I found a possible reference to the recipient in the January 4, 1913 Page 3 issue of Mekeel's. He may have been living in Nanuet, NY at that time.
http://books.google.com/books?id=lcwnAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA3&dq=walter+molatsch+brooklyn+ny&hl=en&sa=X&ei=USwFUcmyKsmH0QGx6oDoCw&ved=0CDAQ6AEwAA#v=snippet&q=walter%20molatsch&f=false
That is also an interesting "B" marking on the back of the envelope. I'm assuming it is Brooklyn, with the date 1/4/1902. Never saw anything like that before. Would be interested in learning more about that.
Bob
Hi Saleem,
I get mail franked with definitives and postage labels from dealers (and stamporama members) all the time. And commemorative stamps are definitely available here. So, I would not contemplate this issue too much. It is just simply the sender's convenience. Look at it from this perspective: If this envelope had a single franking with a 9 Cent Jubilee stamp, it would not have been included in the bunch of covers you acquired.
Arno
Yes, I also receive solicitations from stamp dealers and get a little tiffed that they don't at least use actual stamps on their sendings. I don't even collect modern U. S., but am more than happy to pass them on to those that do. Like Arno said, it's just a convenience for them. In other words, to hell with the collector and hurray for me. Those dealers make their living off of postage stamps, not perpetuate the hobby.
Mike
Yesterday was a bonus mail day for me. Beside some of the usual commercial mail with pre-printed discounted indica, I received four envelopes from SoR Auction sellers, one slightly larger envelope from an approval dealer, two letters from overseas traders and one note from a favorite cousin.
All of the latter group bore interesting stamps, some current and some obviously the discount postage variety.
But about a week or so ago I received an envelope from one of our members containing stamps won in the auction that had a "Liberty and Flag" stamp that seems to have been torn in one corner before being affixed to the envelope.
Well I know that many of us are often very busy, especially those with many lots in the auction to mail out daily, but really, a torn stamp ?
But, returning to the bright side I'd like to thank the members who obviously took the minute or so to consider what they are sending through the mail to collectors.
The mail certainly brightened my day.
I don't think the use of commemoratives would have been in favour in 1902. Heck I wish I would get more in period stamps than old commems on my mail.
That being said, the 5 year period 1897-1902 only saw the issuing of the Maple Leaf Issue (1897), the Numeral Issue (1898) which is what is on the cover, Imperial Penny Postage (map Stamps) (1898), The Overprints from 1899 and the 10cent special delivery which couldn't have been used.
If anything I think 2 map stamps with a 5 cent numeral issue would have looked nicer.
Alyn
That "B" backstamp is a New York City Registry Examiner's mark.
Jeffery Wallace of Canada has an online exhibit of examples of these marks at http://www.canadian-expat.com/
Excellent info Tom, I check ed the site and here is the related info:
"Registry postal marks used by Examiners at the NYC General Post Office, 1882-1902"
"Bearing a resemblance to the lettered Stations (A, B, C, etc) operating in the same period, they are often ascribed to the Stations themselves. The cryptic postal marks were back stamped by clerks known as 'Examiners' between 1882 and 1902. Working at the Registry Section of the General Post Office on Park Row, they were responsible for the registered articles placed in their care. Postal marks used by Examiners are B, C, D, E, H, L, O, S, U and can be found in magenta and black. Purple and pink appear occasionally."
Isn't it fun finding and learning something new everyday!
Very Cool.
I have acquired an interesting cover in a big bunch I purchased - this is beyond my collecting interests therefore didn't give it much thought. But then I saw that a letter was enclosed in the cover, I read it and it became more interesting. Needs some Googling but will ask members here to write a few lines about this cover and contents, here are the three images - these were scanned at 600DPI but I'm posting reduced size images here.
My question - why a stamp dealer used definitives? Or were the Jubilee issues already sold at a premium by 1902?
re: Canada 1902 Registered Letter to US from Philatelic Dealer
I found a possible reference to the recipient in the January 4, 1913 Page 3 issue of Mekeel's. He may have been living in Nanuet, NY at that time.
http://books.google.com/books?id=lcwnAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA3&dq=walter+molatsch+brooklyn+ny&hl=en&sa=X&ei=USwFUcmyKsmH0QGx6oDoCw&ved=0CDAQ6AEwAA#v=snippet&q=walter%20molatsch&f=false
That is also an interesting "B" marking on the back of the envelope. I'm assuming it is Brooklyn, with the date 1/4/1902. Never saw anything like that before. Would be interested in learning more about that.
Bob
re: Canada 1902 Registered Letter to US from Philatelic Dealer
Hi Saleem,
I get mail franked with definitives and postage labels from dealers (and stamporama members) all the time. And commemorative stamps are definitely available here. So, I would not contemplate this issue too much. It is just simply the sender's convenience. Look at it from this perspective: If this envelope had a single franking with a 9 Cent Jubilee stamp, it would not have been included in the bunch of covers you acquired.
Arno
re: Canada 1902 Registered Letter to US from Philatelic Dealer
Yes, I also receive solicitations from stamp dealers and get a little tiffed that they don't at least use actual stamps on their sendings. I don't even collect modern U. S., but am more than happy to pass them on to those that do. Like Arno said, it's just a convenience for them. In other words, to hell with the collector and hurray for me. Those dealers make their living off of postage stamps, not perpetuate the hobby.
Mike
re: Canada 1902 Registered Letter to US from Philatelic Dealer
Yesterday was a bonus mail day for me. Beside some of the usual commercial mail with pre-printed discounted indica, I received four envelopes from SoR Auction sellers, one slightly larger envelope from an approval dealer, two letters from overseas traders and one note from a favorite cousin.
All of the latter group bore interesting stamps, some current and some obviously the discount postage variety.
But about a week or so ago I received an envelope from one of our members containing stamps won in the auction that had a "Liberty and Flag" stamp that seems to have been torn in one corner before being affixed to the envelope.
Well I know that many of us are often very busy, especially those with many lots in the auction to mail out daily, but really, a torn stamp ?
But, returning to the bright side I'd like to thank the members who obviously took the minute or so to consider what they are sending through the mail to collectors.
The mail certainly brightened my day.
re: Canada 1902 Registered Letter to US from Philatelic Dealer
I don't think the use of commemoratives would have been in favour in 1902. Heck I wish I would get more in period stamps than old commems on my mail.
That being said, the 5 year period 1897-1902 only saw the issuing of the Maple Leaf Issue (1897), the Numeral Issue (1898) which is what is on the cover, Imperial Penny Postage (map Stamps) (1898), The Overprints from 1899 and the 10cent special delivery which couldn't have been used.
If anything I think 2 map stamps with a 5 cent numeral issue would have looked nicer.
Alyn
re: Canada 1902 Registered Letter to US from Philatelic Dealer
That "B" backstamp is a New York City Registry Examiner's mark.
Jeffery Wallace of Canada has an online exhibit of examples of these marks at http://www.canadian-expat.com/
re: Canada 1902 Registered Letter to US from Philatelic Dealer
Excellent info Tom, I check ed the site and here is the related info:
"Registry postal marks used by Examiners at the NYC General Post Office, 1882-1902"
"Bearing a resemblance to the lettered Stations (A, B, C, etc) operating in the same period, they are often ascribed to the Stations themselves. The cryptic postal marks were back stamped by clerks known as 'Examiners' between 1882 and 1902. Working at the Registry Section of the General Post Office on Park Row, they were responsible for the registered articles placed in their care. Postal marks used by Examiners are B, C, D, E, H, L, O, S, U and can be found in magenta and black. Purple and pink appear occasionally."
Isn't it fun finding and learning something new everyday!
re: Canada 1902 Registered Letter to US from Philatelic Dealer
Very Cool.