Posts: 312
From: Boston, Mass.
Registered: Jun 2005

posted 09-01-2016 02:36 PM               

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Sept. 7 at The Collectors Club I will be showing eight frames and giving a lecture on exhibiting space event covers, "Astrophilately: The Intersection of Space and Postal History."

If you live in the New York City area please join us. The address is 22 East 35th Street.

Posts: 312
From: Boston, Mass.
Registered: Jun 2005

Posts: 135
From: Ridgefield, CT USA
Registered: Jan 2009

Posts: 312
From: Boston, Mass.
Registered: Jun 2005

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From: Merritt Island, Florida, Brevard
Registered: Mar 2001

Posts: 312
From: Boston, Mass.
Registered: Jun 2005

posted 09-20-2016 09:27 AM               

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Ken, three questions came to mind. Bruce Marsden (President of Collectors Club) was surprised how well documented developmental milestones (engine tests, wind tunnel, etc.) are, particularly during the shuttle program. An attendee was interested in the direction of U.S. Astrophilately in light of the end of the shuttle program and the emergence of commercial space.

The most challenging question (and one I didn't have a good answer for) was how we authenticate expensive postmarks. The question was posed by Keith Harmer (from the auction family). I pointed out that Space Unit published a handbook on suspect covers and collectSPACE can offer near real-time consensus evaluations on questionable items. He did not find that satisfactory (and frankly neither do I). Once we boost Space Unit membership, get more people to exhibit, beef up The Astrophile, and a dozen other things, creating an authentication service would be great.

Posts: 228
From: Boston MA, USA
Registered: Jun 2015

posted 09-20-2016 11:11 AM               

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David, I enjoyed the lecture very much, there were a couple of things that I did not know (as I have no experience in exhibiting).

As far as I could get it — there was no point to split the Astrophilately from the Philately, just make it easier for people who have no knowledge to get acquainted with terms and the way things are taken care of. Regarding the "authentication" question and forgeries — I believe that this issue is much more relevant to the general philately field — as there are much more fakes for much more money (as far as I know there are special catalogues for forged items, and some of those fakes are quite rare and collected). In our case the authentication is mostly done in public by showing questionable item on the forums or privately — asking experienced collectors in person. In most of the cases — the scans are sufficient but in more complicated situation, when the item should be examined closely — the service will help. I know that there are some certificates from Walter H. I also know that Russian guys issue certificates. The service can be established as a part of SU or other dedicated non-profit organization and commercialized accordingly.

On many cases the people seem to be unaware of the general fakeness of the subject — one example is "Baikonur" faked cancellations — though articles were written and forum posts have been done, still those covers are taken for $50-100 on eBay and some still believe in their "lucky day" (I spoke to a couple of fellow collectors). Recently I was excited to read several articles on the subject in Orbit magazine. So this issue should be taken by promoting Astrophilately mediums like — sites, magazines, etc.