54 January 2002 La Posta
Figure 14 A double line, purple four-line origin marking from the “F”rankford Station to Chicago,
August 20, 1893, pen cancelled due to laziness or because the proper killer was not available.
dotted lines. These dotted styles extend from AprilAs mentioned, origin rectangle markers for registry
1879 through late 1881. The full-lines-in-the-back-developed in 1880 and were used for the backstamp
ground successors date between 1882 and 1892.design, too. But the backstamp design crew had the
advantage of a head start. Immediately following the
A late date rectangle, more like a square, very similar
ornate floral design came a temporary filler type that
to the New York City style. Is this style unique or
has charm, but no staying power.
common in Philadelphia? The one recorded to date is
from the prolific Frankford section of the city and isCall it the Wide rim, Textured background, Straightline
dated 1896.Registry Backstamp. And it was used briefly at the
end of 1878. It seems too carefully crafted to be home-
To be continued….
made, and so perhaps it too falls into the category of a
ready-made linen marker, converted for government Endnotes:
use. Only one is recorded to date, which suggests that
1
Between 1806 and 1822, Chester Bailey was assigned
the standard rectangle-with-a-background type
to investigate external postal robberies and internal
backstamp was placed in use earlier than the April
theft committed by postal employees. Sheele, p.77.
1879 earliest known usage would suggest.
2
op.cit., p. 77.
At first these markers are two-line, though one style
3
Milgram, p. 24.has a single line of data. These early types have large
filled squares at the corners, all types used between
4
Shachat, p. 14; Milgram p. 23.
March 1879 and November 1881.
5
op.cit., p. 19.
The remaining rectangular styles are strictly variations
6
Mueller, p. 20. This fact was her initial discovery in
on a theme. These all have three lines of information.
1955.
One is a very distinctive double-line rectangle with
7full background lines, though the earlier versions have
Milgram illustrates the Instructions to Postmasters
of May 10, 1855 on p29.
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82