Cmarsha
Czarist
Posts: 41
Registered: 5/13/2005
Location: Omaha, Nebraska
Member Is Offline
Mood: No mood
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Tsarist cancels, need information
Hi, all. Just rejoined after a lapse of a year or so. Have a few questions I will be posting here over time however the first one concerns an interest
I have in collecting postal markings on old Tsarist issues. I would like to put together some pages of cancellations, year dates, types of postmarks,
etc.
Can anyone suggest a good source for information as to what I would need to be looking for? I would imagine there is a specialized catalog that would
give me data on, say, what years the various issues were in use, etc. I do not read Russian but think I may need to learn on this one as I doubt there
is a lot available in English. Ideas? Thanks.
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Bill Stoten
Major Philatelist
Posts: 141
Registered: 5/22/2004
Location: U.K.
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Mood: Spring has sprung!
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That's a big question!
The Kiryushkin & Robinson's 'Postmarks of... ' catalogues (softback) are a great start and if you can get hold of a Prigara (hardback), that's another
fine general reference book. They're all in english or translated to English. You may find them on ebay or even on sale on the Rossica site. I found
them all really useful and a super start to postmark & postal history collecting and understanding.
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Gary
Deceased
Posts: 1626
Registered: 10/18/2002
Location: USA
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Mood: No Mood
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Definitely a big question!
In addition to the introductions and guides of K&R and Prigara, there is the Reverse Sort of locations and the Forward sort to help you locate marks.
Additionally, K&R published a "List of Post Offices in the Russian Empire in 1999. The epic work by Tchilinghirian and Stephen covering Mail Abroad is
excellent as well, but very difficult to find an original. I'm sure that pirated copies of all these works can be had as well.
Rossica has the Prigara (hardback and CD), Reverse Sort (CD) and Forward Sort (CD) for sale.
Cancels on loose stamps are a bit more difficult than on cover since you usually cannot see all of the mark. There is also the WSRP, at which there is
a fairly decent collection of postmarks already listed.
Of course, back issues of the major philatelic journals also have information.
These should get you started.
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jlechtanski
Moderator
Posts: 640
Registered: 7/7/2004
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Cancels on Loose Stamps
If the beginning of the town in on the stamp I use the forward sort; if the ending is on the stamp I use the reverse sort. Obvious enough. If part
of the cancel is on the stamp with neither the first or last letter clearly shown, I have a problem.
I have been using the old printed versions of the Forward and Reverse sort. This question and the question on "How Many DVORs" got me wondering if
the CD versions of the Forward and Reverse sorts are computer searchable. That is can the listings be searched using part of the town name?
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lam
Czarist
Posts: 30
Registered: 11/2/2002
Member Is Offline
Mood: No Mood.
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Several years ago I prepared a list (based on D.Skipton Reverse Sort List) in MS ACCESS format. It gives me to make it as Reverse list, Forward list.
I can search it by part of the name, by Districts and many others.
There are 2 problems:
1. I own the only copy of this file, because of publisher copyrighting
2. Only one, who knows to work with ACCESS can use it. I am not able to prepare a proper user interface
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achlenov
Major Philatelist
Posts: 257
Registered: 5/16/2004
Location: California
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Mood: Optimistic
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Such a searchable list is on WSRP (World Society of Russian Philately) website. Although it has been malfunctioning lately 
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Gary
Deceased
Posts: 1626
Registered: 10/18/2002
Location: USA
Member Is Offline
Mood: No Mood
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The WSRP, an excellent source of information mentioned previously (above), should also be considered for membership for serious postmark collectors.
It adds a lot to the study, but is not the definitive source yet. If you study postmarks, let me know if you would like to join WSRP.
Additionally, there are a few great philatelists who frequent the site as well as a few who like to offer opinions. It is a great site to visit and
learn!
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