What a GASS!

When I pen these letters, I usually focus on the future, as the present quickly turns into the past. I thought that – for this once – I would share updates on events you already know about.

Just a few days after returning from the Great American Stamp Show in Hartford, Connecticut. (Aug. 14-17), I find reflecting on some recent events essential before we shift our gaze forward.

First and foremost, I want to celebrate the remarkable accomplishment of Nick Kirke’s book on New York City Foreign Mail, which won the Large Gold and Grand awards at GASS. This achievement is particularly noteworthy, as I’ve been discussing the book’s progress over the last several years, as it has passed through its editing and printing stages. We are immensely proud of Nick and his staunch editor, Seija-Riitta Laakso. Their collaborative effort has produced a truly exceptional book. Unlike many philatelic works that are often nothing more than a catalog of covers and stamps, this book is meant to be read and enjoyed. Nick’s distinctive voice resonates on every page, making it a must-have for anyone interested in this topic.

Many of our members were honored during GASS. We’re delighted with all the grand prizes handed out to members of this Club, from Steve McGill to Roger Brody to Nick Kirke; to our members who were recognized with the Luff Award, Ken Trettin, Jay Stotts and Steve Reinhard; and, let’s not forget our own editor, Wayne Youngblood, who received the Peterson Philatelic Literature Lifetime Achievement Award; and Joan Harmer, who is a recipient of the Carter Award (for local promotion and service). It is a privilege for us to be in their company. 

 At the Great American Stamp Show, we held a joint dinner with the U.S. Philatelic Classics Society, the U.S. Stamp Society and the Collectors Club of Chicago to support the upcoming international event in Boston. A small reminder: May 2026 is not all that far away from today. Unlike the typical Friday night, where various clubs and societies host separate events, this gathering at the Mark Twain House was a unique opportunity for us all to come together. It was truly gratifying to see these groups unite and demonstrate their commitment beyond individual interests. The leaders of these organizations — Vern Morris, Nick Lombardi, Roger Brody and Melanie Rogers — showed exceptional leadership, making the event a success and selling out in the process. We also want to recognize Martha and Tony Dewey, who located the venue. We all know how much Tony wanted Hartford to shine during this show, which was undoubtedly the case at the Mark Twain House.

 As many members have asked about our new Club on 40th Street, I want to update you on our progress. While most of the work is completed, and we are about 70% moved in, the transition from our long-time 35th Street location is a complex task. The layout and design of the new space are quite different, requiring a staged approach to ensure a smooth relocation.

Our library is one of the highlights of this transition. Almost all of our books, journals and auction catalogs are now in place. The improved lighting and layout make the library more inviting and functional. We now have ample space for new acquisitions, which wasn’t possible at our previous location. I love walking around the library. It is so inviting. This being the summer, we have frequent visitors and we are very happy to show them around. 

 But the library is the most special place in my heart. I suppose a library can be a solitary place. And ours certainly can be a place to work on one’s own research or writing quietly, but ours can also be a social place. There is a reason why the reading table has 12 seats. Libraries are meant to be used, and ours is a fabulous place.

 Speaking of the library, I would like to make a special request: if you have any philatelic books or materials you are considering parting with, please consider donating them to your Club. Your contributions will help us expand and enrich our collection.

–Lawrence Haber

If you build it, they will come.
The location of 58 West 40th Street is certainly not a baseball field in the middle of a cornfield in Iowa – far from it. But we built it and they (you) will come.

In May, we held three significant events in our new premises. On May 1, we held an open house for everyone who worked on the project that took us crosstown from East 35th Street. This event was followed by a gala dinner on the 11th and then (finally) an open house for members on the 15th. Our correspondents tell us that they were pleased with the new place. If you have yet to visit, we hope to see you there soon.

We built it, but our work is only beginning.
Following four years of a pandemic and our move, our task is to re-invigorate and bring life and vigor into the Club’s premises and make it a beehive of activity.

We got off to a strong start with the Siegel auction fi rm holding a showing for the Bill Gross collection and then the second session of the Gross auction itself. The company’s use of the Club demonstrates a good beginning.

But while we will encourage auction firms and others to use the Club, it is more important to see it used by you, our members.

Certainly, you are all familiar with our biweekly Zoom programs. These served as a real oasis for many of us during the pandemic and are still a very strong feature of our Club. The number of people who view these programs – and do so regularly – is a real inspiration, and is a positive reflection on us all. We remain committed to Zoom to deliver content to the broad philatelic community. We have offered all our presenters the option of conducting their programs from our premises. We have already held our first hybrid meeting with Chip Gliedman, who presented on “Temperance.” We expect to continue these efforts.

However, we must do more to encourage person-to-person connections than the traditional speaker-at-a-podium format.

You may have seen the announcement of our series of seminars. [Editor’s note: If not, you’ll find more information on pages 204-205.] We are beginning with a session in September, “Understanding Machins,” led by Steve McGill, followed in October by a seminar on intermediate/advanced exhibiting led by Bill Schultz. We are very excited about these and hope to build on their momentum. Our new Club has multiple locations where seminars and meetings can be comfortably held. These range from tables of four to a seminar room that easily holds 10, the library table with 12 and the presentation room’s capacity of 50.

Some specialty groups that used the Club as a gathering place have returned, and we hope to see more of them and others.

One of my issues is that the group I describe as “the exhibitor class” is very well served by the “organized” hobby. We see exhibitors at shows and at our various venues; much we do as a hobby is geared around their needs. But, those who do not exhibit – those who are not connected – are the ones I would like us
to touch. They are underserved and, I suspect, are missing out on much that the hobby can offer. They either have no idea what exhibiting is, or are put off by exhibiting and consequently are not well connected with their peers in the hobby. It is also likely that exhibiting will never interest them, and they are not likely to pursue exhibiting. Many have excellent material but no venue to share their enthusiasm for their collecting. So, how can we bett er serve these people?

You would have seen emails regarding a “different type of exhibition.” What is this about? Well, as it says, there are no rules, judges or scores; just the pleasure of sharing and discussing fabulous material. Informally. You have the freedom to do as you choose. Please do not ask what or how. That is up to you. All we ask is great material and a willingness to informally explain your passion.

We have 18 of the most beautiful frames in the hobby. They can be used for regular exhibit pages or album pages. They can accommodate almost anything. The key is getting people out of their stamp room and into a venue to share their treasures. The word “exhibition” is not meant as an exhibition blessed by CANEJ (Committee on Accreditation of National Exhibitions and Judges) or the FIP (Fédération Internationale de Philatélie), but as “an exhibition” in the sense of an art exhibition: placing wonderful material on the wall to be appreciated. I think this can be a very exciting and wonderful outlet for those without an interest in rules and regimes.

So, my message to you is, how about it? Drop us a line. You have nothing to
lose, and no one will stand in judgment.

–Lawrence Haber