For those in the know, re: August 1904 "preface" insert

[Melvin L. De Vilbiss]

I've posed this question to a few experienced collectors and have come up a tad short on the real story - perhaps someone out there knows the answer.

 

In the NGS bound reprints of 1964, the August 1904 issue has a preface that includes: a cover letter from the society's acting president; a separately numbered 14 page General Announcement for the "Eighth International Geographic Congress, Washington, 1904;" followed by a blank page with the page's obverse containing an application form for this Congress.

 

This last page faces the first printed page of issue.

 

I have been told this same preface is also published with the individual magazine "reprints."

 

I have seen no "original" magazine issue with this preface, NOR has anyone else that I have spoken with.

 

The two part question:

 

Does anyone have an original with this preface included and/or does anyone know why the "reprints" include it and the originals do not?

 

Note that the July 1904 issue (in my bound reprint and an original magazine) contains this same General Announcement as an "integrated" portion, i.e. pages 297 through 310, of the issue, albeit in a "slightly" different format.

 

I hope this issue tickles the forum...

 

Kindest Regards,

 

Mel

[Scott T. Shier]

Hi Mel,

I've passed this along to a few folks, I'll let you know if I get any response on it !



- Scott

[Jeffry Persons]

Mel,

Sorry this is so late.  I have four originals and two bound sets and none of them have the preface insert.  I have two sets of loose 1964 reprints and one bound set and they all have the insert.

Jeff

[Melvin L. De Vilbiss]

Thanks Jeff - never too late to look into NGS minutia, that is, as long as I'm still around it's never too late :).

My conclusion, based solely on my experiences, which are far from being extensive, would be that this insert was part of the original set that was used to photocopy the 1964 reprints. Perhaps included as ephemera from that year. But was it loose ephemera distributed with that particular issue, or did it find its way into that particular collection by hook or crook?

We know from empirical data produced by Buxbaum, that the 1922 reprints for Volume 1, No.'s 2 & 4 were used in the copying process, not the originals of these issues.

We know from my research, that the Title Page for Volume 1 (in the original, located in the back of Volume 2, No. 5 - and behind the combined Volume 1 & 2 index) was NOT reproduced in either the bound or loose versions in the 1964 reprints. The only way someone may physical observe the Volume 1 title page is if they are fortunate enough to have a complete Volume 2, No. 5 or they have a bound Volume 1 that had this page removed from a Volume 2, No. 5 for the purpose of binding.

None of the above provides definite proof of anything - just pure speculation at this point in time.

Thanks for responding and bringing this subject back to life.

Mel