Book Review: Russo-Japanese War, History and Postal History

[장세영]

Book Review

Kenneth G. Clark,
"The Russo-Japanese War, History and Postal History"
Reviewed by Matsumoto Jun Ichi, President, JPS

	Mail from the Russian Post Office at Talienvan, Manchuria, showing the type I cancel Talienvan Pochtovaya Kontora. This is one of only three recorded items with this cancel.	From Japanese Prisoners of War held in Russia, exceptional usage, one of four recorded correspondences from Japanese Prisoners of War at Medved Camp, Russia.
The Author, Mr. Ken Clark and I got acquaintance a quarter century ago, when we were pursuing together the same theme <Early international mail to and from Japan> and each of us got Large Gold Medal in separate international exhibition in the 1980s.. After that, Mr. Clark switched his interest to Japanese military post, and his special concern was focused on the Russo-Japanese War in 1904-1905. He began to exhibit his collection in JAPEX in 1996. From the first time on, I have been noticing his splendid exhibits with the eyes of a Jury member of the postal history class in JAPEX. He gradually and steadily strengthened his studies and his collection titled <The Russo-Japanese War> until at last he won a Gold Medal accompagnied by a Special Grand Prize presented by the Director General of the Japan Post in JAPEX 2002. Moreover, his same collection obtained Gold Medals in Bangkok and Valencia international exhibitions held in 2003 and 2004., respectively. This gorgeously bound volume is a crystal of his erudite efforts for nearly a decade including so many important gems of postal history. It includes international materials : military mail, prisoner of war and hospital mail of both the Japanese and Russian sides,. mail from foreign correspondents and military observers, navy mail etc. One of the most significant characteristics of the Clark collection is its strength in Russian materials, which are apt to be ignored by many conventional Japanese collector of this theme. Besides the 128 pages of his collection, his intensive and extensive studies are inserted in a bilingual way, in Japanese and English, which will be most helpful for the international students of the postal history and the history in general, as the Author cleverly titled this book <The Russo-Japanese War, History and Postal History>. The Russo-Japanese War, History and Postal History Kenneth G. Clark (Japan Philatelic Society, Foundation., February 2005) ISBN 4-88963-652-8 C0065
To obtain a copy, please contact: Japan Philatelic Group Limited, Brook House, Collinswood Road, Farnham Common, Buckinghamshire SL2 3LH, England. e-mail: japan.philatelic@virgin.net website: www.japanphilatelic.com The selling price: ￡39.50 (\7,500) plus postage, by surface mail ￡7.90 (\1,500) by airmail ￡15.80 (\3,000). Payment by Credit Cards: Visa, MasterCard or JCB, or by cash in Japanese Yen or British Pounds.