Eight years has passed

It has been eight years since I last posted, and I enjoyed philately a lot, by meeting new friends and old friends at various stamp exhibitions during the period.

I used to be a general collector, but I became specialized in classic Germany and Switzerland nowadays and exhibited several times on the globe. I also build a new philatelic society in Japan to promote philately.

So with resuming my blog, I'd like to change the theme of this blog to promoting Japanese philately. Though I'm not a specialist of Japanese philately, I can introduce many Japanese top philatelic topics, because I'm a publisher of STAMPEDIA PHILATELIC JOURNAL.

Japan is one of the most interesting countries to collect stamps and making collections, however, no literature has been published before the publication of the STAMPEDIA PHILATELIC JOURNAL.

It's not easy for a philatelist whose mother tongue is not Japanese to collect Japanese stamps, as there are only a few works of literature in English.

All color bilingual philatelic magazine; STAMPEDIA PHILATELIC JOURNAL. changed this situation, as it's written both in English and Japanese.

However, digital method is also selected to promote the fascination of Japanese philately with a more flexible way to tell the information.

Soaking Japanese etched stamps and telegraph stamps

I've not soak almost any stamps since I re-start philately as there're many off-paper stamps on sale on the stamp market, however sometims I have to do soak for example when I found some of Thurn&taxis mint block are sticked to the other block or when I found Japanese old stamps with ugly backside with hinge or old papers.
So whenever I try soaking, I'm very serious because I do it with not cheap stamp but with stamps valued around $10 and more.

The shown is Japanese telegraph stamp 15 sen issued in 1885. which was with dirty backside before the soaking. It was in bad condition, however I'd like to hold it to check the manufacturing point. Yes I got interested in Japanese etched stamps recently.

 

EUROPEX 2013 held in Tokyo on Jan.19-20 2013

We're going to have  First Europe Stamp Exhibition during 19th and 20th Jan. 2013.

This is a non-competitive stamp show of European Stamps which we host annualy and this is the first time. The theme of the exhibition of this year is the Black Sea and Stamps of 7 countries around the Black Sea are exhibited such as Russia, Georgia, Turkey, Bulgaria, Romania, Moldova and Ukraine.

 

I've been opening the stamp market.

Today I opened a stand at a stamp fleamarket at Asakusa, Tokyo and sell Stampedia Philatelic Journal, both edition of 2011 and 2012.
I heard from my friends Mr.Yosuke Naito that literatures are not popular in this fleamarket, however I sold more than ten copies in three hours, so I'm happy with the result.I appreciate all the people coming to our stand and get our magazine.
There're some people who only buy last year edition as he bought this year edition this month. So I feel it is important to publish such kinds of philatelic magazine continuously. Of course we'll publish 2013 EDITION to make you satisfy.

Stampedia Philatelic Journal gets Vermail at SHARJAH 2012 FIAP show.

We'd like to report that "Stampedia Philatelic Journal" gets Vermail at the literature division of the SHARJAH2012, FIAP show, held in UAE.

Though we got the same medal at PHILANIPPON2011 last summer, we're very happy to have this medal as it is held far from Japan. 

We're going to exhibit it at those exhibition; All Japan Stamp Exhibition 2013, Australia2013, Bangkok2013, Brazil2013 and Japex13.

I think we could improve our level by getting some advice of the judges. 

Mini stamp show of JP occupied area in S.E. asia

We'll have a mini stamp show of JP occupied area in S.E. asia during 21st and 23rd Nov. 2012 at Stamp museum in Mejiro, Tokyo.
I exhibit 3 frames (48 leaves) this time and as it is not a competition based on FIP rule, I make the exhibit work as I like to show by myself.The title means "the stamps overprinted later in JP occupied area in S.E. asia" and I showed all the stamps but 10 missing in mint condition. I also showed the overprinted stamps but as there're too many varieties, I only showed some of them.
I'll be in the mini stamp show on 23rd, why not come to our show? I'll exhibit this work on stampedia exhibition soon, however I'd like to show some leaves here.

We've finished the domestic stamp show in Japan

Last weekend, we had a domestic stamp show called JAPEX and it was 6th times since I re-started philately. I spent boring time there in the first 4 years as I do only catalogue general collection but traditional philately and no exhibit, no philatelic friend in Japan, no interest on auction houses which deals no world stamps but Japan. I spent , however, very busy days last year and same this year.

It is because my philatelic level of knowledge and people goes up than before. I'm happy with it of course. But I also think this is why philately get fewer and fewer new comers every year.

During the period of the show, Mr. Sumihide Ito, a famous collector of Japanese definitives, Showa series were near his exhibit and give a paper and talk to the people seeing his collection. I'm very happy to hear his talk and knowledge as it is very smart and I got interested in this series. I don't think it easy to do the same thing for all the exhibitors, however. I also understand the exhibition is based on the FIP rule and what i most important is to appeal to the judge but the visitors. What I'd like to say is there're something which shoud be done without breaking the FIP rule to appeal to the ordinary visitors such as providing papers, movies and audio guidance. These technology has already been used at the general museums and otherwise they can not catch new visitors who feels happy becuase they can understand it. I like both of Japex and All Japan Stamp Show and appreciate the comittee, however I'd like to do something more to appeal to the ordinary visitors.

By the way, the shown is a parcel front of 1888-92 Japan definitive 1 Yen, the highest value of the series. I'm making general Japan definitive cover collection and this is one of the difficult stamps, however I got it at the starting price at Japan Stamp Auciton held during the show this time. I'm happy because I got it cheaper and not block the other specialist of this series.