Vol. 2, No. 7, August-September 2006 

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Postcard News From Courthouse Square

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UPCOMING SHOW - EVENT INFORMATION

(Show Promoters, see info below for listings in our Postcard News from Courthouse Square -Show Calendar, $15 for 12 issues or until show date)

Get out to a Postcard Show....it'll do you good!

Fall Dallas Metro Postcard

Show and Sale

Friday, Oct 6, 2006 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM

Saturday, Oct 7, 2006 10:00AM to 4:00 PM

NOTE:THIS IS A FRIDAY-SATURDAY SHOW

Southfork Hotel (formerly Fred Harvey Hotel)

Hwy 75, 1600 North Central Expry Exit 29 (east)

Plano, TX

Admission $2(for both days)

Plenty of Free Parking, great area restaurants and lodging

Special Early Bird Admission($5) available at 9:00 am Friday

Special Postcard Show Hotel Rate available, ask 1-972-578-8555

10th Annual

Joplin Missouri

Postcard and Paper Americana Show and Sale

Friday, Oct 13, 10am-6pm

Saturday Oct 14, 10am-4pm

HOLIDAY INN - BALLROOM

Not the adjacent convention center

I-44 & U.S. 71(bus.) at Range Line Rd, Joplin MO

NOTE:This Will Be a Friday-Saturday Show

Early Bird admission ($5) available at 9am Friday

Regular admission is $2

presents

29th Wichita International Postcard Show

and Paper Americana Sale.

Saturday Oct 21, Sunday Oct 22.

All Saint's Gym, 3313 Grand, Wichita, Kansas

(across the street from St Joseph's Hospital) - just north and east of Hillside and Harry in southeast Wichita

Friday night is for members only (a good reason to join!) at 6:30, with open availability to the general public on Saturday 9-6 and Sunday 10-4.  

The show theme for 2006 is World's Fairs.  Rick Geary has designed some wonderful cards and we are looking forward to the seminar which will feature many rare cards from various World's Fairs.

Display boards featured postcards relating to to the show theme as well as linens, advertising, people, signed artists, transportation, state views, political, novelty, topicals and miscellaneous.  

Sunday includes Postcard Seminar at 8:30 am in the basement of the hall.

There is FREE admission, FREE parking, exhibits, and

hundreds of thousands of postcards!

Todays Question and Answer....What is Postal History?

Answer: Postmarks and other postal markings on envelopes and postcards.

Another question: How do I know what is "good" postal history

Thats an easy one, just look it up in one of our postal history reference books for sale at our website by clicking here

And the Follow up:....I think I have some good "Postal History", what do I do with it?

A good question, and rather than trying to out guess the ebay buyers and sellers, here is what we do with our "Postal History." I consign mine to Jim Mehrer's Postal History Mail Bid Sales. I've done it for years, gotten a nice return, and learned a lot along the way. For one thing, many of the early hard to find cancels are on the least expensive postcards. It seems that many small towns that just had an office for a couple of years, didn't have much in the way of picture postcards produced, so most of these rare cancels are on 'Greetings from.." and inexpensive holidays and humor from early days.In other words, in the quarter boxes at the show, and often on damaged cards that otherwise wouldn't get a look from a postcard collector. Another thing I learned early on was that items that I thought were interesting, generally weren't interesting to anyone else, or if they were interesting, they weren't valuable or both. That's when I began to gather up the 'better' postal history items for Jim Mehrer. He's usually around most of the postcard shows, dragging his bag of lists, and either buying or picking up consignments for his upcoming auctions..... Here is his answer to the question: So Jim, What Do You Want for your Auctions? Here is Jim Mehrer's answers.

I prefer covers and cards that could fairly be expected to realize $15 and up (the sky is the limit) apiece, but I'll accept a few items valued at lesser amounts, if they are accompanied by better items. If you submit a good mix of material, I'll take a few of the lesser with the better. As you might guess, higher-valued lots will normally generate the best bids, which is better for both of us....and here are the rules. Minimum bids on lots in my sales are as follows:- Material estimated at more than $10: minimum bid is 1/3 of estimate.- Material estimated at $10 or less: minimum bid is $3. 

My commission is 20% of the price realized, plus the postage to return any unsold lots. PLEASE NOTE: You'll find dealers who claim to charge only 8% to 10% commission, but they will also tack on a so-called "buyer's premium" (another 10% or 15% surcharge) when they invoice their bidders. Added together, the commission plus the surcharge comes out to a 20-25% take, no matter how you look at it. I've never met a collector who likes that system, and many of them won't even participate in sales that tack on the surcharge. I prefer to charge a flat commission and not to use the surcharge system. 

You can assign estimated values or minimum bids, or I will assign estimated values. I reserve the right to return any material that I feel has been assigned unrealistic values.

I don't know much about foreign material, but I usually run a few pieces in each sale, with an adequate degree of success. If you have some good foreign material, and can assign an intelligent estimate to it, send it along and I'll list it. The same goes for autographs and any other ephemera. I try to be flexible. 

I'll accept material at any time, but because I try to maintain a schedule of publishing six catalogs per year, I have established the following deadline dates: February 10, April 10, June 10, August 10, October 10, December 10.

Publication dates and closing dates will fluctuate, depending on the amount of material that is submitted during any given consignment period. It is better for everyone concerned if consignors do not wait until the end of the period to send their consignments. The more last-minute shipments that I receive, the more that it delays the publication of that period's catalog. Due to the quantity of material that is submitted, I must insist that shipments arrive on or before the deadline date in order to be included in the appropriate catalog. Consignors' checks will normally be sent within forty days after closing. I pay as quickly as possible. The sooner the bidders pay me, the sooner I pay the consignors.

So, why would you consign your material to me? - I promote my sales in a variety of ways. I advertise in various specialty publications and any other place that seems suitable, depending on the material that's in the sale. The figures vary from sale to sale, and the number is always growing, but I currently distribute more than 1,200 catalogs to collectors and dealers in all 50 states and in many countries around the world.

- I'll treat you fairly and honestly. The only way that I can prove that is through experience, so I ask that you give me a chance. On your request, I'll be happy to provide bank references who will tell you that I pay my bills and that my checks are good.

- I will list as much of your material as I can, as quickly as I can. I don't see the point of sitting on material. I have submitted items to other sales and waited years to see them in print. The deadlines and lag times are bad enough as they are, and nobody benefits until the material is sold, so I try to get it out as quickly as possible. In the case of a large collection or accumulation, it might not be possible to get everything into one sale, but I'll keep at it until it's done - and done right.

As my mail bid sales have become more popular, the catalogs have become larger, requiring more time to compile and edit them. As you might expect, the turnaround time is longer now than it was when my sales where half as large, but the popularity and success of my catalogs are reasons FOR consigning your material to me.

One other comment: occasionally, a new consignor will say that he is submitting cheaper material first and holding back the better material until he sees the results. I question the validity of such a test, as I know of no method of generating much interest in common material. I would hate to be given a poor rating because I was unable to sell a ten-cent cover for ten dollars.

I am not opposed to being somewhat adventuresome, and I will often list material that other sales might reject. Still, as liberal as I try to be about this, I'm just unable to accept common or faulty material, or recent philatelically-inspired concoctions. This can be fun and profitable for both of us, but if the profit isn't there, we're not going to have any fun. Put simply: I lose money on every consignment lot that sells for less than $5, and losing money is not among my goals.

How much material can you send at one time? I don't care. One piece. Ten pieces. A thousand. If it's something that we can sell, let's sell it and be done with it.

If you have any questions... Write, call, fax or Email me: mehrer@postal-history.com. Then, please take a look through your holdings and see if you have anything that I can help you convert to cash. I'll do my best for you! 

(If you wish to receive acknowledgement of your shipment, please supply a self-addressed, stamped envelope or postcard!) 

Jim Mehrer

2405-30th St.

Rock Island, IL 61201 U.S.A.

Phone: (309) 786-6539

Fax : (309) 786-4840

Email : mehrer@postal-history.com

(above is cover scan)

* 70+ pages, 8 1/2 x 11 *2400 detailed listings *Over 200 Large Letter included

*Index of every card by inscription*Index of artist

*Over 110 publishers included *More than 100 color illustrations (thumbnails)

*"Unidentified" publishers described

This new checklist titled Comic Postcards of WWII has been in the works for the past year, and is ready to go. It also includes large letter military linens. This new and updated list includes considerably more data than previous resources.   A helpful feature of this new publication is an index of cards by the inscription on the cards face that indicates the name of the publisher.  Since many cards are difficult to identify, this is of great help to the collector. Color illustrations are included to define the style of various publishers, including previously unidentified publishers. This list has been authored by Dr. Thomas O. Garnhart, author of the popular Checklist of Curt Teich Linen Comic Postcards. $29.95 plus p/h. Click here for order info.

by Thomas O. Garnhart

The Checklist of Curt Teich Linen Comic Postcards is the first definitive and systematic cataloging of linen comic postcards by this quality printer and publisher. Amidst the growing popularity of linens, it is a valuable resource for both collectors and dealers. Some 1548 detailed entries list cards in order of the production. Value ranges are provided to identify the comparative desirability/rarity of each postcard. Detailed information is given about each entry, including inscriptions, series names, and indicators of which are WWII related and which are black racial stereotypes. $24.95 + p/h visit this link for details and scan of cover.

Here are some links to some of our favorite postcard websites and ebay sellers. Be sure to visit our website for images and more great postcard collecting information.

 For a complete listing of the postcard shows produced by Jim Taylor and CourthouseSquare.net visit

http://www.courthousesquare.net

Some great postcard Auction sites include: (more to come!)

  

Jim Taylor

Courthouse Square Antique Cards

PO Box 399

Neosho MO 64850

Member APS IFPD

Specializing in Mail Approvals, Sales, and Shows, of Antique Postcards,

Historical Photographs Paper Americana and Archival Supplies

Visit the front page of our Web site at:

http://www.CourthouseSquare.net

email: Postcards@CourthouseSquare.net

Helping build great postcard collections is our speciality...

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