International Union of Mail-Artists2024-03-29T07:21:14ZMim Golub Scalinhttps://iuoma-network.ning.com/profile/MimGolubScalinhttps://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/64515501?profile=RESIZE_48X48&width=48&height=48&crop=1%3A1https://iuoma-network.ning.com/group/postalhistory/forum/topic/listForContributor?user=38i25ekepf86m&feed=yes&xn_auth=noLeap Year : : 29 February 2016tag:iuoma-network.ning.com,2016-02-11:2496677:Topic:19225152016-02-11T02:42:46.014ZMim Golub Scalinhttps://iuoma-network.ning.com/profile/MimGolubScalin
<p>It only happens twenty-five times in each century, that odd day on the calendar, 29 February. What a great opportunity to sneak in some postal history to your mail art this year.</p>
<p>At the end of this month, Monday, 29 February 2016, you can gather your out-going mail art, get yourself over to your local post office and ask those nice people at the counter to hand cancel your cards and letters with the station's unique hand cancellation mark with the date.</p>
<p>Ready to make the…</p>
<p>It only happens twenty-five times in each century, that odd day on the calendar, 29 February. What a great opportunity to sneak in some postal history to your mail art this year.</p>
<p>At the end of this month, Monday, 29 February 2016, you can gather your out-going mail art, get yourself over to your local post office and ask those nice people at the counter to hand cancel your cards and letters with the station's unique hand cancellation mark with the date.</p>
<p>Ready to make the leap?</p> Stop stealing the UK's postboxes (and making them into mailboxes, too)!!tag:iuoma-network.ning.com,2011-06-27:2496677:Topic:5099642011-06-27T19:34:46.933ZMim Golub Scalinhttps://iuoma-network.ning.com/profile/MimGolubScalin
<p>From today's UK Daily Telegraph</p>
<p> </p>
<h1>Postboxes stolen and sold on eBay for thousands</h1>
<h2>Britains world-famous red Victorian postboxes are being stolen by criminals who sell them abroad for thousands of pounds on auction site eBay</h2>
<p> </p>
<div class="firstPar"><p> </p>
</div>
<p><img alt="Postboxes stolen and sold on eBay for thousands " height="287" src="http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01930/postbox_1930957c.jpg" width="460"></img></p>
<div class="firstPar"><p>The metal boxes are being ripped from lampposts and telegraph poles all over the UK while others have been chiselled out of brick walls.…</p>
</div>
<p>From today's UK Daily Telegraph</p>
<p> </p>
<h1>Postboxes stolen and sold on eBay for thousands</h1>
<h2>Britains world-famous red Victorian postboxes are being stolen by criminals who sell them abroad for thousands of pounds on auction site eBay</h2>
<p> </p>
<div class="firstPar"><p> </p>
</div>
<p><img width="460" src="http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01930/postbox_1930957c.jpg" alt="Postboxes stolen and sold on eBay for thousands " height="287"/></p>
<div class="firstPar"><p>The metal boxes are being ripped from lampposts and telegraph poles all over the UK while others have been chiselled out of brick walls.</p>
</div>
<div class="secondPar"><p>In some cases, entire pillar boxes have been uprooted from the ground. Police believe cars or trucks have been used to drag them from their foundations.</p>
</div>
<div class="thirdPar"><p>Many antique boxes are being sold over the internet as souvenirs to collectors abroad, especially in the US. Royal Mail has been hit by a wave of thefts, especially in rural areas, in recent months.</p>
</div>
<div class="fourthPar"><p>One insider said: "This is not an opportunist thing people do on the way home from the pub. You would need heavy cutting equipment to take these boxes away."</p>
<div class="fifthPar"><p>Postbox prices have risen in recent years after Royal Mail stopped auctioning off old stock in 2003.</p>
</div>
<br/>
<div id="outbrain-related-links" class="related_links_inline hidden"> <div style="display: none;" id="outbrain_manager_helper_div"></div>
<span id="outbrainCurrentPosition"> </span><div style="display: block;" id="outbrain_widget_0" class="OB_AR_1"><div id="outbrain-paid" class="outbrain_column"><div style="display: block;" id="telegraph_hook_0">Experts say boxes dating back to Queen Victorias reign and bearing the VR mark can fetch up to £5,000 in America. George V boxes dating back to 1910 are worth around £1,000 while more modern ones can go for hundreds of pounds.</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="body"><p>Royal Mail chiefs originally thought thieves wanted the scrap metal but say any scrap yard which is legitimate is not going to want the distinctive boxes.</p>
<p>Now they say that if the boxes are dated pre-Elizabeth II, they could be valuable and may have been taken to be sold on eBay or on a collectors site.</p>
<p>Crooks stole 10 boxes from three villages near Hythe, Kent, in one recent incident. Other thefts have been reported in Sussex, Lincolnshire, Cornwall and Anglesey, North Wales. Many end up on eBay where dozens were being advertised last week.</p>
<p>Royal Mail said: These old boxes are of great historical interest and we are keen to get them back. We always try to replace stolen boxes.</p>
<p> </p>
</div>
</div> A postal experimenttag:iuoma-network.ning.com,2011-06-20:2496677:Topic:4887822011-06-20T11:43:33.654ZMim Golub Scalinhttps://iuoma-network.ning.com/profile/MimGolubScalin
<p>In the very early days of the postal system -- and going way back before postage stamps were introduced (in the UK in 1840 -- addresses were very simple, or even non -existent (and of course there were no such things as postal/codes then).</p>
<p>Below you will see 3 envelopes:</p>
<p>-- the first, from 1789, is addressed to 'Mr William Smith, Writer, Kelso.' Note first, the assumption that there is only one William Smith (both William and Smith are very common names) who is a writer: the…</p>
<p>In the very early days of the postal system -- and going way back before postage stamps were introduced (in the UK in 1840 -- addresses were very simple, or even non -existent (and of course there were no such things as postal/codes then).</p>
<p>Below you will see 3 envelopes:</p>
<p>-- the first, from 1789, is addressed to 'Mr William Smith, Writer, Kelso.' Note first, the assumption that there is only one William Smith (both William and Smith are very common names) who is a writer: the possibility exists that there were other William Smiths who were butchers, bakers soldiers, <a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/99743290?profile=original"><img width="750" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/99743290?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" class="align-full"/></a>sailors, etc, but not writers), and second that there is no street (or house number) provided.</p>
<p>-- the second, a used French letter, was sent in 1817 to Monsieur Marcellin, Curé (Priest], Bellegarde.' Again there is no address or street, and I wonder if it was deliverd to the church or M Marcellin's private address (if different from the church).<a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/99743340?profile=original"><img width="750" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/99743340?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" class="align-full"/></a></p>
<p>-- and a third letter sent last week to 'Herman, 11130'. This was an experiment to see how little information I could put on an envelope. let me explain, starting with the postcode. 11130 is the postcode for my village, Sigean. It is not a unique postcode in the sense that it refers to my house, just to the village as a whole. (In the UK, the Netherlands, and I'm sure elsewhere postcodes refer to individual addresses, but not in France). There is only one Herman (that I'm aware of anyway) in Sigean: moi. I have been plaguing the local Post Office for a year now, and they obviously know that any strange looking mail addressed to said Herman in Sigean should be delivered to my address, 1 rue de la Vielle Fontaine. This little green envelope was.<a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/99743277?profile=original"><img width="750" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/99743277?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" class="align-full"/></a></p>
<p>I'm involved in a project with our French IUOMA colleague JF Chapelle and we are mailing strange things (vinyl records, cheese box lids, beer mats, etc) to each other to see what we can get away with la poste-wise. I suggested mailing something to JF, but he pointed out that there was more than one Chapelle in his town, and in fact the town was too big for this sort of experiment to work.</p>
<p>Reginald Bray would have and John Tingay and you may be interested in this.</p>
<p>Hope you are too;</p>
<p>Regards,</p>
<p>Herman's Hermit </p> "Houston, your postmen have a problem"tag:iuoma-network.ning.com,2011-05-16:2496677:Topic:4126512011-05-16T04:49:05.967ZMim Golub Scalinhttps://iuoma-network.ning.com/profile/MimGolubScalin
<p>was the title of a short article that appeared in an edition of this week's (UK) "Daily Telegraph". It is not really Postal History, but nevertheless might interest you.</p>
<p> The story is below (the footnotes are mine).</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Houston is the most dangerous city in America in which to be a postman, the US postal service has disclosed.</p>
<p>"A survey found that mail deliverers were bitten 62 times by dogs* in the Texan city last year. the tally was more than a third higher than…</p>
<p>was the title of a short article that appeared in an edition of this week's (UK) "Daily Telegraph". It is not really Postal History, but nevertheless might interest you.</p>
<p> The story is below (the footnotes are mine).</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Houston is the most dangerous city in America in which to be a postman, the US postal service has disclosed.</p>
<p>"A survey found that mail deliverers were bitten 62 times by dogs* in the Texan city last year. the tally was more than a third higher than in San Diego, California, and Columbus, Ohio, the joint most second dangerous cities where 45 bites were recorded. Postmen are being trained to protect themselves from dogs**."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Footnotes:</p>
<p>* The number of incidences in which postpeople have bitten dogs was not mentioned</p>
<p>** This involves each postmen having a personal communicator which, when activated, immediately contacts the Commander-in-Chief in the White House. When the C-in-C is alerted to the fact that a postman is under attack, he launches an immediate attack on the perpetrator involving unmanned drones, attack helicopters and teams of SEALS</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Perhaps Snooky and his friends have something to say about this;</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Regards, Val</p> Silly Stamps Seasontag:iuoma-network.ning.com,2011-04-21:2496677:Topic:3669892011-04-21T09:08:09.681ZMim Golub Scalinhttps://iuoma-network.ning.com/profile/MimGolubScalin
<p>Bonjour to all the Postal History Boutiques Customers!</p>
<p>You know how much we value your business, derive satisfaction from meeting your every Postal History need, and take pleasure in the long-lasting and trusting relationships we have built up with you over the time it has taken you to read this nonsense.</p>
<p>As we approach Easter, the Postal History Boutique would like to invite you to contribute to its 'Silly Stamps Season.'</p>
<p>If you want to participate in this -- and if you…</p>
<p>Bonjour to all the Postal History Boutiques Customers!</p>
<p>You know how much we value your business, derive satisfaction from meeting your every Postal History need, and take pleasure in the long-lasting and trusting relationships we have built up with you over the time it has taken you to read this nonsense.</p>
<p>As we approach Easter, the Postal History Boutique would like to invite you to contribute to its 'Silly Stamps Season.'</p>
<p>If you want to participate in this -- and if you don't Snooky will soon be snapping at your heels -- there are two things that you have to do.</p>
<p>First, you have to post a stamp that you consider to be 'Silly' (however you define it).</p>
<p>Second, your stamp has to be accompanied by a short comment that both demonstrates the silliness of the stamp, and is silly in itself.</p>
<p>An example of one of my favourite silly stamps that was issued in Romania in 1993 is below: it seems to be some sort of worm*. My comment that accompanies it is: <em>"This is the national dish of Romania. It is usually served with boiled rice and cabbage, and washed down with a nice red wine."</em></p>
<p>Go for it Gang! Show us how silly you can be!</p>
<p>Val</p>
<p>* I have no idea what a 'haemopis caeca' is. I could look it up but wont, in the hope that our Wurmmeister David Stafford can tell us what it is.</p>
<p><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/99735690?profile=original"><img width="712" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/99735690?profile=original" class="align-full"/></a></p> SPACE ARCHIVES 1961-2011-2061tag:iuoma-network.ning.com,2011-04-12:2496677:Topic:3554702011-04-12T14:26:44.112ZMim Golub Scalinhttps://iuoma-network.ning.com/profile/MimGolubScalin
<a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/99734051?profile=original"><img class="align-full" width="540" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/99734051?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024"/></a>First Lift-Off and First Landing! From Mission Commander, Val!
<a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/99734051?profile=original"><img class="align-full" width="540" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/99734051?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024"/></a>First Lift-Off and First Landing! From Mission Commander, Val! Yet Another Postal History Boutique Competitiontag:iuoma-network.ning.com,2011-04-05:2496677:Topic:3494502011-04-05T10:52:37.380ZMim Golub Scalinhttps://iuoma-network.ning.com/profile/MimGolubScalin
<p>Bonjour!</p>
<p>This one is open to all* fully-paid up** members of the Postal History Boutique.</p>
<p>There is a prize*** for the best answer received before 15 April to this question:</p>
<p>"What should I do with 265 New England Neptunes, 315 Lightening Whelks, 240 Calico Sacllops, 285 Frilled Dogwinkles and 286 Reticulated helmets?"</p>
<p>Regards, Val</p>
<p> </p>
<p>* 'All' members -- except for those living in Thessaloniki</p>
<p>** We accept all major credit cards and bones. If you…</p>
<p>Bonjour!</p>
<p>This one is open to all* fully-paid up** members of the Postal History Boutique.</p>
<p>There is a prize*** for the best answer received before 15 April to this question:</p>
<p>"What should I do with 265 New England Neptunes, 315 Lightening Whelks, 240 Calico Sacllops, 285 Frilled Dogwinkles and 286 Reticulated helmets?"</p>
<p>Regards, Val</p>
<p> </p>
<p>* 'All' members -- except for those living in Thessaloniki</p>
<p>** We accept all major credit cards and bones. If you are not yet a paid up member, please send your subscription and/or bones to the Boutique's Honorary Treasurer, Snooky</p>
<p>*** The prize has yet to be determined. It will probably be linked to the New England Neptunes, Lightening Whelks, etc</p> FIVE: Postal History Boutique Special July Mailingtag:iuoma-network.ning.com,2011-03-30:2496677:Topic:3424582011-03-30T08:52:56.519ZMim Golub Scalinhttps://iuoma-network.ning.com/profile/MimGolubScalin
<p>Bonjour boys and girls!</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Angie and Snooky told us yesterday that:</p>
<p>"This year July has 5 Fridays, 5 Saturdays and 5 Sundays. This apparently happens once every 823 years."</p>
<p>I propose that we celebrate it with a <strong>Postal History Boutique Special Mailing in July</strong>.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Th</span><span>e <strong>theme is FIVE</strong></span> <span>(or vijf, viisi, cinq, funf, cinque, fem, piec, cinco,…</span></p>
<p>Bonjour boys and girls!</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Angie and Snooky told us yesterday that:</p>
<p>"This year July has 5 Fridays, 5 Saturdays and 5 Sundays. This apparently happens once every 823 years."</p>
<p>I propose that we celebrate it with a <strong>Postal History Boutique Special Mailing in July</strong>.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Th</span><span>e <strong>theme is FIVE</strong></span> <span>(or vijf, viisi, cinq, funf, cinque, fem, piec, cinco, etc)</span></p>
<p><strong> </strong></p>
<p>There are <strong>5</strong> rules to this Mailing:</p>
<p>1. You must mail on <strong>Tuesday 5th July</strong></p>
<p>2. On a <strong>pentagram</strong> shaped card (or on a pentagram superimposed on the front of an envelope)</p>
<p>3. Your piece must have a <strong>5-theme</strong> (see below). You have to tell the Mailing List Co-ordinator (Guess who? Yes, me) what your <strong>5-theme</strong>) is going to be</p>
<p>4. It must include at least one <strong>5-cent</strong> (or local currency equivalent) <strong>postage stamp</strong>. [If a 5-cent stamp is unavailable, then a 15, 25, 35 etc stamp is acceptable, as long as it has a 5 in it.]</p>
<p><strong>5.</strong> Er, I don't have a <strong>5th rule</strong> yet...any ideas, gang?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Possible <strong>5-themes</strong> are:</p>
<p>* Renault <strong>5</strong></p>
<p>* Chanel No <strong>5</strong></p>
<p><strong>* 5</strong> senses</p>
<p>* Take <strong>5</strong></p>
<p><strong>* 5</strong> wounds of Jesus</p>
<p><strong>* 5</strong> Olympic Circles</p>
<p>* The Famous <strong>Five</strong></p>
<p><strong>* 5</strong> books of Moses</p>
<p>* High <strong>5</strong></p>
<p><strong>*</strong> etc, including of course any other(s) that you care to choose.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Please let me know -- with your full mailing address, and the 5-theme you have chosen -- if you would like to participate in this once-in-a -823-year-occasion mailing* .</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Regards, Val</p>
<p> </p>
<p>* Regretfully, the Postal History Boutique cannot commit at this moment in time (ie now) to organise another mailing on this theme in 2834</p>
<p><strong> </strong></p> Another Postal History Boutique Quiz!tag:iuoma-network.ning.com,2011-03-10:2496677:Topic:3057172011-03-10T11:19:33.243ZMim Golub Scalinhttps://iuoma-network.ning.com/profile/MimGolubScalin
<p>Bonjour Happy Philatelic Historians!</p>
<p>Here is another Quiz for you.</p>
<p>This time you have to identify the stamp below, and say why it is of some importance for us as postal Historians.</p>
<p>The Quiz is open for one week -- ie until noon CET on Thursday 17 March (St Patrick's Day)*</p>
<p>The Prize is a genuine stamp that is related to the Quiz stamp.</p>
<p>It will be awarded, by the Postal History Boutique's International Panel of Judges**, to the best answer received in the…</p>
<p>Bonjour Happy Philatelic Historians!</p>
<p>Here is another Quiz for you.</p>
<p>This time you have to identify the stamp below, and say why it is of some importance for us as postal Historians.</p>
<p>The Quiz is open for one week -- ie until noon CET on Thursday 17 March (St Patrick's Day)*</p>
<p>The Prize is a genuine stamp that is related to the Quiz stamp.</p>
<p>It will be awarded, by the Postal History Boutique's International Panel of Judges**, to the best answer received in the next week.</p>
<p>Good Luck,</p>
<p>Regards Val</p>
<p>* Clue: the stamp is not linked in any way I can think of to St Pat.</p>
<p>** The Postal History Boutique's International Panel of Judges is comprised of -- Valentine Mark Herman, Val Herman, VMH, and Mark Herman. Appeals to any decisions of the International Panel of Judges can be made to the Postal History Boutique's Appeal Court, which is comprised of Valentine Mark Herman, Bianca la Chatte Herman, and Trouble le Chat Herman</p>
<p> </p>
<p><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/99727895?profile=original"><img width="331" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/99727895?profile=original" class="align-full"/></a></p>
<p> </p> Postal History Boutique Quiztag:iuoma-network.ning.com,2011-03-08:2496677:Topic:3027362011-03-08T16:52:08.406ZMim Golub Scalinhttps://iuoma-network.ning.com/profile/MimGolubScalin
<p>Bonjour!</p>
<p>At a flea market last weekend I got a 'Souvenir Folder' of an American city from, I think, the inter-War years. The first person who can identify which city it is wins the the Souvenir Folder.</p>
<p>The folder contains lots of facts about the city in question. Here are some about its Postal History:</p>
<p> </p>
<p>* "Largest Valentine factory in the world" [Honest! I didn't make it up]</p>
<p>* "Envelope factories, capacity over 10,000,000 items a day" [That would keep the…</p>
<p>Bonjour!</p>
<p>At a flea market last weekend I got a 'Souvenir Folder' of an American city from, I think, the inter-War years. The first person who can identify which city it is wins the the Souvenir Folder.</p>
<p>The folder contains lots of facts about the city in question. Here are some about its Postal History:</p>
<p> </p>
<p>* "Largest Valentine factory in the world" [Honest! I didn't make it up]</p>
<p>* "Envelope factories, capacity over 10,000,000 items a day" [That would keep the local Mail Artists busy!]</p>
<p>* "A central post office, 1' sub-stations, 315 employees, annual revenue over $550,000" [Now we know what happened to all those envelopes: they got posted locally]</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Other clues that might help you identify it are:</p>
<p> </p>
<p>* "Largest factory in the country manufacturing organ materials"</p>
<p>* "Has art museum school, teaching drawing, painting, modelling and designing, with the best fitted shops in the country to study metal work and book binding."</p>
<p>* "More graduates from high schools in proportion to attendance than any other city in the country."</p>
<p>* "Third greatest art museum in US endowned with $4,000,000"</p>
<p>* "Oldest music festival in the world giving a series of programs every year."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Can you identify the city*?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The first person to do so wins the Souvenir Folder.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Regards, Val</p>
<p> </p>
<p>* Further clue: it's in New England</p>
<p> </p>