Below is a list of Reference Literature that we currently have available about Various Specialty Topics. With these references, collectors and dealers can identify and evaluate thousands of different postmarks.
Most of these books are regular stock items, but some are available
in limited quantities. As an example, the total printing of my
Illinois Post Offices book was 418 copies. More than two-thirds
of those have been sold since it was published in February, 1996,
and I do not plan to reprint it. Such limited-edition titles are
often difficult to obtain once the original printing is sold out.
PUBLISHERS: If you have any reference literature that you would
like to make available through this page, please email 
mehrer@postal-history.com , call or write
to discuss terms.
DEALERS: If you would like to stock any of the literature that
we publish (those showing Jim Mehrer as the author), we give generous
wholesale discounts at low quantities.
Email mehrer@postal-history.com,
call or write for details.
ALL BOOKS ARE PRICED POSTPAID IN U.S.
INTERNATIONAL ORDERS: Before ordering, please email us for the shipping charge.
ILLINOIS RESIDENTS: Add 8.5% state sales tax to your order.
We do not accept CHARGE CARDS, and HERE'S WHY: Card companies would take about 5 percent off the top of whatever we sold. We don't feel like giving it to them, and we would rather not raise all of our prices just for the sake of handling charge cards. (Before you write and tell us that we can negotiate a better deal than 5 percent, we know that. But whether it's 3 or 4 or 5 percent, we still don't feel like raising the prices to "cover" it, as they say.) We were accepting payments through an online payment service for awhile, but then they started charging for their services, too. Maybe things will change someday.
We regret that we're unable to send
"bill with" orders, but that just adds to
the paperwork, and we've got plenty to do without the extra load.
Exceptions: If you're a long-time customer of ours, and you're
experiencing some kind of major "reference literature emergency"
that won't allow you to wait a couple of extra days, give us a
phone call (309 / 786-6539) and we'll discuss the possibilities.
Guide to United States Vending and Affixing Machine Perforations
1907-1927. (Steven R. Belasco/2009): This is the first book
in more than 65 years to tell the fascinating and complex story
of the proprietary coils developed by manufacturers of stamp vending
and affixing machines in the 20th century. This Guide covers more
than 250 varieties of coil stamps made by the six companies that
created these perforations and discusses their history, proprietary
perforations, stamps to which the perforations were applied, scarcity
of these stamps on and off cover, and factors to be considered
to identify the many fakes of these coils. (220 pages; hardbound.)
#790607. $55.00.
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Postmarks of U.S. Expositions / 2nd Edition. (William
J. Bomar/1996): This is the much-expanded and updated second edition
of this essential reference. The original edition was a breakthrough
publication in this popular collecting area, and the second edition
is loaded with additional and updated information. Containing
descriptions of all of the known postmarks related to U.S. Expositions,
as well as detailed information about the Expos themselves (costs,
attendance figures, etc.), the first edition achieved new standards
in postal history reference literature. After that, new discoveries
increased the reported data by about thirty percent. Much information
was added to the second edition, and many earliest and latest
uses were amended. Several sections were expanded, and much of
the Panama-Pacific International Exposition section is entirely
new to the second edition! (277 pages; softbound.) #970380. Price
on Request.
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Western Express on CD-ROM.
(Western Cover Society/20056): All 55 Years of the Western Cover
Society's journal, "Western Express," on a CD-ROM! Every
issue of "Western Express" from 1950 through 2005 has
been scanned and stored
on a CD-ROM as fully searchable PDF files. No need to fumble through
those old-fashioned paper copies of "Western Express"
to find the subjects you are looking for. No more digging through
old manual paper indexes. Also, if you are not already a member
of the Western Cover Society, you will receive a complimentary
one-year membership to the Society, which includes a one-year
subscription to "Western Express." #760401. $60.00 postpaid,
worldwide..
To see a list of other reference literature available on
CD-ROM, CLICK HERE..
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The BOMAR EXPOSITION EXHIBIT on CD-ROM:
Full-color scans of every item from William J. Bomar's Exposition
Exhibit. Nearly 1,000 GIF images of more than 300 covers and cards:
full scans, plus enlarged close-ups of the postmarks, illustrated
ads, etc. Includes his last purchases, which were never exhibited,
but many which were surely destined to be added to the frames.
This is your chance to see this important exhibit as it was presented,
before it was offered for sale, piece by piece. PC
FORMAT: #990301. MAC FORMAT: #990302. $40.00. Outside U.S.:
$45.00 postpaid.
To see a list of other reference literature available on
CD-ROM, CLICK HERE.
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Catalog of Private Express Labels and Stamps: United States
1839-1918 / Canada 1841-1926. (Bruce H. Mosher/2002): Illustrated
and priced listings of over 3000 labels, stamps and corner cards
issued by American and Canadian private express and private delivery
companies between 1840 and 1926. Contains the most comprehensive
listing of North American private express/delivery emissions ever
published. Over 2100 items are illustrated. Listings were compiled
from more than 50 different sources including private collections,
auction catalogs and published handbooks and articles.
- Company Types (525+ companies): Package/Parcel Expresses; Private
Mail Expresses; Parcel Delivery/Despatch businesses; Package Messenger
businesses; Special Delivery businesses; Phantom (nonexistent)
Expresses.
- Listed Express Items: Corner cards (145+); Complimentary franks/passes
(100+); Labels (1790+); Stamps (900+); Bogus labels and stamps;
Forged labels and stamps.
- Three geographical company sections: I. United States; II. Canada;
III. Overseas.
- Unique Catalog numbers for each listed item (Mosher Numbering
System).
- Cross references to all relevant Springer Handbook numbers.
- Many contemporary on-cover-usage/cancellation dates are cited.
- Short description and business operating years of many listed
companies.
- Over 70 different express company references plus 26 Bibliography
references.
(224 pages; softbound.) #740113. $39.00.
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With the Zeppelin to South America, Diary of the Round Trip
1931. (Bruer/2002): Based on author's diary & photographs
during the flight, with English & German texts. (196 pages;
softbound.) We have ONE copy available.
#890634. $30.00.
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Zeppelin Plus, Adventures-History-Philately. (Moroz/2001):
Stories of airship aviation with some results of auction material,
with illustrations. (116 pages; softbound.) We
have ONE copy available. #890635. $30.00.
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Catalog of United States Perfins. (Stephen Endicott/2018):
A detailed and comprehensive reference containing illustrations
and descriptions of all known U.S. perfin types, with a scarcity
guide for each. Not a postal history reference per se, but still
an invaluable reference for collectors and dealers in perfins,
on or off cover. (nearly 1,000 pages; unbound, 3-hole punched.)
#740104. $95.00.
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United States Doanes / 2nd Edition. (Richard W. Helbock
& Gary Anderson/2002): This volume contains listings of all
known Doane cancels (more than 23,000 of them!), with dates of
use. There is also a SCARCITY index for each listing, ranging
from 1 to 5, with "1" being the most common and "5"
representing the rarities. Contains literally thousands of new
reports since the original edition was published in 1993, and
numerous illustrations of Doane cancels from some of the leading
collections in the nation. This is a must for collectors and dealers
alike. (336 pages; softbound.) #721002. $35.00.
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Postmarks on Postcards/Revised 2nd Edition. (Richard W. Helbock/2002): It is a rare case when a reference book has equal appeal to collectors and dealers of postcards and postmarks alike, but here is just such a book. This 290-page volume is designed to provide both an introduction to all U.S. postmarks of the 1900-1920 era and a reference for anyone wishing to learn more about postmarks and postmark collecting. The first of two sections explores all U.S. postmark types found on cards and covers of the Postcard era; and the second provides details of which U.S. postmarks are collected. Part I consists of ten chapters featuring Doane cancels; Manuscript & Straight-line markings; Anachronisms & Mimics; and Machine Cancels, just to name a few. Each subject is carefully explained and well illustrated, and the discussion includes comments on the market value for each postmark type. The chapter on Machine Cancels includes a simple technique that enables the reader to make a rapid identification of the manufacturer of nearly all machine cancels of the 1900-1920 period. Part II discusses the major ways in which U.S. postmarks are collected. The six chapters include information about collecting by Geographic Regions, Rural Free Delivery, Railway Post Offices, Naval & Military Specialties and an entirely new chapter on Collecting Ancillary & Auxiliary Markings. The book wraps up with a Glossary of Postal History Terms; four Appendices providing specific data on the subjects of U.S. Doane cancels and Military & Naval postal history; and an Index. (290 pages; softbound.) #720101. $29.50.
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The Forwarding of Mail by the U.S. Post Office Department,
1792-2001. (Tony Wawrukiewicz/2001): Wawrukiewicz's first
book on this subject was published in 1991, but as John Hotchner
says in the preface to this new work, "...he has used the
intervening ten years to work with others, to gather research
materials, and to review tens of thousands of covers for examples
and for puzzles to solve." A comprehensive, logical and easy
reference to a subject which often hampers postal historians in
their studies. As it covers a period dating almost to the exact
beginning of the United States, it will be of major interest to
all specialists - classic to modern. In fact, by not limiting
his coverage to one particular era, the author has turned this
work into a monumental contribution to the study of American postal
history. Classics Society members will truly benefit from the
pre-1900 chapters. Contains hundreds of illustrations showing
examples of forwarded mail with accompanying explanations. (230
pages; hardbound.) #711101. $45.00.
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Postal Markings of the Panama-Pacific International Exposition:
San Francisco, California 1915. (David Savadge/1997): A detailed
examination of all of the postal markings of the PPIE Expo, plus
information about first day usages of the commemorative stamps;
concurrent use charts for the slogan machine cancels; perfins;
seals; tickets; and more. A further expansion of the PPIE section
in Bomar's work, which devoted 35 pages to the subject. (112 pages;
unbound.) #970533. $30.00.
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The Identifier for Carriers, Locals, Fakes, Forgeries and
Bogus Posts of the United States: Volume I. (Larry Lyons/1998):
A guide to distinguishing the forgeries from the genuine stamps,
concentrating on pre-1900 Scott listed and unlisted adhesive Local
Posts. This is the most comprehensive work on this subject, and
contains much original research. Listings are alphabetical. Volume
I covers the letter "A" through "Empire Dispatch,"
with 129 posts represented. The Patton Volume I has been completely
revised, corrected, updated and integrated into this text. The
unpublished Patton Volume II has also been totally revised and
incorporated into this text. 934 pictures; 428 sketches; 8 pages
of color photos. (496 pages; hardbound.) #980603. $88.00.
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The Identifier for Carriers, Locals, Fakes, Forgeries and Bogus
Posts of the United States: Volume II. (Larry Lyons/1998):
Volume II of the alphabetically arranged three-volume set. Includes
"Essex Letter Express" through "Putnam's Penny
Post." 1,041 pictures; 631 sketches; 8 pages of color photos.
(490 pages; hardbound.) #980604. $88.00.
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The Identifier for Carriers, Locals, Fakes, Forgeries and Bogus
Posts of the United States: Volume III. (Larry Lyons/1998):
Volume II of the alphabetically arranged three-volume set. Includes
"Raymonds" through "Ziebers." Hundreds of
pictures and sketches. 8 pages of color photos. (512 pages; hardbound.)
#791102. $88.00.
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The 2007 Pricing Guide for the Unlisted Carriers, Locals,
Fakes, Forgeries and Bogus Posts of the United States. (Larry
Lyons/2007): This booklet llustrates and prices all of the examples
written about in Lyon's three-volume work: The Identifier for
Carriers, Locals, Fakes, Forgeries, and Bogus Posts of the United
States. A valuable guide book to this increasingly popular collecting
area. (73 pages; card cover.) #791103. $25.00.
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Doane Cancels of Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Missouri
and Nebraska. (Jim Mehrer/2003): Listing and valuation of
all reported Doane cancels from these states. Includes cancel
type, earliest & latest dates of use, years of operation,
and county. Also includes offices believed to have used Doane
cancels, but from which none are known. Hundreds of changes since
the 2001 edition! (74 pages; unbound, three-hole punched.) #710703.
$20.00.
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United States Letter Rates to Foreign Destinations, 1847
to GPU-UPU (1990 Edition). (Charles J. Starnes/1990): Detailed
rate tables from the U.S. to every country in the world for all
mail systems, with appendices covering British Treaty Mail via
Marseilles, French postal charges, Bremen transit charges, UPU
entrance dates. (176 pages; cloth hardbound.) #970419. $44.00.
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U.S. Domestic Postal Rates, 1872-1999, Revised Second Edition. (Anthony S. Wawrukiewicz & Henry W. Beecher/2000): This second edition overcomes significant shortcomings found in the first edition, and besides containing the new rates and fees introduced since 1993, it also includes almost 90 pages of new information.
The most important improvement is that the text material has been integrated with the rate tables, so that one doesn't have to look at two separate parts of the book to evaluate a cover for a certain rate or fee. Also, the binding is the much stronger binding, the same as the one used for the international volume. There is now information on merchandise receipts, the penalty for early redemption of a postal savings account, the inquiry form for forwarding an undeliverable registered item, the process of remailing a post card, and the rules for readdressing first-class mail, either in appropriate chapters or in an appendix. Extensive additional information concerning the free mail and registry processes is included, as is a discussion of Standard Mail and a fine chapter concerning Mailer's Permit Postmarks, courtesy of Ken Lawrence.
In addition, if a collector has a parcel post label or other parcel post usage, it should now be possible to determine the parcel post zone for the piece without going to an atlas, for any well-known city and any city with a population of more than 5,000 in 1913. There is now a perpetual calendar available in Appendix 7 from which the interested reader can determine the day of the week for any date from 1870 to 2009.
Since there are many services for which examples cannot be found franked with adhesive stamps, there are two appendices that discuss the basics of Meter Stamps and Permit Imprints for those who might desire such an introduction or wish to expand their knowledge in these areas. There are many illustrations of these methods of payment included in this edition.
The first edition was copiously illustrated; however, many
new examples of rare and unusual usages have been located and
included, as well as illustrations of some rates and fees where
no illustrations were known in 1993. (338 pages; softbound.) #990902.
$44.00.
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Canada Domestic & International Postal Rates & Fees
1870-1999. (Dr. Robert C. Smith & Anthony Wawrukiewicz/2000):
A useful reference with data compiled by Canadian postal rate
expert Dr. Robert C. Smith and organized by U.S. rate expert Anthony
S. Wawrukiewicz, this publication presents the vast majority of
postal rates that a collector is likely to encounter. Organized
in such a way that all necessary information to rate a cover is
found on a single page, even if you do not know if the cover contained
a letter or printed papers, this book makes quick work of looking
up covers' rates. (55 pages; loose-leaf binder.) #760107. $55.00.
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U.S. International Postal Rates, 1872-1996. (Anthony
S. Wawrukiewicz & Henry W. Beecher/1996): The second volume
of the "must have" definitive two-part series concerning
U.S. rates, this lavishly illustrated work will offer an almost
complete compendium of U.S. international rates/fees for all mail
originating in the U.S. and mailed to other Universal Postal Union
(UPU) countries from 1872-1996. Although the rates are for members
of the UPU, many of the rates included here are pre-UPU or special
treaty rates for countries that now are UPU members. Every effort
has been made to illustrate these rates and fees, including those
for a number of recently introduced services such as Internation
Priority Mail and Global Priority Mail.
Of special importance are the extensive airmail letter rate tables.
Early airmail rates from the US to foreign lands are extremely
complex. The authors have attempted to make these rates more understandable
by giving each country's airmail rates in individual tables for
most UPU members, from inception of airmail service to each country
until 1946, when these rates simplified markedly.
Other important material is included. A historical perspective
of the UPU and its rates and fees is presented as well as James
Negus' complete UPU membership listing. There is a large chapter
that includes extensive incoming (to the U.S.) rates and fees
for UPU members, with surface rates/fees listed from 1879 until
1950, and surface and airmail rates from 1950 until 1971.
There is a separate chapter devoted to the incoming and outgoing
rates/fees between Canada and the US. Also, there is an appendix
of abridged and therefore simplified international and domestic
tables. These tables are organized by rates and fees used during
each bureau issue (e.g., Fourth Bureau Issue, the Prexies, the
1954 Liberty issue, the Americana series, etc.). Because no more
than two pages are dedicated to each stamp series, not all rates
and fees are included in these special tables, but those listed
will explain the vast majority of covers that one needs to research.
There are major changes in this international volume compared
to the domestic rate book which preceded it. Text is now in larger
type. The text and tables for each rate or service fee are together,
not separated as they are in the domestic book. A stronger binding
has been used. The index is extensive, and care has been take
to cross-reference all countries and entities so that the readers
are readily able to identify a country, no matter by what name
it is known to them. (410 pages.)
Hardbound: #970385. $55.00.
Softbound: #970386. $44.00.
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The Handstamps of Wells, Fargo & Co., 1852 to 1895.
(John F. Leutzinger/1993): The original edition has been the standard
work on the subject since it appeared in 1968. This new edition
is much expanded and improved. (382 pages; cloth hardbound.) #970425.
$50.00.
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Fresno and San Francisco Bicycle Post of 1894. (Lowell
B. Cooper/1983): Detailed study of Banta's postal and philatelic
local. The Wells Fargo activity during the ARU strike are also
covered. (152 pages; cloth hardbound.) #970420. $55.00.
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The Postal Markings and Postal History of the Forwarding
Agents (1996 Edition). (Ken Row/1996): A complete updating
of the 1984 edition, containing 400 changes in listings, with
1,200 new agents and 80 more cities. As an option, a Search File
(to find agents if the city is unknown or the marking is incomplete)
is available on an IBM format 3.5" disk. (The 1984 edition
of the book contained a listing by first surname, which is not
in the 1996 edition.) (288 pages; cloth hardbound.) With disk
(#970421): $60.00. Without disk (#970422): $55.00.
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Confederate States of America: Philatelic Subject Index
and Bibliography, 1862-1984. (Richard H. Byne/1986): An index
and bibliography with no comparison in American philately. Over
5,700 books, articles, auction catalogs, and show programs are
cited, giving the basic description. Over 20,000 references by
subject. Four appendices: abbreviations, authors, publications
and illustrations of early books. (352 pages; cloth hardbound.)
#970423. $60.00.
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Confederate States of America: Markings and Postal History
of Richmond, Virginia. (Peter W.W. Powell/1987): All known
Confederate States of America markings from Richmond, plus a few
pre-War markings that have not yet been found used in the Confederate
States. The eight basic types of circular date stamps are actually
49 discrete markings. 142 halftones; 117 line cuts. (188 pages;
cloth hardbound.) #970424. $55.00.
INTERNATIONAL ORDERS: Before ordering, please email us for the shipping charge.
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Bid Sales, click here.
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and Postcards, click here.
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