Volume One / 
Number 2
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Issue No. 1

Page One

Contents of This Issue:
The Online EFO Guide
Philately's Major Errors
Nalbandian's 50th Anniversary
(The 3 above articles appear on this page)

We are proud to offer what has not only been a tradition on the Internet, but a hallmark in the life of John M. Hotchner, the recently-retired president of the American Philatelic Society. And that is: providing collectors everywhere with well-researched and helpful information that will guide them in pursuit of our wonderful hobby.

In 1992, John—while serving as editor of U.S. Stamps & Postal History Magazine—developed a comprehensive "Guide To U.S. Errors, Freaks and Oddities". As the founder of the EFO Collectors Club and a world-renowned authority on United States 20th century stamps, there is no better philatelist in the world to offer instruction on this unique specialty.

The Jack Nalbandian website now features John's wonderful "EFO Guide" on special pages right on our site—complete with lots of full-color illustrations. Two installments of the Guide now appear there, with many more yet to come.

The philatelic career of John Hotchner is one of our pastime's great stories. From his vast writings for publications from Linn's Stamp News to The American Philatelist and his work for such organizations as Stamps For The Wounded, to his roles as a key leader in our hobby and on the USPS Citizens Stamp Advisory Committee, there is virtually no servant in philately who has done more to secure the present and future health of our pastime. We are delighted to feature his work.

The 1901 issue for the Pan-American Exposition, Buffalo, New York, produced three major United States rarities: the inverted centers. The most impressive item is the block of twenty of the One-cent with inverted centers. Although the One-cent with inverted center is fairly common as a single and obtainable in a block of four, it is unknown in a large multiple other than this block. The block was in a collection built by Warren H. Colson, a dealer, for a client. When the owner died in 1951, the block remained entombed in a bank vault in Boston until it was acquired by Raymond H. Weill Co. in 1976.

The first stamps of Bavaria were issued in 1849, and the 1 kreuzer black is an extremely popular stamp. It was printed in panes of 45 stamps with a vertical gutter between panes. Evidently some cliches were inserted into the printing plate inverted, creating tete-beche varieties. The errors must have been corrected quickly because only three tete-beches have survived. Curiously, each of the tete-beches is in a different position from the other two and no tete-beche varieties, or traces of them, have been detected in the several complete panes of the stamp still in existence. The block of 12 with the tete-beche variety was in the Ferrari collection. It was sold at the sixth Ferrari sale in Paris in 1923 and was acquired by Alfred F. Lichtenstein. It passed to his daughter, Louise Boyd Dale, and was owned by the Anne Boyd Lichtenstein Foundation until sold in the mid-1990s..

Few stamp dealers in the world can claim that they have been in business continually for 50 years, but this is exactly what will take place for Jack Nalbandian in 2000. It is customers like you who have helped our firm create this record of service for our family-owned and operated firm.

Jack started collecting stamps when he was about 10 years old and, following service in the U.S. Army, established Jack Nalbandian, Inc. in 1950. Like most dealers, it was slow going at first, but by 1956 Jack had begun working stamp shows in the Boston area and attending auctions in New York City.

In the early days, our firm dealt widely in the British Commonwealth area (material that is still one of our specialties)—and then expanded into a wide range of United States material. The latter led us into the volatile and popular field of errors, freaks and oddities for which we are now very widely known. And through most of our years in business we have also been very active in wholesaling material to dealers.

After nearly 50 years in the business, Jack still works regularly in the business—assisted by his son-in-law, Bob Dowiot, who has been with the firm full-time for over 20 years. The unveiling of the firm's Internet website nearly a year ago is part of Jack and Bob's continual commitment to serve philately as it emerges into the electronic commerce of the next century.

The finest element of Jack Nalbandian's business—one that has been with him since he started it nearly 50 years ago—is our firm's reputation for integrity and personal customer service. This reputation is the hallmark that guides us in everything we do. As we move into our second 50 years, we hope you will continue to rely on us for your philatelic needs.