British Columbia Philatelic Society meeting

I sent the following "newsletter" to the on-line members of the British
Columbia Philatelic Society. I thought some of you might be interested, and
might even be able to attend tonight's meeting. See our website (signature)
for meeting details and directions to there.

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British Columbia Philatelic Society Update for week of September 1-7

-- It's true in romantic melodies and it's true in stamp collecting: "See
you in September / See you when the summer's through..."

Today Wednesday, September 3, Swap & Shop at the first meeting of the
2003-2004 collecting season. Buy. Sell. Trade. (Everyone has at least a few
stamps they can offer!) You can also eat, drink, be merry, and tell
unbelievable stories about your summer. Leslie says that circuit books from
the Royal Philatelic Society of Canada will be available.

-- One feature of Wednesday's meeting will be a discussion about possible
programs for the future. While we have programs lined up through February,
2004, we would like to begin thinking about others, with an eye to something
different. Some members have already suggested departures from tried and
true, but perhaps tired, activities. If any of you have suggestions for new
activities, please bring them with you.

-- If for some reason you can't make it to Wednesday's meeting, you should
certainly make a point of attending the following one, on September 10, when
John Keenlyside will present a talk on the 19th Century postal history of
the Gulf Islands, and perhaps a bit more. Please come out to support John,
and the Society.

-- I hope that everyone has had a good summer, speaking philatelically and
in all other ways. We could sure use some rain, of course, but at least
there hasn't been a drought on the stamp collecting scene, at least for me.
Lots of interesting wartime and aviation stamps and covers have come my way.

-- My stamp collecting even led me into down an unexpected path. A couple of
weeks ago I stopped to browse in the Antique Mall on Richards Street in
downtown Vancouver, and found a shop which specializes in military antiques.
In a glass case were several toy and model guns representing various
periods; one was a toy 25-Pounder field gun like the ones used to great
effect by the Canadians and the British against the Germans in the push
towards Berlin. See http://www.ingraham.ca/bob/25pounder.jpg. I had just
finished reading Where the Hell Are the Guns?, by George Blackburn, a
Canadian forward observation officer during the war, and had been fascinated
by the information he provided about these guns and their tactical role. I
couldn't resist buying the toy gun, but I hope it doesn't lead down a
slippery slope into collecting toy soldiers! Is there a philatelic
connection here? Of course! The 25-Pounder is pictured on the 50-cent
"Munitions" stamp of Canada, Scott #261, issued in 1942 as part of the War
Issue; see http://www.ingraham.ca/bob/munitions.jpg.

-- A small donation fell into our laps recently. A woman in Surrey found my
personal web site and e-mailed me for advice about how best to get rid of an
accumulation of stamps that had been put together by her parents and a
brother in years past. I gave her the standard advice about auctions and
direct sales to dealers, as well as selling on eBay, and as an afterthought
suggested donating it to the B.C. Philatelic Society. She and her parents
liked the idea of donating it, and last week I picked it up. The collection
is what you would expect young collectors from the 1940s through the 1960s
to put together -- a great many common stamps, many not in good condition,
and a few nice but little surprises.*We should be able to sell it for a few
dollars, which will help out with programs which include our annual VANPEX
stamp show, scheduled this year for Oct. 31 - Nov. 2, and an annual donation
to the Vancouver Food Bank.

Bob Ingraham

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Keep up to date at the B.C. Philatelic Society web site:
http://www.bcphilatelic.org.
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