New postmarks - little collector interest?

[morganfarrell 10]

Am I just talking to the wrong people, or is there little interest these days in new South African postmarks? Any collector of South Africa, it seems, would show much interest in a SON Cape of Good Hope postmark but if it were a hand canceller of a small postal agency from today, it seems like there is very little interest.

From a collector's perspective I think that the newer postmarks represent the most interesting time in South Africa's postal history. They are appearing in a large number and variety and they tend to disappear quickly. Years ago if I were to get ahold of kiloware clippings from South Africa, it would have a wide variety of town marks to include some of the smallest agencies. Now it seems that regular letter mail is shuffled off to the head office for a postmark in most cases. The exceptions appear to be for services such as fast mail, registered mail, or packages. Am I correct? This makes a decent collection of new postmarks difficult or nearly impossible unless one knows someone who is in a position to receive the "right" kind of mail. I consider myself to be a serious collector of South African postmarks. I am lucky that I have one good source for these newer marks - but attempts at getting other sources have been very unsuccessful. I have even resorted to sending stamped self addressed envelopes with request for a postmark to the managers of several offices and agencies. Since I live overseas, this can get a bit expensive and the results are very mixed to say the least.

 

I am curious to hear if there are others who share my interest in new postmarks as much as the older ones. As well, I'm wondering if anyone knows a better way of going about the search.

Thanks.

 

- Morgan

[Jacques Kuun 10]

Hello Morgan

Please excuse my very late reply – I am currently suffering from a severe bout of PVS (post vacation stress) and I have hardly been active on BidorBuy during the last 10 days.

Regarding your post. I am also very puzzled about this. Postmark collecting was very strong in the RSA up to the early 90’s, but nowadays there seems to be very little interest from the broader range of collectors. Alex Visser is doing sterling work in this field. Perhaps you should contact him.

While most unusual RSA stamps and covers are very popular at the moment on BoB, I do not think that I have ever seen a pure postmark listing.

Thanks and regards

Jacques

[morganfarrell 10]

Jacques -

Your reply was appreciated. I have been working with Alex from the "beginning" and Ralph Putzel before him. I have supplied both of them with many postmark scans and I continue to do so.

I agree with you that postmarks did seem to be popular to the 90's. I wonder what happened? Are there others on the forum that collect and hunt for modern postmarks?

Regards,

Morgan

[librashares 10]

Hi Morgan, I receive the envelopes (often roughly opened, or opened on 3 sides) from a company which receives a lot of Fastmail and Registered mail bearing peoples prescriptions or payments. For the past 10 years or more have been passing on the covers with legible postmarks(but often without adhesive stamps), to members of the postmark society locally in south Africa.Ideally you should be in touch with someone who has access to competition mail entries- they often have very wide coverage.

Are you looking for the whole envelope, or merely the front or reverse showing the postmark, or must it be on a stamp?

If you reply via this Forum, I can put up a selection of what you may want on auction or buy it now listing. We are not permitted to provide contact details, so the only way I can show you some scans is to list a few items, then you can ask for clearer scans if needed.

Regards, Charles(librashares)

[morganfarrell 10]

Hi Charles. Great to get your reply. You are so correct. I remember in years past when I would happen upon a large cache of modern postmarks, the origin was often a competition mail entry address. As for the Postmark Society, I feel stupid for not thinking of them. I was a member a long time ago but dropped membership because I was way over extended on study groups at the time. I have their address from my latest issue of the SAP. Maybe it's time to rejoin.

I will keep postmarks on cover if I receive them that way and they are more interesting that way. Usually though, I prefer them on a stamp or better yet - on a stamp on piece. I keep some postmarks that are not on a stamp if it is the best I can do but the stamp is somehow important to me (tradition?).

It would be great if you could list some of these. If I win, I hope you can take paypal or you can guide me on another payment. I read another thread about paypal and I hadn't realized how difficult this was for S. Africans.

Kindest regards,

Morgan

[librashares 10]

Hi Morgan,

If it is the newer ones you are after, I will list a selection of some recently received-perhaps you can list an indication of what NOT to list-ie dot matrix slogan cancels.

For Paypal I use a different e-mail address, and have not had any problems.

Kind Regards, Charles.

[morganfarrell 10]

Hi Charles.

I'm not too interested in the slogan cancels. In a perfect world, it would be a stamp on piece with a complete post 2000 town handstamp. I can also live in an imperfect world for postmarks.

I will watch for your listings.

Regards,

Morgan

[Patricia_Gert 10]

Good day Morgan,

 

I have a small collection of postmarks on stamps, however, it is mostly from the 70s and 80s (if my memory serve me correctly!). Feel free to let me know if you would be interested, then I can list these for you.

 

Kind Regards

Gert

[morganfarrell 10]

Hi Patricia. The 70's and 80's are strong areas for me. I am mostly looking for post 2000 material. I do appreciate your interest though and if you list them, I'd be pleased to have a look.

Regards,

Morgan

[librashares 10]

Hi Morgan,Sorry it took so long to get my computer, scanner,brain and spare time all working together simultaneously. I have posted 3out of 4 intended lots on the BOB auctions with most items illustrated.Still not your ideal world situation, but as you can see from the stats, the "stamps with Postmark " category is the most difficult.If they are suitable, i will have to go back in the boxes to see what else matches your needs.see lots 43214937;43215573, and43216172 so far.

Kind Regards, Charles

[morganfarrell 10]

Charles -

 

Thanks for the heads up on your listings. I still haven't contacted the Postmark Society to rejoin, but will be doing that next.

 

I'm surprised that there was so little comment on this forum about modern postmarks. Maybe there is very little interest in these?

 

Regards,

Morgan

[librashares 10]

Hi Morgan, Just added43221358. Are these in line with what you had in mind? Most collectors seem to be having a hard time getting their hands on normal new issues. There were already reprints of the new definitives featuring Bead Designs(issued in October2010), before the original printings appeared in many Post Offices!

I tried asking at 2 nearby Offices for a Postcode listing for you- Bryanston-=, one of the larger offices has a tatty copy dated 2009!, so you may see some names and codes that do not appear in print or in the online listing.

Kind Regards,Charles

[morganfarrell 10]

Charles -

 

I'm primarily interested in postmarks with stamps. I did bid on a couple of the other lots anyway because there are some new offices that I don't have.

 

Thanks for trying to get me a listing. I have a current one sent to me from the SA post office. It lists all of the current offices and agencies. If you (or anyone) needs it, I can forward the email with the attachment.

 

It seems to me that the only way to get all the new issues, including reprints, is to have a standing order. In this country all post offices don't get everything that is issued. I suspect the same would occur there. Having said that, I still haven't received the new definitive booklets on my new issue service from Pretoria.

Thanks again.

Morgan