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Postmarks and cancellations
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Boite Mobile postmark and other musings with stamps of French Madagascar
At least for the next month or two I'll be rehousing and adding up to African part of my worldwide stamp collection. As such I'd like to take the opportunity to showcase some of the more interesting pieces from countries that I'm currently working.
...(497 words,3 images, 0 comments)
Introduction to Belgian precancels
One of the unsung heroes of stamp collecting are Belgian precancels or 'preos' as called locally. Just like precancelled stamps of any country, these are common low face value definitive stamps which were pre-cancelled for bulk mail usage. The minimum quantity which had to be bought from the Post Office was 1000 copies. Due to nature of precancelled stamps, these are often times easily found and relatively cheap (though there are exceptions). The Belgian precancels are traditionally split to two types: locals and general issues.
...(989 words,15 images, 5 comments)
Malawi CANCELLED postage stamps
It is somewhat unusual that my research on something specific gets totally blocked, but so has happened with the the below Malawi stamps having CANCELLED marking. I have checked all my usual resources, and none of them even hints why such one line marking was used on postage stamps. I have got two such specimens (and one duplicate) in my collection, all dating mid 1970s. When trying to seek information, I ultimately went through both eBay and Delcampe listings for Malawi (closer to 10,000 items), only to learn that
...(364 words,3 images, 3 comments)
Some Chinese postage stamps - cancellation forgeries or something else?
These days stamps don't get me confused often, but the below Chinese stamps have done that. These are from the same lot as the Japanese Taxe Percue cut squares I wrote few weeks back. The stamps are ok, but the cancellations... I've got a nasty gut feeling I've landed with a pile of cancellation forgeries on common Chinese stamps.
...(206 words,3 images, 18 comments)
Taxe Percue postmark
Recently I acquired a small worldwide collection from dealer, and on back of the book section I found two square cut "BUREAU DE POSTE / SHIBA JAPON / TAXE PERCUE" postmarks. I remembered seeing similar items somewhere earlier, and after some Googling I found an answer.
...(120 words,1 images, 6 comments)
Czechoslovakian 1945/47 definitive postage stamp series: Portraits
In the past weeks I've been digging my way through the gigantic lot of of Czechoslovakian stamps I bought on start of the year. One of the most common designs in this mixture has been the 1945/47 definitive series displaying portraits of Czechoslovak independence movement key figures: Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk, Edvard Beneš and Milan Rastislav Štefánik.
...(555 words,4 images, 17 comments)
Finnish Parliamentery ballot cancellation
As Finland is having 2011 Parliamentary elections today, here is a bit of related philatelic cinderella: a ballot cancellation. Likely, this is the most commonly used “official document” cancellations in Finland. That said, it is one of the rarest ones too, as the election ballots, envelopes etc. sealed with this are destroyed afterwards.
...(84 words,1 images, 4 comments)
Misdated postal markings and a Finnish Zeppelin cover
Recently I’ve been asked several questions about Finnish stamps, so I decided to focus on topic and share some peculiar Finnish items from my collection.
...(303 words,3 images, 6 comments)
British Wilding stamps with Christmas Island BFPO postmark
Here's a bit of an oddball item that I've had for few years now. This cutout features 2x9d+3d British Wilding definitive stamps with BFPO (British Forces Post Office) Christmas Island postmark.
...(180 words,1 images, 10 comments)
A story of a dinosaur stamp
Here's an interesting dinosaur stamp from Canada. It's a 43c Massospondylus from the 1993 series of prehistoric animals. Whilst looking at the postmark on the item, I though I had found yet another freak to my "stranger in strange land" collection of stamps canceled in wrong countries. But I was way off.
...(136 words,1 images, 5 comments)
Demystifying CTO (Cancelled To Order) stamps
One of the requested topics for the blog entries has been CTO (Cancelled-to-order) stamps. As the recent post about East German definitive stamps showed several CTO-examples, I think this is an excellent time to demystify CTO.
...(821 words,5 images, 40 comments)
Giro Nacional cancels on Spanish postage stamps
Over the years, I have found several Spanish postage stamps with ‘Giro Nacional’ cancel. Today I learned that this marking is used only on money orders (a printed order for payment of a specified sum, issued by a bank or post office), and occasionally on telegraphs.
...(70 words,1 images, 2 comments)
Rural postmarks on Cyprus stamps
Rural postmarks seem to be somewhat "popular" amongst Cyprus (and British Commonwealth) collectors, but I admit knowing absolutely nothing about the topic besides owning few random items.
...(90 words,2 images, 3 comments)
US First Man on the Moon stamp
Do you remember the Swiss stamp cancelled in UK I showcased last month? Here is equally bizarre "accident" - a US airmail stamp cancelled in Germany.
...(136 words,1 images, 29 comments)
Introduction to United States Precancels
According to dictionary definition a precancel is any postage stamp, stamped stationery, or revenue stamp cancelled prior to affixing on mail matter or before being deposited at the post office which allows the item to bypass the usual canceling process. Precancels are used to expedite the large bulk mailings of permit holders. Classic US precancels can be put to two basic categories: Bureau precancels, which were printed and precancelled by Bureau of Engraving and Printing in Washington, DC, and local (or City-type) precancels, which were (usually) precancelled in the town they were used.
...(858 words,8 images, 20 comments)
The beauty of socked on the nose
Is there anything more beautifull than a socked on the nose (also known as SON or SOTN) cancel on a well engraved stamp? Feel free to decide yourself... ...(90 words,1 images, 5 comments)
Swiss T-cancels on postage stamps stand for postage due
In continuance of my exploration with Swiss stamps, I will be displaying Swiss stamps with T-cancel. The T-cancel was primarily used to collect postage due on covers, cards and other postal items. However, like always with my stories there is an interesting philatelic story with twists.
...(222 words,1 images, 0 comments)
Precancels on French stamps
To continue with last weeks theme with France, I'll be talking about precancels - or préoblitérés as French say - on French postage stamps. In short, a precancelled stamp is a stamp that has been cancelled before being affixed to mail. Precancels are typically used by mass mailers like newspapers and advertisers. The postal administration will typically offer an incentive in the form of a reduced price for precancelled stamps in volume.
...(258 words,3 images, 15 comments)
Beautiful Austria (Schönes Österreich) definitive postage stamp with strange cancel
I think most worldwide collectors are very familiar with Austrian “Beautiful Austria” (Schönes Österreich) definite postage stamp series from the 1970′s. Stamps from this set are very easy to find, as they are very common & low value. Nonetheless, these stamps are design masterworks in miniature size and pleasure to marvel. Nevertheless, here is a stamp from the series that is bugging me. It has a bizarre wavy-line cancel.
...(136 words,2 images, 9 comments)
German colonies Yacht postage stamps
The Yacht issue refers to a series of German colonies postage stamps bearing the image of the Imperial yacht Hohenzollern. These stamps were used in all of Germany's colonies meaning Caroline Islands, German East Africa, German New Guinea, German South West Africa, Kamerun, Kiatschou, Mariana Islands, Marshall Islands, Samoa and Togo from 1900 until the First World War.
...(249 words,1 images, 0 comments)
CTO cancelled Wurttemberg stamps
Wurttemberg has one specialty that sets it aside of several other German states that issued stamps. Several issues are more common as CTO (Cancelled-To-Order)-cancelled as really used. These can usually be regognized from specific Stuttgart cancellations.
...(137 words,2 images, 3 comments)
Some early Bavarian postage stamps
I know beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but these early Bavarian stamps are a pleasure to look. The stamp design is simple, colours are vivid and a nice millwheel cancel on top gives the final touch. These stamps also carry a historic message, as Bavaria was the ninth country in the world to release postage stamps. Bavaria was also the first German state to begin stamp production.
...(260 words,1 images, 3 comments)
Interesting Japanese postmark
Here is an interesting looking postmark on very common definitive stamp from Japan.
...(55 words,1 images, 16 comments)
Some interesting Danish postmarks
Below are two examples of so called "star postmark" (or mill wheel postmarks) that where used in Denmark between 1866 and 1929. These are IMHO very impressive looking on single stamps. I can only imagine how great these look on covers and other full items.
...( 0 comments).
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