Do You Use Vario Pages - And How Do You Organize Your Stamps On Them?

René - Thanks a lot And you are spot on - it is a lot of work - but I enjoy the process.



I guess this is somehow off-topic (as it is not specific about use of Vario pages)...but still related as you are looking for the liberty to add more varieties as you like, just as one can do in the Varios. I suppose you have seen some of the topics on the forum that explains how you can easily modify your Steiner pages to suit your own need? e.g. to give room on the Steiner pages for more of your beloved Large Queens Might be worth checking out, and you could achieve just the set-up you would like

@DJCMHOH - Ha ha ha - I would love to have a look in your house

Downstairs: Your partner - and a solarium.

Upstairs: A gigantic library of history books, a gigantic music collection, probably a superduper computer setup - and on top of that a gigantic stamp collection and a very ambitious stamp collector....

I would consider downstairs and upstairs to reflect...eh....quite different interests in life? I like it

Yep, as they say opposites attract (and after almost 23 years still going strong!)

Great - you seem to have found a good recipe!

I can't wait to experiment with this- just have to make the time. This will solve a variety of problems and allow curating my materials closer to my ideal.

Another question just occurred to me. I know copy paper is acid free- but what about laser printer toner? Is laser toner archival?

Though being known as the 'stockbook guy', I do use stockpages (and stock cards) when doing (private) exchanges. Very easy to put something like 20-30 pages of stamps in them, take photos/scans, and finally when all things are done then easy to dismantle. As for how I place stamps, I use traditional side-by-side layout to maximize space used. Do have a number of different sizes, and usually put small stamps on 8-strip page, and for larger stamps use 4 or 5-strip pages.

As Blaamand knows, I find the cost of stock pages prohibitive for widescale use (though like moth to a flame I am hugely attracted by the flexibility). If stockpages became equal or cheaper as stockbooks (or I'll win jackpot in lottery, LOL) I'll definitely give them a chance (that said I do understand there are great regional differences in pricing. For example in US both options are somewhat of the same cost, whereas here in mainland Europe stock books are way cheaper alternative).

As for how I would organize stamps if I was using stock pages... I think I would keep up with the system I've been using with stockbooks, meaning insert slips/notes here and there, but definitely only for items that have got something 'unusual'. In the end why bother reproducing details which are already in the catalog?

When close enough to completion (say 80-90% for some year/era) might leave up empty spaces for stamps I'm missing, but otherwise (again) why bother? The point of using stock pages is that you can easily add new pages in between when/if the collection grows (and it will surely grow). Would likely also leave some 'empty space' here and there just because new varieties and additions will eventually surface; that is just the nature of stamp collecting.

Just my 5 cents. Now to enjoy some some 'easter morning painted egg's for breakfast...


-k-

Happy Easter all,



I am glad you like the idea Shermae. (Actually the 'tab'-idea was from my brother, alias barbu) If you want to save some time, no need to re-invent the wheel - send me a PM .



Honestly I dont't know. I have used tags with ink in my stamp collection now for 20 years, and I have not seen any kind of problems whatsoever. Not even for those stamps that have been kept in front/together with such a tag. Regardless I put any of my stamps with value category '$' (= 10$) or more in mounts for added protection

keijo - Happy Easter - and thanks for chiming in


A valid point, I am thinking the same. So for instance I will only make 'Series-tags' for a series/issue if that series has been issued in several wmk, perforation, paper or printing varieties etc. So, for those series that have been issued without any of that - I see no reason to state neither perf or wmk etc - in those cases I write no details at all. So when I see a series-tag with details on it I know that I need to check for varieties - no details - then no need to check any further.




I leave empty spaces for all the areas I have a particular interest in - e.g. all 'Western' areas, all colonies etc - simply because I am a bit lazy of nature. Earlier (20+ years ago) I did not leave much empty space, which raised the need to transfer/rearrange my collection whenever I got a lot of new additions. I got tired of that constant moving and re-arranging. So - lazy as I am - I want to avoid this altogether by simply leaving sufficient space in the first place.
Now - for 'wallpaper areas' - or other areas I know I will never put any effort or investment in, that will be much different. For those I will do as you do - keep about the same free space for each year as space for what I have - and then re-arrange as required, adding new pages.

About the cost issue - you should try Nordfrim, Denmark. They ship international and offer the best prices anywhere, even cheaper than buying directly from Lighthouse in Germany

Nordfrim will post free if you exceed a certain amount - best place I've found for Lighthouse too.

For Yvert, MOC and other French material, I've had excellent service from Thema Timbres, which also discounts prices. Decide what you want, then enquire about postage

http://www.thematimbres.com/PBCPPla...p?ID=1471743

I will use Vario and Hagner pages to organize them before they are mounted but they may be on the page for a long time in the section they will be mounted.

Sure like the Grande Classis. Four D rings, and big enough for almost any page, all for $14.90 including slipcase. Made by Lighthouse

http://www.nordfrim.com/ringbinder-...tturm/301687

I even managed to get a good deal from Nordfrim for the 'Signum'-edition of the Grande Classic, and a significant discount on the pages. So the total price for a Signum Grande Classic including 60 sheets and slipcase ended €65.

If comparing with rather using using stockbooks, the price is competitive to the price of 4 x 32 pgs stockbook with black pages and slipcase (Keep in mind that 60 of the Grande sheets, 120 pages, have more capacity than 4 x 32 pgs stockbooks). And with the Varios there will be no issue with the clear pockets failing, as have been experienced in stockbooks, and the quality and sturdiness of the album binder itself seems to me much superior to the binder of the stockbooks.

I had always expected the Varios to be a more expensive solution, but in fact it is not more expensive if comparing to stockbooks of about the same quality. Off course one can get cheaper stockbooks, white pages etc, but then we are no longer comparing like for like....I have been a stockbook-fan myself for about 20 years, until I realized all the advantages off the Vario solution.

I guess one should also consider if there are any negative aspect of the Varios.... and my main concern is dust! I am allergic to dust in my albums - and any dust is unfortunately very visible on the Vario pages It don't matter how well the room have been cleaned, vacuumed or clinically sterilized...I have even tried to wear anti-dust clothing, to no avail. The vario pages will collect dust, so they need to be wiped gently every so often to remain somewhat dust-free.

Finally the concern with dust is insignificant in comparison to the major advantages of the Varios - the maximum flexibility, the splendid appearance off the stamps on that black background and crystalclear pockets - and the superior protection in those full-face pockets.

I am glad that many folks seem to be going in the Vario direction, I have a much greater confidence in these pages being archival safe. With the current trend of folks printing their own album pages I am worried about the paper they select. Time and time again I see people choosing the cheapest paper they can find, simply relying upon the term 'acid free'.

'Acid free' is virtually meaningless when discussing true archival paper. It simply means that the paper has some buffering added. How much buffering was added and whether or not the paper still has acid forming lignin content is what determines how long the paper will remain 'acid free'. None if this is required to be defined or identified when the manufacturer list the paper as 'acid free'. So many manufacturers throw in a handful of buffering agent and then market it as 'acid free'. You get what you pay for with paper.

True high quality archival safe paper can be incredibly expensive and it is doubtful that many collector are actually purchasing it to print their own pages. Of course I am not so sure that the album publishers are using true archival paper either. (If some are using the more expensive archival paper it could explain some of the reason they ask such high prices; but you would think they would be promoting this important attribute in their advertising.)

Due to this issue, I like the fact that the popularity of Vario pages is growing.
Don

Wise words, Don - thanks