There have been many long nights in putting many of my treasures in my stamp books when I was young and my eyes were wide open to some of the stories my father told me. In general I have a great love for history and geography that I got from collecting the world in my feeble Harris Stamp books. I eagerly looked at all the pages and wondered where I could get them all, or if I had to send away to fill in my blank spots in my album.
As time went by and I got a bit older I found my old collection a great bit of relaxation and joy. Each scrap of the dealers, “penny binds” were searched over and over again and when I got home with a small amount paid for my treasures, I eagerly spent many nights feeling each stamp, looking at something that some one else threw away, or thought of no value.
Belgium album page 1869-1921
You see I love looking and enjoying the “engraved” stamps that were popular in the world back then. Knowing someone took a long time to make that stamp just for me to see or feel and just for me to find and giggle with amazement that it fit into my small album. I found myself dreaming what important person touched that stamp before I found it. Maybe a lowly postman doing his rounds, maybe that small scrap saw an oceanic trip that crossed oceans to grace my life, or what part of history marked that stamp that is not there anymore.
As an old stamp collector I was busy trying to find the right album that had all the pictures, so my old eyes could match what I saw, with what was in my hand. I go to stamp shows when I can make the trip, or go by places I used to go to find my treasures that are not there any more.
Belgium album page 1922-1936
I go to these shows with a mind of a beginner, going to learn what is new, and what is old that might just come home with me. The last show I went to I found many stamps to fit into my little known world of stamps between the world wars of Europe. Each a prize, each scrap a treasure, and maybe I might meet someone else that would wonder why I love this forgotten part of all our albums that collects dust or never seen again after the pages are filled.
Try opening your album, get use to what you see and most of all remember your thrill of the chase in finding that last scrap of memories lost, but now found by you.
Jim is one of our valued contributors! A true stamp collector! It is always a pleasure to read one of his articles…
Other collectors might also like to contribute an article or some notes on their favourite country or topic. Images should be scanned @ 200 dpi.
You’ll find as you continue to work on Belgium that it is a very interesting country to collect. Most of the issues are inexpensive and readily available, yet the are varieties for even some of the common issues, forgeries in abundance for a couple, and many ‘special’ versions of some issues. It’s easy to fall into a mode that leaves you a specialist without trying. :-)