The Definitive Postage Stamps of Sweden 1920-1938, XpoNAT X by Ross V. Olson. 178 pages, 8 ¼ by 11 ¾ inches, perfect bound, card covers, plus CD version, both in English, Swedish Philatelic Federation, Skillingaryd, Sweden, 2010. 425 SEK plus shipping from Sveriges Filatelist-Förbund, Box 91, 56822 Skillingaryd, Sweden.

            The XpoNAT series of books and compact discs brings to viewers some of the outstanding exhibits built by collectors over many years of acquisition and research. The books are essentially scans of these exhibits, thus capturing the important write-ups for each item that are frequently lost when exhibits are dispersed and sold.

            This exhibit of the definitive issues of Sweden from 1920 to 1938 was built by Olson over many years, and despite the fact that he resides in the United States, not Sweden. As with most traditional exhibits this collection begins with essays and proofs followed by production details such as plate markings, cracked plates, types of paper, varieties, and commercial use on covers. Coil and booklet formats are shown as well as some perfins.

            The uses include very challenging destinations and interrupted mail examples. The text is in English as Olson prepared it and the quality of the scans is excellent. The CD version is simply the entire exhibit in .jpg format.

The Medallion Definitives 1910-1919, XpoNAT XI by Ross V. Olson. 136 pages, 8 ¼ by 12 ¾ perfect bound, card covers, plus CD version, both in English, Swedish Philatelic Federation, Skillingaryd, Sweden, 2010. 425 SEK plus shipping from Sveriges Filatelist-Förbund, Box 91, 56822 Skillingaryd, Sweden.

            This is another exhibit by Ross Olson covering the 1910-1919 definitives of Sweden known as the medallion design. The approach is the same as the previous book beginning with essays and proofs followed by production, specimens, perfins, coil and booklet formats, and wonderful uses on covers, postal stationery, parcel cards, and a number of unusual documents. The 1918 surcharged issues are also shown. Again the book appears on the CD version.

            More and more exhibits are being recorded for reference purposes and placed in libraries and on web sites for easy access to those who wish to study them. It is a great service to the hobby that these methods are preserving the research of collectors who have spent years in collecting and analyzing their materials. Thanks go to all the organizations that helped produce these XpoNAT materials including the Swedish Philatelic Federation, the Postiljonen auction firm, and the FACIT catalog company. As noted, these are the tenth and eleventh booklets in this exhibit series.

Alan Warren