"Not a week goes by and I don't find something I've never heard of before, and I've been collecting since 1930. . . " ~ ~ Dr. Edwin C. Buxbaum

[Scott T. Shier]

~ Dr. Edwin Clarence Buxbaum  ~  (1903-1989) ~

~  ~  ~ 

Dear collector friends, 

Well, to many long-time and experienced collectors, I need not try and explain who the late Edwin Buxbaum was. Buxbaum cultivated a close relationship with both Gilbert Hovey Grosvenor, and Melville Bell Grosvenor, with whom he became close friends. In his 'From the President page' in the January 1989 issue of NGM, Gilbert M. Grosvenor referred to Dr. Buxbaum as "the dean of National Geographic collectors". This was in no small way due to the fact that he researched, wrote, and published the first-ever "collector's guidebook" in 1935 - a small quarto booklet w/ wraps. 

1935 - "Collecting National Geographic Magazines" (70 pgs.)

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Notable content inside was a history of the Society, a lookback on rare and memorable ephemerae, criteria of value, the history (w/ listing) of Reprints, various types of bindings of issues, and an item most often brought up in conversations --usually-- is his "Best Special Numbers". 

Contents page to his first 1935 book:

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Now, in his first book, he only had but 32 top 'special numbers' identified as 'extra special' , e.g., in-demand, or otherwise notable, and/or above-and-beyond other NGM issues.

A full 21 years later in 1956 he published an expanded, larger-format book, with a modified title to "Collector's Guide to The National Geographic Magazine"; this book was hardcover, with a darker brown slipcase; pgs. Note that this volume increased the listing of "Best Special Numbers" to 69 issues total; and at 190 total pages.

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Due to a substantial increase in Society activities, book publishing, and such, he issued an expanded & updated volume in 1962 -- merely 6 years later, w/ the same title - 2nd Edition. This was in black cloth hardcover with a beige/taupe colored slipcase, at 328 pages, doubling his 1956 volume. FYI: this was the first edition of his collecting guide where his "best special numbers" totaled to a 'Top 100' issues list. 

Note: for this volume, Dr. Buxbaum dedicated it to Dr. Gilbert H. Grosvenor, while in the Preface, he particularly calls out Merle Severy, James M. Darley, Melville Bell Grosvenor, and Leonard J. Grant for all their graciousness & assistance in preparing the book. 

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Then, again but 9 years later, he published the 3rd --and final-- edition of "Collector's Guide to The National Geographic Magazine"; c. 1971. This was the largest volume yet, both in page-qty. and dimensional size. It was issued in blue cloth w/ a salmon slipcase, w/ 390 pgs. This edition also contained his 'Top 100 Best Special Numbers' list (second version).

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Contents page to his first 1971 //  3rd edition:

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On a personal note, I cannot overstate how valuable the 1971 3rd edition was to me in my wee-early days of delving into the world (or, "rabbit-hole" ?) of my Nat Geo hobby & collecting. I learned so much, and thanks 100% to Mr. Doug Wolters for referring me to this resource, which I found on eBay immediately upon his recommendation and I devoured it as soon as I had it in my hot little hands, ha-ha. 

Some years later, out of curiosity (and wanting to compare the original version), I procured the 1935 guide Buxbaum published; what a difference 36 years made in the world of collecting AND the output of the Society, gee-whiz! Then I came upon a good-condition, cheap copy of the 1956 volume, so I bought it just for fun. I never got around to buying the 1962 edition . . . but alas, when my friend here, the late Mr. Philip Riviere passed away in fall 2018, I inherited his 1962 copy and have kept it since. It serves as a memento of Phil, as well as completes my full set of all 4 Buxbaum guidebooks. 

~  ~  ~

And finally, the inspiration for this post is thus: Back during the start of COVID in spring 2020, I was having a little fun doing some collating (call me O.C.D. and bored, I guess!), and thus I created & structured an Excel file document, where I made a (columned) compare + contrast of the 4 versions of Edwin Buxbaum's "best special numbers". I color-coded and/or shaded where an NGM issue showed up only once, or on 2, 3, or all 4 lists. It becomes obvious once you start looking at it [Tab #2]. 

Tab # 1 simply denotes the 4 editions, w/ info. on the year/date issued, page-qty.'s, and size of the volume(s). Tab #3 highlights 3 glaring omissions that I found (I won't spoil the surprise here, look for yourself.). 

Lastly, Tab #4 is my own take on an "updated" list. Buxbaum's 1971 list is now, in 2026, Fifty-Five years old: [e.g., out-of-date]. So, in honor of this being the Society's 138th year in 2026, I have added on a further 38-qty. NGM issues to this list, picking up exactly where Dr. Buxbaum's final list leaves off, w/ his March 1970 issue so indicated.

Naturally, my choices are 100% subjective, and anyone is free to disagree or suggest their own add-on's. But, if you do peruse carefully, I believe you will see that I tried to keep within the "spirit" of criteria that Buxbaum himself was using each time (1935, 1956, 1962, 1970).

I tried to pick issues that were extra "important", or single-topic, special-occasion issues, or something that is/was ahead of its time, perhaps then-groundbreaking. 1 or 2 of them you may find off-putting or controversial, yet I felt that they stood out among the proverbial crowd. 

When I first created this document w/ my new "Scott's picks" in April 2020, I made it as the 'Top 125 Best Issues' but since it has now taken me 6 years to share this, I pushed it to "The 138 Best Special (Important) Numbers". 

So, please look at the attached Excel doc. titled "Scott S's evaluation of Buxbaum guides + compare-contrast ~ w. new 'Top 138' Best Issues

    Yours, 

           - - Scott S. 

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P>S>

*** I would also like to now give an honorable & grateful mention also to the late Roger Nathan, for his exemplary Collector's Guide he published in 1982; it took a different approach to Buxbaum's style + format, and is beyond useful as a resource of lasting value [...of course I have one!]. 

Then, there is also the late Don Smith, who lovingly collated several self-made and printed guides in several year-dated editions, of which I have 2 versions. The effort he made, and the affection he had for all things Society and The Magazine, is quite palpable***

>>> I have a .PDF copy of Roger Nathan's c. 1982 "Collectibles of the National Geographic Society" available. 

I also have a .PDF copy of a basic-formatted list of E. Buxbaum's c. 1971 "Top 100 Best Issues" list.

[Scott T. Shier]

* group image, full set of E. Buxbaum guides ---> 

[Richard Kennedy]

The third edition (1971) of Collector's Guide to the National Geographic Magazine was also issued in a deluxe, limited edition of 50 copies, also with a slipcover.

[Scott T. Shier]

Lovely copy edition! Thanks for the photos; I had heard there was such a deluxe copy but never saw one. 

- Scott

[Melvin L. De Vilbiss]

Well done Scott - enjoyed this article very much!

Trivia question: Who was the person to whom Buxbaum dedicated his 1972 edition?

Not sure why, but it took my browser three attempts to finally open " Sott S's evaluation, et al." It did finally open.

Key point: These gentlemen are giants in the field of collecting NGM's and documenting said collections. However, there are "a few" discrepancies. Especially when comparing Nathan's inventory lists with Buxbaum's narratives, they sometimes disagreed with one another, or sometimes they "both" got it wrong.

All things considered, two men manually documenting the thousands of items within the National Geographic inventory performed herculean work giving us all a wonderful start at collecting. However, verify their work and experience the joy of discovery that even the grandmasters failed to discover.

Again, well done, Scott!

[Scott T. Shier]

Mel, 

Dr. Buxbuam dedicated his final 1971 edition to his cherished wife, Jeanne, who he had mentioned previously as a rock of support & love. I need to double-check if there's a 1935 dedication (I do not think there was, nor the 1956 edition). 

Yes they both had some errors, but I take into account the timing; pre-everything computerized. often this stuff was not catalogued & organized at all -- indeed Nathan and Buxbaum influenced the Society into getting dedicated staff to catalogue and document all such, and they were working from scratch basically -- especially Buxbaum (he had no other prior person's references to use as a starting point, etc.). 

Did you see anything interesting in my list of columned-ed comparisons of his 4 lists over time? I am still baffled how April 1913 & April 1916 did not make his lists in the first place! 

Query: when was the las time you opened your NGM's from mailing, and looked/read one? LOL. (still on "boycott"?)

[Melvin L. De Vilbiss]

June 2013

[Scott T. Shier]

ha-ha

[George Thomas Wilson]

Excellent writeup as always, Scott. (^_^)

Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't the Nat Geo dealer, John Carey, acquire at least part of Buxbaum's collection?  I like to think that at least a few of the items I bought from him were from Dr. Ed's set.

[Scott T. Shier]

Yes, I believe from talking with John in the past he did get a chunk of Buxbaum's holdings from the Widow Mrs. Buxbaum. He, Bill Cole, Paul Crist, and I think Charles Gannon also obtained pieces of the Dr. Lew Begley collections as well.