Stamp Column Archives

The Glassine Surfer Column Archive

This column originally appeared in the American Philatelic Society's monthly magazine, "The American Philatelist." Since then some of the information may be out-of-date depending on how far back you're reading.

March 2003

Chess Stamps

APS member Deb Pearce told me about the simply-titled Chess Stamps website, and I've got to pass it on to you. This site belongs to Jacques Foissotte, and has navigation in English and French.

As expected, it's a topical stamp site of chess themes on stamps, including grand masters, and tournaments. Each chess stamp has its own page and clear scan, along with issue details.

The entire body of stamps can be browsed either by year, from 1947 through 2002, or by country, starting with Abkhazia and ending with Yugoslavia. It's a very easy way to study and enjoy this topical.

On Foissotte also has a complete list of World Chess Champions, a section of related autographs he has collected, for topical collectors collect more than stamps. He also has some legends, his want list, a very deep array of chess stamp links, and a special fan section about
Alexandra Kosteriuk, the Women's Vice World Champion.

This webmaster loves stamps and chess, and it shows.

Chess Stamps
http://www.faulquemont.com/phil1.html

Rose Chess Stamps Online Catalogue
http://www.tri.org.au/chess/catalogue.html

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First World War

The First World War seems to have passed out from America's memory. How quickly we forget painful lessons. But there's a website that's presenting 1914-1918 in a way that's accessible today.

FirstWorldWar.com is a large, professionally created, well documented, and growing body of work covering the many, many aspects of the war, the people, the culture, and the times of WWI.

The interface and navigation is familiar and easy-to-use, and the material is extensive, from posters to vintage audio recordings of wartime songs, poetry, photos, archival footage, etc.

Texts cover how it began, the battles, who's who, the time line, and there's an "on this day" calendar. Under memoirs and diaries, there are over 20 long excepts or complete texts, and interactively, there's a section for related sites, online forums, and battlefield tours.

WWI gave us industrialized slaughter, Hitler, the USSR, and centralized propaganda, and though I enjoyed my first trip to the site and I was impressed my next, I couldn't help wondering "What were they thinking?"

First World War.Com
http://www.firstworldwar.com

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PaPHS

Those who study the mails of Pennsylvania know that the Pennsylvania Postal History Society is the best roundtable for information and resources for what interests them.

Their gallery of members' covers is a good place to get acquainted with the PaPHS site, where members share some of their holdings online, with larger scans available at the click of a mouse.

As a society site, there are the usual contacting and joining pages, along with details of the "Historian," their quarterly bulletin, and a few sample articles online.

Pennsylvania Postal History Society
http://www.paphs.org/

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CCSU - CCS

The Captain Cook Study Unit is now the Captain Cook Society, and they've moved their website. The CCS maintains a superb topical website devoted to all aspects of the life of Captain James Cook and his voyages of discovery.

Captain Cook Society
http://www.CaptainCookSociety.com

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Is it a Hoax

Your brother-in-law tells you something fantastic but true, but something seems fishy. Is it a hoax, an urban legend? A grad student in California has put together the Museum of Hoaxes that may answer your question, covering questionable claims from AD 750 up till today.

The Museum of Hoaxes
http://www.museumofhoaxes.com/

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Glassine Surfer

The Glassine Surfer website has an archive of past columns, links, and articles about stamp collecting. We also host the Sociable Stamp Society chats online on Sunday and Wednesday evenings at eight o'clock eastern. You’re welcome to visit, and we hope you enjoy it.

The Glassine Surfer
http://www.glassinesurfer.com

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