Maximaphily USA, Messages from the President 1999
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| February 1999 By Daniel Olsen |
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A long time ago I calculated how old I would be when the year 2000 rolled
around. Did any of you do that? At the time I saw my age only as a simple
arithmetical number. I never wondered what I would be doing, where I would
be living - or, even, if I would still be around.
When I first thought about the year 2000, the Nazis were blitzrieging Europe;
England was hemorrhging blood, sweat and tears; and Rusia was our wartime
ally. The world has survived WWII Fascism and Cold War Communism. And I'm sure
Y2K Problem will not cause much havoc as some profiteerin authors predict.
There never was a time I thought the year 2000 was something to fear. I grew
up with FDR's caution that the worst of any concern was losing control because
of irrational fear. I celebrate the year 1999 as the last lap in a century
that brought us close to oblivion, nut also made the world much smaller and
available to more of us, more comfortable, and more filled with wonders.
So as I await Anno Domini 2000, I believe I know what I will be doing and
where I will be living, and the "if" seldom crosses my mind.
Smell the flowers, live maximaphily.
| RANDOM RAMBLING, May 1999 By Daniel Olsen |
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There are two ways to add maximum cards to your collection. You make them or
you find them.
Creativity is the mainspring of Maximaphily. If you didn't make the maximum cards you own, somebody else did. The last time I exhibited TO CONQUER THE SKY.(160 pages, 318 MC) about the history of flight, I mentioned in my Synopsis (which is the recommended one-page description of the exhibit) how I personally made more than 100 MC's in the exhibit. The judges told me it would be much better not to make a point of that. You see, in exhibiting - be thematic, postal history, or whatever - it is no-no to show a cover with one's name on it. The smacks of philatelic creation, and judges don't like that.
But we know that here in the USA, creating your own cards is quite chalanging.
Countries with thriving maximaphily associations often publishtheir own
postcards and have them beautifully cancelled by cooperative postal authorities.
Then they distributed to a membership many times larger than MACSU.
Not so here. I will not detail the trials and tribulations of those members
who undertake the immortalization of a new stamp issue by creating a maximum
card - Made in the USA. We must commend their efforts.
Finding a maximum card to add to your collection is not a "labor intensive"
as making one. You can buy from or trade with our members or members of other
associations, buy at auction or you may find some at stamp shows. Also at a
show you might find the right postcard to make a maximum card.
I don't usually ask a dealer if he has any maximum cards. Often they don't
know or want to know what you're talking about. This is helpful because that
opens the possibility of making a great find. In regards to scarcity maximum
cards are gretly undervalued in the U.S. At the last stamp show i attended I
went through a dealer's postcard section. I found some 1920 - 1930s TCV
postcards from several countries all addressed to the same person, Mr. William
Hornbeck of California. So I went through the entire postcard section and came
up with two "TCV / Maximum Cards". Thank you Bill.
| August 1999 By Daniel Olsen |
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The keystone of every philatelic group is the Editor of that group's journal. We have been
fortunate to have had Jesse F. Knight serve as the Editor of "Maximaphily-USA" for the past
several years. He has devoted a good deal of his time to this extremely important task of
putting together our quarterly newsletter. Thanks Jesse for a tough job well done.
George Constantourakis has stepped forward and took over as our new Editor. George is
dedicated to Maximaphily. He exhibits maximaphily internationally and is acquainted
personally and through correspondence with devoted maximaphilists in many countries. The
Editor's duties are quite demanding, so this new commitment really shows his devotion to
MACSU. The best way to show our appreciation is to provide George with articles for
publication. Good luck George.
Our Vice President, Sebastian Safiano, will take on most of George's duties as Secretary
of MACSU, while George will continue his duties as Treasurer until someone else steps
forward. Sebastian is already a most prolific journalist and correspondent with other
individuals and organizations around the world. He is been following his avocation for
almost half a century and personally knows many internationally prominent maximaphilists.
So right now we have a solid leadership. The main task is to increase our membership.
Individually, our officers and I, hope our members will try to sign up those people
they come in contact with, who are occasional maximum card collectors. Right now there
aren't too many out there in the States, who have Maximaphily as their primary collecting
interest. We need to publicize and promote more to get active participation.
All these new issues of stamps by the USPS give wonderful choices and opportunity to make
maximum cards. Some of our members are very active, they find that the internet is a
terrific asset for their hobby.
I joined MACSU in 1980, after seeing a small announcement in the "American Philatelist" by
Done Brenke about the formation of the organization. Because I was living in Europe I
was able to participate in a lot of shows in many countries. Since returning to the States
in 1994, I have exhibited maximaphily a number of times and intend to show at least 2 or 3
times a year. The hope is that this might introduce more people to maximaphily. When
given the opportunity I will schedule a talk on the subject, such as I have at the National
Topical Stamp Show in Milwaukee.
| November 1999 By Daniel Olsen |
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In our journal you read about shows where a few of our members have been
exhibiting maximum cards. In the A.I.M. Natizario, the Italian journal for
Maximaphily and Les Maximaphiles Francais, the French counterpart,there is
much more reporting on National and International exhibitions that have been
held or going to be held with participation of dozens of exhibits on
Maximaphily. It seems to me that here in the USA we could do much better than
we do. There are so manysmall shows all over America that are looking for
exhibitors. How about making a Y2K resolution to enter a single frame of 16
pages- 32 maximum Cards- in your local show. I guarantee you will please a
lot of visitors as well as yourself
Within a few years, the Grand Award winner of the annual first Day Cover Show
will participate in the annual APS Champions competition. This means that the
best exhibit of First Day Covers will compete with the best exhibits of the 30
or so National shows held in the USA. I'll admit I was surprised, but it is
a welcomed trend toward recognizing those collecting areas which have previously
been ignored. Just as the One- Frame and Display classes have increased
participation by many newcomers to exhibiting. My congratulations to the many
who enjoy this very popular hobby. The best FDC exhibits contain some early,
rare and interesting covers. And I'm sure the public will enjoy seeing
exhibits.
However in our National shows there is no class specifically for the FDC
exhibits. Even in the wide open Display category,there have been very few FDC
exhibits. On the other hand, there is a Class for Maximaphily at almost every
International show, including PACIFIC 97. There will be one in our International
to be held in Washington, D.C. in 2006 and surely a few members will be in
it.
At FLOREX 99 the panel of judges had six Chairmen of previous FLOREX shows.
One of the two judges who were going to judge my exhibit "To conquer the Sky",
was heard saying to the other: "I dont know anything about maximum cards, do
you?". The answer was in the negative. at the dinner, it was announced that
I was the only one in North America who "has the courage to exhibit Maximum
Cards". (That's not correct, George Constantourakis is also a North American,
and has exhibited at PACIFIC 97.) In spite of its International standing,
Maximaphily is still the Rodney Dangerfield of philately here in the USA. So
I am happy to reportthat my exhibit "To Conquer the Sky" did earn another
Vermeil medal, and it has also been accepted for THE STAMP SHOW 2000, in
London
Previously this exhibit won "The Most Popular Award" at Vapex 98. Be assured
that, if you do exhibit Maximum Cards, many people are going to tell you how
much the enjoyed looking at them. Happy Holidays and may the Millennium bring
you much more than you knew you wanted.
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Greenville, CA Jul-17-1999 U.S.A. |
Kitty Hawk Dec-17-1998 U.S.A. |
South Lake Tahoe Dec-21-1998 U.S.A. |
Kentpex Oct-25-1997 U.S.A. |
Editor: Jesse F.Knight .|
Webmaster: Itzhak Shdemati
Last Updating: JAN-16-2000
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