Hingeless Ww Album Search

I have been collecting seriously for the last 15 years. I seem to collect just about everything, but I am focusing on WW 19th century, and US "non-modern".
I have been using old Scott Brown albums for my WW. This is getting messy, as the book binders are broken and the double sided pages drive me crazy.
I am finally looking for a better option. I would really like to find hingeless pages for every WW stamp from 1840 to 1940. Basically, a complete set of Scott Brown pages that are hingeless.
There are two problems with this. First, I have not seen anything like this, and second, I am not sure I could afford the pages if they did exist.This is my first attempt to try seeking the advice of the community.
So, can someone tell me if what I am searching for exists and it it is affordable?
Or does anyone have a different option for an old WW collection?
Thanks for any advice
- Ken Wills -

Hi Kwills

Welcome to SCF!

I collect world wide classic era to 1940, and I use the Bill Steiner PDF albums. Not hingeless though.

http://www.stampalbums.com/

Palo Albums are based on Bill Steiner's pages, but they have (I believe) hingeless albums for sale for $$$$.

http://www.paloalbums.com/

If you are interested in a fresh set of "Browns" with better page quality printed on one side - Subway Stamps sells the pages.

http://www.subwaystamp.com/prodinfo...r=ZVRW04P1/6

Jkjblue,

Thank you for the information. The Palo Album pages are just what I was looking for. But the Hingeless look very expensive. I have asked them for a quote, for just up to the year 1900. I am half looking forward to the quote, and half afraid.

Welcome to my misery. I have long lusted after a hingeless version of the 19th-century brown album, even if it were to cost several $1000 (as I'm sure it would, given the number of pages).

Instead, over the course of time I've accumulated various and sundry hingeless albums to cover my primary collecting areas. It's not the same though, as there are plenty of stamp-issuing entities in the 19th century that only had a few stamps, so there is no coverage in any hingeless form.

Even a hingeless 19th-century British Commonwealth set would cover many of the gaps.

I abhor mounts, which is why I only do hingeless.

I favor the SAFE brand of pages, as they (along with Lindner) present the page in two parts: the printed sheet, and then a clear pocketed plastic overlay. I like this presentation as it allows examination of the back of the stamp without having to remove (and potentially damage) it from the mount. I can also sometimes jot pencil notes underneath the stamp without "dirtying up" the display.

For those countries without pages, SAFE also makes blank pages in the same format, in 3, 4, 5, 6, 8-pocket pages, as well as some interesting asymmetrical pocket size patterns, for those who like to make their own album pages. Two years ago I bought multi-volume collections of Austria and Hungary just to get a large quantity of these blank pages... I effectively bought the pages, binders, and slipcases, for what amounted to 60% off retail and got all the stamps free. I wish I could find more deals like that.

The problem with SAFE, Davo, Lindner, Lighthouse, etc. is that they all use different ring configurations in their binders so you cannot cross-purpose pages. Also, between the exchange rate and the overseas shipping, the cost of binders and slipcases becomes prohibitively expensive.

I was able to establish a relationship with a seller in Germany to sell me empty used SAFE binders that he got into in his shop. Once or twice a year I'll do an order for 10-15 binders. They're very clean, and including shipping run me about US$16 each... compared to $40-70 each new from Subway Stamp or other retailers.

Thanks for the feedback.
As I mentioned I asked Palo for a quote and the cost was not as bad as I thought it was going to be.
For a complete set of pages,covering every stamp and every country, up to 1940 the pages would cost $3750. This is for 1320 hingeless pages.
I have not convinced my wife that this is a good deal yet. But I am working on it.
I estimate that dropping out the USA pages, and stopping at 1900 rather than 1940 should cut the cost down to about $1200. They say they will create any combination of pages desired.

That doesn't sound bad, but it all depends on how thorough their coverage is (face-different only, semi-complete, specialized, etc.).

That's what made the Scott International and other "worldwide" albums useless, in my opinion. They lacked coverage compared to the Brown International, which while not complete per se, at least had spaces for even the toughest of issues.