The Philatelic Communicator - Writerswu30.org/TPC/20153.pdfpulsion, as well described by this couplet: “Mere mortals work from 9 to 5. A writer writes while he’s alive!” Below

Page The Philatelic Communicator Volume 49 Third Quarter 2015

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The Philatelic CommunicatorJournal of the American Philatelic Society Writers Unit #30

www.wu30.org Third Quarter 2015 Issue 189

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Kenneth Trettin (Rockford, Iowa), current Secre-tary Treasurer of the WU30, this year received theCharlie Peterson Philatelic Literature Life AchievementAward, which recognizes a person whose individualachievements have furthered knowledge through phil-atelic literature.

Trettin, a member of the American Philatelic Societysince 1965, has a philatelic resumemuch longer than we could ever putinto this space, but he has just aboutdone it all. He has been a collectorsince 1956, and has been an exhibi-tor, researcher, writer, editor, phila-telic and philatelic literature judge,held several society offices and re-ceived several philatelic honors.

“Ken’s accomplishments aredone with courtesy. Self-effacement, and listening to others,”says his nomination petition. “Heis an excellent mentor to aspiringwriters, editors, and judges, and is amodel for us to emulate.”

Trettin began collecting U.S.match and medicine revenue stampsin the early 1960s, showed them ata local show in Waterloo, Iowa, andwon a grand award. While in the Navy, he visited thepost office at Scott Base in Antarctica several times in1969–70.

Among Trettin’s accomplishments are: editor of theAmerican Revenuer, for which he has written morethan 150 articles; editor of the Congress Book; long-

time member and officer of the Trans-MississippiPhilatelic Society; and accredited as a chief philatelicand chief philatelic literature judge.

Just a quick look at the Table of Contents of the2011 Congress Book, the annual publication for theAmerican Philatelic Congress, gives you a tinyglimpse of the large task that faces a philatelic editor of

Trettin’s background. The 200-pagebook includes eight main articles.Consider the diversity among justhalf of them: “The Disintegration ofthe Hohenzollern Empire 1918–1923,” “Prexies and the Interactionof Color,” “The Puzzle of the Pisca-taqua Postmarks,” and “The Under-ground Railroad Post Office in Pos-tumia Grotte 1872–1945.”

It is a mountain only a world-class scholarly editor would dareclimb. And Trettin has successfullymade that climb for many years.

His previous philatelic honorsinclude two in 1999 when he re-ceived the Diane Boehret Awardfrom the American Philatelic Con-gress for his work on the AmericanRevenuer and was named to the

APS Writers’ Unit No. 30 Hall of Fame. He becamethe unit’s president in 2011. In 2010, he was awardedthe Chicago Philatelic Society’s Saul Newbury Award,presented annually to a Chicagoan who has contribut-ed significantly to philately over the years.

Charles J. Peterson Philatelic Literature LifeAchievement Award Winner:

Kenneth Trettin

Volume 49 Third Quarter 2015 The Philatelic Communicator Page 2

The PhilatelicCommunicator

ISSN 0147-36456Volume 49, No.3, Whole No. 189

www.wu30.org

Writers Unit #30 publishes The Philatelic Communicator four times a year. A subscrip-tion to TPC is included with dues paid by members of the Unit. TPC is printed anddistributed by Wilcox Printing & Publishing, Inc., Madrid, Iowa.©2014 Writers Unit #30. Title page drawings by Peter Boylan.

Manuscripts are solicited on subjects of interest to writers, editors, and publishers of allforms of philatelic literature. All submissions for publication, without exception, aresubject to being edited. Electronic submissions are preferred. Opinions expressed in ThePhilatelic Communicator are those of the authors, and not necessarily of the Writers Unit#30, its officers, editor, publisher, or agents. Letters and e-mails received by the editormay be printed unless labeled “Not for Publication.” Every effort is taken to ensureaccuracy, but validity is not guaranteed. Some product names and images may be trade-marks or registered trademarks, and are used only for identification and explanation,without intent to infringe. All editorial matters must be handled by the editor.

Deadlines for receipt of copy by the editor:First Quarter: February 1 Second Quarter: June 1Third Quarter: September 1 Fourth Quarter: December 1

Lloyd de Vries, PresidentP.O.Box 1249, Washington Township NJ [email protected]

Ken Trettin Secretary-TreasurerPO Box 56, Rockford, IA [email protected] 641-756-3542

David E. Crotty, Vice PresidentP.O. Box 16115 Ludlow, KY [email protected] 859-462-6995

The Executive Committee includes the officers, Editor, and Immediate Past PresidentPeter D. Martin ………...……………...………[email protected]

The WU#30 Council includesErnest E. Fricks,……………………..……[email protected](2017)David A. Kent………………………….………[email protected](2017)Leonard Robert McMaster………..…[email protected](2017)Dane S. Claussen………………...………[email protected] (2015)Daniel C. Warren, M.D……………....………[email protected] (2015)

Writers Unit #30 Committee Chairs are:APS Rep. David CrottyAwards: Robert P. OdenwellerCritique Service: Dane S. ClaussenHall of Fame: Dane S. ClaussenHistorian: Steven J. RodNominating: Alan Warren

APS Writers Unit #30

Publications: Peter MartinPublicity: Ernest E. (Gene) FricksRecruiting: Lloyd de VriesSpecial Events: Kenneth TrettinUSPS Representative: Peter MartinWebmaster: Todd Ronnei

[email protected] #30 Breakfast: Lloyd de Vries

David Crotty

From the Editor

Jay BigalkeIt was a special treat to have new AP editor Jay

Bigalke speak to our WU30 Breakfast on Sundaymorning during StampShow 2015 in Grand Rapids,MI. Jay started his philatelic carrier as a first daycover maker and after finishing college joined Scottpublishing in many roles, ending up as editor ofLinn’s itself. He brings to the APS American Phi-latelist a considerable amount of experience. Fromthat experience he spoke to us about a few of thethings he hopes to accomplish. From his recent edi-torials he apparently has a number of hopeful im-provements that are still in the discussion stages.

AwardsWe devote most of our TPC issue this quarter to

awardees for efforts in writing and other contribu-tions to philately. We think it is very appropriate tohonor those people. While this editor usually is notpart of the process to choose the WU30 Hall ofFame, this year I took part. One quickly realizesthat we could honor 10 or more people each yearand never run out of worthy writers, editors andpublishers.

This editor was honored by the Postal HistorySociety for a three part paper published in PostalHistory Journal, and was asked to give a presenta-tion on the subject. It was a special treat that theeditors, Diane De Blois and Robert Harris wereawarded Reserve Grand and Gold for that journalin the StampShow 2015 literature exhibits thisyear.

Book ReviewsWolfgang Maassen, editor and president for The

Philatelic Journalist for the European AssociationInternationale des Journalistes Philateliques,writes in their July issue that he senses that bookreviews are too much general discussions of topicsrather than more intense judgment of the quality ofthe contents of the books. If you get that journalplease read it. I hope to gain permission to reprintthe article in a future issue of TPC.

Dave

David E. Crotty, EditorP.O. Box 16115Ludlow, [email protected]

Thomas P. Johnston, Associate Editor124 Bishopstone CircleFrederick, MD 21702-5123

Page 3 The Philatelic Communicator Volume 49 Third Quarter 2015

Lloyd de VriesPresident’s Message

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I’ve taken this post as APS Writers Unit #30 presi-dent with definite misgivings.

Unlike many WU#30 members, I mostly writeabout current events. I spent most of my (non-philatelic) career in broadcast and Internet journal-ism, where the next deadline may be just 30 minutesaway. In my philatelic writing, I always observedeadlines — as they slide past.

I haven’t done much scholarly writing; I wouldn’tknow a footnote from a foot fungus. I’ve never writ-ten a book or even a monograph. My default style, asyou can see, is informal.

What I can do (besides driving Linn’s editors intoretirement) is make arcane subjects understandableand, I hope, interesting to general audiences. ForABC News, I’ve written an update on the Greek fi-nancial crisis and its importance to the U.S., to beread in 15 seconds, and, for CBS Radio News, I’vebeen producing weekly one-minute features on stampcollecting.

My other philatelic writing includes first day covercolumns for Stamps, Stamp Collector and, now,Linn’s. I write a president’s column and other articlesfor First Days. I created and managed the first stampcollecting fora (5 years of Latin!) on commercialonline services (now called “social media”); The Vir-

tual Stamp Club had branches on GEnie, MicrosoftNetwork, America Online, Dueling Modems andDelphi. Now it’s a website. I write publicity for theAmerican First Day Cover Society and its Americov-er show. I’ve written for Global Stamp News, Ameri-can Philatelist, and others.

Professionally (that is, for enough money to paythe mortgage most of the time), I’ve written for CBS,NBC and National Public Radio; CBSNews.com; andCBS and ABC (television) News. I’m currently atABC.

I’m probably one of the few people who can sayhe’s covered both the World Series of Philately andthe World Series of baseball.

Now, what’s in store for the Writers Unit?Our newsletter, the Philatelic Communicator, is in

good hands with Dave Crotty. I hope more of youwill contribute to it.

I’d like to see more members for this organization,not because I want to stuff the coffers with cash, butbecause I think we can learn from each other and be-come better writers and editors through the exchangeof ideas in this newsletter — even those of us whohave been editing our journals and writing our col-umns for years.

There is always something new to learn: I knowwhen I started writing for philatelic publications,there were four weekly newspapers and most of ushad never heard of the Internet.

Now, what would you like from the Writers Unit?I welcome your suggestions.

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I had produced phila-telic scribblings formany years before be-ginning to wonder why Iwas doing this. My gen-eral underlying assump-

tion was that I was engaging in ‘Self-expression’, and thatwas enough. Besides, I had learned from other life activi-ties that too much analysis can be not only a waste of time,but an impediment to decision-making (the dreaded‘analysis paralysis’) and the “flow” of creativity.

And yet, understanding “why?” can be helpful in al-lowing us to direct our efforts to get more enjoyment fromthe activity.

Let’s first posit that for many of us, writing is a com-pulsion, as well described by this couplet: “Mere mortalswork from 9 to 5. A writer writes while he’s alive!”

Below that generality, there are payoffs that impel andcompel writing. A list of these would include:

For the moneyTo organize our thoughtsTo convey information

John Hotchner

To solicit informationTo share (frustrations, discoveries, etc.)To publicize our wantsTo establish our credibility as an expert in a given

fieldTo support a society or publication that we valueTo give back to the hobby something of what we have

gained from itBecause we’ve been asked to, and there is no graceful

way to refuseOf course this list may not be complete, and readers

are welcome to add to it. Nor are the items all mutuallyexclusive. I’m certain that for each of us, there will be acombination of the items that will differ – at least slightly– from everyone else’s.

The value of absorbing the list is that to the extent weare open, we might want to alter our general assumptionsabout our writing, and consciously advance in new direc-tions. In doing so, I’ve found that with new goals comenew challenges and fresh approaches to old subjects.

Why Do We Write?


Les Winick was not only a prolific philatelic writ-er, but also an outstanding exhibitor, a national andinternational judge, and a stamp show executive. Hewrote a stamp column in the Chicago Tribune thatwas syndicated in over 200 newspa-pers. For over 25 years he authored“The Insider” column in Linn’sStamp News, where he commentedon current topics and was not afraidto report on matters related to theAmerican Philatelic Society, theAmerican Stamp Dealers Associa-tion, the Fédération International dePhilatélie, the United States PostalService and other organizations inour hobby. AND, he never missed adeadline! He also authored the“Space Topics” column in Linn’s.Les died this March 5th.

He compiled the monograph Ice-land: A Bibliography (1978), whichcollected philatelic articles andbooks in the English language and insupport of his exhibit of “Iceland AirMail” that won many high awards.Other monographs authored by Win-ick include Soviet Space Catalog (1978), SpaceStamps (1985), The Beck Handbook of Printed Ca-chets (1995), and nine editions of The White AcePostage Stamp Identifier (1952-1992). Together withReuben Ramkissoon, Les co-authored Study of‘Suspect’ Space Covers (2001), and A Philatelic His-tory of Space Exploration Part 1: The Pioneer Years1904-1960 (1986). He contributed to the German-English Philatelic Dictionary (2005) published by theGermany Philatelic Society.

Winick’s articles appeared in the Airpost Journal,Scott Stamp Monthly, American Philatelist, PhilatelicCommunicator, U.S. Stamp News, Stamp Collector,Astrophile, German Postal Specialist, and U.S.

Stamps & Postal History amongothers. However, he is perhaps bestknown for his dedicated involve-ment with the highly successfulU.S. international exhibitionAMERIPEX, held in Chicago in1986, where he was Executive Di-rector. After that event he continuedto serve as a consultant to majorstamp shows.

Les was a founding member ofthe Park Forest (Illinois) StampClub, and served as president forseveral organizations including theCollectors Club of Chicago, the Illi-nois Federation of Stamp Clubs, theSpace Topics Study Group, and theArthur Salm Foundation. He servedon the APS board of directors andwas the American Philatelic Socie-ty’s representative to the FIP As-trophilately subcommission.

The American Topical Association named himDistinguished Topical Philatelist in 1978. The Chica-go Philatelic Society presented him its Saul Newburyaward in 1982, and he received the Les Shriber, Sr.,trophy for the best article in the American Philatelistthe same year. In 1997 Les was honored with theAPS Luff Award for Exceptional Contributions toPhilately.

Lester passed away earlier this year. His familywas invited to our breakfast but could not attend.

Lester E. Winick

Lester E. Winick

Writer’s Unit 30 Hall of Fame

HOF Continued Page 5


Barb Boal’s life in philately started as it did for most ofus, as a general worldwide collector. For her it was whileshe was in the Girl Scouts. Later, in 1985, she marriedPennsylvania State golf pro Earl Boal. He made her prom-ise to learn golf on their wedding day and her stamp col-lecting migrated from accumulating to golf as a stamp col-lecting thematic. One of her jobs at the American Philatel-ic Society (APS) would be to tend the APS booth atStampShows and Earl would scan the dealers on the floorfor materials for her collection. Barb and Earl’s marriagegave them two children and three grandchildren and at lastcount three great grandchildren.

Barb joined the staff at the APS in August 1981 whileBill Welch was the editor of the American Philatelist(AP). He appointed her to the job of design manager in1985. From August 1990 to October 2001 she served asthe managing editor. From August 2002 she has been theeditor. She edited the Philatelic Literature Review for thelast few years as well as numerous APS brochures. In allshe worked for the APS for thirtythree years. Her heart-felt “Thanksfor the Memories” was printed inthe December 2014 issue of AP.

This editor interviewed Barb byphone recently from a diner in thecute little town of Boalsburg, PA.And the rest of the story is best toldin her own words:

“Working on the AP was attimes challenging, but always a joyand a real learning experience. Itwas an exciting time to be in pub-lishing. Guiding the AP into thetechnology age was both challeng-ing and exhilarating at the sametime. When I started doing layoutand design for the magazine, wewere using hot wax to affix thetype galleys to the layout sheetsand when I retired we were com-pletely digital using the computer-to-plate technology. In addition, wemade the transition from an allblack-and-white magazine to one infull color.

Joe Criscuoli started the transi-tion to modern methods. Joe sub-mitted an article for the magazineand began chatting with Bill Welch about the possibilityof creating the magazine totally on the computer.

We began our transition to the digital age in the early1980s by transmitting articles and columns to our printer/typesetter via modem and telephone lines. In two or threedays, we would receive the galleys for proofreading andlayout. We also used photographs for the illustrations. Wehad a photographer who would take the pictures of thestamps, covers, and etc. Corrected pages were then photo-

graphed and the film/separations were created and mailedto our printer, Webcrafters, in Madison Wisconsin. AtWebcrafters, the printing plates were made and then on tothe web press. Preparing an issue of the AP was a time-consuming process.

In the early 1990s, we jumped in feet first into comput-erized, desktop layout. Bill Welch, the editor at the time,used to say, “It is better to be on the bleeding edge thantrying to catch up!” I was charged with making this hap-pen. I used to joke that there were days when I thought Imight need a transfusion.

I began the process using Ventura software as our lay-out package. I spent two days at IBM in New York Citygetting training and then, we were off and running andthere was no looking back. But, we were still using pho-tography and separations.

It was time to take the next step moving to Quark forlayout. I started scanning the stamps, covers, and etc. andbegan manipulating the digital images with Photoshop.

This step required us to changeprepress and printing companies.By early 2000 we were well onour way to being computer-to-plate. Our printer, Quebecor, en-couraged me to move to InDe-sign. And the rest as they say ishistory. Well, almost! Wechanged printers one more timemoving the AP to Walsworth.This move continued the excel-lence in printing and also provid-ed the members with an onlineversion in January 2010. Before Iretired, I had started creating anapp for the magazine.

With each step along the waywe were able to decrease our pro-duction time and get the maga-zine into the hands of the mem-bers earlier than ever before. Wealso saved $8,000–$11,000 eachmonth in prepress charges, large-ly just from photography costs.In addition to working on themagazine, I worked on twelvebooks including such titles asFundamentals of Philately, Ad-miral Issues of Canada, The Ser-rane Guide, Liberty Issue, Un-

derstanding Transatlantic Mail, Volume 1, Bellefonte andEarly Air Mail, 1918–1927, and The Aerogrammes ofAustralia. I compiled the first edition of the APS StampIdentifier. I also was the editor of the Philatelic LiteratureReview.

While Bill Welch was editor, the AP was awarded itsfirst international gold medal. During my tenure, we re-ceived two more and were presented with the AlvaroBonilla Lara Award.

Barbara Boal

Barb Helping Jim Dimond during aSummer Seminar computer class.

Barb continued Page 6

HOF Continued from Page 4


During the last seven or eight years, I have participatedin the Summer Seminar on Philately, On-the-Road Cours-es, and Collecting Connections teaching “Computers andPhilately” covering topics such as scanning, digital imagemanipulation using Photoshop Elements, how to use thecomputer to begin the expertizing process at home, anddesktop publishing.”

Barb’s efforts moved the AP and other APS publica-tions along as the technologies improved. All other phila-telic societies and clubs benefitted from this, since certain-

ly if the APS could do this, the rest of us were sure wecould do it too. The American Stamp Dealer & Collectorin their article about Barb’s retirement in November 2014noted that one important purpose of all philatelic publica-tions is to promote all other publications and the hobby ingeneral. Barb’s choices of articles on a month to monthbasis were clearly designed to keep members up to date onall aspects of the hobby. Even when there was controver-sy, the members learned something they might not havelearned otherwise.

Barb continued from Page 5

Tom Lera was appointed the Winton M. Blount Re-search Chair at the Smithsonian National Postal Museum(NPM) in 2007. This moved him into a fully philatelicoccupation. Before that he held management positions atseveral manufacturing companies. He has also been activewith several non-profit groups including NAPEX, theCommittee for Accreditation of National Exhibitions andJudges (CANEJ), Washington 2006 Stamp Show, and oth-ers. He is an accredited national philatelic judge. He re-cently retired Emeritus from the Blount Chair but contin-ues to conduct research in the NPM lab under contract.

This would be enough for mostfolk, but in addition he has pub-lished 45 philatelic papers since1985, many of them concerningbats as a philatelic topical subject,15 papers on his sideline of Spele-ology since 1977, and 14 scientificpapers since 1970 concerning wa-ter quality, bats and other topics.He also has written 23 fictionalhorror and science fiction shortstories, each of which has a phila-telic item at its core. He has pre-pared about 25 online publications,symposia collections and findingguides for the NPM since 2009.The entire list is about 12 pages.

Tom has chaired a number ofphilatelic symposia that have beenheld alternately at the AmericanPhilatelic Society (APS) headquarters at Bellefonte andthe NPM in Washington, D.C. Tom has edited most of thesymposia collections. One of those events was organizedinto the Proceedings of the First International Symposiumon Analytical Methods in Philately which was edited byTom and two co-editors. This book was presented with agold medal literature award at the 2014 APS StampShowin Hartford, CT. This symposium presented the results ofscientific studies on philatelic materials from the composi-tion and physical characteristics of the papers used, to thechemistry and mineralogy of printing inks, to determining

the genuineness of stamps, overprints, and the uses of ad-hesives on covers.

The Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution chooses tohonor several works by Smithsonian scholars each year. In2013 Tom Lera was selected to receive the Secretary’sResearch Prize for a book he co-authored with Leon Finik,G. H. Kaestlin Collection of Imperial Russian and Zem-stvo Stamps. This work also received the Vermeil litera-ture award at the Europex Stamp Show in 2015.

A few items from these lists might be noted. From1990-2000 he was the editor of The Underground Post, an

international philatelic journal onstamps and postmarks of caves,caverns and speleological areas. Hewas conservation editor from 1977to 1983 for the NSS Bulletin, aquarterly concerned with caves andkarst studies. He is a contributingeditor (1981 to present) to Spele-ophilately International a journal onstamps and postmarks from caves,caverns and speleological relatedareas. In 2011 he published a 136page book Cave Post Offices whichlisted post offices that were locatedat caves or that served cave parks.

The American Stamp Dealer &Collector in September 2012 wrote“Quiet and rather unassuming, onehas to wonder, after finding outmore about him, how Tom Lera

finds the time to do all the things he does and has done,not just with philately but in his second, and equally im-portant life, as an expert on, among other things, cave con-servation. Currently, for instance, he is treasurer of theConfederate Stamp Alliance and member of the organiza-tion’s Board of Trustees. In addition, he is committed toworking for NAPEX, the capital’s giant annual stampshow. He’s also a delight to know!”

Tom spoke to the breakfast group about his philatelicresearch work and passion for bats.

Thomas Lera

Thomas Lera wearing a bat tie.

HOF Continued Page 7


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In 2014 the Board of Directors of the Canal Zone StudyGroup approved a new award to be presented to the authorof the best article to appear in the calendar year issues ofthe quarterly journal The Canal Zone Philatelist, or ahandbook. The article should reflect research on the phi-lately or postal history of the Canal Zone and the Isthmusof Panama.

Harlan Stone is not only an accomplished authorand editor but also a distinguished philatelic exhibitornationally and internationally. He has received nu-merous gold medals and national grand awards forhis Switzerland exhibits and the Champion of Cham-pions in the World Series of Philately.

He served as editor of Helvetia Alphorn (1969-1974) and editor of thePostal History Journal(1989-1999). He edited twobulletins, the catalog, andthe palmares for PhiLITex92 and served the exhibitionas General Commissioner.It was the largest interna-tional philatelic literatureexhibition at the time.

Harlan edited severalpublications of the Philatel-ic Foundation including ThePhilatelic FoundationQuarterly, Philatelic Focus,The Philatelic Foundation:A History, Philatélie à laFrançaise, and U.S. Post-marks and Cancellations.He edited the works of oth-ers including Robert Stone’sA Caribbean Neptune, George Guzzio and Mary AnnOwens’ New York City on Stamps, Gordon Hugh-mark and Donald Halpern’s Stampless Mail to andfrom Scandinavia to 1868, Yamil Kouri’s The PostalHistory of Spanish New Orleans, Kees Adema’s TheFirst Postage Dues: Holland’s “3S”Markings, 1667-1811, and the ANPHILEX 96 exhibition catalog.

Stone contributed articles to Helvetia Alphorn,Tell, Collectors Club Philatelist, American Philate-list, First Days, Linn’s Stamp News, Stamp Collector,Scott Stamp Monthly, Postal Stationery, Postscript,

and Berner Briefmarken Zeitung. He served the Phil-atelic Foundation as a member of the Board of Trus-tees, the executive committee, as secretary, and asdirector of education. He was a member of the boardof directors of the Postal History Society, and for theAmerican Helvetia Philatelic Society he served asvice president, president, awards chairman, and pub-

licity chairman. He served onthe Council of Philatelists ofthe National Postal Museum.

He was recognized with na-tional golds and internationallarge vermeils at literaturecompetitions as editor of thePostal History Journal, andfour times he received theAmerican Philatelic Con-gress’s Diane D. Boehretaward for excellence in phila-telic literature. He is an honor-ary member of the AmericanHelvetia Philatelic Society. In2000 he was elected to theConsilium Philateliae Helvet-icae. Harlan is a member ofthe prestigious Society ofPostal Historians, and in 2012received the national merit

award of the Philadelphia National Stamp Exhibition.In 2009 he was honored with the Golden Dove

award of the Swiss Stamp Dealers Association forcontributions to Swiss Philately. He received the APSLuff award for distinguished philatelic research in2006, and the Alfred F. Lichtenstein award of theCollectors Club of New York in 2009.

Harlan was invited to speak at the breakfast butwas unable to travel. We missed him.

Harlan F. Stone receiving Gold fromJanet Klug at Westpex,

HOF Continued from Page 6

Harlan Fiske Stone, II

The prize, known as the Dick Salz Award, honorsRichard H. Salz, past president and vice president of thestudy group. He also managed the group’s mail sales andwas co-author of the handbook Canal Zone Stamps.

The first recipient of the Salz Award was Dickson Pres-ton for his 2013 article “Canal Zone Covers Held in Ber-muda during World War II.” He received the plaque dur-ing the WESTPEX 2014 awards banquet.

Canal Zone Study Group Offers Best Article Award


Leo J. (John) Harris2015 Award for Distinguished Philatelic Research

Leo J. (John) Harris (St. Paul, Minnesota) is the recipient ofthe 2015 Luff Award for Distinguished Philatelic Research.

We’re all passionate about our hobby, but perhaps Harris, alawyer by profession and now with more than 70 years within thehobby, is among thosewho, not only exemplifiesit best with his varied ac-complishments within thehobby, but pursues it tothe utmost and promptsothers to work and advo-cate alongside him.

“My purpose is not tobe provocative but, rather,educational,” Harris wrotein an introduction to hisarticle on pioneering LatinAmerican postal servicesfor an article in The Ameri-can Philatelist (February2013). “If I am mistaken inany of my statements I askthat you ... come forwardwith contrary information.”

Harris published an article on the legalities involved in harvest-ing historic philatelic items in a March 1989 article in The Ameri-can Philatelist. “It is not my purpose,” he wrote, “to point an accus-ing finger ... (but) to collect or not to collect any certain category ofmaterial should be an informed decision.”

Harris, a fellow of the Royal Philatelic Society London and acorresponding member of the Real Academia Hispánica de Fila-telia, has collected Latin American stamps and postal history formany years. He has been a philatelic judge nationally and interna-tionally, and has exhibited internationally for many years.

Harris has written, co-written or contributed to six books. In ad-dition, he has written dozens of research articles for English andSpanish-language journals and magazines.

Some of Harris’ most important original research includesSpanish colonial mail in the United States, Central American pre-stamp markings, registered mail, “paid” handstamps, and postalmoney orders in the Spanish colonial Americas.

“(Harris) has been a true pioneer in the field of Latin Americanphilately and postal history,” says his nominating ballot. “On someof the subjects ... such as the colonial libranzas (a postal instrumentto transfer money), there is absolutely nothing else that has everbeen published.”

In addition to his books, Harris has been a regular contributor toThe American Philatelist, The Postal History Journal, CollectorsClub Philatelist, The London Philatelist , and Congress Books ofthe American Philatelic Congress, along with a half-dozen otherssuch as The Airpost Journal and the Academvs, the journal of theReal Academia Hispanica de Filatelia.

The APS Luff Awards 2015

MaryAnn Bowman2015 Award for Exceptional Contributions to Philately

MaryAnn Bowman (Waukesha, Wisconsin) is the recipient ofthe 2015 Luff Award for Exceptional Contributions to Philately.

Bowman has been a creative, innovative, forward-thinking, andactive force and proponentof stamp collecting foryouth for 30 years. “Shenot only works with youthbut also encourages adultsto work with youth,” saidthe nomination ballot. “Shefurthermore has inspiredmany adults to becomeinvolved in philately.”

A retired school teach-er, Bowman has receivednumerous awards over theyears, many in connectionwith her activities promot-ing stamp collectingamong young people. Shehas written articles, creat-ed stamp albums, ledclubs, worked on commit-tees, served as an officerfor associations, madepresentations, mentored and organized philatelic happenings ofall sorts.

Among her early achievements was the creation of the first for-mal youth area at a national level stamp show in 1982, whichserved as a model from the local to the international level. Afterthat, her activities and work at the international, national, regional,and local levels took off. Among them:

Bowman serves on the Council of Philatelists for the Smith-sonian’s National Postal Museum and it was her committee workthere that led to the American Philatelic Society’s Stamps Teachprogram.

She has served as director of youth activities and on show com-mittees for the American Topical Association; worked with theJunior Philatelists of America for many years, including as direc-tor of educational projects and on the advisory council; worked onseveral committees for many years for the Wisconsin Federation ofStamp Clubs; was co-chair for youth activities at World ColumbianExpo 1992; works with youth through the American First DayCover Society; and has been a proponent and innovator of encour-aging youth collecting through hands-on games and activities.

Bowman has contributed in many areas to the APS, including as anauthor to The American Philatelist and as a contributor to theStamps Teach program.

Bowman has written, edited, and produced many articles, pam-phlets, and newsletters.

Her awards before this have been many. Among them: elected tothe Wisconsin Federation of Stamp Club’s Hall of Fame (1988);Recipient of the first encouragement grant from the Collectors Clubof Chicago (1987), the APS’s first Ernest A. Kehr Future of Phi-lately Award for her work with youth in stamp collecting (1991),and the American Topical Association’s Distinguished TopicalPhilatelists Award (2005).

Luff continued on page 9


1

James E. McDevitt (Mobile, Alabama), USCG (ret.), is therecipient of the 2015 Luff Award for Outstanding Services to theAmerican Philatelic Society.

For many years, McDevitt has dutifully servedtwo different organizations, the Errors, Freaksand Oddities Collectors’ Club and the Ameri-can Philatelic Society, as part of its AffiliatesCommittee

“With no thought of reward, Jim took on thejob of chair of the Affiliates Committee in1997 ... and performed in that role for an out-standing 16 years,” said McDevitt’s nomina-tion ballot.

For his duties with APS, McDevitt wrotearticles for The American Philatelist , orga-nized affiliate get-togethers at StampShows,monitored administrative support from staff asaffiliates joined or dissolved, and created an-nual reports.

McDevitt also served as advocate for affili-ates. He was most visible during APS summerand winter conventions when, as a volunteer,he manned the APS Affiliates booth, arranged for affiliate litera-ture, set up the area, and recruited help.

Failing eyesight prompted McDevitt to step down from his

Luff continued from page 8

role as secretary of the Errors, Freaks and Oddities club a coupleyears ago.

“Jim McDevitt has been a longtime supporterof the club, often stepping in when no otherwould, rescuing the club many times,” wrote theclub’s editor in announcing McDevitt’s retire-ment in a newsletter.

His loyal 27-year membership, which includ-ed 18 years as secretary and eight years as presi-dent, was rewarded with a life membership.He also was editor for The EFO Collector forseveral years, worked at many stamp shows,helped update the club’s bylaws, worked as auc-tion director, and prepared thank-you and recog-nition columns.

Another article in The EFO Collector aboutMcDevitt described his workmanlike nature inthis way: “If EFOCC can be thought of as athree-legged stool, for a good share of its historyJim McDevitt has been at least one of thoselegs, and sometimes, two of the three.”

McDevitt won the Clyde Jennings Awardfor service to the EFO Collectors’ Club in 1999.

“Jim personifies the quiet contributions that make APS what itis,” concludes the nominating ballot.

James E. McDevitt2015 Award for Outstanding Services to the

American Philatelic Society

Harry Themal, David Zubatsky and Paul Sommers arethe winners of the 2014 Philip H. Ward Award for Excel-lence in First Day Cover Literature, presented annually bythe American First Day Cover Society. In addition, GaryDickinson was cited for his work.

The first-place winner was Themal’s “Jackie Kenne-dy’s Artcraft Cachet,” which appeared in the December2014 issue of First Days, the official journal of theAFDCS. Themal details the personal involvement of thewidow in getting exactly the design she wanted for firstday covers of the John F. Kennedy stamp that she distrib-uted to friends and family.

Zubatsky received the first runner-up prize for “SandraHaimerl: A Biography and Catalog of Her Handdrawn andPrinted Cachets” in the June 2014 issue of First Days.“World War II Cover Artist Abram Legallez” by Sommerswon second runner-up, after appearing in the April 2014issue of the journal.

The Ward Committee also gave a special recognitionaward this year to Gary Dickinson for his ongoing seriesin First Days on Canadian first day covers and his numer-ous monographs on Canadian first days published by theBritish North American Philatelic Society. “His work hasopened Canadian first days to collectors everywhere,” thecommittee wrote.

Back issues of First Days are available for $4.00 eachpostpaid within the U.S. from Jeffrey Bennett, 1601 RiverFarm Drive, Alexandria, VA 22308. A searchable elec-tronic archive of every issue of First Days from its incep-tion in 1955 through 2014 is available on DVD for $79postpaid. In addition, AFDCS members also can downloadback issues since 2011 for free on the AFDCS website.

The awards were presented at Americover 2015, theannual show and convention of the AFDCS, which washeld in Columbus, Ohio in August this year.

The award is named in honor of Philip H. Ward (1890-1963), the distinguished Philadelphia stamp collector,dealer and journalist who was a pioneer in the field of firstday covers. The award was instituted by the AFDCS in1964. All articles appearing in First Days are automatical-ly considered for the award; articles in other publicationsmay be submitted for consideration.

Additional information about the AFDCS can be foundat www.afdcs.org. Information about the Ward Award canbe obtained from the Ward Award chairman, Mark Good-son, 202 W. Temperance Street, Ellettsville, IN 47429,or [email protected].

Lloyd de Vries.

Themal, Zubatsky, Sommers Win AFDCS Writing Awards


An alternative base material needed to be found--and was--byusing polystyrene, a polymer plastic. A dye could be added tomake it any desired color, in this case a silver grey. When heat-ed to over 212 degrees F (100 degrees C), the clear, glass-like

material liquefies and can easily be fabricatedinto almost any shape. It turns rigid whencooled and is very strong but lightweight.Parts can easily be bonded permanently usingan acrylic “super glue.” A flexible plastichinge allows the two sides to join at the top.

As for the inner part, a white polystyrenepanel replaces the heavy Masonite. Clearacrylic is again used as the face sheets, but athalf the thickness as before. Six speciallydesigned security screws on the face of eachpanel allow for easy access to the inside pan-el to load and unload exhibit pages. Anodizedaluminum poles would again be used as legs.

Each resulting two-sided frame unit has acombined weight of around 24 pound, com-pared to the original “A” weight of 45pounds, for a savings of an estimated 40,000pounds (20 tons!) for the entire 2,000 frames.An initial prototype block of the frames was

trialed at TEXPEX in February. One was displayed during APSStampShow in Grand Rapids August 20-23 at the WSS-NY2016 booth.

The frames are 100% American made in two locations in theDallas-Fort Worth area, ensuring strict quality control and at orbelow-budget results. Production is ongoing through December.They are being stored, palletized and shipped to New York Cityfrom King’s Denton facility at two frame units per box with thelegs boxed separately. All frames will be available for sale at theconclusion of WSS-NY 2016 next June. Pricing and order de-tails will be made known closer to show time.

World Stamp Show-NY 2016 takes place Saturday, May 28through Saturday, June 4 over the Memorial Day holiday at theJavits Center in New York City.

Have you ever thought about reinventing the wheel? That’sthe type of challenge Vince King of Denton, TX undertookwhen he and World Stamp Show-NY 2016 President Wade Saa-di started discussing the exhibition’s need for exhibit frames.The results will be seen by everyone attendingthe show next May 28-June 4 at the JavitsCenter in New York City.

At first thought it sounded like a simpleproposal: Design, engineer, produce, assembleand ship roughly 2,000 double-faced frames tohold up to 16 pages of philatelic material.These types of smaller custom projects arefamiliar to King, an engineer by professionand owner of Entech Design, Inc. He’s alsoPresident of the Texas Postal History Society,a gold medal winning exhibitor of Texas post-al history and member of the National PostalMuseum Council of Philatelists.

The standard type of exhibit frame usedthroughout North America is commonlycalled an “A” frame, designed around 1985and used for the 1986 Ameripex internationalexhibition in Chicago. Basically it’s a double-sided four foot high by three foot wide top-hinged panel on legs. After much deliberation on differing de-sign concepts, Vince’s team came to the conclusion that the“wheel,” that basic “A” design, was still optimal for a variety ofreasons.

The plan then shifted to reconsider the materials making upeach unit. Current “A” frames are constructed of an aluminumframe with an inside backer of Masonite faced with cardboardand white poster board with clear plastic strips to hold the pag-es. The frame’s viewing window consists of clear 1/8 inchacrylic. The legs are also aluminum. Each assembly weightsaround 45 pounds. Major concerns with the status-quo includedtheir excessive weight, difficulty of assembly, and lack of porta-bility, not to mention the labor-intensive process needed to fab-ricate them to begin with. Over 160,000 pop rivets would beneeded to hold the frames together, 80 per frame, and all doneby hand.

New Exhibit Frames to Debut at World Stamp Show-NY 2016

A few photos from the WU30 breakfast. Ken,who handled the camera, was so nervousabout being awarded the Peterson award thatall the rest of the photos are blurred!!!Congrats Ken!


ReviewsPrint & Electronic

Airmails Across the Middle East – 1918 - 1930, byLaurence Kimpton. 328 pages, soft cover, A4 format,color throughout, over 460 illustrations (covers, pho-tographs, ephemera & maps). Published in May 2015by the author, 20 Greytree Crescent, Dorridge, Soli-hull, B93 8SL, United Kingdom. UK£45.00(approximately US$68.00) plus postage UK £3.00(2nd class), Europe (airmail) £9.50, rest of the world(airmail) £15.00 (approximately US$23.00). Paymentby £ sterling cheque or by Paypal (outside UK only,no extra charge) to: [email protected].

The Middle East occupied a strategic location inthe early development of air transport. The need tocarry mail quickly and efficiently was a major incen-tive in the develop-ment of the air ser-vices from Europe tothe Middle East, In-dia and beyond.This book considersthe pioneer flightswhich crossed theMiddle East after theend of the FirstWorld War, theRAF Cairo-BaghdadAir Mail Service andthe development ofregular air servicesby Imperial Airwaysand other airlines.While the bookbuilds upon anddraws together the work of other authors, research inthe Royal Mail Archive, the UK National Archivesand elsewhere has produced much previously un-published information, especially on the airmails ofthe early long distance pioneer flights, the RAFflights between Baghdad and Cairo in 1919, the RAFCairo-Baghdad service and the development of theservices of Imperial Airways.

All covers and illustrations are shown in full color,which greatly enhances the book. Lots of detail isincluded for each flight, and this is accompanied byuseful charts, maps and bibliographic references.Various Appendices include a Listing of PioneerFlights, 1922-1930, The Pilot’s Handbook of the Cai-ro-Baghdad Route, and Select Bibliography and anIndex.

The book should be of interest to collectors inter-ested in the airmails and the postal history of theMiddle East (in particular, Iraq, Egypt and Persia)and the countries of Europe and Asia which were in-volved in the development of airmail services acrossthe Middle East.

Contents1. Political and Historical Background2. An Air Route to the East, 19183. The First Flight from England to India, 1918-19194. Plans for Imperial Air Routes, 1919-19205. The Attempted First Flight from Europe to Aus-

tralia by Poulet and Benoist, 19196. The England-Australia Air Race, 1919-19207. The Italian Air Force Flight from Rome to Tokyo,

19208. Royal Air Force Air Mail Flights in the Middle

East, 19199. The RAF Cairo-Baghdad Air Mail Service; Pro-

posals and Preparations, 1920-192110. The RAF Cairo-Baghdad Air Mail Service; the

First Six Months, 1921-192211. The Operation of the RAF Cairo-Baghdad Air

Mail Service, 1921-192212. The RAF Cairo-Baghdad Air Mail Service; Im-

provements and Changes, 1922-192313. The Nairn Overland Mail Service14. The RAF Cairo-Baghdad Air Mail Service; Com-

peting with the Overland Mail, 1923-192615. The Postal History of the RAF Cairo-Baghdad

Air Mail Service; Great Britain and Ireland16. The Postal History of the RAF Cairo-Baghdad

Air Mail Service; Europe, Canada and the USA17. The Postal History of the RAF Cairo-Baghdad

Air Mail Service; Iraq18. The Postal History of the RAF Cairo-Baghdad

Air Mail Service; Persia, Egypt and other MiddleEastern Countries

19. Pioneer Flights across the Middle East, 1922-1930

20 Preparations for Imperial Airways Air Service toIndia, 1924-1927

21. Imperial Airways Cairo-Basra Service, 1927-1929

22. Imperial Airways London-Karachi Service, 1929-1930

23. Imperial Airship Services24. The Development of KLM’s Air Service to the

Dutch East Indies, 1924-193025. The French Airlines; CIDNA, AULO and Air

Orient26. The German Airlines; Junkers Luftverkehr Per-

sien and Deutsche LufthansaKen Sanford

Reviews continued page 12


Arrow Philately: The FAM 22 Debate Expli-cated by Ken Lawrence. [Spring Mills, PA],The author, 2015. Saddlestitched, 8.25 x 10.75inches, 36pp., color illus. Review 1.

Available for $15 postpaid in the United States, $18worldwide, from: Ken Lawrence, POB 98 SpringMills, PA, 16875; E-mail [email protected]

When reviewing Arrow Philately: The FAM 22Debate Explicated by Ken Lawrence, one must firstdetermine what this 36-page document really is. Ithas the elements of a monograph, a research paperand a white paper, but the best description is proba-bly that it is a position paper.

The subject is Foreign Air Mail (FAM) Route 22,the trans-Atlantic route from Miami to Africa and Asiaduring World War II. It was the longest route in theworld and some also consider it the most importantof the FAMs.

Lawrence uses this self-published document to bethe protagonist and put forth his strong views aboutthe FAM 22 debate. The title, “Arrow Philately,” islikely intended to be a take-off of aerophilately, butundoubtedly it also refers to the slings and arrowstossed about by the major players in this saga, whichcould easily make an episode for a reality TV show.

Lawrence has shown previouslythat he is not afraid to broach con-troversial issues or establishedwisdom when he feels that he hasthe evidence to support his theory.He also is an excellent researcherwho considers the FAM 22 subjectto be one of his areas of specializa-tion and he defends his position likea pit bull. He bares his teeth, bitesdown hard and does not let go.

Based upon his research in pre-viously restricted and unpublishedgovernment, academic and corporatearchives, along with an analysisof international airmail from 1941to 1945, Lawrence deconstructs andrefutes a series of articles published inmajor philatelic journals since 2008.

He includes e-mail correspondence betweenhimself, the former editor of the American Philate-list, and the major antagonists, principally RobertWilcsek and John Wilson, exchanges that become in-creasingly bitter.

Lawrence regards attempts by specialists todiminish the significance of FAM 22 as an irresponsibleapproach to postal history and he attempts to offer anaffirmative case for the significance of FAM 22with the inclusion of more than two dozen color co-vers.

Airmail specialists will get a much betterappreciation for the ongoing FAM 22 debate by read-ing the full 25,000 word essay.

The production aspects are above average withhigh quality paper and illustrations, although mycopy was miscut slightly by the printer.

With Arrow Philately: The FAM 22 DebateExplicated, Lawrence has thrown down the gaunt-let. He has laid out his case and, unless his opponentstake the time and effort to respond, it appears that hemay have provided the last word on the subject.

(Originally published in La Posta, Third Quarter2015 Page 53.)

Peter Martin

Arrow Philately: The FAM 22 Debate Expli-cated by Ken Lawrence. [Spring Mills, PA],The author, 2015. Saddlestitched, 8.25 x 10.75inches, 36pp., color illus. Review 2.

“Behind-the-scenes” philately can be fascinating,frustrating and sometimes enlightening. Ken Law-rence’s Arrow Philately probably fits more than oneof these categories, and probably a few others also.This monograph discusses some of the controversialaspects of current interpretations of what actuallyhappened with Foreign Air Mail Route No. 22 (FAM22) during the Second World War.

Analyses of current knowledge re-garding FAM 22 have been pub-lished by several authors in the lastfew years in publications includingthe Airpost Journal (APJ) and theAmerican Philatelist (AP), with con-trary and contradictory views ex-pressed. (“Current knowledge” canbe a moving target because of recentdeclassification of pertinent govern-ment documents regarding WW II.)Lawrence wrote feature articles aboutFAM 22 in the AP of January andFebruary, 2014. These apparently ledto a behind-the-scenes exchange ofcorrespondence between previousauthors of APJ articles on FAM 22and the Editor of the AP, which cor-

respondence was circulated among certain insidersand FAM students. This led to the publication of onevery short Letter to the Editor in the AP mentioningarticles in the APJ.

The title Arrow Philately is apparently a play onwords of “aerophilately” relating to Shakespeare’sMacbeth, which Lawrence quotes at the beginning ofhis monograph.

The current monograph is essentially Ken Law-rence’s rebuttal of writings that appeared previouslyin the APJ. And as such it tries to enlighten the reader


about what happened along the route of FAM 22 dur-ing WW II. Whether this goal was accomplished can-not be judged by this writer, since I specifically es-chew studying wartime philately, not because of anydislike for it, but because there is too much competi-tion for material to be able to make meaningful re-search progress with it short of spending decades(and lots of money) pursuing the field. (It’s not mything – I prefer researching areas that no one has everlooked at before but areas that have unrecognizedphilatelic significance.)

This monograph may be useful to anyone pursuingSecond World War postal history, particularly forexhibiting. Initially, Lawrence presents his views onstatements made by the APJ authors in their corre-spondence with the AP. Second, he goes into discus-sions of several points made in the APJ articles thatappeared in recent years. A final, short conclusionstates what Lawrence thinks should happen in the fu-ture regarding FAM 22 research.

The monograph contains illustrations of about twodozen registered covers carried on the FAM 22 routethat illustrate the points Lawrence endeavors to make.Since registers were backstamped every time theystopped somewhere and mailbags were opened, suchcovers well document their travel across the globe.Students of WW II aerophilately are probably welladvised to check into this volume to determine whatthey can learn from it.

(Originally published in United States Specialist,August, 2015.)

Leonard Piszkiewicz

Postal Censorship in Finland 1914-1918 compiled byRoger P. Quinby. Catalog of censor markings onCD, 2015. Information from Roger P. Quinby,[email protected].

Several editions of this catalog have appeared, themost recent one being 2012, until now. This new 2015version updates the previous ones although it is notmentioned to what extent. Errors have been correctedand new markings recorded as well as new dates likeearliest and latest known. The background for the originof this work and the contents of the catalogue are de-scribed in what is termed the “Forward,” more likely a“Foreword.”

The subject is postal censorship in Finland duringWW I, from the opening of the first censor office in Au-gust 1914 to the closing of the Helsinki office in Janu-ary 1918. The subject matter does not include Finland’sWar for Independence. The basis of this catalogue aretwo works: the late Juhani Olamo’s Postal Censorshipin Finland 1914-1917 (1972) and the two-volumePostisensuri Suomessa (1997 and 1999) by Teuvo Ter-monen and Jorma Keturi.

Quinby and his associates have expanded and updat-ed the catalogue with many years of research and newfindings. Most importantly the work is in the Englishlanguage, including the introductory essay by Olamothat sets the stage for the catalogue. The bulk of the list-ings is presented by city censor offices. There are tentowns individually broken out. As might be expected,more than one third of the markings are from Helsinkialone.

A summary page for each city indicates earliest andlatest known dates of the markings and sealing tapes,rarity, shape of the censor handstamp types and sub-types, and the languages used (Finnish, Swedish, Rus-sian). Two basic types of the censorship devices are“general” and “personal.” The latter are primarily hand-stamped names or signatures. The catalogue listings foreach town provide illustrations of the censor marking ortape, often alone as well as on cover, earliest and latestknown use, subtypes, measurements, color ink, text inEnglish, and degree of rarity.

Following the censor handstamps for each city arethe resealing tapelistings. These areidentified by size,text, paper color,earliest and latestrecorded dates ofuse, and degree ofrarity if known.Some wax sealsare also shown.The color illustra-tions throughoutthese cataloguelistings are clearand crisp. Somevarieties are shown under magnification.

A series of appendices support the information in thetown catalogue listings. One is a discussion of rarityand tables based on earlier literature as well as onemodified by Quinby to be more definite with respect tonumbers known. Another appendix describes genericresealing tapes, and still another presents a timelinewith respect to changes in mail handling and censorshipwith reference to the pertinent post office bulletins. Thepost office bulletins and circulars are reproduced inEnglish, by year of issue, in four other appendices.

A bibliography is restricted to articles that appearedin the discontinued journal The Finnish Philatelist. Thearticles can be accessed through the web site or the li-brary of the Scandinavian Collectors club. Most of thecontent of this CD is in PDF files. This catalogue is in-credibly detailed and presented with quality illustra-tions. It is the definitive resource for World War I Fin-land censorship.

Alan Warren


Grand and Gold

Mails of the Westward Expansion, 1803 to 1861Western Cover Society

Reserve Grand and GoldFakes, Forgeries Experts, No. 18, 2015

FFE No. 18, Jonas HallstromPostal History Journal

De Blois & Harris

CatalogsVermeil

2015 Brookman Price Guide for U.S., Canada, U.N.Stamps, FDC’s, Autographs and Postal Collectibles

Arlene Dunn/BrookmanThe Jack Wallace Collection

Eastern Auctions Ltd.Postal Censorship in Finland, 2015 Edition

Roger Quinby

HandbooksGold

The Prestamp Period of El Salvador (1525-1866)The Collectors Club of Chicago

also American Philatelic Society Research MedalCroatia 1941-1945, Nezavisna Država

Hrvatska, Revenue IssuesPhilip J. Hughes

Mail from the French Shore of NewfoundlandTaylor & Slabbinck

Dorothy Knapp: Philately and FamilyDouglas S. Weisz

Collecting Easter Island - Stamps and Postal HistoryStephen Pendleton

SilverThe Mother of All Indexes: Biophilately Vol. 1-62 with

Unit HistoryJack R. Congrove

Plants on Stamps, Volume VChristopher Dahle

Every Stamp Tells a Story: The National Philatelic Col-lection

Cheryl R. GanzWatercraft on Stamps II

Katherine A. KirkUnited States Airmail Stamps 1918 - History and Analysis

of First Day of Sale Postal UseJoe Kirker

Combat and Special Operations of United States MotorTorpedo Boats during World War Two

Military Postal History Society and Norman Gruenzner

Silver BronzeLook at that Face (1100 Years of British Royal Portrai-

ture: A Philatelic Perspective)Roger P. Butts

Freedom Just Around the Corner: Black America FromCivil War to Civil Rights

Smithsonian National Postal Museum

Philatelic Society Journals,Periodicals

GoldBiophilately: Official Journal of the Biology

Unit of ATABiology Unit of ATA

First DaysPeter Martin

Fil-ItaliaGiorgia Migliavacca - Italy and Colonies

Study CircleMexicana

Michael D. RobertsNJPH, Journal of New Jersey Postal History Society

Jean WaltonTopical Time

Wayne YoungbloodThe Posthorn

Wayne YoungbloodTELL

American Helvetia Philatelic Society:George Struble

The Israel PhilatelistDonald A. Chafetz

The Penny PostLarry Lyons

Journal of Sports PhilatelyMark Maestrone

The Czechoslovak SpecialistLudvik Z. Svoboda

VORLÄUFERDaniel C. Warren

SilverARPA Journal

Armenian Philatelic Association, Jack KifedjianThe COROS Chronicle; Quarterly Journal of the Collec-

tors of Religion on StampsCOROS

The Peninsular PhilatelistPeninsular State Philatelic Society

Silver BronzeThe Petro-Philatelist

Feitze Papa

Literature PalmaresAPS STAMPSHOW August 20-23, 2015

Grand Rapids, Michigan


Secretary-Treasurer’sReport

New Members2004 Chris Hargreaves, 4060 Bath Road, Kingston, On-tario K7M 4Y4 Canada. Editor The Canadian Aerophilat-elist; columnist Canadian Air Mail Notes.2005 Ron Walenciak, PO Box 1042, Washington Twsp,NJ 07676. Editor Page and Panel Journal.2006 Lester C Lanphear III, PO Box 80843, San Diego,CA 92138. Assistant Section Editor, The Chronicle.2007 Dennis Sadowski, 3245 Nagel Rd, Avon, OH 44011-2059. Columnist The Chronicle-Telegram Elyria OH,freelance Ohio Postal History Journal.2008 Matthew Healey, 106 Bedford St #6, New YorkCity, NY 10014. Editor WSS-NY 2016 exhibition catalog,columnist and regular writer Linn's Stamp News, freelanceThe New York Times.2009 Jay Bigalke, PO Box 882, Troy, OH 45373. EditorThe American Philatelist.2010 David M. Frye, 5600 SW 80th Ct, Denton, NE68339-3332. Editor Lincoln Stamp Club newsletter TheSouvenir Sheet, Freelance Postal History Journal.2011 Dawn R. Hamman, Editor Venice (FL) Stamp Clubnewsletter, columnist Topical Time, Freelance AmericanaStudy Unit Journal, write and edit news releases andbro-chures for ATA.2012 Paul C. Petersen, 1300 Hillcrest Rd, Lancaster, PA17603-1714. Editor Lancaster Stamp Club newsletter, au-thor non-philatelic papers.2013 Michael Mules, PO Box 6, Salem, WI 53168-0006.Editor Wisconsin Federation of Stamp Clubs' Across theFense Post, freelance writer Coil Line, Journal of thePNC3.2014 Ron Breznay, 18 Cist St, hanover Township, PA18706-5106. Non-philatelic writer returning to philatelyand hopes to write.2015 Gene Stutzenstein, 2249 Gibley Park Rd, Toledo,OH 43617-2254. Freelance writer in club newsletters(anonymous articles about the hobby).

Returned, Unable to forward1812 Glen Spies0703 Charles A. Fricke

Resigned1968 G. Paul Billion0673 Ernest E. Fricks1884 Peter Butler

Deceased1511 Robert D. Rawlins1966 Allan Boudreau

WU30 Election Results July 2015President: Lloyd de Vries 37V President: David Crotty 37Sec/Tres: Ken Trettin 38Council: Dane Claussen 35Council: Daniel Warren 36

There were no write-ins.

About Writers Unit #30Purpose of the Writers Unit #30 of the American PhilatelicSociety is to encourage and assist philatelic communica-tions, knowledge, and comradeship. Membership is opento anyone interested in philatelic communications.

Join Us TodayMembership includes a subscription to the Philatelic Com-municator. Membership applications received by October1 will be recorded as members for that calendar year andwill receive all four quarterly issues of the Philatelic Com-municator for that year. Applications received after Octo-ber 1 will be recorded as members for the following calen-dar year.A membership application may be downloaded from theWriters Unit #30 website at www.wu30.org. Existingmembers are encouraged to download this form and give itto potential members so they can join.

Membership DuesThe membership dues for each calendar year are:

USPS ZIP Code Addresses......... $20.00Canada and Mexico.................... $22.50All Other Addresses........ .......... $25.00Payment must be made in U.S. funds by a check imprintedwith a U.S. bank transit number, or by postal money orderpayable to “APS Writers Unit #30.” Some overseas mem-bers prefer to send U.S. bank notes.

Updating Your Mailing AddressPlease notify us of address changes to assure that you re-ceive without delay each issue of The Philatelic Commu-nicator. This will also save WU#30 several dollars be-cause the USPS charges us when they have to send us anaddress correction, and we still have to pay the postage forre-shipping the issue to the member.

Ken TrettinWU#30 Secretary-Treasurer

PO Box 56,Rockford, IA 50468-0056

[email protected]


APS Writers Unit #30

Ken Trettin

PO Box 56,Rockford, IA 50468-0056Return Service Requested

Dated Mail - Please Rush

Articles Departments

Expert Help for Writers and EditorsDr. Dane S. Claussen, Writers Unit #30 past president, offersfree critiques of periodicals, books and manuscripts. Submit thefour most recent issues, including postage equivalent to fourtimes the first class mailing fee. Any unused amount will bereturned. Critiques can be expected in about 30 days. Inquirebefore sending books and manuscripts, providing a brief de-scription. Return time will vary depending on length and othercommitments. Include an SASE. Note that Dr. Claussen hasmoved. Send to Dr. Dane S. Claussen’s Email:[email protected].

Charles J. Peterson Philatelic Literature Life AchievementAward Winner:KennethTrettin

1

Writer’s Unit Hall of Fame: Lester Winick, Barb Boal,

Thomas Lera, Harlan F. Stone

4

Themal, Zubatsky, Sommers Win AFDCS WritingAwards

10

WU30 Breakfast Photos 10

APS Luff Awards 2015, Leo J. Harris, Mary Ann Bow-

man, James E. McDevitt

8

Canal Zone Study Group Offers Best Article Award 7

From the Editor……………………………………David Crotty 2

President’s Message……………………… .….Lloyd de Vries 3

ReviewsAirmails Across the Middle East – 1918 - 1930, by Lau-

rence KimptonArrow Philately: The FAM 22 Debate Explicated

by Ken Lawrence (Review 1)Arrow Philately: The FAM 22 Debate Explicated

by Ken Lawrence (Review 2)Postal Censorship in Finland 1914-1918 compiled by Rog-

er P. Quinby

11

12

12

13

2016-2016 Literature and Web Exhibits 15

WU30 Treasurer’s Report 15

StampShow 2015 Literature Palmares 14

Materials for ReviewMaterial for review may be sent to the editor. Reviews of ma-

terials are welcomed from members and non-members. Reviewsshould be concise and stress those aspects that are helpful exam-ples (positive or negative) for other authors, editors and publish-ers. Review requests from those having an interest in the item,such as publishers and distributors, must include a copy of thepublication.

2015-2016 Literature and Web ExhibitsCHICAGOPEX November 20-22, 2015, Itasca, IL,

www.chicagopex.com/APS CAC Newsletter Competition, January 2016 en-

trance deadline. [email protected] CAC Website Competition, Spring 2016,

www.stamps.org/cac/World Stamp Show-NY 2016, Javits Convention Center

New York City Saturday, May 28-Saturday, June 4,2016.

NAPEX, June, 2016, McLean Tysons Corner, VA,www.napex.org/

APS StampShow August 4-7, 2015, Portland, OR,www.stamps.org/StampShow

Documents

The Philatelic Communicator - Writerswu30.org/TPC/20153.pdfpulsion, as well described by this couplet: “Mere mortals work from 9 to 5. A writer writes while he’s alive!” Below