Additionally, Hermann Ivester's single frame exhibit, The Saint Louis Provisionals 1898, won the show's Single Frame GRAND AWARD, the ARA's award for the best revenue single frame exhibit, and the American Association of Philatelic Exhibitor's special award for the exhibit having the Best Title Page.
Winning the ARIPEX single frame grand award, automatically qualifies Hermann's exhibit for the national single frame "Champion of Champions" competition at Ameristamp Expo in Little Rock Arkansas in February 2014! Congratulations Hermann!!
The ARIPEX multi-frame RESERVE GRAND award went to Frank Sente's 10 frame exhibit, Spanish American War Fiscal History: The US Documentary Taxes 1898-1902. Sente's exhibit also was awarded the American Revenue Association Grand Award as the best overall revenue exhibit.
Standing in front of Len McMaster's exhibit from left to right are:
Frank Sente, Len McMaster, Hermann Ivester, and Bob Hohertz
1898Revenue blog readers can enjoy much of the material in these four exhibits vicariously.
Len McMaster's, "I. R." Overprinted 1898 1cent Franklin Postage Stamps, exhibit is available online here at 1898Revenues.
Many of the 1898 Saint Louis Provisional Issues in Hermann Ivester's exhibit and much more information about them can be found here on 1898Revenues. And now that Hermann's wonderful material is in exhibit format, we'll be asking him to scan those 16 pages to put up on 1898Revenues.
It was a thrill for me to view Hermann's exhibit as all I've ever been able to do is read about these stamps. Previous owners of the material never exhibited it, Hermann being the first ever to do so!
Bob Hohertz has blogged extensively about the revenue stamp paper of the 1898 tax era on 1898Revenues. Much of the material in his exhibit, Revenue Stamped Paper of the Spanish American War Tax Era, may be found in his blogs.
And finally, individual blogs about some of the items from my exhibit, Spanish American War Fiscal History: The Documentary Taxes 1898-1902, can be found among the On Document Uses blogs on 1898Revenues.
Shows aren't just about exhibits and awards however; more importantly they provide a venue where collectors, exhibitors and dealers can meet, trade information, and discuss mutual interests. The camaraderie and good fellowship developed from face to face meetings with others having similar interests far outweighs awards.
I finally got to meet 1898 revenue contributor Sean Roberts. Len McMaster and I discussed a joint article about bisect stamp usages from the 1898 tax era, and I attended the meetings of the American Revenue Association. And I would be remiss if I didn't provide a link to the American Revenue Association website; it's their annual meeting that I'm attending at ARIPEX prompting these Phoenix-related blogs.
Here's an interesting bank check. Other than being datelined Phoenix, Arizona, it's a generic printed form; essentially it could have been used at any bank!
Bank of Arizona check on generic check form
January 27, 1899
Drawn by John Lawler against the Bank of Arizona, Prescot, Aziz. (Note mis-spelling of Prescott) it was made payable to "Valley Bank" or bearer. The pair of one-cent large I. R. overprint stamps paying the 2cent check tax apparently were applied at the bank as they bear a double ring cancel reading: "The Valley Bank"/ "Phoenix, Arizona"
John Lawler was a prominent Prescott businessman who had extensive cattle and mining interests. His papers are available at the University of Arizona. Perhaps he was on business in Phoenix and picked up this form check at the Valley Bank to secure $200 cash.
As I now live in Prescott, Arizona it's a treasured item in my 1898 collection.