Monday, October 2, 2017

Focus on Forgeries

Linn's Focus on Forgeries: A Guide to Forgeries of Common Stamps was published in 1993 by Linn's Stamp News.

This useful book by Varro E. Tyler lists 150 stamp forgeries from A to W, side by side with the genuine ones, and compares both.

The introduction states in part that "This compilation of 150 Focus on Forgeries features that originally appeared on a fortnightly basis in Linn's Stamp News is published at the request of many stamp collectors."

Illustrations are in black and white.

Sunday, October 1, 2017

Philatelic Forgers

This revised edition of the Philatelic Forgers: Their Lives and Works was published by Linn's Stamp News in 1991.

I counted 150 forgers listed in this entertaining book by Varro E. Tyler.

The book is illustrated with black and white pictures of some of the forgers and some stamp and other philatelic forgeries.

Sunday, September 3, 2017

Guide to Stamp Collecting of the World

"Guide to Stamp Collecting of the World" was written by Jiri Novacek of Czechoslovakia and translated by Simon Pellar.

This edition was published in 1992 by the Promotional Reprint Company of London.

The chapters/sections are as follows:

What is Philately?
Stamps and Their Origin, Manufacture and Varieties
Stamps as Visiting Cards
Postcards
Envelopes
Aerograms and Other Postal Stationery
Non-Postal Marks and Labels
First-Day Covers and Sheets
Essay
Cartes Maximum
Entires
World Classics
Stamp Talk
Ferryboat Posts, Lake Posts, River Posts, Mail Packets, Posted on Board (Paquebot), Pigeon Post Letters, Balloon Post Letters, Zeppelin Letters, Arctic and Antarctic Letters, Early Airmail Letters, First Flights, Helicopter and Rocket Letters, Wreck Letters, Dog Team Letters, Pony Express, Mailcoach Letters, Wandering Letters, Hotel Posts, Postal Wars, Inflation Letters, Letters from Concentration Camps, Electronic Letters, Space Letters
A Perfect Stamp
Forgeries: A Great Headache
Famous Collectors
The Arrangement of a Collection
Prices of Stamps and Other Philatelic Material
Preparation of Stamps
Inspection and Classification of Philatelic Material
Albums
Major Philatelic Organizations
Place-Names Index

Interesting book from a European point of view!

Saturday, September 2, 2017

How to Identify Stamps

Another title in the Stanley Gibbons Stamp Collecting Series is "How To Identify Stamps" compiled by James Watson.

It was first published  in 1983, and this is the third edition of 1994.

The contents are as follows:

Introduction
Key Inscriptions
Using the Catalogue
The Normal Alphabet
     A. Country Names - Europe
     B. Country Names - Rest of the World
     C. Subordinate Inscriptions - Whole World
     D. Abbreviations on Stamps - Whole World
Other Alphabets and Scripts
     A. The Cyrillic Group
     B. The Greek Alphabet
     C. Indian Native States
     D. Far East Scripts
     E. Scripts Various
     F. 'No-name' Stamps

Another useful how-to publication!

Friday, September 1, 2017

How to Start

"Stamp Collecting How To Start" by James Watson (revised by John Holman) is one of the titles in the Stanley Gibbons Stamp Collecting Series.

This was first published in 1983, and this particular edition is the second edition of 1995.

The contents are as follows:

Introduction
Your First Stamps
One-Country Style
Many Kinds of Stamps
The Stamp Collector's Bible
The Collector's Tool-box
Your Album Choice
Arranging Your Stamps
Branching Out
Stamp Collector's Glossary
Useful Addresses

Overall a good how-to publication!

Monday, July 3, 2017

Observer's

The Observer's Book of Stamp Collecting by Anthony New was published by Bloomsbury Books of London.

This edition is the "Reprinted with revisions" of 1989. It was first published in 1986.

Chapters are as follows:
The Appeal of Stamps
The Appeal Widens
The Specialist's View
The Uses of Stamps
How Stamps are Printed
Ways to Collect
Values and Prices
Aids to Identification
Suggested Subjects and Miscellaneous Topics

There also is a Glossary of some philatelic terms.

An informative book!

Sunday, July 2, 2017

Enjoy Stamp Collecting

This introductory booklet, published by Stanley Gibbons Ltd., "was first written by James Negus, Editor of the Gibbons stamp catalogues, 1977-81" and "revised by John Holman, former Editor of Gibbons Stamp Monthly" magazine.

This is the fifth edition (1990). It was first published in 1980.

There are 15 topics covered:
Welcome to stamp collecting
The first stamps
Different types of stamps
Getting started
Finding more stamps
Preparing your stamps
Sorting stamps
Mounting stamps
Stamp albums
The stamp catalogue
Stamp prices
Covers and postmarks
Useful philatelic terms
Stamp countries and currencies
Learning more about stamps

A delightful read!

Wednesday, June 7, 2017

Sunday, June 4, 2017

Monday, May 15, 2017

Sunday, May 14, 2017

Monday, May 1, 2017

Cuba-Filipinas

These 19th century stamps were issued to be used in Cuba and the Philippines, which were then colonies of Spain.

The cancellation determined whether it was used in Cuba or the Philippines.

Friday, March 31, 2017

Saturday, March 25, 2017

Friday, March 24, 2017

Thursday, March 23, 2017

USA postmark Warsaw

Warsaw is a city in Illinois with a population of just a little over 1,600 in 2010.

Wednesday, March 22, 2017

Faroe Islands paintings

The top stamp reproduces a painting by Ingálvur av Reyni and bottom pair is by Hans Hensen, both of Faroe Islands.

Tuesday, March 21, 2017

Faroe Islands Europa

"The Temptations of Saint Anthony" is an artwork of William Heinesen, a painter from the Faroe Islands.

Monday, March 20, 2017

Sunday, March 19, 2017

Faroe Islands parade

Clergymen and politicians on parade for Ólavsøka, the biggest summer festival in the Faroe Islands.

Saturday, March 18, 2017

Faroe Islands lay

Two stanzas with illustrations from Brynhild's Ballad, a long Faroese narrative poem referring to myths.

Friday, March 17, 2017

Thursday, March 16, 2017

Faroe Islands film

A set of four stamps was issued in 1997 picturing scenes from a film based on a novel.

Shown here is the 6.50kr value.

Wednesday, March 15, 2017

Faroe Islands orca

This stamp was actually issued in 1998 and pictures a killer whale for the Year of the Ocean.

Tuesday, March 14, 2017

Faroe Islands coat of arms

The 600th year of the Kalmar Union was commemorated in 1997 with a Faroese stamp depicting the coat of arms of Eric of Pomerania.

You have to read up on the history of the Nordic countries to know more about these names.

Faroe Islands children's drawings

In 1996 a set of three stamps and a souvenir sheet were issued illustrating children's drawings for Nordatlantex 1996, a stamp exhibition.

Shown above is one of the stamps.

Monday, March 13, 2017

Faroe Islands rocks

Here's a view of Risin and Kellingin, the giant and the giantess.

Nice socked-on-the-nose cancel.

Sunday, March 12, 2017

Faroe Islands birds 1

The common crossbill and the waxwing are the birds pictured on these 1996 stamps.

Saturday, March 11, 2017

Faroe Islands church 2

The Church of Hvalvík is the oldest wooden church still in existence in the Faroes.