2 E.S.C. BULLETIN Volume 101, Number 3 STAMP CLUB The Edmonton Stamp Club Volume 101, Number 3 March 2012 ISSN: 0046-1318 The Edmonton Stamp Club dates back to Mailing address: P.O. Box 399, Edmonton AB T5J 2J6 1912. The Club is Life Chapter #6 of the Royal Web site: http://www.edmontonstampclub.com Philatelic Society of and Chapter #680 of the American Philatelic Society. The editor welcomes communications of all kinds–letters, comment and articles. These may be forwarded to Box 399, Edmonton, Alberta T5J 2J6 or [email protected]. “ 2011-12 Board of Directors

Bates, Patricia Secretary & 434-9090 [email protected] Archivist Dykstra, Ed Vice President 421-0930 [email protected] Ellis, David Director 457-7491 [email protected] Friedenthal, Director 458-1233 [email protected] Steven Kuester, Peter President 451-0520 [email protected] Kluchky, Ken Director 472-2504 [email protected] Lockau, Jim Treasurer 467-4825 jlockau@shawca Muxlow, Edwin Director 459-5944 --- Savage, Tom Director 458-8332 [email protected] Schutte, Robert Director 989-1260 [email protected] Canada Post honours western Canadian artist Joe Fafard. Bill Castor Spencer, Keith Past president 437-1787 [email protected] has written the full story, on page 6. Warren, Carol Circuits Mgr 962-1234 [email protected] & Director Roman Zrobok Auctions 437-1605 wildrosephil@ wildrosephilatelics.com Ed Dykstra Auctions 421-0930 [email protected] John Attrell Web master [email protected] Regular meetings: Apr 2 & 16 & 30, May 14 & 28, Jun 11 St. Joseph High School Cafeteria, 10830 - 109 Street, 6:30 pm COPYRIGHT: Articles original to the Bulletin may be reproduced if the full source is given. The see page 14 for program details Edmonton Stamp Club cannot extend permission to reproduce articles that are themselves reprinted in the Bulletin. Certain articles original to the Bulletin are copyright by the author, showing©+ year, e.g. © 2003). Permission to reprint must be obtained from the author. Write in care of the Royal * 2012 * Royale: June 1, 2, 3; West Edmonton Mall editors. “ BULLETIN ADVERTISING RATES: Full page $ 30.00; half page $17.50; quarter page $10.00; other smaller commercial advertisements $7.50; yearly discount 20%; half year discount 10%. Editor: Alan Meech NEXT ISSUE: copy deadline April 19; distribution April 30. Volume 101, Number 3 E.S.C. BULLETIN 3

Greetings, Philatelists! This week’s March snowstorm rudely interrupted my post-Winter yard clean-up. The good news part (besides the extra moisture for our trees) is that I am now able to ease my conscience and type out a letter to let you know of all the behind-the-scenes dealings of the Edmonton Stamp Club lately. At the last meeting, Carol Warren collected change from all the members who participated in the Kiloware Night program and ended up REGULAR PUBLIC AUCTIONS selling almost 1500 stamps at a dime each. Deemed a success af the subsequent Board meeting, we were also informed that there were too WANTED IMMEDIATELY: many stamps to sort through in the time allotted and that many members saw only two or three of the trays out of the thirty-one that had been Single items ! CANADA, USA, Worldwide and foreign mint or used assembled. It was proposed that a few of the trays be brought to the next better single sets, errors, etc. meetings so that members could continue their kiloware selection- process with an honour system. Look, find, judge, decide, and leave a Covers ! CANADA and Worldwide individual covers, collections dime in the cup. If you find more, be honest and leave another dime for and accumulations including Postal History, unusual each one selected. If it continues to hold interest and is deemed to be items including pre-1925 picture postcards. worth the while, the kiloware table may become a constant addition to the coffee corner. Our club is built on the premise of assisting stamp Collections ! CANADA, USA, Foreign country collections and collectors and we hope that this will be another step in that direction. general Worldwide topical, etc. Please let a Board Member know how we are doing. Speaking of Board Members, our Elections meeting is on June 11 Accumulations ! Collection remainders, odds and ends, sheets, and since last month’s plea for a few other hands in the air, I have yet to Wholesale dealer stocks, quantity lots, postage, PERFINS, hear from someone who would be willing to help with next year’s Cinderellas, etc. Board. I have already proposed a schedule of 20 meetings for for the 2012-13 season with Edmonton Catholic Schools for the use of the St. Above items required immediately for outright purchase or inquire about Joe’s cafeteria and they are happy to host us so the space is there. The our attractive consignment details. Illustrated catalogues upon request. increase in time allotted for the meetings and reduced competition from Want lists filled. the cleaning apparatus have helped the meetings run more smoothly. The circuit books and auctions continue to be popular. We have an average of sixty members at each meeting and somewhere in the midst of those N E X T A U C T I O N : 1 2 M A Y 2 0 1 2 masses there must be a soul or three with a few hours to spend each month on the club that they support with their dues each year. Maybe Commercial Room (Downstairs) Chateau Louis Hotel you’ve already paid your dues for twenty-five years and would like to Conference Centre, 11727 Kingsway Avenue now give your time to the club rather than your membership dues. Viewing: May 11 (Friday) 12:00 noon - 8:00 pm We are seeking any and all talent and would especially welcome May 12 (Saturday) 8:00 am - 11:30 am

(Continued on page 5) Auction at 12:00 noon sharp, Saturday, May 12 Volume 101, Number 3 E.S.C. BULLETIN 5 6 E.S.C. BULLETIN Volume 101, Number 3

Greetings, Philatelists! (Continued from page 3). , or expertise in the advertising and promotions department. Are all stamp Art Canada: Joe Fafard collectors as shy as I am about pushing a time-tested reliable product A Member’s Comments about Joe Fafard, his Art, Style and Career in like stamp collecting? I certainly hope not. Our club needs more than I Reference to Canada Post Art Issue of February 23, 2012 am able to offer it and while I am willing to continue to muddle along as Bravo! Many accolades should be directed to Canada Post for the President because I believe in the value of our small organization, I commemorative issue that publicizes the work of Joe Fafard, a know that there are other people on the Board who would be more than contemporary artist who specializes in sculpture. Joe is truly a western happy to mentor a new Board member or welcome back a past Board Canadian institution. His French Canadian family lived in rural southern member. We are the most welcoming sort of Board you could imagine. . Canada post offered from February 23, 2012 a group of April will be busy with three meetings. Don Hulme and Ernie commemorative stamps that feature his art. Included is a 16-stamp pane Carlson are both slated for programs and I have enjoyed their stories in (valued at the domestic rate) showing a typical Fafard creation of a the past so I am looking forward to what they have to tell us. The last spotted cow, entitled Slowly She Shifted. A souvenir sheet of three meting, April 30, is our “Be-A-Dealer” night. Carol Warren tells me that stamps shows the same spotted cow, a sculpture called Dear Vincent that $7.50 will rent you a table to sell your excess wares but that selection is shows Vincent Van Gogh sitting (value $1.05) and a third stamp shows growing limited because half the tables have already been booked. You his sculpted running horses (value $1.80). Also available are a handsome may wish to talk to her soon. first day cover with the charcoal portrait of the pony called Fancy and Please check out the Royal, coming up at the beginning of June, on two booklets of six stamps each, one depicting the Van Gogh piece and the special web site www.royal2012royale.com . the other, Running Horses. Richard Barnes has carefully, diligently assembled over 300 lots for the Summer meeting auction and has announced his cut-off. I look forward to seeing them all on July 30. There is probably more that I could go on about but you’re spared that for now. I hope to talk with you at a meeting soon but until then, happy stamping! ‘ President Pete

KENSINGTON STAMPS & COINS 12912 - 127 Street, Edmonton AB T5L 1A9

Buy • Sell • Trade

Stocking stamps, stamp supplies, covers, postcards, postage, etc.; also coins, Whimsical, comical and satirical all describe his work; however, the coin supplies and bullion. way he maintains dignity in his work is with his own magic and instincts. Of himself, he is said to be a shy, sincere and likable man with Open Tuesday to Saturday, 10 am - 5:30 pm F 780-451-4577 a somewhat reserved personality. In 1966 he graduated with a Fine Arts degree from the , after which he taught sculpture Volume 101, Number 3 E.S.C. BULLETIN 7 8 E.S.C. BULLETIN Volume 101, Number 3

and pottery at the University of Saskatchewan. During his career he has to his fondest friends/patrons. Joe Fafard’s work literally stands across received many merits, including two honorary doctorates and the Order Canada with herd and pasture in . of Canada. In 1971 he limited his art solely to sculpture, established his In Edmonton there stands on the north sidewalk on Jasper Avenue workshops and opened his own foundry to handle his bronze castings in and 112 Street the large bull called Royal Sweet Diamond (previously in Pense, Saskatchewan. Yorkville) It is an imposing site along with a full-sized bronze horse also Next, Fafard won his first on the walkway a mere 20 paces away. At the western end of the same large commission–for the block is a Fafard type bronze bust of Vincent Van Gogh. You must see design and creation of the these items. “herd” of large bronze cows Now let me tell you of a which graze in front of TD more laughable group in the Bank’s head office public art arts district of Vancouver, B.C. site in central Toronto. This There is Emily Carr with her spot is now nicknamed “the entourage of animals all in pasture”. Cows, cows, cows bronze. Emily is with her wee all in different shape, size and dog standing in front of her One cow from “The Pasture,” TD Square, colour seemed to be his horse, with the monkey riding Toronto, by Joe Fafard, 1985. favourite subject, like a the pony. trademark. As a nice gesture he would make small clay cows to be given It is time to narrate several Joe Fafard’s “Royal Sweet Diamond” on stories that may typify Joe Jasper Avenue at 112 Street. Photo by Fafard. I will start with the 2½ PROFESSIONAL ACCOUNTANTS Bill Castor. foot high piece Dear Vincent that is featured in the current COLIN PRESIZNIUK † ASSOCIATES stamp issue. I was startled to see it in a friend’s home. “Oh, Dear PROFESSIONAL ACCOUNTANTS Vincent!” I exclaimed. I was so dazzled to see it that I too became www.accountantsgca.com smitten as a dedicated fan of Fafard’s art. The Dear Vincent piece was eventually sold to an out of town buyer. Over 25 Years Experience in Auditing, Tax & Business Counselling My friend also related how Joe was a hockey nut who not For Personal and Corporate Tax, Not for Profit Charities & Small surprisingly, being French Canadian, favored the Montreal Canadiens. Business This fondness for hockey led to a sad incident, for after they attented a Gretsky era Edmonton Oilers game they were invited to the dressing Northside (Head Office) room to meet the players. With great delight the players gave Joe an Colin Presizniuk MBA, CGA, FCCI, TEP autographed stick which he unfortunately lost in a souvenir wager with Brian Anderson, B.COM, CA an academic buddy. Another Fafard tale involves the well known African-America Rami Alherbawi, BSc, CGA comedian Bill Cosby who had a gig at Stage West in Edmonton. Cosby Luu Ho, BSc, BCom, CGA would jog in the morning until one day his route took him past a gallery #107, White Oaks Square, 12222 - 137 Avenue, Edmonton, AB T5L 4X5 displaying a Fafard exhibit. Since a previous time in Winnipeg, Cosby An Association of Independent Professional Accountants had been aware of Fafard, and immediately expressed his desire to have the artist feature him. Joe promptly said, “No, I don’t know you!” “Well UNTO THE LORD then,” Cosby said, “to make my acquaintance you must visit my wife Volume 101, Number 3 E.S.C. BULLETIN 9 10 E.S.C. BULLETIN Volume 101, Number 3 and me at our home in Las Vegas.” So it happened. The sculpture that followed accentuated all Cosby’s bumps, lumps and blemishes along Philatelic Web Sites with his favorite grimace. Nevertheless, it was received enthusiastically. The author, Ernie Wlock, wishes to thank the Lakehead Stamp Club Then Fafard was most anxious to tell us of the success of his carving and program director Bill Hay for coming up with this idea, to which I of how well he was treated. For instance, when Cosby asked him if he have added a few more sites. This was first published in the liked beer, he then allocated to Fafard a full shelf of his favorite brand in Saskatoon Stamp Club newsletter and is reprinted here with the kind his large beer cooler. permission of its editor, Eugene Sonmor, and with the permission It is odd that Canada Post did not use a portrait of Fafard. My guess and assistance of Ernie Wlock himself. – Ed. is that Joe said, “No.” When he was asked if he would do my friend’s parents, he was similarly reluctant, and not until he saw their Saskatoon Stamp Club photographs did he concur. He realized they represented the type of www.saskatoonstampclub.blogspots.com advises of meeting times subject he liked, a rural pair with a sturdy stature of east European and places. Advises of the Java coffee group gatherings, has history of immigrant heritage who had the effects of hard work etched in their the Saskatoon Stamp Club, and links to other sites. round faces and displayed in their hands. To overview his entire work we would certainly see in a historic Edmonton Stamp Club sense an accurate record of his old neighbourhood, appearances of the www.edmontonstampclub.com provides information about club country folk and their animals. May I finish with three cheers, the first meetings and sponsored activies, shows and exhibits, and links to other cheer for Canada Post’s choice to publicize Fafard’s art, a second cheer stamps sites. to Joe himself for his brilliant work and the last toast to the large bronze Fafard creations located across Canada. Joe Fafard, a hero from the Canadian Postal Archives Canadian prairie by all his undertakings has told Canada that these www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/philately-postal/index-e.html prairie people are of the, Provides a photo and information of every Canada and BNA stamp “True north strong and free since 1851. Games and philatelic heritage. Images can be copied. that stand on guard for thee—Canada.” ‘ Bill Castor (27 Feb 2012) Canada Post www.canadapost.ca Gives postal rate information, traces parcels, some information for collectors regarding new issues, etc.

Royal Philatelic Society of Canada www.rpsc.org Lists club chapters, dates, contacts, lists stamp shows and exhibitions, with many links to other sites. On-line library with good articles.

American Philatelic Society www.stamps.org Similar range of information to RPSC site, plus various stamp album pages, links to APS auction service, to their quick identification service, and you can download “The Manual of Philatelic Judging” Volume 101, Number 3 E.S.C. BULLETIN 11 12 E.S.C. BULLETIN Volume 101, Number 3

U.S. Postal Service EXPONET–virtual public exhibitions www.usps.com The business end of the American postal service, www.japhila.cz/hof/index Virtual philatelic exhibits shown on line. with current rates, parcel tracking, and considerable new issue Select by country or by topic. information. Unitrade New Stamps of the World www.unitradeclassic.com Source of stamp supplies http:nsotw.info This site is good for topical collectors but does not show photos. It gives monthly information about new stamp issues from International Society of Worldwide Stamp Collectors around the world. www.iswsc.org/iswsc_ident.htm This is a valuable alphabetic listing of words, phrases and abbreviations to help you identify stamps. American Association of Philatelic Exhibitors It works in Cyrillic and Greek, too, if you have those fonts installed on www.aape.org This is an excellent resource for exhibitors. Its chief your computer. In addition, there is a large listing of bogus stamps goal is to make stamp shows more fun. Click on “exhibiting” and “how (again, alphabetic). to” for the basics. More than 60 exhibits are on line. Click on “WE” for Women Exhibitors. Stamp Master Album www.stampmasteralbum.com. This site offers stamps and supplies American Stamp Dealers Association for sale, and in addition has a couple of excellent stamp identifier tools www.asda.com Lists all member dealers, gives their auction that are extremely easy to use. Want to know what Georgian script looks schedules, theft alerts, events a lists shops. like on a stamp? Check here.

Canadian Stamp Dealers Association E-Bay www.csdaonline.com Lists all member dealers, lists shows, www.eBay.ca or www.eBay.com These are the premier personal contacts, has a “kids’ room”. auction sites on the web, of course.

Collectors’ Club of Chicago www.askphil.com This is a wonderful resource, in question and answer form, with information to answer a huge range of questions that come up about collecting.

Postal History Foundation, Tucson www.postalhistoryfoundation.org The Peggy Slusar Library has 25,000 books and postal service publications searchable on line. The museum has displays and sales of collectable stamps.

Re-entries on BNA stamps www.re-entries.com This is the web site of Ralph E. Trumble, specialist in BNA re-entries. Volume 101, Number 3 E.S.C. BULLETIN 13 14 E.S.C. BULLETIN Volume 101, Number 3

Other There are thousands of other philatelic sites. Use Google to search Program Roster them out, taking care how you choose your search terms. Dealers have April 2 History of Tin Can Mail (Ernie Carlson) sites, such as FvH Stamps (www.fvhstamps.com), Saskatoon Stamp April 16 Cruising the Internet for Postal History Information Centre (www.saskatoonstamp.com), If you’re looking for online stamp April 30 Be a Dealer Night (contact Caroline Warren) discussion groups, try www.stampboards.com; for online catalogues go May 14 Canadian Naval Ships (Bill VanderStelt) to www.freestampcatalog, which will give you list by topic or country, May 28 Autobiography of an Album Page (Cliff Soper) or both. Tradeonlystamps.com enables stamp trading between June 11 Elections individuals, as does Stampsparadise.com . If you have a hankering to tell your fellow collectors something about what you collect and why, please get in touch with Keith Spencer, Local Resources program chair, at 780-437-1787. ‘ You can easily find web sites for: Saskatoon Stamp Club, Regina Philatelic Club, Winnipeg Philatelic Society, Lloydminster Stamp Club, Calgary Philatelic Society and Lakehead Stamp Club. Junior Stamp Club, Winter 2012 Where: Londonderry Library, 110 Londonderry Mall To Be Continued 137 Ave & 66 Street, Edmonton, tel. 780-496-1817 As you can see, there are many many sources of information on the web, When: 10:00 am - 10:30 am, trading time; 10:30-11:00 am, just waiting for you to consult them. Let’s make the listing a continuing Program; 11:00 am - 11:30 am, questions and trading. reference. If you have web resources that you think others might find Programs: useful, please send a quick note to the editor at [email protected] Mar 24 Postal History, with John Bucci ‘. Mar 31 Deltiology (post cards) Apr 14 Stamp Identification Apr 28 Arts with Anita Postal Evasion May 12 Hideous Stamps June 1-3 Royal*2012*Royale show at West Edmonton Mall, Here are some recent and interesting approaches to mailing first class Europa Conference Centre. mail. From a Christmas seal to virtually nothing. What ever happened to For further information on the Junior Club and the Edmonton Stamp postage due? Club, phone Linda at 780-913-1244 or visit the Edmonton Stamp Club web site at www.edmontonstampclub.com ‘

Royal * 2012 * Royale annual convention of the Royal Philatelic Society of Canada hosted by the Edmonton Stamp Club June 1, 2, 3 of 2012 Fantasyland Hotel Conference Centre, West Edmonton Mall

‘ Barry Jonas Volume 101, Number 3 E.S.C. BULLETIN 15 16 E.S.C. BULLETIN Volume 101, Number 3 Stamp Trades I usually restrict my use of the internet to familiar sites such as those that help identify stamps that I cannot find in my catalogues, sites for sellers of philatelic books, and well known auction houses (in order to get a feel of current prices for my areas of philatelic interest). I do not bid on on-line auctions, with one exception. I am not interested in the technology of computers and the internet so most of the time I when I see articles of this nature I gloss over them. Randy Heimpel has a column called “Stampnet” in Canadian Stamp News, and the one published in Vol. 36, No. 22 (Feb 28-Mar 12, 2012), p. 17, caught my attention. He broached my favourite part of philately, the trading and exchanging of stamps. At his recommendation, I checked out the web site “TradeOnlyStamps.com”. I answered a dozen or so of the ads placed over the last two months. I also placed an ad of my own. The next day, I had three replies to my ad, and I also had eight responses to my initial responses. I ended a couple of these correspondences with a “Sorry, no thank you.” I am exchanging want lists with the remainder. One chap was able to send me his want list and I have sent him mine, so in today’s snail mail I will be sending out my first stamp exchange prompted by this web site. I have placed this site on my favourites list and will probably visit once a month. If you are interested in trading or exchanging stamps I suggest a peek into this site. ‘ Richard Barnes

Revenues in Rangoon We, and our American neighbours, call them revenue stamps; the British call them fiscal stamps. Either way, the represent a tax on business transactions signified by the application of a stamp and its subsequent defacement. Sometimes the stamps are specially printed for that purpose while other times a regular postage stamp is used for this function. The latter is what is signified by early British stamps bearing the inscription “postage and revenue.” The Burmese (Myanmar) authorities have some rather unexpected revenue practices. How about a tax on examinations? (Continued on page 18). Volume 101, Number 3 E.S.C. BULLETIN 17 18 E.S.C. BULLETIN Volume 101, Number 3 Coming Events 2012 Rangoon Revenues, (continued from page 16) Every year, students across the country write standard examinations May 5-6 ORAPEX, ’s National Level Stamp Show, RA at various levels of their schooling, and have to pay for the privilege. Curling Rink, 2451 Riverside Drive. Exhibitors This payment is signified by the use of special stamps, shown here. contact Brian Watson at [email protected] ; general information from Robert Pinet, (613) 745- 2788 or [email protected] .

May 11-13 PIPEX (Pacific International Philately Exhibition), Portland, Oregon, Doubletree by Hilton Portland. 38 dealers, bourse sold out. Show auction by Harmer- Schau, free admission. Convening societies, Women Exhibitors and Society of Australasian Specialists. See www.pipexshow.org . Examination fee stamp, issued about 1992, 5K Jun 1-3 Royal 2012 Royale, Fantasyland Hotel Conference denomination. Centre, West Edmonton Mall, hosted by Edmonton Stamp Club. Dealers contact Ed Dykstra at (780) Examination fee stamps, 2 x 50 K, 421-0930; for registration contact Nino Chiovelli at with full official cancellation. [email protected], exhibitors contact Kelly Liusz Moser at liuszmoser.gmail.com or David Piercey, And why not tax golfers, too? Here’s a receipt for payment for golf Chair, at (780) 437-2771 or [email protected] . fees for two months, in 1962, with a postage stamp for 15 pyas applied Aug 31 - BNAPEX 2012 Calgary, co-hosted by BNAPS to pay the transaction tax, then properly cancelled by the signature of the Sep 2 Calgary Regional Group and Calgary Philatelic person who issued the receipt. The government, of course, got the Society at the Hyatt Regency Hotel. The meet will revenue for the stamp. feature outstanding Canada and BNA exhibits, a bourse and seminars among other social activities. Contact Jim Taylor at 403-238-3698 or see www.bnaps.org .

Royal * 2012 * Royale annual convention of the Royal Philatelic Society of Canada hosted by the Edmonton Stamp Club June 1, 2, 3 of 2012 Fantasyland Hotel Conference Centre, West Edmonton Mall Volume 101, Number 3 E.S.C. BULLETIN 19 20 E.S.C. BULLETIN Volume 101, Number 3 2012 Meeting Dates

The Edmonton Stamp Club meets Mondays at 6:30 p.m. in the cafeteria of St. Joseph High School, 10830 - 109 Street. Park to the north of the school and use the western entrance on the north facade. For information about the regular club call 437-1787 or 451-0520; for the junior clubs, phone 913-1244. Apr 2 & 16 & 30, May 14 & 28, Jun 11 Summer Meeting: July 30, 2012

Edmonton Stamp Club hosts Royal*2012*Royale, June 1, 2, 3 at Fantasyland Hotel Conference Centre, West Edmonton Mall

Edmonton BNAPS (British North America Philatelic Society) meets monthly. All BNAPSers welcome. For information contact David Piercey at 437-2771 or Steven Friedenthal at 458-1233.

WEST EDMONTON COIN AND STAMP West Edmonton Mall

We have a great selection of supplies, catalogues, supplements and reference material. We also have a large selection of world wide postcards, covers and first day covers, and an extensive selection of mint and used stamps from A to Z. There are always new finds in our 5¢ boxes.

We buy and sell stamps, coins, gold, silver and other collectibles. See our friendly and knowledgeable staff to meet your collecting needs. We also do mail orders.

10% discount on regular priced supplies to E.S.C. members. OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK Continuing special – 50% off all covers! We are Direct Distributors for the Royal Canadian Mint Fax. 780-486-5243 Tel. 780-444-1156 Volume 101, Number 3 E.S.C. BULLETIN 21