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74-424: Hobbyists may be identified under three sub-categories: casual leisure which is intrinsically rewarding, short-lived, pleasurable activity requiring little or no preparation, serious leisure which is the systematic pursuit of an amateur, hobbyist, or volunteer that is substantial, rewarding and results in a sense of accomplishment, and finally project-based leisure which is a short-term, often one-off, project that

148-569: A club may be difficult to set up and sustain. The Internet partially solves this problem, as the association of collectors online is not limited by geographical distance. For this reason, many highly specific stamp clubs have been established on the Web, with international membership. Organizations such as the Cinderella Stamp Club (UK) retain hundreds of members interested in a specific aspect of collecting. Social organizations, such as

222-535: A costume based on an already existing creative property), creating models out of card stock or paper – called papercraft . Many of these fall under the category visual arts . Writing is often taken up as a hobby by aspiring writers and usually appears in the form of personal blog , guest posting or fan fiction (literary art resulting in creation of written content based on already existing, licensed creative property under specified terms). Reading books, eBooks , magazines, comics, or newspapers, along with browsing

296-443: A favourite pastime", and in turn, the modern sense of the term hobby . The term is also connected to the draisine , a forerunner of the bicycle , invented by Baron Karl von Drais . In 1818, a London coach-maker named Denis Johnson began producing an improved version, which was popularly known as the "hobby-horse". The artistic movement, Dada , is possibly named after a French child's word for hobby-horse. The word hobby

370-723: A framework which distinguishes the terms in a useful categorization of leisure in which casual leisure is separated from serious Leisure . He describes serious leisure as undertaken by amateurs , hobbyists and volunteers . Amateurs engage in pursuits that have a professional counterpart, such as playing an instrument or astronomy . Hobbyists engage in five broad types of activity: collecting , making and tinkering (like embroidery and car restoration), activity participation (like fishing and singing), sports and games , and liberal-arts hobbies (like languages, cuisine, literature). Volunteers commit to organizations where they work as guides, counsellors, gardeners and so on. The separation of

444-645: A generic name for a cart-horse. Samuel Johnson , Dictionary of the English Language , 1755, glosses "A strong, active horse, of a middle size, said to have been originally from Ireland ; an ambling nag." Hobblers or hovellers were men who kept a light horse so that they may give swift warning of threatened invasion. (Old French, hober, to move up and down; our hobby, q.v.) In medieval times their duties were to reconnoiter, to carry intelligence, to harass stragglers, to act as spies, to intercept convoys, and to pursue fugitives. Henry Spelman (d. 1641) derived

518-781: A national collectors' organization, including the American Philatelic Society (APS) in the United States ; the Royal Philatelic Society London and Philatelic Traders Society in United Kingdom; and the Royal Philatelic Society of Canada . The Internet has greatly expanded the availability of information and made it easier to obtain stamps and other philatelic material. The American Topical Association

592-634: A particular phenomenon. The recording form can be written, photographic, online, etc. Making and tinkering includes working on self-motivated projects for fulfillment. These projects may be progressive, irregular tasks performed over a long period of time. Making and Tinkering hobbies include higher-end projects, such as building or restoring a car or building a computer from individual parts, like CPUs and SSDs. For computer savvy do-it-yourself hobbyists, CNC (Computer Numerical Control) machining may also be popular. A CNC machine can be assembled and programmed to make different parts from wood or metal. Tinkering

666-499: A platform for buying/selling and trading. Large numbers of relatively recent stamps, often still attached to fragments or envelopes, may be obtained cheaply and easily. Rare and old stamps can also be obtained, but these can be very expensive. Duplicate stamps are those a collector already has and are not required, therefore, to fill a gap in a collection. Duplicate stamps can be sold or traded, so they are an important medium of exchange among collectors. Many dealers sell stamps through

740-490: A range of 10–30% of catalogue list price, but if the stamp is of the very top quality then the sell price may exceed the catalogue list price. As with many collectables with no inherent value, sell pricing is set by the market bidding on the item at the time. Many collectors also ask their family and friends to save stamps for them from their mail. Although the stamps received by major businesses and those kept by elderly relatives may be of international and historical interest,

814-410: A small sample. Hobby horse (toy) A hobby horse (or hobby-horse ) is a child's toy horse . Children played at riding a wooden hobby horse made of a straight stick with a small horse's head (of wood or stuffed fabric), and perhaps reins, attached to one end. The bottom end of the stick sometimes had a small wheel or wheels attached. This toy was also sometimes known as a cock horse (as in

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888-504: A space referred to as the garden. Although a garden typically is located on the land near a residence, it may also be located on a roof , in an atrium , on a balcony , in a windowbox , or on a patio or vivarium . Gardening also takes place in non-residential green areas, such as parks, public or semi-public gardens ( botanical gardens or zoological gardens ), amusement and theme parks , along transportation corridors, and around tourist attractions and hotels . In these situations,

962-464: A staff of gardeners or groundskeepers maintains the gardens. Indoor gardening is concerned with growing houseplants within a residence or building, in a conservatory , or in a greenhouse . Indoor gardens are sometimes incorporated into air conditioning or heating systems. Water gardening is concerned with growing plants that have adapted to pools and ponds, along with aqua-scaping in planted aquariums . Bog gardens are also considered

1036-828: A stamp collector. Many casual stamp collectors accumulate stamps for sheer enjoyment and relaxation without worrying about details. The creation of a large or comprehensive collection, however, generally requires some philatelic knowledge and will usually contain areas of philatelic studies. Postage stamps are often collected for their historical value and geographical aspects and also for the many subjects depicted on them, ranging from ships, horses, and birds to kings, queens and presidents. Sales of postage stamps are an important source of income for some countries whose stamp issues may exceed their postal needs, but have designs that appeal to many stamp collectors. It has been suggested that John Bourke, Receiver General of Stamp Dues in Ireland ,

1110-623: A stamp on the original sheet of 200 stamps. Rare stamps are often expertized . Stamp catalogues are the primary tool used by serious collectors to organize their collections, and for the identification and valuation of stamps. Most stamp shops have stamp catalogues available for purchase. A few catalogues are offered online, either free or for a fee. There are hundreds of different catalogues, most specializing in particular countries or periods. Collector clubs tend to provide free catalogues to their members. The stamp collection assembled by French-Austrian aristocrat Philipp von Ferrary (1850–1917) at

1184-404: A traditional hobby, such as collecting , to flourish and support trading in a new environment. Hobbyists are a part of a wider group of people engaged in leisure pursuits where the boundaries of each group overlap to some extent. The Serious Leisure Perspective groups hobbyists with amateurs and volunteers and identifies three broad groups of leisure activity with hobbies being found mainly in

1258-722: A type of water garden. A simple water garden may consist solely of a tub containing the water and plants. Container gardening is concerned with growing plants in containers that are placed above the ground. Many hobbies involve performances by the hobbyist, such as singing , acting, juggling , magic , dancing, playing a musical instrument , martial arts , and other performing arts . Some hobbies may result in an end product. Examples of this would be woodworking , photography , moviemaking , jewelry making , software projects such as Photoshopping and home music or video production , making bracelets , artistic projects such as drawing , painting , Cosplay (design, creation, and wearing

1332-437: A variant of Robin " (compare the abbreviation Hob for Robert ). This appears to have been a name customarily given to a cart-horse, as attested by White Kennett in his Parochial Antiquities (1695), who stated that "Our ploughmen to some one of their cart-horses generally give the name of Hobin, the very word which Phil. Comines uses, Hist. VI. vii." Another familiar form of the same Christian name, Dobbin has also become

1406-421: A wholesale market level and what they can be then sold for in a retail market. Stamp values are heavily skewed to quality. The same stamp can sell for drastically different prices due to quality. The most sought after stamps are those that are fresh, have white non-toned paper, have no hidden faults like hidden creases or thins, do not have any repairs and have not been regummed with fraudulent gum. Stamp pricing

1480-398: Is 'dabbling' with the making process, often applied to the hobby of tinkering with car repairs, and various kinds of restoration: of furniture, antique cars , etc. It also applies to household tinkering: repairing a wall, laying a pathway, etc. Examples of Making and Tinkering hobbies include Scale modeling , model engineering , 3D printing , dressmaking , and cooking . Scale modeling

1554-425: Is a demanding hobby that requires a multitude of large and expensive machine tools , such as lathes and mills . This hobby originated in the United Kingdom in the late 19th century, later spreading and flourishing in the mid-20th century. Due to the expense and space required, it is becoming rare. 3D Printing is a relatively new technology and already a major hobby as the cost of printers has fallen sharply. It

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1628-460: Is a good example of how hobbyists quickly engage with new technologies, communicate with one another and become producers related to their former hobby. 3D modeling is the process of making mathematical representations of three dimensional items and is an aspect of 3D printing. Dressmaking has been a major hobby up until the late 20th century, in order to make cheap clothes, but also as a creative design and craft challenge. It has been reduced by

1702-467: Is a stockbook, where the stamps drop into clear pockets without the need for a mount. Stamps should be stored away from light, heat and moisture or they will be damaged. Stamps can be displayed according to the collector's wishes, by country, topic, or even by size, which can create a display pleasing to the eye. There are no rules and it is entirely a matter for the individual collector to decide. Albums can be commercially purchased, downloaded or created by

1776-702: Is also based on the look of the stamp, and the stamp that has an image that is very well centered will sell well. Mint (not used) full original gum stamps that have never been hinged will always sell for premiums. It is important to have certificates for rare and high quality stamps to certify they are fault free and genuine in all respects. Foundations like the Vincent Graves Greene are well respected for certifying Canadian stamps. They check for hidden faults like creases, tears and thins as well as lightened cancellations, repairs, reperforated perforations and re-applied (regummed) fake gum. Stamp list pricing

1850-666: Is also called a pastime , derived from the use of hobbies to pass the time . A hobby became an activity that is practiced regularly and usually with some worthwhile purpose. Hobbies are usually, but not always, practiced primarily for interest and enjoyment, rather than financial reward. Prior to the mid-19th century, hobbies were generally considered as an obsession, childish or trivial, with negative connotations. However, as early as 1676 Sir Matthew Hale, in Contemplations Moral and Divine , wrote "Almost every person hath some hobby horse or other wherein he prides himself." He

1924-438: Is an ancient hobby, with the list of coin collectors showing Caesar Augustus as one. Sometimes collectors have turned their hobby into a business, becoming commercial dealers that trade in the items being collected. An alternative to collecting physical objects is collecting records of events of a particular kind. Examples include train spotting , bird-watching , aircraft spotting , and any other form of systematic recording

1998-524: Is an important role in being in touch with fellow hobbyists. Some hobbies are of communal nature, like choral singing and volunteering. People who engage in hobbies have an interest in and time to pursue them. Children have been an important group of hobbyists because they are enthusiastic for collecting, making and exploring, in addition to this they have the leisure time that allows them to pursue those hobbies. The growth in hobbies occurred during industrialization which gave workers set time for leisure. During

2072-563: Is glossed by the OED as "a small or middle-sized horse; an ambling or pacing horse; a pony." The word is attested in English from the 14th century, as Middle English hobyn . Old French had hobin or haubby , whence Modern French aubin and Italian ubino . But the Old French term is apparently adopted from English rather than vice versa. OED connects it to "the by-name Hobin , Hobby ",

2146-614: Is making a replica of a real-life object in a smaller scale and dates back to prehistoric times with small clay "dolls" and other children's toys that have been found near known populated areas. Some of the earliest scale models of residences were found in Cucuteni–Trypillia culture in Eastern Europe. These artifacts were dated to be around 3000–6000 BC. Similar models dating back to the same period were found in ancient Egypt, India, China and Mesopotamia archaeological sites. At

2220-693: Is now a part of the APS and promotes thematic collecting as well as encouraging sub-groups of numerous topics. The Collectors Club, often referred to as the Collectors Club of New York, is a private club and philatelic society in New York City. Founded in 1896, it is one of the oldest existing philatelic societies in the United States. This club like many others has made the transition to Zoom virtual meetings due to Covid and has decided to keep

2294-399: Is rewarding. In the 16th century, the term "hobby" had the meaning of "small horse and pony". The term " hobby horse " was documented in a 1557 payment confirmation for a "Hobbyhorse" from Reading, England. The item, originally called a "Tourney Horse", was made of a wooden or basketwork frame with an artificial tail and head. It was designed for a child to mimic riding a real horse . By 1816

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2368-542: Is set in various stamp catalogues. For US and Canada stamps the standard catalogue is the Scott catalogue using Scott numbers. For Canadian stamps there is a specialized catalogue called the Unitrade (which reflects more accurately the actual values of the stamps vs the Scott catalogue values), and for Great Britain and Commonwealth stamps most collectors use Stanley Gibbons catalogues. Typically stamps will sell at auction for

2442-502: Is socially valorized precisely because it produces feelings of satisfaction with something that looks very much like work but that is done of its own sake." "Hobbies are a contradiction: they take work and turn it into leisure, and take leisure and turn it into work." A 2018 study using survey results identified the term "hobby" to most accurately describe activities associated with making or collecting objects, especially when done alone. Cultural trends related to hobbies change with time. In

2516-462: The Lions Club and Rotary International , have also formed stamp collecting groups specific to those stamps that are issued from many countries worldwide that display the organization's logo. Rare stamps are often old and many have interesting stories attached to them. Some include: Early stamps of the United States are known as classics. Collectors are able to establish the exact position of

2590-633: The Royal Philatelic Society . His collection was passed on to Queen Elizabeth II who, while not a serious philatelist, has a collection of British and Commonwealth first day covers which she started in 1952. U.S. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt was a stamp collector; he designed several American commemorative stamps during his term. Late in life Ayn Rand renewed her childhood interest in stamps and became an enthusiastic collector. Several entertainment and sport personalities have been known to be collectors. Freddie Mercury , lead singer of

2664-442: The derivative , "hobby", was introduced into the vocabulary of a number of English people. Over the course of subsequent centuries, the term came to be associated with recreation and leisure . In the 17th century, the term was used in a pejorative sense by suggesting that a hobby was a childish pursuit, however, in the 18th century with more industrial society and more leisure time, hobbies took on greater respectability. A hobby

2738-548: The nursery rhyme Ride a cock horse to Banbury Cross ) or stick horse . Hobby horses feature in the worship of Rajasthani folk deity Baba Ramdevji , a reference to a story about his childhood ; wooden toy horses are popular offerings at his temple at Ramdevra . They also figured in the public rites of the Romanian Călușari . Hobby horsing as a sport became popular among young women in Finland and elsewhere in

2812-527: The 1860s and 1870s. Many adults dismissed it as a childish pursuit but later many of those same collectors, as adults, began to systematically study the available postage stamps and publish books about them. Some stamps, such as the triangular issues of the Cape of Good Hope , have become legendary. By the early 2000s, stamp collecting was seen to be in decline as the digital world surpassed traditional hobbies even though by 2013, The Wall Street Journal estimated

2886-445: The 20th century there was extensive research into the important role that play has in human development. While most evident in childhood, play continues throughout life for many adults in the form of games, hobbies, and sport. Moreover, studies of aging and society support the value of hobbies in healthy aging. There have been many instances where hobbyists and amateurs have achieved significant discoveries and developments. These are

2960-421: The 21st century Hobby horsing became a popular sport among young women in Finland and spread to other countries. Stamp collecting Stamp collecting is the collecting of postage stamps and related objects. It is an area of philately , which is the study (or combined study and collection) of stamps. It has been one of the world's most popular hobbies since the late nineteenth century with

3034-458: The 21st century, the video game industry has been popular as a hobby involving millions of children and adults. Stamp collecting declined along with the importance of the postal system. Woodwork and knitting declined as hobbies, because manufactured goods provide cheap alternatives for handmade goods. Through the internet, an online community has become a hobby for many people; sharing advice, information and support, and in some cases, allowing

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3108-527: The 21st century. A hobby horse is not always a riding-stick like the child's toy; larger hobby horses feature in some traditional seasonal customs (such as Mummers Plays and the Morris dance in England ). They vary in size from a costume for one person to large frameworks carried by nine people. From "hobby horse" (see Etymology , below) came the expression "to ride one's hobby-horse", meaning "to follow

3182-670: The Anglo-Scottish Border Reivers . Hobby horse polo partly uses polo rules but has its own specialities, e.g. 'punitive sherries', and uses hobby horses instead of ponies. The hobby horse variant of polo started in 1998 as a fun sport in south western Germany and led in 2002 to the foundation of the First Kurfürstlich-Kurpfälzisch Polo-Club in Mannheim . It has since gained further interest in other German cities. In

3256-515: The Depression there was an increase in the participation in hobbies because the unemployed had the time and a desire to be purposefully occupied. Hobbies are often pursued with an increased interest by retired people because they have the time and seek the intellectual and physical stimulation a hobby provides. Hobbies are a diverse set of activities and it is difficult to categorize them in a logical manner. The following categorization of hobbies

3330-737: The Internet while others have neighborhood shops which are among the best resources for beginning and intermediate collectors. Some dealers also jointly set up week-end stamp markets called "bourses" that move around a region from week to week. One of the most well known bourses is the Carré Marigny in Paris. They also meet collectors at regional exhibitions and stamp shows. A worldwide collection would be enormous, running to thousands of volumes, and would be incredibly expensive to acquire. Many consider that Count Philipp von Ferrary 's collection at

3404-479: The Penny Black are quite scarce, used examples are quite common, and may be purchased for $ 20 to $ 200, depending upon condition. People started to collect stamps almost immediately. One of the earliest and most notable was John Edward Gray . In 1862, Gray stated that he "began to collect postage stamps shortly after the system was established and before it had become a rage". Female stamp collectors date from

3478-524: The Serious leisure category. Casual leisure is intrinsically rewarding, short-lived, pleasurable activity requiring little or no preparation. Serious leisure is the systematic pursuit of an amateur, hobbyist, or volunteer that is substantial, rewarding and results in a sense of accomplishment. Finally, project-based leisure is a short-term often a one-off project that is rewarding. The terms amateur and hobbyist are often used interchangeably. Stebbins has

3552-660: The advent of modern plastics, the amount of skill required to get the basic shape accurately shown for any given subject was lessened, making it easier for people of all ages to begin assembling replicas in varying scales. Superheroes, aero planes, boats, cars, tanks, artillery, and even figures of soldiers became quite popular subjects to build, paint and display. Although almost any subject can be found in almost any scale, there are common scales for such miniatures which remain constant today. Model engineering refers to building functioning machinery in metal, such as internal combustion motors and live steam models or locomotives. This

3626-453: The amateur from the hobbyist is because the amateur has the ethos of the professional practitioner as a guide to practice. An amateur clarinetist is conscious of the role and procedures of a professional clarinetist. A large proportion of hobbies are mainly solitary in nature. However, individual pursuit of a hobby often includes club memberships, organized sharing of products and regular communication between participants. For many hobbies there

3700-539: The beginning of the 20th century is widely considered the most complete stamp collection ever formed (or likely to be formed). It included, for example, all of the rare stamps described above that had been issued by 1917. However, as Ferrary was an Austrian citizen, the collection was broken up and sold by the French government after the First World War, as war reparations. The Tapling Collection of postage stamps

3774-418: The beginning of the 20th century was the most complete ever formed. Many collectors limit their collecting to particular countries, certain time periods or particular subjects (called "topicals") like birds or aircraft. Some of the more popular collecting areas include: There are thousands of organizations for collectors: local stamp clubs, special-interest groups, and national organizations. Most nations have

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3848-457: The collector. In the latter cases, using acid free paper provides better long-term stamp protection. The main ways of acquiring stamps are through retail market stamp dealers who have online websites, or post on eBay or other forums, and conduct local stamp show dealer "bourse" events. The way to buy wholesale is to attend auctions and there are many auction companies around the world that offer regular auctions, most lots sold at one advance over

3922-513: The culture that is most truly native centers round things which even when they are communal are not official—the pub, the football match, the back garden, the fireside and the 'nice cup of tea'." Deciding what to include in a list of hobbies provokes debate because it is difficult to decide which pleasurable pass-times can also be described as hobbies. During the 20th century the term hobby suggested activities, such as stamp collecting, embroidery, knitting, painting, woodwork, and photography. Typically

3996-405: The description did not include activities like listening to music, watching television, or reading. These latter activities bring pleasure, but lack the sense of achievement usually associated with a hobby. They are usually not structured, organized pursuits, as most hobbies are. The pleasure of a hobby is usually associated with making something of value or achieving something of value. "Such leisure

4070-455: The earliest days of postage stamp collecting. One of the earliest was Adelaide Lucy Fenton who wrote articles in the 1860s for the journal The Philatelist under the name Herbert Camoens. As the hobby and study of stamps began to grow, stamp albums and stamp related literature began to surface, and by the early 1880s publishers like Stanley Gibbons made a business out of this advent. Children and teenagers were early collectors of stamps in

4144-475: The forum for the future as membership and attendance at club events has grown substantially since they have made their meetings accessible via the internet. Stamp clubs and philatelic societies can add a social aspect to stamp collecting and provide a forum where novices can meet experienced collectors. Although such organizations are often advertised in stamp magazines and online, the relatively small number of collectors – especially outside urban areas – means that

4218-438: The global number of stamp collectors was around 60 million. However, the hobby's unexpected appeal for a millennial audience was observed in a 2020 article for The Guardian . A few basic items of equipment are recommended for proper stamp collection. Stamp tongs help to handle stamps safely, a magnifying glass helps in viewing fine details and an album is a convenient way to store stamps. The stamps need to be attached to

4292-445: The group of activities which occur outdoors. These hobbies include gardening, hill walking , hiking , backpacking , cycling , canoeing , climbing , caving , fishing, hunting , target shooting (informal or formal), wildlife viewing (as birdwatching ) and engaging in watersports and snowsports . One large subset of outdoor pursuits is gardening. Residential gardening most often takes place in or about one's own residence, in

4366-414: The internet is a common hobby, and one that can trace its origins back hundreds of years. A love of literature, later in life, may be sparked by an interest in reading children's literature as a child. Many of these fall under the category literary arts . Knitting or Crocheting is a calming and productive hobby. It allows for creativity while making cozy items like scarves, blankets, or hats. It's easy on

4440-814: The joints and can be done at a leisurely pace, making it perfect for staying engaged and creating thoughtful gifts. Stebbins distinguishes an amateur sports person and a hobbyist by suggesting a hobbyist plays in less formal sports, or games that are rule bound and have no professional equivalent. While an amateur sports individual plays a sport with a professional equivalent, such as football or tennis. Amateur sport may range from informal play to highly competitive practice, such as deck tennis or long distance trekking. The Department for Culture, Media, and Support in England suggests that playing sports benefits physical and mental health. A positive relationship appeared between engaging in sports and improving overall health. During

4514-472: The low cost of manufactured clothes. Cooking is for some people an interest, a hobby, a challenge and a source of significant satisfaction. For many other people it is a job, a chore, a duty, like cleaning. In the early 21st century the importance of cooking as a hobby was demonstrated by the high popularity of competitive television cooking programs. Activity participation includes partaking in "non-competitive, rule-based pursuits." Outdoor pursuits are

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4588-415: The pages of the album in some way, and stamp hinges are a cheap and simple way to do this. However, hinging stamps can damage them, thus reducing their value; today many collectors prefer more expensive hingeless mounts . Issued in various sizes, these are clear, chemically neutral thin plastic holders that open to receive stamps and are gummed on the back so that they stick to album pages. Another alternative

4662-461: The provision of counter-attractions came to the fore in the 1830s, and has rarely waned since. Initially, the bad habits were perceived to be of a sensual and physical nature, and the counter attractions, or perhaps more accurately alternatives, deliberately cultivated rationality and the intellect." The book and magazine trade of the day encouraged worthwhile hobbies and pursuits. The burgeoning manufacturing trade made materials used in hobbies cheap and

4736-423: The rapid growth of the postal service , as a stream of new stamps was produced by countries that sought to advertise their distinctiveness through their stamps. Stamp collecting is generally accepted as one of the areas that make up the wider subject of philately , which is the study of stamps. A philatelist may, but does not have to, collect stamps. It is not uncommon for the term philatelist to be used to mean

4810-427: The stamps received from family members are often of the definitive sort. Definitives seem mundane but, considering their variety of colours, watermarks , paper differences, perforations and printing errors, they can fill many pages in a collection. Introducing either variety or specific focus to a collection can require the purchasing of stamps, either from a dealer or online. Online stamp collector clubs often contain

4884-549: The turn of the Industrial Age and through the 1920s, some families could afford things such as electric trains , wind-up toys (typically boats or cars) and the increasingly valuable tin toy soldiers. Scale modeling as we know it today became popular shortly after World War II . Before 1946, children as well as adults were content in carving and shaping wooden replicas from block wood kits, often depicting enemy aircraft to help with identification in case of an invasion. With

4958-412: The underbidder no matter what the price. These are called unreserved auctions. Reserved auctions are the same except a minimum price or "reserve" is set to ensure the stamp does not sell below this level. If during the auction there are no bidders for the lot at the reserve price then the lot will be left unsold in the auction. Buying at auction takes knowing the market and what stamps are worth at both

5032-407: The word from "hobby". Hobblers were another description of cavalry more lightly armed, and taken from the class of men rated at 15 pounds and upwards. Border horses, called hobblers or hobbies , were small and active and trained to cross the most difficult and boggy country "and to get over where our footmen could scarce dare to follow." - George MacDonald Fraser , The Steel Bonnets, The Story of

5106-518: The world as this new study and hobby spread across Europe , European colonies, the United States and other parts of the world. The first postage stamp, the Penny Black , was issued by Britain in May 1840 and pictured a young Queen Victoria . It was produced without perforations (imperforate) and consequently had to be cut from the sheet with scissors in order to be used. While unused examples of

5180-482: Was acknowledging that a "hobby horse" produces a legitimate sense of pride. The cultural shift towards acceptance of hobbies was thought to begin during the mid 18th century as working people had more regular hours of work and greater leisure time, spending more time to pursue interests that brought them satisfaction. However, there was concern that these working people might not use their leisure time in worthwhile pursuits. "The hope of weaning people away from bad habits by

5254-566: Was developed by Stebbins. Collecting includes seeking, locating, acquiring, organizing, cataloging, displaying and storing. Collecting is appealing to many people due to their interest in a particular subject and a desire to categorize and make order out of complexity. Some collectors are generalists, accumulating items from countries of the world. Others focus on a subtopic within their area of interest, perhaps 19th century postage stamps, milk bottle labels from Sussex, or Mongolian harnesses and tack, Firearms (both modern and vintage). Collecting

5328-691: Was donated to the British Museum from the estate of Thomas Tapling in 1891. It currently forms the Tapling Collection in the Philatelic Collections of the British Library . Several European monarchs were keen stamp collectors, including King George V of the United Kingdom and King Carol II of Romania . King George V possessed one of the most valuable stamp collections in the world and became President of

5402-492: Was responsive to the changing interests of hobbyists. In 1941, George Orwell identified hobbies as central to English culture at the time: "Another English characteristic which is so much a part of us that we barely notice it … is the addiction to hobbies and spare-time occupations, the privateness of English life. We are a nation of flower-lovers, but also a nation of stamp-collectors, pigeon-fanciers, amateur carpenters, coupon-snippers, darts-players, crossword-puzzle fans. All

5476-507: Was the first collector. In 1774, he assembled a book of the existing embossed revenue stamps , ranging in value from 6 pounds to half a penny, as well as the hand stamped charge marks that were used with them. His collection is preserved in the Royal Irish Academy , Dublin . Postage stamp collecting began at the same time that stamps were first issued, and by 1860 thousands of collectors and stamp dealers were appearing around

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