Search Engine Hints

The Kaufmann retail database is categorized by Scott Catalogue number as well as some of the more popular collecting areas such as provisionals, handstamped paids, soldiers' dues, patriotics, and the like. This is very handy if you collect only lithograved issues or prisoner-of-war covers, for example. It is not as helpful if you collect only a specific town or state. Unfortunately, no categoried stock can be everything to everyone. The search results will take you to the page, but not the exact item. You will still have to scan the descriptions/images for the specific item.

The search engine function will help you find what you are looking for more easily. Warning: When the new window opens with your results, you need to use the "back" button on your browser to return to the Website. If you close the window with the "x", you will leave the site. If you've opened a new window to find the category of your choice, go back to the retail site to find the search engine.

In the drop down box under the search box are three choices 1) Find ANY word, 2) Find ALL words, 3) Find EXACT PHRASE.

Quotation Marks can be used in this search engine. All the items within the quotes are interpreted as an "Exact Phrase". This can be very useful in forming detailed limited search strings using the "Find ALL words" option. If using quotation marks, DO NOT USE the "Find EXACT PHRASE" option.

One Word Searches: This is the easiest and most popular way to use the search engine. Just type in your one word name or description and see what happens. Some examples of one word searches are:

adversity -- Lists all the Adversity Covers currently in the database.
wallpaper -- Lists all the Wallpaper Covers currently in the database.
turned -- Lists all the Turned Covers currently in the database.
patriotic -- Lists all the Patriotic related items currently in the database.
maury -- Lists all the items currently in the database related to/from the "Maury" family.
lee -- Lists all the items currently in the database related to Robert E. Lee or any Lee, for that matter.
navy -- Lists all the Navy covers in the database.
letter -- Lists covers which have the original enclosures. Using "letters" with the "s" will produce no results.
"overpaid drop" -- a single phrase enclosed in quotes is treated as a one word search.

City or Town Search:- The easiest way to do a city or town search is simply to enter the one word name. This will bring up all items associated with that city or town in either the postmark or the address.

savannah -- Lists all items referring to Savannah in either the postmark or the address.
san antonio or "san antonio" -- For cities or towns with more than one word in the name, use the "Find EXACT PHRASE" option or use quotation marks just for the city or town name.

Military Unit Search:- Military units in the descriptions are usually abbreviated. Your best chance of success in searching for a military unit related cover is to use the following formats, but it make take some trial and error.

"1st NC" with the "Find EXACT PHRASE" option or with quotation marks may produce nothing, but "1st N.C." with the "Find EXACT PHRASE" may score a hit. The best chance for a successful search is to use the number designation (1st, 2nd, 3rd, 24th, etc) and a state abbreviation only (ala, ark, fla, ga or geo, ky, la, miss, nc, sc, ten, tex, va). If the state abbreviation produces no results, then try typing out the name of the state in full.

Combination Search: One of the big advantages to a search engine is that detailed searches can be constructed so that you will only look at specific items instead of browsing the entire database. Search strings seem to work best when used with quotation marks and the "Find ALL words" option.

"CSA #11" charleston -- when used with "Find ANY word", this may return 38 documents, yet when the same thing is entered with "Find ALL words", it may return only one document, more quickly narrowing your search. By the same token, if you add cover to the search critieria, i.e., "CSA #11" charleston cover, you will eliminate all off-cover Charleston canceled stamps, if that is your aim.

Play around, experiment and enjoy!