In the autumn I visited the "Club Filatélico de Scouts y Guías" (The Spanish Scout Stamp Club) exhibition at the Postal Museum in Madrid.  This was a first class show with some exceptional displays of Scout material.  Although the exhibits were mainly by Spanish members, there were also displays from Portugal, Italy and Argentina.  As usual with their shows, there was a very good social programme!  Their experience of holding such exhibitions will no doubt make the Euro-Scout meeting in Alcalá de Henares near Madrid from 12-15 October 2006 a great success.  A special cancel was used for this latest event which is illustrated here.

Our December meeting at the North Richmond was well attended by Committee members, but unfortunately very few club members attended.  Before the meeting, the Committee met and one of the items discussed was the use of PayPal to pay subscriptions.  Those who are on the internet and use Ebay will know of PayPal.  This would be particularly effective in transferring payments in foreign currencies.  Whilst the use of the system incurred fees, it would be very useful for dealing with subscription payments particularly from overseas members, where currently there were certain restrictions as well as bank charges.  Once the system has been explored further it will be decided whether to go ahead with this method of payment.

Graham Osborne, our Secretary advised the Committee that he had received a letter from the British Thematic Association seeking the SGSC's participation at the Stampex display in 2006.  This would involve mounting a display of 12 frames of 16 sheets per frame over the period 22/26 February 2006.  It was agreed that the Club would accept the invitation to take part in the display.  It was also agreed that this event would in effect become the Club's Annual Exhibition for 2006 and the Secretary was asked to explore the possibility of hiring a room on the Saturday afternoon of the Stampex in order to hold a Club meeting there.

During last year three members of the committee went to Gilwell and mounted a stand on behalf of SGSC at both the Cub Day and Gilwell Reunion.  It is proposed that we should do the same in 2005, so if you are attending either of these events, please make yourself known to the committee members.

Did you write as requested in the last Bulletin, to the Post Office regarding Scout stamps for the 2007 World Jamboree?  I copied the article and sent it to Scout Headquarters, who were most interested in supporting this proposal and said that they would mention this on the H.Q. web site.

A scarce Scout philatelic item came up for sale on Ebay during December.  It was an original Engraver's Die Proof of the 3.50 franc value of the original design for 1947 World Jamboree stamp and was signed by Jules Piel, the artist.  The original design is identified by the slanted "0" in the word "Jamboree".  During the preparation of the stamp, the postal rates were increased in France from 3.50 francs to 5 francs.  No more than 20-23 signed artist proofs are believed to exist.  Engravers Die Proofs are Proofs of the finished die submitted by the engraver.  Because these proofs were made from unhardened plates, it is virtually impossible to make more than about 30 copies without some damage to the plate (die), so that provides an approximate upper limit to the production.  Generally they are signed in pencil.  For the same stamp, up to five colours were usually tried.  In most cases, obtaining Engravers Die Proofs is quite difficult because very few were produced and because these are securely kept either by the printer (before 1959) or by the Postal Administration of the government.  To learn more about Engravers/Artists Die Proofs, there is a very good site on the web which can be translated into English.  Go to www.dieproofs.it written by Glorgio Leccese.

It is always good to receive publicity about our club and thanks go to our member Ken Arnold of Margate, Kent for sending me the Quarterly Journal of the East Kent Philatelic Societies.  There is a full page article about the SGSC by Graham Osborne, our Secretary.  Perhaps you have a magazine that would print this information?