Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-12-04
PHILATELIC NEWS
Music on Stamps
Is Topical Topic
By BELMONT FAIRIES

BY BELMONT FAIRIES
Washington's topical stamp
collectors have an unusual
show lined UP this week-a
Music on Stamps" program
complete with music.
1t will be presented at a
meeting of the Potomac Chap
ter, American Topical Associa-
ton. at 7:45 pm. Thursday at
the Cleveland Park Branch Lii
brary. Chapter President Ed
win H. Hunter emphasizes that
visitors are welcome.
Topical collectors. here as
elsewhere, are a varied lot, but
they have one thing in COM
mon. They collect a stamp
subject or theme that interests
them-birds. music. sports, etc.
rather than by the conven-
tional country and postal use.
There is nothing very new
about that. But there has
been a phenomenal growth Of
interest in this phase Of the
hobby in recent years.
Much of the impetus has
come from the organization Of
the American Topical Associa-
ton and Its subordinate units.
The music show Thursday
night, for example. was pre-
pared by the Music Unit Of the
national group. 1t includes al
bum pages of stamps relating
to music and musicians which
can be reflected on a screen
and a commentary and musical
excerpts recorded on tape.
Stamp clubs Of the more
traditional variety have their
topical collectors, too. The
Silver Spring Philatelic Society
at its meeting Thursday night
will hear topical discussion,
Sports on Stamps" by Maury
SwartZ.
BEST i'm Topical
Despite the rapid growth OF
topical collecting. recognition
in exhibitions has been rather
grudging. Usually topical 'ex-
hibits are Jumped with spe-
cialties, the catch-all for en-
tries which fail to fit into any
Of the conventional classical
tionS.
In a move TO encourage
topical competition, the Ameri-
can Topical Association has
announced that it will provide
BEST in Topical" award certif1-
Gates for any stamp exhibit
ton in the United States. Only
requirement is that topicals be
made a separate classification
in the prospectus. with no
nontopical items allowed in
the section.
The certificates are avail
able to show chairmen through
Homer L. Jones. association
president, at R-252 Derby
street, Johnstown, Pa.
Charity Seals
Sheets of 30 different COL
ored seals publicizing scenic
Alaska and its tourist attrac-
tons are being used this year
instead of Easter seals to aid
crippled children in Alaska.
The seals are available at 81
a sheet from the Alaska Grip
Piled Children's Association.
P. o. Box 912. Anchorage.
Alaska.
CHESAPEX 1856
Plans are we'll advanced for
CHESAPEX 1856. a 250-frame
exhibition sponsored by the
Associated Stamp Clubs of
the Chesapeake Area. The
show is to be held January 27-
20 at the Maryland Institute
Of Art. Mount Royal avenue
and Lanvale street. Baltimore.
In addition to the five geo.
graphical classes there will be
a separate class for topicals.
A prospectus is available from
Charles A. Schumann, l443
Kitmore road, Baltimore
IL, Md.
4 y
FIPEX Prospectus
The final prospectus for
FIPEX, the big Fifth Inter-
national Philatelic Exhibition
to be held April % through
May 6 in the New York Coli
scum on Columbus circle,
also is available. Requests
should be sent to Executive
Secretary. FIPEX, % East
Thirty-fifth street, New York
l6, N. Y.
n n
New Issues ?
BELGIUM-John D. Rookie
Teller. American industrialist
who amassed one of the
worlds greatest fortunes, turns
UP on a Belgian anti-tubercu-
losis semipostal issued today.
Mr.. Rockefeller is honored for