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What is this?

The Learning Workshop provides a forum for the examination of subjects that will appeal to the non-specialist stamp collector. The prime purpose is to share collecting interests and information on subjects that appeal to all stamp enthusiasts whether established or new to the hobby. The program is aimed at the general collector and will invite participation from all attendees.

No business will be conducted at these meetings.

Questions or Topic suggestions can be sent to: Ian Robertson - email: vicepresident@westtorontostampclub.org

Meeting time & place

The Learning Workshop meets virtually via Zoom on the 1st Tuesday of each month at 7: 00 pm and concludes by about 9:00 pm.

A meeting invitation including a zoom link will be sent to all members and list of guests a week or so before the meeting.

Programme & Links To Presentations

2024,
      [ What Don’t You Know That You’d Like to Know ]
     Starting at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Mar. 5, 2024 via Zoom, our 7th virtual Learning Workshop topic of the 2023-2024 season is What Don’t You Know That You’d Like to Know. ”Open PDF for Exhibiting Ideas

While input is always welcome, this event is intended to open doors even wider — providing opportunities for members and guests to ask wide-ranging questions about the hobby.

You may want to pursue an original subject, seek a refresher, ask about new and improved existing topics or consider handling methods such as best ways to soak stamps from various countries — hint: Britain’s current issues — storage, best mounting methods for stamps and covers, plus disposal of duplicates, damaged items or realistic expectations when considering what to do with grandpa’s plethora of five-cent stamp panes. Or you might ask a question such as: What is the difference between an essay, a die proof, a plate proof, and a colour trial?

The bottom line for participating is an old adage: Having a fresh idea is like turning on a lamp.

As Darren Rowse describes it on the medium.com website, a “Light-Bulb Moment’ refers to a “sudden realization, enlightenment, or inspiration.”

With participation an essential element for this session, please consider submitting a question in advance, either in an email message or written on a piece of paper you can offer at an in-person meeting. If you’d like to remain anonymous, please let me know.

      To view this Presentation in a new browser window - Click Here.

      [ Datestamps and Obliterators ]
     Starting at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 6, 2024 via Zoom, our 6th virtual Learning Workshop topic of the 2023-2024 season is Datestamps and Obliterators. ”Open PDF for Exhibiting Ideas

Whether cancels are on stamps or covers, collectors are attracted to them for a variety of reasons, which is the influence behind our topic in the second month of the new year.

When members participate and share, we all benefit! Date stamps and obliterators were used as postal markings on mailed letters and combined the use of alphabets, numbers, special characters or a combination of these to cancel letters with postage stamps or in early times on Stamp-less folded letters. Such markings were used to include the originating post office, date/time mailed and on the reverse sometimes, receiving post office names with date/time and/or other auxiliary (supplementary or additional) markings.

      To view this Presentation in a new browser window - Click Here.

      January 2, [Everything and anything Philatelic, that starts with the Letter 'H']
     Starting at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2024 via Zoom, our fourth virtual Learning Workshop topic of the 2023-2024 season is Everything and anything Philatelic, that starts with the Letter 'H'. ”Open PDF for Letter-H Ideas

Members are invited to share ‘H’ topics and terms, including ‘History’. Other examples: Hairlines;half-cent; half-pence; halftone photo engraving; handmade paper; handpainted covers, handstamp etc.

When members participate and share, we all benefit.

      To view this Presentation in a new browser window - Click Here.

      December 5, [Why Join National Philatelic Organizations]
     Starting at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 5, 2023 via Zoom, our third virtual Learning Workshop topic of the 2023-2024 season is Why Join National Philatelic Organizations”

David Hobden, Past President of the PHSC, David McLaughlin, President of BNAPS and Dr Gregg Redner, President of RPSC are our speakers.

They will discuss and dialogue on this evenings subject from the viewpoint of:

National Philatelic Organizations offering a range of services for members some of which may be immediately useful to getting organized with your Collecting areas in Philately.

Discussing about how, all of the Philatelic journals, books and literature published by these Organizations cover topics that will help research Postmarks, Covers routed via Land, Ship, Rail and Air and/or subects of Topical interests to collectors.

Many reputed Advertisers dealing in Philatelic material also showcase their product advertisements within these journals and publications. Online meetings and forums too are some of the additional activities offered to Members and Guests.

      To view this Presentation in a new browser window - Click Here.

      November 7, [Let’s talk about Philatelic Auctions]
     Starting at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 7, 2023 via Zoom, our second virtual Learning Workshop topic of the 2023-2024 season is Let’s talk about Philatelic Auctions”

Veteran dealer and auctioneer Bill Longley, is our guest speaker.

He will discuss auctions from the viewpoint of:

- the auction catalogue

- attending a major auction including previewing and bidding

- consigning philatelic items and collections to auction

As with all Learning Workshops, we welcome the involvement of members and guests, so tune in and join in for another Great evening.

      To view this Presentation in a new browser window - Click Here.

      October 3, [Everything and anything philatelic, that starts with the Letter G]
     Starting at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 3, 2023 via Zoom, our first virtual Learning Workshop topic of the 2023-2024 season is Everything and anything philatelic, that starts with the Letter G.”

Choosing such subjects doesn’t limit discussions to a single stamp. Gosh, no!

‘G’ countries: There are numerous countries with names beginning with the letter ‘G’, plus quite a few former stamp-issuing countries.

As with all Learning Workshops, we welcome the involvement of members and guests, so tune in and join in for another Great evening.

      To view this Presentation in a new browser window - Click Here.

      August 1, [One on One]
     Starting on Tuesday, August 1, 2023 at 7 p.m. via Zoom, our 11th virtual Learning Workshop topic of the 2022-2023 season”

Participants are invited to show postal related theme highlighting the number "1"

      To view this Presentation in a new browser window - Click Here.

      July 4, [A Red-Hot Topic]
     Starting on Tuesday, July 4, 2023 at 7 p.m. via Zoom, our 10th virtual Learning Workshop topic of the 2022-2023 season - A Red-Hot Topic.”

Here again is a colour preference theme, and — you guessed correctly — Red it is.

A plethora of stamps have been printed around the world in the dark red hues found on most fire trucks; red ink was used to print Canada’s first stamp, the 1851 3-pence Beaver etc. Show us your Presentations!

      To view this Presentation in a new browser window - Click Here.

      June 6, [Hints of Spring in your Philatelic Collection]
     Starting at 7 p.m., Tuesday, June 6, 2023 via Zoom, our 9th virtual Learning Workshop topic of the 2022-2023 season”

One can talk about philatelic subjects about planting gardens, going fishing, flowers, beautiful blossoms, farming etc.

Spring time in Canada is from mid March to mid June and therefore show us a Presentation of your best Philatelic Spring Time, themed collection.

      To view this Presentation in a new browser window - Click Here.

      May 2, [Coronations and Celebrating Monarchy]
     Starting at 7 p.m., Tuesday, May 2, 2023 via Zoom, our 8th virtual Learning Workshop topic of the 2022-2023 season”

With the world preparing for King Charles III's May 6, 2023 Coronation, let's give a royal wave to his and other philatelic crowning celebrations

As with all Learning Workshops, participants are invited to share their treasured stamps and related covers. This topic should be a Crowning Touch!

      To view this Presentation in a new browser window - Click Here.

      April 4, [Tying your collection to a Calendar]
     Starting at 7 p.m., Tuesday, April 4, 2023 via Zoom, our 7th virtual Learning Workshop topic of the 2022-2023 season”

In other words, appropriate dates.

The format could be a 'show & tell' of dated items relating to or produced on specific occasions.With that in mind, show us your collecting interests as a Powerpoint Exhibit or Page display.

These could include: Birthdays; anniversaries; social and special occasions such as a Moon Landing; world events ranging from good to tragic — such as U.S. President John F. Kennedy’s assassination on Nov. 22, 1963; the horrific Sept. 11, 2001 hijacked passenger aircraft attack on New York city that claimed 2,996 lives and forever called ‘9/11’; a war’s start or finish; festivals, plus cacheted covers for philatelic exhibitions. The list goes on.

      To view this Presentation in a new browser window - Click Here.

      March 7, [What Matters To You in Stamp Collecting]
     Starting at 7 p.m., Tuesday, March 7, 2023 via Zoom, our 6th virtual Learning Workshop topic of the 2022-2023 season is ‘What Matters to You.”

No matter how or what you collect — even if your topic appears to be the same as some other collectors — everyone has their preferences, which may be different and interesting to fellow hobbyists. With that in mind, show us your collecting interests as a Powerpoint Exhibit or Page display.

      To view this Presentation in a new browser window - Click Here.

      February 7, [Cinderellas and Labels]       To view this Presentation in a new browser window - Click Here.
     Starting at 7 p.m., Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2023 via Zoom, our 5th virtual Learning Workshop topic of the 2022-2023 season is ‘Cinderellas and Labels.”

You are heartily invited to join in and share what Cinderellas or Labels plus knowledge you have about this topic that would be interesting / informative.

It may look like a stamp, including perforations. But if it wasn’t a post office issue, the popular collecting term is Cinderella; Erinnophilie in France and Germany; Erinnofilia in Italy.

Also called adhesive labels, the more popular philatelic name is derived from the ancient Greece story about a young woman ill-treated by relatives, relegated to menial labour before meeting and marrying into royalty. Retold in 1687 as ‘Cendrillon’ by French author Charles Perreault, the tale is best-known now because of Walt Disney’s 1950 animated musical fantasy film, ‘Cinderella’, which the U.S. featured on a 39-cent commemorative in 2006.

The term was chosen “by the first Cinderella Stamp Club in 1959 as a reference to the mistreated and underappreciated fairy tale character,” according to the Collectors Weekly website. “Cinderellas which have accidentally passed as true postage and appear cancelled on covers are particularly prized among collectors. While some philatelists shun these stamps because they are inauthentic, a fair number of Cinderellas are created specific for the stamp-collecting community.”

As noted in The Stamp Echo posted online by Airpin Philately, “most stamp catalogues do not list Cinderella stamps since they are not postal issues. However, the ‘Unitrade Catalogue of Specialized Canadian Stamps’ does contain a listing for Canada National Christmas Seals printed from 1927-the present day. These labels could be purchased and stuck to an envelope in addition to the required postage stamp. Their purpose was to raise money and awareness for The Lung Association (also known as The Canadian Tuberculosis Association).

“Some Cinderella stamps are quite rare and valuable. It can be a fascinating field of study and you can learn quite a bit of history from learning more about their subject matter!” Arpin concludes.

      To view this Presentation in a new browser window - Click Here.

      January 3,
     Starting at 7 p.m., via Zoom, our 4th virtual Learning Workshop of the 2022-2023 season is "Show and Tell Us, about Everything and anything Philatelic that starts with the letter F"

There are obviously many Fine Terms to consider - including that one which, as everyone knows, refers to a stamp in mid-range condition, between Very Good and Very Fine.

Some terms are well-known, while others are not Frequently seen and could leave you Fazed, Flummoxed or Fumbling

Here are a Few: Face, the front of a stamp/cover; mail Forwarded to other Post Offices; Facsimiles; Fakes etc. Share your Collection displays at this WTSC Session and show as a PowerPoint.

      To view this Presentation in a new browser window - Click Here.

2022,
      December 1,
     Starting at 7 p.m., via Zoom, our 14th virtual Learning Workshop of the 2021-2022 season is "Show and Tell Us, how you house and organize your Stamp and Cover collections"

Ratty, Tatty covers can become collectable covers as they are a fascinating and important part of philately and postal history.

These letters from the past would appeal to only a few collectors as they have been torn or damaged with the passage of time. However, as the handwriting, postage stamps, post-office transit markings or Business Advertisement(s) and other postal inscriptions are still legible and have withstood the wear and tear, they convey a great deal of information of the town(s) mailed (From-To) and makes good space-fillers to help complete a philatelic story.

Share your ratty, tatty covers at this WTSC Session and show as a PowerPoint.

      To view this Presentation in a new browser window - Click Here.

      November 1,
     Starting at 7 p.m., via Zoom, our 13th virtual Learning Workshop of the 2021-2022 season is "Show and Tell Us, how you house and organize your Stamp and Cover collections"

We know that almost everyone has a different way of assembling and/or writing up a collection. Some are stockbooks, others preprinted albums, and many are freehand on blank pages. There will also be some who design and print their own pages or even use an exhibiting format. There is no rule -- nothing can be wrong so long as the collector is happy and content.

Please take the time to scan part or a page of your collection and show as a PowerPoint.

      To view this Presentation in a new browser window - Click Here.

      October 4,
     Starting at 7 p.m., via Zoom, our 12th virtual Learning Workshop of the 2021-2022 season is "Get to Know Your Dealers"

In this meeting four stamp dealers will introduce themselves and their services in individual presentations after which the forum will open for questions, answers and general discussion.

The dealers will be:

Sam Hakim (Century Stamps, Clarkson), Bill Longley (Longley Auctions, Waterdown), Chris Green (Christopher Green Limited, Ottawa) and John S. Beddows (Gananoque)

      To view this Presentation in a new browser window - Click Here.

      August 2,
     Starting at 7 p.m., Tuesday, August 2, 2022 via Zoom, our 11th virtual Learning Workshop of the 2021-2022 season is "Anything Philatelic that is Blue"

This is the sixth Learning Workshop to feature Philatelic items that are Blue. According to sources, blue ranks as the world’s favorite colour. It is all around us, across the sky at the best of times, across our oceans, on numerous corporate logos, many people have blue eyes, and royalty often uses blue for sashes and uniforms.

      To view this Presentation in a new browser window - Click Here.

      July 5,
     Starting at 7 p.m., Tuesday, July 5, 2022 via Zoom, our 10th virtual Learning Workshop of the 2021-2022 season is ‘Everything and anything that starts with E.” This is the fifth Learning Workshop to feature subjects beginning with a letter of the alphabet. There are obviously many Excellent terms to consider for an Exchange of ideas. Some are well-known, while others are not Eminent, but certainly could Emerge. As we did before — December 2020 was the last letter-theme event, appropriately using ‘D’ — members are invited to share some of their favorite ‘E’ topics.

      To view this Presentation in a new browser window - Click Here.

      June 7,
      via Zoom, our 9th virtual Learning Workshop of the 2021-2022 season is a celebration “Happy 96th Birthday, Queen Elizabeth.” Whether you are keen on stamps, postal history OR both, join us to show your cover collection story in the form of a single page display featuring Queen Elizabeth. She was crowned at Westminster Abbey in London on June 2, 1953

      To view this Presentation in a new browser window - Click Here.

      May 3,
      via Zoom, our 8th virtual Learning Workshop of the 2021-2022 season is an expansive postal history subject entitled “Illustrated Commercial Mail.” The topic, which does not include First Day Covers, refers to envelopes and postal stationery with artwork promoting a business.

      To view this Presentation in a new browser window - Click Here.

      April 5,
      via Zoom, our seventh virtual Learning Workshop of the 2021-2022 season is entitled, Flights of fancy — Airmail-related stamps and covers from any member is requested for presentation to the group. Canadian aerophilately expert Chris Hargreaves will be the guest speaker.

      To view this Presentation in a new browser window - Click Here.

      March 1,
      via Zoom, our sixth virtual Learning Workshop of the 2021-2022 season is entitled Salute to Admiral stamps of Canada

      To view this Presentation in a new browser window - Click Here.

      February 1,
      via Zoom, our fifth virtual Learning Workshop of the 2021-2022 season is entitled Canada's Centennials:A significant definitive issue to study.

      To view this Presentation in a new browser window - Click Here.

      January 4,
      New Year's Resolutions in my Stamp World. A perfect time to consider and to share our next stamp collecting / philatelic steps.

      To view this Presentation in a new browser window - Click Here.

2021,
      December 7,
      A Cover with a Story. Sometimes a cover is just a cover; sometimes the name of the sender or recipient, the place, the postal markings, even contents can yield a great story.

      To view this Presentation in a new browser window - Click Here.

      November 2,
      Original Research. Hear about several succeessful research adventures and share tips about your own research

      To view this Presentation in a new browser window - Click Here.

      October 5,
      Philatelic- Stamp Collecting Project under Construction

      To view this Presentation in a new browser window - Click Here.

      August 3,
      Focus on Research and Philatelic Digital/Online Resources useful to Stamp enthusiasts

      To view this Presentation in a new browser window - Click Here.

      July 6,
      What is in your Philatelic Library? Or not!

      To view this Presentation in a new browser window - Click Here.

      June 1,
      People who influenced the world around them — and beyond.

      To view this Presentation in a new browser window - Click Here.

      May 4,
      The Art of Stamps

      To view this Presentation in a new browser window - Click Here.

      April 6,
      Varieties are the Spice of Life

      To view this Presentation in a new browser window - Click Here.

      March 2,
      Topic of Conversation

      To view this Presentation in a new browser window - Click Here.

      February 2,
      Pride and Joy

      To view this Presentation in a new browser window - Click Here.

      For Prior Learning Workshop Topics
      Please see 'CLUB NEWS' - the 'Club Newsletter/Bulletin' section..
      The Bulletin for the month is posted and provides details of upcoming events and meetings.

Records of Machin Study meetings

Click each date for an Adobe PDF file:

2016, June 7

2014, June 3    2014, May 6