Michael,
In your review you mention that this album covers 195 countries. I assume that these are countries that are in existence today, and that the album does not cover "dead" countries. Is that correct?
David
David,
That is correct. Philatelists will want to obtain the "Comprehensive" version.
John
(Editor of the ASFEC Albums)
Thanks John. I didn't realize that there was a comprehensive issue.
David
There is a similar thread here
https://stamporama.com/discboard/disc_ma ...
Every book has a unique International Standard Book Number (ISBN).
For the ASFEC Albums, here are the ISBNs:
Comprehesive: 979-8727933930
Simplified: 979-8728143680
When searching for books, whether on Amazon or elsewhere, the easiest way to find something is by using the 13-digit ISBN
John
Pics.
There's one thing about that book that might be a problem. Most of the albums I have of the old fashioned (non-book) type suffer from that dreaded disease - ALBUM BULGE.
With the way this book is set up this would be a real problem and would seem to get really ugly as the album fills! Great for a catalog, bad for an album!!
I enjoy the book as the book but then I took his source files he provides freely and did my variation as shown in the earlier thread. If anything it is a seed starter.
As far as album bulge goes, please remember that these are one-sided pages, and likely contain no more than 8 stamp spaces. This is not a double-sided Scott International Junior Album with 20-30 stamps per page (for example). The vast majority of the pages contain 2-6 album spaces. The "Simplified" version contains mostly 2 spaces per page, if memory serves.
Album bulge? Probably somewhat if completely filled (very difficult to do!). If some album bulge (maybe 20-25% - a wild guess) is a big problem, then by all means print out your own album with the FREE pages available at the AlbumEasy or StampSmarter web sites.
The point which I think is important is that no other ASFEC-type album has this range of choices. Simplified in paperback or hardbound. Comprehensive in paperback, hardbound, or print your own. Or, edit to taste (using AlbumEasy) and print your own.
John
As to album bulge - My Canada collection (Harris ) and US collection (Liberty) are complete to the point where adding to them is very costly. These albums are one sided pages as well but with extra stuff added in margins and backs of pages, even with cut offs (Canada 1988, US 1977) the albums suffer badly from the dreaded problem. But to me the albums are as precious as the stamps since my late wife and I slaved for many years to get them as they are. The "battle of the bulge" doesn't bother me at all and I could never change to new albums. I actually got as far once as buying a new set of Canada albums with much more room but ended up getting rid of them. I just couldn't face the huge changeover!!
I still think that if this album you're showing got close to being complete it would not be a pretty sight. But since I don't use the album, or collect that way, it's just a guess and an opinion!
Any bound book is going to have limitations.
The problem today is there really is no single volume inexpensive worldwide album like back when many of us started collecting. Yes a new collector can use a stock book but an album provides some basis to organize.
Image from an old album page. I do no think there a simple modern equivalent but one could create one using John's source code as a starter.
This table was printed in the May-June 2023 issue of "The Circuit" (Journal of the International Society of Worldwide Stamp Collectors: No idea on source of data.
John's book is No.14. If you look at the list, it is an interesting set of books such as the "Stamp Inventory Log Book"
Review of "A Stamp For Every Country" Simplified Stamp Album, by John Knudsen
Available on Amazon. Price: Hardcover $17.99; Paperback $14.95
Published March 25, 2021
The hardcover version is the subject of this review.
The album is just about the same size as the Scott Standard Catalogues, and has 215 pages with most being printed on one side. It is very nicely put together. All the pages are in black and white, and are printed on one side. The pages are uncluttered, and have one designated space to place a stamp for each country. The 195 countries in the album are presented alphabetically from A to Z, with two countries on each page. There are brief instructions on how to use the album, and a checklist to keep track of the progress of completing the album. What stamp album provides that? There are 11 maps of the world in the back of the album that show the countries of the world.
Each page is laid out vertically. Two countries are on each page showing the country name, and a black and white image of the country's flag. Under the flag is brief information that states the size of the country (in miles and kilometers), population as of 2020, the year of issue of the first postage stamp, a printed rectangle with a centering cross in which to mount any stamp issued by that country as preferred by the collector, and a cross-reference number for the checklist. It would have been nice if each country also had information as to where it is located.
There is room on each side of the sample stamp space to mount additional stamps, if desired. Adding too many stamps, however, would disrupt the appearance of the pages, and defeat the purpose of the album. There is some give on the pages, but as the book is filled it seems likely that it may bulge, and not lay flat.
"A Stamp For Every Country" makes a good mini-collection, and should be fun to complete. As a conversation piece, it can be an ambassador to the hobby. Show it to children, and discuss the world and its stamps. Have it handy for guests to look at to introduce them to the hobby. Give a copy to a child, and let the child go through a box of duplicate stamps to pick out which ones to place in the album. It just might make a new collector.
re: Review of "A Stamp For Every Country" Simplified Stamp Album.
Michael,
In your review you mention that this album covers 195 countries. I assume that these are countries that are in existence today, and that the album does not cover "dead" countries. Is that correct?
David
re: Review of "A Stamp For Every Country" Simplified Stamp Album.
David,
That is correct. Philatelists will want to obtain the "Comprehensive" version.
John
(Editor of the ASFEC Albums)
re: Review of "A Stamp For Every Country" Simplified Stamp Album.
Thanks John. I didn't realize that there was a comprehensive issue.
David
re: Review of "A Stamp For Every Country" Simplified Stamp Album.
There is a similar thread here
https://stamporama.com/discboard/disc_ma ...
re: Review of "A Stamp For Every Country" Simplified Stamp Album.
Every book has a unique International Standard Book Number (ISBN).
For the ASFEC Albums, here are the ISBNs:
Comprehesive: 979-8727933930
Simplified: 979-8728143680
When searching for books, whether on Amazon or elsewhere, the easiest way to find something is by using the 13-digit ISBN
John
re: Review of "A Stamp For Every Country" Simplified Stamp Album.
Pics.
re: Review of "A Stamp For Every Country" Simplified Stamp Album.
There's one thing about that book that might be a problem. Most of the albums I have of the old fashioned (non-book) type suffer from that dreaded disease - ALBUM BULGE.
With the way this book is set up this would be a real problem and would seem to get really ugly as the album fills! Great for a catalog, bad for an album!!
re: Review of "A Stamp For Every Country" Simplified Stamp Album.
I enjoy the book as the book but then I took his source files he provides freely and did my variation as shown in the earlier thread. If anything it is a seed starter.
re: Review of "A Stamp For Every Country" Simplified Stamp Album.
As far as album bulge goes, please remember that these are one-sided pages, and likely contain no more than 8 stamp spaces. This is not a double-sided Scott International Junior Album with 20-30 stamps per page (for example). The vast majority of the pages contain 2-6 album spaces. The "Simplified" version contains mostly 2 spaces per page, if memory serves.
Album bulge? Probably somewhat if completely filled (very difficult to do!). If some album bulge (maybe 20-25% - a wild guess) is a big problem, then by all means print out your own album with the FREE pages available at the AlbumEasy or StampSmarter web sites.
The point which I think is important is that no other ASFEC-type album has this range of choices. Simplified in paperback or hardbound. Comprehensive in paperback, hardbound, or print your own. Or, edit to taste (using AlbumEasy) and print your own.
John
re: Review of "A Stamp For Every Country" Simplified Stamp Album.
As to album bulge - My Canada collection (Harris ) and US collection (Liberty) are complete to the point where adding to them is very costly. These albums are one sided pages as well but with extra stuff added in margins and backs of pages, even with cut offs (Canada 1988, US 1977) the albums suffer badly from the dreaded problem. But to me the albums are as precious as the stamps since my late wife and I slaved for many years to get them as they are. The "battle of the bulge" doesn't bother me at all and I could never change to new albums. I actually got as far once as buying a new set of Canada albums with much more room but ended up getting rid of them. I just couldn't face the huge changeover!!
I still think that if this album you're showing got close to being complete it would not be a pretty sight. But since I don't use the album, or collect that way, it's just a guess and an opinion!
re: Review of "A Stamp For Every Country" Simplified Stamp Album.
Any bound book is going to have limitations.
The problem today is there really is no single volume inexpensive worldwide album like back when many of us started collecting. Yes a new collector can use a stock book but an album provides some basis to organize.
Image from an old album page. I do no think there a simple modern equivalent but one could create one using John's source code as a starter.
re: Review of "A Stamp For Every Country" Simplified Stamp Album.
This table was printed in the May-June 2023 issue of "The Circuit" (Journal of the International Society of Worldwide Stamp Collectors: No idea on source of data.
John's book is No.14. If you look at the list, it is an interesting set of books such as the "Stamp Inventory Log Book"