First Recorded / Only Known Copy or What?
Introduction
When someone publishes the first book or list on a philatelic subject, they seem to acquire the right/duty to maintain the record of what exists.Fine, if they accept the task. But, we all know that not everyone reports what they have found. And to what extent should we really expect a follow collector, who has undertaken all the work necessary to publish, to carry on working for us all for effectively for free, and keep updating everyone?
They might mention a subsequent discovery of the same or similar item in a journal, or at a Society meeting, but at what point do we expect them to stop counting, after 5 items, 10, 17, 23, 50 (the Stanley Gibbons "rare" standard)?
And do we really expect them to tell everyone who has made the effort to report discoveries, about every subsequent similar discovery - by post, by phone!!?? And do we thank them enough?
And the Internet doesn't cover everyone.
This frame shows items that were all the first recorded. And tells some of their stories. Other copies of a few of them have turned up. But not many, so far, unless you know better. And some are still the only ones I know of.