Stamped envelope
A stamped envelope or, alternatively, a postal envelope is an envelope with a printed or embossed indicium indicating the prepayment of postage and are, for the most part, created and sold by governmental postal authorities. It is but one form of postal stationery. In August, 1852 an act of the U.S. Congress authorized the Postmaster General to provide "suitable letter envelopes with such watermarks or other guards against counterfeits... with the addition of the value or denomination of the postage stamps so printed or impressed thereon...". The first result was the 1853 Nesbitt issues of stamped envelopes, named after the private contractor who produced them for the government.[1] When you combine the different envelope sizes, colors, dies to print the indicia, and denominations there are literally thousands of different stamped envelopes produced for the U.S.[2]
References
- ^ # Mintz, Allen, Ed.; Catalog of the 19th Century Stamped Envelopes, Wrappers, Cut Squares and Full Corners of the United States; UPSS, 2001. ISBN 09670045
- ^ Summers, Jerry, Ed.; Catalog of the 20th Century Stamped Envelopes, Wrappers, Cut Squares and Full Corners of the United States, Second Edition, UPSS, 2004. ISBN 0461004551.
Further reading
- Higgins & Gage World Postal Stationery Catalog, 19 volumes covering the whole world. Out of print, but worth looking for.
- Huggins, A.K.; British Postal Stationery, A Priced Handbook of the Postal Stationery of Great Britain, Great Britain Philatelic Society, 1970
- Thorp-Bartels Catalogue of U.S. Stamped Envelopes, Century Edition 1954
- Cutting Knife Handbook by United Postal Stationery Society. Envelope knifes illustrated. 1999
External links
Cuban Postal Envelopes, 1899 - 1949.
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