Sociable Stamp Society

This is our blog for current stamp news and views of interest to the philatelist and beginner. Daily updates provide items on shows, new issues, events, what's selling, and timely facts.

Saturday, April 02, 2005

What this country needs is a good 5 cent stamp

Monument Commemorates America’s Air Mail Pioneers
The American Philatelic Society will dedicate a monument honoring America’s early air mail pioneers and the role played by Bellefonte, Pennsylvania, in air mail history on Sunday, May 15. The dedication, to be held in conjunction with Bellefonte’s annual Spring Festival, will include music, a special event “Pioneer Air Mail” dedication postal station, tours of the American Philatelic Center, and an open house featuring philatelic exhibits and the Nittany Valley Model Railroad Club.

The monument itself is located across from the front entrance to the American Philatelic Center. The inscribed tribute, which includes a replica of the Curtiss Jenny biplane, recalls the first decade of transcontinental air mail, 1918–1927, when pilots had to fly by dead reckoning — timing the distance flown by watch and estimated speed, using compass bearings, and estimating wind drift. Other issues, like Centre County’s unpredictable weather, fog, and high winds, made flying across the Allegheny Mountains treacherous — factors that led air mail pilots of the 1920s to call the region “Hell’s Stretch.” More fatal accidents occurred in this area than along any other part of the transcontinental route. The monument pays tribute to the thirty-four valiant pilots who lost their lives along this
dangerous leg of the journey.

The American Philatelic Center Open House hours are from noon to 5 p.m., with the ribbon-cutting and dedication ceremony of the 2,800-pound monument beginning at 3 p.m. For more information about the dedication and open house, contact APS Program Coordinator Janet Houser at 814-933-3820, ext. 238; jehouser@stamps.org, 100 Match Factory Place, Bellefonte, PA 16823.

the lanai guy | 10:48 AM | 0 comments |

Friday, April 01, 2005

Fourth class mail rates

Toke Nørby's
Personal Page in Aarhus, Denmark, is one of the top sites of Scandy stamps. It's just about the Danish entries, but the material is so good, you'll have to bookmark it for reference. ...Nørby's

[The Dawn of Modern Korea] Postal Notes
A very interesting read from "The Korea Times" about Korean philately with the sad note about the decline of the hobby in Korea over the last fifteen years. ...korea

Size matters. Not weight
Royal Mail has a new plan for postal chargers. Pay by the size of your mail, not by how much it weights. Volume over gravity. So, a pound of bricks is cheaper than a pound of fluffy feathers. ...size

with tongs in hand
It's a gray Friday and I was expecting something exciting from the APS sales circuit, but the postman didn't ring the doorbell, so I guess I'll be rummaging through my old boxes reclaiming castoffs and searching eBay for the ever-elusive stamps. It's one of the benefits of a complex hobby: there are no boundries or bariers to what belongs in my stamp collection. Sometimes absolute junk and poorly centered items just fit right into little corners of my stamp books. And with such endless possibilities, the end of the hunt is never in sight. In fact, every morning it's always just starting and always "to be continued..." every evening. And the best thing about it is that tomorrow's another day.

Things to do
Write the president and your Senator and find out why USPS can't issue just "one" stamp for US philately's biggest shindig in 20 years. (see Tuesday, March 29, 2005) ...senator :: ...pres

And if you know the "right" addy for the Postmaster General, leave a comment and let us know too.

the lanai guy | 3:43 PM | 0 comments |

Thursday, March 31, 2005

Three-cent Washington

Royal Stamps Unveiled
UK issues a pair for the wedding of Prince Charles and Camilla Parker-Bowles on 8 April. ...royals

Switch from Stocks Boosts Stamps Firm Profits
"Philately specialist Stanley Gibbons today said it may have to recruit more experts to cash in on the spiralling demand for stamps as an investment. Stanley Gibbons said pre-tax profits rose 42% to £1.7 million after the values of 100 of the world’s most frequently traded stamps rose 10% over the past year." Well, obviously there must be quite a few folks with some serious money waiting to buy some significant stamps. It's a good sign and not a bubble yet. ...sg

French Colonies
France once ruled a motely assortment of colonies in Caribbean, Africa, and Asia, which always seemed more exotic than the British possessions, if only because their Westernized names were French. Haute Volta, Guadeloupe, and Martinique evoke unexplored horizons and adventure. The France and Colonies Philatelic Society has been an active society for more than 60 years, and their growing Web site is an invitation to discover one of philately's most intriguing collecting areas. Under the "Exhibitions" heading are a few online presentations. A "Cover of the Month" features a cover and it's story, and the "Type Sage Issue of 1876 - 1900" shows a collection the stamps with reference to the varieties and uses of this well regarded 19th century issue. ...fcps

FYI
I run this website and write stamp collecting columns for stamp magazines. If you have some news that you want to get out in front of the philatelic world, let me know: clubs, websites, auctions, eBay, comments, queries. Just use the form or drop an email. ...form

the lanai guy | 8:54 AM | 0 comments |

Tuesday, March 29, 2005

2c Postcard Rate

Mail to Iraq
Our troops work hard for us overseas. Far from home, few things brighten their days more than mail from friends and loved ones. Follow these guidelines so your letters and packages reach them intact! Or learn about other ways to support our troops. ...mail to iraq

Residents oppose mailbox grab
MONCTON — The village of Hillsborough may not be able to save its old post office, but it's trying to keep Canada Post from running off with its historic brass mailboxes. The post office is moving from an impressive, century-old brick building to a smaller unit with plastic siding, located across the street. ..mailboxes

I thought the Postal Museum already had one of these walls of boxes. I guess I was wrong, but they may not get these either. Seems odd to trash a good PO for a tacky one.

No 2006 Washington stamp
I just read that the USPS won't be issuing a commemorative in 2006 to mark the international stamp show in Washington, DC. Ouch! Maybe, we can ask the Canadians for the honor, or maybe the UK. But not to worry: USPS will put some text in the selvage of some upcoming commemoratives. If you haven't gotten the hint yet: stamp collectors aren't favorite sons and daughters of this USPS. Write your Congressman. Deregulate first class mail so someone can issue a real commemorative for US philately's biggest event in 20 years.

the lanai guy | 1:44 PM | 0 comments |

Penny Black 1d

Sweat box fun
Most times you'll come across a heavily hinged stamp and want to remove the old offenders. And if you don't think a quick soak is the right way to go, then you should go with a lock up in a sweat box. That usually removes all old hinge remnants. This is especially good for mint stamps where you might be able to actually lift the hinge from an unattached remnant and where you think that the potential gum disturbance is a good trade off for the hinge remnant. Here's how you can make your own little sweat box, though you can go buy one for about ten bucks, but really isn't that ten better spent on some more stamps. ...sweatbox

Stamp Auctions Ending Today on eBay

Master Engraver Czeslaw Slania, 83, Dies
"STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN.- Master engraver Czeslaw Slania, 83, died in Stockholm. Mr. Slania was born near Katowice, Poland, in 1921. When he was six years old, his family moved to Lublin. Even as a small boy, he demonstrated advanced talents for drawing and producing miniature engravings. When he was older, he enrolled at the Academy of Fine Arts in Krakow, recognized as one of the best art graphic centres in Europe. Mr. Slania’s diploma engraving was an interpretation in the small format of the Polish artist Jan Matejko’s grand painting “The Battle of Grunwald” about the battle of Grunwald/Tannenberg in 1410. For this work, Mr. Slania was awarded his diploma with a special honour." ...slania

fyi: Slania has been slated to engrave the USA's Greta Garbo "Legends of Hollywood" commemorative, set for release this fall, but at the last minute the job was transferred to a protege of Slania's because of his ill health.

the lanai guy | 12:58 PM | 0 comments |