Discussion - Member to Member Sales - Research Center
Discussion - Member to Member Sales - Research Center
Maybe some of you have had similar experiences. From what I've found, philatelic literature comes in a few different values, flavors, intensities, depths or whatever else one might want to call it.
You have your most basic, perfunctory books that discuss "what is a definitive" or "how to hinge a stamp". But then your have the most technically oriented plate characteristics, fly-specking et cetera et cetera.
What I'd love to see are books about the classic US stamp series, how they came about, what were the needs at the time, how were they designed. I'm OK and would welcome enough technical information that would enhance my background knowledge but don't need to get too far into the weeds.
Conversely, don't need to see the flimsy, cotton candy type publications that are on every hobby store book rack.
Interestingly, I'm a 20 year APS member! You'd think that with the APRL at my fingertips I'd have the philatelic lt. world at my fingertips. I did call them about 6 months ago (for the very first time) and asked for some great recommendations on US airmails. I got a very nice young man who, after a few minutes' conversation, became obvious he didn't know a whole lot about stamps.
Long story short.... what are the classic, must-reads regarding US philataly?
Sorry for the long post! Hope a few read the whole thing and make a great suggestion!
Ernie
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I have no interest in the stamps of the USA, but I do have 'The 100 greatest American Stamps' by Klug and Sundman.
I don't know the term 'Cotton Candy publication' so not sure if this is one of those !!
Londonbus1
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Three general books I have found to contain great information regarding U.S. stamps;
1)Fundamentals Of Philately by L.N. Williams (revised Ed. 2008)
2)Scott Identification Guide To U.S. Stamps - Regular Issues 1847-1934 by Charles N. Micarelli (6th Ed.)
3)Linn's United States Stamps 1922-26 by Gary Griffith
Number 1 isn't just about US, but still contains great info.
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For a USA focused interest, I would add Lester G. Brookman's two volume treatise on The 19th Century Postage Stamps of the United States. There are treasure troves of downloadable PDF books, also, often available on DVD as PDF scans from a variety of sources including the Stampsmarter web site with content relating to most classic era stamps. The Brookman books were included on a couple of different DVD based collections that I purchased although I had already acquired the set years ago in printed form. James Mackay's Airmails 1870-1970 is an interesting read as well.
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Londonbus, Randy, Baxter,
Thank you all for the recommendations! Much appreciated.
I'm going to take a deeper dive into the APRL card catalog and see what I can turn up.
Really interested in histories and stories behind the legendary stamp series like the Columbians, Trans-mississippi and also topics like the American Banknote Company and some of the great designers and engravers.
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Before you go, I might mentioned 566 page United States Postage Stamps 1902-1935 by Max Johl. It does not mention any of the commemoratives, but does cover Regular Issues, Parcel Post and Airmails. Names all the engravers and designers among other things. This book, in my humble opinion, is one of the best references for the stamps mentioned. Really goes in to great detail not found any place else. It is highly recommended.
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While we're on the subject, I have two lots listed on the Auction page related to this topic.
20th Century US Stamps, Volumes One and Two, by Max Johl (1947 Edition), and US Stamps 1902 - 1935 by Max Johl (1976 Edition).
Check them out.
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Hi Ernie,
Philatelic Society of Lancaster County, PA, has a link to free literature. This will keep you busy for a while.
https://lcps-stamps.org/library-electron ...
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Ernie -
PM me with your snail mail address and I will give you copy of "Nassau Street" by Herman Herst, Jr.
Dave (oldguy)
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Vince,
WOW! What a treasure trove of interesting resources. I'm impressed. I really appreciate you sending that over. Lots of great reading there.
David,
I really appreciate your generosity. Let me help out with postage.
We have a very generous group here.
Ernie
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Ernie --
I have polling registrar duty on Tuesday. I'll get back with you on Wednesday, 19th.
Dave
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Ernie!
A must read for a page turning Philatelic story is JENNY! By George Amick!
It is has so much fun history about the famous 24c invert!
-Ari
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Do not over look the library inter-loan service!
I live in a small town, but here we have a great library.
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And Movies...
Charade, with Cary Grant, Audrey Hepburn and Walter Matthau. (1963)
Scene after scene, "Etcetera, etcetera, etcetera."
The best philatelic scene: Dealer returns the valuable stamps. Of course, the movie's main plot had nothing to do with philately, but it was an intriguing construct that, plot wise, worked very well. Positive lesson: Stamp dealers are not crooks. Next scene...
Food for thought: "Are postage stamps, after all, insignificant little images on little pieces of paper...? What do you see? Are they little treasures?"
Here's a link to an article written by a Frank Moraes, in a website titled Frankly Curious, in the section Just Philately, published in 2011. For the Very Curious, here's the Philatelic take on the movie Charade (1963).
Enjoy,
https://franklycurious.com/wp/2011/08/27/just-philately/
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09:16:31pm
"The hit man and stamp collector is a character in the Hit Man mystery novel by Lawrence Block. The character is named Keller and is the main character in the first book of Block's Keller series. "
This is a different type of philatelic book!! Block wrote an entire series about Keller, a stamp collecting hit man! They really are a fantastic read and takes philately to a new, and different, level!!
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For stamp collectors of W/F head stamps, this is the best book and has great guide to the PROPER identification, lots and lots of valuable information and background with examples!
Washington-Franklin 1908-1921 by Martin A. Armstrong!
This is the best (I think) identification guide, it even discusses information that other books do not cover!
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So... I've been wanting to spend more time reading about some of my philatelic interests.
Maybe some of you have had similar experiences. From what I've found, philatelic literature comes in a few different values, flavors, intensities, depths or whatever else one might want to call it.
You have your most basic, perfunctory books that discuss "what is a definitive" or "how to hinge a stamp". But then your have the most technically oriented plate characteristics, fly-specking et cetera et cetera.
What I'd love to see are books about the classic US stamp series, how they came about, what were the needs at the time, how were they designed. I'm OK and would welcome enough technical information that would enhance my background knowledge but don't need to get too far into the weeds.
Conversely, don't need to see the flimsy, cotton candy type publications that are on every hobby store book rack.
Interestingly, I'm a 20 year APS member! You'd think that with the APRL at my fingertips I'd have the philatelic lt. world at my fingertips. I did call them about 6 months ago (for the very first time) and asked for some great recommendations on US airmails. I got a very nice young man who, after a few minutes' conversation, became obvious he didn't know a whole lot about stamps.
Long story short.... what are the classic, must-reads regarding US philataly?
Sorry for the long post! Hope a few read the whole thing and make a great suggestion!
Ernie
3 Members
like this post.
Login to Like.
re: Great Philatelic Books
I have no interest in the stamps of the USA, but I do have 'The 100 greatest American Stamps' by Klug and Sundman.
I don't know the term 'Cotton Candy publication' so not sure if this is one of those !!
Londonbus1
1 Member
likes this post.
Login to Like.
re: Great Philatelic Books
Three general books I have found to contain great information regarding U.S. stamps;
1)Fundamentals Of Philately by L.N. Williams (revised Ed. 2008)
2)Scott Identification Guide To U.S. Stamps - Regular Issues 1847-1934 by Charles N. Micarelli (6th Ed.)
3)Linn's United States Stamps 1922-26 by Gary Griffith
Number 1 isn't just about US, but still contains great info.
3 Members
like this post.
Login to Like.
re: Great Philatelic Books
For a USA focused interest, I would add Lester G. Brookman's two volume treatise on The 19th Century Postage Stamps of the United States. There are treasure troves of downloadable PDF books, also, often available on DVD as PDF scans from a variety of sources including the Stampsmarter web site with content relating to most classic era stamps. The Brookman books were included on a couple of different DVD based collections that I purchased although I had already acquired the set years ago in printed form. James Mackay's Airmails 1870-1970 is an interesting read as well.
2 Members
like this post.
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re: Great Philatelic Books
Londonbus, Randy, Baxter,
Thank you all for the recommendations! Much appreciated.
I'm going to take a deeper dive into the APRL card catalog and see what I can turn up.
Really interested in histories and stories behind the legendary stamp series like the Columbians, Trans-mississippi and also topics like the American Banknote Company and some of the great designers and engravers.
2 Members
like this post.
Login to Like.
Approvals
re: Great Philatelic Books
Before you go, I might mentioned 566 page United States Postage Stamps 1902-1935 by Max Johl. It does not mention any of the commemoratives, but does cover Regular Issues, Parcel Post and Airmails. Names all the engravers and designers among other things. This book, in my humble opinion, is one of the best references for the stamps mentioned. Really goes in to great detail not found any place else. It is highly recommended.
2 Members
like this post.
Login to Like.
re: Great Philatelic Books
While we're on the subject, I have two lots listed on the Auction page related to this topic.
20th Century US Stamps, Volumes One and Two, by Max Johl (1947 Edition), and US Stamps 1902 - 1935 by Max Johl (1976 Edition).
Check them out.
Login to Like
this post
re: Great Philatelic Books
Hi Ernie,
Philatelic Society of Lancaster County, PA, has a link to free literature. This will keep you busy for a while.
https://lcps-stamps.org/library-electron ...
4 Members
like this post.
Login to Like.
re: Great Philatelic Books
Ernie -
PM me with your snail mail address and I will give you copy of "Nassau Street" by Herman Herst, Jr.
Dave (oldguy)
1 Member
likes this post.
Login to Like.
re: Great Philatelic Books
Vince,
WOW! What a treasure trove of interesting resources. I'm impressed. I really appreciate you sending that over. Lots of great reading there.
David,
I really appreciate your generosity. Let me help out with postage.
We have a very generous group here.
Ernie
2 Members
like this post.
Login to Like.
re: Great Philatelic Books
Ernie --
I have polling registrar duty on Tuesday. I'll get back with you on Wednesday, 19th.
Dave
1 Member
likes this post.
Login to Like.
re: Great Philatelic Books
Ernie!
A must read for a page turning Philatelic story is JENNY! By George Amick!
It is has so much fun history about the famous 24c invert!
-Ari
2 Members
like this post.
Login to Like.
re: Great Philatelic Books
Do not over look the library inter-loan service!
I live in a small town, but here we have a great library.
2 Members
like this post.
Login to Like.
re: Great Philatelic Books
And Movies...
Charade, with Cary Grant, Audrey Hepburn and Walter Matthau. (1963)
Scene after scene, "Etcetera, etcetera, etcetera."
The best philatelic scene: Dealer returns the valuable stamps. Of course, the movie's main plot had nothing to do with philately, but it was an intriguing construct that, plot wise, worked very well. Positive lesson: Stamp dealers are not crooks. Next scene...
Food for thought: "Are postage stamps, after all, insignificant little images on little pieces of paper...? What do you see? Are they little treasures?"
Here's a link to an article written by a Frank Moraes, in a website titled Frankly Curious, in the section Just Philately, published in 2011. For the Very Curious, here's the Philatelic take on the movie Charade (1963).
Enjoy,
https://franklycurious.com/wp/2011/08/27/just-philately/
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Back when I had a bunch! I think, therefore I am - I think! Descartes, sort of!
28 Jan 2025
09:16:31pm
re: Great Philatelic Books
"The hit man and stamp collector is a character in the Hit Man mystery novel by Lawrence Block. The character is named Keller and is the main character in the first book of Block's Keller series. "
This is a different type of philatelic book!! Block wrote an entire series about Keller, a stamp collecting hit man! They really are a fantastic read and takes philately to a new, and different, level!!
Login to Like
this post
re: Great Philatelic Books
For stamp collectors of W/F head stamps, this is the best book and has great guide to the PROPER identification, lots and lots of valuable information and background with examples!
Washington-Franklin 1908-1921 by Martin A. Armstrong!
This is the best (I think) identification guide, it even discusses information that other books do not cover!
Login to Like
this post