collector, with up-to-the-minute information, and I'll be sure to match-cover and club information. include it in the next updating. Dues are $5.00 yearly, with renewals each Email me at January. FMI: contact Grant Gehringer, 4761 [email protected]. Parkman Court, Annandale, VA 22003-5046, (703) 354-2457. Mike Schwimmer 30 Corncob Lane Brewster MA 02631-2002 1020 RMS RMS Bulletin Bulletin September/October November/December 1995, 2009 No., No. 456 5 41 match-related items might be out there. The Mail Box Mike Schwimmer, MA: I noticed the letter from Bill Evans, KY: I have Claude Pelletier in the last issue re how to make 2 m a t c h - r e l a t e d pages for 10s and 12's in the current RMS collectibles that were Bulletin. I thought that this wood burning tool given to me by a good ploy was common knowledge in the hobby, but friend in Michigan. The possibly not. first is an old Decca record, entitled ―If I I use such a device for my 20s as well. They Only Had a Match‖, and have far easier pockets to use than those we can sung by Al Jolson. The other is an early piece of order that Greg Lund sends out a few times a year sheet music with the same song and introduced by and are similar to the Hobbymaster pages. Lawrence Welk. I have to believe that the record However, you make them from the Ultra-Pro is a rarity, and I doubt that the sheet music would Platinum 4-pocket pages which you can find be easy to locate. I‘m wondering how many other easily and buy much cheaper. Almost any antique mall has a dealer who sells Ultra-Pro 4-pocket pages for postcards. You can also find them at postcard shows. Generally, a 100-page pack costs between $15 and $18 and no shipping.

The wood-burning tool I use is called the Creative Versa-Tool which I bought at an A.C. Moore crafts store. A.C. Moore has many stores in the Eastern part of the U.S. and I'm sure this or a similar tool can be found at other craft outlets as well. The list price for it is $29.95, but Amazon.com has it for $18.69. (And I'm sure there are other brands for less as the CV-T is a whole kit with many different tips and you really only need the one tip.)

I have a glass shelf on which I've drawn in permanent Magic Marker lines in the proper spacing to create 8 pockets out of the 4 on the Ultra-Pro page. I also draw lines the same size as the page so I know exactly where to put the page on the glass. Then using a metal ruler, I simply draw the heated tool tip along the lines I can see thru the clear page and the heat seals the front to the back of the page instantly. Now I have a perfect 8-pocket page for 20's. It's easy, quick and safe and I have superior 20-strike plastic pages at the lowest possible cost.

Donna Birdlong, PA: Re mounting Giants in the last issue - here's what I do. If it's a feature that I want to show the matches, I use 8-1/2 x 11 plastic page protectors. Fold the plastic part in half and RMS Bulletin November/December 2009, No. 541 21 put a crease mark in it. Then I put 3 staples on the matches were sold as lucifer matches (as they are crease - middle, top and bottom and can insert 2 still known in the Netherlands). In 1862, Bryant features in each page without them sliding and May began mass producing the red tipped around . For stripped covers or plain sticks, I close matches we all know today, after the patent by the the cover and use a 40 stick page to file them. Lundström brothers from Sweden.

Cliff Zeckser, FL: [Ref last issue‟s article on Helen Hollmann, PA: Helen sent in a copy of the hobby listings] I am thinking of doing the BPOE July 21, 1981 Family Circle Magazine, which ran by lodge number in a series of number an article on “Free increments, which I would make available to Collectibles‟. It was just a collectors to comment or add additions. Yes, there short blurb, but RMS was are many ever so slight variations. Has someone mentioned...and over 2,200 done Moose and Eagles? Several years ago, I people sent in inquiries to bought John Williams' Extend 'n Ad collection. I the membership secretary think he was maintaining a listing. I have not as a result! Ah! Those were done so, so I think it is an "orphan" list also. the days!

Ed. I happen to do the Moose and F.O. Eagles Judi Wittwer, AZ: Judi listings. Good luck on the Elks listing...Boy! inquired as to how many, That‟s going to be a bear! and which ones, were in this Western Fan Club series. Paul Spoff, OH: Paul sent in this item from List She has Hopalong Cassidy Universe (http://listverse.com/2009/08/20/another and Rex Allen..Info, -10-curious-everyday-inventions/) anyone? Global Lottery Collector’s Society —————

Interested In A Fun Hobby? Join those who collect scratch lottery tickets.

For more information: http://www.lotterycollectors.com

The first ―friction match‖ was invented by English Or write to: chemist John Walker in 1826. Early work had Lottery Club: 412 Rennard Street been done by Robert Boyle and his assistant, Philadelphia, PA 19116 Godfrey Haukweicz in the 1680s with phosphorus and sulfur, but their efforts had not produced Or E-mail : useful results. Walker discovered a mixture of stibnite, potassium chlorate, gum, and starch [email protected] for a free 3 month could be ignited by striking against any rough trial membership and 3 free monthly surface. Walker called the matches congreves, but newsletters the process was patented by Samuel Jones and the 22 RMS Bulletin November/December 2009, No. 541

Hobby Glossary

Bits & Pieces Eddy Quality - Eddy footer; much sought-after, as with any Quality; 1930s; 126 currently listed.

Eddylites - Eddy trademark; 1977-present. Here’s an interesting bit that caught my eye: You Eddylites Safety Pocket Matches - Eddy don‘t often see Auto trademark; 1977-present. Dealer covers with a price. (and what a price!) Eddylites Strike Anywhere - Eddy trademark;

replaced Eddy‘s Sesqui brand; 1977-present. Larry & Arlene Cole,

NY, are starting a new Eddylites Utility - Eddy trademark; replaced listing - FS 20 strike Drug Eddy‘s Household Matches; 1977-present. Stores. They‘ve got some

1,100 in Larry‘s own Education Set - 1930s Group I Diamond 100- collection to work with cover set (33 red/33 white/34 blue). already, but if you can send scans of your own, it Edward I. Plottle Co. - PA-based advertising would be of help specialty company. 62 currently listed. eventually to everyone.

([email protected]) Eez-L - Lion trademark for its covers having a cut (140 Ralph Ave., White -out portion on the back panel which could be Plains, NY 10606) pushed out to allow the cover the stand up; c.

1940s/1950s; Jim Moffett‘s, CA, collection Judi Wittwer, AZ, has numbered 103 as of 10/90. Often referred to as also started some new ―Easel Backs‖ in the hobby. See also ―Easel listings: Movies, VIP‘s, Match‘ (Lion spelled it two different ways) and Music. Any info you may have to contribute, send to: 12320 S Sierrita Mtn. Rd., Tucson, AZ Elks (B.P.O.E.) - large Fraternal category 85736-1310 collected separately; my collection numbered

5,002 as of 12/00. The New AMCAL will rotate locations at least for the next three years: 2010–Roseville, CA; Elvgren Girlies - 15 Superior Girlie sets by artist 2011-Los Angeles area; 2012-San Diego area. Elvgren; 1938-1948.

Several clubs continue to urge their members Embassy - Maryland trademark for its debossed, to shift to their new electronic bulletins. One Cameo-like covers. club‘s estimate was that it saves $1 for every bulletin e-mailed rather than mailed. Emboss-O-Match - 1920s Universal trademark

for embossed covers. The Angelus, San Diego, and Sierra-Diablo clubs are asking all 2009 AMCAL attendees to Embossed - opposite of debossed; raised design return the $$ they received when AMCAL folded. on outside of cover; inside is consequently pushed The new AMCAL needs operating funds. It will in; this is also a large category; Mel Garrett‘s, KS, be interesting to see how many collectors actually collection numbered 12,210 in6/93. send back the money. I‘ll keep you posted.

RMS Bulletin January/FebruaryNovember/December 1996, 2009 No., No. 458 5 41 19 23

Projects Suggested For R.M.S. [March-April 1968]

―Editor‘s Note: This article does not necessarily reflect the opinion of any by the writer. [Esther Rancier]

To interest new members and add the zest of participation for everyone in R.M.S., there should be an opportunity for involvement in some worthwhile club project. Some suggested projects for R.M.S. might be providing speakers‘ bureaus; offer assistance to boy and girl scout groups which often select matchcover collecting for pack participation; volunteer work with any interested community club, senior-citizens or shut-ins; spreading the hobby message to occupational therapy groups at Veterans Hospitals; or just forming a study group to make recommendations at the next R.M.S. meeting for worthwhile projects not only to secure new members, but to promote better, easier collecting among those already in R.M.S.

Thus, projects can fall into two categories: one, starting off new people on a rewarding, inexpensive hobby and two, providing assistance for collectors at any level. These projects would work best when assigned to members within one geographical area. For instance the Cleveland area members might work with local scout groups. The Allentown area hobbyists would contact shut-ins. The senior citizens would be an ideal project in St. Petersburg.

Each group would be free to pursue the job as best suited them, but an annual report would be a must! An annual form could be developed by R.M.S. , so that, the successful techniques adopted by a project would be recorded for future use by all. If Allentown was particularly successful with shut-ins, their annual report could be adopted as standard procedure elsewhere.

For those members who might not be so community action minded, the projects to help present collectors would be more to their liking. One important need is a good comprehensive text on the hobby. To date most material falls far short. The Angelus Matchcover Club once had a useful brochure. It‘s not available now, but one project of R.M.S. could be to study this brochure and decide if it would be worth making available again in joint sponsorship with the Angelus Club. Several individual collectors have stated that they are working on manuscripts about collecting. Another project would be the evaluation of these works and perhaps financially assisting with publication of the best.

There are, of course, an endless variety of needed projects. In the next bulletin, there‘ll be a list of some different ideas. [March-April1

MISCELLANEOUS TIDBITS: ―Bulletin postage was gone up, beginning July 1, 1969, from 3.6¢ per piece to 3.8¢ per piece mailed. At over 700 pieces, that quite a pretty penny just for postage!‖ [November-December 1969 RMS Bulletin]

RAMBLINGS: ―From our RMS President, Evelyn Hovious, comes a fascinating and new cover in the Jewelite contour size, but marked cameo on the inside. This cover is from the ‗Plumed Horse‘ of Saratoga, Calif., and is a gold metallic with a debossed pebble design overall; a horsehead, with plumes and a bonnet, mounted on a free-form frame is the central design on the front; lettering, in black, is debossed on the back. The contour is in a horseshoe design; Cameo by Universal‖ [May/June 1971 RMS Bulletin] 24 RMS Bulletin November/December 2009, No. 541

Collecting Black &

Even though in this area it‘s always been the color photo covers that have hogged all the glory and attention, especially covers such as Matchorama, True Color, and Grant-Mann, here‘s another small category that there‘s always been at least a minimal interest in (at least as long as I‘ve been in the hobby), but lately I detect a small but definite upsurge in popularity—covers with black and white photos on them. ―What?!‖ you say. ―No color?! Yuk!‖ ... ―Not so,‖ I say.

Once again, my favorite topic comes to the forefront to save the day—history! Think about it...if one of the major attractions of covers is that they chronicle the history of the country for the last 100 years, then that certainly most hold true for these black and white photos...ergo, a cover WITH a black and white photo must be twice as important historically, for it not only bears a topic in text but actually has an old appropriate photo, as well...... makes sense to me!

Notice, I stuck in the word ‗old,‘ though. Now I admit, that‘s simply a personal bias of mine, but there is a big argument in favor of limiting such a collection to only older black and white photo covers. Look at the the can of worms you open when you collect all black and white photos:

What is a black and white photo? It‘s one lacking the multi-colors that we associate with ‗color‘ photos. That, in turn, means that a ‗black and white‘ photo doesn‘t necessarily have to be black and white. It could be a black and white cover printed in gray...or red...or blue...or whatever. And that, in turn, means that current, perfectly modern photos printed in this manner also qualify as ‗black and white.‘ The most common example of the latter would be all these Girlie convention covers issued each year. Those are black and white photo covers, even though that photo is in green, and that photo is in blue, etc. Are you going to add those to your Black & White Photo collection? Well, you might. You, RMS Bulletin November/December 2009, No. 541 25

White Photographs

as the collector, certainly have that prerogative. But, I wouldn‘t...and the historical significance argument referred to above would not hold on such covers. So, I suggest limiting such a collection to the ‗older‘ photos. Again, though, how you wish to define ‗old,‘ here, is up to you—pre-1970? Pre- 1950? Pre-War?

Once you‘re over that hump, though, think of the possibilities! With a great Black & White Photo collection, you could do all sorts of things. With all those Beauty Salon photo covers, you could show the evolution of women‘s hair styles; with all those wonderful trucking covers with photos, you could show the development of the truck; page through your album on Taxi covers with photos and look at how the taxi has changed over the years. You could do the same with clothing fashions, appliances, makeup, airplanes, you name it.

Think of what you could do for displays! ―Political Candidates Through The Years‖ (wherein you show, through those great old black and white photos, how the appearance of candidates have changed over the years—that 1920s guy running for judge in his stiff, high shirt collar, a 1940s candidate in his zoot suit (!), a 1960s hopeful with long hair and and his political slogans painted on the side of his VW bus (!!)—well, you get the idea, I‘m sure.

Sound interesting so far? It‘s as interesting as your personal preferences make it. And don‘t be scared off by the thought of having to acquire ‗old‘ covers for these black and white photos. Yes, there will be highly sought after DQ‘s, Safety Firsts, Gems, Jerseys, Crowns, and the like where the competition is stiff simply because those covers are prized throughout the hobby, but you‘ll find that the vast majority of the covers you want here are in the huge ‗silent majority‘ of covers from the 1930s through the 1960s—those covers from Superior, Monarch, Match Corp., Diamond, etc. that are considered ‗run-of-the-mill‘ covers otherwise. Their manumarks are not especially sought after; they have no treasured footers, but they‘ll be worth their weight in gold to you because they have black and white photos on them.

What numbers could we possibly be talking of here? Who knows? But, Bill Retskin, NC, reported having 2,500 back in 1988. See what you can do. Take a stab at it. Try advertising with your traders for such covers and see what comes in. I would imagine that most people who trade would have at least some available to send out. You may well be surprised, especially if you‘re new to this category. Nothing ventured—nothing gained! 26 RMS Bulletin November/December 2009, No. 541 AMCAL 2010....Reorganized

I am happy to announce that the 54 year+ tradition of the AMCAL convention is alive, well and continuing in 2010 and beyond. The agenda has been reorganized, shortened and definitely matchcover - oriented.

Next year‘s convention will be held at the Heritage Inn, 201 Harding Blvd., Roseville, CA (800-228- 4747, or 916-782-4466). Dates are Thursday, April 22 thru Saturday April 24, 2010. Room rates are $47 for king bed and $50 for two queens (plus Tax). This shorter schedule does not allow for organized trips and other non-matchcover related activities during the convention.

Roseville and surrounding communities do have excellent attractions (wineries, casinos, great auto and train museums and shopping galore) for before or after convention events. We will put interested parties in touch with each other for scheduling.

For attendees flying into Sacramento, transportation to and from the convention can be provided.

Trading will be a significant component of AMCAL. Collectors not able to bring covers and matchbooks with them can ship them ($14 for 5000) and have them here upon arrival. Dealers are also encouraged (no table fee). A yummy BBQ is planed for Friday lunch.

Many details need to be worked out and we will be proving more information in upcoming bulletins.

The recent attempt to disband/shut down AMCAL appears to be more for personal reasons than perceived demise of the hobby. If the club presidents and general membership had been informed of the consideration of ending AMCAL, the response would have been loud and clear.....Different agenda?...YES; Shut down?... NO WAY.

The reorganized AMCAL intend to be much more responsive to the OWNERS of AMCAL...the Four California matchcover clubs.

In the meantime....To the attendee of the AMCAL 2009 convention who received checks, I have a personal request....Send the money back. I know you did not ask for it, but the fact of the matter is it's not yours.....It‘s HOBBY/ Convention money. Returning the money is the right thing to do. Please send checks to Jack Benbrook, 1328 E. Rosser Street, Prescott, AZ 86301 (temporary treasurer of AMCAL).

If you have questions and/or comments (good or bad) please contact me via e- mail: [email protected]. Or, you can phone: 877-752-6247

Ed Note: For those of you who may be confused, AMCAL attendees

were notified out of the blue in late July that AMCAL had folded and Sincerely, was no more. Existing AMCAL funds were distributed to all that had

attended AMCAL in May, based on days of attendance. Loren Moore Immediately there was a grassroots movement by the Angelus, San

Diego, and Sierra-Diablo clubs to put AMCAL back together again. Loren Moore The result is the subject of Loren‟s letter, here. The October issue of President the Sierra-Diablo Bulletin also carried similar letters from the Ange- Sierra Diablo Matchcover Club lus and San Diego clubs.

RMS Bulletin November/December 2009, No. 541 27 [Guide to Building Regional Clubs (con’t from p. 5]

 From accumulations brought in from the outside--either discovered by members scouring the community or people dropping in with ‗stuff from the attic‘.

And then…there‘s the bulletin! You have to keep that going…but what are you going to fill those pages with? Well, as any editor will tell you, it‘s probably not going to be reader input! So, the editor has to be a lot more than a typist (not that I, as an editor, would want to be just a typist). It‘s the editor that frequently sits in front of the computer the night before the bulletin goes out for printing, wondering what he or she can use to fill all that blank space!

And where does the money come from to pay for the production of the bulletin and the resulting postage? For most clubs, the annual dues simply don‘t stretch that far, especially when postage rates continue to soar almost as fast as gasoline [but of course, as we all know, increasing postage rates are to insure „better service‟!!! - Sorry, I had to release some tension from STANDING IN LINE FOR 25 MINUTES today at my local post office!]. Anyhow, there has to be another source of income; hence, auctions; hence, drawings; hence, raffles; etc…and all of that translates into more work, which, in turn, necessitates more workers.

Boy! After all this, it‟s a wonder clubs have any workers! But they do…and they‟re all volunteers! Clubs live or die by those volunteers, God bless them all!

Another way to approach all this is to take a look at an already ‗successful‘ club and see exactly what they‘re doing to keep everything together and continually running. After all, whatever they‘re doing is obviously working. So, let‘s use Long Beach Matchcover Club. I certainly would consider that club as successful--It‘s heading into it‘s 50th anniversary and it‘s the largest regional club in the hobby.

OK, we have to acknowledge that Long Beach MC has geography and demographics on its side right at the onset. Centered in the Los Angeles area, it has something like the second largest metropolitan area in the country to work with…That means a huge pool of potential members. But, even that wouldn‘t be a plus if it wasn‘t for all the other things that the club has done, and is doing, to cultivate the hobby.

 It‘s a very pro-active club. It always has activities going: interactive, interesting regular meetings, an annual swapfest, holiday parties, local tours, and so forth.

 It has a regular, informative bulletin

 There are regular auctions, drawings, raffles, etc.

 And, most of all, it has a core of very dedicated, active collectors/volunteers who have been ‗taking care of business‘ for years and years, it seems.

 Additionally, it provides a lot of little ‗extras‘ that help make it stand out from many of the other clubs--covers designed and purchased by the club, souvenirs, tablets, all sorts of stuff. Personally, I think it‘s those little things that help keep the club ‗persona‘ on the mind of the collector…perhaps creating something of a ‗If I have to drop any club, I‘ll drop this one last‘ attitude. That would help any club! 28 RMS Bulletin November/December 2009, No. 541

EXCEL or paper if need be. George Cosentini, apofpo@ san.rr.com, 12421 Banuelo Cove, San Diego, CA 92130- 2277...... N/ D09

THE BUSH FAMILY WOULD LIKE TO THANK all the members who sent cards and emails to me regarding RMS BULLETIN AUCTION is full through this my mother‘s recent passing. Their kind words meant so much to all of us. Robert Bush...... N/D09 year. We won‘t need more material until December. Send those lots to Pat Shappell, 109 FRED HARVEY LISTING: This is a full picture of each Wood Ln., Reading, PA 19606-2446 (Tel: 610- cover listing, in color, 350 matchcovers, comes in a 3-ring 779-0733). binder. $40. Russell Potter, 19088 192nd Ave., Spiro, OK, 74959-4210 (918-962-5271)...... N/D09

FREE CLASSIFIED ADS! Don‘t forget that we WANTED: City Bus Companies/Public Transit Systems now offer free classified ads to our members (on a advertising city transit service. Prefer covers showing city space available basis). Just send text to the Ed. buses, streetcars, subways, etc., but collect any covers in this category. John Dockendorf, 448 Meadow Dr., Camp OFFICIAL REVISION DATE COMING UP Hill. PA, 17011...... N/D09

FOR RMS WEB SITE: All classified ads end FOR SALE: 944 matchboxes. 144 Swedish, 300 Slim, 464 their six-month run on December 31st. It‘s time to misc., 76 novelty. $94.40. 1994 business cars $80.00. renew current ads and/or send in new ones. 50 Glenn Reedholm, 511 Horseshoe Ln., Burkburnett, TX words+name,address for $10 (check made out to 76354...... N/D09 RMS). Literally global advertising for six months AMCAL 2010! Latest info always at AMCAL Central for only $10...can‘t beat that! Send text and check (http://www.matchcover.org/sierra). Check out those room to the Ed. rates!! Register now and become part of history...The phoenix arises!...... N/D09 RECENT RMS AREA AWARD RECIPIENTS Badger State MC - Alma Adams LONE STAR MATCHCOVER CLUB invites you to join the only club in Texas! Only $7.50. Six great bulletins Casino Club - Graham Hubble and really nice people [except maybe the editor!]. FMI: Connecticut MC—Jamie Stirling http://www.matchcover.org/LoneStar or LaJuan Melendy, Denver Strikers MC - Ellen Gutting 6600 N. Eldridge Pkwy., Houston, TX 77041 (713-466- Girlie Club - Ellen Gutting 6266)...... N/D09 Huggable Bears MC - Larry & Carol Stone MOSTLY FOREIGN COLLECTION FOR SALE. Lone Star MC - WD Broadway 115,000 total pieces, 38K USA, 77K Foreign. USA covers New Moon MLC - Clem Pater have categories for Girlies, Military, Golf Clubs, Colleges, RMS Convention - Terry Rowe and some others. Will consider breaking up collection for Tobacco Club - John Bachochin individual wants and needs. Total collection asking best Windy City - Charles Specht offer over $15K. Health issues make it necessary for me to sell collection. Contact Mike Hubbard, 41638 Tera Lane, Novi, MI 48375 (248) 465-9060 ([email protected]) .... I NEED YOUR E-MAIL ADDRESSES! If you ...... J/F10 never hear from me, I don‘t have your address. Please send to [email protected] WEEKLY ON-LINE AUCTION: 100 lots per week, major and minor categories. http:// matchpro.org...... J/A10 CLASSIFIED ADS Classified ad policy: Ads are published on a space PERKINS AMERICANA AND HOLIDAY INN 4 available basis. Please keep „em short and send them in as COLOR SETS: Are there still collectors in these 2 areas? soon as possible! 10¢ a word. Ads offering free items, etc. If so, do get in touch with me; the Perkins list as it exists are free. Check should be made out to “RMS.” Send to Ed. now is terribly screwed up; Holiday Inn 4 colors is by now ASAP (I always need as much warning as possible). Fee twice as long as the original one made by John Williams; schedule for larger-sized ads may be seen on the last page. Let's check the lists and do some trading; my lists are in RMS RMS Bulletin Bulletin November/DecemberNovember/December 1995,2009, No.No. 457541 21 29

Billijo Piper, SC, has nice write-up >

Florence Recorder,June 29, 2009 ______Classic Matchbooks You May Recognize

Mike Avitt, IA, had some of his covers posted on WHORADIO.COM, September 1, 2009 [http://www.whoradio. com/pages/shows/vanandbonnie/ extras/index.html?feed= 124530&article=5954874] ______Longenecker Collection featured on CBS Sunday Morning, September 27th. This piece was originally on in June of 2001. Donna thinks they added some previously unused clips this time. Nice! 3022 RMS RMS Bulletin Bulletin November/December November/December 1995, 2009 No., No. 457 5 41 petitioned the Trademark Trial & Appeals Board MATCHBOOKS IN THE ("TTAB") to cancel it on account of the Coach LAW BOOKS: PART 64 House's prior use and the likelihood for confusion. The TTAB dismissed Lianides's petition, finding by Kenneth H. Ryesky, Esq. that Lianides had acquiesced in Coach and Six's use of the trademark. The District Court upheld ======the TTAB's dismissal, but, on appeal, 11th Circuit Ken Ryesky (RMS # 9003), member of the New Court of Appeals found that Lianides's York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania Bars, acquiescence was in the use of the trademark, not practices law in East Northport, NY and teaches in its registration, and remanded the case to the Business Law at Queens College of the City District Court for trial on the merits of Lianides's University of New York. He can be reached opposition. [149] at P.O. Box 926, East Northport, NY 11731 or by e-mail at [email protected]. No further reports of the case seem to appear in the legal literature. In all likelihood, the parties ======settled before trial. Coach and Six continued to In 1949, Leon Lianides and Michael Anthony use the logo until it closed in 1997. This Universal purchased the Lane House restaurant in New York Aristocrat matchcover shown here does not bear City's Greenwich Village. Lianides bought out any reference to New York's Coach House, but Anthony in 1953, and renamed the establishment the Atlas full book I purchased from Darlene Brill the Coach House (the building having once been a does (on principle I will not desecrate a full carriage house on John Wanamaker's estate). The book). Perhaps Coach House, which closed in 1993, prospered in the removal of its day. James Beard, an internationally reputed t h e C o a c h gourmand in his own right, regularly dined there House reference on Christmas Eve and other occasions. f r o m t h e matchbooks was Hank Soloff wished to bring a restaurant like the part of the Coach House to Atlanta. Soloff and Lianides settlement opened the Coach and Six in Atlanta in 1962. To agreement. save on expenses, the Atlanta establishment used the Coach House's logo, a coach with six [To be contin- horses. Coach and Six's matchbooks, which ued] carried the logo, also bore the legend "When in ======New York visit the Coach House, where gourmets 149] Coach meet." House Restau- rant, Inc. v. Lianides resigned from the Coach and Six board Coach and Six in 1963 and sold his shares to Soloff in 1968, but Restaurants, continued to advise Soloff until Soloff died in Inc., 934 F.2d 1974. Soloff's widow, Beverlee, would continue 1551 (11th Cir. to own and operate the restaurant until the early 1991). 1990's. Under Beverlee's watch, Coach and Six became a dining magnet for Atlanta's rich and powerful.

In 1981, Coach and Six registered the coach logo with the Patent & Trademark Office. Lianides learned of the registration, and RMS Bulletin November/December 2009, No. 541 31 RMS MEMBERSHIP REPORT – NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2009 SPONSOR

NEW MEMBERS (*=will trade) 9703-Ann C. MORGAN, 615 Laurel Lake Dr., #230, Columbus, NC 28722...... Stella Williams COLLECTS: Foreign, Scenes, Historical, Patriotic & Military

ADDRESS CORRECTION 9289-Warren Barnes, PO Box 12, Amherst, NH 03031-0012

DECEASED 1807-John Pandosh (4/09); 9234-Art Petri (8/26/09)

Respectfully submitted, More MAIL BOX...

Terry Rowe Frank Denzler, FL: I enjoyed the article on banks [last issue] - I also collect banks and find the same problems with collecting them Terry L. Rowe - in fact, I have spent the last 3 months organizing the many collec- tions that I purchased from previous swaps since I wanted to elimi- nate dupes and get organized. I put them together by state, then al-

phabetical. I guess so many people don't want banks (as indicated by the auctions) because there are too many to collect.

Matchbook Table!

A 1925 folding card table with 147 matchbook covers on the top. Pamela Pace, Tulsa, OK, found it in the attic of an old house she just moved into; it is maple and the date is on the bot- tom (1925). The covers appear to range from the 20's to the late 30's, including some film studios, railroads, many clubs and bars, hotels, war bonds, and Girlies.

Pamela will have it on ebay in mid-December if not sold by then.

[Hobby History con’t from p.7] custom among local chemists of that day, their proprietary lines ranging from their concocted pills to cure-all ointments or some other commodity, for many druggists at that time were more in the nature of general stores.

But the idea was started. It was soon to gather impetus and, inevitably, imitations quickly followed. Soon friction matches, unrestricted by patents, were being manufactured in large quantities. Walker, himself, carried on the business for thirty years and died of dropsy in 1859. He was BIRTHDAY CLUB: The following club members will be celebrating buried in the churchyard in the birthdays on the dates indicated. Please check your latest roster to get current addresses and categories: Marie Gagnon (11/27) adjoining parish of Norton and by his will bequeathed £34,000 to his If you‘re interested in receiving 200-300 covers or boxes during your birthday sisters, a fair-sized fortune in those month, send an SASE #10 envelope to: Wally and Pat Mains, 105 Roger Ln., days. Florence, KY 41042-2334. NEW MEMBERS ARE ALWAYS WELCOME. 32 RMS Bulletin November/December 2009, No. 541

PRSRT STD. U.S. POSTAGE PAID Terry L. Rowe URBANA, OH RMS Membership Secretary/Treasurer PERMIT NO. 200 1509 S. Dugan Rd. Urbana, OH 43078-9209

ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED

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

AMCAL Convention: “AMCAL Central‖ at http:// www.matchcover.org/sierra

RMS Convention: “Convention Central‖ at http:// www.matchcover.org

PHILLU-QUEBEC SWAPFEST 2009: November 7-8, Southern Swapfest: at http://southernswapfest.com/ 2009. Blanchet Motel, Drummondville (Qc) 800-567-3823 default.aspx FMI: [email protected]

Trans Canada Swapfest: http://www.media-workz.com/test SOUTHERN SWAPFEST: February 23-27, 2010. -4/index.htm Clarion Hotel, Altamonte Springs, FL 407-862-4455. This is the swapfest‟s 12th anniversary, and it just gets better every year. Latest details always at http:// southernswapfest.com/default.aspx COMING UP!

AMCAL 2010: April 22-24, 2010. Roseville, CA. (AMCAL Jan/Feb: ―Collecting the Big Apple‖ is reforming, and , because of the short time frame, Sierra- Diablo has agreed to give up its 2010 swapfest location Mar/Apr: ―Collecting Clubs‖ and reserved space so that AMCAL may continue - more details coming) ADVERTISING RATES UNITED EASTERN SWAPFEST: June 23-28, 2010. Plaza Hotel, Hagerstown, MD 301-797-2500 (stay tuned Display Ads for more details) Full-Page = $55.00 Quarter-Page = $17.50 Half-Page = $30.00 Eighth-Page = $10.00 (N/A for 70th RMS CONVENTION: August 22-28. Radisson Hotel businesses) Nashua, Nashua, NH 603-891-4179. Always the biggest in Classified Ads the hobby, lots of activities, dealer tables, BIG auctions. More information coming! 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.

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