Last month, the British North America Philatelic Society (BNAPS) released three books, one of which is part of its Exhibit Series.
J. Michael Powell’s 174-page book Canadian Prisoners of War and Civilian Internees in Europe during the Great War is “an amazing study of Canadians held in camps in Europe” throughout the First World War, according Mike Street, co-ordinator of BNAPS’ book department.
According to Street, the author began his study by obtaining hundreds of covers and postcards sent to and from Canada. He also sought “collateral photographs” such as images of postmarks and other items.
“The author then conducted an incredible amount of research to not only locate each of the dozens of camps geographically, but also to identify mail right down to the name, rank and unit of the sender or receiver at those camps,” said Street, who added some of Powell’s exhibits have included his Canadian prisoner of war and internment camp material as well as related foreign subjects.
The book is available for $73 from Sparks Auctions.
BENJAMIN FRANKLIN & BNA POSTAL SERVICE
Gary Dickinson’s 82-page handbook Benjamin Franklin and Postal Services in British North America was also among the June book releases. The book tells the story of Benjamin Franklin’s involvement with the postal system in the British part of continental North America. It also documents the Franklin-related stamps issued by Canada—particularly the 1976 joint issue between Canada and the U.S. celebrating the American bicentennial, and the many first-day covers and event covers released as part of this issue.
The book is available for $49 from Sparks Auctions.
Dickinson is a co-founder of the BNAPS First-Day Cover Study Group and is editor of its newsletter, First Impressions.
DECIMAL STAMPS OF CANADA
Rounding out BNAPS’ June book releases was No. 94 of the Exhibit Series, The Arthur W. Leggett Exhibit Decimal Stamps of Canada. The 144-page book is available for $66 from Sparks Auctions.
According to Street, the late Ken Ellison, who started the BNAPS Exhibit Book Series, “lamented only two things.” One thing was how 21st-century digital technology was unavailable at the beginning of the series, so not all of the series’ books are available in colour. The second thing was how virtually all of the great exhibits of the latter half of the 20th century were broken up before the Exhibit Book Series was started.
“This volume remedies in part one of those thoughts – an exhibit long dispersed, The Arthur W. Leggett Exhibit Decimal Stamps of Canada, brought back through the forethought of the exhibitor and persistence of a current collector of the material,” said Street, who added BNAPS thanks Ron Majors for arranging permission from the Leggett family to print this book and for scanning all the pages from Leggett’s original colour photocopy.
Leggett, a well-known philatelic dealer, passed away on Feb. 26, 2011. He was formerly a treasurer of The Royal Philatelic Society of Canada (RPSC) and a founding member of the Vincent Graves Greene Philatelic Research Foundation Expertizing Committee.
With William Maresch, Leggett also published the Canada Specialized Postage Stamp Catalogue, which was the first Canadian catalogue to accurately price postmarks. Leggett was made a Fellow of The RPSC in 1984 and elected to the BNAPS Order of the Beaver in 1985.
For more information about BNAPS’ books, visit bnaps.org/books/books.php or contact Street at mikestreet1@gmail.com.