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 Since then some of the information may be out-of-date depending on how far back you're reading.

July 2003

It's not the heat. It's the humidity that will turn your MNH to bulk postage. Sad to say, but those delightful summer days can be deadly to stamps, so today's a good day to ask yourself if your collection is safe from the rising humidity that seeps into every nook and cranny of your house. Those in the Pacific Northwest and Dixie know all about dampness, but the rest of us many only remember last summer when our unused envelopes were awfully hard to open.

If you can, get a hygrometer to measure humidity and stick it in your stamp den, or use my test. If the sound of tearing a sheet of paper is crisp and crackling, the humidity's low, and when the sound is dull, the paper is sucking up moisture. In which case, I try not to disturb my stamps, less their gum be likewise.

National Weather Service
http://www.nws.noaa.gov
(click "glossary")

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Poland Encyclopedia

Ben Nieborg, who hails from The Netherlands, began his specialization process about seven years ago, starting with a focus on just Europe and then just Poland, related Eastern Europe and his homeland.

Nieborg was surprised at how few English-language websites dealt with Polish history, and after becoming frustrated with not being able to locate a comprehensive Polish philatelic web resource, he figured he'd be the one to create a stamps of Poland site and try to create a durable catalog online.

Currently the site runs a list of years of issue from 1860 through 1989, from which users can select an issue. That link shows a scan along with room for links to information about the stamp's subject, as well as issue details.

Getting around is quite easy, and in addition to navigating by year, users can click about either by Fischer Catalog number, or by postal administration, a nice innovation, as we all generally have grown accustomed to browsing our favorite stamps in our own ways.

Supplimenting the site are web directories about famous Poles, the history of Poland, travel and geography, Polish search engines, Polish stamp websites, and the like.

If you're an aficionado of things Polish, you're invited to e-mail your comments, criticism, additions, suggestions, hints, and tips, and help build an online Polish stamp encyclopedia.

Stamp Encyclopedia Poland
http://www.home.zonnet.nl/ben_nieborg

Nieborg hopes that there'll be renewed interest in all things Poland, when Poland enters the EU, and that will help unearth more about Poland's culture and it's depiction on stamps.

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956 Update

Suzanne Schwimmer has updated the "Four Chaplains" stamp website with details of the historical record concerning the stamp her father and others at the Post Office father designed in 1948 and listed as Scott #956.

Her father Louis Schwimmer was the head of the NY PO's art department and, in addition to designing the stamp, also designed many commemorative cachets, especially first flights for both the PO and Pan American.

The four chaplains were aboard the U.S.A.T Dorchester when it sank in 1943, and chaplains John Washington, Clark Poling, Alexander Goode and George Fox died along with over 650 other US servicemen.

Schwimmer's website is a concise record of the stamp, the design, and the historical record it commemorates with original artwork and informative graphics.

The Four Chaplains
http://www.schwimmer.com/fourchaplains