Society News

  1. Dick Green's Catalog Published as a Series

    Green's Catalog of Tuberculosis Seals of the World was completed in 1930, and between 1935 and 1937 was published as a series in The Western Stamp Collector, a stamp collecting weekly. The same electrotype images, supplied by the National Tuberculosis Association, were used in 1935 to illustrate the "Christmas Seal" section of The Scott Specialized Catalogue. It was a simpler time. The NTA encouraged hobbyists, and knew that cataloging Christmas Seals was good publicity, and recognized that every collection was a testament to their important work.

  2. Early Autographed Christmas Seal Sheets

    1930 NTA Letter listing 19 different Autographed Sheets Andrew Mellon Claudette Colbert Gene Tunney Giulio Gatti-Casazza Gloria Swanson Harold McCormick Jane Cowal Jimmy Walker Mary Pickford Ronald Colman Will Rogers William Tilden 1930 Babe Ruth autographed Christmas Seal sheet

    1930 was not the first year that the National Tuberculosis Association called upon dignitaries to create sought after collectibles, but it may have been the largest list of celebrities ever used in a single year. *thirteen of the twenty different illustrated here, are from the collection of John Denune, Sr. The Babe Ruth was discovered 10-28-2022 stuck in the middle of some imperforate 1930 sheets. The seal collector cared more for the printer's mark block, which has been removed.

    *Claudette Colbert

    * Andrew Mellon, Secretary of State

    *Gloria Swanson

    * Ronald Colman, Movie Actor

    * Gene Tunney, World Heavyweight Boxer

    * William "Bill" Tilden, Tennis Champion

    Franklin D. Roosevelt, then Governor of New York

    Amos an' Andy, Radio Celebrities

    Bobby Jones, Golf Champion

    Admiral Richard Byrd, Antarctic Explorer

    *Babe Ruth, Baseball Legend

    * Guilio Gatte-Casazza, Impresario

    Helen Wills Moody, Tennis Champion

    * Mary Pickford, Movie Actress

    * Jane Cowl, Stage and Movie Actress

    *Jimmy Walker, Mayor NYC

    * Harold McCormick, Businessman

    Al Smith, 4 time Governor of New York

    * Will Rogers, Political Humorist

    Maurice Chevalier, Singer, Stage and Movie Actor

  3. The First Christmas Seal Listing in Scott's Specialized Catalogue

    Scott Monthly - May 1932, page 1 Scott Monthly - May 1932, page 2

    Scott's Specialized is the Bible of US Postage Stamp collecting. In 1935, with the help of CS&CSS members including, Dorsey F. Wheless, and W. L. Kinkead, first president of our club, Christmas Seal were added to The Scott Specialized Catalogue of US Postage Stamps. Check Lists of US National Christmas Seals first appeared in Scott's Monthly Journal, May, 1928.

    PDF icon Scott Specialized 1935 Christmas Seal Section.pdf

  4. FREE Christmas Seal Album Downloads

    Christmas Seals

    Advanced Beginner Christmas Seal Album

    43 pages, provides spaces, as required, for singles, pairs, blocks, slogan and portrait blocks, booklet panes of 1918, 1930, 1931, 1939, the 1938 deluxe pane, and full sheets from 1907 through 2012. Spaces for both types of 1907 seals are provided.

    Comprehensive Christmas Seal Album

    170 page specialized album providing spaces for type and perf varieties for singles, pairs, blocks and sheets (as required) 1907 through 2009. Also included are spaces for slogan blocks, portrait blocks, booklet panes, specimen overprints, some perforated proofs and essays, local overprints, US lookalikes from Canada, Bermuda, Puerto Rico, Ryukyu, Nicaragua, modern Spanish text, silver foil, etc.

    Progressive Color Proofs & Imperforates Christmas Seal Album

    177+ pages, provides spaces, as required, for PCP's from 1927 thru 1994 (last year issued). PCP's usually contain 7 stages and show colors separately and in combination, leading up to the complete design. This album also provides spaces for imperforate pairs, blocks, and sheets, as required, from 1917 thru 1995

    Canadian National Tuberculosis Seal Album

    51 pages, 1927 thru 2001, provides spaces, as required, for singles, pairs, blocks, and sheets, as well as French and English text, slogan blocks, and booklet panes. 

    Other Free Christmas Seal Albums were created by Joe Ward, and published in Seal News, as follows: January 2000 US Local TB Louisiana, Summer 2003 Sister Kenny, October 2003 US Local TB Federated Women's Club, Summer 2004 US Local TB Butler County, Summer 2005 Boystown. Join the CS&CSS and access every issue of Seal News at this website.

    PDF icon full.sheet_.pages_.pdf PDF icon Blank 'Christmas Seals' Album Page.pdf PDF icon new album 2018 (3).pdf PDF icon Advanced Beginner Album, part 2.pdf PDF icon comprehensive christmas seal album 2014.pdf PDF icon full.sheet_.pages_.pdf PDF icon PCP cover and full sheet pages.pdf PDF icon pcp album.pdf PDF icon imperf album.pdf PDF icon Canadian Album.pdf PDF icon Canadian full sheet album pages.pdf

  5. 2015 Scott Specialized Catalogue Updates Christmas Seal Section

    1908 type 2 Tied On 1909 Tied On 1910 Tied On 1911 type 1 Tied On 1912 Tied On 1913 type 3 Tied On 1914 Tied On 1915 Tied On 1916 Tied On 1917 Tied On 1919 Tied On 1927 Tied On

    The Scott Specialized Catalogue is the Bible of US postage stamp collecting, and through the help of CS&CSS member Dorsey Wheless, Christmas Seals were added in 1935. I'm happy to report that John Denune Sr, and Jr are listed in the 2015 edition as individuals who have assisted in preparing the information for the Christmas Seal section. 

    Current Scott Catalogue Editor, James E. Kloetzel met the Denune's at the CS&CSS booth at APS StampShow 2013 in Milwaukee. The Denune's had contacted Scott's Catalogue about proposed changes to the Christmas Seal Section in 1982 without result so, 31 years later, this came as quite a surprize. The Editor wanted to include some earliest known useages, early errors, and to make sense out of the 1918 booklet pane varieties. Earliest known useages (EKU) of seals tied on cover (or postcard) are included thru 1935. George Painter, editor of the Tied On section of Green's Catalog provided the EKU's and is in charge of the CS&CSS ongoing census of Tied On Christmas Seals. His name should be in Scotts Catalogue too.

    The Denune's wanted to correct the false statement at the end of the section, Beginning in 1979 there was no longer a single National issue..., which now reads,

    "Beginning in 1979 there was more than one Christmas Seal issued each year. However collectors familar with these seals easily recognized the national issues from the design experiments. These test seals were used regionally or in targeted markets. With few exceptions, a previous year design experiment has been selected for the following year's national issue with one notable difference being the date. Starting in 1983 Spanish text Christmas Seals have been used in Spanish speaking parts of the US. In 1988 Christmas Seals branched out into Easter or Spring issues, Chanukah issues in 1997, and Kwanzaa issues in 2001."

    The Denune's plan to continue to work with the Editor, correcting and adding EKU's, and hope to add errors, tied ons, 1908-1A/ 1B varieties, 1911 type 4 & 5, 1913 type 2A/ 2B varieties, 1913 type 4, and wish to see the section expand someday to include Christmas Seals issued since 1979.

  6. The Article That Inspired Emily Bissell

    The Christmas Stamp, by Jacob A. Riis, July 6 1907 Outlook Magazine, page 1 The Christmas Stamp, by Jacob A. Riis, July 6 1907 Outlook Magazine, page 2 The Christmas Stamp, by Jacob A. Riis, July 6 1907 Outlook Magazine, page 3 The Christmas Stamp, by Jacob A. Riis, July 6 1907 Outlook Magazine, page 4 1904 Danish Christmas Seal Tied On Cover

    This article, The Christmas Stamp, was published in the 6 July 1907 issue of The Outlook. It was written by Danish born muckraker journalist and social worker, whom President Teddy Roosevelt called a great American, Jacob A. Riis. Right after reading this article, Emily P. Bissell was inspired to create the first US Christmas Seal. Riis had six brothers die of tuberculosis, and suggests a Christmas time penny TB seal campaign, similar to what was so successful in Denmark since 1904, be used in the US for education and prevention of the disease.

  7. Some Old Christmas Seal Publicity Photos

    Publicity photo of Einar Holboll, the father of The Christmas Seal 1915 Red Cross Christmas Seal Campaign 1931 publicity photo of Vanderbilt coach used on Christmas Seal 1933 publicity photo of Christmas Seal Album being presented to the President. Dr. Wm Charles White, Pres DC TB Assn, FDR, Dorsey Wheless, CS&CSS member who put the collection together, unknown woman, Dr. Kendall Emerson, Director of the NTA. 1933 Publicity photo of Emily P. Bissell at her desk 1935 Christmas Seal artist Ernest Hamlin Baker with model for Christmas Seal Virginia McMullen 1936 publicity photo of Leigh Mitchell Hodges, and Emily P. Bissell 1939 Publicity photo of Kendall Emerson and Emily P. Bissell 1940 publicity photo of President FDR meeting child models of the Christmas Seal December 25th 1940 Special staff meeting of the National Tuberculosis Association Merry Christmas to all Sate and Local TB Associations. November 1946 Miss Bissell's nurse, Emily P. Bissell, Leigh Mitchell Hodges, and Charles L. Newcomb 1949 publicity photo of actor Charles Coburn and Leigh Mitchell Hodges

    1) Publicity photo of Einar Holboll, the father of The Christmas Seal.
    2) 1915 Red Cross Christmas Seal Campaign.
    3) 1931 publicity photo of Vanderbilt coach used on Christmas Seal.
    4) 1933 publicity photo of Christmas Seal Album being presented to the President. Dr. Wm Charles White, Pres DC TB Assn, FDR, Dorsey Wheless, CS&CSS member who put the collection together, unknown woman, Dr. Kendall Emerson, Director of the NTA.
    5) 1933 Publicity photo of Emily P. Bissell at her desk.
    6) 1935 Christmas Seal artist Ernest Hamlin Baker with model for Christmas Seal Virginia McMullen.
    7) 1936 publicity photo of Leigh Mitchell Hodges, and Emily P. Bissell.
    8) 1939 Publicity photo of Kendall Emerson and Emily P. Bissell.
    9) 1940 publicity photo of President FDR meeting child models of the Christmas Seal.
    10) December 25th 1940 Special staff meeting of the National Tuberculosis Association Merry Christmas to all Sate and Local TB Associations.
    11) November 1946 Miss Bissell's nurse, Emily P. Bissell, Leigh Mitchell Hodges, and Charles L. Newcomb.
    12) 1949 publicity photo of actor Charles Coburn and Leigh Mitchell Hodges.

  8. CS&CSS Website Has a New Look

    Believed to be lost, or just a phantom, the 1907-2p Proof rediscovered

    Member logon for Seal News coming soon. Does anyone know the location of the 1911 type 5 vertical coil? This poor quality illustration was taken from the 1973 edition of Green's Catalog.

  9. Christmas Seal & Charity Stamp Society Election

    Please email nominations to replace old officers and board members whose terms are expiring. All of our officers and most of our board members will be leaving at the end of their term because of CS&CSS constitutional term limits. Wouldn't it be nice if the US Government followed our lead and extended term limits beyond the Presidency to Congress? A healthy club is always on the look out for members who want to get involved in service work. Please condiser taking this step for yourself or a friend who might just be waiting to be asked. Email an Election Committee member, Seal News Editor, David Teisler teisler@abct.org, or Secretary-Treasurer Clifford Irving 2hike@comcast.net

  10. Join the Christmas Seal & Charity Stamp Society

    Emily Bissell honored on 15 cent US Commeomorative Postage Stamp 1946 Christmas Seal Block with Emily Bissell Portrait

    Join the Christmas Seal & Charity Stamp Society at 2013 APS StampShow, Milwaukee, WI, August 8-11

    The CS&CSS will have a club table, with display and CS&CSS literature for sale. Free Christmas Seals for new members. 

    There will be a CS&CSS meeting at the show. Admission is free. Follow this link to preregister. More info to come.

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