August 2018 - Sneak Peek

APRL NOTES
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BY SCOTT TIFFNEY librarian & director of information services
stiffney@stamps.org
From the Librarian’s Desk
“Yet all experience is an arch wherethrough gleams that
untravelled world whose margin fades forever and forever
when I move” a favorite poet of mine once wrote. Our editor,
Martin Miller, in his June 2018 column, “All the Hobby Has
to Offer,” reminded me of that sentiment and all the unique
experiences I have been fortunate to either participate in or
be a part of during my time here at the American Philatelic
Research Library. A series of these opportunities took place
over the course of two weekends this past May when I attended
both the Philatelic Show in Boxborough, Massachusetts
and then on the following weekend the Pipex show in Portland,
Oregon. But as it turns out the shows were only part of
the experience.
The Philatelic Show in Boxborough
The Boxborough show, better known as the Philatelic
Show, was part of that “untraveled world” for me as it was my
first time attending the show, one of the premier stamp shows
on the east coast. Jeff Shapiro and his show committee did an
excellent job hosting more than 60 dealers in the bourse and
more than 160 exhibit frames.
However, the weekend’s most poignant moments involved
the remembrance of Michael Mead, the show’s longtime
bourse chair for more than 30 years, who passed away
earlier this year. The stories shared and the memories expressed
throughout the show, especially at the awards banquet
on Saturday night regarding Mr. Mead were a welcome
reminder that at its heart the hobby is about the people we
meet and those who share in our love of philately.
Spellman Postal History Symposium
The day before the Philatelic Show I took the opportunity
to attend the Spellman Museum of Stamps and Postal
History annual postal history symposium on the campus of
Regis College in Weston Massachusetts. This year’s symposium
titled “A Century of U.S. Air Mail” celebrated the 100th
anniversary of U.S. airmail. Four speakers were invited to
talk on various aspects of airmail and postal history. Yamil H.
Kouri Jr., chair of the Spellman, introduced each of the day’s
speakers.
Scott Trepel, of Robert A. Siegel Auctions, began the sessions
with a very engaging and informative talk titled “First
Flight of the Jenny” in which he traced the history of the earliest
U.S. pioneer airmail flights leading up to the first officially
recognized airmail flight on May 15, 1918. Mr. Trepel was
followed by well known exhibitor Santiago Cruz from Bo-
782 AMERICAN PHILATELIST / AUGUST 2018