signalhistory1960-1969.htm

SIGNAL HISTORY 1960-1969

1960

Seven pages in 1960, and I received some 500 letters from the readers...


SIGNAL issue 1, 1960
- b&w mimeographed ad sheet
- 1.000 circulation
- 1 page, 210x355 mm
- 30 penpals, collectors
texts: manual typewriter



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SIGNAL issue 2, 1960
- b&w mimeographed ad sheet
- 1.000 circulation
- 2 pages, 210x297 mm
- 37 penpals, collectors
texts: manual typewriter




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SIGNAL issue 3, 1960
- b&w mimeographed ad sheet
- 1.000 circulation
- 2 pages, 210x297 mm
- 37 penpals, collectors
texts: manual typewriter



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SIGNAL issue 4, 1960
- b&w mimeographed ad sheet
- 1.000 circulation
- 2 pages, 210x297 mm
- 35 penpals, collectors
texts: manual typewriter



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I started keeping records of the incoming mail in August 1960, wrote down the name of the sender and the country from each letter received... In 1960 I received some 500 letters.
This is real "penpal publishing history" indeed ! - SIGNAL, Raimo Kaarna, the publisher

* MAIL ORDER MAGAZINES: I received the first copies of the Luft Press USA back in 1960, soon after starting publishing my own Signal. Got mail from Herman P Luft in Hermansville Michigan on August 27 60, Sept 23 60, Nov 11 60, Apr 4 61, April 13 61, etc. He sent me his letter press printed 6x9's magazines, 16-32 pages on paper stock of different colors, several issues, possibly using also the name "Mail Order Booster" or "Mail Order Rooster"...
* Other famous mail order papers in 1960-61 were for instance "I.M.O.B." from Ceylon, (=International Mail Order Bulletin, ten 9x11" pages, letterpress, on green paper); "Gazette Salesman" (small tabloid, letterpress, 8 pages) by William Shepiro USA; "The Spectator" (6x9" letterpress, 4-8 pages, green paper) by John E Heenan USA...
* PENPAL & HOBBY MAGAZINES: The most famous co-publishable correspondence magazine was the "Western Heart" by Donald Neal USA, established already in 1926, a fine glossy 16 page 6½x8½" offset magazine. John McGee was issueing the "Swap Bulletin", later the "Barter Bulletin", 2-page offset printed A4 ad sheet of philatelic exchange ads, I advertised and got fine results.
* PERSONAL PENFRIENDS AND SWAPPERS: Some of my personal penpals and collector friends in the 1960-61: Gina Mittag DDR, Judy Mann USA, Paul Small USA, Herbert John DDR, Anthony F Hogg USA working in the WHLM radio station - he sent me over 1.000 45rpm records - not for sale disc jockey copies in exchange for postage stamps.

1961

In 1961 the Signal contained 16 pages - I received 637 letters from the readers...

larger photo
SIGNAL issue 5, 1961
- offset printed in USA, blue paper
- 1.000 circulation
- 4 pages, 90x155 mm
- 27 penpals, collectors, mail order
texts: varityper



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larger photo
SIGNAL issue 6, 1961
- b&w offset printed in Finland
- 1.000 circulation
- 4 pages, 105x205 mm
- 27 penpals, collectors, mail order
texts: electric typewriter




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larger photo
SIGNAL issue 7, 1961
- b&w offset
- 1.000 circulation
- 4 pages, 148x210 mm
- 70 penpals, collectors, mail order
texts: manual typewriter


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larger photo
SIGNAL issue 8, 1961
- b&w offset
- 1.000 circulation
- 4 pages, 148x210 mm
- 60 penpals, collectors, mail order
texts: manual typewriter


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In 1961 I received 637 letters from Signal-readers... Some of the mail described below.
* MAIL ORDER MAGAZINES: Quarter Advertiser USA, 2-page letter press printed 6x9 ad sheet by Paul Wilson, later publishing also the Popular Advertiser, 6x9 letterpress printed magazine, usually 12-32 pages, co-publishable, on colored paper stock; Mail Order Herald by G S Strong Canada; Popular Leisure Magazine USA, Mail Advertiser Magazine, later called International Trade Advertiser, England, by Victor Norris, 6x9 letter press paper, 16-24 pages, 30.000 circulation; Adventure Studios USA; The McGlone Press USA was specializing in printing 3x6 circulars in 5.000 lots only - I ordered a few sets for the Signal
* PENPAL & HOBBY MAGAZINES: Myer's Hobby Exchange USA by J Myers; World Wide Stamp & Hobby Club by L Hoffman Canada; The Flying Dutchman Holland; Tait Rendall Scotland; AABSA Spain; Patsales Australia: EXON-club Sweden; Rudolph Kunau West Germany
* PERSONAL PENFRIENDS AND SWAPPERS: Chaw Mank USA, a filmstar expert and publisher; Jagdish Bhatt South Africa, Jay Stumpf USA - wrote to me again a few years ago; John Muir England; Paul Small USA swapped phono records into stamps.

1962

- In 1962 the Signal contained 12 pages and I received 1064 letters

larger photo
SIGNAL issue 9, 1962
- offset, pink paper, blue texts
- 2.500 circulation
- 4 pages, 148x210 mm
- 60 penpals, collectors, mail order
texts: manual typewriter


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larger photo
SIGNAL issue 10, 1962
- offset, orange paper, black texts
- 2.500 circulation
- 4 pages, 148x210 mm
- 80 penpals, collectors, mail order
texts: manual typewriter


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larger photo
SIGNAL issue 11, 1962
- offset, green paper, black texts
- 4.000 circulation
- 4 pages, 148x210 mm
- 90 penpals, collectors, mail order
texts: manual typewriter


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In 1962 I received 1064 letters from Signal-readers... Some of the most active traders, magazines, publishers, penpals mentioned below.
* MAIL ORDER MAGAZINES: Windy City Adlets USA 3x6", 5000 circulation; The Concord Economy Ads USA, 6x9", 5000 circulation; Tabloid American USA by Roy Lindberg - real giant among the Mail Order publications, 16-32 offset printed tabloid pages; full page story about the Signal in Aug 1962 issue, bankruptcy after a few issues; Hamilton's Enterprises USA; Progressive Sales USA letterpress printed 6x9 mail order magazine; Sheill USA; Dannington Corporation Ceylon; Tip-Top Classifieds USA; Marconi Publishing Co USA; Robert Thompson in Australia sold Big Mail parcels; Haymes Publications USA; Salesman's Opportunity USA; Radar Poland state's tourism magazine; Bagby USA; Small World Monthly USA; Other Scenes USA by John Wilcocx, underground tabloid; Hamon's Co-Operative Bulletin, Canada, 4-page 6x9 letterpress magazine, publisher J A Hamon; Made in Europe Germany, giant export-import catalog, 500+ multicolor pages;
* PENPAL & HOBBY MAGAZINES: Amity Japan, 52 page magazine, 12.000 circulation; Peri-Posta New Zealand by John Bilbrough, 2.000 circulation; Jo's Mail Hobby Exchange USA by Jo Stetzt, A4 size 4-page offset paper; Afrika Club South Africa; World Wide USA, well printed 6x9 offset magazine and separate Penny Adlets ad sheet; Latin Phila Peru, 10x14", 8 pages, 5000 circulation; National Stamp News and Linn's Weekly Stamp News USA; Stamp Exchange Canada; Hermes Korrespondenz Germany by Rudolph Kunau, over 1.000 penpals, 5x8 offset magazine; La Garrozza di Posta USA; Interpost W Germany; Phoenix Stamp Exchange Club Tangayika, now Tanzania; Minimag Denmark by Selbert; Coopmans Belgium; Albert Ellul Malta;
* PERSONAL PENFRIENDS AND SWAPPERS: Pius Gunawardena Ceylon i.e. Sri Lanka; Kuo Wei Yong in Indonesia collected and exchanged stamps in large lots and was selling Bali carvings worldwide. I still have wooden and bone statues from him...

1963

In 1963 the Signal contained 8 pages and I received 1251 letters

larger photo
SIGNAL issue 12, 1963
- offset, orange paper, black texts
- 5.000 circulation
- 4 pages, 148x210 mm
- 100 penpals, collectors, mail order
texts: manual typewriter



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larger photo
SIGNAL issue 13, 1963
- offset, white paper, black texts
- 5.000 circulation
- 4 pages, 148x210 mm
- 100 penpals, the first photos, collectors, mail order
texts: manual typewriter


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In 1963 I received 1251 letters from Signal-readers... Some of the most active traders, magazines, publishers, penpals mentioned below.
* MAIL ORDER TRADERS AND MAGAZINES: Popular Talisman Bulletin USA by The H L Lockwood & Co; Brewster Sales USA was selling pocket rubber stamps, gummed name & address labels, letterheads etc - I ordered several items from them; Volz Enterprises USA was publishing trade catalogues; Northwest Service USA published export-import directories; The Mail Trade Enterprise USA; Cosmopolitan USA; World Wide Trade Service USA; J C Zastrow USA was publishing mail order books, went into bankruptcy later; The Voice Press USA; Gazette Salesman USA; Ambassador Record Corporation USA - I bought some 50 LPs from them; Trade Channel Holland, great 32-64 page export-impor tabloid; Fred Easton England took over Victor Norris's International Mail Advertiser magazine
* PENPAL & HOBBY MAGAZINES: Eureka Italy; Belphila Belgium; Kontakt Holland; Unico Contact Hobby Bulletin USA, Bud West; The Label Advertiser England; Iberia Cultural Filatelica Spain; Internationaler Briefclub W Germany; Free World Publications USA; Il Collezionista Italy; Die Silberdistel W Germany; Ngan Kay Chee Macau; Lou's Adventure News Spain
* PERSONAL PENFRIENDS AND SWAPPERS: D Turnbull USA; G Boswell-Cumming England; Comparini Cesare Italy; Donald Kinver England; Al Smith USA

1964

In 1964 the Signals contained in all 12 pages

larger photo
SIGNAL issue 14, 1964
- offset, white paper, black texts
- 10.000 circulation, 19 co-publishers abroad
- 8 pages, 170x225 mm
- 200 penpals, collectors, mail order
texts: manual typewriter


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larger photo
SIGNAL issue 15, 1964
- mimeographed paper, electric stencils
- 1.000 circulation
- 4 pages, 148x210 mm
- 50 penpals, collectors, mail order
texts: manual typewriter


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In 1964 I received mail for instance from these traders, magazines, publishers, penpals:
* MAIL ORDER TRADERS AND MAGAZINES: D Epifan Publications USA, 6x9 letterpress papers; New Opportunity Advertiser Australia, Robert Thompson;
* PENPAL & HOBBY MAGAZINES: Southern Readers Circulation India; Fila-Friend Sweden; International Penfriends Directory India, Sarvahit Sadan; Stardust England, Jimmy James, 24 pages; Columba W Germany, G Risch-Verlag, 1000 penpals, 200 photos; ABA Hobby Advertiser Hungary; Venus International India;

1965

In 1965 the Signals contained 24 pages and I received 1897 letters from the readers.

larger photo
SIGNAL issue 16, 1965
- offset, yellow paper, black texts
- 5.000 circulation
- 4 pages, 160x225 mm
- 70 penpals, collectors, mail order
texts: manual typewriter


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larger photo
SIGNAL issue 17, 1965
- mimeographing, red/white paper, black texts
- 1.000 circulation
- 20 pages, 210x297 mm
- 250 penpals, collectors, mail order
texts: manual typewriter


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In 1965 I received 1897 letters from Signal-readers... Some of the most active traders, magazines, publishers, penpals mentioned below.
* MAIL ORDER TRADERS AND MAGAZINES: Mail Sale Advertiser USA by Vanroy W Shirk was the greatest mail order magazine available for co-publishers, 6x9, 24-48 pages; Timely Tips USA was the second, 6x9, 16-32 pages, co-publishable; Popular Advertiser USA, by Paul Wilson, 6x9, 16-32 pages, was the third large mail order magazine - and I bought copies these three magazines for resale worldwide. Harry Wood USA had different system, one could buy copies of "My Own Advertiser" from him - Harry was printing several different 3x6 and 6x9 ad sheets in two colors for other traders, with their own Title under their own name. Mandarin Mail Order Int'l Hong Kong; Big Sale Advertiser Canada; Feldman USA; Ralph Kelly USA; Share USA; Popular Mail Canada; Mail World Opportunities USA by Jerry D Stokes, offset printed 6x9 mail order magazine on yellow paper, 4-12 pages; National Photostamps USA - I sold hundreds of sheets of postage stamp size photostamps in Finland on dropship basis; Afrasian Markets India, export-import magazine; Justice Weekly Canada; Reliable Wholesale Distributors USA issued 64-page mail sales catalogue; Prairie Publishing House USA; World Traders Digest Canada;
* PENPAL & HOBBY MAGAZINES: Kelly-Williams USA was issuing the Cupid's Destiny magazine, 9x12, glossy paper, copublishable - I bought them for resale like the Western Heart, too; Paz y Amistad Spain; Telstar Canada; Club Intercontinental Mexico; CCC Spain; Alhambra Spain, B5-size philatelic magazine, 16-24 pages; The Corydon Insider USA;
* PERSONAL PENFRIENDS AND SWAPPERS: Joseph Briffa Malta; Volinski USA was an artist, his drawings were issued in the Signal;

1966

44 pages in 1966, and I received some 2003 letters from the readers...

larger photo
SIGNAL issue 18, 1966
- mimeographing, white paper, red & black texts
- 1.000 circulation
- 20 pages, 210x297 mm
- 400 penpals, collectors, mail order
texts: manual typewriter


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larger photo
SIGNAL issue 19, 1966
- mimeographing, black texts
- 1.000 circulation
- 24 pages, 148x210 mm
- 250 penpals, collectors, mail order
texts: manual typewriter


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In 1966 I received 2006 letters from Signal-readers... Some of the most active traders, magazines, publishers, penpals mentioned below.
* MAIL ORDER TRADERS AND MAGAZINES: Progressive Mail Trade USA, 6x9 letterpress, 12-24 pages, co-publishable, publisher Sheboygan Publishing Co.;
* PENPAL & HOBBY MAGAZINES:
* PERSONAL PENFRIENDS AND SWAPPERS:

1967

112 pages in 1967, and I received some 2361 letters from the readers...

larger photo
SIGNAL issue 20, 1967
- mimeographing, white paper, black & red texts
- 2.000 circulation
- 40 pages, 148x210 mm
- 450 penpals, collectors, mail order
texts: manual typewriter


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larger photo
SIGNAL issue 21, 1967 - unitedclubs edition
- mimeographing, white & yellow paper, black texts
- 2.000 circulation
- 28 pages, 148x210 mm
- 1500 penpalsclubs addresses
texts: manual typewriter


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larger photo
SIGNAL issue 22, 1967
- 16 pages offset, 5.000 copies
- 28 pages mimeographed, 2.000 copies
- 44 pages in all, 148x210 mm
- 500 penpals, collectors, mail order
texts: manual typewriter


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1968

88 pages in 1968, and I received some 3045 letters from the readers...

larger photo
SIGNAL issue 23, 1968
- 56 pages, b&w sheet offset/mimeographed
- page size 148x210 mm
- 500 penpals, collectors, mail order
texts: manual typewriter


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SIGNAL issue 24, 1968
- web offset, 10.000 copies
- 32 pages, 140x210 mm
- 450 advertisements:
penpals, collectors, mail order
texts: manual typewriter


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1969

- in 1969 48 pages

larger photo
SIGNAL issue 25, 1969
- web offset, 10.000 copies
- 24 pages, 215x285 mm
- 500 ads: penpals and photos, collectors, mail order
texts: manual typewriter


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larger photo
SIGNAL issue 26, 1969
- web offset, 10.000 copies
- 24 pages, 215x285 mm
- 500 ads: penpals and photos, collectors, mail order
texts: manual typewriter


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The front cover pages of the Signal penpal magazine - 1960-1969 - 1970-1979 - 1980-1989 - 1990-1999 - 2000-2008