Philately has two quite different aspects. The first is introspection, collecting, studying and exhibiting. The second is sharing the knowledge, the fun and comradery. The Collectors Club is booked for exciting fall and winter programs held live at our home, the mezzanine floor at 58 W 40th Street opposite beautiful Bryant Park. Our Board of Governors are working hard to make your membership filled with excellent programming, The Collectors Club Philatelist, monographs, books and more.

In September will see two hybrid programs. A hybrid program is not genetic engineering but rather holding the program both live at the club and on the webinar. The advantages of the live program include meeting the presenter and seeing the material mounted on the club’s frames, and the opportunity to share firsthand with others interested in this subject. Each of the IRL (In Real Life) programs also has a social hour with refreshments and dinner opportunities.

The first hybrid program featured Howard Hughes FRPSL (pictured at the Club, at left). Howard is Past-President of the GB Philatelic Society (UK). His presentation was titled “From Perkins Bacon to De La Rue: The Story of the 1879 and 1880 Tenders”. September 23 will see what promises to be a fascinating program on Hindenburg Crash Mail presented by Cheryl Ganz, RDP, FRPSL, former Chief Curator of Philately at the Smithsonian National Postal Museum, and renowned postal historian with a specialist interest in Zeppelin mail.

Moving ahead, the Club will host a series of Philatelic Foundation workshops intended to train and identify future experts, share knowledge and techniques, and address complicated items that require hands-on examination. It is open to anyone who wants to attend in person and learn, so all are welcome. These workshops are scheduled approximately every two to three weeks and the focus will be on technical issues such as repaired or altered stamps and covers, fraudulent cancels and other markings, and specialist matters related to stamp identification such as plating, paper types, colors, etc.. Some workshops will focus on specialist areas such as proofs and essays and revenue stamps and will be led by recognized experts in these areas, Contact the Collectors Club or Board Governor and PF Vice Chairman Dan Ryterband, who is leading this initiative, for more information.

The first meeting was held on September 15 at 5:30 pm EDT. The next meetings are scheduled for September 30, October 14, and November 5.The Collectors Club is a convening society for NOJEX from October 2-4 and we will be there with exhibits, a club table for a social meeting point, Joan Harmer will present on mourning covers, there will be a celebratory dinner. The NOJEX chair is Bob Rose, who serves on the Collectors Club Board of Governors and is Chairman of the Board of the Philatelic Foundation. See the NOJEX website (nojex.org) for additional details.

The club’s one frame exhibit program never ceases to impress me with amazing and entertaining material, a great social atmosphere and it puts meaning into the concept of a club. This is a must see on November 11th hosted by Stephen Reinhard, former Collectors Club President, American Philatelic Society President and Lichtenstein Award winner.

A few days later, on November 14th we will have perhaps a first for the Collectors Club, a Bourse between 11:00 AM to 3:00 pm This is anticipated to be an amazing and fun event. Bring something to show and sell or show and tell or come and brows to buy. Please put Saturday November 14th on your calendar. Bring a guest, we want a full house and are certain we will have one. Just let us know if you are planning on coming by contacting the office. There will be refreshments.

It is also my pleasure as President to invite you to the Board of Governors’ Open House on December 9th. The Rockefeller Christmas tree will have been lit for a week, and the Bryant park Christmas market will be in full swing. We will keep you informed of these and other events so watch your emails for a message from the Collectors Club. We will be having a new contacts look which includes email addresses ending @collectorsclub.org rather than Gmail addresses. Our website is being updated and so much more, headed by a dynamic tech team of Behruz Nassre, Joan Harmer and Alan Barasch.

If you would like to get more involved either at the club house, at philatelic shows where the club is a convening organization, or virtually, please let me know at  president@collectorsclub.org.

There is a lot more going on, but I only have so much space allotted. Hoping to see you IRL or on Zoom or to hear from you by email.

–Bob Gray