Washington 2006 catalog

I picked up my copy of the Washington 2006 show catalog at the D.C. Covention Center yesterday. The show doesn't open until today but I was there to help set up and work in the Press Room.

The 336-page catalog is not only loaded with information about the show, its organizers, and exhibits; but comes with three souvenir sheets (shown on the left) from the Marshall Islands, Sierra Leone and Liberia.

One of the things I especially liked about the $20 catalog (besides the souvenir sheets) is the 20-page inside spread that traces the history of written communication. It's illustrated with some great photos of selected items from the "Historical Archive" of the Bolaffi Company.

It starts with the world's first cover from 2100 - 2000 B.C. and ends with a 2002 cover carried by pilot Steve Fossett on his around the world balloon flight.

Besides 'philately', Bollaffi also deals in 'philography.'

If you're not quite sure what 'philography' is, click here.