Likely delivered to the wrong PO box, opened in error, handed back to the Postmaster who applied the official seal.
Roy
That makes sense. Thanks Roy.
Regards ... Tim.
They are listed in the Scott US Specialized. The prefix is "OX"
The stamp is OX21 to OX39 (assuming OX40 was issued in 1969). On cover examples are all valuable (CV over $10) as far as I can tell. What's really interesting is the marking on the stamp. It appears to have a hand stamp applied to the seal BEFORE it was used. It looks like 219 S La Salle Street, Chicago. That's the Rookery Building. Why would that be handstamped on the seal before it was applied? Very interesting cover!
Lars
Tim,
you have already received lots of good information, all correct.
These seals were used by the PO to reseal envelopes that either had been damaged accidentally or were opened by the PO for one or another reason. Those reasons could be to find a return address because the cover wasn't deliverable or to check its contents.
As Lars notes, their value is almost solely in on-cover uses. Lars also points out the seal's pre-printing; i have NEVER seen that before.
They are no longer in use (pity) and are different from the censor seals one sees in times of trouble because they are applied by different agencies.
Lovely cover especially because of the interesting overprint or preprint or....
David
Tim,
Can you tell what the complete overprint says?
It looks like "LOCK...." on the first line and "DOWNTOWN STATION" on the second. The rest is easy.
Lars
I found this cover on eBay; note that the officially sealed stamp has pen or possibly penciled initials, "J.B." I expect that the stamps had to be "cancelled" in some way to prevent re-use, although the only re-use that makes any sense would be to create bogus covers.
Another current eBay offer is this Buy-it-Now Canada officially sealed stamp,OX3, which I would (almost) die to have. Price is $124.50, which might be high considering that it is "RG to NH," which I take to mean "Re-gummed". Still, a gorgeous stamp.
Bob
Bob,
My understanding is that the initials weren't so much of a cancel as an indication of WHO sealed it back up so if there were concerns (like something missing). I've seen those before. I've just never seen one with a handstamp.
Lars
I haven't seen this type of thing before. Could someone please explain what the official seal (shown below) is all about.
Thanks for your help.
Regards ... Tim.
re: A question on an Official Seal
Likely delivered to the wrong PO box, opened in error, handed back to the Postmaster who applied the official seal.
Roy
re: A question on an Official Seal
That makes sense. Thanks Roy.
Regards ... Tim.
re: A question on an Official Seal
They are listed in the Scott US Specialized. The prefix is "OX"
re: A question on an Official Seal
Thanks Michael.
re: A question on an Official Seal
The stamp is OX21 to OX39 (assuming OX40 was issued in 1969). On cover examples are all valuable (CV over $10) as far as I can tell. What's really interesting is the marking on the stamp. It appears to have a hand stamp applied to the seal BEFORE it was used. It looks like 219 S La Salle Street, Chicago. That's the Rookery Building. Why would that be handstamped on the seal before it was applied? Very interesting cover!
Lars
re: A question on an Official Seal
Tim,
you have already received lots of good information, all correct.
These seals were used by the PO to reseal envelopes that either had been damaged accidentally or were opened by the PO for one or another reason. Those reasons could be to find a return address because the cover wasn't deliverable or to check its contents.
As Lars notes, their value is almost solely in on-cover uses. Lars also points out the seal's pre-printing; i have NEVER seen that before.
They are no longer in use (pity) and are different from the censor seals one sees in times of trouble because they are applied by different agencies.
Lovely cover especially because of the interesting overprint or preprint or....
David
re: A question on an Official Seal
Tim,
Can you tell what the complete overprint says?
It looks like "LOCK...." on the first line and "DOWNTOWN STATION" on the second. The rest is easy.
Lars
re: A question on an Official Seal
I found this cover on eBay; note that the officially sealed stamp has pen or possibly penciled initials, "J.B." I expect that the stamps had to be "cancelled" in some way to prevent re-use, although the only re-use that makes any sense would be to create bogus covers.
Another current eBay offer is this Buy-it-Now Canada officially sealed stamp,OX3, which I would (almost) die to have. Price is $124.50, which might be high considering that it is "RG to NH," which I take to mean "Re-gummed". Still, a gorgeous stamp.
Bob
re: A question on an Official Seal
Bob,
My understanding is that the initials weren't so much of a cancel as an indication of WHO sealed it back up so if there were concerns (like something missing). I've seen those before. I've just never seen one with a handstamp.
Lars