A person should be judged by his or her deeds and accomplishments, not by their rhetoric. Rob has completed many such assignments and is modest about all he does. He never says “no” to a request for help.
He serves as Membership Chair, Assistant Secretary and is the booth coordinator for shows. These efforts require many hours of hard work and sacrifice on Rob’s part. We want him to know we appreciate it.
Rob is a soft-spoken gentleman, who works diligently for the betterment of the Society. He has helped us immensely with his unselfish devotion to our cause.
It is my honor to work with Rob and my pleasure to present him with the Brookman Cup award for 2007.
Matthew Kewriga: “The United States 1870 2¢ Jackson: From Conception to Finished Die,”Chronicle 213.
This is a detailed and well-illustrated examination of the development of the 2¢ Andrew Jackson large Bank Note stamp of 1870, tracing the evolution of the design from the initial models to the completed die. Based on a study of all known essay varieties (11 types in all) and new archival information, Kewriga’s article corrects the Scott catalog listings, adds new paper and color varieties, and shows in great detail how the National Bank Note Company fulfilled its contract obligation in creating this stamp. Crisp and well-explained illustrations help tell the story: A first-rate piece of stamp research.
Stephen B. Pacetti: “The Leeds Patent Envelope: A Review and a Possible New Earliest Known Use” Chronicle 214.
This is a well-illustrated overview of one of the earliest and best-known patent envelopes. Written in an engaging narrative style, with photos showing in great detail the intricacies of the various Leeds patent designs, this article traces the evolution of the Leeds envelopes, provides a useful summary of previous scholarship and adds much new information to the philatelic record.
In 2000, he produced Canada: Domestic and International Postal Rates and Fees 1870-1999 (abridged rates), and a similarly titled book for Great Britain, giving abridged treatment of the rates and fees 1871-1999. By no means as comprehensive as the two volumes on U.S. rates, they still served as useful references for the general collector.
His next major work appeared in 1993, Redirected Mail: The Redirecting System of the US Post Office for First Class Mail, 1799-present, which was totally revised and updated as The Forwarding of Mail by the U.S. Post Office Department, 1792-2001 (published 2001). This is the definitive work on the subject, indispensable for the collector and student of U.S. postal history.
2007 saw APS publication of The Liberty Series, a book co-authored by Ken Lawrence, David Eeles and Tony Wawrukiewicz, another major publication and one for which his keen awareness of rates and usages was critical.
In addition to his books, Tony Wawrukiewicz has authored a continuing stream of articles on U.S. postal rates, markings and services, in such key journals as the U.S. Specialist, The American Philatelist, The Meter Stamp Society Quarterly Bulletin and Modern Postal History Journal. For the past four years he has written a monthly column on “Modern U.S. Postal History” for Linn’s Stamp News. He has also served as editor of Auxiliary Markings since 2003 and has also contributed articles to that journal.
Given the extent of his publications on U.S. postal history, it is interesting to note that he also specialized in Australian stamps and markings, and his research articles have been published in the Australasian Informer; he is a co-author, with R.F. Parsons and J.M. Sandy, on the work-in-progress second edition of Commonwealth of Australia: The George V Twopence Die I.
Tony Wawrukiewicz is an accredited APS judge. His own exhibits include the postal history of the 1954 Liberty series (a Grand Award recipient), as well as national gold medal winning exhibits on the forwarding of U.S. domestic mail, the history of development of computer-generated meter postage, and “The Sun” (topical).
In addition to his activity in local and state philatelic events, he has served on the board of the Auxiliary Markings Club (2003 – present), was exhibits chair for the PIPEX Show Committee in 1983, 1991, 1991 and 2005, and has taught classes at the APS Summer Seminar in three different years. Tony Wawrukiewicz has been honored by receipt of the Diane D. Boehret Award of the American Philatelic Congress (1998), The US Philatelic Classics Society’s Elliott Perry Cup (1999), and the Society’s Stanley Ashbrook Cup (2001). In 2002, he was awarded the APS Luff Award (for philatelic research).
In recognition of the breadth and significance of his philatelic contributions, the USPCS is pleased to recognize Anthony S. Wawrukiewicz as a Distinguished Philatelist.
He’s probably best known as an author. Several generations of readers have enjoyed and learned from his weekly “US Notes” column on page 6 of Linn’s Stamp News, from 1987 to the present. He has also been prominent as the editor of U.S. Stamps and Postal History, since its inception in 1981; as editor of The Philatelic Exhibitor since 1986, as author of two sections of Linn’s Almanac and since 2006 a monthly columnist in The American Stamp Dealer and Collector. In addition, he has been a past editor of the EFO Collector, written a major article for the Congress Book, produced features, pamphlets and columns for the National Postal Museum, the APS, the Benjamin Franklin Stamp Clubs of the US Postal Service and served as a regular contributor over the years to virtually every general interest U.S. philatelic publication as well as for several specialist groups.
John has a wide range of collecting interests, specializing in errors and varieties of the world (with particular emphasis on stamp separations); 19th century numeral cancels of the world; and 20th century auxiliary markings showing delays in the mail. He also has thematic collections of Blood Donation, Refugees and Anti-Malaria. He has formed and displayed several significant exhibits, most notably “The History of Stamp Separation from 1840 to Modern Times” which has been recognized with multiple national gold medals and grand awards, and an international large vermeil. He also has an exceptional display of 10 frames of “World Rarities and Uniquities,” which has been shown at APS conventions around the nation for the last six years. In addition, he has been a gold medal winner nationally in philatelic literature. He also is accredited both nationally and internationally as a Chief Judge, and has served with distinction in that capacity.
John Hotchner has an awesome record as an organizational worker, manager, leader and innovator; a member of over 50 national philatelic organizations, he has been an officer, director or committee chairman in over 20. A founding member of the Dolley Madison Stamp Club of McLean, Virginia, he has served in every office of that organization. He was a local Ben Franklin Stamp Club Leader, supporting member and Advisory Council member of Junior Philatelists of America. John served 16 years on the Board of Directors of the American Philatelic Society, including one term as its president, and has been a member and a chairman of many of its committees. Since 1993 to present, John has served as the APS liaison representative to the US Postal Service.
He was a member of the Board of Directors of the Council of Philatelic Organizations from 1985-1993, and a member of the National Postal Museum’s Advisory Council of Philatelists since 1997. In one of his most significant roles, he has served on the Postmaster General’s Stamp Advisory Committee from 1998 to present, where his philatelic experience and judgment have helped to shape the choices for the nation’s stamp subjects and designs.
And in addition, since 1958 John Hotchner has been an active volunteer with Stamps for the Wounded, the service organization which provides donated stamps and philatelic materials to in-patients and out-patients at Department of Veteran Affairs hospitals. Since 1991, he has served as the organization’s Vice President and Publicity Chairman.
John’s exceptional contributions to U.S. philately have been recognized by numerous awards, including election to the APS Writers Hall of Fame, presentation of the APS Luff Award for service to the society, and the Alfred Lichtenstein Award for contributions to the hobby. And on this occasion, the US Philatelic Classics Society is pleased to announce, in addition, election of John Hotchner to its Roll of Distinguished Philatelists.
