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CHICAGOPEX 2018 Features Two Convening Societies, NPM Chief Curator of Philately Dan Piazza CHICAGO, Sept. 23, 2018 – CHICAGOPEX 2018 will feature two convening societies and a speaker from the Smithsonian National Postal Museum at the show, which takes place Nov. 16-18 at the Westin Chicago Northwest, 400 Park Blvd., Itasca, Ill. The annual philatelic exhibition and stamp show, celebrating 132 years of the Chicago Philatelic Society, features two convening societies: the France and Colonies Philatelic Society and the Society for Czechoslovak Philately. These groups will present special exhibits of stamps and postal history as well as hold meetings open to the public. On Saturday afternoon, Dan Piazza, chief curator of philately at the Smithsonian National Postal Museum in Washington, will be giving a talk entitled “25 Years of Stamps and Stories: The National Postal Museum’s Silver Anniversary.” Attendees will have to a chance to receive an autographed NPM cover, a set of postcards and a catalog from a past NPM exhibit. On Friday afternoon, the Executive Director of the American Philatelic Society, Scott English, will hold a town hall event where he will take questions from the attendees. The Library Director of the American Philatelic Research Library, Scott Tiffney, will also be attending the show. On Friday and Saturday of the show, at 12:30 p.m., Rodney Juell, one of the authors of the Encyclopedia of United States Stamps and Stamp Collecting, will be signing copies of the book in the Atrium. Copies of the book will also be available for sale. The following groups are also meeting at the show (all free and open to the public): • Chicago Philatelic Society (Saturday) • Germany Philatelic Society Chapter #5 (Saturday) • American Association of Philatelic Exhibitors – Open Forum on Exhibiting (Saturday) • Illinois Postal History Society (Sunday) • North Shore Philatelic Society (Sunday) Many of these groups feature expert guest speakers giving talks open to the public. The full schedule will appear in the show program, which will be available at the hospitality desk in the hotel’s atrium. On Saturday and Sunday mornings, the APS Committee for National Exhibits and Judging (CANEJ) will be presenting sessions on the title page and synopsis, and exhibit treatment, respectively. This year’s show theme is “Honoring the 200th Anniversary of Illinois Statehood and the 100th Anniversary of the End of World War I.” The theme is featured on the show postcard and the cover of the show program. The U.S. Postal Service will likely have the stamp for Illinois’ 200th anniversary available for sale at the show. There will be nearly 300 frames of philatelic material on display with something of interest for all attendees. On Saturday, the 2018 also marks the 52nd anniversary of the philatelic literature competition with the books and other materials on display. CHICAGOPEX judges also evaluate electronic literature such as websites, blogs and online articles. The show bourse will feature at least 75 dealers from the United States and Europe. They will offer a vast array of material to interest everyone: from the beginning collector to the advanced collector and exhibitor. The U.S. Postal Service and the U.N. Postal Administration will also attend. The show includes a youth booth with free stamps and supplies, including a giveaway from Mystic Stamp Company. Attendees are asked to contact the hotel to make reservations and to mention CHICAGOPEX for the special room rate. Admission and parking are free. Show hours are: Friday and Saturday: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; and Sunday: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday night will also feature a catered awards banquet. Tickets must be purchased in advance ($60 each) and dress is business casual. Please see the CHICAGOPEX website for the reservation form. Special diets can be accommodated upon request. ### About Chicago Philatelic Society (CPS): Organized Oct. 8, 1886, continuing the Chicago Stamp Collectors Union, which was organized in Dec. 1884, CPS is chapter no.1 of the American Philatelic Society and one of two organizations with the longest uninterrupted service to philately in the United States. Each month, CPS holds meetings on the third Thursday in downtown Chicago at the Harold Washington Library (400 S. State St.) in meeting room 3N-6. Meetings run 7 p.m.-9 p.m. and usually include a philatelic presentation and society business. All are welcome. Many speakers are advanced collectors who share insights on exciting stamp and postal history subjects. Members also attend a Dutch-treat dinner at 5:30 p.m. at the Berghoff (17 W. Adams St.). Follow CPS on social media: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chicagopex Twitter: https://twitter.com/Chicagopex Google Plus: https://plus.google.com/b/103847335491898782053/

We just posted the first press release for COMPEX 2018, in June, just outside Chicago. Hope to see you there! http://www.compexstampshow.org/press-room.html

Please check out www.compexstampshow.org to learn more about COMPEX 2018! We have a new location and a new weekend.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE “U.S. Contract Mail Routes by Railroad (1832-1875)” Receives Top Honors in International Competition Dec. 18, 2017 (Chicago) – Auktionshaus Christoph Gaertner announced at MonacoPhil 2017 that “U.S. Contract Mail Routes by Railroad (1832-1875),” the notable book authored by Hugh V. Feldman and published by the Collectors Club of Chicago (CCC), received first place in the Fifth Annual C.G. International Philatelic Promotion Award competition. CCC club member Leonard Hartmann accepted the award, which included a 2000-euro prize, on behalf of the club. Recent book reviewers have said: “The bonus disk is a boon to postal historical research…Although these reports might be sourced otherwise from the internet, to have them all in one place is a gift…So, bravo to a brave British postal historian for supplying his American counterparts with such a valuable resource.” Diane DeBlois in the Nov. 2017 issue of “The Chronicle of the U.S. Classic Postal Issues” by the U.S. Philatelic Classics Society. “…In a feat of monumental discipline, Feldman photographed every page in the gargantuan, 325-volume ‘Register for Star Route Contracts 1814-1960.’” Charles Snee in the Dec. 11, 2017 issue of “Linn’s Stamp News.” The book presents the development of the early railroads in a historical context focusing on the establishment, routes and the cities and towns served as it relates to the philatelic information. The mail contract route information is presented in a well-organized manner including dates, route numbers, contract agreement and cost per mile. The arrangement is by state accompanied by charts, copies of detailed maps locating towns and a detailed list of the stations served on the various mail contracts. The mail contracts normally have the individual stops and dates and thus one may be able to bracket in times when a specific station was in use. This book runs 1,096 pages in full color, hard bound, dust jacket, illustrates 242 covers, 582 maps and 360 other images. A DVD is included containing over 800 covers (many not illustrated in the book), PMG annual reports and other reports to Congress between 1817 and 1878. In addition, there are images of the manuscript Railroad Contracts by States - 6,773 total, and we believe these contracts have never been reproduced before. In late November, Feldman appeared at Chicagopex 2017 stamp show in Itasca, Ill., where he gave a presentation based on the book and signed copies. The competition, open to all organizations and publishers of philatelic periodicals, was founded in 2013 to recognize promotion of philatelic research and the preservation of philatelic knowledge through publication, according to outgoing APS Librarian Tara Murray, as posted in a recent APRL blog. The railroad book and others are available for purchase at the CCC website. Bulk purchases are available by contacting Hartmann at leonard@pbbooks.net. ### For more information, or to set up an interview with author Hugh Feldman or a CCC member or officer, please contact: Melanie Rogers CCC Public Relations and Publicity Manager www.collectorsclubchicago.org http://www.facebook.com/collectorsclubofchicago mrogers93@hotmail.com About the Collectors Club of Chicago (CCC): The CCC was incorporated on 13 October 1928, and it is believed members met in one another’s homes until the beginning of World War II, at which time the meetings lapsed. In early 1944, three legendary, Chicago-area, advanced collectors of postage stamps and postal history planned the formation of an intimate group of collectors having similar interests: Dr. Clarence W. Hennan, David Lidman (then the Stamp Editor of the “Chicago Sun”) and Charles F. Meroni, Sr. In November 1944, these three individuals and five more met to officially establish the club. An agreement was reached whereby a Chicago-based organization would be formed for the purpose of promoting philatelic research, for the exchange of information concerning all aspects of postage stamps and postal history and for the promotion of social contact between good friends having a common bond through philatelia — the name of the organization was to be the Collectors Club of Chicago. From 1945 to 1969, the club met at a variety of public locations, including the University Club and the Union League Club. In 1970, the club began meeting at the present-day Gold Coast clubhouse, which was a gift from Richard McPherren Cabeen and his wife Blema. Cabeen, a CCC member, was a notable philatelic author who wrote books as well as a stamp column that appeared in a local newspaper. Because of the foresight of the Chicago area’s philatelic fraternity in the formative years, the current CCC membership now enjoys the privileges and benefits of a permanent, upscale clubhouse building, a very comprehensive philatelic library and the opportunity to socialize at least monthly with fellow collectors.

Great to see you on here!