Gallery

THE SUN, Sunday, October 26, 1975 H5

Stamps

A Sampler on Germany
By JAMES GASQUE

Few it any of the commodities connected with stamp collecting — quality stamps included — have increased more in price In recent times than the variety of reference materials generally lumped together under the heading of philatelic literature.

Most such books are produced in limited numbers, which serves to increase the unit price, but fortunately for collectors’s budgets, a useful reference source does not have to be leather bound.

The collector who is alert and also patient can assemble much of what he needs in soft bound books and pamphlets.

The local group of German specialists produced just such a book during the summer, one presenting sound research and an abundance of appropriate illustrations, all of it nicely printed on enamel paper and still made available to collectors for only $3.75.

120-page book

The 120-page book was put together for distribution at the Germany Philatelic Society’s annual convention, held here during the Labor Day weekend. Some copies of the book are still available.

Called a Germany Philatelic Sampler, it was written for collectors who are interested in the stamps of Germany and associated areas, but most of the baker’s dozen articles would be of Interest to all collectors.

Four of the 13 pIeces were written by Marylanders — Roy F. ‘Dodd, Herman L. Halle, Herman Houtman and John W. Painter — with men and women from all parts of the country contributing the others.

A high proportion of the articles deal with philatelic matters of the last 40 years. A member of the editorial board named to work on the book reminded a friend the other day that the Third Reich produced all sorts of collectibles, the variety extending much beyond stamps and postal stationery.

Photographs of medals

One article In particular illustrates this. It Is Colonel Halle’s discussion of “Stamps, Medals and Nazi Glory.” accompanied by more than two dozen photographs of medals used during the 1933-1945 period.

The editors also Included a section reproducting some World War II propaganda leaflets, to cite another group of Nazi era collectibles.

A particularly notable contribution to the book is Dodd’s article on the Graf Zeppelin’s ‘Round-the-World Flight of 1929, complete with charts giving the routes taken, flying times, postal markings, the quantities of covers flown and even data on their forwarding.

Collected over years

The article Is not some-thing Dodd whipped up on short notice. The Baltimore engineer has been collecting Zepp covers for years and is a - widely-recognized authority on them.

Elsewhere in the book there are pieces on the German inflation stamps of the 1930’s, World War H markings, postcards and hand over printed issues, among others.

For the collector not familiar with the Germany Philaelic Society, the book tells something of this outfit’s makeup and services. It has 28 chapters n this country and in Canada and members in many countries, plus an expertising service that may be unique. G.P.S. puts its experts’ opinions in writing and guarantees them.

Within the parent G.P.S., there are nine study groups whose members specialize in stamps of the Buildings issue, the inflation era, Luftpost is sues or whatever.

One of the biggest and most active study groups is involved with the stamps of Danzig, and its members receive a monthly journal edited by John Bloecher, Jr., who also is president of Baltimore Chapter 16 of the G.P.S.

The local group meets on the third Sunday of each month aL 1.30 P.M. at the Baltimore Philatelic Society, 1224 North Calven street.

Collectors who want to add G.P.S.’s Sampler to their reference shelf may order by mail, making cheeks payable to G.P.S. Chapter 16 and sending requests to the group’s secretary-treasurer, Benjamin Sheppard, Jr, 1230 New-field road, Baltimore, 21207. The $3.75 price includes postage.

Danzig Report   Nr. 5 - October - 1975, Page 8.