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SOME TIPS IN USING THIS SITE
SEARCHING
To assist users of this site in their searching capabilities, the following tips are provided. There are in fact two main search engines on this site:
1. Explorer search
This engine will find the name of the explorer as it appears anywhere on the site other than in the Table of Listings that are under each separate explorer’s “home page”. In other words, if you search for a particular explorer name, the results will return the following:
(a) the named explorer’s “home page”;
(b) any articles or exhibits in which the explorer’s name appears.
Please note that you must use the special diacritic (eg. é = Alt 0233) if the explorer’s name is usually spelt in that fashion. You can copy and paste these special characters from a Word file that is provided as a resource on the main Search page. If you are merely looking for an explorer’s “home page”, the easiest way to do this is to simply use the Alpha Index found on the World Explorers page. If you select the letter of the alphabet in which your explorer belongs, you will get a complete list of all the explorers whose names commence with that letter. Finally, it may be a generic theme that you are searching on in the exhibits and articles (not necessarily an explorer). For instance, if you were searching for Maori, any match in the articles and exhibits would also be returned.
2. Searching within the Table of Listings of an individual explorer’s “home page”
This search engine is accessed only once you are at an individual explorer’s “home page”. As such, you have automatically narrowed your search to items that relate to this explorer. Every collector will have a different interest. Some helpful search parameters may be:
(a) p: (this will return all philatelic material currently listed for this explorer);
(b) p:fdc (this will return all First Day Covers currently listed for this explorer).
NB: All FDC listings only use Scott numbers to reference the stamp. Also, if the stamp issue is se-tenant, the “first” catalogue number will be the only one used in full in the listing – this aides in using the search function;
(c) p:s (this will return all stamps currently listed for the explorer – note that miniature sheets have a separate code, so will need to be separately searched)
NB: Scott numbers are the primary catalogue numbers used, however Gibbons and Michel numbers will be added over time;
(d) n: (this will return all numismatic material currently listed for the explorer);
(e) e: (this will return all ephemera currently listed for the explorer);
(f) If you wanted to search for one specific stamp listing (eg. the 1978 USA stamp issue for Cook), the best way to search is to enter 1732. This will return all the material on the site with this Scott catalogue number (including all covers, postmarks, etc.). Note if you searched on 1733 you would only return the single stamp (as all covers etc. are listed under 1732).;
(g) If you wanted to search for one publisher, enter the name of the publisher. For example Elwood Etter while at the James Cook “home page” will return all the Etter covers;
(h) As you can also change the sort order of your page (the primary default order is date of issue), you should then be able to quickly find what you are looking for. For example if you wanted the Canada issues relating to Elwood Etter, search using Etter, then sort by Country, and all the Canada issues will be grouped together.
GENERAL
Please note that all of the world’s indigenous peoples are listed under one listing on this site. You will find Eskimos, Maoris, Australian aborigines, etc. all listed under the letter “I” in the alpha index, in the general grouping of INDIGENOUS peoples. Some indigenous persons are listed by their name if they are individually important (eg. Omai). You can search for the specific race of indigenous people under the Table of Listings for INDIGENOUS peoples (eg. Eskimo). Also note that there are some other groupings of this type. For instance, persons associated with the voyage of the Mayflower are all listed under PILGRIM FATHERS. Further, exploration collectables of a "generic" nature which cannot be said to be related to a specific explorer, are listed under GENERIC exploration.
A ship index is also available in the articles section. Note that much work still needs to be done on this. It will be available in PDF format shortly. Further, under articles, cards will be progressively indexed by publisher to aid in research. One example is presently listed.
Prominent artists on the voyages of Captain James Cook have their own “home pages” and Table of Listings. This enables all artwork relating to these artists to be grouped together. For the time being, this will only be done for the artists of Captain James Cook. Listings will also be under James Cook as well as the said artist.
If you are at an individual explorer’s “home page”, you will see links to other explorers with which they have traveled or had other direct involvement or influence. You can therefore expand on the material that may interest you by following the link to these other explorers’ “home pages”.
This site is really a “Master Catalogue” of exploration collectables. If you have a particular interest, perform an appropriate search, and then print the listing. You will have printed for yourself all the images in thumb size, and the full information relating to that listing. This provides a useful hard copy for your own records. Alternatively, you can export the file as a csv, and save as a spreadsheet. By doing this, you can combine several search results, and make a database for yourself in the required format.
Again, have patience in the knowledge that one person is attempting to bring all this together, so priorities must be set and a balance achieved! It will take a few years to really get this site to where it needs to be. The few persons who have offered help to date, have not followed up after learning how difficult the job really is!!
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