January, 1956 THE AIRPOST JOURNAL -Stamps for Illustration. Cou rtesy F . W. K ESSL ER Attractive New Issues Recently Released :;: ::: :;: Volume XXVll Number 4 POSTAGE STAMP AUCTIONS In Hamburg and Dusseldorf (Centre of Rhein - Ruhr) In these two famous Cities we are holding regularly, Postage Stamp Auctions. Illustrated Catalogues are free on request. We are open to receive stamps for sale in our auctions. Our catal­ ogues are sent to all well-known philatelists in the world. Payment wi!l he effected on your bank account in your curren­ cy. Our commission charge is only 15 % • We shall be glad to hear from collectors of their special phila­ telic interests. EDGAR MOHRMANN Sworn Auctioneer HAMBURG 1, SPEERSORT 6 - Cable Address: EDMORO The Leading Postage Stamp Auctioneer of Europe with world reputation. Member of the leading American and European Stamp Societies Statnps for Sale?? •9 WE CAN BE OF SERVICE TO YOU!! For more than a quarter of a Century, COLLECTORS, DEALERS, TRUST COMPANIES and EXECUTORS OF ESTATES have 'Consulted us regarding the conversion of Philatelic Properties into cash. IF YOU WANT TO SELL AT PUBLIC AUCTION we can offer early dates and attractive terms. Expert supervis­ ion of all material by an experienced Philatelic Auctioneer. Liberal advances pending sale. Comprehensive insurance and Holmes Electric Protection safeguards your property while in our possession. Our Catalog distribution is world-wide. OUR PRIVATE SALES SERVICE ... successfully places Collections, Stocks and Rarities where this method is preferred. IMMEDIATE CASH IS WAITING ... for' the outright purchase of suitable material regardless of a1nount. Our Advice, Backed by 30 Years Experience in the Stamp Trade, is at Your Disposal Informa:tion Cheerfully Given 1Rft71N HEIMAN~ INC. Serving American Philately Since 1926 2 WEST 46th STREET NEW YORK 36, N. Y. ROOM 708 TEL.: JU 2-2393 --111- President's Corner . .. R egularly each month, we hope to bring you a message from our President Rafael Oriol and had expected that this January issue of The Airpost Journal would con­ tain his initial greeting to all of the members of our soc­ iety. However, we have just discovered as we go to press that he is on an extended business trip in the interior of the Republic of Cuba and won't return to Havana for several days. Under these circumstances, the wliter is usurping the President's space to express a few thoughts which we know are in the mind of our President as to what he might hope for the future of our society. In all of our years as a member of the American Air Mail Society; we have never observed a President assume the leadership of om organization with such humility and sincerity as did President Oriol at the Convention Banquet in Havana, last Novem­ ber. He has dedicated himself to expend every effort possible to promote the welfare (Jf our society and its members. To help him reach bis goal, will be needed the generous .and whole hearted sup­ port of our society, and we bespeak for him this loyal and active support in the ac­ complishment of his ain1. One of the primary aims of President Oriol is a substantial increase in o:m mem­ bership. There are many active and enthusiastic air mail collectors that either have not been asked to be members or are not aware of the benefits of membership. · Every socie ty member should be a committee of one to help recruit and invite aero­ philatelists to join our organization. You will be doing the collector a favor and at the same time promoting the welfare of your society. I urge each and every one of you j n a gesture of loyalty to our new President to enroll at least one new member into the society within the next three months. President Oriol bas been selected to serve on the Jury for the Fifth International Philatelic Exhibition (FIPEX) to be held in New York, April 28 to May 6th, this year, and he hopes tha<t many members of our society are planning to attend this big how, and further hoping that many of you will have entered exhibits (entries will be accepteo until Feb. 15th) and are participating in every way possible to make this how a success. Other members of the Jury from our Society are Past President L. B. Gatchell, Honorary Members Sir John Wilson and Theodore E. Steinway, and mem­ bers, Sol Glass, Harry M. Buten and C. W . Degler. Don't forget also, that a reunion of AAMS members is planned for Saturday night, April 28th. Action was taken during the Business Session of the Convention in Havana to hold our annual convention sometime the latter part of 1956 with a site to be select­ ed. I am sure that if any of our branch chapters in the valious cities spread across the United States are interested in being host to the Convention that the President would be glad to receive your invitation and plans for such a meeting. Your President feels that The Airpost Journal is an important and vital part of the society and truly regretted that one of his first tasks was to relieve former Editor ''Bart" Gatchell of his duties but the preservation and improvement of Bart's health was paramount in his consideration to act as quickly as he did. The President urges that all members send to the editorial office of The Airpost Journal, P. 0. Box 37, Conneaut, Ohio, items of news interest and originally prepared articles devoted to aerophilately. .... George D. Kingdom -112- Unusual A. M. F. (Air Mail Field) C:ancellations by PERHAM C .NAHL • A persistent favorite for the C. A. M. Guardia ( LGA) - each fully staffed for cover collector is the "A.M.F." postmark. A. M. F. operations. This is the airfield cancel. These Air As new routes were inaugurated over Mail Fields are the hot spots of the air the years, there were bound to be times mail service. They have been maintain­ when new A. M. F.'s were established ed by the Railway Mail Service - or the on very short ·notice. This resulted in Air Mail Service - to transfer air mail some emergency, or provisional cancels from one route to another. The transfer like the one used on Nashville's first dis­ clerks have to work fast, to keep the patch to Washington over C. A. M. 20. mail shuttling from one plane to another. This was on July l; 1934, the first C. A. And, from city to plane, or from plane M. 20 service by American Airlines after to city. the c"ancellation of all air mail contracts Back in the 1920's, collectors already early in 1934. It is a three-line cancel prized the Air Mail Field postmark, on reading: flights like the government's transcon­ "FIRST FLIGHT ' tinental route. It is not strange, then, that by the time the first Contract Air JUL 1 1934 Mail routes started in 1926, old-timers A.M.F. Nash, Tenn" collected these as a matter of course. On a few of the covers, the Transfer Because of their location, A.M.F. Clerk also added his name, "J. B. Brew­ Transfer Offices serve for the direct dis­ er." And this brings up another type of patch of mail which misses the closing marking which is often seen on the back time at the local post office, and for of covers, but is seldom seen on the face: letters mailed at the airport. On some the Transfer Clerk's "Line Stamp." flights no special postmark was avail­ The clerk's line stamp identifies him, able. For example, mail deposited at Al­ and the date he made his tour of duty. bany Airfield on the first flight of C. A. The primary purpose of the "line stamp M. #20 on. June I, 1928 received an is the marking of labels (for sacks of "emergency" postmark which was a regu­ mail) and the marking of facing slips lar Albany hand stamp canceller. The (which cover packages of letters made only identification was. the time used: up for other cities ) . The clerk marks 10:00 A. M. This is not a true Air these slips to facilitate investigation of Mail Field postmark, though - just a errors, help trace delays, and to place regular cancel used at the field in an responsibility. emergency. This line stamp is a matter of choice There have been fifty-six cities with on the part of the employee as to size true air mail field postmarks, ranging and shape and make-up. Post Office De­ from small places like Concord to the parhnent rules forbid using such stamps large metropolitan centers with more as postmarking devices (which are sup­ than one. New York City has Idlewild posed to be made only by the Post Of- ( IDL in the postmark) as well as La- (Continued on next page) OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF T!D THE AIRPOST JOURNAL AJllERICAN AIR MAIL SOCIJ:'J'Y Entered as second-class matter, February 10, 1932, at the post office at Albion, Pa. under the act of March 3, 1879. Published monthly. JANUARY, 1956 - VOL. XXVII, NO. 4 - ISSUE NO. 309 - 25c PER COPY -'113- ILLUSTRATIONS OF AMF CANCELLATIONS (See Story On Previous P age) • Spokane Postmark Used Only Eleven Days Postal Clerk Provided This Provisional A.M.F. Cancel Unique Postmark - Really H. P. O. Cancellation (Continued on page ~ / ~ Q /c/y -114- New Broken "I" Variety On 6' cent Air Mail Envelope Discovered • by.JOHN W. NICKLIN • vVe owe to the observation of a dis­ On submitting the Error to Prescott cerning collector the discovery of a most Holden Thorp, famed envelope author-.