BOOKS on PHILATELY BOOKS on PHILATELYOur first book, Dave Baker's The Postal History of Indiana appeared in 1976 and our second in 1982. We are now on schedule and expect to publish a number of fine new books. We hope to issue one new book per year and promise that each will be a truly fine work.
We attempted to revise the old custom of issuing a true deluxe edition for each new book and did so on our Starnes, Cooper, Rowe and SUEZ books. By a true deluxe edition we started with the book itself; there are text changes and corrections, the addition of a Colophon to give publication details and bear the author's and publisher's signatures in addition to the copy number. The paper is different, a fine rag, requiring the presses to be re-set. Each volume was finished with a fine hand binding by a renowned bookbinder. Our Starnes book was bound by Adolphus, the edition of 25 was the first time they have ever bound over 15 copies of one work. Alan Grace did SUEZ.
At the end of this section we list a few of the titles that we did not publish but we own or have exclusive distribution in the US, etc.
A must book for the forgery collector and some one that wants to know more and collect the authentic stamps, a good read. His forgeries on the web can look extremely enticing but in many cases when in hand the paper is not right and evident by a serious collector, when gummed they become more deceptive, there are exceptions! A CD showing my mounted collection is also included.
2021, 192 pages, full color, cloth bound, English edison, from the US,Witch CD, $65.00 + $4.00 pp to a US mailing address.
The U.S. and World Fakes of Andre Frodel by Kenneth W. Pugh It covers some of his fakes and a good picture of him and the production, mostly fakes of 20th century U.S. stamps by manipulating authentic stamps, these fakes are quite deceptive. I have recently come across two CSA fakes that were superbly re-backed and may have been his work, 2021, 51 pages, full cover, on heavy paper, loose leaf and punched for standard 3 ring binder, binder not included, We did not produce this book but have a exclusive for the USA except for copies obtained from the author, $40.00
Indiana, The Postal History of Indiana by J. David Baker
The definitive work on Indiana and a fine guide for any state.
Useful and enjoyable for both the collector and the scholar.
1976, two volumes, 1,100 pages plus microfiche, cloth, edition 750, $75.00
United States Letter Rates to Foreign Destinations, 1847 to GPU-UPU by Charles J. Starnes Detailed rate tables from the U.S. to every country in the World for all mail systems with appendices covering British Treaty Mail via Marseilles, French postal charges, Bremen transit charges, UPU entrance dates, etc. Because of a printing error we destroyed 135 copies of the 1990 edition thus the low printing.
Fresno and San Francisco Bicycle Post of 1894 by Lowell B. Cooper, The suspension of Mail Service arising from the American Railway Union (ie Pullman) strike. Detailed study of Banta's postal and philatelic local. The Wells Fargo activity during the ARU strike are also covered. Being our own publication we are most prejudiced but we think you will find it an interesting story of a legitimate private post with some fascinating fraudulent philatelic activity. The story is still not complete but nothing new has appeared since the publication of this book. 1983, 152 pages, 100 illustrations, cloth, edition of 500, $50.00
The Postal Markings and Postal History of The Forwarding Agents by Ken Rowe The 1996 edition is a complete updating containing 400 changes in listings and 1,200 new agents, 80 more cities. We have a search file to find agents if you do not know the city or the marking is incomplete, it is on the INTERNET through our home page at http://pbbooks.com or on a disk with the book. The 1984 edition contains a listing by 1st surname which is not in the 1996 one as it is replaced by the computer.For more details on the Forwarding Agents
Suez Canal Company, The Private Ship Letter Stamps of the World by Ringström, Tester and Boulad d'Humières.
Confederate States of America, Philatelic Subject Index and Bibliography, 1862-1999 by Richard H. Byne An index and bibliography with no comparison in American philately. Over 8,200 books, articles, auction catalogs, show programs, etc. are cited giving the basic description. These items are referred to in over 25,000 references by subject. Appendices cover abbreviations, authors, publications and illustrations.
Volume I covers the literature for the 1862-1984 period, Volume II covers 1985 - 1999 plus a few year 2000 listings and any listings from the earlier period that have just come to our attention.
Confederate States of America, Markings and Postal History of Richmond, Virginia by Peter W. W. Powell All known CSA Richmond markings and a few pre-War ones that have not yet been found used in the CSA. The 8 basic types of CDS are actually 49 discrete markings, 142 halftones, 117 line cuts. 1987, 188 pages, cloth, edition of 750, $50.00
The Post Office Mail Sent Across the Lines at the Start of the American Civil War, May to July 1861 by Steven C. Walske An excellent new coverage of the Mails Suspensions, Railroad Mail Routes through Virginia, Railroad Mail Routes through Tennessee, Tennessee-Kentucky Mails after June 12th. Distributed at no charge, compliments of the author, to USPCS and CSA members. Free to our regular customers if you are not a member of either society, with an order. 2003, 36 pages in full color, card, edition of 2,250, $5.00
The Handstamps of Wells, Fargo & Co., 1852 to 1895 by John F. Leutzinger The original edition has been the standard work on the subject since it appeared in 1968 book, the new edition is much expanded and improved. 1993, 382 pages, 59 halftones, over 300 markings, cloth, edition of 750, $45.00
California Town Postmarks 1849-1935 by John H. Williams A massive work illustrating all known California Town Postmarks in full size, over 17,000 markings, basic data on each marking and post office is provided in addition to a monetary evaluation. An edition of only 450 sets, will not be reprinted. We have a computer search file to find post offices if you do not know the county or the marking is incomplete, it is on the INTERNET through our home page at http://pbbooks.com or on a disk with the book. For more details on California Town Postmarks and the Search File 1997, 1,504 pages, two volumes, cloth, edition 450, $105.00
Nebraska Territory Postal History by Charles W. Winter An illustrated catalog of all known Nebraska Territory postmarks along with an excellent presentation of covers and good historical background. Despite the title the Pre Territorial is well covered. A second type of the ALGOMA label is described for the first time. A photo gallery covers Patriotic and Map covers in addition to Foreign Rates. For more details please see Nebraska. 1999, 176 pages, 147 halftone and hundreds of line drawings, cloth, edition of 450, $35.00
Nevada Express, Wells, Fargo & Co, and Other Letter Expresses, 1857-1895 by James M. Gamett. In addition to the well known Pony Express and Wells, Fargo services 22 other express companies are covered, each with a census of the known covers along with many illustrations of covers and contemporary views of the towns. In all the book contains 110 halftones and a number of line cuts. 2002, 192 pages, cloth, $45.00
The Prestamp Period of El Salvador (1525 - 1866) by Guillermo F. Gallegos and Joseph D. Hahn An exceptional book with respect to understanding the postal operations of all of early Spanish America and not just El Salvador though the book is devoted to El Salvador, the rates, covers and markings, extensively illustrated, edition limited to 300 copies, 2015, 286 + 18 pages of which 26 are in color, cloth, with dj, $72.50
Soviet Clandestine Mail Surveillance, 1917-1991 by David M. Skipton and Steve Volis A hybrid of philatelic research and history.The political control offices that secretly watched the correspondence of Soviet citizens and foreigners in the USSR and demonstrates that these offices used censor marks resembling postmarks to convey information and instructions between the branches. Hundreds of these censor marks (and censorship-related date stamps) are recorded and illustrated; along with hundreds more that the authors contends were used to aid in the "classification campaigns" of the 1920s. cloth, all-color, 554 + ix pp. edition limited to 300, 2016, 554 pages, full color, cloth with dj, $98.00
U.S. Railroad Contract Mail Routes (1832-1875) by Hugh V. Feldman This book runs 1,096 pages. in full color, hard bound, dust jacket, illustrates 242 covers, 582 maps and 360 other images. A DVD is included containing over 800 covers many are not illustrated in the book, PMG annual reports and other reports to Congress between 1817 and 1878, these run about 10,000 pages. . Also included are images of the manuscript Railroad Contracts by States, 6,773 in all. We think these contracts have never been reproduced before. 2017, edtion of 680 copies, published at $97.50 plus postage, postpaid to a U.S. mailing address, $107.50
The Postal History of the Spanish-Cuban American War (1895-1898) by Yamil H. Kouri Jr. The philatelic aspect on all sides of the war with much related pertinent history. The 27 chapters range on the Cuban side, from Military History, Cuban Postal Systems in and out of the Island, and Impact on Civilians; on the Spanish side, from Mail from Spanish Soldiers, Sailors, Military Posts, Military Hospitals and POW's, Spanish Patriotic Labels, Interrupted Mails, and Blockade Mail; and on the U.S. side from Mail from all the Military Camps in the United States, Patriotic Covers and Labels, Wartime Correspondence
Mail from American Soldiers, Sailors, Military Hospitals, Military Postal Stations in Cuba, their Postal Markings and Mail Categories, Military Camps in Cuba, Local Provisional Stamp Issues, Official Mail Envelopes, and the Postal Issues of 1899-1902. All three sides, Cuban, Spanish and American, are well covered; Postal Markings, Stamps, Labels, Maps, Documents, Photographs, Tables, etc. A detailed table of contents and a extensive index with listing: cities, army camps, ships, etc. 2019, 752 pages,1,600 illustrations, full color; cloth, DJ, edition of 500 copies. To a US mailing address $90.00 + $7.50 postage to a US mailing address, $97.50
The Minnesota Territory in Postmarks, Letters and History by Floyd E. Risvold, An excellent coverage of the state but of considerable general interest for services and markings of the 1850 - 1870 period. Published by the Collectors Club of Chicago.1985, 329 pages, map in pocket, cloth, $65.00
Tennessee Postoffices and Postmaster Appointments 1789-1984 by Del Frazier A complete listing of all postmasters, not just the first, by county, a map for each county, also an index of offices giving the county. 1986, 838 pages, cloth, one page addendum and errata, cloth; $75.00
Postal Censorship in Imperial Russia by Peter Michalove and David Skipton Historical and philatelic aspects of Russian Censorship, 1714 to 1917. An excellent study covering the background, political and social, civil and military censorship. Well written and a finely produced. Over 1,100 illustrations. A detailed catalog of the markings arranged by city. Of major value to any collector or student of Censorship or of Russia. 1989, 255 + 263 pages, two volumes, cloth, slip case, $65.00
Chicago Postal History by Dr. Harvey M. Karlen, LC No. 79-135669
A useful and enjoyable short history from Chicago's 1st Post Office in 1832, the stampless markings and covers, the 1847 usages, the 1856 Private Perforations, the Civil War, Double Circle and Local Postmarks, Locals, Foreign Mail, etc. ending about 1905.
Private Ship Letter Stamps of the World by Ringström & Tester Covers the mail services, companies, stamps, reprints, forgeries, and cancellations, complete with numerous bibliographies.
British Pictorial Envelopes of the 19th Century by Bodily, Jarvis and Hahn A beautifully book, fine black and white illustrations, plus 32 pages in full color. The text is worth reading, enjoyable, informative and scholarly. To see a sample of the fine color work in this book please select British Pictorial Illustration but be warned it will be slow to load. This is not an illustration that I am proud of but I can not render acceptable quality at an acceptable file size, the printed book is much better. Publsihed by the Collectors Club of Chicago. 1986, 340 pages, cloth; $65.00
Three Centuries of Scottish Posts by A. R. B. Haldane A historical survey of the Posts from the early 1600's to 1836 published by Edinburgh University Press. We purchased all remaining copies thus permitting a small reduction in price. Recommended for collectors of early US and British covers. 1971, 351 pages plus two maps in pocket and dj, $27.50
Denmark 2 Rigsbank-Skilling 1851-1852 by Sten Christensen The stamps, postal history, Danish rates from 1522 to 1851, all in English, The stamps are covered from the manufacture of the paper and watermark, the printing plates and printings, first by line engraving and then typography, the burelage. The plating of the stamps is covered in great detail as are the fifteen types of forgeries. Four plating quality facsimiles covering 248 positions are tipped in. 1981, 160 pages, cloth, 337 illustrations, 248 facsimiles, $32.50
Private Local Posts of Denmark by Christensen & Ringström Each post starts with it's history, photographs and maps then a catalog priced in US $ for the stamps and stationery, many stamps are plated with enlarged photographs showing the characteristics, covers and cancellations. Color is well used, the maps are excellent, old photographs and prints are in appropriate tones, some stamps and documents in color.