Reference Books

[Tim_Balm]

I'd like to start a discussion on reference books that members have found to be valuable.

For forgeries, I have...
- Album Weeds (by Earee),
- The Serrane Guide (published by the APS),
- Focus on Forgeries (by Varro Tyler),
- How to Detect Damaged, Altered and Repaired Stamps (by Schmid)
Also, I just bought (received it in the mail 2 days ago) a book called COUNTERFEITS by Aretz and Johnson.  Just started looking through it, but it looks like this book is made up of 2 previous books: KNOW YOUR STAMPS by Frank Aretz and FORGERIES - OLD and NEW by Alden Johnson.  I have seen references from time to time on Aretz's book, so am glad to have acquired this one.

For general knowledge, I have...
- Fundamentals of Philately (by Williams)
- World Stamp Almanac (by Linn's)
- Where in the World (by Kenneth Wood)
- This is Philately (by Kenneth Wood) - which I do not have yet!!!

I also have several books specific to individual countries.  If anyone is interested in sharing these types of references, I will gladly share the few that I have.

Anyone else care to add to this list?

[Tim_Balm]

I can already add to my list...

For general references...

- Post Dates (by Kenneth Wood)
- Guinness Book of Stamps: Facts & Feats (by MacKay)

I bought the latter after hearing of it from Nick.

Tim

[Jesper]

Post Dates is a great book for first issues collectors.

I have:
"Der Schwartze Einser" about Bavaria #1, in German.
"Fire Rigsbankskilling" (plating of the four plates of Denmark #1 (the 4RBS brown), in Danish AND English!
"Danmarks foerste frimaerke" (Denmarks first postage stamp), in Danish only. A fantastic account of everything related to the issue. I almost feel sorry for you who do not read Danish. This book is way better than anything I've ever seen.
"De Nieuwe Republiek 1884-1888" in Dutch. I believe you can find a newer issue in English. The author is (of course!) G. H. Jonkers. These stamps are scarce and very interesting!

If you're an APS member, you definitely should visit their library. It's acccessible on-line. Tim knows a lot about how to borrow books from them, so ask him if you need to.

[numones]

Tim,
I have and use the same 5 reference books about forgeries as you. 

My "Know Your Stamps" by Frank Aretz is actually 4 pamphlets published in 1940 by the Marks Stamp Company of Toronto.  They consist of 100 pages numbered 1 through 100.  Part I has pages 1-24, Part II pages 25-48, Part III pages 49-72 and Part IV pages 73-100. 

I have photocopies of "Forgeries Old and New" by Alden C. Johnson, but not all the pages, just the pages with a #1 on it.  Following Alden Johnson's pages in this photocopied book, are all the pages with a #1 on them from Frank Aretz "Know Your Stamps" pamphlets. 

I can't remember of it specifically, but at some time I must have borrowed a copy of the book you just bought and photocopied all the pages with a #1 in them.  I like this book and pamphlets.

I also have references on individual countries, Baden, Norway, Lithuania, Estonia, Poland, Samoa, New Republic, Tibet, Luxemburg, Iran, and others, and also specialized catalogs for Mexico, Malta, New Zealand, Scandinavia, Italy, etc. 

I have also collected newspaper clippings over the years when I have seen articles about #1's of the various countries.  I have three bulging 1 1/2" 3-ring binders of them, which I really should rearrange into 4.  If I had been diligent, 2 or 3 times more of these could have been clipped.

One could assemble quite a long shelf of this reference material.  It's interesting.

[Nick]

Tim

This is a super subject: books on stamps are almost as good as stamps themselves.

I have often been on the verge of assembling a forgeries library, but they are horribly expensive and would only bring disappointment by proving which of my bargains are nothing of the sort.

I endorse Wood's This is Philately as a source of endless entertainment.
One of the most useful books I have is The Stamp Collector's Encyclopaedia, 1959 by RJ Sutton. A small and handy volume which answers most of my questions.

Another gem is The Stamp Atlas by Rossiter and Flower (that's the book which Sandafayre have online).

Cheers
Nick

[fireballXL5]

This is a great subject!
Hello everyone I am Patrick aka fireballXL5. I just joined the club. I found out about it through Tim.
All the books I have seen listed are great choices. For general reference I would only add  'Linn's World Stamp Almanac', 'The Musson Stamp Dictionary' by D Patrick and 'Foundations of Philately' by Boggs.
For more special studies my personal favorites are 'Grosses Handbuch der Falschungen' by Stiedl and Billig I have 2 on german states and almost all the italian states. These have photos of many different types of forgeries.
And the 'Distinguishing Characteristics of  Classic Stamps ( Europe volume, German States volume)by Hermann Schloss. Clear drawings and smart descriptions.
Anyway I also collect Philatelic literature and would love to see more titles mentioned as I am always looking for new material.
ttfn Patrick

[Tim_Balm]

I recently participated in an auction where one of the lots was a near-complete set of Billig's handbooks.  The lot had Volumes 1-43, missing only Volume 44 (which is dedicated to the Penny Black).  I have always wanted to look through these books as I see them referenced occasionally in articles published in our newsletter.  I was fortunate enough to win the lot, and the quite heavy box containing the books arrived mid last week.  The very first volume has an interesting description of the overprint forgeries on the Allenstein first issues.  I look forward to perusing them further, and to inspecting the stamps in my collection.

Tim