NEW RELEASE: Wolfgang Maaßen: On the History of German Stamp Trading – 75 Years of the General Association of Postage Stamp Dealers (APHV)

(p*c/pcp) This topic was long overdue, as the author had already described the history of the Association of Philatelic Experts, the Federal Association of German Stamp Auctioneers and, most recently, the Association of German Philatelists years ago. What was missing was a work dedicated to the stamp trade, which has now been available since the end of 2024. The first 100 pages cover the beginnings of the first dealers’ associations from 1885 to the catastrophe of the Second World War, followed by the laborious steps taken after the end of the war, and then describe the emergence and development of the APHV through the eras of the association’s individual presidents in around 250 further pages.

All this is anything but boring, as you will discover many things in words and pictures that have long since disappeared or are no longer known. The author understands how to highlight the importance of professional philately for the hobby, but also for the market as a whole. This is exemplified by international trade fairs and exhibitions, where dealers and collectors work hand in hand to ensure success, but where the desire of individuals to raise their profile and make a profit has tended to be more of a hindrance. ‘Encourage, show that philately is alive …!’ is the title of the last subchapter, and it could be the motto for this 21st volume of the author’s book series on the subject of “Chronicle of German Philately”. Thanks to the support of the APHV and the advertisements of its member companies, the work can be offered at a reduced price. It is definitely worth reading!

Format DIN A4, 368 pages, in colour, hardcover, thread-bound, retail price: £35 plus shipping costs (parcel), available from: Phil*Creativ Verlag, Vogelsrather Weg 27, 41366 Schwalmtal, Germany, Tel. ++49 (0) 21 63/48 66, email: faktura@philcreativ.de

Translated with DeepL (www.deepl.com)