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Background
The
Postal Stationery Society of Australia (PSSA) was set up
to cater for the needs of collectors interested in the collection
and study of postal stationery. This field has often tended
to be a neglected part of philately in Australia, and until the time when the PSSA was established, there had been no society
in Australia solely devoted to it, and to the interests of stationery collectors.
Aims
of the PSSA
It
was the aim of the PSSA that it should be a fairly informal
Society that would enable collectors to share information
and assist each other with forming their collections and
keeping abreast of new developments, particularly the issuing
of new types of postal stationery. The Society held its first
meeting at the National Exhibition, Sydney Centrepoint 95,
on 21 October 1995.
A
further aim was to encourage all collectors of postal stationery
to become members. Membership of the Society was not to be
limited to collectors and researchers of either Australian
colonies or Commonwealth of Australia stationery, nor was
membership to be limited to residents of Australia.
Because
it was hoped to involve collectors throughout Australia,
it was decided that the Society would not be centred in a
particular city, rather that opportunities would be taken
to meet regularly at National and State exhibitions and on
similar occasions involving gatherings of philatelists. It
was hoped that office bearers would come from different States,
and that there would be a representative (Coordinator) from
each State. There is now also a representative appointed
for New Zealand.
Society
Publications
Postal
Stationery Collector
It
was also decided that the Society would produce a journal, Postal Stationery Collector, four times each year, and the first issue appeared in May 1995. The journal
is intended primarily as a means of communication between
members, and for the exchange of ideas, news and information
about postal stationery of all countries. It has developed
into an important source of information about postal stationery
recently issued by Australia Post, as detailed listings of
some types of stationery, for instance, pre-paid postcards,
are not usually available elsewhere.
Members
are strongly encouraged to contribute to the journal, for
its success depends on their input. All manner of contributions
are encouraged, from information on new issues, articles
on all postal stationery topics, including detailed research
articles, also reviews of newly published handbooks, and
notes on articles devoted to postal stationery topics that
have appeared in current Australian and overseas philatelic
journals. The Editor aims to have a good balance in the journal
between Australian and overseas content. The Society has
been encouraged by the awards gained by Postal Stationery Collector in Literature classes at overseas exhibitions.
Australian States /Colonies
Postal Stationery project
The
Society has embarked on a project to produce and publish
a series of catalogues of the postal stationery issued by
the Australian States prior to the issue of the first Australian Commonwealth stationery in 1911. A catalogue of the Postal Stationery of Western Australia
was published in 2002. Further catalogues in the series are
planned, and each State volume will be the work of an author or a group of authors, who have expertise in that field of collecting and research.
Work on volumes for New South Wales, Queensland and Tasmania is well advanced.
Contact
information
Readers
who would like to know more about the Postal Stationery Society
of Australia are very welcome to contact the Secretary, Ms
Judy Kennett, either by post or by email.
Postal:
Secretary
Postal
Stationery Society of Australia
PO
Box 16
ULMARRA
NSW 2462
AUSTRALIA
Email: jkennett@tpg.com.au
Judith
Kennett
Secretary
July
2009
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