Need Technical Book On Early US

I would like a recommendation for in depth book, that is dedicated to the early US stamps, say up to 1940. The Scott 1998 Specialized catalog is most informative, but I suspect there are other good books also that would get even more history behind any particular stamp.

As a non US citizen who uses Gibbons,
I find the 1955 US Stamp identifier (at 25c)
a great aid to my album and US stamps.

(Gift from Philb an SCF member)

Hi yukoncat,

Check the American Philatelic Research Library (APRL) for titles:

http://www.stamps.org/InmagicGenie/opac.aspx

or APS main-site:

http://www.stamps.org/TheAps/index.htm

If you are not a member you may be able to borrow a book through your local library as the APRL is part of the inter-library service.

Jerry B

Hi yukoncat,

Forgot to give the APRL fees link:

http://www.stamplibrary.org/thelibr...ces.htm#fees

Jerry B

The Identification Guide To US Stamps regular issues of 1847-1934 by Charles Micarelli, available new from Scott (Amos Press) or used off of ebay.

There are a few works around like "The United States Postage Stamps of the 19Th Century" written by Lester G, Brookman (1966)It comes in 3 volumes all in black and white and describes most stamps and some covers,also these 3 volumes give a Scott # as well as a Minkus # but remember these are in black and white so you can't compare colors to the stamps in the 3 volumes,there is another but more of a specialty book on plate blocks varieties which is interesting if you collect plate blocks but maybe your not into that specialty.
regards Harry

Oh P.S.
to the site and forum yukoncat

Here are three more you might check out:

US Stamp Facts - 19th Century from Linn's/Amos
United States Postal History Sampler from Linn's/Amos
Encyclopedia of US Stamps and Stamp Collecting from Kirk House Publishers

Thanks to all that have responded. I've tried other forums, but never have I received such informative and quick responses. Thanks again.

I didn't say it in my first post, but

I hope you stay with us and become a 1000air by sharing your collection and insights. Just remember,

Probably not to the depth you require,
but this gives the story behind each stamp.
Printed by the US PO dept.
let me know if you want any other particular stamp
info scanned up to 1965 as an example.

That's a cool book, Rod.

Hi, Yukoncat. Everyone is giving you great help and advice, they are being straight up with you. You should be aware that there is a lot of literature out there both in published books and in newsletters adn journals of various societies. And I mean a lot.

Now, if you look at the Scott Specailized Catalog, you will see that the stamps are divided into time periods, printers, and types. So we are looking at specifics like the 1861-1865 issue, American Banknote Issue, Bureau Issues, Regular issue of 1938, The Farley Issue, Proofs, Essays. Now, within let us say the 1861-1865 issue, many of the denominations/face values have had books or articles written about them. So you need to make a list of the general categories I examapled above, adn then find books that fit into those categories.

The knowledge yuo seek you are really not going to be able to do it alone or enjoy it as much if you do it alone. Especially if you are going to do anything at all in the classics. The advice to join the APRL Library through the American Philatelic Organization (Use that as a search term) of which it is a part is excellent advice. They have a Youth Group. And if you tell any organization what you want, and show interest and talent in their area of specilaization, you might make a valuable friend of a famous philatelic notable who will help you.

In the classics area there is the United States Classics Society which you should contact. There is also the United States Stamp Society which studies stamps of the Bureau Issues period (about 1893 and later). There is also the Essay-Proof Society of which their interests in proofs of the classic period and of the Banknote period will be of immense help to you.

I might be able to get you some help on the Bureau Issues, something for you to read on line. The Bureau Issues do not appeal to me, but I cannot deny that what I have seen that there is to read about them is very interesting. Give me a couple of days to work on that will you?

I'd like to sponsor you for membership in the American Philatelic Society, but I don't think we can get our identities opened in these forums. But keep in touch will you?

Best Regards, BlankPage.

Hi BlankPage,

Click on yukoncat name and you can e-mail him/her from their profile.
That way you can exchange e-mail addresses with out the board.

I think its great that you are willing to sponser yukoncat for the APS and/or APRL.

Jerry B
APS Member

Hi, Yukoncat. I have some leads for you which might be of help.

First, I want to repeat what many others that replied to you suggested, to join the American Philatelic Society and their library.
They have US Philatelic classics interest, and they are a low-key, easy to take organization. Since you are just beginning, this would be a good option for you. They will give you a good backgorund.

Now there is another organization, The US Philatelic Classics Society which is a chapter memmber of the American Philatelic Society. This organization is very very dedicated to US stamps of the 19th century. They provide very in-depth discussions and articles and books and DVDs of the stamps of the period in which you are interested in. I would suggest that if you are going to join this organization that you email---or better yet if you can, telephone---someone, because voice to voice I think communicates better, at the American Philatelic Society first, and ask their guidance about the Classics Society and about your joining it.
The American Philatelic Society has a Youth Study Program, it might be best if you contacted one of their represnetatives and spoke with them about your interests in the APS and the Classics Society.

Second, let me say that if you are going to study U.S. stamps of the 19th Century, you will encounter a lot of postal history even without accessing a postal history organization. The US Philatelic Classics Society is a wonderful organization for 19th Century United States stamps, and their studies embrace not only singles, but also postal history of the period. Interest in the Society requires an in depth, study-intensive effort. So if you are going to join them, email them or better yet, telephone them and talk to someone about your itneretsts.

Now, go to the US Philatelic Classics Society site. Look at their homepage and menu. On the left see "Full Length
Chronicle Article", click on that to read. They change the articles every so often. You might try to print it out and get a paper copy.

You will also see the option to Browse/Search the Web Chronicle. This area is available only to members. Your effort as a non-member to search will bring up an illustrated summary of the offerings.

On the Society's Home Page, in the center, is a section "Current Matters". These items are for sale to members and non-members. I think you will find material here that fits right into your interests and is not expensive. The neat thing about them is that they are CDs and DVDs of books, so they will take up less space and cost less than the original book.

I would like to offer this advice: if you are going to make any purchase, email someone in the Society, or better if you can, telephone them, because really voice to voice I think is better, it communicates better, and talk to them about what you want to purchase to be sure it is what you want. Ask questions as to how the DVD/CD, book or article handles the subject matter. Especially on the written materials below which I am reccomending. You don't want to make a blind purchase.

I would also reccomend making at first purchases that don't cost you a lot of money. Get one or two items just to start. They will have plenty of information to keep you busy quite a while. Anything else, request it through the APRL APS Library, or your local libary on an interlibrary loan. Much of the better philatelic literature might be available at a college or university, I found that to be the case years ago when I collected coins. Classic references were avaialbe right here in my town at the big University. So, if you have someone in the family that has graduated college, they might be able to access the college/university library for you.

In this section of Current Matters, I would reccomend for you the following (1) William J. Ainsworth Six Lincoln Exhibits of US Issues(2) US 3 Cent 1857 Issue (3) US 3 Cent 1851 Essays for Postage Stamps.

On the right of the Society's Page are more options. If you click on Back Issues of Chronicle, you will find a very economical selection to purchase, ranging $3 to $7 each. They are listed by item number and title. Just be sure you choose specific titles on certain stamps or issues, and not general copies of journals.
Keep in mind, email someone there or telephone them and ask them about the item you are interested in.
If it is out of stock, you might get a copy from the American Philatelic Society Library. Althouhg, off hand I don't know what their current policy on lending out journals is. However, you might try to print out the list and keep it in a file for reference. This would become a part of the booklist of references (the bibliography) which I suggested in first email that you should assemble.
For you, I would reccomend item numbers 106S and 109.

In that same area of their webpage is USPCS Publications. Click on that. In fact, I tried to print that out, and it can be printed out. It will give you ten pages. That's something else you can put in your file. This list is divided into periods similar to the US Scott Sepcialized. I would reccomend for you item numbers 203, 206OS, 211OS. Don't forget to email or telephone someone to discuss the article or book you are interested in purchasing.

On that publications page, scroll down to the 1847 Period and on through other various periods. Look at the 1851-1861 offerings. For you, I would reccomend items 405001B, 405002B, 405003B---the B means Bound copies. I have never purchased any of these, so I strongly suggest that you email or telephone someone there and talk to them about these selections.

The final leads I I have for you are these:
(1) for some reading material on the US Bureau Issues, search US 2nd Bureau Issues. A Spink/Shreves Auction site will come up. See under that "Auction: Brody, Roger; Table of Contents: US Stamps".
This gentleman prepared this exhibit and sold it on the exhibit pages that he prepared. He wrote about the stamps on the pages. Even though there is auction information on every stamp he presents, there is a lot of excellent reading material about the stamps on his pages.
(2) Another site that has excellent reading material is Frajola Philatelist's Site.

Yukoncat, let us know what success you have. Wish you the best of luck.

BlankPage.