A Precancel Primer — III

StampExpo400.org

Stamp HUDSON • FULTON • CHAMPLAIN Insider www.nystampclubs.org March / April 2009 Robert FultonRobert

Champlain StampExpo400 . HUDSON • FULTON • CHAMPLAIN

n of N tio ew ra Y e o d r Fulton Fulton e k F .

. . P . h c Stamp Exposition 2009 Exposition Stamp il n a I te s, lic tie Hudson Hudson Socie StampExpo 400 Souvenir Sheetlet Samuel Champlain de Henry Hudson Henry

Introducing Cinderellas • Precancels Primer III Another Look at the Titanic Covers Journal of the Federation of New York Philatelic Societies Colorful… Historical UNITED STATES Commemorative Album Pages by

Featuring illustrated display frames for singles of all commemoratives since the 1893 Columbians, this sectional album also has background stories that place the stamps in their historic perspective. And, to highlight the stamps, there’s a distinctively designed border with the multicolored pictorial illuminations that have become a White Ace trademark. There’s more to White Ace than meets the eye: the heavy album page card stock is acid-free — your assurance of long lasting freshness; and the looseleaf style provides flexibility, so the album can grow with your collection. What’s more, with annual supplements it will always be up-to-date. Choose this White Ace album for your U.S. Commemorative Singles or one of its com- panion albums for blocks or plate blocks. Albums are also available for U.S. Regular Issues in all three formats. You will be opting for America’s superlative stamp albums. White Ace Albums are published by The Washington Press — makers of ArtCraft first day covers and StampMount brand mounts. Visit our website at www.washpress.com to order; or for information on recent & future album supplements, & new US & Commem. Singles (1893-1939) Part 1 ...... $28.85 UN issues. Use our information Commem. Singles (1940-1949) Part 2 ...... 21.60 Commem. Singles (1950-1970) Part 3 ...... 52.75 request web page today to receive Commem. Singles (1971-1979) Part 4 ...... 46.95 complete pricing for White Ace Commem. Singles (1980-1986) Part 5 ...... 49.10 Commem. Singles (1987-1992) Part 6 ...... 54.20 Stamp Albums, StampMount Commem. Singles (1993-1995) Part 7 ...... 52.00 Mounts, & Artcraft First Day Commem. Singles (1996-1997) Part 8 ...... 40.45 Commem. Singles (1998-1999) Part 9 ...... 54.20 Covers. Commem. Singles (2000-2001) Part 10 ...... 44.80 Commem. Singles (2002-2004) Part 11 ...... 50.55 Commem. Singles (2005-2006) Part 12...... 47.65 Available at your favorite Commem. Singles (2007) Part 13 ...... 24.60 stampshop or order direct. Matching Border Blank Pages Pack of 15 ...... 7.75 Gold-Stamped Deluxe Binder...... 23.50 Binder Dust Case ...... 16.95 ON MAIL ORDERS White Ace album pages are available for commemorative … please add $6.50 packing blocks, plate blocks, regular issues and many other nations. charge (foreign by weight) Ask for a complete White Ace Price List. The Washington Press PUBLISHERS FLORHAM PARK, NEW JERSEY 07932 Toll Free: (877) 966-0001 • Internet: www.washpress.com March / April 2009 Contents Vol. 25 No. 4 o ion f Ne President’s Viewpoint...... 4 at w r Y e o Editor’s Perspective...... 6 d r e k F George Fekete’s Pondering Philately:

S ta m p . . P . A Look in the Rearview Mirror...... 8 h c i n la I George McGowan’s Collecting: t s, el ie Insider ic Societ Barry's Ideas Ahead of Their Time...... 10 www.nystampclubs.org Alfred Carroccia’s Seen at Auction: Accurate Descriptions Are Essential...... 12 Editor David Smith: A Precancel Primer — III...... 12 Albert W. Starkweather 5520 Gunn Hwy. Apt. 1406, Tampa, FL 33624-2847 About the Cover 813-962-7964; [email protected] A souvenir sheetlet has been created for www.starkweatherdesign.com StampExpo 400 and will be available soon. Associate Editor Heather Sweeting D. Jennings-Bramley: 14329 Victory St., Sterling NY 13156-3172 A Closer Looks at Titanic Covers...... 24 315-947-6761; [email protected] A History That Transcends Disciplines..... 30 Contributing Editor Countdown To StampExpo 400...... 32 George T. Fekete Arthur H. Groton: Cinderellas...... 34 111 Dale Road, Rochester NY 14625-2009 Daniel A. Piazza: NYS@NPM 585-381-6233; [email protected] 1938 Air Mail Week Flight Crash...... 38 Advertising Manager Ruth L. Sabo’s Exploring Deltiology: George McGowan Reaching the North Pole...... 42 P. O. Box 482, East Schodack, NY 12063-0482 Glenn A. Estus’ First Day Coverage: 518-479-4396; [email protected] U/Os Spice Up a FDC Collection...... 43 By Kids for Kids...... 44 Webmaster Robert Finnegan’s Youth & Philately: Thomas M. Fortunato 28 Amberwood Place, Rochester, NY 14626-4166 Plannning A Youth Meeting...... 45 585-225-6822; [email protected] Jim Hannah the Frugal Philatelist: Forever Is A Long Time...... 46 Financial Communications...... 47 John J. Nunes 80 Fredericks Road. Scotia, NY 12302-5727 Club Pages...... 48–73 518-399-8395; [email protected] Shows & Bourses...... 74–75 Stan Burdick: Philateli-Calamity...... 76 Subscriptions / Secretary Heather Sweeting’s The Last Words: Ronald K. Ratchford 1105 Union St.. Schenectady, NY 12308-2805 A Window of Opportunity … To Fail?.....78 518-374-3776 ; [email protected] Advertiser Index...... 76 Subscriptions, Copyright, Advertising Rates, Deadlines Stamp Insider™ is published six times per year by the Federation of New York Philatelic Societies for the Federation of Central New York Philatelic Societies, Inc., a non-profit organization, at 1105 Union St., Schenectady, NY 12308-2805. Subscriptions: $7.50 per year; inquire of Subscriptions. Content ©2009 Federation of Central New York Philatelic Societies Inc.; Design ©2009 Albert W. Starkweather / Design on Demand. Stamp Insider and the magnifying glass logo are trademarks of the Federation. Any portion of this publication may be reproduced without prior consent, provided credit is given. Written expression or opinions of the writers are their own and not necessarily those of the Stamp Insider or Federation. Some product names and images may be trademarks or registered trademarks, and are used only for identification and explanation, without intent to infringe. Every effort is taken to ensure accuracy, but validity is not guaranteed. Articles by readers are encouraged. Manuscripts cannot be returned without a large SASE. Electronic submissions are preferred. Dimensions (In inches) Per Insertion Contract Per Year Save Small Business Card (2 1/5 × 1) One-Year Contract Only $ 85.00 — Super Business Card (3 × 2 1/4) One-Year Contract Only $170.00 — 1⁄2 Page (4 1⁄2 × 3 7⁄16) $ 65.00 $330.00 ($ 55.00) $60.00 Full Page (4 1⁄2 × 7 1⁄2) $ 90.00 $480.00 ($ 80.00) $60.00 Full Page Inside Front or Back Cover $100.00 $540.00 ($ 90.00) $60.00 Full Page Outside Back (4 1⁄2 × 7 1⁄2) $150.00 $800.00 ($133.33) $100.00 Centerfold (two full pages) $190.00 $960.00 ($160.00) $180.00 Editorial & ad deadlines for the two months following are Feb. 1, April 1, June 1, Aug. 1, Oct. 1, Dec. 1 President’s Viewpoint John J. Nunes 80 Fredericks Road Scotia, NY 12302-5727 518-399-8395; [email protected] StampExpo 400 Approaching Break Even Point t is with great pleasure to report we have Ireached 78 percent ($74,300) of the break- even point on projected cost versus income for StampExpo 400. Word of mouth and our web site — www.stampexpo400.org — have helped in advertising the show, attracting dealers and exhibitors, and minimizing costs. We will go to press this month with our design of the StampExpo 400 souvenir sheetlet. We are following in the footsteps of our predecessors in issuing poster stamps for a philatelic event. This miniature sheet, designed by Albert W. Starkweather, contains four poster stamps. One features the show logos, while the Hud- son and Fulton images are reproduced from old postcards and the Champlain image is from a 20th century painting. It is notable that no actual drawings or paintings of Cham- plain exist. The first drawings and paintings of the explorer were made more than a century later from the artists’ imaginations. The sheet will fit vertically on a No. 6#/¢ envelope. Each stamp is slightly larger than a U.S. commemorative. The 5,000 sheetlets will be die cut on pressure-sensitive stock identical to that used for current U.S. stamps. The individual stamps will be easily separated for individual use. The sheets will be available in about a month for $1 each, plus 50 cents mailing for up to 12 copies. The sale will aid in achieving parity on cost versus income as our agreement with New York State requires. Orders can be placed with Ronald K. Ratchford whose address is on page 3. We will complete our expedited border crossing procedures and forms for our foreign dealers in the coming month. Security procedures for dealers have been defined to aid load-in, load-out, and parking locations. The area under the Egg is designated for dealers with super booths and multiple tables. Societies will occupy the South Concourse, Exhib- its will be in meeting room 6 and the concourse area between meeting room 6 and the South Concourse. Please plan to assist us in any small way either before or during the event. Plan on attending the event of the year 2009. Contact me for assignments.

4 Stamp Insider — 25 Years! MetroExpo NY July 10-12, 2009 Midtown Holiday Inn 440 W. 57th Street Between 9th & 10th Avenues, just a few minutes from West Side Highway, 57th Street Exit Show Hours: Fri 10-6, Sat 10-6, Sun 10-4 (Dealers-only Wholesale Bourse Friday 10 to 12 in NY)

40 dealers wheeling and dealing $Millions in US & worldwide stamps, covers & collections from 10¢ to $Thousands!

Dealer Space Is Still Available... CALL TO RESERVE YOUR SPACE TODAY! Dick Murphy: 508-393-9732 • [email protected] John Nunes: 518-399-8395 • [email protected] Elaine Dunn: (for show information) 800-635-3351 • [email protected] Editor’s Perspective Albert W. Starkweather 5520 Gunn Hwy 1406 Tampa, FL 33624-2847 813-962-7964; [email protected]

‘Dippy’ Church — A North Country Eccentric aniel A. Piazza’s column on the Lowville crash, shown above, during National Air DMail Week in 1938 reminded me of tales — some true and some obviously improved with age — of Dwight P. “Dippy” Church, a photographer and pilot from Canton. Like Seneca Ray Stoddard, Church (1891–1974) was a true eccentric, devoted to capturing North Country images on film, producing postcards, and an avid canoeist. Unlike his 19th century predecessor, Church was able to capture aerial views from his personal airplane. He first operated as the $5 Photo Co. and later as Photo Park Studio. In the mid and late 1920s he promoted his business by driving around in a car whose body had been replaced by a steel drum that resembled a roll of film. He apparently was an aficionado of another North Country character, Melvil Dewey, who proposed simplified spelling. A sign at the entrance to Church’s studio proclaimed: “By our works shal all men kno us.” Church walked away from several crashes without injury, including the one in Lowville. His plane and, reportedly, one church steeple did not fare so well. Whether he was a notori- ously bad pilot or simply distracted by his photography activities is uncertain. He rigged a harness, top right, so he could keep one hand on the camera and the other on the stick. Church purchased his Monosport airplane on May 19, 1930, having his first crash at Bigelow on July 29. Even though the Civil Aeronautics Administration cancelled its registration on August 15, Church kept on flying, accumulating 310 hours by 1933. The registration was again suspended after the NAMW crash, but reinstated about three months later. Following another accident on January 5, 1941 at Canton, when the plane stalled during landing approach, the registration was cancelled by the CAA for good. What

is remarkable is the fact that the CAA never suspended nor revoked Church’s pilot license. Images courtesy www.dmairfield.com/airplanes/NC113K/index.html

6 Stamp Insider — 25 Years! Great Venues by John J. Nunes Stamps • Post Cards • Covers • Ephemera Supplies • Free Admission & Parking RS Stamp Show New Date! 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Sunday, March 22 July 26, November 1 & January 3, 2010 Diplomat Banquet Center & Hotel, 1956 Lyell Ave., Gates, New York Thruway Exits 45 or 47; take I-490 to I-390 north to Route 31 (Lyell Avenue). From the east go right onto Lyell. From the west take Mount Read Boulevard north. Turn left onto Lyell. Capital District Stamp Show 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Sunday, March 15 April 19, May 17, June 21, July 19, August 16, September 20, October 18, December 20 & January 17, 2010 Ramada Latham (formerly Holiday Inn Express) 946 New Loudon Road, U.S. 9, Latham, New York Northway (I-87) Exit 7; go east to Route 9; 1/4 mile north on left. Mania Shows Cover Mania 12 10 a.m.–6 p.m. Saturday, January 30, 2010 9 a.m.–4 p.m. Sunday, January 31, 2010 Clarion Hotel, 3 Watervliet Ave., Albany, New York Post Card Mania 10 Will return in 2010. Visit me at StampExpo 400 in Albany on September 25–27! NunesNook 80 Fredericks Road, Scotia, NY 12302-5727 518•399•8395 ★ E-mail [email protected] Pondering Philately George T. Fekete 111 Dale Road Rochester NY 14625-2009 585-381-6233; [email protected] A Look in the Rearview Mirror he Scott 2009 Standard Postage Stamp Catalogue, which Tcomes in paperback, contains listings for all countries of the world, requires six volumes, and costs a few cents shy of $420 — $360 with the Amos Advantage discount) according to the Amos Advantage web site. The listings, printed on 8!/¢ × 10&/•-inch stock, run to a whopping 8,030 pages, not including the identifiers and other information. The other day my good friend and fellow collector Frank Tritto gave me a copy of the 1915 Scott Standard Postage Stamp Catalogue “giving the date of issue, color, shape and value of every postage stamp that has ever been issued by any government in the world. With illustrations of nearly every type of stamp, and giving the price at which most of them may be purchased, used or unused, of The Scott Stamp and Coin Co. L’d.” It’s no secret that the number of stamps issued worldwide has increased dramatically since 1915, but I found the comparison between the 1915 and 2009 Scott catalogues to be remarkable nonetheless. The first volume of the 2009 edition, listing only the U.S. and countries A–B, requires 1,294 pages on 8!/¢ × 10&/•-inch stock. The 1915 catalogue, printed on 4%/¡§ × 6#/•-inch stock, is a mere 980 pages not including special notes, etc. The 1915 and 2009 fonts appear to be nearly the same size. One could buy paper- and cloth-bound editions for 75 cents (roughly $15 today) and 90 cents respectively in 1915. The 1915 catalogue invited the collector to complete a brief questionnaire regarding his or her collecting preferences, and would advise the collector if Scott could provide any material in the collector’s area of interest. It would not send approval sheets unless instructed to do so. The 1915 catalogue value for a complete set of unused U.S. Columbians was $29.28, or approximately $600 in 2009 dollars. Scott also offered “Cheap Sets of Stamps” at the back of the 1915 catalogue. All stamps in this offering were “guaranteed genuine originals and in good condition.” A complete set of unused U.S. Columbians was priced at $22. It would be difficult to find a comparable copy of any one of the 50-cent to $5 values for that price today. Ah, the good old days …

8 Stamp Insider — 25 Years! MAIL SALES COPERNICUS Bangladesh 1974 Scott 61–62 Imperf horizontal pairs Engravings, Varieties, for 500th Anniversary of Birth...... $250.00 Comoro Islands 1975 Scott C93 400f black double surcharge Topicals, Worldwide overprint on perf with top margin selvage...... $110.00 Comoro Islands 1979 Scott 411 Voyager 1, 40f imperf Items for souvenir sheet, MIBI. 203...... $30.00 Award-Winning Guinee 1973 Scott 659 FDC imperf souvenir sheet of 4, 20s, Saturn, heliocentric system...... $44.00 Collections Mali 1973 Scott C178 Satellite, heliocentric on trial color horizontal pair in green with selvage, red ...... $75.00 WRITE FOR CURRENT Mali 1980 Scott C388-389 Coperinicus, Kepler on engraved LISTS AND BID SHEETS deluxe sheets...... $75.00 OR Maldive 1974 Scott 480-488 Eight values, unaddressed FDC (2) perf set of 8, 10R souvenir sheet with Copernicus cachet ...... $35.00 VIEW ON OUR WEB SITE DISCOUNTS: 10% YOUR CHOICE — 15% $300.00 OR MORE E. JOSEPH McCONNELL, INC.

T H G E W I N O V R R L E D

n P. O. Box 683 • Monroe, NY 10949-0035 Americaan TTooppiiccaal Al Asssosocicaiatito ion

Y F L T E H T E A M L A I T I C P H Phone 845-783-9791 • Fax 845-782-0347 [email protected] • www.ejmcconnell.com

Syracuse Stamp, Coin & Collectibles Show Central New York’s largest philatelic show. Dealers to buy, sell, trade stamps, coins, covers, post cards, paper collectibles. 10 a.m.– 5 p.m. Sunday, April 19 Holiday Inn Thruway Exit 35 — Carrier Circle September 13 Syrapex 2009 on November 7 & 8 Contact Ed Bailey P. O. Box 2338, Syracuse, NY 13220-2338 Phone 315-452-0593

March / April 2009 9 Collecting George McGowan P. O. Box 482 East Schodack, NY 12063-0482 518-479-4396; [email protected] William Barry’s Ideas Ahead of Their Time illiam Barry was born Win Franklin County in 1841 and received an engineering degree from McGill University in Montreal. He moved to Syracuse around 1880. Barry, a good machin- ist and inventor, created a string cutting machine, a willow stripping machine, a harness stitcher, a rake, and many more successes. While in Syracuse, Barry secured financial backing for his newest idea, a mail marking machine, and incorporated the Barry Postal Supply Co. Until about the early 1860s, even in large cities, a clerk or clerks could handle canceling by hand stamp. Literacy, immigration, westward expansion, lower postal rates, and several other events created a need for automation to cancel and otherwise mark the increasing volume of mail. There were several attempts in the 1870s and 1880s to automate this process that were met with mixed success. Sometime before 1891, Barry tested one of his machines in the Oswego post office. He patented three types of canceling machines and in 1895 was awarded a contract to produce and deliver one hundred machines to the U.S. Post Office Department. These went to cities across the country. In 1896, Barry moved to Oswego. Another Barry invention was a canceling and sorting device representing a new concept in the way the post office processed mail. A clerk standing at a keyboard, (sound familiar?) would channel each piece of mail into separate sorting pockets. He held six patents dealing with this idea, which never won any contracts from the USPOD. One of his vertical feed mail distribution machines was tested at the Oswego post office on live mail between June 20 and the end of August 1908. Illustrated is an example from that test dated August 10, 1908. The vertical feed machine failed to get any orders from the USPOD. We can say with confidence that Barry's ideas were ahead of their time.

References: Oswego County N.Y. Postal History by Heather and Charles Sweeting, ESPHS, 2001, and The Barry Story by Bob Payne, Machine Cancel Society, 1995.

10 Stamp Insider — 25 Years! Buy & Sell With Conﬁdence Whether you're looking to start a new collection, ﬁnd a unique specialized item for your exhibit, or just save some money on postage, you've come to the right place! Henry Gitner Philatelists offers three convenient ways to buy — mail order, online from our Web site, and at our eBay store: http://stores.ebay.com/Henry-Gitner-Philatelists.

Contact us today with your speciﬁc needs … and when it comes time to sell your collection, accumulation, or dealer stock, you can be assured we pay top dollar.

Buying United States and the World No one pays more for collections, lots, and accumulations of lots and covers! You are always welcome to visit us, but please call ﬁrst so that we can devote our time to you. We have 6,500 square feet of stamps! Henry Gitner Philatelists, Inc. Philately — The Quiet Excitement! P.O. Box 3077 / 53 Highland Ave. Middletown, New York 10940-0800 www.hgitner.com e-mail [email protected] 1–800–947–8267 845–343–5151 Fax 845–343–0068 We accept Visa, MasterCard, Discover, Amex Seen at Auction Alfred Carroccia 152 Windmill Road West Seneca, NY 14218-3776 716-674-0302; [email protected] Accurate Descriptions Are Essential ccurate descriptions are essential when Aplacing bids at auction. The larger auction houses go to great lengths in describing particular lots. Any lot with a high pre-auction estimate, especially one for rare and scarce items, will have a detailed description with useful information, such as census and anno- tated data. Unfortunately most lots appearing on eBay lack detailed descriptions. Some may be misleading, whether intentional or not. An interesting cover addressed to the American embassy in Peiping, now Beijing, China was offered at the minimum bid of 99 cents. It is franked with two three-cent Washington Bicentennial issue, Scott No. 720, and a Bolton, NY Doane cancel. It is described simply: “Fine cover with four bar cancel to China (see back stamps).” A clean scan of the front of the cover follows but no scan of the back is to be found. The Universal Postal Union surface rate was three cents for a half ounce with five cents for each additional half ounce. Was this cover over-franked by thee cents or was it short two cents? What are the markings on the back of the cover? Were they receiving marks or other auxiliary markings? Another question would be whether the contents are with the cover. The cover sold after a lone bid of 99 cents. While this item was inexpensive, a more expensive cover or stamp would not receive any bids with such a vague description. It would be best to ask the seller for additional scans or photocopies and if this is not possible a better description. It is not surprising to find show covers being offered as having passed through the mails. Most are described as having unique or even rare cancels, when they actually are show cancels. Bufpex is the annual show of the Buffalo Stamp Club. Being a member of the club, I have had a hand in the design and production of such covers. It surprised me to find the 1990 Bufpex cover for sale on eBay. It was described as such and had a minimum bid of $2.99. I still have several covers left over from that show and curiosity overtook me to track this lot. The club sold the covers at the 1990 show for under $1 each. This cover did not receive any bids. It was relisted as a buy it now item and still was unsold. I am certain you can find this cover in the bargain bin with your favorite dealer!

12 Stamp Insider — 25 Years! R are Stamp Auction

When the time comes to sell your philatelic Heritage at the ASDA treasures, consider Heritage Auction Galleries show at TheLook New forYorker Hotel, April 16-19. We first. Choosing us as your auctioneer really is about our numbers – and the dollars we can will be accepting achieve for you: consignments.

• MARKETING REACH: 425,000+ registered bidder-members at HA.com; 600,000+ collectors on our mailing list; from 164 countries!

• DEMAND GENERATED: $700+ million in annual sales (auction and private treaty); in addition to thousands of world record prices, Heritage holds four Guinness records!

• STABILITY YOU CAN TRUST: Financial stability based on more than $100 million in assets; Heritage has served 45,000+ consignors in 2,100 auctions, generating $3 billion-plus in total sales; and every Heritage consignor has been paid in full and on-time!

• A FITTING MEMORIAL: In addition to the printed catalog, your stamp collection can live forever online; our Permanent Auction Archives contain lot descriptions, images, and prices realized of more than two million collectibles and art lots we’ve auctioned so far!

• LONGEVITY: Heritage began selling rare coins and stamps more than four decades ago, and we have re-entered the philatelic market in a big way. All of our impressive numbers come with a dedication to friendly, professional service.

Heritage sold this “Never Hinged” example (only six known thus) of the most famous of all U.S. error stamps – the INVERTED JENNY rarity – for $825,000 in December 2007.

Contact Steven Crippe to be part of our next auction: Receive a free copy of the next To discuss consigning Stamp catalog, or one from another Heritage category. Register online your stamps or philatelic at HA.com/STMP16654 or call 866- collections to an upcoming 835-3243 and mention reference Heritage Signature® Auction, # STMP16654. The entire catalog please call Steven Crippe will go online approximately July at 800-872-6467 ext. 1777 13 at HA.com/Stamps. Annual Sales Exceed $700 Million or email [email protected]. 425,000+ Online Registered Bidder-Members 3500 Maple Avenue, 17th Floor • Dallas, Texas 75219 • HA.com • 214-528-3500 • FAX: 214-409-1425 TX licenses: Samuel Foose 11727; Robert Korver 13754; Andrea Voss 16406. This auction is subject to a 19.5% buyer’s premium. 16654

16654_HGAS_STMP.indd 1 2/4/09 10:38:23 AM Sweetheart

ANIMALS COAT OF INSECTS 1,000 . .51.63 SPACE 200 . . .$7.18 ARMS 100 . . . .5.00 ORCHIDS 300 . . .12.17 500 . . .16.45 100 . . . .4.20 200 . . .11.55 50 . . . . .3.95 500 . . .25.90 1000 . .34.85 200 . . . .8.70 300 . . .29.67 100 . . .10.45 1,000 . .63.88 2000 . .86.63 300 . . .15.75 KANGAROOS 200 . . .37.60 SPORTS ARTS COSTUMES 25 . . . . .5.25 300 . . .69.13 300 . . .11.38 100 . . . .4.20 50 . . . . .2.10 LIGHTHOUSE PAINTINGS 500 . . .17.15 300 . . .12.95 100 . . . .4.90 25 . . . . .5.80 300 . . .12.08 1,000 . .43.75 ATHLETICS CHESS MARILYN 500 . . .17.42 2,000 . .98.00 100 . . . .7.45 50 . . . . .4.20 MONROE 1,000 . .51.63 STAMPS ON 200 . . .21.85 100 . . . .8.66 (Mint) 2,000 .108.50 STAMPS 300 . . .30.63 DANCING 50 . . . .26.05 PARROTS 50 . . . . .3.50 ASTRONAUTS 50 . . . . .5.60 MAPS AND 50 . . . . .3.50 100 . . . .8.40 50 . . . . .6.74 100 . . .14.35 GLOBES 100 . . .11.90 SWIMMING 200 . . .13.91 DISNEY 100 . . . .5.20 PREHISTORIC 50 . . . . .4.55 AUTOMOBILES No. Arabs incl. 200 . . .13.83 ANIMALS 100 . . .12.17 200 . . . .8.67 100 . . .12.05 300 . . .31.33 100 . . . .6.91 TURTLES 300 . . .17.33 200 . . .26.70 MONKEYS & 200 . . .28.80 25 . . . . .3.50 600 . . .49.00 400 . . .66.50 APES PRINCESS 50 . . . . .8.66 AVIATION DUCKS 50 . . . . .3.15 DIANA TRAINS 200 . . .10.15 25 . . . . .3.15 100 . . .10.33 100 . . .33.25 200 . . .10.33 300 . . .15.23 50 . . . . .8.40 MOTORCY- RED CROSS 300 . . .17.42 BALLOONS FISH-SEA LIFE CLES 50 . . . . .3.15 500 . . .42.00 100 . . . .6.65 200 . . . .8.60 50 . . . . .4.20 RELIGION TRANSPORTA- 200 . . .21.88 500 . . .33.08 100 . . .10.50 100 . . . .4.38 TION BASKETBALL FLAGS MOVIE STARS 200 . . .11.20 500 . . .18.38 25 . . . . .4.73 200 . . . .8.60 & ENTERTAIN- REPTILES 1,000 . .49.00 50 . . . .11.20 500 . . .30.65 ERS 100 . . . .6.92 TRIANGLE BEARS 600 . . .50.75 100 . . .23.65 200 . . .15.58 SHAPE 25 . . . . .3.50 FLORA/FAUNA Mint ROSES 100 . . .10.33 50 . . . . .8.66 400 . . . .8.75 100 . . .22.40 100 . . . .7.45 200 . . .28.00 BICYCLES 500 . . .12.50 300 . .103.25 200 . . .19.25 U.S. HISTORY 50 . . . . .3.50 600 . . .17.05 MUSIC SAILING 300 . . .27.10 100 . . .12.05 FLOWERS 50 . . . . .2.63 100 . . . .5.08 VOLLEYBALL BIRDS 300 . . .10.85 100 . . . .5.43 300 . . .15.75 25 . . . . .4.20 300 . . .10.15 500 . . .17.15 200 . . . .8.65 SCULPTURES WATER BIRDS 500 . . .26.25 1,000 . .47.25 300 . . .16.20 50 . . . . .9.10 50 . . . . .5.16 1,000 . .69.13 FOOTBALL MUSHROOMS 100 . . .22.40 WATER BOXING (Soccer) 50 . . . . .2.63 200 . . .39.38 SPORTS 100 . . .18.40 200 . . . .8.67 100 . . . .4.82 SHELL FISH 50 . . . . .3.50 BUTTERFLIES 500 . . .31.05 MUSICAL IN- 50 . . . . .3.33 WINTER 200 . . .10.42 600 . . .59.50 STRUMENTS 100 . . . .7.90 SPORTS 300 . . .15.05 1000 .208.25 25 . . . . .2.63 SHIPS & 100 . . . .5.25 500 . . .34.83 FRUITS 50 . . . . .6.13 BOATS 200 . . .13.80 CAMELS 100 . . . .4.65 300 . . .12.17 WORLD 25 . . . . .3.50 HEADS OF NAPOLEON 500 . . .29.40 WILDLIFE 50 . . . .14.00 STATE 100 . . . .8.60 1,000 . .78.75 FUND CATS & DOGS 100 . . . .2.10 200 . . .24.50 SKATING 25 . . . . .3.50 200 . . . .9.80 200 . . . .5.25 300 . . .86.65 50 . . . . .3.15 WRESTLING 300 . . .17.15 500 . . .25.92 NAVIGATOR 100 . . .11.20 50 . . . .11.38 500 . . .33.10 HORSEMEN 50 . . . . .8.66 200 . . .45.50 100 cats 200 . . .12.25 100 . . .24.15 SKIING only . . .5.08 HORSES NUDES 100 . . . .7.88 200 . . .12.08 100 . . . .4.20 200 . . .13.95 200 . . .22.58 300 . . .34.10 300 . . .11.20 300 . . .24.33 300 . . .46.90 100 Dogs 500 . . .26.25 400 . . .40.25 400 . . .65.63 only . . .5.16 600 . . .48.90 OLYMPICS SNAKES 200 . . .13.83 HUNTING 300 . . .10.33 50 . . . . .5.08 500 . . .81.40 50 . . . .12.08 500 . . .20.83 of a Sale!

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America’s (and the World’s) Largest Stamp Collecting Supply Company SHIPPING CHARGES By MAIL/UPS *: $6.50 Min. Orders over $54 ADD 12%, Over $100 ADD 10%, Over $250 ADD 8% * Some Remote Areas Carry Higher Shipping charges. PA Residents: ADD 6% Sales Tax ADD $5/$10 Per Parcel on high weight/low cost orders shipped to the 11 Western States & TX Ask for Shipping Charges to AK, HI, P.R., APO’s, FPO’s, Foreign Phone: 1-800-221-9960 Fax: 1-888-221-9960 Not Responsible For 2121 Beale Ave, Altoona PA 16601 Typographical Errors Email: [email protected] Phone: 814-946-1000 Fax: 814-946-9997 A Precancel Primer Part III — Specializing Within a Specialized Field By David Smith world of specialty collecting lies within the field of precancels, a specialty in itself. A One can collect what one wants as in most cases there are no albums to dictate what spaces need to be filled. Most precancel collectors began by collecting Bureau precancels. These are stamps that were precanceled by the Bureau of Engraving and Printing. Most stick to those with town names on them, although some do collect the modern service inscribed precancels. Some collect only precancels that were produced locally. Others collect one stamp from each town that used them, others one of each device or type that was used. Many collect only one state or a group of states. These were covered in my last article. One can collect precancels of one particular denomination or stamp series, from towns with particular names, short or long names, specific styles or types of precancels such as double lined, printed, large lettered, locals only, etc. Your imagination is the limit. Additional specialties can come from changes in postal rules. One of those is collecting dated precancels. Beginning in July 1938 the Post Office Department required large volume users to include their initials and month and year date on each stamp when the total postage was more than six cents. The largest users nationally were Sears Roebuck, which used SRC or SRCO, and Montgomery Ward, which used MW and MWC. In New York, Sears is represented by postage from its New York City mail order house and from smaller centers in Buffalo and Binghamton. Montgomery Ward precancels are mainly from its Albany distribution center, with some use from its center in Buffalo.

Albany had the greatest variety in precancel use and its center was in operation the longest. A collection of several thousand different date — denomination combinations is possible. Some of the wide range of varieties possible is shown. Continued on Page 18

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Azusa To Albany Precancels — Continued from Page 16 The eight- and nine-cent Albany had the control added by printing it on the full sheet at a local print shop, probably the companies’ own. The two-cent defense had its control hand applied. The nine-cent SRC was also hand applied, but using a 50-subject device where half of the sheet was hand stamped, then the sheet was turned and the other half of the sheet was processed. Thus half of the SRC controls would be inverts. The Binghamton was given its control by a device that included both the city and the date. This is called an integral control. The eight-cent Buffalo was controlled with an integral style device with the city and state missing. The 11-cent Albany was controlled with a typeset integral device. The three-cent defense from Albany shows the normal integral style. The two-cent Albany shows the printed SEP 61 with an integral JAN 62 applied over it. The reason being that all precanceled stamps were to be used during the month stated in the control or within the first 10 days of the following month. Sometimes the mail room personnel miscalculated the number of stamps needed and had to apply a control to stamps having an out-of-date control. The prettiest example of that which I have is a three-month triple from an unknown user in Kansas City, Kansas. The reason for the wide range of devices is that two sources of stamps were in constant use in these large mail rooms: Stamps from the post office and stamps from the customers. It was common practice to send postage as payment for an order. Special envelopes were provided by the mail order house. The stamps were canceled by the mail room clerks with hand applied integral precancel devices. Customers could send in any stamps they had. Thus sometimes an old stamp shows up canceled with a mail order house precancel. Additional dated varieties can be found. The Warsaw has a control applied with a mimeograph by Henry Ten Hagen who mailed African violets. The Chicago from an unknown user was controlled with a typewriter. Sometimes the clerk forgot to get the stamps precanceled when he applied the control. The user of the D.P. Inc is unknown. The MPB shows use of a multiple subject device that does not fit any of the previous descriptions. A dozen or so users included New York City in their handstamp dated controls. Lane Bryant was a big user of printed dated controls in the early 1940s. Continued on Page 20

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March / April 2009 19 Precancels — Continued from Page 18 Precancel envelopes are a specialty that takes up more room than most collectors like, but it can be an important part of a postal history collection. It is interesting to see who used these. Most precanceled envelopes were produced under government contract and used a particular type of font. The earlier style printed for the Lakes Theatre in In- terlaken has serifs, where the characters have horizontal or diagonal strokes across the ends. The later style printed for the Ma- sonic Lodge in Trumans- burg is sans serif, where the ends of the characters are unadorned. The Schroon Lake precancel was made locally. Some collectors prefer collecting a cut square displaying the Postal Law and Regula- tion under which the envelope was used. However, this practice deletes a lot of infor- maton, such as who used the envelope, the size and shape and watermark, the shape of the flap, whether or not it had a gummed flap, or a window. Sometimes the difference in value is considerable. Perfin precancels or prepers are also collected. These combine the collecting of perfins with precancels. In New York alone, a collection of several thousand different can be acquired. The PN perfin (Pathé News) on this Larchmont precancel is among the rarest perfin precancels. While the perfin is common the double lined precancel is not. This is the only known copy on this stamp. One of the more common combinations outside New York City is the TCC perfin (The Carborundum Company) on Niagara Falls precancels. That is not to say that all New York City perfin precancels are common. There are 328 different perfin patterns that come precanceled. I still need 147 of them, many of which are known on five or fewer stamps. Precanceled postal cards from New York State are all extremely scarce. A catalogue of these cards is in production.

Continued on Page 22 Postal card precancel courtesy of Arnold Selengut

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March / April 2009 21 Precancels — Continued from Page 20 Revenue cancels: Both first issue and battleship revenues were precanceled and often dated by their users because the contain- ers on which they were to be applied made canceling after the fact inefficient. A printed example is shown on the left and a handstamp on the right. Provisional precancels were made by devices normally used as package or registry cancellers, but were used in emergency to precancel. Albany used this roller a little too often. Fakes and counterfeits: A fake is a precancel that does not look like any recognized device. A counterfeit is a precancel that is made to look like an existing device. The Baldwin represents a fake, the Binghamton a counterfeit. In each case the real precancel is on the right and the bogus precancel is on the left. Next: article will exam- ine foreign precancels. Part I on 19th century precancels appeared in the November– December Stamp Insider and Part II on the 20th century appeared in January–February.

David “Precancel” Smith, a member of Ithaca Philatelic Society, has collected stamps since the age of 5 and is past president of the Precancel Stamp Society (www.precancels.com).

Origins of the Hudson-Fulton Stamp Some of the steps that led to Scott 372-373 included: wash drawing of frame on artist’s cardboard, top left; wash drawing of vi- gnette on artist’s cardboard, top middle; model on card approved by Postmaster General Frank H. Hitchcock, top right; and large die proof on India, left. His final approval came on August 19, 1909 and the stamp was issued on September 25. Courtesy www.us1909.com

22 Stamp Insider — 25 Years! TREASURE�CHESTS EACH FILLED WITH A FANTASTIC ASSORTMENT OF STAMPS FROM AROUND THE WORLD.

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$// /276 :,// %( &867200$'( :+(1 25'(5(' ($&+ /27 :,// %( 81,48( /276:,// &216,6721/<2)67$036 0,17 25 86(' 6(76 6,1*/(6 12 025( 7+$1 %/2&.6 2) 2) $1 ,7(06289(1,5 6+((76 &$1 %( ,1&/8'(',)<28 '(6,5( $// 67$036 $5( 6&277 /,67(' ,'(17,),('($&+ /27 :,// &217$,1$683(5 6(/(&7,217+( /$5*(5 7+( /27 7+(025( (;7(16,9( 7+($662570(17 81,7(' 67$7(6863266(66,21681,7(' 1$7,216 127 ,1&/8'('

7HUPV3+21(0$,/)$;25(0$,/25'(56 3/($6(0$.(685(7263(&,)<:+,&+$5($ $1':+$7 6,=(/27 <28$5(,17(5(67(',1 6$7,6)$&7,21*8$5$17(('25021(<5()81'('XSRQUHWXUQRIPHUFKDQGLVH:,7+,1'$<6 3$<0(17 0867$&&203$1< 25'(59,6$0&RU'LVFRYHU$&&(37(' &5(',7&$5'25'(560867 ,1&/8'(1$0(21&$5'(;3'$7($OO&+(&.60867 %('5$:12186%$1.6 1< 5(6,'(176$''VDOHV7$; %URQ]H6LOYHU*ROG3ODWLQXP7LWDQLXP $//25'(56$''6+,33,1* +$1'/,1* 432 West 54th St., New York, NY 10019 Tel: (212) 489-8130 ~ Fax: (212) 581-8130 E-Mail: [email protected] STORE HOURS: Monday-Friday 10AM-4PM & Thursday 10AM-7PM shop online at: www.championstamp.com A Closer Look at Titanic Covers Did They Miss the Boat or Sink the Collector? By D. Jennings-Bramly, FRPSL s a long-time collector and student of the Sower issue of France, my eye was drawn Ato the cover at the top of Tom Fortunato’s article about Titanic covers that missed the boat, which was published in La Catastrophe, journal of the Wreck & Crash Mail So- ciety (http://wreckandcrash.org). The article also ran in the September–October 2008 issue of the Stamp Insider. Having checked the 10 centime Sowers with the expectation they might be postal forgeries and finding them to be genuine, I turned to the article to attempt to find out why Mr. Fortunato declared the envelope, numbered 267914, a gem. After reading the articles and viewing the eight covers from the references he lists, I can answer the question he poses in his first sentence — “Would you pay $10 for the cover shown here?” (I failed to raise the ninth, which does not matter because it is also stated to be an envelope, franked 25 centimes, to the Winter Co.) My answer is no. I would not give a nickel for even one of the so-called “missed Titanic covers.” Why not? Read on … Let me deal with the junk box cover first. Despite Mr. Fortunato’s assertion, No. 267914 has not been registered by the French State Postes. No. 267909 (from the Titanic Museum) and 267925 are also not registered, because the Courier Convoyeurs (scallop rims) did not offer registration. The other six covers are not registered and none of the nine ever were tendered for registration. Had any been registered, the fronts would have displayed evidence of it and the franking would have been 50 centimes (25c postage plus 25c registration). The reverse of the covers should have shown handling by the U.S. Post Office Department registered mail branch, but they do not. They show only the markings for ordinary mail. The PARIS R.P. ETRANGER marks are made by the two heads of a cancelling machine working with no bars between heads. Cover 267942 shows the bars in situ. Continued on Page 26

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March / April 2009 25 Titanic Covers — Continued from Page 24 The backstamp from the Fortunato cover is shown in the inset. Using registration in a non- postal sense and taking into account the shape of the digits, I am of the opinion that the six-figure numbers were applied by a registry [sic.] within the Winter Co. By 1912, the Universal Postal Union had been in existence for more than 30 years and few countries had not joined. The benefits were great, especially as tariffs were now standard- ized between member countries. There were no more varying rates between shipping lines and even individual ships. The previous tedious and often fruitless searches for the fastest, safest and least expensive route and vessel were over. Prepayment reigned and superscrip- tion of line, of captain’s favor, of shipping agent or vessel was extinguished. The post office of a country did not designate or impose a particular vessel’s name on an item of mail or a bundle of mail: their remit was to send the mail on the first available packet. Later, sometimes, arrangements might be made specially for propaganda. The SS Normandie is an example, but for anyone to advance such a theory in regard to the PTT and the Titanic is ludicrous. The choice of vessel, to carry one’s mail, has always been the prerogative of the send- er. Governments have tried to control and have spied on mail from the earliest times. The suggestion that the word Titanic hand- stamped on the eight covers viewed was carried out by the Foreign Branch of the P’IT Paris is completely untenable. Newest Discovery Since the RMS Titanic was British, there This is the most recently discovered cover is no likelihood that La Poste would have of the nine known examples, being found arranged a special handling for mail which by a member of the Titanic Historical Soci- ety. A chart showing details of each cover senders wanted to travel by the Titanic. in the census may be viewed online at Continued on Page 28 www.nystampclubs.org/cny_downloads.html.

26 Stamp Insider — 25 Years! POSTAGE STAMP MEGA-EVENT ™ PS Stamps • Covers • Postal History • Stationery • Literature • Supplies Me

April 16–19, 2009 AT THE NEWLY RENOVATED New Yorker Hotel 34th Street and 8th Avenue New York City National & International Dealers, U.S. & U.N. Postal Administrations, Agencies, Societies & Clubs! Show Hours Thursday – Saturday 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. Sunday 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. • USPS & UN First Day of Issue Ceremonies • Souvenir Card & Special Show Cancels • Digital Philatelic Studies & Traditional Competitive Exhibits • Kids’ Area with computer activities & FREE gifts • TREASURES IN YOUR ATTIC (Free Appraisals) FREE ADMISSION! BRING A FRIEND! www.asdaonline.com • 516-759-7000 Titanic Covers — Continued from Page 26 Should anyone in France have desired ocean travel for their mail by that White Star liner, they could have arranged for it to take place by posting to the liners’ agency at Cher- bourg. That patently was not so done. Mr. Fortunato finds it interesting that after 20 years searching, only nine covers — all to one firm — have been recorded. I find it suspicious and one more reason why I end up convinced that these covers had the handstamp Titanic added to them with fraudulent intent at some time shortly before they started to appear. What I am unable to decide is where the fraud originated — in America or in Britain.

D. Jennings-Bramly is a Fellow of the Royal Philatelic Society, London Thomas M. Fortunato Responds am indebted to Mr. Jennings-Bramley for his letter explaining additional details on the ITitanic covers I wrote about. Is his conclusion that the Titanic markings are bogus on otherwise legitimate mail correct? That remains a possibility. As stated in my article, how is it that mail handlers could not have known of Titanic’s maiden voyage being postponed, since it was announced some six months earlier? And of course, why have Titanic markings only been found on letters going to one firm — The Winter Company? Fraud would explain it. Since at least two of these covers have exchanged hands for several thousand dollars over the years, I still consider my $10 investment a bargain with the hope that future postal histori- ans may uncover more of this story that continues to raise more questions than answers. Pyramids Puzzler By James Darnell Directions 1. Starting with the top box of each pyramid, fill in the box with a letter which is also a proper English word. 2. Then fill in each set of S T A M P I N S I D E R boxes below the previous set by repeating (though not necessarily in the same order) all the letters above and adding one more letter, again being sure that each set contains a proper English word. 3. Continue until the addition of one more letter will produce the words in the bottom set of boxes, which, by the way, spell out the name of your favorite philatelic publication. There are several different solutions. A sample solution is shown on page 46.

28 Stamp Insider — 25 Years! NEW UNITED NATIONS 2009 ENDANGERED SPECIES STAMPS

On 16 April 2009, the United Nations Postal Administration (UNPA) will issue its seventeenth set of Endangered Species stamps in its multi-year series, which was launched on 3 March 1993 to highlight the need for the protection of endangered species throughout the world.The stamps, featuring a variety of insects, were designed by Roger Kent (United Kingdom). 42-cents F.s. 1,00 0,65 ApolloButterfly Large Blue Butterfly Rajah Brooke’s Birdwing Rosalia Longicorn Cerambyx Longicorn Emperor Scorpion Southern Wood Ant Fen Raft Spider Blue Ground Beatle Emperor Dragonfly Southern Damselfly Mexican Redknee Tarantula

The all new beautifully designed 2009 Endangered Species folder, as well as three maximum cards, and a special limited edition Endangered Species silk cover is also being released on 16 April 2009.

U N I T E D N AT I O N S P O S TA L A D M I N I S T R AT I O N U N I T E D N AT I O N S , N E W Y O R K , N Y 1 0 0 1 7 h t t p : / / u n s t a m p s . u n . o r g • 1 8 0 0 2 3 4 U N PA Review: A History That Transcends Disciplines The 1933 Chicago World’s Fair: A Century of Progress by Cheryl L. Ganz. 272 pages, 7 × 10 inches, case bound. ©2008 University of Illinois Press, 1325 South Oak Street, Cham- paign, IL; www.press.uillinois.edu. $39.95. very once in a while a non-philatelic book is of interest to collec- Etors and non-collectors alike. Cheryl Ganz’ compelling history of the 1933 World’s Fair is one such example, cutting across many history disciplines. It puts the event into a broader perspective, helping the reader understand the importance of A Century of Progress. The book by the chief curator of the Smithsonian National Post- al Museum, is an expansion of her doctoral thesis at the University of Illinois. It explores social and cultural history through the lenses of nationalism, ethnicity, gender, progress, and particularly technology. The significance of A Century of Progress and its success is especially striking when one realizes that it occurred during the depths of the Great Depression and only 40 years after the Chicago World’s Columbian Exposition. The inevitability of war in Europe can be seen in light of nationalistic exhibits and special events by two major Axis powers — Italy and Germany. Gen. Italo Balbo’s mass flight of 24 planes, at the behest of Benito Mussolini, was warmly welcomed and popularized with stamps and first flight covers. Most Americans, including those of Italian heritage, did not realize what fascism represented. The Graf Zeppelin, commanded by Dr. Hugo Eckener, was similarly received. The giant airship was seen by Adolph Hitler as a flying billboard. The swas- tika was prominently displayed on the tail fins. Many collectors are unaware why the 50-cent Baby Zepp was issued. It was strongly op- posed by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt and got lukewarm approval from Postmaster General James A. Farley. Secretary of State Cordell Hull broke the logjam by explaining that refusal to issue a stamp would be a breach of diplomacy. Germany demanded the stamp to help finance the airship’s flight to Chicago to help offset the operating expenses of about $300 per hour. The U.S. Post Office Department received only 7!/™ cents from each stamp sold, with the remaining 42!/™ cents going to Germany which expected to recoup about $10,000. The use of more than 100,000 Baby Zepps on flight covers brought in several times that amount. Lest anyone believe this is a dry history written by an academic, they can be disabused of this notion by reading the opening chapter — “Sally Rand and the Midway.” It was Rand who popularized ostrich feathers as a substitute for more traditional clothing. The remaining chapters are “Chicago Boosters Set the Stage,” “A New Vision for a World’s Fair,” “The Vi- sion on Display,” “Women’s Spaces at the Fair,” “African Americans and the Du Sable Legacy,” “Ethnic Identity and Nationalistic Representations of Progress,” and “Aviation, Nationalism, and Progress.” There are 42 color and 44 black and white photographs, and two illustrations. The book is a great resource for writers and exhibitors who wish to expand their knowledge of the fair. — Albert W. Starkweather

30 Stamp Insider — 25 Years! Harmer–Schau Auction Galleries, Inc. BUY•SELL•AU ION stamps • postal history • postcards • ephemera Winter/Spring Schedule Seattle, WA — March 7–8 NWSDA Show Fresno, CA — March 14–15 Frespex 2009 Veterans Memorial Building 453 Hughes Avenue, Clovis, CA Cleveland, OH — March 27–29 Gar eld–Perry March Party 2009 Masonic Auditorium East 36th Street & Euclid Avenue New York, NY — April 16–19 Postage Stamp Mega-Event New Venue! New Yorker Hotel 34th Street & 8th Avenue San Francisco, CA — April 24–26 Westpex San Francisco Airport Marriott Hotel 1800 Old Bayshore Highway,Burlingame, CA

Contact Our Northeastern Representative Today! John J. Nunes [email protected] • 518-399-8395 H www.harmerschau.com S ——— Countdown To StampExpo 400 ——— Show Seeking To Fill 250 Frames By Thomas M. Fortunato n early February, StampExpo400 had 79 frames of exhib- Iits filled. That is pretty good considering the show was seven months away! At a minimum we would like at least 250 and can accommodate more if enough interest exists. Seven exhibitors had signed up to show 12 exhibits covering subjects from the postal history of Hudson, NY to Grandma’s House, a display class exhibit sure to be an eye- StampExpo400.org catcher for collectors and non-collectors alike. HUDSON • FULTON • CHAMPLAIN How about you? It would be great to have at least one exhibit from a member of every Federation club. This showcase should highlight the many philatelic facets our members collect! We have plenty of room for more exhibits, so get your application in now before all the fames are sold out. Frame Visit our Website for First Day Covers fees are low compared to and Postal History. other national-level events, Enter coupon code fdc10 when you register to only $10 per frame for multi- receive a 10% discount on your first purchase. frame exhibits and $20 for Outstanding service and selection single frame exhibits. A lim- with new items added weekly. ited number of single frame Want lists welcome. exhibits are available. By the Toll free 1-800-222-7184 way, entrants have the option Andrew, Mike & Bob Patkin of entering the exhibit com- 1 Wesley Drive petitively or just for fun. Londonderry, NH 03053 Keep checking the StampExpo 400 exhibits page for an up-to-date list of en- tries. You can also check out Douglas Weisz U.S. Covers the title pages, synopses pages and plan pages of many of FDCs, Flights, Events, them to give you a better idea of what they are all about. Postal History & Stationery All you need to do is down- P.O. Box 1458 load an application form, fill McMurray, PA 15317-4458 it out and submit it with a 773-914-4332 title page or synopsis if available. Don’t worry about the www.douglasweisz.com frame fees for now, as we’ll [email protected] ask for them a few months before the show starts.

32 Stamp Insider — 25 Years! Award Winning Illustrator & Cartoonist

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March / April 2009 33 Cinderellas: Something for Everyone By Arthur H. Groten he simplest definition Tof a Cinderella is something that looks like a postage stamp, but is not. The field is vast and any one of its main subgroups can sat- isfy the most avid, and so- phisticated, collector. Esbjorn Jansen of Sweden has created a Cinderellas table that I use with his kind permission (right). It includes almost all possible Cinderel- las and delineates the gray area between pure philately, as he calls it, and Cinderellas or what I call paraphilately. The chart discloses some of the areas about which major research works have been written, such as revenues, Zemstvos, college stamps, and locals. Most subgroups have been studied and written about. Only the seals section, other than Christmas (TB) seals and Red Cross labels, have not received the same attention and offer great opportunities for study and original research. To give you an idea of the scope of Cinder- ella collecting I’ve selected some examples to whet your appetite. The cover that got me started collecting Cinderellas has a tied Civil War patriotic label. Union patriotic labels on cover are scarce, but tied are quite rare. All Confederate patriotic labels are very rare. Wafer letter seals originated in England in the late 1830s and soon found their way to the U.S. To find one used on cover with U.S. Scott No. 1 is quite unusual. Jim Drummond recently published a book on college stamps. He described these generic stamps. but a se-tenant block of 10 of the various denominations only recently came to light, having been held in a collection since its purchase from the Lich- tenstein sale (top of next page). Continued on Page 36

34 Stamp Insider — 25 Years! www.covercrazy2.com Thousands of covers not yet on the Internet! Please send your want list to: Elwyn & Anne Doubleday P. O. Box 119, Alton, NH 03809

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R.J. ASSOCIATES Potential Advertisers: Did you know? Stamps & Covers Dealer The Stamp Insider has 3,000 readers. Print distribution of 2,000 includes 28 Federation afﬁliates, advertisers, local Buying • Selling • Appraisals and regional shows and bourses. More than 900 more Specializing in U.S., Topicals, German readers per issue access the Stamp Insider online. RONALD J. YEAGER It makes dollars and sense to advertise with us! P.O. Box 774 • Bradford, PA 16701-1318 Contact Advertising Manager George McGowan at 814-362-4471 • E-mail: [email protected] 518-479-4396 or [email protected]

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✒ Quarterly issues of the award-winning The Philatelic Communicator featuring — ✎ Informative articles to improve your writing, editing, and design skills ✎ A critique service for your newsletter, journal or other publication ✎ Web site and software information and reviews ✎ Book, journals, and newsletter reviews, and much, much more! ✒ Writing and literature exhibitions ✒ Biannual breakfasts at APS StampShow and AmeriStamp Expo ✒ Writers Unit #30 Hall of Fame Join today and begin reaping the bene ts! Dues are only $15 per year and include the journal. Contact: WU #30 Secretary George B. Griffenhagen, 2501 Drexel St., Vienna, VA 22180-6906 [email protected] • WWW.WU30.ORG

March / April 2009 35 Cinderellas — Continued from Page 34 Another popular area is hotel stamps, particularly the Swiss and Austrian ones. The five-cent value from Chesuncook Lake in Maine paid a fee charged by a hotelier on the lake. He also issued one- and two- cent values. All are scarce. An alternative to stamps used to pay a carriage fee are poster stamps that advertised a hotel such as the Hotel Krantz in Vienna in 1898. The rarest of all U.S. charity stamps is that issued in 1906 to raise funds to help the victims of the San Francisco earthquake. The cover shown sports such a label, used three weeks after the quake, from Chicago where the charity was based. Berlin pneumatic post (Rohrpost) etiquettes are not commonly seen and are even scarcer when coupled with a commercial zeppelin cover. The green labels at the lower right of the final cover each indicate a concessionary rate of 3 c. for 50 grams of tea. The total postage paid was 7G66: 6 c. for the tea and 19 time 40c. per 5 grams air mail rate from DEI to South Africa. It was carried by KLM to Cairo where it was transferred to Imperial Airways for the trip south. The boxed hand stamp From Cairo/by British Airmail is unrecorded. Those seeking a new challenge should consider Cinderellas. The largest organization dealing with Cinderellas in general is the Cinderella Stamp Club of Great Brit- ain. Others include the Christmas Seal and Charity Seal Club, which studies all charity labels. Specialist societies include the Postal Label Study Group (postal etiquettes and other labels applied to mail) and the Poster Stamp Collectors Club (poster stamps and advertising labels). Most have web sites. Contact me at artgroten@optonline. net or P. O. Box 30, Fishkill, NY 12524.

36 Stamp Insider — 25 Years! Save your pennies … and your folding money for the 2009 ROPEX National Stamp Show

Honoring Lincoln on Stamps and Coins May 15–17 ESL Sports Centre at Monroe Community College, 2700 Brighton-Henrietta Town Line Road (off I-390 and East Henrietta Road), Rochester, NY Fri. 11–6, Sat. 10–5, Sun. 10–3 Free Admission and Parking

featuring … 30+ dealers from the U.S. and Canada selling and buying, top-rated exhibits, society seminars, the USPS and UNPA

http://www.rpastamps.org 585-266-2524 NYS @ NPM Daniel A. Piazza, Assistant Curator of Philately National Postal Museum, MRC 570, P. O. Box 37012, Smithsonian Washington, DC 20013-7012 National Postal Museum 202-633-4737; e-mail [email protected]

A Massena cover was addressed to Postmaster Gen- eral James A. Farley and autographed by Dwight P. Church, is shown with one of the mailbags retrieved from his plane after the crash Lowville. Air Mail Week Flight Crashes in Lowville rom May 15–21, 1938, the U.S. Post Office Department celebrated the 20th anniver- Fsary of government airmail service by declaring National Air Mail Week and encourag- ing everyone to send an airmail letter. More than 1,700 mail flights were arranged across the country, many of them first flights. In New York, pioneer aviator–photographer Dwight P. Church was selected to fly from Canton on May 20, with stops in six other North Country towns to pick up mail. He was scheduled to land at Amboy Airport in Camillus, the municipal airport for the city of Syracuse, between noon and 1 p.m. At Lowville, his last stop before Syracuse, Church crash-landed at 11:25 a.m. High winds at the hilltop landing field brought his craft down on its left wing, and although he was uninjured he was unable to continue the flight. His cargo of mail traveled the last 90 miles to Syracuse by truck. It was National Air Mail Week’s only interrupted flight. Despite the fact that they were not damaged and received no special auxiliary markings, these are bona fide crash covers. If you want to acquire one for yourself, look for cacheted covers postmarked May 19 or 20, 1938 at Canton, Alexandria Bay, Gouverneur, Hammond, Lowville, Massena, or Ogdensburg and backstamped at Syracuse on the 20th. Commonly seen frankings are Scott No. C19, C23, or UC3, and most have an airmail loz- enge border. Covers signed by Church are especially desirable. Delivering Hope: FDR & Stamps of the Great Depression, opening June 9, 2009 at the Smithsonian National Postal Museum, will featuring objects from it’s James A. Farley stamp collection. For more information, visit www.postalmuseum.si.edu/deliveringhope.

Next time: The 1939 Baseball first day ceremony at Cooperstown. Smithsonian National Postal Museum Collection

38 Stamp Insider — 25 Years! RN TE FED S NE ★ E A MAI MA E ★ S R H T SA A U C T T IC H T U I R C S O E E O N N T N N T S O

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Reaching the North Pole he years 1903 through 1912 marked the Tpeak years of postcard production in the United States, and events — major and mi- nor — were captured by illustrators and pho- tographers for postcards during those years. Well-known deltiologist and author George Miller published a survey in the Post- card Collector Annual of 1993 of the number of businesses listed in major U.S. cities under the heading “Postal Cards, Illustrated.” In New York City alone, the number rose from three in 1903 to a peak of 168 in 1909. Doro- thy B. Ryan wrote in the Bible of deltiology, Picture Postcards in the United States 1893– 1918, that more than a million postcards were processed by the Baltimore Post Office just during the 1909 Christmas season. She wrote, “Of all the events of the postcard era, probably none aroused greater interest than Arctic exploration and the quest for the North Pole. Conflicting claims of Robert E. Peary and Dr. Frederick A. Cook were documented on postcards as well as in the popular press.” Cook claimed to reach the Pole in 1908 and Peary in April 1909, but scholars disagree. Some even believe neither reached the actual site of the Pole. Peary’s claim received the endorsement of the National Geographic Society and has received the most support. I have a number of postcards illustrating this event. My favorite, printed in black and white in 1909 and mailed in April 1910, was published by one of the largest postcard publish- ing companies, the Ullman Mfg. Co. of New York. The illustration is signed by Bernhardt Wall, one of the most prolific postcard illustrators of his day. Born in Buffalo in 1872, he became a lithographic illustrator in 1889, working in Buffalo and New York City. He later was dubbed the Postcard King. Wall was one of the most respected etchers of his time, and reportedly etched the likenesses of three U.S. presidents. He later moved to California producing beauti- ful etchings of the American West and evolved into a respected historian of the region.

42 Stamp Insider — 25 Years! First Day Coverage Glenn A. Estus P. O. Box 451 FIRST DAY OF ISSUE Westport, NY 12993-0451 [email protected], 518-962-4558

Unofficials Add Spice To a Collection ooking for a way to spice up your first day Lcover collection? Why not try unofficial FDCs (U/Os)? What are U/Os? Collectors define a U/O as any cover canceled at a post office not designated by the USPS as an official first day of issue office. Of course, today, it’s a little easier to collect U/Os since stamps not only are officially issued at one or two post offices, but also on sale nationwide at all post offices on the day of issue. In the pre-2007 days when stamps were usually placed on sale at one post office, it was quite an undertaking to create relevant U/Os. You had to purchase the stamps at the official first day city and then arrange to have the stamps and covers transported to another post office for cancellation that same day. But some adventurous collectors and dealers took U/Os one step higher: a post office name with relevance to the stamp. The late dealer Gerri Adlman was well known for her U/O adventures. She always created FDCs with unusual and relevant cancellations. In the 1980s and 1990s the U.S. Postal Service issued one of its longest series of stamps: the Transportation Coil Series. Gerri was meticulous in creating U/Os FDCs that had can- celation relevance to the stamp. The three-cent Conestoga Wagon stamp (Scott No. 2252) was issued February 29, 1988 at Conestoga, PA. The U/O is canceled at Wagontown, PA. This would have been an easy trip of only 35 miles. Gerri had a little longer trip when the 5.3-cent elevator stamp (Scott No. 2254) was issued on September 16, 1988. The journey from New York City, where the stamp was issued at a stamp show to Otisville, NY was about 85 miles. Why Otisville? Although elevators are recorded as far back as Archimedes in the third century B.C., it was Elisha Otis who invented the safety elevator which stopped a cab from falling if the cable broke. Unfortunately, Otis- ville was not named for Elisha, but for Isaac Otis who settled there in the early 1800s.

March / April 2009 43 By Kids for Kids If you are under 16 years old, tell us about your hobby! Send to: Albert W. Starkweather 5520 Gunn Hwy 1406, Tampa, FL 33624–2847 e-mail [email protected]

‘Z’ Stamps Preferred y name is Truth Muller and I am 8 years old. I am in fourth grade and am home Mschooled. I started out with only 35 American stamps when I was 5 years old. Now I have over 500 worldwide stamps. My favorites are ones from countries with the letter Z in them, like Zambia and New Zealand. I also like space and animal stamps and I am always trying to collect more. I’ve almost filled one whole book with stamps. This past fall I went to Upcoming Stamp Camp USA Training & Camps the Postage Stamp Mega- March 13 — Adult Leader Training, Montandon, PA Event at Madison Square March 19 & 21 — Tioga County Adult Leader Training. Elkland, PA Garden in New York City. March 24 — Elkland High School Kids Camp, Elkland, PA It was great! I am looking March 25 — Clark Wood Elementary Kids Camp, Elkland, PA forward to the StampExpo March 26 — Westfield Area Elementary Kids Camp, Westfield, PA 400 in Albany this year. I March 30 — Cowanesque Valley High Kids Camp, Westfield, PA can’t wait! March 31 — R. B. Walter Elementary Kids Camp, Tioga, PA I love stamp collecting and April 1 — Williamson High Kids Camp, Tioga, PA I will not stop until I have col- [email protected] lected every stamp possible! www.stampcampusa.org My friend, Mr. Allen phone / fax: 814-258-5601 Hoffman, gave my Mom 117 Court St., Suite A, Elkland, PA 16920-1447 Stamp Insider magazine because he knows I love stamps. Lincoln Coin and Stamp Co., Inc. He belongs to the Collector’s Club in New York City. Complete Line of Coin & Stamp Supplies I would like to also be- We Buy Stamps, Coins, long to a stamp club, but so Picture Post Cards, Old Envelopes, far, I cannot find any near Pan American Expo my house in Rock Hill, NY. Material Come In and Look Around Free Parking 33 West Tupper St. at Pearl Street Buffalo, NY 14202-1710 Phone 716-856-1884

44 Stamp Insider — 25 Years! Youth & Philately Robert Finnegan 10 O’Neill Drive Oneonta, NY 13820-1154 607-432-8141; [email protected]

Planning A Youth Meeting n 1971 when I began my teaching career, my team of teachers decided that we would all Itake an interest we had and share it with our group of 150 sixth graders and spend 45 minutes on Fridays sharing those interests with them. At the time I had just left college and had to reflect on an interest I might have other than girls and sports. I recalled my pre-teen years and decided that stamp collecting might fill the bill. I had to run back home and bring back some boxes of stamps and some old stamp albums to share and initiate a spark of interest among the 11 and 12 year olds. In structuring my first meeting, I had to decide what would be of interest to them, and what resources I would need at hand. My first meeting was not too much different than the ones I conduct today. Today I meet with third, fourth, and fifth graders (about 35 students), every two weeks from January through May. Here is a typical meeting structure:

• Attendance • Geography Activity Using a World Map • Stamp Collecting Vocabulary • Stamp Activity or Game • Trading Time • Stamp Raffle I like to keep track of meeting attendance because I do it in a school setting and am responsible for who is in attendance. I also take attendance because at the end of the year I reward those with the best attendance with additional free stamps. I believe that developing geography skills among children at this age is a way to en- hance their school curriculum. Map skills, using latitude and longitude, the four cardinal directions are all developed during our geography sessions. My students have a student planner provided by the school that contains a world atlas. Our vocabulary activity is brief, usually involving examples. It may simply be the word tongs or perforations. We build upon the vocabulary by reviewing occasionally with a vocabulary game or word search. We incorporate a 15–20 minute game or activity every meeting. It can take the form of a scavenger hunt, mounting particular stamps or a stamp auction. Always leave time for trading. Many of these children have their own interests and have accumulated duplicates that they want to trade for ones they need. I end the meeting with a raffle. All students at the meeting get a number assigned to them. At the end of the meeting we draw three–five numbers. Any student having one of the numbers receives a packet of stamps or some other stamp collecting item for their collections.

March / April 2009 45 The Frugal Philatelist Jim Hannah 158 Fisher Ave. Staten Island NY 10307-1310 718-984-5378; [email protected]

Forever Is A Long Time … … but it began April 12, 2007! That was the issue date for the Liberty Bell Forever stamp (Scott No. 4128). If there was ever an opportunity for assembling a low-cost collection from the first issue on, this is it. Used copies can be found just about everywhere, including your incoming mail. Booklets can be purchased unused for 42-cents per stamp, if you buy before the upcoming rate change. The original ATM pane can be had for less than $1 per stamp. Kilo- ware lots of recent used U.S. stamps probably will have some Forevers included. I believe the forever concept will have very long legs. If additional varieties are produced, the printing runs will be large and may well include all sorts of interesting varieties for the collector. The initial issue includes three formats: a pane of 18 stamps (ATM) and two booklets (vending machine and convertible formats) of 20 stamps each. All carry a 2007 legend. The 18-stamp pane includes stamps with nine edge variations. These make for a nice album display in three by three format. The stamps of the 20-stamp booklets, produced by two printers, have six edge variations. There are subtle differences in the serpentine waves of each printer’s stamps so we can identify and collect a total of 21 edge varieties. On top of that there are solid and mottled phosphor varieties to be found if phosphors are your thing. As this is written, Linns web site (www.linns.com) notes that August 2 will see the is- suance of new Forever stamps in convertible booklet format from two printers. These will carry 2008 legends, making them easy to identify when they pop up in your mailbox. A great place for Forever booklet information, including sharp images of the edge cut patterns, is the Plate Number Coil Collector’s Club site at www.pnc3.org. You’ll be able to find all the information you need to identify the various individual used Liberty Bell Forever stamps there. If you use their site, an e-mail thank you to PNC3 would be appreciated, I’m sure. Pyramids Puzzler Sample Solution Left Pyramid: A > AM > MAT > MAST > STAMP Right Pyramid: I > IN > DIN > DINE > SNIDE > INSIDE > INSIDER

46 Stamp Insider — 25 Years! Communications Share your opinions! Send to: Albert W. Starkweather 5520 Gunn Hwy 1406, Tampa, FL 33624–2847 e-mail [email protected]

Memorializing Leslie Morse ’m writing to express my thanks to the Fin- Iger Lakes Stamp Club for their kind words in the November–December Stamp Insider in recognition of the loss of two of their members, one of whom is my father, Leslie Morse. The club also honored him by purchasing a flag in his remembrance at a memorial for veterans sited in Geneva, NY, which was mentioned in the January issue. It was remarkable and wonderful to see a large field full of American flags in honor of our veterans. I sincerely thank the members of the club for this honor, with a special thanks to Jim Darnell for his help and support during Dad’s final days. It is without doubt that members like these make their community special and this hobby proud. — David Morse by e-mail Site Error In the January–February issue of the Stamp Insider, I noticed an error in the ATA New York Chapter notes. The web site for Delcampe should be http://stamps.delcampe.net. I buy and sell there regularly and find it to be an excellent site for finding unique items not often seen on eBay. — Paul R. Davis, Syracuse Stamp Club Cover To Cover! I am a newcomer to the Adirondack Club. The Stamp Insider arrived and it is really a great read. I’ve gone from cover to cover! All the various informational columns are perfect for a semi-new-collector. I am the Director of the Lake George Historical Asso- ciation and Museum/Bookstore in the Old Warren Coun- ty Court House. We’re open from May to October, and so I’m working on exhibits and bookstore projects during StampExpo400.org the winter. I plan to have a small exhibit concentrated HUDSON • FULTON • CHAMPLAIN around the StampExpo 400 and feature it with a display of stamps (Hudson and Champlain, for sure) posters and banners.

Bill Davis Photography —Maggie McClure, Director, Lake George Historical Association

March / April 2009 47 Glens Falls, New York Adirondack Stamp, www.asc-stampclub.org Meets at 7 p.m. on the 2nd Wednesday at Moreau Post Card & Community Center, 144 Main St., South Glens Falls Ephemera Club Joseph Kopczak, 44 Surrey Fields Dr., Queensbury, NY 12804-8708 [email protected], 518-792-1659 Holidays Slow Club Activity ovember and December 2008 were slow days for the club because of the difficulty in Nscheduling meetings around the holidays. Attendance was not up to par because of scheduling conflicts in our personal lives with Friday meeting nights. However, January started very well. Our membership is at the highest level the club has seen in many years. Attendance at our first meeting of the year is also the highest we have seen in many months. New Members and Old Friends New members and old friends who have stamps as a common interest keep showing up and inquiring about our club and stamp collecting in general. Part of the success on the meeting attendance we attribute to changing our meeting night to Wednesday from the Friday schedule we had for some time. Apparently this was a good decision. From discussions among the members at this first meeting of the year, we did not set aside our stamps too much during the holiday season. There was much discussion among the attendees indicating most of us were busy with our stamps during what is turning out to be a cold and snowy winter. Plans for the Year Our first meeting of 2009 was devoted to planning for the year. Naturally, much of our year will be devoted to the big show and celebration in Albany in September — StampEx- po 400. With club president Conrad Novick also being the show chairman we have no choice. We hope that most of our members will be able to attend and if possible, help out at the show in some way. We also plan to have auctions every two or three months and have plans for some interesting programs whose dates still have to be firmed up. Web Site Conrad is working on a web site for the club and it should be online by the time you read this. The address is www.asc-stampclub.org. It will include a lot of current and historical information about our club, as well as offerings in our upcoming auctions. It will also include links to StampExpo 400 and other philatelic sites. We will continue with our first meeting of each month on the second Wednesday at the Moreau Community Center. We will be having a second work meeting on the fourth Wednesday at the home of one of our members. Please call for location of the second meeting if you do not receive our club newletters and minutes. Contact Joseph Kopczak at [email protected] to get on the newsletter distribution.

48 Stamp Insider — 25 Years! NEW YORK T H CHAPE T ER N G W New York, New York I O V R R L E D Meets at 6 p.m. on the second Thursday, except July S and August, at The Collectors Club, 22 East 35th St. AmericanTopical Association

Y F Caroline Scannell, 14 Dawn Drive, Smithtown, NY 11787-1761 L

T E H T E A [email protected] M L A I No. T I C P H 3 A Plethora of Shows ll these stamp shows! We in the New York City area are lucky we have so many to Achoose from, plus some big ones. Besides those in Brooklyn, Queens, and Long Island we have the Metropolitan Stamp Show with about 30–35 dealers, including supplies and the ASDA Postage Stamp Mega-Event, which was in a new location at the New Yorker Hotel this time around. Thanks to all who helped out at the club table to get members for our club as well as for the national American Topical Association. Of course, we all also advertise our study units. We have applications and samples of newsletters and journals from many of the study units that belong to the ATA at our table. This is a good idea for clubs, especially if there is no table fee. Picking Over a Collection At the March meeting we picked over a member’s new collection. He wanted ideas; among the rest of us, we had many ideas. What the collection will turn out to be is anyone’s guess. That is what makes collecting topicals so much fun! You really don’t know how a collection is going to turn out. There are so many different philatelic elements to add, including autographed programs for first days. Correspondence to and from the engraver, oops! Yep, it’s Czeslaw Slania stamps! Critiquing an Exhibit Then there was a somewhat new exhibit to critique. Since an exhibit containing only one philatelic element does not qualify as a topical exhibit, this will not be viewed as postal history but rather more as the history of the idea of the postal card, the design, and what it means. Anyway, it falls into special study. The judges just love that kind of thing to judge, especially in New York City. Topicals are the fun area to collect. You collect what interests you, set the parameters of what you want — and don’t want — to include, and start filling in. A year or two later you may decide to add another element or side topic. It’s easy to do if you make your own album. We have 20 percent of our members who are beginning collectors, because they are beginning new topics and each topic is different. Long Island RR Turning 175 The Long Island Rail Road’s 175th Anniversary is April 24 — five days after the Postage Stamp Mega- Event Show. Caroline Scannell has designed a pictorial postmark to commemorate the event.

March / April 2009 49 Buffalo, New York Meets at 7:30 p.m. on the 1st & 3rd Fridays, except June, July, and August, at VFW Leonard Post, 2450 Walden Ave., Cheektowaga Alfred Carroccia, 152 Windmill Road, West Seneca, NY 14218-3776 [email protected], 716-674-0302

Get Ready for Bufpex 2009 UFPEX 2009 is set for March 7 and 8 at the VFW Leonard Post, 2450 Walden Av- Benue, Cheektowaga. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday. The club’s annual event celebrates the bicentennial of Abraham Lincoln. A show cancel and cachet was prepared for the show. Covers will be available with either a Saturday or Sunday cancel for sale at the show and after the show by request. Thre will be 12 dealers, the USPS, and 40 frames of exhibits in competitive and display classes. As always there is free parking and food will be available. High renewals: Despite the tough economic times 90 percent of the membership has renewed. Membership secretary Casey Kielbasa reports that 10 members have yet to pay dues for the current year. Two new members have joined the club. Josh Tanski collects United States, Canada and British Commonwealth. David Crimmen collects United States postal history and British colonies. Slide show: Tim Carey presented a slide show at the February meeting. His topic was the 1893 Columbians with many examples both on and off covers including the high values. Members brought in samples from their collections for show and tell. Frank L. Munzi Dies at 70 rank L. “Chic” Munzi, 70, of Lewiston, died December 6, 2008 in Buf- Ffalo General Hospital after a brief illness. The coin dealer was active in the Niagara Frontier Coin Club and its semi-annual coin, currency, stamp, and postcard shows in Niagara Falls. The Niagara Falls native received a degree in construction technology from Erie County Tech in Buffalo. He served in the Army from 1962 to 1964. Munzi retired from Olin Corporation, where he was employed for 21 years, in 2002. He was an engineering supervisor and phone systems manager in the design and drafting group. He previously worked for various companies as a lead designer and project coordinator. Munzi was actove with Opportunities Unlimited, Inc. and served on the Niagara Open Golf Committee. He was a member of the Lewiston Public Library Board of Trustees and coached baseball for the Town of Lewiston Recreation League. In his retirement he was a partner in the Country Doctor Antique Store in Lewiston. Memorials may be made to the Lewiston Public Library, 305 S. 8th St. Lewiston, NY 14092 or to the Niagara Police Athletic League, 4455 Porter Rd., Niagara Falls, NY 14305.

50 Stamp Insider — 25 Years! Hamilton, New York Meets at 7:45 p.m. on the 1st Monday March–December at Hamilton Public Library on the Green, 13 Broad St. Braden Houston, 2063 Spring St., Hamilton, NY 13346-2259 [email protected], 315-824-2237

Houston Gives Freedom Train Presentation raden Houston gave a Bpresentation to the club on the American Freedom Train (AFT) of 1975–1976, which was the celebration of the United States Bicen- tennial. It was a fascinat- ing 21-month journey that toured all 48 contiguous states that began in Wilm- ington, DE on April 1, 1975 and ended in Miami, FL on December 31, 1976. The AFT was the only nationwide celebration of the Bicentennial, being hauled by steam locomotives in the age of diesel. The 26-car train featured 12 display cars; 10 that visitors would go aboard and pass through and two to hold large objects that would be viewed from the ground through huge showcase windows. The display cars were filled with more than 500 Americana treasures. The AFT was led by one of three steam engines restored for the occasion. More than seven million Americans visited the train during its 140 stops. A special pictorial postmark was available at each stop, as was a commemorative medal sold to raise funds for the journey. The three-inch bronze medallion was struck by the Medallic Art Company. Some of the nation’s treasured documents and artifacts aboard the AFT were: Benja- min Franklin’s printing press, an original draft of the Constitution, President Thomas Jef- ferson’s Louisiana Purchase documents, Native American artifacts from the great West, a golden spike from Promontory, Utah, where the transcontinental railroad was completed,, Thomas Paine’s Common Sense, a copy of the Bill of Rights, Hank Aaron’s 714th homerun bat, Joe Frazier’s boxing shorts, Jack Benny’s violin, Judy Garland’s dress from the Wizard

Background information: Wikipedia of Oz, and Oscar, Emmy, Tony, and Heisman trophies.

March / April 2009 51 t C cu ov i e t r c New Haven, Connecticut e C

n l Meets at 9:30 a.m. on the 3rd Sunday

n u

b at the Super Stop and Shop, 112 Amity Road

•

Joseph Connolly, 571 Treat Lane, Orange, CT 06477-2739

o 6 0

o 0 0 [email protected], 203-795-3718 n 2

d d u e 0 nded 2 The Making of a Cover Collector By John Withers, Jr. tamp collectors and cover enthusiasts Scome to their avocation by many routes. My story may be typical of the baby boomer who returns to the philatelic world late in life. My father was in international construction. Iceland, Saudi Arabia, Ethiopia, and Botswana were some of the countries he vcisited. During his travels he would collect stamps and FDCs from the countries he visited. My father would come home with the hope I would join him in mounting the items. His efforts failed and much of the material went into boxes in his closet. In 1990 I sent my father and friends FDCs instead of a traditional holiday card. I con- tacted local stamp dealer Cliff Gilmond, who suggested I use Christmas FDCs. This tradi- tion is now in its 17th year. This led to a number more collections for my father. I made one from the 1940s with items from countries he had visited. Others included Civil War letters from relatives, V-mail between my him and his mother, and RPO letters from a cousin by her boyfriend traveling the Sea- board Air Line Railroad in the early 1900s. With Gilmond’s help, my father and I found interesting covers spanning a period of 50 years. Shown are a 1965 Imperial Ethiopian Government post cover and photo of my father on the left with his senior engineer, Warren McNicol, at Victoria Falls in 1974. Many friends have started collections from the holiday covers I sent. Since 2003 I have created covers drawn by Connecticut artists. One included a holiday sketch done by Lillian Gubi- tosi. In 2008 illustrator George Wildman did a number of sketches I have used on FDCs. Since 2007 I have enjoyed participating in the Connecticut Cover Club. I often tell collectors that in joining the club I feel as though I am completing my journey from dis- interested child to an enthusiastic philatelist. A benefit of joining the club has been an opportunity to learn new ideas in both the design and collection of covers. 52 Stamp Insider — 25 Years! Poughkeepsie, New York Meets at 7:30 p.m. on the 1st & 3rd Mondays at the Friends Meeting House, corner of Hooker Avenue & Whittier Boulevard Cliff Foley, 3 Short Court, Wappingers Falls, NY 12590-3515 [email protected], 845-297-1875

Robert Fulton Part of the Celebration rom Saturday, September 25 until Monday, October 11, 1909, New York celebrated the F300th anniversary of Henry Hudson’s discovery of the Hudson River and Robert Ful- ton’s first successful steamboat in 1807. This fall we again celebrate these events, as well as Champlain’s 1609 exploration of the lake with his name. This is being called the Quadri- centennial and will feature StampExpo 400 from September 25–27 in Albany. In 1909 there was a naval parade with a great flotilla of ships traveling up the Hudson. Part of the Naval Parade Committee’s job was to build a reproduction of the Half Moon and the Clermont. It turned out that reconstruction of Hudson’s ship from 300 years before was easier than building the Fulton craft from a mere century before. Alhough there were no pictures of either ship, Hudson’s first mate, Robert Juet, kept a diary which gave many details of the Half Moon. There was a lack of details about the Clermont. Shown here is the 1909 reproduction of Fulton’s steamboat. Also in the photo- graph is the freight and passenger ship Norwich. Fulton’s boat appears on both the 1909 Hudson-Fulton stamp (Scott No. 372) and the 1965 stamp commemorating the 200th anniversary of Fulton’s birth (Scott No. 1270) The Dutchess Philatelic Society used the Clermont image on a show cover in 1986 when the club was highlighting famous ships of the Hudson River. The stamp used was the 1986 Frederic Bartholdi issue (Scott No. 2147). He was the sculptor and architect who created the Statue of Liberty located at the entrance to the Hudson River. Philatelists are looking forward to this year’s Exposition and maybe a stamp for the event. At this time the UPS shows no such issue on its list for 2009. Maybe we need to put a little

Photo courtesy Fishkill Historical Society pressure on them. Go to www.stampexpo400.org for full details on the Exposition.

March / April 2009 53 Elmira, New York Meets at 7 p.m. (doors open at 6) the 3rd Tuesday at Steele Memorial Library, 101 E. Church St. Stamp Circuit Available Alan Parsons, 809 Holley Road, Elmira, NY 14905-1212 Elmira Stamp Club [email protected], 607-732-0181 Move To Steele Library Goes Smoothly he move to Steele Memorial Library has gone smoothly except for April scheduling. The Tmeeting room can be reserved up to six months in advance. When we decided to move, the third Tuesday evening was taken. We will meet the next evening, Wednesday, April 22. The club library and its cabinet containing it cannot be moved to Steele from our former meeting place. Marlin Stewart has inventoried the contents and a committee of club officers will determine its disposition. Items the library can add to its reference or circulating collections will be donated. The rest will be sold, included in club auctions, or given away. The library has the current set of Scott catalogues and the club no longer needs to buy them. At the suggestion of the reference librarian, the set will be in the meeting room during club meetings. Steele’s reference collection includes Lester Brookman’s three-volume study, The Nineteenth Century Postage Stamps of the United States, in its hardbound 1966 edition. The club never owned a set. In its circulating collection, the library has a fair number of philatelic pub- lications, both introductory and specialized, as well older editions of the Scott catalogues. Programs March 17 — Auction, show & tell with Erin, NY covers celebrating St. Patrick’s Day. April 22 — APS slide program: The August Dietz Collection of Confederate Stamps Brochure Updated: Sarah Halliday has redesigned and updated the club brochure, another necessitated by our move. Circuit Sales: Galer Perreault reports that the monthly USS Circuit had $1,827.40 total sales in 2008, resulting in a $182.74 commission to the club. Expenses, including postage, insurance, $3 fee for each circuit, and $30 annual dues to USS, totaled $185.05, creating a net loss for 2008 of $2.31. A small price to pay for the benefit the circuit brings to the club. Meeting Notes December —20 attended our first regular meeting at Steele Library— the annual awards event and Christmas celebration. Alan Parsons named the Stepex ’08 award winners and presented awards to those attending: Judy Stewart (gold), Gordon Stratton (silver), and Parsons (two golds). Mary vonHagn, Karen Perrault and Sandra Marshall provided an impressive and tasty selection of Christmas goodies, APS slide program was Owney, the Traveling Dog. January — 21 present. Treasurer Don Dolan presented his fourth quarter and 2008 year report. Helping to raise money for Stamp Camp USA, Dave Hackett and Joe Contento prepared lots out of donations to Stamp Camp and put them in the club auction. In the 31-lot auction, 26 lots were sold for $51.50, including five club lots for $6.50. The combination of proceeds from club lots and the commissions on non-club lots brought $11.03 to the club treasury.

54 Stamp Insider — 25 Years! APS Unit 28 . P. H . . S S . EMPIRE STATE www.esphs.org E Meets twice annually FOUNDED POSTAL HISTORY Membership info: George McGowan P. O. Box 482, E. Schodack, NY 12063-0482 1 SOCIETY [email protected], 518-479-4396 9 6 7

Addressee Adds Interest By Maris Tirums trip to StampShow ’08, A the annual APS philatelic exhibition in Hartford, CT last August, led to the acquisition of the illustrated stampless cover. Among my New York State collections is postal history of the City of Fulton (Oswego County). The address reads Hon J. S. Morrill M.C. and “Strafford Orange Co” on the second and third lines. The envelope originally was addressed to N.Y., but was crossed out and “Vermont” written in its place. The envelope had probably been sent to Orange County, N.Y. (New- burgh?) from where it was forwarded. There has never been a Strafford in New York State. “M.C.” following Morrill’s name means Member of Congress. Mail both from and to a Congressman required no payment of postage, so the FREE hand-stamp is correct. An internet search for Morrill elevated my interest. I learned he was a prominent Ameri- can from Vermont, who is honored on a U.S. postage stamp. Justin S. Morrill was born April 10, 1810 and died December 28, 1898. He was elected to Congress as a Whig in 1852, serving six terms. In 1866, he was elected Senator from Vermont, serving five terms. His greatest ac- complishment was the Land Grant College Act of 1862 which he authored. This law provided federal funding for institutions of higher education in every state. The act was signed into law by President Lincoln during the Civil War. Ironically, Morrill never attended college. An interesting law that Morrill also was responsible for enacting was the Morrill Anti- Bigamy Act of 1862 which targeted the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Mor- mons). Bigamy was a controversial topic of that period. The law was challenged on legal grounds, but was upheld by the Supreme Court in 1879. Utah was only permitted to become a state after it outlawed bigamy and complied with the federal ban on the practice. In 1999, the U.S. Postal Service issued a 55-cent Famous Americans definitive stamp honoring Morrill (Scott No. 2941). In 1955, the Post Office Department issued a three cent commemorative (Scott No. 1065) for the land grant colleges, but Morrill is not mentioned on this stamp. I certainly value my inexpensive cover more now that I know the rest of the story.

March / April 2009 55 R L G E A N K Geneva, New York I E F S Meets at 8 p.m. on the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays at the Sawdust Café, New York State Agricultural Experiment Station S James Darnell, 136 Lock St., Clyde, NY 14433-1117 T B A U M P C L [email protected], 315-923-7355

Club Announces March–April Programs he Finger Lakes Stamp Club programs for March and April are: March 11 — Things to TCollect by Bob Briggs, March 25 — auction, April 8 — Where in the World: Identifying Those Puzzlers, and April 22 — APS slide–tape show TBA.

Online Offerings While there are numerous Geneva covers offered on eBay, condition is problematical, some may find a treasure or two.

Other Federation Member Clubs Putnam Philatelic Society of Carmel, and St. Lawrence International Stamp Club of Massena are also members of the Federation of New York Philatelic Societies. The Putnam club contact is Drew A. Nicholson, 18 Valley Drive, Pawling, NY 12564-1140, [email protected]. Meetings are on the first and third Fridays at 7 p.m. in the third floor cafeteria of Guideposts, Seminary Hill in Carmel. Patrick R. Rourk, 3 Morton St., Norwood, NY 13668-1100, [email protected], is the St. Lawrence Club contact.

56 Stamp Insider — 25 Years! Albany, New York Incorporating Women’s Seal and Stamp Club Meets at 7:30 p.m. on the 2nd & 4th Tuesdays at Bethany Reformed Church Community Center, 760 New Scotland Ave. Maris Tirums, P. O. Box 5475, Albany NY 12205-0475 [email protected], 518-438-1657

Les Byrnes and Helmut Neuman, left, enjoy Tom Auletta’s Canadian revenues on Single Page Night. Don Van Hoesen, right, talks about Battleship Revenues on January 27. Single Page Night Popular n January 13, Single Page Night members talked about and passed around one of their Oprize philatelic items. Surprisingly, all items got back to their owners. On January 27 long-time member Don VanHoesen spoke on Battleship Revenues. In 1898, with intent to raise money to pay for the Spanish-American War, the U.S. government issued two sets of new tax stamps, one proprietary and one documentary. Don has enhanced his collection of these two dozen or so stamps by gathering CDS cancels of the various companies, (railroads, banks, retailers, etc.) using these stamps and matching them up with checks, advertisements, stocks, and other ephemera.

During New York’s Year of History in 1959 a pair of postcards was issued in honor of the 350th anniversary of the explorations by Samuel de Champlain and Henry Hudson. George McGowan photos

March / April 2009 57 STANWIX Rome, New York STAMP Incorporating Community Stamp Club Meets at 7 p.m. on the 4th Thursday, except FORT July and August, at Rome Municipal Building, Second Floor Fort Stanwix Stamp Club, P. O. Box 734, Rome, NY 13442-0374 CLUB Patricia A. Hash, 315-339-1019 Club Starts Year With a New Member ur first meeting of the new year was well attended and off to a good start. We gained Oone more new member to start us off on the right foot. Club members brought a variety of philatelic material to share, exchange, or sell. We started discussions about this year’s Fort Stanwix Day cover. I believe that we’ll have great cover for sale in August. Programs March 26 — APS slide program: Canal Zone Gems April 23 – APS slide program: Seventy Years of “Firsts” on First Day Covers Discovering Maxi Sheets One of my interests is space-related first day and event covers and worldwide space stamps. Several years ago I bought four first day items that neither the dealer nor I could identify. None fit any category I knew, such as souvenir page, panel or card. They most resembled maximum cards except that they were printed on heavier 8!/™ × 11–inch stock. They depicted Mariner 10, Jupiter Pioneer, Moon buggy, and Albert Einstein. At a show last October I spotted a large addressed envelope with a picture of Sky- lab and discovered its content was similar to my set. It also contained a letter from an aerospace company to a newspaper re- porter telling him that Skylab would soon plummet to earth and listed the successes and failures of the 70-ton research craft. As I started to read the last paragraph of the letter, the very first line began: “The enclosed Maxi Sheet and First Day Cover of the Com- memorative Stamp … will serve as a memento of a significant step forward in our conquest of space.” For me, it was a significant step in ending my quest. They will be maxi sheets until I learn otherwise. The maxi sheet is a perfect transition page between my Skylab event covers and FDCs. Next time you’re at a stamp show, keep your eyes open for something new. — Stephen Stawiarz

58 Stamp Insider — 25 Years! Fulton, New York Meets at 7:30 p.m. on the 3rd Wednesday, except July and August, in members’ homes; contact John A. Cali for location John A. Cali, 613 W. 4th St., Fulton, NY 13069-3104 315-592-4441

No News To Report Fulton Stamp Club has no news to report this time. Stepex 2009 Exhibitor Information and Entry Form Available lmira Stamp Club will have its 34th annual Stepex 2009 show presented on October E16 and 17 at the Big Flats American Legion Post, 45 South Olcott Road, just off I-86, Exit 49 in Big Flats. The Southern Tier Elmira Philatelic Exhibition, features a 12-dealer bourse, U.S. Postal Service, up to 60 frames of competing exhibits (maximum 960 pages), a one-day Stamp Camp USA for youth, and a show cover and program celebrating a new postal issue or a significant local historical event. It Is never too early to start planning an exhibit and reserving frames. A combined information sheet and entry form is available from Alan Parsons, 809 Holley Road, Elmira, NY 14905; [email protected]; 607-732-0181 or 607-734-2271. Stepex exhibit frames are the same size as those used at World Series of Philately shows and hold 16 vertical pages from 8!/™ × 11 to 9 × 11!/™ inches. Fees of $4 per frame are waived for Elmira Stamp Club members and junior exhibitors. Single-frame exhibits are welcome, as well as those by novice exhibitors and all others. Those exhibiting at StampExpo 400 on September 25–27 in Albany and interested in exhibiting at Stepex three weeks later can have their exhibits carried free of charge from Albany to Elmira before being returned. No more than five frames may be used for an exhibit at Stepex, except that exhibit en- tries received prior to June 30 may be allowed up to eight frames. No individual may enter more than two exhibits, unless the frames have not been fully subscribed by October 9. Best-in-Show plus gold, silver, and bronze awards will be made to both adult and junior exhibits based on point scores from a jury of Federation-accredited judges. In addition, there will be awards in specialized categories, such as New York postal history (Empire State Postal History Society award) and first day covers (American First Day Cover Society award) if criteria are met. Stepex also has an award for the most popular exhibit based on balloting by Show visitors. The stated purpose of the Show is to bring stamp collecting to the general public through exhibits by, and contacts with, collectors and dealers. Often those contacts bring forth interesting comments on the ballots cast for the most popular exhibit. Call, write, or e-mail for your Stepex 2009 Exhibitor Information and Entry Form today.

March / April 2009 59 Ithaca, New York Meets from 7:30–9:30 p.m. on the 2nd & 4th Wednesdays in Room 384, Morrison Hall at Cornell University Yoram B. Szekely, 104 Klinewoods Rd., Ithaca, NY 14850-2229 [email protected], 607-257-5346

Buying on eBay: Personal Observations — I By Yoram Szekely bout a year ago I turned to the vast eBay philatelic marketplace as a last resort. I had been Asearching unsuccessfully for used album binders of a certain German brand, new ones being unreasonably expensive. Starting with a few tentative bids, I managed to acquire more than 20 binders at acceptable prices within the year. Convinced of the usefulness of this service, I have gradually expanded my activity to include also several stamp categories. It did not take me long to learn the critical importance of maintaining discipline and a sense of balance. Given the seemingly unlimited quantities and endless variety of philatelic material it is easy to be enticed into investing too much time and spending too much money. It is equally easy to become overwhelmed, discouraged, and give up. To avoid such pitfalls, it helps to limit one’s interests to a few areas: one or two countries, one or two types of material, or a fixed number of specific stamps. The narrower the areas, the better. Given the vastness of eBay’s offerings, specific but large categories, such as all stamps of a single major country, can still be too much for comfort. Once areas have been identified, eBay’ssaved search feature can be used to alert one to newly posted offerings. Fiscal discipline can be maintained by determining the maximum price one is willing to pay for a lot, resisting temptation to exceed that, no matter how heated the bidding may get. If we lose the item as a consequence, there is likely to be another one in the future. To maximize a bid’s effectiveness, hold back and place it as closely as possible to the closing time of the particular auction, if possible literally in the last minute. This enhances the chances of success by reducing the time available to competitors to place counter bids. In an electronic environment where reactions are instantaneous, I have found a span of no longer than 30–60 seconds before closing to be effective in many cases. To do this one could either be physically present at the computer at closing time or preprogram the bids using one of several commercial robot services. The latter is especially useful for frequent bidders. For those who find bidding too time consuming, stressful or financially risky, eBay offers an alternative venue: online stores, where dealers offer specific items at prices that are usually fixed but sometimes open to counter-offers. Fixed prices are generally set higher than auction minimum bids, but often could end up being lower depending on how the bidding ends. Some store offerings can be quite extensive and many are searchable in a variety of ways. They are probably preferable to auctions as a method of systematically acquiring specific stamps at usually fair market prices. To Be Continued

60 Stamp Insider — 25 Years! Leatherstocking Cooperstown, New York Stamp Meets at 7:30 p.m. on the 1st Tuesday, except February Club and March, at the Tillapaugh home, 28 Pioneer St. Ellen Tillapaugh, 80 Beaver St., Cooperstown, NY 13326-1202 [email protected], 607-547-5646

Club To Resume Meetings fter its February and March hiatus the club will resume meeting in April. It has set Aits schedule through the beginning of October. This will include a stamp show in early October. Programs April 7 — Microprinting on U.S. Stamps by Ellen Tillapaugh May 5 — Finds by Carl Johanesen June 2 — Cooperstown Area Postal History by Tim Walker July 7 — TBA by Peter Craig Aug. 4 — House of Farnam Induction Covers by Al Keck Sept. 1 — Profound Thoughts by Lin Bissell Oct. 6 — Stamp show; details TBA Junior Clubs Ellen Tillapaugh currently is running two junior clubs — one at the Cooperstown Elemen- tary School each Thursday at 1 p.m and the other at Cooperstown Middle School each Thursday at 3 p.m. She has about 10-12 participants. Quick Quiz by Terrill S. Miller 1. This New York-born composer collaborated with Oscar Hammerstein to produce the classical musical Showboat featuring “Ole Man River.” 2. An early U.S. president, he is known as the father of the modern Navy. Of the ships he had built, only the Constitution is still in existence. 3. A cartoonist and animator, his 1928 Steamboat Willie helped launch one of the greatest commercial empires of all time. 4. The photocopy machine inventor is not well known, but his company — Xerox — is. 5. This French explorer was the founder of Detroit. In 1902 Henry Leland named a car after him that is still known for its excellence. 6. An author of frontier stories, his The Deerslayer and The Last of the Mohicans are classics today. 7. Born a slave, he became speaker of the antislavery society. He helped convince President Abraham Lincoln to free the slaves. 8. A renowned sculptor from Stockbridge, MA, his statue of Lincoln in the memorial in Washington is seen by millions. Answers on Page 71

March / April 2009 61 Plattsburgh, New York Meets at 1 p.m. on the 2nd Saturday in the second floor meeting room of Plattsburgh Public Library, 19 Oak St. Glenn A. Estus, P. O. Box 451, Westport, NY 12993-0451

StampClub

NorthCountry [email protected], 518-962-4558

Recent Celebrations Honoring Champlain s we approach the large Samuel de Champlain quadricentennial festivities this sum- Amer, let’s look at some of the more recent philatelic commemorations. The Chittenden County Stamp Club in Vermont holds its annual Champex stamp exhibition every October in Burlington. Each year since 1982 the U.S. Postal Service has created a special pictorial cancel for the show. In 1993, the cancel reproduced an early map of Le lac de Champlain, while the show cachet showed a detail of the only known con- temporary depiction of Champlain’s encounter with the Iroquois in July 1609. The show cancel and cachet in 2000 showed the Don de Dieu (Gift of God), the ship that originally brought Champlain to New France. On an historical footnote, until 1763, our area of New York was part of New France. The Canadian Quadricentennial of Champlain’s exploration and colony building ended in 2008 with the 400th anniversary of the founding of Quebec. A lesser known philatelic item is from Champlain, Quebec, south of Quebec City and about 150 miles north of Champlain, NY. For the entire year of 2008, the post office used a pictorial cancel showing Champlain. Our club produced a cover and pictorial postmark for the unveiling of the 39-cent/51- cent U.S.–Canada souvenir sheets on May 12, 2006. The Lake Champlain Basin Program sponsored a series of Champlain pictorial postmarks on September 14, 2006.

62 Stamp Insider — 25 Years! EAN A Olean, New York L R O E

Meets at 7:30 p.m. on the 2nd Monday at the Elks Club, 209 W. A

State St. (Entrance is from the parking lot on the 2nd Street side) S T

Jack Searles, 733 Front St., Olean, NY 14760-2851 B

U P

[email protected], 716-372-1070 C

How Daft Gan You Get? Should a gift always be accepted? By David Alexander hen I was in Paris in 1935–1936, I worked for a lady Wof little means who firmly held the view that collecting stamps was “for the birds,” a total waste of time! I lost touch with her until the 1960s when, out of the blue, I received through the mail an envelope containing no letter, but a mint copy of the 1000 franc airmail stamp (Scott No. C27) showing an aerial view of Paris. That stamp had acquired a little fame. I asked myself, could that lady afford such a purchase for me? I concluded that she really could not. She no longer lived in France anyway, so I returned the big stamp to her and thanked her very much for her kind thought. I never heard from her again. Was she hurt? Maybe. Did I goof? Maybe. But, again, I meant well.

Swiss native David Alexander came to the U.S. from England as a records keeper for the UN in 1946. He was hired because of his knowledge of Russian, German, French, and Italian. He spent his entire career at the UN, moving to Houghton, NY upon retirement. Membership Drive Club President Steve Brainard has suggested paying a bounty to members who recruit a new member. Members voted to try this, setting the bounty at $10 per head. Dues Payable Annual dues of $10 for a single member and $15 for a family are payable to Treasurer Kathy Searles,either at a club meeting or by mail. Show Possible The club is considering sponsoring a show in September. There was general agreement by members to do so. The club postponed a formal decision until the February meeting. Programs March 8 — Naval Covers by Steve Brainard April 12 — TBA by Dick Sherman May 10 — Annual auction June 14 — TBA by Jack Searles

March / April 2009 63 Oswego, New York Meets at 6 p.m. on the 4th Mondays, except July and August, at Faith United Church, 12 Mark Fitzgibbons Drive Leigh LeClair, 212 Murray St., Oswego, NY 13126-4032 [email protected], 315-342-5653

It‘Snow’ Problem Getting To Meetings he club managed to hold its meeting in January despite the 67 inches of snow the Tcity received throughout the month. Members traded stamps of Denmark and looked at circuit books. In February members discussed the various shows they had attended, including Cover Mania and the show in Syracuse. They sorted and traded a large batch of Czech stamps. A Not So Sticky Situation Before self adhesive stamps, it was not uncommon for postage stamps to fall off covers. Reasons this might occur were moisture, being torn off by machines, or not licking enough of their surface before placing them. It was not uncommon for unstamped mail to go through the mail stream. In many cases it was the mail carrier who discovered these errors. Un- stamped items were returned to senders for sufficient postage. Many were marked with odd and unusual auxiliary markings. Three such examples, all sent to the Os- wego chamberlain’s office, are shown. On the first, a rubber stamp states “STAMPS WERE DETACHED IN POST OFFICE POSTAGE OK.” In this case there is clear evidence of some type yellow adhesive on the envelope. The marking indicated to the carrier that it was fine to deliver it without stamps. The second example has a handwritten marking stating “Postage Verified Osw Post Office” and the initials of a postal official. The final cover has three markings on it. The first, “RETURNED FOR POSTAGE,”, which shipped it back to the addressee who must have shown proof that it had postage on it when it was mailed, as the other two markings state “POSTAGE VERFIED OSWEGO, NY 13126.”

64 Stamp Insider — 25 Years! Rochester, New York www.rpastamps.org Meets at 7 p.m. on the 2nd & 4th Thursdays at Twelve Corners Presbyterian Church, 1200 S. Winton Road Thomas M. Fortunato, 28 Amberwood Place, Rochester, NY 14626-4166 [email protected], 585-225-6822

Get Ropex Information Online y mid January, 22 dealers had confirmed their booth registrations and about 10 more Bplan to attend Ropex 2008. We can always make room for more. If you are interested, contact bourse and Ropex chairman Dave Robinson at [email protected] or 585-482-7712. Table prices start at $250. We have plenty of frames left for exhibits, with a maximum of 250. Single frames are $20 each. Multi-frame exhibits are $10 per frame. Con- tact Tom Fortunato at [email protected] or 585-225-6822 as soon as possible. Ropex will be May 15–17 at the ESL Sports Centre in Henrietta. This is our third year at the venue which is centrally located near restaurants, hotels, and Marketplace Mall. Full show details can be found at www/rpastamps.org/ropex.html. Is your club or specialty society seeking new members? If so, consider taking an ad in the Ropex preshow flyer or show program. We send approximately 2,000 flyers to collectors in Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, the Southern Tier, northern Pennsylvania, and western Ohio. The list has been compiled for more than 10 years from show attendees, APS members, and other sources. It is updated and expanded yearly. Approximately 700 show programs are given to show visitors. Like the flyer, it is in a 5!/™ × 8!/™-inch format in full color. Ad prices for either publication range from $35 for a quarter page to $100 for a full page. Inquiries may be made to Dave Robinson. Submissions must be received by March 27. Invaluable Tool The internet remains an invaluable tool for learning about our great hobby. In late January we needed a quick fill-in program as a last minute replacement and within minutes we had fun and interesting options. Just type stamp quiz in a Google search and see what turns up. The Smithsonian National Postal Museum has three quizzes: two with 10 questions covering postal history — one beginners and one advanced — one 20-question quiz on U.S. stamps. Find these at www.postalmuseum.si.edu/activity/8b_quizzes.html. If you think your club members are more daring, choose quizzes that specialize in stamps and philately from Great Britain, Canada, Australia, or India. No matter which one you select, you’ll find that a stamp quiz will help fill the void. Programs March 12 — ATA dvd presentation March 26 — ATA dvd presentation April 9 — Ropex mailing preparation April 23 — Everyone-A-Dealer Night

March / April 2009 65 DY S TA TA C M E P Schenectady, New York N C E L

H U SCHAU-NAUGH-TA-DA Meets at 7:30 p.m. on the 1st Monday, except January–February

C B

S and July–August, at Union Presbyterian Church, 1068 Park Ave. Ronald K. Ratchford, 1105 Union St., Schenectady, NY 12308-2805

O 0 [email protected], 518-374-3776 RG 93 ANIZED 1

350th Anniversary Seal The generic seal, below left, was used to identify 350th anniversary events commemorating the explorations by Henry Hudson and Samuel de Champlain. This was used in various locations throughout the state.

Schenectady County Bicentennial: 1809–2009 any celebrations may be expected in New York State this year in addition to that for Mthe the Hudson and Champlain explorations quadricentennial. These might inclu- dethe bicentennial of the establishment of Schenectady County from Albany County. In 1959, there was a series of events honoring New York’s Year of History and relating to the 350th anniversary of the Hudson and Champlain explorations. Schenectady County also had its own series of sesquicentennial events as well. While I recall no Schenectady County philatelic commemoration in 1959, Fort Orange Stamp Club of Albany County did. I believe I arranged for a pictorial postmark for the 175th anniversary of the county’s establishment in 1984. I hope some philatelic observance will be scheduled for the county this year. Steve Gray Recovering Federation Treasurer Steve Gray has been recovering from a fractured pelvis and is able to walk with great care, of course. Programs March 2 — Spring auction, even if it’s not quite spring April 6 — Medicine on Stamps by Joseph Y. Rudnick, M.D.

66 Stamp Insider — 25 Years! Staten Island, New York Meets at 7:30 p.m. on the 1st & 3rd Monday, except July and August, at the Rev. Paul Kroon Center of Messiah Lutheran Staten Island Church, 195 Jefferson Blvd., Annadale, Staten Island Philatelic Society Charles R. Carlson, 30 Hopping Ave., Staten Island, NY 10307-1219 [email protected], 718-984-7880

One Man’s Trash

May Become Another Man’s Treasure

Lively Meetings Open the Year e have had a few lively meetings since the end of the holidays. That’s a good start to Wthe year for SIPS, even if the country has not had a good year so far. This is looking like a bad recession. The amounts being kicked around to cure it are scary. The recession and crisis in financial institutions has cost one of our club members his job. What seemed like an annoyance at its outset has dragged on now for months. Howev- er, he has had a bit of luck. We got one of those “my-father-died-and-left-me-these-stamps” calls a few weeks ago, with a request for SIPS to help him dispose of the inheritance. Not having any other pressing business that day, our member looking for a job went to see what it was all about. It was a hoard, boxes and boxes of philatelic material, mostly of the junque variety — lightly filled albums of Israel, UN, post-war U.S. and Vatican, and glassines packed with loose stuff. Our member spent several days looking at it, trying to decide how best to dispose of it. He shopped it around some dealers nearby, selling much of it, selling boxes of the loose stuff to one of our world wide collection members, and bits here and bits there. He spent a lot of time, gas and tolls doing it, taking a commission for his efforts, which was well earned. I got a nice forgery of a Geneva 2L1 for a few dollars. I certainly can’t afford a real one. I bought a few other items, such as a glassine of 1960s Saudi material, mostly used or with disturbed gum, we might say generously. No good Sweden or Austria for my real collection, but curiously, three Lombardy- Venetia cut squares. These are genuine, compared to the forgeries in my black collection. I consider myself well rewarded, even if the cut squares are unappreciated in Europe and not listed as collectible in Netto or Ferchenbauer. So the recession and philately helped one member earn a few bucks when he needed it, and helped someone else dispose of boxes of an inherited collection. And, SIPS continues to meet and have fun with stamps.

March / April 2009 67 Syracuse, New York www.syracusestampclub.org Meets at 8 p.m. the 1st & 3rd Fridays at the Reformed Church of Syracuse, 1228 Teall Ave.

Organized 1919 Allen Swift, P. O. Box 593, East Syracuse, NY 3057-0593 APS Chapter 50 [email protected], 315-457-3201 Club Auctions Going, Going, Going Higher! s mentioned in the January–February issue of the Stamp Insider, club auctions are Adrawing increased member and guest attendance and fun for all. The club board members searched the internet for auction lots that best fit member interests and, of course, higher quality and lowest price. As we all know when you buy a mixed lot of stamps in an auction you take a risk. Our first lot has been a hit. In just two club auctions in January we have already covered our cost and have many more lots to sell. Additional auction lots are on the way in the mail as well. Not only are we increasing interest among members and generating increased operating funds for our club, but we also are just having more fun as well. We would like to encourage other stamp clubs to follow in our footsteps. After all, we all know there is nothing more appealing to a collector than to buy that item he is missing in his collection at a great price! St. Lawrence Seaway Opened 50 Years Ago In April 1959 the St. Law- rence Seaway opened. Queen Elizabeth II and President Dwight D. Eisenhower for- mally opened the Seaway with a short cruise aboard royal yacht Britannia after addressing the crowds in St. Lambert, Quebec. The Seaway’s opening is often credited with making the Erie Canal obsolete, thus setting off the severe economic decline of several cities in upstate New York. To commemorate the opening, joint issues of commemorative stamps were issued by the United States and Canada (U.S. Scott No. 1131 and Canada Scott No. 387). Programs March 6 — Mini-auction at 7:45 p.m.; Sherlockian Philately by Associate Professor Joseph Coppola of Morrisville State College and a member of the Mycroft Holmes Society March 20 — Auction April 3 — Mini-auction at 7:45 p.m.; Swap & Shop and free food April 20 — Auction

68 Stamp Insider — 25 Years! Sidney, New York Meets at 7 p.m. on the 3rd Mondays, except July and August, at Sidney Civic Center, 21 Liberty St. Robert Finnegan, 10 O’Neill Drive, Oneonta, NY 13820-1154 [email protected], 607-432-8141

Club Making Program Changes he club is changing its original program calendar due to some meeting cancellations dur- Ting this winter. At the March meeting members will test their philatelic knowledge and understanding of world geography while playing games. Last year’s version was canceled due to bad weather and it is hoped to have as many members in attendance as possible this year. Paranya ailing: President Spike Paranya has been in bad health and it is the membership’s hope of the that he is doing better at the time of this writing. Due to his health condition he will not be able to make his March presentation. School club: The Sidney Elementary School Stamp Club is up and going for another year. Robert Finnegan reports 38 members are signed up. The Tri-County Club will be hosting them at its May meeting. Finnegan welcomes club members to attend a school club meeting and to suggest topics of interest to youngsters.He meets with his youth group every two weeks from January through May. Eliot Landau’s ‘Lincoln, Slavery and the Civil War’ liot Landau will discuss his award-winning philatelic exhibition Lincoln, Slavery and Ethe Civil War at the Maynard Sundman Lecture at the Smithsonian National Postal Museumon, March 7 at 1 p.m. In addition, the collection will be on display in the museum’s Franklin Foyer from March 6– 8. The exhibit combines stamps, mail, ephemera, and artifacts in an exploration of Lincoln’s presidency, the Civil War, and black history. The collection of visual materials tells the story from a unique perspective using everyday objects, such as a letter, an aboli- tionist newspaper, photographs, and shackles worn by a slave. Landau has also prepared a special exhibit, Collect Lincoln for Yourself” Landau is an attorney, an accredited American Philatelic Society national chief judge and noted Lincoln author, exhibitor, and lecturer. He was a civil rights worker for voter registration and desegregation efforts and served as a law clerk to Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall. He is the co-author and chief editor of Linn’s U.S. Stamp Facts: Nine- teenth Century” and wrote chapters for the Encyclopedia of U.S. Stamps and Stamp Collecting. He is a former president of the Chicago Philatelic Society. The National Postal Museum’s Maynard Sundman Lecture Series was established in 2002 through a donation by his sons, David and Donald. The Sundman lectures feature talks by authors and expert philatelists on stamps and stamp collecting.

March / April 2009 69 M STA A M S P Troy, New York E C

L Meets at 7 p.m. on the 1st & 3rd Wednesdays, except June, July, L

U and August, at M.J.’s on the Avenue, 499 2nd Ave., North Troy

U Terrill S. Miller, P. O. Box 335, Troy, NY 12181-0335 T R . [email protected], 518-869-6872 OY, N.Y

Jim Kirby shows Don Nollett some of his Scott No. C10a material, left. Vicki Mill- er, right, displays a page of John Travers’ “hard-to-find used”Star Wars stamps. From Air Mails To Space he new year started out with an excellent January 7 presentation by Jim Kirby, one Tof the area’s most knowledgeable philatelists on the subject of air mail. He spoke on the U.S. Scott No. C10a, our first airmail booklet. Being issued on May 26th 1928, it became obsolete a few months later when the rate was changed from 10 cents to five cents, therefore usage on cover during the correct period is hard to find. Kirby displayed panes, singles, covers, and go withs which were most interesting. Our January 21 meeting was our annual meeting and single page night. Members displayed favorite items from their various collections. This night is always a hit because we get to see a variety of unusual treasures, including John Travers’ used Star Wars stamps. Air Safety Stamp eutsche Post will issue a new stamp Dlater this year honoring Airbus’ com- mitment to improving air safety. Ô One concept is equipping planes taking off over water with pontoons in case of an emergency. These would be disconnected and parachuted to the ground for reuse Deutschland 2009 145

once the plane was safely aloft. George McGowan photos

70 Stamp Insider — 25 Years! ER U Utica, New York AT T I E C Meets at 7 p.m. on the 1st Tuesday, except July R A

and August, at New Hartford Town Library, 2 Library Lane G Stamp circuits available S Jerome F. Wagner, 160 Proctor Blvd., Utica, NY 13501-6119 T B A U 315-732-0219 M P C L

Legendary Philatelist Was from Utica extile industrialist Arthur Hind, who lived on Maple TStreet in Utica, formed a philatelic collection during the early 20th century that included many of the world’s greatest rarities. Auction of his U.S. and Confederate States stamps after his death in 1933 realized prices that were higher than most observers believed possible in the depths of the Great Depression. Hind, who was born in England in 1856 and immigrated to the United States from Bradford, England in 1890, owned the Hind-Harrison Plush Co. in Clark Mills, which made created fabrics for automobile manufacturers. He poured his personal profits from the successful plush company went into stamps. His first big purchase was a lot of 12,000 for which he paid $3,000. After weeding out forgeries, worthless stamps, repaired and damaged stamps, 500 were left. The faster plush rolled out of his mills the faster stamps flowed into his albums. In 1922 Arthur Hind made world headlines by paying the highest price ever for a postage stamp — $32,500 for the unique 1856 British Guiana one-cent stamp previously owned by Count Philippe la Renotiere von Ferrari of Austria. In 1980 the stamp was consigned to the Robert A. Siegel firm of New York, who auctioned it for $935,000 to chemical-fortune heir John E. du Pont. In 1997, duPont was convicted of murdering a wrestler he was sponsoring. The only known British Guiana Penny Magenta remains locked in a bank vault in Philadelphia, PA. Hind had to have the best, preferring mint stamps. He was fond of the unusual over the general run of stamps — anything that would make him stand out. His main competitor was Ferrari, who assembled the most complete worldwide collection that ever existed. Hind bought a substantial portion of the Ferrari collection following the count’s death in 1917. Charles James Phillips, who began his philatelic career in London and emigrated to the United State in, was retained by the Hind estate of Arthur to advise it on the sale of the collection. A block of four 24-cent Jenny inverts brought $12,100. Quick Quiz Answers 1. Jerome Kern, 2. John Adams, 3. Walt Disney, 4. Chester Carlson, 5. Antoine Laumet de La Mothe Cadillac, 6. James Fenimore Cooper, 7. Frederick Douglass, 8. Daniel Chester French

March / April 2009 71 Cheektowaga, New York uffalo Family Life S of B tam Meets informally at noon Tuesdays at the Masonic y p le C

l l Community Center, 2379 Union Road u

a b

V John L. Leszak, 2379 Union Rd., Cheektowaga , NY 14227-2234 [email protected], 716-822-1951

A Doctor and a Mason harles Horace Mayo was born July 19, 1865. Mayo along with his brother William CJames Mayo, was one of the founders of the Mayo Clinic in Rochester MN. Mayo attended medical school at Northwestern University in Chicago and joined his father and brother in their medical practice. The private practice became the Mayo Clinic in 1919. The Mayo properties association, as it was known became the world’s first multi-partner group medical practice with part- ners having different areas of medical specialization. The clinic became one of the leading treatment and research facilities in the world. The clinicians had a reputation for insisting on sterile operating room conditions, and this contributed to successful treatments with positive surgical outcomes. C. H. Mayo specialized in thyroid surgery and ophthalmology. He retired in 1930 and died in 1939. Mayo was initiated into Masonry on January 27, 1890 at the Rochester Minnesota Lodge No. 21. He was raised on May 12, 1890. In 1964, the USPS printed a stamp depict- ing Mayo and his brother. Scott No. 1251 was issued on September 11, 1964. — Heather Sweeting

72 Stamp Insider — 25 Years! W M Spencerport, New York P S ORGANIZED FEB. 7, 1961 www.geocities.com/gmusante/wmps.html APS 560-44599 Meets from 6:30–9 p.m. on the 2nd Tuesdays, except July and August, at Ogden Farmers’ Library, 269 Ogden Center Road Gary Musante, 107 Sherwood Drive, Brockport, NY 14420-1451 585-637-9091, [email protected]

A Familiar Story? By Gary Musante have been a stamp collector for as long as I can remem- I ber. When I was a child my father showed me the basics of collecting and I had a simple stamp album. I remember riding my bicycle to the post office in the summer of 1965 to buy the new Robert Fulton stamp (Scott No. 1275). As a teenager I expanded my collection and, like many collectors, I bought stamps through approval services. I joined a stamp club at school and showed younger students the basics of collecting. I soon added a worldwide album, then a U.S. specialized album, and sent away for first day covers. I stopped collecting for a while in college, but soon got back into it after graduation. While working in New York City, I visited many stamp shops, the U.S. and UN post offices and attended several national stamps shows. I added a Canadian stamp album and expended all the areas of my collection. I joined th APS 27 years ago. As an adult I learned more about collecting and enjoyed everything about it — mint stamps, used stamps, plate blocks, first day covers, postal history, and more. I also had a job and money to buy more. I added a U.S. revenue album and more recently a Canadian revenue album. At the same time I was adding items, I was thinking about specializing. I thought having topical collections would limit the size of my collection. It did not. I always enjoyed covers, but as I moved away from first day covers I added postal history and event covers. I work in the theater, so now I have a theater-themed collection. I like baseball, and yes I have a baseball themed section. A few years ago I decided to stop collecting new issues, but of course I still do. Like many other collectors I have many accumulations of assorted stamps and covers. These lots are not organized and not yet collections, but I enjoy them and like adding to them. As I have tried to collect less, I collect more. I try to collect what I like, what I know and what I can afford. I may have some nice items, but I’ll never get rich from my stamps. I collect for enjoyment. Programs March 10 — APS circuits April 14 — Show, Tell, and Learn; silent auction

March / April 2009 73 September 25–27, 2009 Shows Empire State Plaza, Albany & Bourses o ion f Ne at w March r Y e o d r 7–8 — Cheektowaga e k F Bufpex, Buffalo Stamp Club,

. . P . VFW Walden Post, 2450 h c i n Walden Ave. 10–5 Saturday, la I t s, el ie 10–3 Sunday. Honoring ic S iet oc Lincoln’s 200th birthday. Dealers, USPS, souvenir can- StampExpo400.org cel, and cacheted envelopes. HUDSON • FULTON • CHAMPLAIN [email protected]. 8 — East Windsor, CT Connecticut Stamp Col- lecting Festival, Clarion NESS Stamp Expositions Hotel, 161 Bridge St. Stamps, Dedham, Massachusetts covers, lots, postcards. Sun- First Sunday Stamp and Coin Show day 9–3. Richard E. Murphy, 9:30 a.m.–3:30 p.m. March 1 and April 5 Holiday Inn, Rts. 1A and 95, Exit 15A [email protected]. East Windsor, Connecticut 15 — Latham Connecticut Stamp Collecting Festival Capital District Stamp 9 a.m.–3 p.m. March 8 Show, Ramada Latham, Clarion Hotel, 161 Bridge Street Interstate 91 Exit 45 946 New Loudon Rd. Saddle Brook, New Jersey 10–4. Bourse. John J. Third Sunday Stamp & Coin Show Nunes, 518-399-8395, 9 a.m.–4 p.m. March 15 and April 19 [email protected]. Wyndham Garden Hotel, 50 Kenney Place 22 — Gates Richard E. Murphy RS Stamp Show, Diplomat 52 Cedar Hill Road, Northborough, MA 01532-1813 www.richardemurphy.com • [email protected] Banquet Center & Hotel, 1956 Lyell Ave. 10–4. Bourse. John J. Nunes, 518-399-8395, [email protected]. 22 — West Seneca Stamp, Coin, Postcard & Collectibles Show, Harvey D. Morin VFW Post 2940, 965 Center Rd. 10–4. Bourse. Vic- tor Drajem, 716-656-8080. April 3–5 — Dorval, PQ Lakeshore 2009 46th annual exhibition of Lakeshore Stamp Club, Centre Com- munautaire Sarto Desnoy- ers, 1335 Lakeshore Drive. 10–6 Friday–Saturday, 10-4

74 Stamp Insider — 25 Years! Sunday. Souvenir covers and postmarks, about 20 dealers. NOW BUYING: U.S. & THE WORLD! Gary Misener 514-426-0432, [email protected]. McCloud 4 — Quechee, VT Crossroads Stamp Show, Stamps & Covers Mid Vermont Christian Coins & Sports Memorabilia School. 9:30–4. John Lutz, • Estate Appraisals P. O. Box 501, Hartford, • Liquidations • Large & Small Collections VT 05047; 802-296-7015, • Stamp & Coin Supplies [email protected]. CALL for an APPOINTMENT or 16–19 — New York City WE’LL TRAVEL TO YOU! NEW LOCATION! Call Today! 585.507.3533 ASDA Postage Stamp Mega- Rochester, New York Event, New Yorker Hotel, 34th St. and 8th Ave. 10–6 Thursday–Saturday, 10–4 Sunday. 516-759-7000; [email protected]. Suburban Stamps, Coins 17–19 — Toronto, ON & Collectibles CSDA Spring National Always Buying Postage Stamp Show, Queen Elizabeth Building, Exhibi- 315•452•0593 tion Place, 11–6 Friday, 10–5 Open: Monday–Friday 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Saturday, 10–4 Sunday. Deal- ers, Canada Post, youth area. Saturday 9 a.m.–1 p.m. [email protected], 120 Kreischer Road www.csdaonline.com North Syracuse, NY 13212-3251 19 — Latham Just off Taft Road 1⁄2 mile east of Rt. 81 Capital District Stamp Show, Ramada Latham, Mark Szuba • Edward Bailey 946 New Loudon Rd. 10–4. Bourse. John J. Nunes, 518-399-8395, [email protected]. Stamp, Coin, Postcard 19 — Syracuse & Collectibles Show Syracuse Stamp, Coin & Collectibles Show, Holiday SUNDAY Hours 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Inn, Carrier Circle, Thruway March 22 • April 26 exit 35. Saturday 9–5:30, Sunday 10–5. Bourse. Ed May 24 • June 28 Bailey, 315-452-0593. & September 27 22 — West Seneca Stamp, Coin, Postcard & Free Admission & Parking! Collectibles Show, Harvey Harvey D. Morin VFW Post 2940 D. Morin VFW Post 2940, 965 965 Center Road, West Seneca, NY Center Rd. 10–4. Bourse. Vic- Contact: Victor Drajem • phone: 716-656-8080 tor Drajem, 716-656-8080.

March / April 2009 75 Advertiser Index American First Day Cover Society...... 77 Nassau Street Stamps & Collectibles...... 21 American Topical Association...... 77 Ness Stamp Expositions...... 74 APS Writers Unit #30...... 39 Nutmeg Stamp Sales...... Inside Back Cover Art Cover Exchange...... 77 Old World Archæological Study Unit...... 77 ASDA Mega-Event...... 27 Park Cities Stamps...... 33 Azusa Stamps and Collectibles...... 17 Philatelica, Ltd...... 74 B. Trading Co...... 35 PostalHistoryStore.com...... 32 Frank Bachenheimer...... 25 R. J. Associates...... 35 Bejjco of Florida, Inc...... 25 Ropex 2009...... 37 Boxborough Philatelic Show 2009...... 39 Schmitt Investors, Ltd...... 19 Frank Braithwaite...... 77 Stamp Camp USA...... 44 Champion Stamp Co...... 23 StampExpo 400...... 74 Norman Cohen...... 77 Stamp Insider...... 35, Back Cover Design on Demand...... 35 Stamp News...... 19 Elwyn Doubleday...... 35 Subway Stamp Shop, Inc...... 14–15 Henry Gitner Philatelists, Inc...... 11 Suburban Stamps, Coins & Collectibles...... 75 H. R. Harmer...... 7 Syracuse Stamps, Coins & Collectibles...... 9 Harmer–Schau, Inc...... 31 United Nations Postal Administration.....29 Heritage Auction Galleries...... 13 Vidiforms Company...... Back Cover Journal of Antiques & Collectibles...... 77 Virtual Stamp Club...... 35 Lincoln Coin and Stamp Co...... 44 Washington Press...... Inside Front Cover Steve Malack Stamps...... 23 Douglas Weisz U.S. Covers...... 32 McCloud Stamps & Covers...... 75 West Seneca Shows...... 75 E. Joseph McConnell, Inc...... 9 George Wildman...... 33 Metropolitan Expositions...... 5 Say You Saw It Mystic Stamp Company...... 40–41 In The Stamp Insider!

76 Stamp Insider — 25 Years! T H E N G W I O V R R L E Do you like to draw or paint and D One Word for the Future — S meet people from all over? AmericanTopical Association

Y The Art Cover Exchange may F L TOPICALS! T E H T E A M L for education, creativity, fun be for you! Write to Joe Doles A H I T I C P 105 Lawson Rd., Rochester, NY American Topical Association 14616-1444 or go to our Web site: P. O. Box 57, Arlington, TX 76004 www.artcoverexchange.org [email protected] WWW.AMERICANTOPICALASSN.ORG

Old World Archæological Study Unit – www.owasu.org Join the American First Day Cover Society Collect cave art, monoliths, and ancient tombs stamps? • Get a unique perspective on stamp collecting We study archæology on stamps and collateral materials. • Learn about first day cover collecting Dues – U.S./Canada $15, overseas $23. • Enjoy FIRST DAYS magazine Special! Mention the Stamp Insider : • Contact us today! Get 2009 membership & bonus of 2008 journals for $25! AFDCS, P.O. Box 16277, Tucson, AZ 85732-6277 Contact Merle Farrington, 10 Clark St., Medway, MA 02053 Phone 520-321-0880 • Website www.afdcs.org or Caroline Scannell at [email protected].

Unusual U.S. Scott #210 WANTED Covers Always Wanted Benjamin Harrison on cover — Scott #308, 622, 694, 828 & 1045 • Long Island postal history Norman Cohen Frank Braithwaite 56 Morewood Drive P.O. Box 29543 Smithtown, NY 11787 Dallas, TX 75229-0543 [email protected]

Twelve Monthly Issues $25/year (USA only) SUBSCRIBE TODAY 888-698-0734 www.journalofantiques.com

We provide our readers with colorful, original articles written by the experts … • Covers • The Wonderful • Collecting Old and • The Kovelson Doug Finch World of Coins Rare Books Collecting James C. Johnston, Jr. James Dawson Ralph & Terry Kovel • The Business of Doing Business in • Celebrity Collector • Website-ings • Flea Market Guide Antiques Ken Hall Mike McLeod • Gavels ‘n’ Paddles Ed Welch • The Civil War • Ken’s Korner Results of Auctions • Calendar Collector Ken Hall The of Events John Sexton • Antiques Shop Finder JOURNAof Antiques and CollectiblesL

March / April 2009 77 The Last Words Heather Sweeting, Associate Editor 14329 Victory St. Sterling NY 13156-3172 315-947-6761; [email protected]

A Window of Opportunity … To Fail? ule number one for businesses should be to meet the needs of their customers. If custom- Rers needs aren’t met, they will disappear. American automakers have done very little to make fuel-efficient vehicles. Does anyone remember that old state lottery commercial — “If I had a million dollars, I’d buy a K car, a nice Reliant automobile.” I’ll confess, I owned a Neon and a K car. I drove them both forever and they both got over 35 miles per gallon. The Dodge Neon, and the Plymouth K car, were fuel-efficient, economical, and lasted forever. Now we have bloated SUVs, gas-guzzling trucks, and minivans that get 14–19 mpg. Should we bail out their makers? What does this have to do with stamps? The USPS is facing a similar situation. I am a huge fan of stamps, collecting, and support the USPS, but believe it is driving collectors and mailers away. What collector can keep up with buying the more than 200 stamps being issued each year? Many items are available only from the Philatelic Center. In recent years the USPS has spent millions on purchasing new flat sorters. They are efficient and speed mail delivery, often eliminating the need for human touch. The rules regarding mailing items — measuring, thickness, etc. — are frustrating to the average customer. Bulk mailers, facing enormous price increases, have gone to digital production only. This leaves packages and bills as the main sources of revenue for the USPS. In January, the USPS announced an idea that may drive away one of their largest remaining customers. The USPS wants to change the allowable size and make up of envelope windows on letters so that the window would not be within three quarters of an inch from the bottom. Most existing window envelopes have only a half inch of space between the window and the bottom. The reason for the change: current window envelopes occasionally jam the sorting machines. Think of the thousands of businesses that would be sitting on millions of useless envelopes. Are these three-quarter-inch window envelopes even in production? The USPS was going to publish this new regulation next month but backed off. Perhaps it realized it would lose thousands of customers, especially if more mailers encouraged online bill payment. The USPS listened to feedback on this issue and for the time being has chosen not to implement the rule, or at least to implement it more slowly. The USPS has claimed for years that the drop in mail volume is because of electronic media. Perhaps so, but like the automakers, they have to market to their strengths. I prefer reading a magazine in my hands rather than online, I am still going to mail holiday cards, birthday cards, etc. Packages must still be delivered to customers’ doors. If the USPS continues to try to put restrictions, and rules, on mailers, they will go elsewhere, and costs will continue to rise. Now I wonder could the USPS speed up delivery using K cars?

78 Stamp Insider — 25 Years! Seeking that rarely encountered piece of American postal history?

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For more information regarding our upcoming auctions, to view prices realized, H.R. HaRmeR or request a catalog, email us, Since 1940, philately’s house visit our website or call us. of major name auctions. 5 Francis J. Clarke Drive • Bethel, CT 06801 USA Phone: 1.800.782.6771 | Fax: 203.702.8491 E-Mail: [email protected] www.hrharmer.com SPECIAL SHOWGARD® COVER ALBUMS DISCOUNT FOR FEDERATION MEMBERS ❑ Canada covers, U.S. covers, ❑ The thinline design is such that the commercial covers. Only Showgard least possible shelf space is used. has all these styles in the original ❑ Showgard cover albums hold more thinline design with loose-leaf pages and are far more durable. They make that won’t tear loose. a proud addition to any library. ❑ The pages are of premium gauge ❑ virgin polyethylene with a black Each album holds 104 covers. background insert in each pocket. Order directly or through ❑ The padded covers are handsomely your local dealer. formed in vinyl grain colors of Black Seal, Luggage Tan, and Flag Red. Vidiforms Company, Inc. ❑ The unusual construction eliminates Showgard House stress at the binding seams. Each 115 N. Route 9W page has a support strip to Congers, NY 10920-1722 compensate for envelope thickness Toll Free 877-507-5758 and weight. www.showgard.com

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Essential Information for Philatelists! Stamp Insider Seeing Is Believing! Bimonthly $10.00 per year. To subscribe or for a sample copy: Federation of New York Philatelic Societies 1105 Union St., Schenectady, NY 12308-2805 www.nystampclubs.org