There are almost 270 members in Club of Anchor Friends (Club van Ankervrienden,
CVA), including 32 Americans. The CVA is growing, as
is attendance at the meeting. The last meeting had about 60 attendees. The CVA is now a 'majority German
speaking' club.
The CVA publishes a Newsletter (Mededelingenblad, MLB) four times a year. Although the MLB articles are written in the language of the author (Dutch, German, English -- we would welcome one in French) full English and German editions are available at no extra cost. The MLB always includes a "Buy and Sell" column.
Since 2004 the dues have been quoted euros, €. I have been advised that not all software displays the euro sign. Ebay has chosen the use EUR as an alternate. Perhaps I may have to use this solution also. The 2010 dues are € 45.- (Dutch), € 48.- (other countries), € 48.- (For all Americans, North and South, US$75, but the US$ is strengthening so lower dues are expected for 2011.) The plan for 2011 is € 45.- for everyone, due to the reduced cost of printing the MLB. American members receive an all English language version of the MLB, as to others who would prefer it to German or mixed languages. New members are always welcome. I am most gratified to note that the Internet has been getting new members for the CVA at the rate of about one per month.
The CVA holds its meetings twice a year, usually on the third or fourth Saturday of April and October. The last meeting was on Saturday, April 24, 2010. The date of the next meeting will be on Saturday, October 23, 2010. The location of the meeting is the Hotel Lapershoek in Hilversum, Netherlands. This location is working out quite well. The last several meetings have had record attendance (it seems to hold steady at 1/3rd of the total membership, though the last meeting had a few more), and there have been some auctions of very fine Anchor sets, stones and documentation. Only stones were auctioned in April, so some were not all that interested. I was able to buy a lot of unusual stones. While visitors are welcome, they are not permitted to bid on auction items.
The CVA also puts on exhibitions of Anchor products, including large Anchor block buildings. CVA members build the display models over the week preceding the opening.
The CVA has an Archive, which includes more than 2,000 original documents. Almost all information is on-line at cva.flying-cat.de. The CD-ROMs have been discontinued; download what you want. There is an Anker-Forum -- http://www.ankerstein.ch/forum/.
The CVA has published its Stone Catalog, which covers all of the stone shapes Richter made, plus shapes made by other innovators. Metal parts and most other accessories are included in the catalog. The contents of the sets are also listed. A preliminary printing of revision has been sent to all CVA members. These catalogs are in a loose-leaf format, so adding the updates is very easy. Suggestions, additions and corrections are being made. Pages with these changes will be available in 2011, at which time I expect to offer the catalog for sale on this web site. All Anchor people need, and will want, a copy. I have 5 copies here in the USA -- $50, including postage.
People interested in more information on the CVA can e-mail me, in the USA, write or e-mail the CVA's Secretary: Reijnold van der Poel, Postbus 262, 8500 AG Joure, Netherlands, 0513-416466. He is fluent in German, French and English, as well as his native Dutch.
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