Micelle Spalding wrote:
> ...I would love to hear feedback on a
> specific subject: Group or individual
> opinion on custom (commercial) stamps vs.
> hand-carved original stamps in letterboxes.
> I truly understand the value and aesthetic
> appeal of hand-carved stamps (and plan to
> do my own carvings), but... there is
> discussion here about box vandalism,
> and so I cringe at the thought of
> spending hours on a stamp only to
> have it swiped or destroyed.

I think to date we are only certain of two
or three incidents of vandalism and I think
we have concluded that two of those were
due to the boxes being out in the open.
So I don't know that this is a huge problem.

Nonetheless, its a valid concern and I'm
glad you are offering suggestions.

> I guess
> my question is: since many people
> prize collecting original stampings,
> would it lessen the experience to
> have a commercially-made COPY of the
> original carving in the box?

I don't think it would lessen the experience
for most. Some people like viewing the stamp
right up front on the web page. A while back
we had all kinds of creative suggestions to
deal with this issue, even a suggestion to
just leave a note in the box with instructions
on who to contact to get the stamp image.

We did have one suggestion that was looked upon
with very much disdain -- that was the infamous
and dreaded "cyberbox". It would have been a
code which you could use at a website to get a
virtual stamp image. I can see why this one
went over especially poorly with the artists,
those who value the sensual experience of seeing
the work close up.

> On a personal note, due to my recent disability,
> I will likely be unable to access many
> letterboxes that are located in excessively
> rough terrain... at least for a while.
> If any of you are actively planting boxes
> around here and there, I would love see
> clues indicate those boxes that are easily
> accessible. Thank you to the clue-givers that
> are descriptive about the level of terrain
> difficulty in your clues.

Michelle, our input form will have a place for
this bit of information. All agreed, I think,
that this was a very good idea.

BTW, the input form currently being suggested is
http://www.pclink.com/elf/testform.htm

Thank you for your constructive comments and again,
welcome to our group.

Dan

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