Netherlands Air Mail Society ‘De Vliegende Hollander’
(The Flying Dutchman)
Who is interested in philately by collecting covers flown with first or special (airmail) flights, or in airmail research (aerophilately)?
Are you looking for airmail covers, airmail stamps or Cinderella’s related to airmail?
‘De Vliegende Hollander’ is the society for collectors of airmail, airmail stamps, special cancellations of airmail, logos, semi-official stamps, postal documents, etc.
Founded on 1 January 1936, it is the largest Dutch society, which specialises in airmail. It is a founder member of the FISA, the International Federation of Aero-philatelic Societies, and a member of the NBFV, the Netherlands federation of philatelic societies.
‘De Vliegende Hollander’ promotes the interests of airmail collectors by activities like:
the publication of ‘De Aero-Philatelist’, a bimonthly journal
the annual Day of Aerophilately with an aerophilatelic exhibition
regional meetings in Aalsmeer, Hilversum, Vlissingen, Eindhoven Eelde and Velp, three to five times a year
a news service where new airmail covers can be purchased at cost price
a circulation service: airmail items sent to you at home which can be purchased
auction sales during the annual general meeting, the Day of Aerophilately, the regional meetings and also auctions as offered in our bimonthly journal
the publication of our airmail catalogue of The Netherlands and Overseas Territories
publications on airmail and aviation in general
the library, being integrated in the library of the NBFV at Baarn
website: www.de-vliegende-hollander.com
What is aerophilately?
First of all, it a hobby – pleasant, interesting and instructive.
Aerophilately is a branch of philately. Aerophilatelists collect covers, postcards etc., which have been conveyed by air through the Post, most often by plane but also by airships (zeppelins). Collecting airmail stamps is also part of the hobby. A well-organised collection can present a clear view of the development of certain aspects of air mail. Most aerophilatelists specialise in particular subjects: selected routes or carriers, zeppelin mail, mail from the pioneering days, or – on the contrary – air mail from our own time.
In our catalogue one can find the official definition and description of what we consider to be aerophilately. Whatever subject you choose, you may be sure that you will find the development of your hobby very enjoyable and interesting. Our society, with about 500 members, will be pleased to assist you. It is a member of the worldwide organisation for airmail, the FISA. The collecting of airmail from other countries is also a hobby of many of our members. We can offer possibilities for contacts abroad in the form of correspondence, excursions and participation in exhibitions abroad.
Membership
Membership fees are € 22 a year (for The Netherlands and EU-countries), and € 27,50 for other countries. To become a member and join the society you just have to fill in the application form and send it to the address on the form.
Our journal ‘De Aero-Philatelist’
The journal is published six times a year. It has articles on airmail, information about the news service, auctions (membership required), the (regional) meetings of the society, and much more. The subscription fee is included in the membership.
National and regional meetings
The Annual General meeting will be held in April or May. There is a formal meeting with agenda, a lunch for members and their partners, and always an auction. A highlight every year is the autumn meeting in October/November, on a Saturday and Sunday, with an official exhibition. Members and colleagues from sister societies can exhibit their airmail collection(s). Traders are present, there are always two auctions, and everybody can meet the rest of the world during our Saturday lunch.
The Netherlands Society has regional branches: Aalsmeer (Amsterdam), Hilversum, Vlissingen, Eindhoven, Eelde and Velp. The bigger ones meet five times a year, the smaller three times. Every member of the Society may attend all meetings. There are always conferences or presentations by members and auctions. Information about the meetings can be found in our journal.
Auctions
Each year we have three general auctions during the annual general meeting and the autumn weekend with auctions as published in our journal. There is an auction at every regional meeting. Participation in the auctions is reserved for our members. Bids in writing (by post or e-mail) can be sent by members who are not able to attend in person. The Auction Commissioner judges all handed-in items, takes the decision about the quality of the material and the requested upset prize. He is allowed to refuse unsuitable items. All auctions are published on the internet.
The edition 2005 is available and the secretary can send a copy after payment of € 15 plus € 3 for the postage. It has chapters on airmail in/from/to The Netherlands, in/from/to the former Netherlands East Indies and Dutch New Guinea, in/from/to the West Indies and Surinam, crash mail, emergency mail (ice and snow mails), helicopter mails, catapult mails, zeppelin mails and special covers of all Days of Aerophilately.
The catalogue costs € 15.- plus postage, and can be ordered paying into the postgiro account 146366 of the ‘Stichting Tentoonstelling De Vliegende Hollander’ at Barendrecht.
Publications
Books published until now include:
Aviation and air mail encyclopedia, vol 1 (1919-1935), by Hans and Henny Tschroots
Air mail connections between The Netherlands and South Africa (1938-1989), by Leo Crandel.
Information how to order these books can be found in our journal.
The circulation service
Participants in this service – run by the Circulation Commissioner – receive regularly consignments on approval, each one consisting of ca 17 folders with air mail materials.
The rules are as follows:
Each consignment has a list of names of participants. Removal of part of the contents (purchase) must be marked on the folder.
All purchases must be paid within 8 days on postgiro account 510240 of the Circulation Commissioner at Eindhoven.
Within 4 days the consignment should be passed on to the next person on the list. When sent by mail, consignments must be registered.
Participants in the service remain responsible until the consignment reaches the next participant on the kist.
When forwarding the consignment, the participant in the service must inform the Circulation Commissioner by postcard (postcards included in the consigment).
Participants can also offer items for sale. Special circulation folders (each for about 25 letters) are available from the Circulation Comissioner for € 0.50 (plus postage). Accounts are settled either at the end of the year or when so many items have been sold that the folder cannot be included in the circulation anymore. Ten percent of the price goes to the Society plus one percent for the costs of the insurance.
The news service
The purpose of the service is to offer new air mail covers to members at cost price. Thanks to a network of correspondents, covers can be offered from many parts of the globe. The rules of the service are:
Participants must register with the News Service Commissioner.
Participants must clearly indicate which covers they want to receive: by which carrier, from/to which country, balloon post, zeppelin post, air mail from Antarctica, etc.
The News Service does everything possible but cannot guarantee success: sometimes our covers just disappear!
An advance payment of € 12.50 must be made to the service (‘Nieuwtjesdienst’) on postgiro account 646528 of the service at Pijnacker
The service operates with creditbalances of the particpants. When receiving covers, the participants receive a statement of the account. The invoice must be paid so that once again there is a reserve of € 12.50 in the account.
In case of default, no more covers are sent. The account must, of course, be paid.
Subscribers receive only one item of every flight.
A subscriber can, upon notification, always change his/her field of interest, but items bought cannot be returned.
If you are interested in recent covers of the news service, you can find the list 'still available' here.
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