The Winton M. Blount Postal History Symposia - Smithsonian ...

n u m b e r 5 5 • 1 7as something different from a mere childhood folly. TheAmerican Journal of Philately resumed publication in1888 and its editors wrote about how their readers enjoyeddebating “in the field of our sciences,” while thesubtitle of the Northwestern Philatelist noted it was “amonthly magazine devoted to the sciences of philately.”Other publications reinforced a connection with a scientificmethod by writing articles about how to properlyclassify a stamp collection. 9 This science- laden languageoffered philatelists an opportunity to become experts inthe small bits of paper they collected, traded, or bought.Stamp collectors organized societies to promote philatelyas a respectable activity. Following the British lead,the American Philatelic Association (APA) formed in 1886to promote stamp collecting in the United States. Thefounders encouraged local groups to form wherever “sixphilatelists can be brought together.” As a national society,the APA connected smaller groups meeting across thecountry in the pursuit of philatelic knowledge. 10Stamp collecting societies were early examples ofAmerican middle- class and elite hobby clubs. Many individualscollected various objects inside their homes, butothers wanted to connect with like- minded collectors andfounded clubs in the late nineteenth century. For instance,the Grolier Club, formed in 1884 in New York City, comprisedwealthy male book collectors who also dabbled inposter collecting. Coin collectors started the AmericanNumismatic Association in 1891 and the Collectors Clubpromoted philately among the elite and middle class beginningin 1896. Many others collected without clubs atthis time such as women and children who collected tradecards in scrapbooks kept inside the home, as Ellen GruberGarvey demonstrates. 11Those interested in stamp collecting who did not wantto join a club could connect to the emerging philateliccommunity by participating in the flourishing print culturethat emerged in the late nineteenth century. The firstserial, Stamp Collector’s Record, was issued in Albany,New York, by S. A. Taylor in December 1864, and thenumbers grew exponentially from there so that between1864 and 1906 over 900 stamp papers were published inthe United States alone. Even though many journals wereshort- lived, they demonstrate that stamp collecting indeedwas a national pastime. 12So prolific were philatelic publications that by 1892they became the subject of separate articles in the PennsylvaniaPhilatelist. Harry Franklin Kantner declared thatthe “philatelic writer” was “one of the most potent factorsin the Philatelic field” fighting for the progression of thehobby. The following year Kantner noted his excitementwhen reading his first small stamp journal but regrettedthat there were too many publications available and that“the ‘stamp fever’ became the ‘publishing fever’.” His articleactively discouraged “all ambitious young men” fromstarting new papers. 13While philatelic associations openly encouraged allto collect stamps, Kantner’s comments suggest that lineswere beginning to be drawn within the philatelic community.Applying a hierarchical framework to stamp papersand journalists is reminiscent of the post- Civil War tendencyto distinguish between high and lowbrow activities.Quite aware of philatelists’ place within the greater contextof American culture, Kantner commented that it was“not only a progressive age in general affairs but also inphilatelic matters.” 14Federal promotion of stamp collecting at the Chicagoworld’s fair thrilled this growing philatelic community becausethey believed the fair brought recognition for theirpursuit and their associations. Furthermore, philately extendedbeyond stamp and postal exhibits to the physicalpresence of stamp collectors who gathered in Chicago fortheir convention. Just as the American Historical Associationheld their annual meeting in Chicago, so did theAmerican Philatelic Association. In anticipation of theirmeeting, the editor of American Philatelist grew excitedbecause “the eyes of the entire civilized world” “turned towardsChicago” for the Exposition where their associatesmet. 15 Believing in the power of this mass cultural gathering,private collectors and the federal government togetherpromoted philately in very public ways for the first time.To further this relationship, Postmaster General Wanamakerproposed designing and issuing special stamps toappeal to collectors in and outside of the U.S. Wanamakerrecognized the stamp collecting “mania” and wanted theUSPOD to capitalize on philatelists’ desire to acquire newstamps and perhaps attract new collectors amazed by abeautifully- designed set of sixteen stamps depicting thestory of Columbus and his journey. Estimating that millionsof collectors, from the “school boy and girl to themonarch and the millionaire,” kept stamps in collections“never (to) be drawn upon to pay postage,” Wanamakersaw great potential for profit. The Columbians’ limitedissue, combined with a larger size and beautiful design,would attract international dealers and collectors (Figure1). He also envisioned these stamps stimulating correspondence,private and commercial, because affixing aColumbian stamp brought more attention to what wasinside that piece of mail. Not just for collecting, Columbiansheld value and represented pre- paid postage but didnot replace the contemporary issue of stamps from that