Stamps In A Non Smoking Collection

I've noticed some adds in various stamp auction, or dealer adds stating the stamps are in a no smoking collection.

So, I'm thinking what if a stamp is like 120 years old, how can the dealer certify that the stamp was never in a no smoking collection!

Seems kind of funny to make such a statement, don't you think so?

You see this mentioned often in other categories for used items - things with fabric in particular. It's odd for stamps, however, and I'm guessing someone describing them that way isn't very familiar with stamps. I've never really gotten any stamps that had any smell of any kind that I could detect, but I'd expect it to be mentioned if it's noticeable. Otherwise a concern for the smell never enters my mind.

One of my Father's good friends Smoked a Pipe; a Sweet Vanilla tobacco. I remember I loved the way it smelled. Anyway, after my father was bed ridden, his friend would help him with all his FDCs. After I inherited them I could never smell even a hint of of tobacco. And being an ex-smoker; I can smell smoke a mile away!!

I think they would do better to worry about mildew and mold smell sometimes strong in old paper.

I had a buyer wanting to return an album I sold, he said it smelled like smoke. I asked if he knew stamps are dipped in lighter fluid to test for watermarks. (He didn't)

Also since it was a used stamp album each and every stamp was licked by another human being and did he know stamps were not the cleanest thing around.

He accepted the album and retracted his threat to leave negative feedback and thanked me for the communication. I was shocked figuring my goose was cooked on that one but hey stamps will never be sterile items to handle and many times have an odor. They make me sneeze at times with the paper dust and mold smell.

I also let him know I did not smoke, not even a fireplace here.

Oh, I think you can DEFINITELY smell it.

I used to be on a couple of the APS Sales Circuits and sometimes when I opened the box, the books would reek of smoke.

And I find the older I get, the more sensitive I am to that smell. It really bothers me now.

I bought a UK collection in a Scott album and on arrival it reeked of smoke, the seller had not disclosed this and I considered a return but the stamps were good and in mounts. I removed a few samples from mounts, took them in a different room and found they did not smell. So, over last summer, on a few successive nights I left the album open overnight on a porch table outdoors, after flipping the pages fairly vigorously. After a few weeks there was almost no odor, and now, a year later, I don't notice it. I also store all my albums in a closed cabinet with an open box of baking powder and a bunch of silica packets.

I have bought collections on ebay that had a strong cigar smoke smell. I can see that a cigar smoker would occasionally leaf through his album with a good cigar.

Not only that, remember guys were probably smoking as they printed them, cancelled them and delivered them..Know what I mean.
Robert

I will ditto comments about being able to smell the smoke from an old collection. Has happened to me more than once; not that I mind. Once the stamps are removed and properly archived, blank pages trashed; smell is usually gone.

Ugh smokey stamps - the smell of smoke or perfumes triggers asthma attacks for me. I also use the air outside method
when I encounter this problem. I recently had to use my inhaler after opening a packet of recent USA removed using the
orange air freshener. The orange scent didn't bother me at all, it was the heavy coating of baby powder which is heavily
scented. I've often wondered if the fragrance in the powder could affect the stamps long term. Just to be safe folks,
use unscented talcs.

As to the use of baby powder!! EEEeeeeck!!
Go to a billiards Store and get some Pure talc that is used for playing pool. I scored one of the Talc cones that had broken for $5. Will last for eternity as used for PSA Stamps, and no smell, no chance of damaging the stamp.
I just cant stand baby powder. At all, no how!
2c

The smell of smoke makes some people react sensitively and have almost allergic reactions. Mold does the same thing with allergies.

I agree that most of the bad smell could be gone when used stamps are soaked again and the old album or storage papers are thrown away as the large amount of paper is holding the smell also.


I used to smoke myself and after quitting I do notice smaoke more than I used to. If you smoke then you probably will not notice any smells at all because your nose and palate are ruined by the constant smoke you inhale.

Some people react to a pet environment, being allergic to cat dander for instance, the left over saliva on cat's fur, their trademark, our smelly raction to it.

I remember the good old days when stamps were stored in cigar boxes. Ah Havana!

Hmm - can't imagine sorting nineteenth century stamps without copious use of Virginia. I did think of putting a "From a smoke-filled, cant-free home" as an ebay strapline, but self-presevation prevented me ... As I sell cigarette cards, I particularly like those sold with a "from a smoke-free home" guarantee.

Come on guys..Who dosen't enjoy the smell of a pipe as a pipe smoker walks by you...haha.

Hi All

Many thanks for all the responses.

But I think my original discussion has gone up in smoke.

Laughing yet?

Dave