VOL. XXVI, NUMBER 2 MARCH 200 0 American Helvetia Philatelic Society Strubel Thread Varieties: My Experience. (Part I) by Richard L. Fath There seems to be some uncertainty in looking at Strubel threads as to what are and what are no t true thread varieties. In this article I relate what I have found out about such varieties as I studie d the pertinent literature available to me and my own accumulation of Strubels . My appreciation is hereby expressed to Drs. Heinrich Heissinger and Ernest Bergman, bot h highly reputed in AHPS circles and beyond, for their assistance with the German language references . Any errors in the presentation of such references in this article are due to my misunderstandings an d not to their expert assistance . THREAD COLOR VARIETIES Black Threads. There seems to be no disagreement in the literature that "black " threads found on other than 5 rappen or one franc stamps are not truly black . a. The Handbook of the Postage Stamps of Switzerland by Postilion Publications from the German of Ernst Zumstein in 1910 does not discuss black threads a s a possible Strubel thread variety . b. Switzerland A New Classification of the Strubel' Issue Sitting Helvetia Imperforate 1854-1862 ., by Walter d'Aujourd'hui, Swiss Philatelic Societ y Basel, 1982, as translated by Edmund C . Walton (AHPS) has a rather definit e 10 Rappen blue . statement on the subject, "For the paper manufactured in Pasing nea r Zumstein #23B wit h Munich, the silk thread predominately used was an emerald green colour . plate fault 3 . Black (?) thread. Occasionally this thread is also found in quite dark shades, which seem o n superficial examination to be almost black ." c. Spezialkatalog Uber Die Briefmarken Der Schweiz, the Zumstein Specialty Catalog did no t formerly and does not now in its Year 2000 edition list in its Strubel table any black-threade d varieties. d. My Strubels . Two of my Strubels, which seem to be from early printings, have threads which upo n very close, let alone superficial, examination look black. One is a red brown 5 rappen stamp finely printed on thin paper . It appears to be a typical one from the second Munich printing, i .e. a Zumstein #22A . The other is a blue 10 rappen on thin paper but not so finely printed . Among other things, it has a light necklace . It also has markings around the upper right star, which Zumstein lists as Plate Fault #3 for both the second Munich printing and the first Bern printing , catalog numbers 23A and 23B (see an accompanying illustration of this 10 rappen stamp) . The threads in these two stamps appear black under ten power magnification, and when held up to a light show no aura of green around their very dark threads . (continued on page 6) Contents American Helvetia Philatelic Societ y Strubel Thread Varieties : My Experience 1 Officers 1999- 200 0 President's Musings 2 naba 2000 St. Gallen June 21-25 : UPDATE 3 ELECTED OFFICERS APPOINTED OFFICERS An American Exhibitor at Stufe III 3 President TELL Editor Matterhorn Meanderings 4 James A . Anderso n George Strubl e Auction 117 8 14463 E . Wagontrail Pl . 210 18th St . N E AHPS Circuits 13 Aurora, CO 80015 Salem, OR 97301-431 6 Home : 303-617-7836 Home : 503-364-3929 Cancel of the Month 14 [email protected] E-mail : [email protected] Treasurer's Report 15 WW II Part 4 16 Past Presiden t TELL Associate Editor Dick Barto n Steven S . Weston 2800 Crestview Ct . P.O. Box 86 8 Copyright 2000, The American Helvetia Philatelic Society (AHPS) . Loveland, CO 80538-307 8 Del Mar CA 92014-0868 TELL (ISSN 1042-2072) is the official journal of the America n Home : 970-669-8130 760-752-781 2 Helvetia Philatelic Society, affiliate #52 of the American Philateli c E-mail: cdbarton@info2000 .net Society and a member of the Union of Swiss Philatelic Societies . Circuit Sales Manager TELL is published bimonthly (Jan/Mar/May/Jul/Sep/Nov) . Vice-President Emil L. Toble r Editor Emeritus P.O. Box 26 Opinions expressed in this journal are those of the authors and ar e David E . Durham, Pastor Bradford RI 02808 not necessarily endorsed by AHPS or the Editor. #7 Allenhurst Roa d Home : 401-377-2238 Letters and articles on Swiss, Liechtenstein, UN Geneva an d Buffalo, NY 14214-120 1 related philately are welcome and should be sent to the Editor . Home : 716-833-6504 Auction Manage r Whenever possible, submit material on 3 .5 " PC or Macintosh E-mail : dedur@aol .com Gordon Trotte r computer diskettes . Material may also be submitted by e-mail i n 10626 Fable Row plain text or as a Microsoft Word attachment . Illustrations are Secretary & Librarian Columbia, MD 21044 encouraged and may be submitted as full size photocopies ; or, we Richard T. Hall Phone : 410-730-7936 can copy/scan your originals (please contact the Editor before P.O. Box 66 6 Fax: 410-740-7215 sending actual stamps, covers, etc .). Please include your name , Manhattan Beach, CA 9026 7 E-mail : trotters@erols .com address and telephone number. Home : 310-546-5226 E-mail: rtravish@pacbell .net Publicity Chairma n Subscriptions for 2000 include AHPS dues : North America, $20 ; by Awards Chairman first class mail, $25 ; overseas air delivery, $30 . Request membership Treasurer Editor Emeritus applications from the Secretary . Change-of-Address should be sen t Frank Young Harlan F . Stone to the Secretary. 412 North Main Street P.O. Box 770334 Herkimer, NY 13350 Woodside NY 1137 7 President's Musings Home : 315-866-782 2 Home : 718-478-2374 by Jim Anderson Regional Director West Slide Chairman Donn Lueck Richard W. Blaney Well, we certainly had a fine meeting in Florida P. O . Box 1158 2 PO Box 1100 . Phoenix, AZ 8506 1 Easton MA 02334-110 0 However, the day after I returned to Denver I ha d Home : 602-841-1322 508-238-313 4 a stroke and can't remember coming home o r Regional Director Central REPRESENTATIVE S Ralph Soderberg, M.D . anything for the next two weeks. It was not that Union of Swiss Philatelic P. O . Box 3606 7 good a time! At any rate, I am recovering but Societies Representativ e Grosse Pointe Woods, MI 4823 6 Ralph Soderberg cannot go back to work for at least six months . Home : 313-885-4125 P.O. Box 3606 7 The doctors say I may recover enough to wor k Regional Director Eas t Grosse Pointe Woods, MI 4823 6 again, but only time will tell . I apologize to all of Helen Galatan-Ston e Home : 313-885-4125 you and our new editor George for not being abl e P.O . Box 77033 4 Woodside NY 1137 7 American Philatelic Society to write my commentary last time. As I read the Home : 718-478-237 4 Charles J. LaBlonde last newsletter though, it seems that George' s Plan to attend/exhibit at these 2940 Underwood Point # 5 article for me was better than mine. AHPS Conventions and shows : Colorado Springs, CO 8092 0 719-593-5974 SESCAL October 200 1 Last week I was informed that my exhibi E-mail : t Los Angeles, CA chuck .lablonde@smawins .com had been accepted for the June Swiss show in St . CHICAGOPEX November 2002 Gallen. I noticed that Harlan Stone, Michae l BALPEX September 2003 Liechtenstein Study Group Baltimore, MD Chm: Ralph R .Schneider Peter, Dr. Ralph Soderberg and our show P.O . Box 2304 9 chairman for Switzerland Dr . Ernie Bergman ROMPEX May 200 4 Denver, Colorad o were also in the competition . I hope I didn't miss Commercial advertising copy and rate inquiries should be sent to anyone. It will be my family's first visit t o the Treasurer . Advertising deadlines are six weeks prior t o Switzerland and we will be (continued on page 3) publication date (Jan, Mar, May, July, Sept, Nov) . Printed by Kettle Moraine Printing, West Bend WI 53095 . 2 TELL March 2000 Schmuckli of the Organisation Committee states: President's Musings (cont. from p. 2) "At naba 2000 you are witnessing very closely staying for two weeks . So anyone with some hel p what these little works of art represent -- a littl e on sites to see or places to go, please let me know . imagination helps"! Each show day has it s We did vote to submit some possibl e motto : changes to our bylaws to the membership thi s • Wednesday "Collecting unites" year. I hope that I will have that ready for your " attention in the next TELL . The changes were • Thursday "Collectors are happy people " well thought out by our committee and should b e • Friday "Diversity of the Philately helpful for the efficient functioning of the Society. • Saturday "Aero- and Astrophilately" • Sunday "Youth and collecting" I wish you all the best for the ne w millennium. We can all be grateful that we ar e Further important information will be around to see our stamps and covers from the published in May in the naba-Messe-Magazin 1800s become another century older . (naba-fair-magazine) and contain descriptions o f collections of the guest country China, collection s in the jury salon, the bourse and list o f naba 2000 St.Gallen participating dealers, Foreign Postal Admini- June 21-25, 2000 - UPDATE strations/special cancellations, Special events , d by Ernest L Bergman Excursions/Hotels, Public transportation an Parking possibilities. e The large "Katalog" of naba 2000 st .gallen has Furthermore, the e-mail address of th w been received by those whose exhibits have bee n Hotel Dom in St .Gallen has changed and is no accepted by the show committee.