We hit the 1000 stamp mark !

This past weekend I was able to add a bunch of hungarian stamps as well as a few austrians and one russian stamp.

That makes we crossed the first 1000 stamps mark !

As a matter of fact with the United States Pages and the pages of Poland (with courtesy of Jim Jackson) which permitted me to have complete Scott's International Volume 1 I had, before adding one stamp,   807 stamps present in my dear Big Blue.

Details of the collection go like this :
- 676 in the binder I bought (cfr my post of May 13th)
- 107 stamps of the United States of America
- 24 stamps of Poland

So since my acquisition of my Scott's International I added 200 stamps myself.

Many are still available to be added from various countries but as said before time is only available in small quantities.

With the festivities of Christmas and New Year's Eve coming up I won't have lots of time to work on my Scott's International collection the coming days.

Hopefully I'll be able to work an hour or so a few evenings in the weeks to come.

Mainly Austria talk and some other countries and not to forget Poland !

No no I haven't fled from Big Blue, but during summer time I left it aside, well stamps were getting in but I wasn't ranging them or verifying what I had or not.

So now with autumn passing away and winter settling in, I try to dedicate a part of my weekend (3 or 4 hours on two days) to Big Blue.

So it happened I had quite some stamps from Austria to look after.

I did a first run, thought I had them all verified, then stumbled upon a second cover with austrian stamps.

Then yesterday I discovered I had a binder with loose pages containing .... austrian stamps.

So here I go again.

Well for the moment I have been able to expand my austrian collection to 112 stamps or 15% of the 755 stamps.

And as nice addition while I was putting on the hinges and waiting for them to dry on my austrian stamps I added a few belgian stamps (now 40), my first 8 Newfoundland stamps !!, my first Egyptian stamp and one more for India (makes 12 in total).

So now  I have 946 stamps in Big Blue, there might be a few hunderd ready in my feeder stockbooks but that's to be seen in the future.

Oh 946 stamps makes it 3 % complete.

I even had time to have a quick glance on the hungarian stamps I have waiting, will try to put hinges on them the coming evenings I hope.

Let's have a realistic goal : 1.000 stamps hinged in Big Blue for December 31st, 2017?

Anyway it takes quite some time to verify which stamp goes where on which page and then to put on the hinges and put them in the album so that might be tight after all.

And so what about Poland?

Well acquiring a Big Blue via the net may be interesting and the easiest way for europeans but you're unable to verify its completeness. The seller had told me that the american pages were missing but when I wanted to have a quick look (for 3, 4 stamps) on the polish pages they were not there.

That also explained the 0 in the excell sheet ;-)

Luckily Jim Jackson came forward and sent me the pages related to Poland.

Thanks so much Jim !!

To end my post : I have quite some austrian stamps double for the moment, will try to set up a page for eventual swaps if anyone's interested or cares;-)

France

I had quite some french stamps in some recent acquired kiloware and thought it a good idea to start verifying if I could add some stamps to Big Blue/SIP 1.

Before :

 After :

I found about 38 stamps mostly Pasteur, Mercure, Seeder stamps.

So that brings my grand total of french stamps to 66.

Way to go!

The U.S.A. pages have arrived !

Some time since my last post, quite busy with other worldly activities such as work, and for once the sun shines in Northern France, trying to enjoy the summer heath in the evening while reading in the garden. (for those interested I'm reading Cornelius Ryan - A Bridge Too Far)

Back to Scott's International Part 1.

I received the pages of the U.S.A., although I asked around for a 1969 edition of SIP1, I received a 1941 edition of Scotts International Junior Postage Album.

So I checked the pages and compared them with Jims Big Blue checklist.

It appears the first page suffers from omissions : Scott numbers 1, 2, 3, 11, 14, 15, 24, 26 & 35.

Otherwise it has spaces for 28, 32, 33, 42, 43, 44, 45, 50.

Further on the pages don't have a space for numbers 610 & 622.

The biggest difference are the Pages related to the Envelopes where spaces for the follwing are missing :
U19, 27, U34, U56, U80, U88, U178, U222, U218, U249, U304.

But it has a multitude of pages and spaces for envelope stamps, that must have been really something to collect in the 40's?

My U.S.A. pages, dating from 1941 have a space for Scott 903.

Then it contains a lot of pages as well for revenue stamps which seems to be absent from the Big Blue / SIP1?

The Confederate States are on one page with the Hunting stamps, no pun intended ;-).

Well you won't hear or read me complain about the pages, I'll adapt to what I have. All the more since they were sent graciously! Thanks so much Rick !!!!

And to my surprise the pages contained stamps, so I was finally able to make a grand total of my Big Blue.

The United Sates have 107 out of 713 stamps or 15%.

This leads me total amount of stamps present in Big Blue of 783 or still 2%.

The hunt continues, hopefully not a bridge too far.

As someone requested (by mail) if I needed anything of stamps from the U.S.A. and Canada (for which I thank him very kindly) I might post in the near future a list with the U.S.A. stamps present in my Big Blue edition.

Hungary & Romania

Quite busy these days in acquiring new stamps for my SIP1/Big Blue but was finally able to verify some stamps I got in kiloware which recently came in.

It happens to be that i have the following ones double and offer these up for trade/swap for other stamps which fit in the Big Blue.

Anyone interested in swapping - buying ?

Two stamps from Hungary, Scott HU109 & HU116 and one from Romania RA14 or RA15 depending if it has watermark or not, don't think so but not sure.

Good news !

I received confirmation that the stamp pages concerning the United States of America and the Confederate States were located by a recent contact and will be shipped shortly to your servant on the Old Continent.

This will of course permit me to start checking what stamps of the USA I have and can be added in Big Blue.

Eh no, no confederate stamps for the moment available here.

Always very welcome of course ;-)

I can stop counting (for the moment) : the final result of my Big Blue as acquired

Portugal, although a lovely country didn't actually keep me very long busy and I rushed into Romania (where I spent quite some time) and then onwards till the of the stampalbum.

So here is the final account of my actual Big Blue Collection, that is the total amount of stamps present in the Scott International Part 1 album when I acquired it.

With 676 stamp and 2% filled the road will be long that's for sure!

Only two countries meet the 20% completeness : Czechoslovakia & Ireland and one country meets the 50% completeness : Yemen with even one extra stamp.

The numbers are a bit misleading since, as you know, my Big Blue / SIP1 album didn't contain any pages dedicated to the United States of America nor the Confederate States.

One can follow the actual checklist updates in the upper right hand corner "Total Stamps in Big Blue" where I upload the excell checklist provided by Chris W based upon the works by Jim Jackson.

I'll be trying to post pictures of the actual stamps in the coming posts and of course of the stamps which will be added to my SIP1/Big Blue.

 

	Have	Possible	Extras	%
Aden	1	19		5
Argentina	2	226		1
Australia	11	90		12
Austria	20	755		3
Bahamas	2	52	1	4
Barbados	2	57		4
Bavaria	1	289		0
Belgium	30	549	1	5
Brazil	3	274	1	1
Brunei	1	24		4
Bulgaria	35	315	8	11
Canada	21	212		10
Chile	14	166		8
China	1	214		0
Colombia	1	206	1	0
Costa Rica	3	154		2
Czechoslovakia	71	336	18	21
Denmark	10	206		5
Dominica	2	48		4
Ecuador	6	279		2
France	38	409		9
French Equatorial Africa	7	63		11
French Morocco	5	196		3
Germany	75	801		9
Gibraltar	1	40		3
Gold Coast	3	61		5
Great Britain	24	276		9
Guatemala	1	291		0
India	11	244		5
Ireland	8	34		24
Italy	3	617		0
Ivory Coast	3	128		2
Japan	32	230		14
Jugoslavia	18	340		5
Liechtenstein	8	127		6
Martinique	6	98		6
Monaco	1	143		1
Netherlands	14	307		5
New Zealand	3	147		2
Nigeria	2	38		5
Niger	1	102		1
North Borneo	1	127		1
Norway	7	183	2	4
Peru	8	314		3
Portugal	1	465		0
Romania	83	530		16
Russia	4	617	1	1
Serbia	8	104		8
South Africa	1	84		1
Spain	24	567	1	4
Sweden	5	211		2
Switzerland	8	321		2
Turkey	4	394		1
Yemen	5	9	1	56
TOTAL	676	34652	35	2%

You see, in this world there's two kinds of people, my friend: those with a complete Big Blue ... and those who count. ... You count."

Luxembourg didn't really give what I hoped for, stamps that is so here's a partial update since wednesday.

	Have	Possible	Extras	%
Aden	1	19		5
Argentina	2	226		1
Australia	11	90		12
Austria	20	755		3
Bahamas	2	52	1	4
Barbados	2	57		4
Bavaria	1	289		0
Belgium	30	549	1	5
Brazil	3	274	1	1
Brunei	1	24		4
Bulgaria	35	315	8	11
Canada	21	212		10
Chile	14	166		8
China	1	214		0
Colombia	1	206	1	0
Costa Rica	3	154		2
Czechoslovakia	71	336	18	21
Denmark	10	206		5
Dominica	2	48		4
Ecuador	6	279		2
France	38	409		9
French Equatorial Africa	7	63		11
French Morocco	5	196		3
Germany	75	801		9
Gibraltar	1	40		3
Gold Coast	3	61		5
Great Britain	24	276		9
Guatemala	1	291		0
India	11	244		5
Ireland	8	34		24
Italy	3	617		0
Ivory Coast	3	128		2
Japan	32	230		14
Jugoslavia	18	340		5
Liechtenstein	8	127		6
Martinique	6	98		6
Monaco	1	143		1
Netherlands	14	307		5
New Zealand	3	147		2
Nigeria	2	38		5
Niger	1	102		1
North Borneo	1	127		1
Norway	7	183	2	4
Peru	8	314		3

I suppose I will be able to conclude counting this weekend, just making the trip overseas from Peru to Portugal.

And for your viewing pleasure 

Counting, still counting ...

My inventory, accompanied by Jims Big Blue checklist of my own SIP1 (Scott International Part 1), continues.

I have for the moment 479 stamps and 30 extras, which gives a total of 509 stamps or 1% of all stamps present in Big Blue.

About 38 stamps are incoming and when I end my inventory, I'll check my own collection, normally I must be able to fill quite some spaces for France, Belgium, Germany and even Austria (I hope).

Here are the standings, I'm going to continue verifying in the mean time and have landed in Luxembourg.

	Have	Possible	Extras	%
Aden	1	19		5
Argentina	2	226		1
Australia	11	90		12
Austria	20	755		3
Bahamas	2	52	1	4
Barbados	2	57		4
Bavaria	1	289		0
Belgium	30	549	1	5
Brazil	3	274	1	1
Brunei	1	24		4
Bulgaria	35	315	8	11
Canada	21	212		10
Chile	14	166		8
China	1	214		0
Colombia	1	206	1	0
Costa Rica	3	154		2
Czechoslovakia	71	336	18	21
Denmark	10	206		5
Dominica	2	48		4
Ecuador	6	279		2
France	38	409		9
French Equatorial Africa	7	63		11
French Morocco	5	196		3
Germany	75	801		9
Gibraltar	1	40		3
Gold Coast	3	61		5
Great Britain	24	276		9
Guatemala	1	291		0
India	11	244		5
Ireland	8	34		24
Italy	3	617		0
Ivory Coast	3	128		2
Japan	32	230		14
Jugoslavia	18	340		5
Liechtenstein	8	127		6

So how tall is the collection (or how incomplete?)

Here's a partial update of my collection, that is the stamps present in the Scott International Part 1 (SIP1) which I acquired.

I have to start to verify Germany.

(only countries represented with a stamp are mentioned)

 

	Have	Possible	Extras	%
Aden	1	19		5
Argentina	2	226		1
Australia	11	90		12
Austria	20	755		3
Bahamas	2	52	1	4
Barbados	2	57		4
Bavaria	1	289		0
Belgium	30	549	1	5
Brazil	3	274	1	1
Brunei	1	24		4
Bulgaria	35	315	8	11
Canada	21	212		10
Chile	14	166		8
China	1	214		0
Colombia	1	206	1	0
Costa Rica	3	154		2
Czechoslovakia	71	336	18	21
Denmark	10	206		5
Dominica	2	48		4
Ecuador	6	279		2
France	38	409		9
French Equatorial Africa	7	63		11
French Morocco	5	196		3

The collectors material I use

So to complete a stamp album with preprinted pages what does one need as guidance?

As a european and living in France THE catalogue used here is Yvert & Tellier.

I  was made aware by Jim that there exists a special catalogue by Y & T related to 1840 - 1940 period: Classiques du monde.

Very nice but a little bit out of reach for my purse.

That gave me the idea to work with some older catalogues and I came up with the idea of working with catalogues I was able to acquire and were issued as close to the 1840 - 1940 period.

So I was able to acquire an Yvert & Tellier catalogue des Timbres du Monde issued in 1940.

It's the last one which was issued as a hard bound copy with the second world war and paper scarce the 41-45 editions are not very beautiful at all.

The 1940 mentions stamp issues till 1938/1939 so that's ok for me.

Then of course I needed to have a Scott's catalogue because otherwise my classification of the stamps would become more than difficult.

I found a 1943 edition of Scott's Standard Postage Stamp catalogue - Combined Edition.

So here came in an american philatelist and correspondant, John. I let the catalogue be send to him and he was so kind to send it on.

By coincidence I stumbled on a small book containing a  pricelist related to the USA - CSA - Canada stamps and which was released in 1964.

It contains a lot of stamp pictures and has Scott's numbers so that's a nice addition (for me) as well.

Then last but not least there's Big Blue's checklist as established by Jim Jackson and put into a pdf by Chris Whitehouse. My thanks go to them for their work since it really is a wonderful instrument to use when searching / looking for stamps to put in Big Blue.

For anyone interested, the checklist is available here at Big Blue 1840 - 1940.

Here's my copy.

So these are the worktools I will use to check and verify when acquiring stamps to complete my Scott's International Part 1.

Trouble in town !

When acquiring my copy of Scott's International Part 1 - Big Blue my seller told me the pages of the United States and Confederate States were missing;-)

As I was told common practice by american collectors who collect their countries stamps in special stamp albums.

So here I start with a handicap.

Anyone able to help me out with these pages by any chance?

Thanks in advance.

Why a blog dedicated to Scott's International Part 1 Big Blue ?

This blog is dedicated to Scott's International Part 1 aka Big Blue, containing space for 33.933 stamps issued between 1840 - 1940.

My goal is to complete it as much as possible, well to complete it to say it bluntly.

I wish to show you the process how my collection will grow (at least I hope) and eventually some more in-depth posts depending of course of the time available.

I discovered the existence of the Scott's International Part 1, thanks to Keijo Kortelainen and Jim Jackson who collect worldwide and have excellent webblogs (see the links on the left side).

My curiosity was aroused and I bought a 1969 edition of Big Blue on ebay.

Not containing a lot of stamps but at least it was available for my limited purse.

I'm at the moment making an inventory of the stamps in my Big Blue thanks to the excellent checklist made by ChrisW and will post the results.

My Scott's International Part 1 will be completed steadily by stamps I own already and are for the moment in my stampbooks.

And on the other hand by ongoing acquisitions, I bought some pages of two south american countries, as well another stampbook with older stamps, and acquired some stamps at some online swap/sell site.

And you too can contribute by proposing stamps (which you have multiple times) from your feeder albums for swap, sale.

Wouldn't it be nice if other collectors of Big Blue would join in and we could exchange stamps so all our Big Blue books would fill steadily.

Other stamp swaps communities exist of course, but here it's reduced at or specifically for stamps present in Big Blue.

I also created a Facebook Group which could make swaps perhaps easier?