Tuesday, June 14, 2016

Week #2016.23 and 24½ on SébPhilatelie: Paris-Philex (2)

After a first glimpse of Paris-Philex (on 25 May), the new French Federation's Parisian show (shorter, cost-effective, better placed), I continue my summaries going to topics seldom written about in the French philatelic publications: the competitive exhibitions.

But there are other topics too.

Monday 6 June: a first day of omelette issue for French Minister of Economy.
In communist stronghold town of Montreuil, East of Paris, French Minister of the Economy Emmanuel Macron inaugurated the 80th anniversary issue of the Front Populaire, the political alliance of 1936 that fought against a rise of fascism in France and helped established social rights at work.
The three first women ministers of France by Ernest Pignon-Ernest (phil-ouest.com).
The problem: Mr. Macron, a young unelected banker by profession and economically very liberal, faced a demonstration by left organisations. A confrontation that ended with an egg on the minister's hair. As reported by journalists, for once present at a first day of issue.

Conclusion: don't forget your eggs the next time you go to a stamp show with too many special costly issues :)

Saturday 11 June: French media in the Pacific Ocean speak about philately.
While Saint-Pierre and Miquelon public radio and television are always evoking philately, early June saw movements in the Pacific French overseas collectivies.
The street art / New York 2016 stamp from French Polynesia (via Tahiti infos).
Polynésie 1ère reported the presence of the French Polynesian philatelic service at World Stamp Show New York, with a commemorative stamps on street art in Tahiti.

In New Caledonia, private television NCI, on June 7th, let Jean-Pierre Bressler from Le Cagou philatelic association present the annual collections show of Noumea. For stamp collectors, the club organised in May-early June a competition to find the new definitive stamp design of the archipelago, figuring the eponym emblem bird.

Sunday 12 June: stricking collections at Paris-Philex.
To try commenting a competition of exhibitions, let's begin with a first article on the most stricking classical collections.

Brigitte Abensur's very classical approach to postal history (Napoléon III stamp on worldwide mail) yet highly accessible to amateurs, the wife of a philatelist and even a moron like me. Gold medal, 91 points and a special prize.

Modern style was Marc Gérault's approach of the 15 francs Marianne by Gandon stamps with A3 sheets and the introduction of the stamps in pairs from advertisment booklets... Nice. Large Vermeil, 87 points, ten points gained in 3 participations.
THE item of Paris-Philex 2016 (collection Laurent Bonnefoy).
Laurent Bonnefoy's full window 1907 letter from a French bank to Finland's Revenue... Window as in philatelic English: one letter = one full frame franked with more than twenty 5 francs Merson stamps.

Gold medal, 90 points... But no special prize. Hopefully it's philately and not football where supporters can confront the referees.

To be continued with other collections put together through my personal points of view.

Tuesday 14 June: Why not a prize for the best dealer at a stamp show?
Why not celebrate the dealers who make efforts to please their clients while taking their money?
Logotype of the Danish merchant (website).
My Paris-Philex 2016 best dealer is JF-Stamps from Odense, Denmark!

First because they know there are other countries in the philatelic world than France and its colonies.

Second and mainly because they DO NOT WRITE the price on the covers!!! But on the protective plastic envelope.

Should the other dealers of the show from France, Germany and other places learn from example, please.

Saturday, June 04, 2016

Week #2016.22 on SébPhilatélie

Tuesday 31 May: King George VI and the Battle of Jutland.
The centenary of the 1916 naval battle betweek British and German navies reminded that a young Prince Albert, to become King George VI, participated and saw the battle from afar.
Prince Albert, beginning of the Great War (Royal Archives via the British Royal Family's Facebook page).
From there, I wonder why this monarch has only been a guest in some Royal Mail's stamp issues and hasn't got a huge commemorative.

Wednesday 1st June: the Crawford Library's online!!!
Announced last March by retired British Library curator David Beech, large parts of the Library of James Ludovic Lindsay, Earl of Crawford, can, since last Monday 30 May, be searched and read online through the Global Philatelic Library.

The catalogue of the Library bequeathed to the Nation virtually list all philatelic literature, pamphlet, sales catalogues ever published until 1911. On that 95% are in the Crawford Library at the British Library. From there, 80% were microfilmed in the 1980s-1990s and then digitised these part years.
The catalogue page that shouldn't be missed (screen captude, 1st of June 2016).
Don't forget to check the catalogue page to know what's in there and because there are free bonuses: two supplements of The London Philatelist on the life of Crawford and the conservation of his Library.



The passage from film to digital was possible by a grant of the British Philatelic Fund, the volunteering and the server storage capacity of the Royal Philatelic Society London, that now proposed an introductive video to present itself.

Saturday 4 June: the Palmares of New York 2016.
Today's final day of the World Stamp Show New York 2016 and the palmares was published - but for the Champions Class.
The medal with the show logotype by Niko Courtelis.
Not being able to visit it, I cherry picked into the palmares to create the article:
- How philatelists of Saint-Pierre and Miquelon succeeded (third Large Gold for Jean-Jacques Tillard).
- How does the-postal-history-meets-societies-history class succeeded. Quite well with a Grand Prix International thank you.
- What's at the bottom of the list: certainly not failures!
- From hints by Australian dealer Glen Stephens on StampBoards.com, some collections to check: a Tre Skilling Banco yellow here, a King Edward VIII stamp project there...

Thursday, June 02, 2016

Austria Post got Postcrossing... Warum?!!

Saturday May 21st, the Austrian Postcrossers celebrated the issue of the 24th stamp about the postcard exchange website.
A wall of bricks? (Austrian Post via the Postcrossing blog).
Artist Robert Sabolovic proposed a blurred wall of postcards. Ach! Contemporary art...

#24 (AUT #1) : issuedmis 21 March 2016 by Österreichische Post (Austria), value 0.80 euro. Design by Robert Sabolovic. Printed in offset by Joh. Enschedé Stamps B.V., run of 250 thousands stamps.

The SebPhilately's Postcrossing stamp catalogue always available on the 24 December 2015 up to date post.