Cathy Hunter's Page

Dear Cathy,

Thanks very much for looking into Thomas McKee for me. If I discover any more information about his photographs and NGM, I will certainly you let you know!

Thanks again,
Carole Graham

Dear Ms. Hunter

That is amazing! (Harry C. Mann - NGM records and correspondence) - Brand new information on the nature of his efforts with National Geographic. Past biographic information only alludes to NGM in general terms (probably all that was available).

My mailing information is:

Thomas D. Coates
1201 Heathcliff Drive
Virginia Beach, VA 23464


Here is a brief quote excerpt from a bio of Harry C. Mann –

“…He loved the endless rapture of the sea, sky and dunes…With practice, Mann became one of he foremost artist photographers in the United States, his pictures winning accolades from London and Paris to New York. His obvious photographic skill led to publication in the National Geographic Society magazine as well as a number of newspapers nationwide.”

The Sunrise City by the Sea: A tribute to photographer Carroll H. Walker, Sr. Norfolk, Virginia - Amy Waters Yarsinske, Carroll Walker - Hardcover - April 1994 - Washington Book Distributors


Thank you again Ms. Hunter.


Thomas D. Coates

Thank you! (re: GBHeron)...but I am no Harry C. Mann.

Take care,

Thomas D. Coates

Hi Cathy,

Thank you very much for your information. !!
If I found other European or Spanish dealers, I will inform them.

Kind Regards,

Jordi

Hi Cathy.
Hope that you can help. I spent a few fruitless hours yesterday being shunted from one NGS tel. number to an other, and then back again, without getting the least bit of information.
1) I am trying to establish a list of the NGM cover variants of the last few years. There is even one (Nov. 03) alluded to and illustrated in the March 04 Forum feature of the magazine. I know of a few others: Jul. 04, May 06, May 07 (2 here). These are the only ones I have or have photos of.
What do I have to do to get such a list, which is a very basic requirement for a varieties collector and student such as I?
Presence or absence of bar codes or other minor variants (banners...) would also be quite useful.
2) How can I obtain copies of same, which must be stocked somewhere.
Thank you for your attention to this matter.

I still hope that you can come up with more pertinent and useful information next week, as you stated in earlier Emails. This last one here is at best, not really informative or useful.
1) Stating that there is no comprehensive list of cover variants to me means: OK, there is no cubbyhole with such a list. But the information has to exist in a number of different areas at the NGS, and if somehow it doesn't, well it should. The information has to exist where NGM's are printed, in administration, at the marketing division, and does (or should) exist where past issues are stocked.
2) The reference to newstand editions is only of secondary interest to me (for now), except where newstand editions might feature a different cover.
3) Your 9 "balance of run" zones are useful to know, and might all indicate variations in ad content, for example (which will interest other collectors), but I doubt that they indicate 9 basic cover variants. I assume that they include I or 2 basic cover variants, which is what I want to know (and order).
4) "before or while that particular issue is binding" I assume that this means before or during the month of issue. OK, this is what I want to order, as long as they do feature a different basic cover photo.
5) As to the statement that "special covers usually run out" and that all "overs" are mixed together in inventory, I had best not comment, because I am still trying to be polite and to get somewhere here. Suffice it to say that if they are, they shouldn"t, for many obvious reasons, without even thinking of the shadier possibilities.
I think that the NGS owes dilligent collectors ( members) of everything that they put out, and particularly the Magazine a little more respect and a more cooperative attitude. Wasn"t that the point of of this forum, The Collectors Corner?

Still hoping to get a more personal and informative response from you in regards to recent basic cover variants on English editions of NGM.

It would be helpful to at least know if these cover variants number: a) one or two a year, b) one or two a month, c) three or more a month (average #, maybe). This would go a long way in determining possible interest to collectors.

Also immediately helpful, would be the possibility of having a sort of standing order for all new basic cover variants, among your nine "balance of run" editions. And possibly, but not necessarily, adding bar coded issues to these. I suspect that some of the cover variants might exist only as newstand editions, while this is not the case for others.

Still hoping that you can help me in these matters, and possibly put me in contact with someone who might share more information wih us.

Dear Cathy,

Yes, a standing order for all new basic cover variants would be very helpful. Retracing past issue variants internationally involves a lot of work and costly shipping and it just shouldn't be so.

Another very useful bit of information would be: when was the first of these cover vars.printed.

A NGM "Forum" article (Mar 04) refers to a Nov 03 var.(a newstand ed.) and now I have found one for Sept 03 on Modern Slavery (and which is not a newstand edition). Are there any earlier ones?

Dear Cathy,

Thank you again for your efforts in these troubled times.

Could you please clarify for me when you say that I "can contact Sandy Ahner for samples of past issues". Does this mean that she might be a source for some of the cover variants, and if so, on what basis...

Another idea that occurs to me is: couldn't I have a UK (and/or) Singapore subscription redirected to me in Canada (while maintaining it's normal content). There must be some provision for redirecting subscriptions, yes?

I know its not your fault, but it blows my mind that an organization like NGS
seems to want to keep secret, or just can't be bothered to allow long-time collectors access to recent cover variants that they publish and send out by the thousands (at least) every month.