Mar/Apr - Rathkamp Matchcover Society

Transcription

RMS BULLETIN NO. 555
March/April 2012
by
Mike Prero
[Text is from Match Folder News, October 1936; note, though ,that I have substituted the current listing of 800
for the original 796 listing that actually ran with the 1936 article]
―Chosen by the most noted collectors, representing a tremendous array of star covers, the First Baseball
Match Folder series coasts to an easy victory over all competitors as the greatest series in existence today. To
clinch the title it presents these facts: it is the largest series known, the aggregate value of all its covers exceeds
that of all other series and, further, a more complete coverage of a single field would be an almost super
human feat.
Placed on sale in 1934, this series, containing records thru 1933, consists of 796 different covers - 199
individuals each shown on four differently colored covers: blue, green, orange, and red. Each cover has the
player‘s picture in a square silver frame on the face, his name and team on the middle fold and his record,
together with the distinguishing crossed bats, glove and ball, on the back. The friction strip identifies The
Diamond Match Company as the manufacturer.
The following players are known to exist, each, remember, in the four colors: blue, green, orange, and red:
-Adams, Earl
-Allen, Ethan
-Auker, Eldon L.
-Baker, Delmar David
-Bartell,Richard ―Dick‖
-Beck, Walter
-Bell, Herman
-Benge, Ray
-Benton, Larry J.
-Berger, Louis W.
-Berger,Walter ―Wally‖
-Berres, Ray
-Berry, Charlie
-Betts,WalterM.―Huck‖
-Birkofer, Ralph
-Blaeholder, George F.
-Bottomley, Jim
-Boyle, Ralph
-Brandt, Ed
-Brennan, Don
-Burns, Irving (Jack)
-Bush, Guy ―Joe‖
-Camilli, Adolph
-Cantwell, Ben
-Carleton, Tex
-Carroll, Own
-Chiozza, Louis
-Clark, Watson
-Collins, James A.
-Collins, Phil
continued
2
RMS Bulletin March/April 2012, No. 555
traders. These days, though, we don‘t have many
traders. So, for the most part, those dupes and
unwanted categories just sit around taking up
Greetings fellow collectors. Hobby events are space and gathering dust.
about to kick into full swing. The Southern Swap,
AMCAL, UES and the big one - RMS. Please
Why not take all that stock and simply swap it
start planning to attend these events. Support with another collector for his or her unwanted
these events with donations of covers. Another stock? Chances are both collectors would end up
very important item - support your local clubs. If finding material they could use in their
you live in an area that has local club meetings - collections.
attend the meetings!
The President’s Message
Happy Collecting!
RMS President,
Bill Gigantino
RMS Going On Facebook!
RMS members Tracie Cutright and Greg Wolf
are putting RMS up on Facebook. That will
certainly give us some additional publicity.
Hopefully, we‘ll have more details by next issue.
_________________
George Stirling, RMS #77
George Stirling, RMS # 77 recently passed
away. George had the lowest number in our
club. George was a true gentleman and an asset
to our hobby. George had left RMS for a few
decades to raise a family. When he returned in
2000, he attended several conventions and was
active in the Connecticut Matchcover Club. We
here in CT will miss him greatly. It was my
privilege to have known George and to have met
many members of his family.
Bill Gigantino
___________________
DUPElicity
In the ‗old days‘ [groan], we needed large
numbers of dupes to keep up with our many
Even if you‘re a one or two category collector,
this should produce some positive results for you.
If you have lots of categories, especially small
categories, swapping your unwanted stock may
well result in a treasure trove!
Just find those collectors who you can swap
with. Start with those you already know...The Ed.
THE RMS BULLETIN
The RMS Bulletin is a bimonthly publication of the
Rathkamp Matchcover Society. RMS dues are $20
(single), $25 (single) for Canada and $35 (single) for
overseas. Add. family members are $4 each. Dues are
to be submitted to Treasurer. All articles,
advertisements, comments, and letters should be sent
to the Editor. Publication dates are: Sept., Nov., Jan,
Mar., May, and Jul. Deadline for all submissions is 30
days before the publication month. This publication is
owned by the Rathkamp Matchcover Society and is
made available for public distribution through first
class (Canadian and overseas) and bulk mail rates.
RMS WEB SITE: http://www.matchcover.org
RMS OFFICERS (2011-2012):
President: Bill Gigantino, 24 Hillside Ave., Cheshire,
CT 06410-1012 E-Mail: [email protected]
1st V.P.: Wally Mains, 105 Roger Lane, Florence, KY
41042-2334 E-Mail: [email protected]
2nd V.P.: Carry Van Tol, 402 Cowan Dr., Elizabeth,
PA 15037 E-Mail: [email protected]
Secretary: Charles Specht, 2306 Belmore Dr., Champaign, IL 61821 E-Mail: charlesspecht@
hotmail.com
Membership/Treasurer: Terry Rowe, 1509 S. Dugan
Rd., Urbana, OH 43078-9209 (937) 653-3947
E-mail: [email protected]
Editor: Mike Prero, 12659 Eckard Way, Auburn, CA
95603 (530) 906-4705
E-Mail: [email protected]
RMS Bulletin March/April
2012,
May/June 1996,
No.No.
460555
-Connolly, Edward J.
-Coombs, Raymond F.
-Cramer, Roger
-Crawford, Clifford
-Critz, Hugh M.
-Crowder, Alvin
-Cuccinello, Tony
-Cuyler, Hazen ―Kiki‖
-Davis, Virgil
-Dean, Jerome ―Dizzy‖
-Dean, Paul
-Delker, Edward
-Derringer, Paul
-De Santel, Eugene
-Dietrich, William J.
-Doljack, Frank J.
-Durham, Edward F.
-Durocher, Leo
-Elliott, Jim
-English, Charles D.
-English, Elwood G.
-Ferrel, Richard
-Ferrell, Wesley
-Fischer, Charles W.
-Fitzsimmons, Freddy
-Fonseca, Lew
-Frankhouse, Fred
-Frederick, John
-Frey, Benny
-Frey, Linus
-Frisch, Frankie
-Fullis, Chick
-Galan, August
-Galatzer, Milton
-Galehouse, Dennis W.
-Gaston, Milton
-Gehringer, Chas.
-Gharrity, Edward P.
-Gibson, George
-Goldstein, Isadore
-Gowdy, ―Hank‖
-Grace, Earl
-Grimm, Charles (Bust)
-Grimm, Charles (Reach)
-Grube, Frant T.
-Gyselman, Richard
-Hack, Stanley C.
-Hadley, Irving
-Hafey, Charles ―Chick‖
3 3
-Haid, Harold A.
-Haines, Jesse
-Hale, Odell A.
-Hallahan, Bill
-Hamlin, Luke D.
-Hansen, Roy
-Harder, Melvin
-Hartnett, Gabby
-Harris, William M.
-Hendrick, Harvey
-Herman, Floyd ―Babe‖
-Herman, William
-Hogan, J. Francis
-Hogsett, Elan
-Hoyt, Waite
-Hubbell, Carl
-Johnson, Silas K.
-Johnson, Sylvester
-Joiner, Roy M.
-Jordan, Baxter
-Jorgens, Arndt
-Jurges, William F.
-Kennedy, Vernon
-Kerr, John F.
-Klein, Charles ―Chuck‖
-Kleinhans, Theodore
-Klem, Bill
-Kline, Robert G.
-Knickerbocker, William
-Knott, Jack H.
-Koenig, Mark
-Lawrence, William
-Lee, Thornton S.
-Lee, William C. ―Bill‖
-Leonard, Emil
-Lombardi, Ernest
-Lopez, Alfonso
-Lucas, Red
-Lyons, Ted
-Mac Fayden, Daniel
-Madjeski, Ed.
-Mahaffey, Le Roy
-Malone, Pat
-Mangum, Leo
-Maranville, Rabbitt
-Marrow, Charles K.
-Mc Kechnie, William
-Mc Laughlin, Justin
-Mc Manus, Marty
-Mc Nair, Eric
-Medwick, Joe
-Mooney, Jim
-Moore, Joe
-Moore, Randy
-Morrisey, Joe
-Mowry, Joseph
-Muller, Fred W.
-Mungo, Van
-Myatt, Glenn
-Nelson, Lynn
-Oana, Henry
-O‘Doul, Lefty
-O‘Farrel, Robert
-Orsatti, Ernest
-Ostermieller, Fritz R.
-Ott, Melvin
-Parmelee, Roy
-Perkins, Ralph
-Pytlak, Frank
-Quigley, Ernest C.
-Rensa, George
-Rice, Harry
-Roetger, Walter
-Rogell, William G.
-Rommell, Edwin A.
-Root, Charlie
-Rothrock, John
-Russell, Jack
-Ryan, Blondy
-Schacht, Alexander (Al)
-Schulmerick, Wesley
-Sewell, Truett B.
-Slade, Gordon
-Smith, Bob
-Solters, Julius J.
-Spencer, Glenn
-Spohrer, Al
-Stainback, George
-Stark, Albert ―Dolly‖
-Stengle, Casey
-Stephenson, Riggs
-Stewart, Walter C.
-Storti, Lin
-Stout, Allen (Fish Hooks)
-Stripp, Joe
-Suhr, Gus
-Sullivan, Billy, Jr.
-Tate, Benny
4
-Taylor, Danny
-Thevenow, Tommy
-Tinning, Bud
-Travis, Cecil
-Twogood, Forest F.
-Urbanski, Bill
-Vance, Dazzy
-Veltman, Arthur
-Vargez, John L.
-Walker, Gerald (Jerry)
-Walker, William H.
-Waner, Lloyd
-Waner, Paul
-Warnecke, Lon
-Warstler, Harold B.
-Werber, Bill
-White, Joyner
-Whitney, Arthur
-Wilson, James
-Wilson, Lewis (Hack)
-Winegarner, Ralph L.
-Zachary, Thomas
This set today is almost impossible to complete, no complete set is known, and only a most
exhaustive search thru all collections could net one. If anyone ever completes the set--and many are
trying--he may well be proud, for the odds are against it, and it is almost certain he will miss on some
player or color. Nearly all of these books have been sold early in 1935, the majority by fall of 1934.
The huge size of the series, as well as the small number of collectors at the time, are among the factors
which make this the hardest of all sets to complete. Any valuation we might give this set complete
would be purely a guess, subject to correction, since there is no such thing as a complete set, but it is
our belief, based on the total cost of purchasing covers, (price plus postage), that a complete set would
be worth--hold your seats--$25.00. That figure is conservative in that even if you offered that price
there‘s no dealer to supply you, and if you try to accumulate them by buying from collectors, you‘ll
soon find that the price you pay, plus postage, makes $25.00 sound reasonable. Values of individual
covers can‘t as yet be established, as we have no way of determining the rarer, but they are usually
rated at only1 or 2 cents. This is because covers in a complete set would be practically double in value
as a complete set, whereas fragments of a set are owned by nearly all collectors, and are, accordingly,
less valuable.
Concerning the covers themselves. - in 1933, 188 of those pictured were active major league players to-day just 116 are active. Of these, about half are
with the same team, a reflection on the uncertainties
of baseball and proof that this set clearly has
historical value. Eleven weren‘t active players. - three
were managers, five coaches, and three umpires those retain their positions. The greatest man in
baseball at the time this set was issued is,
unfortunately it seems, missing. Naturally we refer to
―Babe Ruth‖. What a thrill this series would give the
next generation of baseball followers, but how much
greater it would be if Babe Ruth were included! The
ever-prominent ―Dizzy‖ Dean is included.
It will be interesting to note as future series are
issued (two already are, the last one still incomplete,
but both will be reviewed in future issues of MFN)
which players continue thru all series, which drop out
and who the newcomers are. Truly, this and
succeeding baseball series offer not only the collector,
but all of baseball‘s enthusiasts a wonderful
opportunity to preserve a complete, accurate, and
interesting baseball history - and illustrated, too.
RMS Convention Display
Rules
CATEGORIES:
1. Single (Two[2] of same may be shown to
illustrate inside)
2. Sets & Series
3. Military (Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force,
Coast Guard, Military camps & bases, Military & veterans hospitals—no military credit
unions; Major & Minor Political)
4. Sports
5. Transportation
6. Lodging (Hotels, Motels, Inns, Cabins)
7. V.I.Ps & Entertainment (movie stars, movies,
theme parks, Casinos, etc.)
8. Thematic (bears, fairs, gaming, top hats, etc.)
9. Businesses/Products/Svcs (all financial institutions, dept./drug stores, funeral homes, laundries, etc.)
10. Eating & Drinking Places (restaurants, bars,
grills, drive-ins, etc.)
11. Open Entry (any entry that does not fit into the
other categories)
12. Foreign
13. Display only (no RMS awards given, but
displays are eligible for non-RMS club,
individual, and memorial awards)
DISPLAY ENTRANT RULES:
1. Anyone entering a display must be a paid up
member of RMS.
2. Displays can consist of used or unused matchcovers, full-books, or matchboxes. (Salesman‘s
samples, flats, mutilated covers, loose labels,
and loose pages are permitted only in category
#14-Display.
3. There are no restrictions as to the title size, title
placement, or other added material on a display as long as the entire display is no more
than 720 sq. inches in any dimensional combination—that is, 24‖ x 30‖, 20‖ x 36‖ (not
including the frame). Any display exceeding
720 sq. inches shall be charged as two
displays.
4. Each display shall bear the name and address
5
of the entrant on the back of the display. This
information shall be covered with opaque
paper or a card. The number of the category
in which the display is to be entered shall be
on the outside of the opaque paper or card.
This must be done prior to entering the display.
5. Each display SHALL be covered with transparent material to inhibit removal of covers. (The
chairperson wishes it to be known that all
reasonable care will be taken to safeguard
displays, but neither the chairperson nor RMS
assumes any responsibility, either legal or
moral, for their integrity).
6. Displays shall adhere to the criteria of the category in which they are entered.
7. Entrants may enter no more than two (2) displays in any category. A maximum of ten
(10) displays per membership can be entered.
COMPLETE RMS DISPLAY RULES,
DISPLAY CATEGORIES, AND CLUB
AWARDS ALWAYS AVAILABLE AT
“CONVENTION CENTRAL” ON THE RMS
WEB SITE
Love Those Displays!
They‘re colorful...They‘re eye-catching...
They‘re fascinating! Join the competition and
start crafting your award-winning convention
displays now! Win cash! Win plaques! Win
trophies! Be the envy of your peers [Ouuu!
That‟s the best one!]
Here‘s a nice example by Bill Bias from last
year‘s RMS Convention:
6
2011 Israeli Box Set
We don‘t often see Israeli sets...of anything...
so this is a welcome surprise. Of course, my
Hebrew is a little rusty, so I have absolutely no
idea what the text says, but, looking at the
pictures, I‘d have to guess that this set features
so some sort of textile patterns.
You probably can‘t tell with black & white
photos, but each picture seems to be a different
cloth pattern, so perhaps this is a set issued by a
textile manufacturer or even the Israeli textile
industry in general.
These are all courtesy of Hans Everink,
Netherlands He has the five shown here, but
he‘s not certain this is the entire set, so there
might be more.
The Nur Match Factory was Israel‘s only
manufacturer. It was started by the Weizmann
brothers in 1924, but the plant was closed in the
late 1960s, and
production
was
transferred to the
new Haifa factory.
However, that plant
was also later
closed. In 1997, the
machinery
was
finally sold to
Brasilia. As far as I
know, Israel now
has no domestic
production.
Thus, these boxes
are
probably
foreign-made, from
India, Pakistan, or
Indonesia.
The Match Industry
and ASTM
[From S.F Sunday Examiner & Chronicle, Sept.
14, 1975]
7
As is protocol in these matters, the ASTM asked
the $117 million-a-year matchbook industry to
participate in a 100-member standards-writing
committee designated F-15. It did -- albeit
reluctantly.
The current issue of ―New Engineer‖ explains
that match manufacturers have a ―history of antitrust charges‖ and have been under a court order
restraining them ―from exchanging information on
prices, sales, inventory and production.‖
Lots of items carry standards--automobile
bumpers, meat, eggs, drugs, toy guns, BB guns,
―So the match manufacturers,‖ the magazine
guns that kill and on and on. But matchbooks?
article states, ―had not worked on a cooperative
project for more than 30 years. In fact, they were
That‘s next. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety reluctant to be in the same town together, much
Commission is readying a set of binding standards less the same room.‖ Standards were unheard of.
for all 13 matchbook manufacturers in the United
States. It has taken over two years to get to this
Work started in June, 1973. By November,
point.
1973, the task group of manufacturers, consumers,
suppliers and academic types was meeting
As there is due process in law, there is also a monthly. By March 1, 1974, a draft was ready and
technological due process, and it is watched over submitted to all 25,000 ASTM members by mail
by an unusual outfit calling itself the American ballot. It was not approved.
Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) in
Philadelphia.
So the committee prepared another draft. Just
then--September 1974--the Consumer Product
Strictly voluntary -- unaffiliated with either Safety Commission stepped in.
industry or government -- ASTM has been in
business since 1898. In that time it has set
The aim of the new standards is to make
standards for over 5,200 products, and it right now matchbooks ―child-safe.‖
into such items as playpens, highchairs, surgical
implants and the slippery surfaces of bathtubs and
―The friction striker must be located on the
stall showers.
outside back of the cover near the bottom of
the book.‖ This eliminates (potential for)
Nothing, it seems, escapes ATSM‘s purview -contact between the frictions strip and the
not even matchbooks. There are other standards
match heads.
setting agencies, including many in government,
The friction striker ―must not burn nor peel
but the ASTM is the oldest, largest, and, in the
away from the cover.‖
voluntary field, the most respected.
―Each match, when struck, must ignite within
two seconds and must not fragment, spark or
It got involved in matches, says Miss Martha
break. The match must be constructed so
Kirkaldy, an ASTM executive, because the federal
that...the flame goes out within a half-inch of
government had found them anything but
the top of the match splint or within a 15innocuous.
second burn time, whichever comes first.‖
As a matter of fact, they are one of the most
Afterglow is prohibited. And one-eighth of the
frequent causes of hospital emergency-room
total cover area is to contain safety messages. One
visits.
is to be ―Don‘t smoke in bed.‖
8
Barksdale Air Force Base
Barksdale AFB, Louisiana, was established in 1932 as Barksdale Field and is
named for World War I aviator and test pilot 2nd Lieutenant Eugene Hoy
Barksdale (1896–1926). The name was changed to Barksdale Air Force Base in
1948, with the establishment of the USAF as a separate military branch.
Airships were still in use when field construction began, so Hangars One and
Two were built large enough to accommodate them. No airships were ever
assigned, but each hangar was large enough to accommodate two B-52 aircraft
wingtip to wingtip, which proved invaluable for later modifications managed
by Boeing's Wichita plant between 1965 and 1973. Half of the B-52Fs
mentioned were deployed from Barksdale, but never returned as they were replaced by B-52Gs.
Barksdale was developed as an Air Corps flying school on November 1940. In 1940, Barksdale Field was host
to the Army's "complete military maneuvers", simulating European combat operations. Some 320 aircraft from
throughout the Army Air Corps participated, as Major General Dwight D. Eisenhower watched. General George
C. Marshall, the U.S. Army Chief of Staff, also briefly visited Barksdale Field during the maneuvers. During
World War II, the airfield trained replacement crews and entire units between 1942 and 1945. In 1949,
Barksdale was reassigned to Strategic Air Command (SAC), and became home of Headquarters Second Air
Force. Barksdale remained a SAC base for nearly the next half-century. However, with the change of
commands, the mission of Barksdale initially remained that of a training base where units were formed and
organized, then were reassigned to front-line operational bases.
Following 9-11, Barksdale provided a safe haven for President George W. Bush on his return flight to the
nation's capitol. Then, the National Command Authority called upon the base to provide substantial forces to
spearhead the war on terrorism. Barksdale warriors and B
-52s played a key role in Operation Enduring Freedom,
which saw the elimination of the repressive Taliban
regime of Afghanistan. It also resulted in the destruction
of Al-Qaeda leadership and training infrastructure that
had resided there with impunity. Returning yet again to
the skies of Iraq, Barksdale B-52s flew over 150 combat
sorties against military targets throughout the southern
half of the country during Operation Iraqi Freedom.
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barksdale_Air_Force_Base]
September/October
2012, No.
1996,
555No. 462
9 9
How To...Organize Your Dupes and Unwanted Covers
[Keep in mind that this is just the way I do it; there are probably as many alternatives
as there are collectors]
Covers are coming in on a fairly regular basis (if you‘re lucky); trading stock is produced when some
(or most) of those covers prove themselves to be dupes. And, perhaps you‘ve even acquired lots,
collections, accumulations, etc. with the specific goal of building up your trading stock. In any event, if
you‘re actively collecting, the process is constantly generating dupes--hundreds, thousands, perhaps
tens of thousands. If you‘re just chucking them in a box (the very thought makes me shiver), you won‘t
be able to pull the ones you need when you need to find them--for trading, donating, selling, whatever.
You need some type of system (to my way of thinking) so that you can always put your hands on
exactly what you‘re looking for with as little fuss, time, and effort as possible. I present my own system
as one possible solution.
When new covers come in, I imagine that there some collectors who go right to their albums and
determine straight away whether they are needed or are, indeed, dupes of what they already have. I
decided years ago that, for me at least, that was too time-consuming and inefficient. Instead...
1. I put all incoming covers into a holding box.
2. When the box is full, I then sort them into their various categories (putting aside any that I can
determine just by first sight are dupes, and also putting aside all those that aren‘t in my want areas).
3. The covers I think have any chance of going into my collections are then put into individual holding
areas (I have a cabinet affair that is made up of a bunch of cubby holes; each cubby hole is designated
for a specific want area).
4. When a cubby hole is close to overflowing, that‘s when I sit down and match them against what I
have in my albums, so that I‘m working now with probably a few hundred covers, all in that specific
category. The ones I can actually use go into the albums; the rest are then checked to see if they fall
into any other of my want areas of a lesser priority. Those well then go into those other cubby holes. At
the end of the process, I‘m left with those covers that I have no need for at all.
5. So now, I have dupes/unwanted covers coming in from three different sources: Those that I knew
were dupes right from the start, those that weren‘t in my categories, and those that have been shown to
be dupes after checking my albums.
6. All of these dupes/unwanted covers now go into trays alphabetically partitioned into hundreds of
categories where they will sit until I need them for trading or whatever. Stella Williams send me a
trade; she wants Roses. Another trader is looking for Towns. Someone else is after F-S Hotels. I know
exactly where everything is. It‘s all pre-sorted and ready to go out. All I have to do is count out the
appropriate number of covers.
7. There is one more group of covers here that I haven‘t mentioned yet because they bypass all but the
very initial stage of my system--nationals, categories that no one I know wants (chemical companies,
etc.), struck, and damaged covers. Those were immediately set aside to be disposed of in whatever
manner presents itself at some later date.
10
We’re In
Traditionally, shamrock is said to have been used by Saint Patrick to illustrate the Christian doctrine
of the Trinity when christianising Ireland in the 6th century. However, this is described by the Oxford
English Dictionary a "a late tradition", first recorded in 1726, and is probably false. None the less, since
the 18th century, shamrock has been used as a symbol of Ireland in a similar way to how a rose is used
for England, thistle for Scotland and leek for Wales.
Shamrock commonly appears as part of the emblem of sporting and official organizations representing
both the whole of Ireland (such as the Irish Rugby Football Union or Tourism Ireland) as well as
organizations specific to the Republic of Ireland (such as IDA Ireland) and Northern Ireland (such as
Police Service of Northern Ireland). Shamrock is also used in emblems of UK organizations with an
association with Ireland, such as the Irish Guards. Outside Ireland, various organizations, businesses
and places use the symbol to advertise a connection with the island. For example, basketball team,
Boston Celtics, in the USA incorporate the shamrock in their logo and the US cereal, Lucky Charms,
uses it on the product's mascot and as a shape in the cereal itself.
The shamrock has been registered as a trademark by the Government of Ireland. Traditionally in
Ireland, and in many places throughout the world, the shamrock is worn on the lapel on St. Patrick's
Day.
Example uses:
The shamrock signified the First Division of the Second Corps of the Army of the Potomac in the
11
The Clover!
American Civil War, which contained the Irish Brigade. It was red as were all of the division insignia
of that corps and still be seen on the regimental coat of arms of "The Fighting Sixty-Ninth"
The flag of the city of Montreal, Quebec, Canada has a shamrock that is located in the lower right
quadrant. The shamrock represents the Irish population, one of the four major ethnic groups that made
up the population of the city in the 19th century when the arms were designed.
The shamrock is featured in Canadian Coat of arms.
The shamrock is featured on the passport stamp of Montserrat, many of whose citizens are of Irish
descent.
The airline Aer Lingus uses the emblem in its logos, and its air traffic control call sign is
"SHAMROCK".
The Erin Go Bragh flag, originally of Saint Patrick's Battalion, uses an angelic Cláirseach, a medieval
Irish harp, cradled in a wreath of clover. A flag strongly symbolic of Irish nationalism, it is often seen
on Saint Patrick's Day, usually displayed during the parades.* Soldiers of the Royal Irish Regiment of
the British army use the shamrock as their emblem, and wear a sprig of shamrock on Saint Patrick's
Day. Shamrock are exported to wherever the regiment is stationed throughout the world. Queen
Victoria decreed over a hundred years ago that soldiers from Ireland should wear a sprig of shamrock
in recognition of fellow Irish soldiers who had fought bravely in the Boer War. [http://
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shamrock]
12
The MilitaryIsn‘t it a sad commentary on the state of our values and our society in general that, where once the
military were welcomed on college campuses, the military is now shunned? (although it‘s nowhere
near as bad as it was in the 1960s). In the space of a few short years, the military went from being seen
as heroes to war criminals. That‘s a whole ‗nother discussion, but...
Our World War II era Military matchcovers show us a different society--a society where the military
was respected, and patriotism was not just a peculiarity of the elderly. But, that‘s always been one of
the attractions of matchcovers--they show history: bygone eras and bygone values...much to our
appreciation...and dismay.
During World War II, there was a close relationship between the military and the nation‘s colleges
and universities, both working as a team to meet the needs of the national crisis. The military not only
needed their swelling numbers of personnel trained in various fields, but they also needed as many
better-educated personnel as they could find. What better location for both than the country‘s college
and university campuses?
Those campuses, on the other hand, were not yet the bastions of liberalism and seething discontent
that they were later to become. Then, they worked hand-in-hand with the military. Of course, the
Military represented the government, and the government was always a major source of grants and
other funding for such higher institutions of learning. It would be a gross disservice to all concerned,
however, to minimize the simple feelings of patriotism involved.
In light of recent wars--Vietnam, Afghanistan, etc--where much of the country has been split on
13
Collegiate Connection!
being supportive, it‘s often more difficult for younger people to really understand that this wasn‘t the
case in World War II. There were conscientious objectors and anti-war people, but when the United
States was attacked by the Japanese on December 7th, 1941, the latter groups all but disappeared, and
the country wasn‘t divided; it was united. Businesses put patriotic slogans on their matchbooks and
displayed ―Buy War Bonds‖ and such posters in their windows. The country came together in
conservation and other domestic war time projects. Women flooded into the work force as the men
went off to war. Rosie the Riveter was born, and Hollywood stars went off to join the service. They
were different times.
There are currently 85 different listed Military covers that are College/University conjunctives, but
that includes the issues from Military colleges such as Annapolis and West Point. Most are 20-strikes,
but many of these covers are those wonderful old Universal 40-strikes, as pictured here. They weren‘t
slick, as today‘s covers are, but they usually featured great art work--nostalgic scenes--patriotic
slogans...different times.
Broken down by branches, I don‘t see any for the Marines; most are from the Army and Navy. Not
surprising since they‘re the two largest service branches.
There aren‘t Fancies here, but there are at least a few sets from what I‘ve seen, but, again, the
attraction here is the art work and the history...which are considerable. Hopefully, in the years to come,
I‘ll be lucky enough to come across more than the 85 I know of. Each one is a gem; each one is part of
our heritage.
14
History 101
Genghis Khan
Although he‘s the national hero of Mongolia, he was one of the most
bloodthirsty conquerors in history...and the most successful. The empire he built
still holds the record today for the largest land empire every built.
His real name was Temujin, meaning iron smith, and he was born in 1167, in
Mongolia, When he was still a boy, perhaps when he was 13, he succeeded his father as chief of a
small Mongolian tribe. He began to expand his rule by conquering neighboring tribes. He was
proclaimed Great Khan after he defeated two of the many politically influential Mongolian clanconfederacies of his time.
In 1206, he took the title of Genghis Khan. He united all of the Mongolian tribes and established his
empire in the area of the steppes (central Asian plains), where he organized the wandering inhabitants
into a rigid military system. And into this system, he also incorporated non-Mongol peoples such as the
Kirghiz. For these steppe people, Genghis Khan established the Yassa, the first Mongolian code of
laws.
He then turned his attention to the rest of the world! He claimed that he was commanded to do so by
the ‗eternal blue sky‘, the highest supernatural power recognized by the Mongols. Between 1205 and
1215, Genghis Khan conquered China, and in 1218 his forces crushed the empire of Kara Kitai. This
conquest brought Mongolian power to the borders of the Moslem state of Khorezm, which he then
attacked and destroyed. In 1220 and 1221, he conquered and utterly destroyed Bukhara, Samarkand,
and Gurgan, then the centers of Moslem-Persian culture. He sent his generals with two smaller armies
into southern Russia, where they defeated the
Cuman empire. Eventually his Tartar soldiers, the
Golden Horde, conquered all of Medieval Russia,
introducing feudalism there before they were finally
pushed out in the 1300s
Genghis Kan died in 1227. He was buried in the
Burkhan Khaldun Mountains. The actual grave site
has never been discovered and thus remains
unknown today. Each of Genghis Khan‘s four sons
received part of the Mongolian Empire under the
condition that they recognize the Great Khan‘s
authority, but it was not until his grandson, Kublai
Khan, that the glory of the Mongol Empire was
recaptured.
Perhaps not surprisingly, your greatest sources of
Genghis Khan covers are going to be Mongolian and
Chinese restaurants. I currently have five, but you
know there are more than that.
[Hmmmmm! How about a Conquerors category?
—Caesar, Napoleon, Genghis Khan, etc...]
A Peek At Other Bulletins
[based on current issues on hand as of this writing]
15
- Tobacco Club: [Jan 2012] 8 pp.+color insert,
club business, Walter Briggs, Misc. domestic and
international finds
- Angelus MC: [Jan-Mar 2012] 15 pp., club
business, Quarterly Combo, The Scruffy Files,
Seriously-Who Would Name It That?, Ships That
Never Went To Sea, Happy New Year of the
Dragon, auction, raffle
- Trans Canada MC: [Dec 2011] 8 pp., fullcolor (e-version), club business, ebay, PhilluQuebec Swapfest Report, The History of the
Canadian Match Crate: Part 22, Local
Phillumenists‘ Collection Reaches Well Over
- Connecticut MC: [Jan 2012] 8 pp., full color (e 80,000, What‘s New, auction
-version), Club business, Cheshire, CT; My
- Tri-State Cardinal MC: [Jan 2012] 10
Newest Small Category; Sets & Series: 11
pp.+roster, full-color, magazine format, club
- Denver Strikers MC: [Jan/Feb 2012] 4 pp., business, Duncan Hines Update, RMS 2012
club news, Happy New Year!; Underwear; Display Award Categories, Tri-State Cardinal
Largest Collections, ads
Neckties
- Empire MC: [Feb 2012] 6 pp., club business, - Windy City MC: [Jan/Feb 2012] 6 pp.
WB Cigar Box, A Great New Die-Cut Cover, St. (lavender!), club business, AMCAL flyer,
Esperanto: A Language for the Jet Age, Is 2012
Maarten Casino Cover
the year for Metric Mike?, Nuff Said!
_________________
- Girlie Club: [Jan 2012] 4 pp+catalog supplements, club news, Singles extended to #5081,
Features extended to F225, updates and
Here’s Another Idea That
replacements, auction, ads
- Great Lakes MC: [Jan/Feb 2012] 10 pp., club
business, Combos, Let It Snow, AMCAL flyer,
Statues on Matches
- Huggable Bears MC: [Jan 2012] 8 pp., club
business, Misc. bear covers and news
- Lone Star MC: [Jan/Feb 2012] 8 pages, fullcolor (e-version), club business, Tournament of
Roses Parade, Southern Swapfest Registration
Form, Bingo, Woodies, USS Albany, ads
- New Moon MC: [Dec 2011] 10 pp., full color
(e-version), club business, New Flip-Top Boxes
from Europe, Large Artwork Matchboxes, Labels,
Box List Updates
Never Caught
On
This Lion cover has the
striker on the very bottom
of the front panel, so that
it‘s tucked in, out of sight,
when the matchbook is
closed (the picture is
misleading since it looks
as if it has a normal
reverse-striker, as well,
but it‘s just a black
strip—no
striker)
(Actually, perhaps it‘s
there to ‗mislead‘ the
child into thinking that‘s
where the match has to be
struck...Ohhhh...sneaky!)
- Sierra-Diablo MC: [Feb 2012] 8-pages, club
business, full-color (e-version), Cats, 1935
Pageant of America Set, Die-Cuts, AMCAL flyer,
The back panel has
San Francisco‘s Cow Palace, ads, auction
various endorsements
continued on p. 31
16
USS
USS Macon (ZRS-5) was a rigid airship built and operated by the United
States Navy for scouting. She served as a "flying aircraft carrier", launching
Curtiss F9C Sparrowhawk biplane fighters.
USS Macon was built at the Goodyear Airdock in Springfield Township,
Ohio, by the Goodyear-Zeppelin Corporation. Because this was by far the
biggest airship ever to be built in America, a team of experienced German
airship engineers—led by Chief Designer Karl Arnstein—instructed and
supported design and construction of both U.S. Navy airships Akron and
Macon.(sister ships)
The airship was named after the city of Macon, GA. Macon was christened
on March 11, 1933 by Jeanette Whitton Moffett, wife of Rear Admiral
William A. Moffett, Chief of the U.S. Navy's Bureau of Aeronautics. The
airship first flew one month later, shortly after the tragic loss of her sister ship
Akron. Macon was commissioned on June 23, 1933 with Commander Alger
H. Dresel in command. Designed to carry five F9C Sparrowhawk biplanes,
Macon received her first aircraft on board July 6, 1933 during trial flights out
of Lakehurst, NJ. The planes were stored in bays inside the hull and were
launched and retrieved using a trapeze.
Departing the East Coast on October 12, Macon's homefield became Naval
Air Station (NAS) Sunnyvale (now Moffett Federal Airfield) in Santa Clara
County, CA. Macon had a far more productive career than her sister ship,
Akron. Macon's commanders developed the doctrine and techniques of using
her aircraft to do scouting while the airship remained out of sight of the
opposing forces in exercises. Macon participated in several fleet exercises,
though the men who framed and conducted the exercises lacked an
understanding of the airship's capabilities and weaknesses. It became standard
practice to remove Sparrowhawk's landing gear aboard the airship and replace
it with a fuel tank, giving the aircraft 30% more range.
Later in 1934, Lieutenant Commander Herbert Wiley surprised President
Franklin D. Roosevelt—and the Navy—when Macon searched for—and
located—the heavy cruiser Houston, which was then carrying the President
back from a trip to Hawaii. Newspapers were dropped to the President on the
ship, and the following communications were sent back to the airship: "from
Houston: 1519 The President compliments you and your planes on your fine
performance and excellent navigation 1210 and 1519 Well Done and thank
you for the papers the President 1245."
During a crossing of the continent, Macon was forced to fly up to 6,000 ft to
clear mountains in Arizona. A large amount of helium was vented to reach this
altitude without rupturing the gas cells. Following a severe drop, a diagonal
girder in ring 17.5 failed. The repair to the girders on either side of the top fin
were delayed until the next scheduled overhaul when the adjacent gas cells
17
Macon
could be deflated.
On February 12, 1935, the repair process was
still incomplete when, returning to Sunnyvale
from fleet maneuvers, Macon ran into a storm off
Point Sur, California. During the storm, she was
caught in a wind shear which caused structural
failure of the unstrengthened ring to which the
upper tailfin was attached. The fin failed to the
side and was carried away. Pieces of structure
punctured the rear gas cells and caused gas
leakage. Settling gently into the sea, Macon sank
off Monterey Bay. Only two crew members died
from her complement of 76, thanks to the warm
conditions and the introduction of life jackets and
inflatable rafts after the Akron tragedy. Four USS Macon over New York City
Sparrowhawks carried aboard were lost with the
airship.
The Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute
succeeded in locating and surveying the debris
field of Macon in February 1991, and was able to
recover artifacts from her. The wreckage of
Macon was listed in the National Register of
Historic Places on January 29, 2010. The wreck
site remains secret, and is within a marine
sanctuary, the Monterey Bay National Marine
Sanctuary, and is not accessible to divers due to
depth. It is also a U.S. Navy gravesite. [http://
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Macon_(ZRS-5)]
USS Macon over Moffett Field, CA
[Saratoga cover (previously unlisted) courtesy of
James Willard]
Ed. How many more unlisted Navy Ship covers
are out there, forlornly tucked away in some
collector‟s dusty album? Six „newly-discovered‟
such covers were just added to the Pre-War
listing in January! Amazing to think that there
may still be more of these almost-100-year-old
covers that are currently unknown to the hobby at
large.
If you have any, or run across any, that you
think qualify, please send me a clear scan of both
sides.
Scouting plane being launched from airship
18
[Please check the Mail Box column for answers on last issue‟s
query on last issue‟s Stouffer‟s Motor Inns Set]
Weinstein’s Evidence
Here‟s one for Ken Ryesky! I‟ve made it extra large in the hopes
that you‟ll be able to read it. This Pocketbox is designed to look
like a book. The spine says ‗Weinstein‘s Evidence‘ (a legal text for
interpreting federal law), and it‘s also numbered ‗1‘. Does that
mean it‘s part of a set? Or, is that the number that would appear on this volume anyway? Probably the
latter, but this is the only one I have, so I can‘t tell if it‘s a single or not.
If anyone has a definitive
answer, please let us
know....And, if you have a
question about a set or series,
send in a clear pic and details,
and we‟ll see what
information we can garner
from our readers.
National Press
Not to be confused with the National Match Co.,
this was a Chicago-based printing company; Superior
Match Co. seems to have made most, if not all, of its
matches.
Covers were issued from 1930s-c.1940s. For most
collectors, the drawing card here would be all the
Girlie sets! Lots of ‗em!.
I only collect and list the wide-striker varieties.
There are 579 of those currently listed. I have 193.
There are a significant number of National Press
covers that are not wide-strikers, though, so I would
say the total number of National Press covers
certainly number in excess of 1,000.
19
Connecticut Matchcover Club
In 1972, Frank Ambrogio and Bob Dandeneau
met several times at a New Haven library to
research procedures for founding a club. The first
meeting was held February 10, 1973, with eight
founding members attending. The officers were:
Bob Dandeneau (Pres.), Steve Winter (VP), Frank
Ambrogio (Sec/Treas), and Frank Ambrogio and
Bob Dandeneau (Bulletin Staff). The annual dues
at the time were $2.
Of the original members, we‘re glad to note, at
least two retain active memberships: Frank
Ambrogio (#1) and Bob Dandeneau (#2).
Error Corner
Bev
Haslebacher,
OR: Bev sent in this
nice example of a double striker error, certainly one of the more
„striking‟ error types.
They‟re fairly rare, as
errors go. Just another
fascinating tid bit in
the world of collecting
matchcovers!
Have any Error covers, yourself? Some
are easy to spot; some
are impossible for all
but the original customer to see. But,
they‘re there!
Send me scans, and
I‘ll run selected items.
Usually every 5th year, in conjunction with club
anniversaries, there is an event celebrating our
anniversary. The next event will be in 2013.
Dues are $5 (US) - $6 (CAN) plus a one-time $1
initiation fee. The Connecticut Matchcover Club
bulletin, The Connecticut Matchbook, is published
four times annually.
If you‘d like to join CMC, whether you‘re in the
New England area or not, contact: Robert Lamb,
308 Old Mill Lane, Langhorne, PA 19047-1544.
For more info on the club, you can always write to
Bill Gigantino, 24 Hillside Ave - Cheshire, CT
06410-1012 (203-605-6136). Connecticut MC
would be more than happy to have you aboard!
Connecticut Matchcover Club! Just another one
of the hobby‟s great mainstays...and...
Congratulations, CMC!
39 years old this year!
10
20
The Mail Box
Charles Peyser, TN: A
thought concerning p.15
Citie s wit h Most
Collectors…interesting
data, but very much
dependent on townnaming habits of
i n d i vi d u a l s .
Your
comment about NYCity brought this to mind …
in at least some senses your tied-for-5th Brooklyn
NY would be considered NYC. Another case in
point:
one of my sisters sometimes uses
Rochester NY and sometimes Greece NY, the
latter being the village name; same ZIP, of
course.
RMS Bulletin
RMSSeptember/October
Bulletin March/April
1995,
2012,
No.No.
456555
7. Reading PA
10. Houston TX
10. St. Louis MO
10. Brooklyn NY
13. Arlington VA
13. Cheyenne WY
13. Chicago IL
13. Las Vegas NV
13. Orange CA
Mike Schwimmer, MA:
[Ref last issue‟s article on
Full-lengths] I collect the
Verticals mainly for the
reason that they are
HARDER to find because
there are fewer of them. I've
never been a fan of "more is
better." My biggest thrill in
I don't know the computer format of RMS collecting is finding, not
member rolls; if sorting on ZIP/PC is possible, having (altho' having is nice,
that could be used to determine membership by too!).
And the "finding
"metropolitan area". Here in Tennessee, for thrill" is greater for me when
example, 374xx is Chattanooga with 373xx the the job is tougher. I mean, if
surrounding TN towns …together these could be they're everywhere, that's
considered the "Chattanooga area". Interpreting just gathering, not finding
the numbers would require a ZIP-code IMO.
guide. And, just as the city name data are rendered
shaky by individual town-of-my-mailing-address Barry Turner, MI: Any idea what the ―A.B.C.‖
habits, the ZIP-code data are rendered shaky by on the saddle of this
the USPostal system of mail distribution [e.g., at cover means? I‘ve seen it
least until the massive closings occur, the same on a number of covers.
Chattanooga central processing facility sorts
374xx and 373xx in TN and also 307xx northwest Ed. Nope! I‟ve never
GA but for some reason not the northeastern s e e n
it
before.
corner of AL].
Readers...?
Another curmudgeonly observation…your
ranking numbers of Cities. While "statisticians"
certainly argue about how to do such listings, I
more oft see the "skipped for ties" system that
would change your list to:
1. Cincinnati OH
1. San Diego CA
3. Columbus OH
4. Hamilton ON (CAN)
4. Pasadena CA
4. St. Paul MN
7. Louisville KY
7. Los Angeles CA
Multiple: Ref last issue‟s
article on Disk Matches,
Stan Tombs, CAN; Sid
Barlow, ENG; and Derek
Judd, ENG, wrote in to
let me now that I
mangled Stan Aston‟s
name. I had it as „Stan
Alston‟. A typo, or I
misread the name I had.
My apologies.
Doug Fouquet/Ed Brassard, CA: Ed Brassard
showed this to me today. He was working on his
blacks album and noticed something he hadn't
seen before. The bellboy's black head has been
replaced by a white head. First time he's seen
this, so it's probably unusual. Either a rare cover
or an error???
Ed. Well, I was thinking that since the „white‟
cover is of a more recent vintage the difference
might be due to an early wave of „political
correctness‟, but, I notice that the two dots on the
table (back panel) are also missing...so I would
guess that this is an error where the last color
application is missing. (but then, why would the
eye color be reversed?...Hmmmm)
21
There are three other sets, essentially the same
design: one dated 169 with 9 locations listed and
9 covers; one dated 269 with 9 locations listed but
10 covers (2 diff. Oakbrook Inn), and one dated
1171 with 9 existing and 4 future locations
listed. I have only 5 covers from the 1171 set
complete but am reasonably certain that there are
9 covers in that set.
Marc Murphy, CAN: [Ref Stouffer‟s Set] Marc
sent in a nice scan showing 10 covers, all in dif
colors. The inside text is the same on each. Marc
has the Oakbrook Inn location in two dif colors
(one is light blue; one is lavender). So, this is
apparently one of the sets referred to above by
John Clark.
Stan Tombs, CAN: I've been reading with
considerable interest your cover story, "Disk
Matches" in RMS Bulletin No. 554. Some of this
interest is due to me having a few different metal
holder contained Disk Matches, also a cardboard
box with Disk Match refills which is printed in
part: "This carton contains 540 Carnival Disk
Matches British Booklet Matches (1928) Ltd." It's
always nice to read about good stuff you have,
especially when it's pretty rare.
Bob Ruggieri, THAI: A correction to the RMS
Bulletin January/February #554, pg. 15. Brooklyn
is not a city, but a borough within New York City,
as is Queens, Bronx, Staten Island and
Manhattan. So anyone using anyone of the 5
boroughs as there address really live in New York
City, so that should give NYC a spot on your top
cities.
[Ed. What do I know? I‟m a California boy! Ask
me about surfboards!]
John Clark, FL: The Stouffer's Motor Inns cover
pictured in the January/February RMS Bulletin
[p.18] is from a set of 9 covers - one for each of
the existing locations listed inside. They are all
different colors and are dated 970 on the inside in
the manner that Columbia Match dated most of its
products.
Congratulations, Angelus MC!
Southern California‘s Angelus Matchcover
Club is celebrating its 61st anniversary this
month! The club was founded in 1951, only two
years after RMS, itself. That‘s quite a record.
Congratulations to the officers and members of
one of the most successful clubs in the hobby.
22
Hobby Glossary
Bits & Pieces
World War II Pat: I‘ve
collected World War II
Patriotics for over 25
years, and I don‘t think
I‘ve ever noticed this
slogan before—―Write
Your War Buddy‖. That
was some 70 years ago,
and it‘s just as apropos
today. Where did I find
it? In my Colleges/
Universities collection!
Did you know that
Diamond matchbooks
are actually printed by
DD Bean?
And did you know that
the Lafayette Hotel, site
of this year‘s AMCAL,
has a pool designed by
Johnny Weissmuller?
Answer to Last Issue’s
Matchcover Mystery
“In what year was the Advertizit Match Co.
founded?”
Answer: Claude Pelletier, CAN: ―1938‖
Matchcover Mysteries: #97
“How many covers are in the 1943 Lion Naval
Jargon set?”
________________
Plastic Pages?
Horseshoe Curve Matchcover Club - 1968-early
1970s?; Western PA
Household Matches - Eddy trademark; replaced
Eddylites Utility; ?-1977.
Hotels/Motels - large category for covers from
hotels, motels, lodges, non-restaurant inns, motor
courts, etc.; Warren Marshall‘s, CA, collection
numbered 110,281+ in 10/89. [larger chains, such
as Best Western, Holiday Inn, etc. are normally
considered separate categories].
How It Began Set - 1976 Diamond set of 6 30strikes.
Huggable Bears Matchcover Club - specialty
club focusing on covers featuring bears; 1993present.
Humming Bird - smallest matchbook known.
Only 1 known to exist. It was Al Polick‘s in the
1940s.
Humor in Cinema Set - 1976 Portuguese 24cover set.
Hy-Grade - West Virginia
trademark; c. 1920s-1939.
Match
Corp.
Hyatts - category for covers issued by Hyatt
Hotel chain; Wayne Eadie, NY, had 602 as of
11/05.
I
Illinois Match Co. - Chicago-based company; ?1935; merged with Beacon Products Co. in 1935
to form Match Corp. of America.
Imprint - manufacturer‘s ID on inside of cover;
different from manumark. Early on, it was used to
refer to the actual manumark; seldom used today.
Wayne Eadie, NY, still handles the Bettervue Imprint Book Match Co. - Rochester, NY-based
company; c. 1930s. 23 covers currently listed.
pages. They‘re the best in the Ed.‘s opinion.
January/February
2012, 1996,
No. 555
No. 458
19
23
Editorial
In Praise Of Earlier Collectors
There‘s an old saying about how we all stand so high because we stand on
the shoulders of those who came before us. In my History classes, I‘m
always stressing how civilizations have borrowed the advancements of
previous societies. In our own society, someone once figured out that 95% of
everything the average American uses in an average day was invented by
someone else, in another society, from another time.
Not surprisingly, then, it‘s the same with us, in our own hobby. How many covers would we have in
our collections if it weren‘t for prior collectors gathering those covers, preserving those covers, and
funneling them into the hobby? Only a very small fraction.
It was also those earlier collectors who started the hobby, established the standards by which we
collect, and set the traditions that distinguish our hobby from others--traditions such as swapfests, room
-hopping, display competitions, and so on.
They were the first to start collecting covers, in the early 1930s, at the latest. They scoured the
tobacco shops for DQ‘s, Safety Firsts, and Midgets. They joined the early collectibles clubs, set up
trading relationships with other collectors, and eventually decided that there should be a club devoted
exclusively to match collecting. And thus they founded RMS, the first, and oldest, matchcover
collecting club in the world.
They publicized the new hobby, extolling its virtues and displaying album after album. And, lo! They
begat more matchcover collectors. They became fruitful and multiplied! And they went forth and
established new clubs, from ocean to ocean, border to border.
They were patient, diligent, and innovative. They spent endless hours sewing their own pages,
cataloging covers, and producing the hobby‘s first lists. They fashioned collecting standards, rules for
trading, and bylaws for their organizations.
They met together in the first club meetings, formed the first conventions and swapfests, recognized
others with the first awards. They published the first bulletins and held the first auctions. They became
the hobby‘s first presidents, vice-presidents, secretaries, and treasurers. They were the hobby‘s first
volunteers, its first tireless workers, its first advocates.
Those early collectors also became the first Outstanding Collectors of the Year and the first Hall of
Famers. They gave, and received, the hobby‘s earliest awards. They pointed the way for those of us to
come.
Some are remembered--Rathkamp, Perkins, Polick, Torrent, Cooper, and others; most are not...but
they all deserve recognition for making us the collectors we are today. Like the explorers of yesteryear,
they were the pioneers and trailblazers who opened the way for those who followed. Those of us today
may, perhaps leave our own individual legacies to the hobby, but to the early collectors, the first
collectors, goes the first appellation, the nod of approval, and a job ―well done!‖
24
Myths & Tales: St.
Historians have debated the exact details of the birth of Saint George for over a century. The Catholic
Encyclopedia takes the position that there seems to be no ground for doubting the historical existence
of Saint George, but that no faith can be placed in some of the fanciful stories about him.
The work of the Danile Paperbroch, Jean Bolland and Henschen in the 17th century was one of the
first pieces of scholarly research to establish the historicity of the saint's existence and paved the way
for other scholars to dismiss the medieval legends. Pope Gelasius stated that George was among those
saints whose names are justly reverenced among men, but whose actions are known only to God.
Edward Gibbon argued that the figure was probably based in whole or in part on George of
Cappadocia, a corrupt Arian Bishop whose pursuit of wealth was infamous.
It is likely that Saint George was born to a Christian noble family in Nicomedia, between c. 275 and
285 AD, and he died in Lydda, Palestine. His father, Gerontius, was a Roman army official from
Cappadocia and his mother was from Palestine. They were both Christians and from noble families, so
George was raised as such. At the age of 14, George lost his father; a few years later, George's mother,
Policronia, died. Eastern accounts give the names of his parents as Anastasius and Theobaste. Then
George decided to go to the imperial city of Nicomedeia and present himself to Emperor Diocletian to
apply for a career as a soldier. Diocletian welcomed him. By his late 20s, George was promoted to the
rank of Tribunus and stationed as an imperial guard of the Emperor at Nicomedeia.
In AD 302, Diocletian issued an edict that every Christian soldier in the army should be arrested and
every other soldier should offer a sacrifice to the Pagan gods. But George objected, and, with the
courage of his faith, approached the Emperor and ruler. Diocletian was upset, not wanting to lose his
best Tribune and the son
of his best official.
George loudly renounced
the Emperor's edict, and
he claimed to be a
Christian and declared his
worship of Jesus Christ.
Diocletian was left with
no choice but to have him
executed for his refusal.
Before the execution,
George gave his wealth to
the poor and prepared
himself. After various
torture sessions, George
was
executed
by
de c a pi t a t i on be f ore
Nicomedia's city wall, on
April 23, 303. His body
was returned to Lydda for
burial, where Christians
soon came to honor him
as a martyr.
25
George & The Dragon!
The episode of St George and the Dragon was a myth brought back with the Crusaders and retold
with the courtly applications belonging to the genre of Romance. The earliest known depiction of the
myth is from early eleventh-century Cappadocia, (in the iconography of the Eastern Orthodox Church,
George had been depicted as a soldier since at least the seventh century); the earliest known surviving
narrative text is an eleventh-century Georgian text.
In the fully-developed Western version, which developed as part of the Golden Legend, a dragon
makes its nest at the spring that provides water for the city of "Silene" (perhaps modern Cyrene) in
Libya or the city of Lydda, depending on the source. Consequently, the citizens have to dislodge the
dragon from its nest for a time, in order to collect water. To do so, each day they offer the dragon at
first a sheep, and if no sheep can be found, then a maiden must go instead. The victim is chosen by
drawing lots. One day, this happens to be the princess. The monarch begs for her life to be spared, but
to no avail. She is offered to the dragon, but there appears Saint George on his travels. He faces the
dragon, protects himself with the sign of the cross, slays it and rescues the princess. The grateful
citizens abandon their ancestral paganism and convert to Christianity.
The dragon motif was first combined with the standardized Passio Georgii in Vincent of Beauvais'
encyclopedic Speculum historale and then in Jacobus de Voragine, Golden Legend, which guaranteed
its popularity in the later Middle Ages as a literary and pictorial subject.
The parallels with Perseus and Andromeda are inescapable. In the allegorical reading, the dragon
embodies a suppressed pagan cult. The story has roots that predate Christianity. Examples have led a
number of historians to suggest that George is a Christianized version of older deities in Indo-European
culture. In the medieval romances, the lance with which St George slew the dragon was called Ascalon,
named after the city of
Ashkelon in Israel.
St. George is most
commonly depicted in
early icons, mosaics
and frescos wearing
armor contemporary
with the depiction,
executed in gilding and
silver color, intended to
identify him as a
Roman soldier. After
the Fall of Constantinople and the association of St George
with the crusades, he is
more often portrayed
mounted upon a white
horse.
[http://
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/
Saint_George]
26
27
“How many covers do you throw
away in a typical month
[January — 74 responding]
0 - 29
2 -3
5 -5
6 -4
8 -2
9 -1
10 - 3
11 - 1
12 - 7
15 - 2
18 - 2
20 - 1
25 - 2
30 - 1
35+ - 1
40 - 1
45 - 1
50 - 2
55 - 1
60 - 1
100 - 4
Well, the most frequent response was certainly ―0‖, with 29 respondents saying that
they normally don‘t throw any covers away during a typical month. But, that means
that most collectors do. Some 63% of the survey‘s participants said they toss between
2-100 covers a months—damaged, Nationals, and the like.
If I take the number of collectors currently in the hobby x 63% x the average number
of covers thrown out a month, as shown here, I get 984 x 63% x 47 covers monthly,
which comes out to 29,136 monthly, or 349,632 covers thrown away annually. That‘s
over a third of a million covers destroyed by collectors every year! Granted, that‘s a
really rough estimate, but it does give us a ballpark figure, and that‘s enough for discussion purposes, at least.
There will be two schools of thought here, of course. One will be horrified that so
many covers are being intentionally destroyed, and even more so by collectors doing
the destroying, while the other will celebrate that the ‗garbage‘ is being culled out of
the collectible material. One will argue that there is no ‗garbage‘, since one man‘s garbage is another‘s treasure. The other will return that ―Oh, yes there is!‖ and that the
inclusion of such demeans and devalues collections and the hobby in general, not to
mention having to sort through that material over and over again on freebie tables and
the like in order to get to the useable stuff.
It‘s an age-old controversy, never to be solved, simply because of differing
personalities and perceptions. Personally, I‘m one of the collectors who does throw out such covers,
and I lean towards the view that the hobby and its members are better off without them. At the same
time (while not purposely trying to straddle the fence), I have to admit that I‘ve often found covers I
could use among other‘s discards. Although, even that needs to be clarified. There‘s a huge difference
between struck covers and damaged covers. No one in this survey said that they threw out struck
covers, and my ‗finds‘ on freebie tables have never included damaged material.
Of course, as with most things, there are various factors which can make the end figure go up or
down. In the 1980s, for example, when there were some 4,000 collectors in the hobby, the number of
covers being discarded was certainly higher than it is now. And, the more covers a collector goes
through, the more he‘s likely to toss.
Additionally, the figure here is relative. The hobby‘s one third of a million covers discarded annually
is only a drop in the bucket when compared to what the nation in general must toss away each year.
Notable comments from this survey’s participants:
-I never throw covers away!
-I may throw away 10-20 covers a month...and if I leave any laying low/on the floor, our puppy chews
a few also.
-I do not throw away any covers unless they are badly damaged.
-I never throw away covers, I save them for freebie tables. Someone else may treasure them.
-I think this questions really depends on how active a person is on a daily/weekly/monthly basis. I do
know I have hundreds, probably thousands that are bound for the trash or some similar fate.
28
FOR SALE: Am selling my stock of dupe bus-related
covers. For list, send SASE to—John Dockendorf, 448
Meadow Dr., Camp Hill, PA 17011 (717-763-9117)..M/A12
Recent RMS Area Award Recipients:
-Tri-State MC: Terry Rowe
-Forest City MC - Marian Reigelman
Strange But True...Terry Rowe, who mails out
the bulletins, received a bulletin back on January
12th. It was a May/June 2010 issue with three
holes punched in it on the side for a 3-ring binder!
The, on January 23rd, Terry received NOV/DEC
04 and SEP/OCT 07 bulletins in the mail. Just
like the other one, 3-holes punched with no
label. So, whoever is doing this is making sure
the label is removed before dropping it in the mail.
[Perhaps someone at the post office is a closet
collector!]
Ed: I need e-mail addresses for all you ‗silent
majority‘ members!
Valentine card with...matches! Charles Specht
sent this one in.
It
was
being
offered
on
Papyrusonline.
com for
$4.95.
You can get it at
http://www.
papyrusonline.
com/greeting
-cards/valentines
-day/four-hearts-in
-matchbook.html
CLASSIFIED ADS
WANTED: from Appleton, WI: Al-Mar Bar, Recker‘s Bar
and Appleton Yacht Club with Al H. Recker listed as
Steward on cover. All early 1950‘s 20 strikes. Contact
Diane (Recker) Trendel, 2301 E. Peter St., #2, Appleton, WI
54915 (920-735-5592).................................................M/A12
WANTED: T & T List #8—NBC Broadcasting Company
Stars; # 24—Lowell Thomas-Blue. Wilton Mason, 1636
Walnut Rd., Springhill, LA 71075-9707 wandgmason@
centurytel.net ..............................................................M/A12
NAVY SHIP LISTINGS HAVE BEEN UPDATED: both
the Mensch Pre-War listing and the COMBINE Post-War
listing. Last update was in 2007. See COVER LISTS page
at http://matchpro.org..................................................M/A12
WEEKLY ON-LINE AUCTION: 100 lots per week,
major and minor categories. http://matchpro. org.........J/A12
WANTED: Buick and Auto Related, Arthur L. Tetreault,
25 West Street, Middleboro, MA 02346-1944 (508 9479623).............................................................................S/O12
Classified ad policy: Ads are free and published on a space
available basis.
2012, No.1995,
555 No. 457
November/December
21 29
Who Made That?: Striking on the Modern Matchbook
New York Times Magazine, January 08, 2012, by HILARY GREENBAUM and DANA
RUBINSTEIN
What prompted Joshua Pusey, a lawyer and the inventor of the modern toboggan, to patent a folded
piece of cardboard carrying matches and a striker? Nice little blurb at http:/www.nytimes.
com/2012/01/08/magazine/who-made-that-matchbook.html?_r=1&emc=eta1
______________________________
Matchbook Covers
ESPN Magazine, November,
2011 featured a page on mostly
Group I matchbooks.
___________________
Market extinguished,
but matchbooks still
spark memories
DailyHerald.com, January 19,
2012.
Once an advertising staple that
doubled as a free souvenir from
vacations, matchbooks are all
but extinguished. But suburban
collectors, and even an Illinois
museum, still see matchbooks
as a piece of history worth
preserving. "In restaurants, you
can't smoke anymore and that's
what killed the industry," says
Bob Cigrang, 62, a Mount
Prospect resident who helped
found t he Wi nd y Ci t y
Matchcover Club in 1985 for
local collectors. Read the
complete article at http://
www.dailyherald.com/
article/20120119/
news/701199993/
22
30
RMS Bulletin
November/December
1995,
No.No.
457555
RMS
Bulletin March/April
2012,
MATCHBOOKS IN THE
LAW BOOKS: PART 78
by Kenneth H. Ryesky, Esq.
==================================
Ken Ryesky (RMS # 9003), member of the New
York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania Bars,
practices law in East Northport, NY and teaches
Business Law at Queens College of the City
University of New York. He can be reached
at P.O. Box 926, East Northport, NY 11731 or by
e-mail at [email protected].
head attached to the match, and also not a valid
trademark.
Accordingly, the trademark was
expunged, thereby clearing Bryant & May and
other match manufacturers to use the term
"Braided Fixed Stars." [167]
Palmer's then began to designate its wares with
labels that read, "Notice! Smokers are requested
when they ask for Braided Fixed Stars, to see that
they get Palmer's, the original and only
genuine. Beware of Imitations."
Our special thanks go to Peter Campion, the
Society Secretary of the West & Midlands
Phillumenists in the United Kingdom, who was
=================================== kind enough to scan this Palmer's Braided Fixed
Inventors in 19th Century England produced Stars label illustration.
many match technology innovations which paved
the way for Joshua Pusey's matchbook. One [To be continued]
technical difficulty that needed to be addressed
was the flaming match head's tendency to become ======================
detached from the matchstick while in use.
[167] In re
In 1867, H.J. Simlick was granted a patent for a J .
B.
miniature network of wire mesh and cotton to P a l m e r ' s
keep the head on the matchstick. J. Palmer & Son T r a d e purchased Simlick's patent in 1869, and then Mark, 24
proceeded to manufacture and market the product C h
D
as Braided Fixed Stars.
Palmer registered 504
(Ct.
"Braided Fixed Stars" as a trademark.
App. 1883).
In 1881, the Simlick patent, then owned by
Palmer, expired. Shortly thereafter, the match
manufacturers Bryant & May applied to have the
trademark "Braided Fixed Stars" canceled. The
trial court dismissed the action because the
registration had been in effect for more than five
years and therefore conclusively valid.
But the Court of Appeal found that the term
"Fixed Stars," which was used by several other
match manufacturers as a generic term for the
type of match, was not
susceptible to registration
a
s
a
trademark. Moreover, the
term "braided" was a
generic description of the
means used to keep the
31
RMS MEMBERSHIP REPORT – MARCH/APRIL 2012
SPONSOR
NEW MEMBERS (*=will trade)
9749*-Thomas M. Moubray, 2578 N. George St., York, PA 17406-3112 .................. RMS Web Page
COLLECTS: General
Email: [email protected]
9750--Arthur L. Tetreault, 25 West St., Middleboro, MA 02346-1944
COLLECTS: Buick and Auto Related ................................................................................. RMS
9751--Eileen M. Schneider, S43 W25312 Red Oak Dr., Waukesha, WI 53189 ........Stanley Schneider
COLLECTS: Christmas, Hot Air Balloons, Hallmark and anything that says Coffee.
9752*-Michael F. Posinski, 6811 Armistead Rd., Edgemere, MD 21219-1201 ........... RMS Web Page
COLLECTS: General
9753*-Jesse Guiher, 17530 Bluff Rd., Sandy, OR 97055 .................................................... Greg Lund
COLLECTS: Places of Amusement (Amusements/Theme Parks, Arcades Tourist Stops,etc.),
Candy, Holiday related (Halloween/Christmas Especially), Front Strikers, Full
Lengths & Supernatural.
REINSTATED
6061*-Kathleen Kirby, 15420 Willman Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44135-3456
COLLECTS: Peacocks, Ladybugs, Jamaica, Dachshunds, Moons & Magic.
6146-Ed Brassard, 1540 Forest Way, Delmar, CA 92014
COLLECTS: National Parks, Hard Rock Cafes, Parks, Pre-1930 & Matchcovers.
ADDRESS CORRECTION
6067-Bill Scott, 4308 Markusson Dr., Sunbury, ON P3G OA5, Canada
9029-Don Briggs, 2306 Florence Dr., Latham, NY 12110
9324-Kathie Williman, 1526 Carrolton Way, Chesapeake, MD 23320
9374-Tracie M. Cutright, 605 Highland Ave., #1, Canonsburg, PA 15317
RESIGNED
7810-Susan Steinnerd (1/5/12)
DECEASED
77-George Stirling, Jr. (1/1/12);
2807-Ruth Hagan (12/6/11); 7518Genevieve Mathis (9/12/11)
Respectfully submitted,
Terry Rowe
Ruth Hagan
Long-time RMS member, Ruth
Hagan, passed away on Dec. 6th at
the age of 95. She contributed much
to both the hobby and her friends.
Our condolences to her family and
her many friends around the country.
Here’s Another Idea...[con’t from p. 15]
from insurance companies and fire marshals.
This also represents yet another option for where to put the
striker.
Lion must have done some pre-sales testing and found that no
one was interested in this, as this ―SAMPLE‖ is the only one I‘ve
ever seen of this type of cover.
Yet another example of man‘s ingenuity not matching up with
customer‘s expectations!
BIRTHDAY CLUB: The following club members will be celebrating
birthdays on the dates indicated. Please check your latest roster to get current
addresses and categories: Wally Mains (4/11), Denis Bouchard (4/24)
If you‘re interested in receiving 200-300 covers or boxes during your birthday
month, send an SASE #10 envelope to: Wally and Pat Mains, 105 Roger Ln.,
Florence, KY 41042-2334. NEW MEMBERS ARE ALWAYS WELCOME.
32
Terry L. Rowe
RMS Membership Secretary/Treasurer
1509 S. Dugan Rd.
Urbana, OH 43078-9209
PRSRT STD.
U.S. POSTAGE PAID
URBANA, OH
PERMIT NO. 200
ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED
The Voice of the Hobby
RMS BULLETIN
The Official Publication of the Rathkamp Matchcover Society
Published Bi-Monthly
COMING UP!
May/Jun: “Novelties”
Jul/Aug: “Flip-Top Boxes”
Sep/Oct: “Matchbox Holders”
SOUTHERN SWAPFEST 2012: March 13-17, 2012.
Hampton Inn, 151 N. Douglas Rd., Altamonte Springs, FL
(407-869-9000).
Room:
$70.
FMI:
www.southernswapfest.com
AMCAL 2012: April 19-21 Hotel LaFayette, 2223 El
Cajon Blvd., San Diego, CA. $85 room rate (888-272
6343). Lat est detai l s al ways at : ht t p:/ /
www.amcalmatchcovers.org
TRANS CANADA SWAPFEST: May 2012. Details
coming
UES 2012: June 6-9, 2012. Ramada Plaza Hotel,
Halfway Blvd. at 1718 Underpass Way, Hagerstown, MD.
$65/$75/$105 room rate. Display theme is „Maryland‟.
FMI: Linda Clavette, 13 Creekstone Dr., Mont Alto, PA
[email protected]
71st RMS CONVENTION: Sep. 9-13, 2012. Ramada/
Coral Suites Hotel, Niagara Falls, Ont. CAN. Room: $73/
$103. The biggest-the best! More details coming
LONG BEACH SWAPFEST: October 21-22, 2012.
Get Your
Latest Convention/Swapfest Info!
AMCAL Convention: http://www.amcalmatchcovers.org
RMS Convention:
www.matchcover.org
Southern Swapfest:
default.aspx
“Convention
at
Central‖
at
http://
http://southernswapfest.com/
ADVERTISING RATES
Display Ads
Full-Page = $55.00
Half-Page = $30.00
Quarter-Page = $17.50
Eighth-Page = $10.00 (N/A for
businesses)
Classified Ads
Classified ads are free for members, on a space
available basis.
Submission Deadlines
All material is due to Editor NLT 30 days before appropriate
publication month: Jan, Mar, May, Jul, Sep, Nov.

Mar/Apr - Rathkamp Matchcover Society

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