Inveterate Collector Seeks Pen Pals

The Los Angeles metropolitan area arguably has more collectors--enthusiastic ones!--per square foot than just about any other region. This is no idle boast. It’s reflected in the letters we receive.

A recent missive, for example, from Chuck Edwards (8131 E. Topia St., Long Beach 90808; (213) 598-7252), asks: “Whom can I turn to? Have authentic Chinese books, magazines and other (art) collectibles. Cannot find someone who can evaluate them, so I can sell them and complete my U.S. stamp collection.”

As it turns out, Edwards is an inveterate collector who, during 42 years as a journalist in a number of cities, has accumulated an eclectic collection that also includes posters of Marilyn Monroe and Superman, railroad collectibles, 1984 Los Angeles Olympic collectibles, sheet music, 78-rpm records dating to World War I, and more.

“If you find anyone with interest in some or all of the above, please give them my number and/or address,” he said.

To satisfy the needs of some of our Southland collectors, Compu-Quote, a San Fernando Valley computer software firm, reports that it has developed software for collectors. Among its programs is software for comic-book and baseball-card collectors.

For example, its new comic book program, called ComicKeeper, allows collectors to inventory and evaluate collections by means of a database. According to a brochure, information includes “all of the Super Hero titles produced between 1955 and 1977”; covers for more than 7,000 issues; current retail prices based on condition, and artist credits.

The company says its new program, Vol. 1, is available for IBM users for $95. Its address: 6914 Berquist Ave., Canoga Park 91307; telephone (818) 348-3662.

Still more letters: Collector and author Ed Kobak Jr. of Santa Monica, responding to a recent inquiry about the name of a license plate-collecting club, came up with a couple of organizations: the Automobile License Plate Collectors Assn., P.O. Box 712, Weston, W.Va. 26452 (founded in 1954), with about 2,000 members and a bimonthly newsletter; and the European Registration Plate Assn., Plas Rheged, Creech Street Michael, Taunton, Somerset TA3 5NX England, a club founded in 1972 that produces a quarterly publication.

Regarding another inquiry for a source on National Football League card sets, Kobak says the official NFL manufacturer, entitled to use the NFL logo, is Pro Set, 15303 Dallas Parkway, Suite 336, LB36, Dallas, Tex. 75248.

Additionally, Kobak calls attention to a major periodical that deals with sports hobbies: Sports Collectors Digest, 700 E. State St., Iola, Wis. 54990.

For his own part, Kobak publishes “The Sports Address Bible” (also titled “The Comprehensive Directory of Sports Addresses,” 1989-90, 4th edition, 345 pages, soft-cover, $12.95 by mail). Aside from listing addresses, telephone numbers and contact persons in a number of sports, it also includes listings for sports-card manufacturers, hobby periodicals, hobby mail-order houses, stores, shops and clubs. Kobak’s address: Global Sports Productions Ltd., 717 11th St., Santa Monica, Calif. 90402.

His telephone number is (213) 395-6533.

Allene Arthur of Palm Springs writes that she has “118 Los Angeles weekly street car/bus passes, dated 1944, ’45 and ’46. Many of them picture something timely--for example, the week of Sept. 22, 1946, shows the Coliseum’s fall football schedule.”

She wants to know if there’s any collector interest in the passes. Her address: 225 Avenida Palmera, No. 15, Palm Springs, Calif. 92264.