By the Sheet - Postal History Sunday

I have been noticing a pattern that has been emerging and maybe you have too.  Every seven days there is a Postal History Sunday post on the GFF Postal History Blog.  Huh.  I wonder how that works?

Let's take all those worries and troubles we have and mix them up with some bread crusts and other kitchen scraps.  If we throw all of it to the chickens, they'll have it worried down to nothing in no time!  Meanwhile, we can take a few moments out of our day (whichever day it is when you find yourself visiting this blog entry) and learn something new while I share something I enjoy.

---------------------------------------

This week we're going to actually answer a couple of excellent questions regarding the postal rates in the United States in the 1800s.  But, in typical fashion for me, we'll get there in a little bit of a "round-about" way.  

Determining size by the sheet

Postage has traditionally been assessed for mail based on two common variables: 

1. how far a letter must travel to get to the destination, and
2. how big the letter is.  

The thing that has changed over time is how postal agencies determined distance and size.  In the early 1800s the United States determined size by the number of sheets of paper that were in a mail item.  As we move to the mid 1800s, the United States changed to a weight-based method of determining size.

The folded letter shown above is dated August 9, 1839 and was mailed from the Washington County Bank in Williamsport, Maryland to the Cashier at the Hagerstown Bank (also in Maryland) whose name was Elie Beatty.

To cut right to the chase, this letter had FOUR sheets, even though I currently only have one sheet with this item in my collection.  That raises the question - how do I know that?

 Letter Mail Rates in the United States May 1, 1816 - June 30, 1845

Distance	Rate	Per
up to 30 miles	6 cents	sheet
over 30, up 80 miles	10 cents	sheet
over 80, up to 150	12.5 cents	sheet
over 150, up to 400	18.5 cents*	sheet
over 400 miles	25 cents	sheet
*March 3, 1825	18.75 cents

There it is, the postage rate table for letter mail in the United States at the time this letter was mailed.  The distance from Williamsport to Hagerstown was (and is) about 7 miles.  A "single letter" would require 6 cents in postage.  This particular item has a nice bold "24" at the top right, which is four times the single letter sheet.  Thus, we can deduce that this item had four sheets of paper total (including this outside wrapper).

One sheet - Longer haul

While I do not have many items from this time period in my collection, I do have a couple that I can show here.  The second must have been only a single sheet, but it traveled a much longer distance.

This letter was mailed on August 30, 1819 from Cincinnati, Ohio to Newburyport, Massachusetts, a distance of 915 miles (more or less).  A clear marking reads "25" at the top left, which indicates the postage Stephen W Marston would have to pay for the privilege of receiving this missive.  The rate per sheet was 25 cents if it traveled over 400 miles, so this qualified as a "single letter."

At this point in time, most mail was sent collect to the recipient and very little was prepaid.  I have heard it said by some that the prevailing attitude in some cultures was that it would be offensive to prepay a letter because it might imply that the sender felt you could not manage to pay for your own mail.  While I have no idea if that claim is accurate or not, I can accurately report that prepayment at this time was uncommon.

Major changes - July 1, 1845

Things change dramatically in 1845 when the United States switched the measurement of size from the number of sheets to the weight of a letter.  Now, a letter that weighed up to 1/2 ounce would be considered a single letter.  Each half ounce over that amount would require another rate of postage. 

 Letter Mail Rates in the United States July 1, 1845 - June 30, 1851

Distance	Rate	Per
up to 300 miles	5 cents	half ounce
over 300 miles	10 cents	half ounce

This brings us to the question about postage rates going DOWN instead of UP (which is what we might consider to be normal in the present day).

The U.S. Postal Service was beginning to see more and more competition from private enterprise that was seeking to provide mail services to the public.  One such entity was Hale & Company, which I wrote about in this Postal History Sunday about Independent Mail.  The biggest difference is that the US Post Office had the support of Congress, which passed laws that made it illegal for these private entities to carry the mail as they had been doing.  At the same time, the same Act of Congress reduced and simplified the postage rates - putting them at prices that were closer to the amounts these private entities had been charging.

The letter above was mailed April 4, 1849 and is datelined from Baltimore with a destination 90 miles away (Martinsburg, Virginia).  A big blue "5" shows the postage due.  This same letter would have cost 12.5 cents under the old rate structure.

The United States issued their first postage stamps in 1847, ushering in a new normal - the prepayment of postage for letter mail.

Unsurprisingly, the two denominations for these stamps were 5 and 10 cents - matching up nicely with the postage rates for mail in the United States at the time.

Encouraging pre-payment of postage

Once we get to 1851, our postal service in the United States begins to look a bit more like the system we are familiar with.  Prepayment is encouraged by setting two different rates for prepaid and unpaid mail.

Letter Mail Rates in the United States July 1, 1851 - March 31, 1855

Distance	Rate	Per
up to 3000 miles prepaid	3 cents	1/2 ounce
over 3000 miles prepaid	6 cents	1/2 ounce
up to 3000 miles unpaid	5 cents	1/2 ounce
over 3000 miles unpaid	10 cents	1/2 ounce

A letter with the new three cent stamp of 1851 is shown below.  I am unable to determine the year date for this letter, but it was clearly a single rate letter that was prepaid in Boston (on its way to Middlebury, Vermont).

It was at this point in time that the trime was issued to help customers pay for the postage with these new, lower rates.  For those who do not know what I am talking about - I recently offered a Postal History Sunday focused on the three cent rate and the minting of the three cent coin known as a trime or a fishscale.  

By the time we get to 1855, things change yet again!  Prepayment is no longer optional and the rates are adjusted once more.

Letter Mail Rates in the United States April 1, 1855 - June 30, 1863

Distance	Rate	Per
up to 3000 miles prepaid	3 cents	1/2 ounce
over 3000 miles prepaid	10 cents	1/2 ounce

Below is an example of an item that traveled over 3000 miles and required 10 cents in postage.

This letter was mailed in San Francisco on April 3, 1863 and traveled via Panama, arriving at its destination in Boston.  This letter must have weighed more than a half ounce and no more than one ounce to require 20 cents in postage, paid by two 10 cent postage stamps.

Postage rates from 1863

To answer the question that was asked about postage rates further, here is a table that shows the next several rate periods.  Starting in July of 1863, the distance component was removed from the rate calculation for mail inside of the United States.

 Letter Mail Rates in the United States

Effective Date	Rate	Per
July 1, 1863	3 cents	half ounce
October 1, 1883	2 cents	half ounce
July 1, 1885	2 cents	ounce
November 2, 1917	3 cents	ounce
July 1, 1919	2 cents	ounce
July 6, 1932	3 cents	ounce

The trend for the reduction in postage rates actually continues until 1885.  There is a short interruption during World War I when an increase was used to help fund the war effort.  Once we get to 1932, the trend of increasing rates would slowly begin.  The next rate increase would be in 1958 (to 4 cents).

Because I haven't shown you a picture for a short bit - here is an 1898 example of the 2 cents for letter mail weighing up to one ounce rate.

You asked about letter rates going up and down in the United States and....now you know!

Bonus Material!

Because I am feeling generous right now, I thought I would add a little bonus material to the mix today.

Let me remind you of our first postal history item that I shared at the top of this blog.  It just so happens that there are MANY pieces of mail still out in the world for collectors to find that went to Elie Beatty, Cashier for the Hagerstown Bank.  It is because of correspondences like this one that postal historians are often able to learn more about how the postal services worked during the time the correspondence was active.

The Hagerstown Bank correspondence has value for historians who study banking systems too.  Elie Beatty was a well-respected cashier and was apparently quite talented at his job.  The site linked in the prior sentence gives us this summary:

"The historical significance of the collection lies primarily in the insights it offers to the operations of a prosperous regional bank during a tumultuous period in United States banking history. The antebellum decades witnessed a series of banking crises, most notably the Panics of 1819 and 1839, recurring recessions and depressions, and the famous "Bank Wars." The financial and political upheaval, combined with disastrous harvests during the 1830s, wreaked havoc on Washington County, Maryland, and caused the Williamsport Bank to suspend specie payments in 1839. Despite the prevailing economic climate, the Hagerstown Bank emerged as a stable financial institution with considerable holdings."

Is it possible that the Washington County Bank in Williamsport is one and the same as the Williamsport Bank referenced in this paragraph?  

Elie Beatty's story can certainly be expanded upon, but I will suggest that you can take the link and read the summary there if you have interest.  If there was a doubt as to Beatty's dedication to his job, I will add the following from the site linked above.

"Beatty resigned his position on April 23, 1859, citing "feeble health and the infirmities of age." Beatty died on May 5, 1859 at the age of eighty-three."

One last tidbit comes from the Hagerstown newspaper (The Herald and Torch Light) on April 17, 1878.

Elie Beatty served as Cashier for most of his tenure at the bank, but he was president of the bank for just under two years - being pressed into service at the death of the current president of the bank in 1831.  While it is clear that Beatty was a highly competent individual, is it possible that he was happier with the hands-on management aspect rather than being the person with the final decision making power?  That may be a question for another time and another person - but it is intriguing nonetheless.

-----------------------------

There you have it!  You've just spent some time taking another journey as we explore postal history together on a Sunday.  Whether you are also a postal historian or just an "innocent bystander" who just couldn't help but take the journey with us, I am glad you joined me in the process.

Have a wonderful remainder of the day and a good week to follow.

Piroscafo sul lago - Postal History Sunday

Welcome to another edition of Postal History Sunday on the GFF Postal History blog!

Once again, we gather virtually in this blog space and the farmer gets to share something he enjoys with those who might find it interesting.  It doesn't matter if you have enjoyed postal history for years or if you just have a passing interest in whatever topics I might uncover for you as I explore.  This is a place where we all hope we can learn something new and enjoy the process.

The April winds at the farm have been strong lately, so attach those worries and troubles to the tail of a kite.  Once that kite gets up to a height where it is only a speck in the sky - cut the string - and let those things go to the distant parts of the Earth for a time.

--------------------------------

A Book Seller Advertisement in 1863

This week we'll start with an advertisement for a book store in Milan, in northern Italy, to Morbegno - which happens to be further north in Italy. 

So, why did I decide I wanted to add this particular item to my collection when I had an opportunity to do so?   Well, there are some basic characteristics that drew my attention initially.  It was mailed in 1863 in Western Europe, which is the sort of thing I prefer to look at in the first place.  The cover itself is pretty clean, with postal markings that I can read.  I appreciate the fine details of the postage stamp design.  And, there are some contents that add extra interest to the item.

The inside of this folded piece of paper shows a very simple pre-printed advertisement for a bookseller who claimed to carry scholarly texts.  The bookseller touts that they have access to books from Libreria Paravia, a bookshop that opened in 1802 and was still open in 2020, despite some recent troubles that most brick and mortar bookstores have faced in recent years.

The cover shows the use of two copes of the 1 cent centesimi "newspaper" stamp issued by the Sardinian postal service in 1861.  And, this item clearly illustrates the Italian printed matter rate for that time period (2 centesimi per 40 grams : Jan 1, 1863 - Dec 31, 1888).

And, I was going to pass on it.  Why?  Well, I don't need more than one example of this printed matter rate in Italy!  But, then I looked at the back:

I was sold as soon as I noticed the postal marking at the right.  As you know by now, I often hope to find items that open a window or a door to some new (to me) aspect of postal history - and that marking does just that.

Watercraft on Lake Como

The marking in question reads: Natante Como-Colico 16 APR 63 (1)

Postal history has a strong connection to geography because knowing the locations that a piece of mail visited as it traveled from point A to point B can uncover an interesting portion of the story.  

As you move toward Switzerland, the Alps dominate the landscape, limiting the the options for travel and the carriage of mail.  One of those options would be the deep, elongated lakes - lakes like Lago di Como (Lake Como).  Como has a maximum depth over 1300 feet and has a "Y" shape, with one branch coming to the southwest.  This branch features the city of Como at its southern-most point.  Colico is located near the northern point of the Lago di Como.

This piece of mail was carried by rail from Milano to Como.  It was then placed on a Lago di Como side paddle-wheel steamer at Como and the boat traveled north to Colico.  It was then carried by some sort of ground transportation to Morbegno.  

The steamers Vittoria, Forza and Unione were all active on Lake Como in 1863, but I do not have access to a schedule that would tell me which one carried this particular piece of mail.  If I had a guess, I would say that the (1) in the marking probably references the first voyage of the mail steamer from Como that day.  Perhaps a specialist in the subject would be able to confirm (or deny) that and perhaps help to identify which ship carried this item?

The Vittoria is shown in the photo below.  

So, how did I, a person who does not speak or read Italian (well, maybe a little, tiny bit of the latter) figure this out?

I knew where Como and Colico were.  I knew the geography of the region and I didn't know a place called "Natante" nor could I find such a place when I perused period maps of the area.  I was also aware of the history of transportation in the Alps and knew there could be some lake travel for mail in the region.

This illustrates two of the benefits that come with internet access for postal historians in the modern world.  First, I have access to all sorts of maps that I can view.  And, second, I can get immediate help with language translation.  It turns out the word “natante” in the postal marking can be roughly translated to “watership.”  Aha!

The above section of text was taken from an 1868 copy of Murray's Handbook for Travelers that featured travel to Italy.  The route via Lake Como was one of several outlined for the traveler in that book.  It is interesting to note that the steamer could go from Colico to Como in 3 1/2 hours (presumably with stops in between).

For those who have interest, this site includes information on Lago di Como steamers.  The photo of the Vittoria shown above comes from that site.   

Lago di Maggiore / Verbano

To the west lies another lake that provided transportation in the Italian and Swiss Alps using lake paddle steamers.  Lake Maggiore holds its northern end within the borders of Switzerland, which gives us an opportunity to look at mail between two countries that was carried by lake mail steamers.

The northern and southern termini of the lake steamer route would be Magadino (Switzerland) and Arona (Italy), but we can actually find mail that got on or off the steamer at other stops on the lake if we are searching.

Shown above is a letter mailed from Roveredo, Switzerland (shown on the map) on March 30, 1864 and received at Pallanza, Italy on March 31.  It seems clear to me that this boarded a steamship at Magadino after being carried by land from Roveredo. This letter qualified for the special, discounted border rate between the two nations, so it took only 10 rappen (or centimes) for this letter to be paid to destination.  (10 centimes per 10 grams : Jul 1, 1862 - Dec 31, 1875)

Like the prior piece of mail, this one included a hint that told me it was carried on a lake steamer.  Can you see it?

The marking to the right reads: Verbano 31 Mag 64 No 2

What a person has to know is that Lake Maggiore is also known as Verbano.  Once you have that piece of information, it is possible to learn more about the marking and how this mail traveled.

The other marking is the receiving marking for Pallanza, which is situated on the shores of the lake.

Lago di Maggiore steamers made a circuit of the lake each weekday (and possibly weekend by 1864), with a northbound leg and a southbound leg for each active ship.  The Verbano marking includes a number that may indicate which ship carried the mail on that particular day.  Later markings often included a direction with “ascendente” indicating the south to north route and “discendente” for the route from north to south. 

From the same Murray's Handbook, we can see that the entire trip from Magadino to Arona typically took 4 1/2 hours in 1868.

Another, smaller piece of mail came along for the ride when I found this first item.  It also features the 10 rappen border rate and carriage on Lake Verbano/Maggiore.  

This particular piece of mail originated in Brissago, which is on the shores of Verbano, as well as its destination, Pallanza.  Brissago, like many of the lake communities, still uses water transportation to get to and from other communities.  There is a road that runs next to the edge of the lake for its entire length in the present day.  But, that isn't an efficient solution if your destination is on the opposite shore.

Once again, if you look carefully, you can find two strikes of the Verbano marking on this folded letter, which identifies it as having been carried on a lake steamer.  Sadly, this example is pretty difficult to read, so we can't tell if the ship number is different.

If you like to travel and are able to do so, a person could still ride on a paddle wheel steamer on these lakes.  The Piemont (built 1904) can be chartered on Lake Maggiore.  On Lake Como, you could find yourself on either the Concordia (built 1927) or Patria (built 1926).  But, if it doesn't matter to you if you are on an old paddle-wheeler, there is still public transportation available on both lakes with a fairly complex ferry system.

I wonder if they still put bags of mail on some of them?

----------------------

There you have it!  This week's Postal History Sunday entry!  I hope you enjoyed your trip to the Alps this week.  

And, as usual, I hope you have a good day, a restful weekend and a fine week upcoming.

Trime for Postal History Sunday

Welcome again to Postal History Sunday on the Genuine Faux Farm blog!  This is the time every week where I get to take a look at something I enjoy and in the process, we all might get to learn something new!

Let me remind you that I am always happy to take questions/corrections on past Postal History Sunday blogs and requests/suggestions for future blogs.  It does not matter if you are merely amused by the fact that someone would even bother collecting these old pieces of paper or if you are one of those people who do collect them.

Now it is time to take those troubles and worries with you as you fill in the hole for the old outhouse.  Throw those troubles right in there before you cap it off.  Remember, you should not flush them down the toilet.  If you live in the country, septic tanks can have enough trouble without you adding to it.  If you live in the city, the city sewer people really frown on people flushing things down the tubes that don't belong there!

--------------------------

These threads always start somewhere

A couple of people have asked me how I decide where to start one of my Postal History Sunday blogs and another asked how I decide where to start with my research when I have a particular postal history item.  Today I am going to take you on a journey as I explore a topic!  This either going to be fun or confusing.

Eh... if it's confusing, we'll just call it fun and leave it at that!

I almost always start by looking at the postal markings and the stamps (if there are any).  My initial goals are to determine the following:

• when was it mailed?
• what was the origination point?
• where was it destined to go?
• what postage was paid and how much was required?
  

The envelope is pretty clean and shows a nice, red City Date Stamp (CDS) that reads "Providence, R.I., Oct 12, 1858."  It was mailed from Providence to Norton, Massachusetts.  This letter needed 3 cents in postage to cover the standard letter rate inside the United States for an item that weighed no more than 1/2 ounce and traveled no more than 3,000 miles (letters to and from the West Coast required more postage).

A three cent stamp was placed on the envelope to show payment for the domestic mail service.  The stamp itself was defaced with a circular marking in black ink that reads "PAID."  We often refer to the postal marking that was used to prevent reuse of a stamp as a "cancellation device" or "obliterator."

The postage stamp is a design that was first issued in 1851, but this particular stamp is known as an 1857 issue.  Leave it to a collector to make things more complicated!

A quick look at the stamp

Collectors can be interesting creatures because they can find all sorts of ways to see differences where others do not.  I mentioned that this is known as an 1857 issue of the stamp and I know that because the edges of the stamp are "perforated."  Stamps were printed in sheets - and prior to 1857, these sheets of stamps were separated by a scissors or a blade of some sort.  In 1857, stamp production added perforations to allow people to separate stamps more easily without employing a tool.

For comparison, here is a five-cent stamp from the 1847 issue in the United States.  There are no perforations along the outside edge to aid in the separation of stamps from the sheet.

From the perspective of postal history in the United States, perforations on stamps is actually a pretty amazing innovation and worthy of recognition.  As it was, postage stamps were still a relatively new item (1840 for first postage stamp in the United Kingdom).  The introduction of perforations to make the use of these stamps more convenient (1854, again in the UK) reflects growing demand and use of the postal services as postage rates rapidly declined and became accessible to more of the public.

I could go even further and tell you that this particular stamp has a small design difference that designates it as a "type II."  If you look at the vertical line at the top left of the stamp you will notice that it looks like it will continue on to the next stamp that would have been above it on the sheet.  This is a key characteristic for one of these 3 cent stamps to be identified as a type II stamp.  But, maybe that's getting too far in to the weeds for today?

It doesn't matter if we are in the weeds because - well, I went there anyway.  So, climbing back OUT of the weeds....

At this point, I can tell you that this particular envelope is typical in all respects for letter mail of the time.  The stamp and cover are nice enough, but nothing special from a collector's standpoint.    Since I started as a stamp collector, I might opt to use it as a way of showing each of the three types of the 1857 3-cent issue on a postal item.  Otherwise, I probably wouldn't consider this to be a candidate for a Postal History Sunday entry all by itself at this point. 

The address might be of interest

The contents of this letter are no longer with the envelope, but we can look to the address and see if there is anything that grabs my attention.  This time I am drawn to the location - Wheaton Female Seminary in Norton, Massachusetts.  This rings a bell for me, so I thought I'd take a quick look and try to figure out why I remembered that location and school.

It turns out that Wheaton College is now a co-ed, liberal arts institution with somewhere in the neighborhood of 1700 students.  Wheaton started as a college for women, established in 1834/35 as a memorial to Elizabeth Wheaton Strong by her parents.  The college maintains a page summarizing this early history.  If you wish to learn more, that is a good place to start. 

There is actually another reason why this particular address rang a bell for me.  One of the running jokes, Tammy and I have is that I know all sorts of odd little facts because...it was on a stamp.

Mary Lyon was honored with a United States postage stamp in 1987.  She was an educator, a chemist, and an advocate for the provision of learning opportunities for women and is the founder of Mount Holyoke Female Seminary (est 1837).  She was an instructor at Ipswitch Seminary in 1834 and was asked to serve as the principal at Wheaton.  She declined as she was in the middle of her own Mount Holyoke project, but she recommended colleague Eunice Caldwell to serve as principal.  In addition, Lyon served as a consultant for the Wheaton school as they moved forward with the school.

What stood out most for me when I first read about Mary Lyon many years ago was that she wanted Mount Holyoke to be accessible to everyone, not just the children of those who were wealthy.

But there was a side purpose this time too!

While I like the turn this particular address took as I did a little research, what really got me started looking more closely at this cover was the fact that I wanted to pick something that looked kind of nice to go with this little coin I've had stashed in my coin bag:

What you see here is a coin that was minted in 1858 (hence part of the reason I picked the piece of letter mail I did since it is also dated 1858).  This coin was known as a trime and represented 3 cents in currency.  The trime made its first appearance in 1851.

Hmmm.  1851?  Why does that sound familiar?

An Act of Congress issued on March 3, 1851 reduced the letter rate for mail in the United States to 3 cents per 1/2 ounce for items sent no more than 3000 miles (effective on July 1 of that year).  A 3 cent postage stamp was issued on July 1, 1851 to show prepayment of this rate.  In addition, this act authorized the creation of a 3 cent coin (the first of its type) to provide the public with a convenient method to pay for these stamps. (*see notes at the end of this post)

The simple idea that a coin would be created to facilitate the purchase of stamps to pay for the postage of letters is a compelling story all by itself.  This illustrates just how important mail service had become as a primary communication method for a broad section of the populace.

The popular name for these tiny coins were "fishscales," because they were extremely thin and very small - giving a remarkable resemblance to the scale of a largish fish.  You can see the trime at the top left of the cover shown above.  Below it would be an example of a one cent piece (known as a large cent) that was available in the 1850s.  The one-cent piece is actually bigger than a present day quarter.

Can you imagine needing three of those big coins to pay three cents versus the tiny "fishscale" that would do the same job?  Personally, I would think the trime might be troublesome because it would be so easy to lose!  

For those who have interest, here is a view of the other side of the trime.  If you are a numismatist (coin collector) you might be tempted to point out to me that this is not the nicest example of a trime and you would be correct.  But, it's what I have.  It has been in my possession ever since my Dad and ten-year-old me spent hours digging through his bag of Buffalo Nickles trying to read the date on each one.

It doesn't matter what the condition is because it is loaded with personal meaning - and now it has an envelope to tie it to the primary purpose of a trime - paying for a letter to be mailed.

-----------------------------

Thank you for joining me for another Postal History Sunday!  I hope you enjoyed the journey, whenever you decide to take it.

For those that find the combination of coins and postal history to be intriguing, I would highly recommend an exhibit put together by Richard Frajola called Paying the Postage.  I am intrigued by the fact that foreign coins were frequently accepted as payment and policy often set values for their use in the United States.  If you are only interested in the trime, you can go straight to frame 3 of the exhibit.  Some very nice examples of the trime can be seen there.

Notes:

Sometimes, to keep the flow of the blog post going, I don't give every detail.  And, sometimes, I provide extra information at the end for those who want them.  Today is such a day!

* Section 1 of Postal Act of March 3, 1851 established "That from and after the thirtieth day of June, eighteen hundred and fifty-one, in lieu of the postage rates now established by law, there shall be charged the following rates...For every single letter...for any distance between places in the United States not exceeding three thousand miles, when the postage of such letter shall have been prepaid, three cents, and five cents when the postage thereon has not been prepaid...and every letter of parcel not exceeding half an ounce in weight, shall be deemed a single letter..."

* Section 3 of Postal Act of March 3, 1851 provided direction that the Postmaster General should create "...suitable postage stamps, of the denomination of three cents...to facilitate the pre-payment of postages provided for in this act."

* Section 11 of the Postal Act of March 3, 1851 stated that "...it shall be lawful to coin, at the mint of the United States and its branches, a piece of the denomination and legal value of three cents...it shall be a legal tender in payment of debts for all sums of thirty cents and under..."

The three-cent 1851/57 stamp design has caught the attention of many collectors, past and present.  If you would like to learn more, you can visit the resources put together at the US Philatelic Classics Society site.  Like so many things in postal history and philately, you can dig as deep as you wish or you can explore as broadly as you want.  And that is part of the reason I enjoy this hobby.

Have a great day!

The Price of Bread - Postal History Sunday

Welcome to our weekly installment of Postal History Sunday on the GFF Postal History Blog!  This is the place where I get to share something I enjoy and maybe we'll all learn something new in the process.

Before we get started, let's pack up those troubles and worries and throw them into the well.  We all know our worries are pretty heavy, so they won't float.  That should get them out of our hair for a while!  Please don't throw Timmy into the well, because that will cause Lassie to go get help - and we don't need anyone fishing those troubles out along with Timmy.

-----------------------------

Not too long ago, I picked up a mailed circular that caught my eye not for the postal history, but for the contents of the item being mailed.  Anyone who has passing knowledge of European history may perk up if there is mention of a "Bread Tax."  But, it is also likely that most people, like me, won't know exactly where they heard about a bread tax or what it means.  I am guessing some vague recollection about Marie Antoinette and peasants "eating cake" may come to mind.  But, the story (as usual) is much more complex and interesting than just a side reference to the French Revolution. 

A poster for the bakery to display

Since the flyer is in French, perhaps I can help out by translating some of it to English:

"The mayor of the village of Tarbes informs the administrators the voluntary bread tax for the 2nd fortnight of June 1865 is fixed as follows:"

The average prices of wheat (three quality levels) follow on the sheet (per hectolitre).  Which then concludes with the bread prices.

"According to these prices the voluntary tax is the following:" 

 Price levels follow for white bread and mixed grain bread (Meteil).

The literal translation to "tax" is actually inaccurate, since this is clearly a price control recommendation rather than an additional cost levied to be collected by the government. The bakery posted this sheet so the public could see the recommended prices and compare to the prices being requested for their bread.

Getting from here to there

This item was mailed from Tarbes in Southern France (Hautes-Pyranees department) to nearby Vic-en-Bigorre, which was apparently under the jurisdiction of Tarbes for the purposes of the 'taxe officieuse du pain.'   

The standard letter rate was used for this item rather than a printed matter or other discounted postage rate.  The letter rate was 20 centimes for an item up to 10 grams in weight which was effective from Jul 1, 1860 - Aug 31, 1871.  

So, why wouldn't this qualify for the printed matter rate?  After all, this is a pre-printed form where some details have been entered.  It seems like it might qualify since this was probably not the only location where this flyer was being sent.

Most countries prohibited additional writing that "added" information beyond what was pre-printed if a mailer wanted to use the special printed matter rates.  The general idea is they did not want people abusing the privilege of cheaper postage for mass-produced items by sending additional notes that personalized an item.  That's where this particular item treads a fine line.  The information written in simply follow the requirements of the form.  Does that constitute additional information that could not be included in an item that hoped to use the printed matter discount rates?

Apparently, the answer at this time in France was - yes, yes it does cross that line.  So, it was sent as a single rate letter.

Vic-en-Bigorre arrival June 9, 1865

The item is postmarked on Jun 8, 1865 and was given an "Apres Le Depart" box marking to indicate that it was posted AFTER the mail had left for the day.   These markings were used by the post office as a way of explaining delays in delivery.  In this case, the item came to the post office after the scheduled train had left the station.  This piece of mail waited at the Tarbes post office until the next day when it was put on the next departing train.  It arrived at Vic-en-Bigorre on June 9 - taking the train for only 20 kilometers to the North.

"Taxe Officieuse du Pain" means what exactly?

It took a while to find the right search parameters, but once I did I was able to find a couple of books that clarified the topic for me.  The explanation given by Knoop (resource #1) couldn't be made clearer, so I use it here:

"... policy adopted by many French municipalities of fixing each week a taxe officieuse du pain and in a few cases a taxe officielle du pain.  Each is based upon the current price of corn, the calculations being made according to a fixed rule that allows for the cost of baking and for the baker's profits.  The taxe officieuse is merely semi-official and indicates to purchasers what constitutes a reasonable price for bread.  The taxe officielle is an official price which may not be exceeded for the specified qualities of bread." [1, p 72]

This flyer calculates bread prices based on the price of wheat, not corn.  But, that's not really the point.  The point is that the poster or flyer provides price suggestions for different types of bread based on the values of the various grains used to make that bread.

"The notices on which the prices are printed... have to be displayed in a conspicuous position in every baker's shop." [1, p 72]

The top corners of this sheet seem to indicate that it was, indeed, posted somewhere and then taken down.  Someone must have felt like saving these since this copy has managed to survive to the present day - in excellent condition.

How often was a new poster or flyer created and sent out from Tarbes (and other locations in France) to all of the bakeries under their jurisdiction?  Since this particular item references the "2nd fortnight of June" we might be able to conclude that a new sheet was mailed out and posted in each bakery roughly every two weeks (or half-month). 

Why unofficial bread price controls?

It turns out that the step from required to voluntary price controls was a fairly new situation in France in 1865.  Free trade for bakers was established in France in mid-1863.  Prior to that, there were taxe officielle that set prices for bread and these controls were actually a tool that was used to maintain the peace in France (and Italy - perhaps other locations as well?).

"Another sign of the times was the final extension of free trade to the bakers, with the suspension of age-old restrictions by a decree of 22 June 1863.  Regulation of bread prices (the taxe du pain) and controls over bakers had traditionally been key elements of police power.  The ending of such regulations became acceptable only with the disappearance of  massive price fluctuations and the reduction in the consumer emotiveness which had been so characteristic of the ancient regime economique.  It was anticipated that liberation, accompanied by an end to limitations to the number of bakers, would increase competition and reduce price levels." [2, p202]

The consumer "emotiveness" referenced by Price in the above quote was rooted in the extreme reliance on bread in the diet of most people during the Industrial Revolution period.  In particular, the move to urbanization resulted in fewer people working the land for their own subsistence. 

 Bakery in France circa 1900

If bread provided the majority of a person's diet, it only makes sense that shortages or high prices would cause an "emotive" response.  If you can't get bread, you can't eat - so you can't live.  Neely suggests that a common worker in France would expect at least 50% of their wages to go toward bread.  That percentage rose to 88% in 1788-1789. [3]

In short, price controls were maintained for bread to help insure that the citizenry would have access to their primary food source.  When those controls became "semi-official," bakeries were still encouraged to post the suggested pricing as a way to illustrate to their customers that they were providing a "fair price" for their products.

Did you say Italy too?

Yes, yes I did!  Well, actually, the resources I read regarding these price controls mentioned Italy.  Because of that, I have been keeping my eyes open for a similar poster or notice in Italy and finally located one.

Translated from Italian, this flyer reads:

"Rate for the sale of bread in the normal ovens of Macerata"

The effective date range is July 18 to August 3 of 1852 - once again, about a fortnight's span for effective dates.  Three prices are given.  One for brown bread, one for white bread and one for "all grains."  In this case, no information is given on the base prices of the grains themselves.

The biggest difference between this poster and the French poster is that this one shows required pricing for bread, whereas the later, French, guidelines were a suggestion and not a requirement.  In other words, these were the maximum prices that a bakery could charge during this particular fortnight and this maximum was enforced by government.

Once again, the government in the larger town or city is sending out these posters or flyers to the surrounding settlements.  Macerata would be the main city in the province of the same name in the Papal States of Italy.  This poster was sent to MonteCassiano, which is only eleven kilometers to the North.

There are two hand stamped markings on this side of the cover.  The oblong, rounded shape reads "Municipio di Macerata" and would be a governmental marking indicating that this was sent by the city government of Macerata.  The round markings shows a date of "18 Lug 52" (July 18, 1852) and the city name "Macerata."  This would be the postal marking that was applied at the time the letter was mailed.

Local mail in the Papal States

In the 1850s Italy was not a unified whole.  Instead, there were several different governments that controlled various portions of the peninsula.  Central Italy was controlled by the Catholic Church in Rome and is often referred to as either the Roman States or Papal States.  The postage rates for the Papal States during this period are a fairly complex study in and of themselves.  

The bread price notice shown above qualifies as a local letter, which means the origin and destination falls within a postal district.  In this case, the Macerata postal district.  The cost of postage was 1 bajocca (plural bajocchi) for every 6 denari in weight.  This rate was effective from Jan 1, 1852 until Dec 31, 1863.

Here is another example of local mail in the Papal States.  Just like the first, you should note that the address side of the cover has no postage stamp.  But, it does have the number "1" written in ink to indicate the postage amount due for this piece of letter mail.  The town of origination also placed a handstamp that reads "Jesi" (also spelled "Iesi" in some sources).  The postage stamp is placed on the reverse of the folded lettersheet.

This was the typical process for mail that was sent unpaid.  The amount due was written on the front (address side) and a stamp was placed on the back in anticipation of payment.  Most nations during this period would not bother with the postage stamp when a letter was sent unpaid.  This Postal History Sunday blog gives an example.

This second local letter in Italy actually includes what is often called a "Prices Current" that shows the prices of various commodities during a period of time.  This particular item only gives a grain price, which tells me that it may have a connection to our bread price control in the Papal States.  Is it possible that some municipalities (such as Jesi) sent the established grain price and expected the local bakers or local authorities to make their own calculations based on some set of guidelines?  That's a question for which I don't have an answer.

Flour War of 1775

And, this is where the history tidbit most of us have some recollection of connects to the topic as a whole ("Let them eat cake!").  

In Sept 1774, free trade in grain was established and police controls were abolished with respect to grain and bakers.  The government relaxed or removed bread price controls as part of the new "laissez-faire/laissez-passe" policy that encouraged less government participation in the economics of the country.  The "Flour War" of 1775" occurred as result of high bread prices that followed the removal of those controls. 

New freedom in pricing led to speculation in grains, with individuals hoarding in anticipation of the creation of higher prices.  As a result, there were grain shortages in early 1775 with the prior year's crops either consumed or hoarded and the new year's crops not yet mature.  

With the new "laissez-faire" system, speculators bought from regions with plenty and held onto the grain - essentially putting all regions in a position of scarcity that relied on these speculators to provide the needed grain at the speculators' price.  This differed from prior periods of shortage which were normally regional.  In those cases, the government could receive a petition and respond to alleviate the shortage by moving grain from an area of surplus - thus keeping prices steady.  Now the surplus was not under the government's control and the people who controlled that surplus wanted to get paid (and paid well).

In some locations, the people executed what they called a "popular taxation" by liberating grain shipments and selling at a "proper or fair price."  In general, rioting targeted the hoarders and others (often government officials) that were supposed to be responsible for the shortages.  The government was forced to respond with force and they re-instituted controls on grains and bakeries soon after.

Even with the restored price controls, bread was still one of the motivating factors in the French Revolution of 1788-1789.  There were poor crops worldwide for several years due to the Laki volcano eruption in Iceland (June 8, 1873).  Hungry people became desperate people.  Desperate people became dangerous people once they decided the current government (true or not) was using famine to its benefit.  Obviously, the French Revolution was far more complex than this, but it can truly be said that hunger, and as illustrated by a poorly timed economic experiment thirteen years earlier, played a role.

The cautious removal of price controls in 1863
 

Going back to the first item we showed in the blog - let me remind you that this was a poster that was placed in a bakery to show what the recommended prices for bread should be.  While a baker could certainly charge more for a product than the prices shown in the taxe officieuse, the consumer could make an informed choice about price based on the baseline prices offered by the government.

By the time we get to 1863 (88 years after the Flour War), improved infrastructure for communications and transportation had resulted in conditions that could potentially support free trade in grains and an open market for bakers. 

"Even so, the government remained cautious.  Local authorities were still required to establish a taxe officieuse and to publish it: this was to be the suggested selling price for bread.  Furthermore, a list of bakers selling below this price was to be published to encourage competition." [2, p 202]

The piece of postal history in this blog post is evidence of this system voluntary/recommended price control that was noted to still be in use in many parts of France as late as 1912 by Knoop. 

While you might think the French Revolution and the Flour Wars might have been firmly in the rearview mirror by this point in time, there was still resistance to the idea of a free market for bread and grains. 

"In 1863, after a good harvest, the price of bread ... was estimated to be some 2 centimes higher than if the taxe du pain had been retained.... There was thus widespread discontent with the new system.  This noticeably increased after poor harvests in 1866 and 1867." [2, p 202]

However, this time, the change to a more "laissez-faire" approach in the grain market stuck, resulting in a system that flattened out price changes.

"In spite of this, consumers were in a far better position than before because of the reduction in the amplitude and rapidity of price fluctuations." [2, p 203]

--------------------------------------

And there you have it - another Postal History Sunday that travels between postal history and the broader history that surrounds those items.  It often amazes me how simple pieces of postal history can provide me with an opportunity to take these interesting journeys.  Remember - these were items that were normal and unremarkable parts of peoples' lives in the 1850s and 1860s.  It often makes me wonder what commonplace items that reside in our own homes and businesses will be looked at in the same way as I view these old pieces of letter mail 150 years from now.

Thank you for joining me and I hope you have a beautiful, blessed day and a good week to come.

Resources:
[1]Knoop, Douglas, "Principles and Methods of Municipal Trading", MacMillan and Co, Ltd, London, 1912

[2] Price, Roger, "the Modernization of Rural France: Communications, Networks and Agricultural Market Structures in Nineteenth Century France," Routledge, London, 1983.

[3]Neely, Sylvia, "A Concise History of the French Revolution,"  Rowman and Littlefield, 2008.

Additional:
Lesgor, R, Minnigerode, M & Stone, R.G., "The Cancellations on French Stamps of the Classic Issues: 1849-1876," Nassau Stamp Company, 1948.