Sharing What We Enjoy - Postal History Sunday

Postal History Sunday is celebrating one year of consistent, weekly posts on... you guessed it... a Sunday!  On August 30, 2020, the second issue of PHS was published on the blog (the first and second offerings had a gap of a couple of weeks).  Since then, I have yet to miss a week (this is the 54th PHS).  That's as good a reason to celebrate as anything.

The title of the first PHS post was "Sharing Something You Enjoy," and I wanted to go back to that theme as part of the celebration for one year of posts.

Life has been difficult for all of us during the pandemic and with all of the various world events going on in recent years.  Like many of you, I often find myself feeling worried, frustrated and depressed.  I see people at each others' throats and that upsets me.  My thought is that we need to find a balance between genuine concern for the world around us AND appreciation for the good things that make it worthwhile being concerned in the first place. 

One proposal I can make?  Share your unabashed enthusiasm for something you enjoy with others.  That doesn't mean that you need to find someone who already appreciates what you do.  Just share and show.  Then listen and appreciate when others reciprocate.  Maybe - throughout this process - we'll all learn something new and perhaps we'll gain more appreciation for good things AND each other.

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So, this week I am going to do a show and tell of what is currently getting my attention in Postal History.  Many of these things are due to be featured in their own Postal History Sunday, so you can consider some of this a preview.  And, you will see reference links to several prior PHS entries you can explore if you are inclined to do so.

My focus today is simply expressing my enjoyment for each of the things I will show today.

French, but Not French

When your surname is "Faux" (pronounced "Fox" in our case), you typically have a fair amount of explaining to do when you meet new people.  The most common question is whether I know if it means "fake" or "false" (pronounced like "foe").  C'mon!  I've lived with this name my whole life, I suspect I have heard that a time or three.

The second most common question is whether I have French heritage.  I suppose that is possible, but the family only traces heritage back to central Ireland.  Still, it was enough for me to decide to select French as my language requirement in high school and college (no, they did not offer Irish Gaelic).  In any event, these are just a couple of the reasons why I have found myself attracted to French postal history in the 1850s to 1870s.

That's enough to start to explain why this 1861 letter from St Etienne in France to Roulers in Belgium might attract my attention.

But, there is more to it than that.  I find that postal history builds and branches from the places you have been before in the hobby.  I can actually show you some of those branches with this single item.

In July, I shared a letter that traveled from Belgium TO St Etienne in France.  The simple connection to a community for which I had done a little research was enough to give me a head start on this one.  And, I have done a fair bit of study pertaining to mail between Belgium and France.  So, I was able to determine that this letter was a triple weight letter, requiring (of course) three times the base rate of postage (120 centimes or 1 franc & 20 centimes).

Even better, I had recently written about "Sneaky Clues" in late July.  Sometimes there are unobtrusive scrawls on covers that tell us something about the piece of mail in question.  There is just such a scrawl on this cover that confirms for us that this letter weighed enough to require a triple rate. The rate was 40 centimes per 10 grams.  

Can you find the "scrawl" I am referring to?

While I am not yet certain this first item will merit its own PHS entry one day, I can tell you that the next one will.

The folded letter above was mailed from Paris, France in 1871 to Brighton, England.  The postage applied to the item paid the 30 centimes rate and, sure enough, there is the "P.D." which stands for "payée à destiné" (paid to destination).

At the time this letter was mailed in Paris, the city was surrounded by German armies and no one could leave the city - unless they flew OVER those who were laying siege.  One of the most celebrated and studied stories in postal history has to be the use of manned balloons to carry mail out of the city and (hopefully) past the occupying forces.

This is one such letter.  If you look at top left, you will see the words "par Ballon Monte" that provide us with the first clue that this might be one of the letters that left Paris via one of these flights.

I've even got a personal connection to this one.  The name of the balloon was the "Newton."  Now, ask me the name of the town I grew up in.  

Paris?!?  What?  No.  

Speaking of Germany

The postal history of Germany during the 1850s through 1870s can be very complex.  During this period of time, the diverse German states began to merge and unify (some more willing than others).  As this process progressed, the postal services saw significant changes.  Any time that happens, there will be postal historians that try to make sense of it all - myself included.

Shown above is an 1861 letter from Mainz to Holland.  

At the time this letter was sent, Mainz was in Hessian territory (Hesse was one of the German states).  Unlike many of the other German states, the Hessian government did not provide a postal service.  Instead, they relied on the Princely House of Thurn and Taxis for their mails.  

Thurn and Taxis has a long and distinguished history for carrying mail starting in Italy around the year 1300.  An item such as this one provides a window into the last years of what was once the dominant mail courier in much of Europe.  That actually provides me with a bit of difficulty, because I may have a hard time boiling it down to a blog-sized piece.

Regardless, the story here is much too good for me to pass up having a Postal History Sunday that provides more focus in the next week or two.

Last week's PHS theme was a series of stamps that I admired when I was a very young collector.  It should be no surprise to anyone that postal history and philately will have their popular sub-topics that often catch the imaginations of those who are beginners in the hobby.  Sometimes, those beginners are hooked for life.  It's not hard to explain.  

Think of it this way - the New York Yankees often attract new baseball fans because they are often placed front and center in the most accessible media.  Nearly everyone has heard of Beethoven and Mozart and that's probably where someone might start with classical music.  Even if they move on to Berlioz as a favored composer, there is often still a soft spot for the music by the composer that introduced you to the genre.

That explains the item shown above.  The German "Kaiser Yacht" series of stamps that were used in the German colonies in the early 1900s were the "storied" series of stamps that introduced me to German philately.  While I may never study the postal history featuring these stamps seriously, I can still appreciate an item or two simply because I have a personal history of learning that traversed through this sort of thing.

The envelope shown above was mailed from the then German colony of Kamerun to Geneve Switzerland.  The international letter rate (set by the Universal Postal Union) was 20 pfennig, which is overpaid here by 1 pfennig - there are seven copies of the 3 pfennig stamp issued for Kamerun.

Lions, Tigers and... Other Stuff

I have mentioned the Tuscan Lion before and I do have a few items that feature that particular design.  That would be part of the reason why I enjoy the old letter shown above.  But, this one has so many other things that get my attention.

It travels from the Grand Duchy of Tuscany to London, England at a time just prior to the war that would lead Tuscany to join other Italian states as the Kingdom of Italy (1859/60).  It properly pays a known postal rate.  The markings are readable.  The address panel is readable.  It even has a marking that reads "Dopo la Partenza" - essentially a "Too Late" marking that indicates the letter arrived at the departure post office after the mail coach had left with the day's mails.

Perhaps the addressee will bring even more to the story this postal artifact carries with it?  Who knows what else I will find?  That's part of what makes this so much fun for me.

And I've always appreciated the Malaysian "Tiger Issues" because.. well... they have tigers on them.  What other reason do you need?

Really.  If a person likes tigers and that's what it takes to make them happy - an image of a tiger on a stamp that's on an old letter - then who are we to sneer at such a thing?  

In my case, the familiarity with the stamp design gives me an opening to learn something about a geographical region I would otherwise have very little connection to.  By taking a step from away from a familiar place, I open myself up to new things, new thoughts and different ideas - both within and outside of the postal history hobby.

And we should never forget the social history that comes along for the ride when we look at postal history.  C.F. Adae served as the consulate in Cincinnati, Ohio for several German states during the late 1850s and through much of the 1860s.  

The envelope shown above was one of multiple designs used by Adae for his mail.  My interest in this particular item stems, once again, from prior experience.  I was first introduced to this personality and the preprinted envelopes by this item from Cincinnati to Wurrtemberg:

Oh look!  There's that fancy 24 cent stamp the United States issued in 1861!  I really like that design!

I wonder if it is possible that the farmer will write a Postal History Sunday that shows items sent by C.F. Adae?  Odds are pretty good that it will happen some day.  Especially now that you all see he has not just one, but TWO items he could share in such a post.

You Just Had to Mention Those 24 centers...

Now you're really going to get him started.  And you wanted to quit reading and go about your normal Sunday business...  

Actually, I can tell about when many people's eyes are ready to glaze over from postal history overload and we've gotten there. So, we'll close with one more preview for a future Postal History Sunday.

The envelope shown above was mailed from Williams Creek in British Columbia during the gold rush in that region.  The letter includes postage stamps from British Columbia to pay for the internal postage and a 24 cent 1861 US stamp to pay the postage from the United States to Liverpool in England.  

Western gold rushes always ushered in rapid changes for those regions where a strike occurred and that's part of what makes this particular postal item so enjoyable.  We can explore the reasons for two different postal systems' stamps on one letter.  We can look at the route and conditions of the roads from Williams Creek to settlements on the Pacific Ocean.  

I can focus just on the rates and the routes, or I can explore the ways this letter might have traveled from here to there.  If I want, I can dig into the Cariboo Gold Rush and learn about some of the personalities that loomed large at the time this letter was sent.  I cven learn more about the geological formations that provided prospectors with the opportunity to make a find.

That's what I enjoy - and I hope you appreciated at least of some of today's sharing.

Have a great remainder of the day and I will see you next week for Postal History Sunday.

I wonder which topic I'll choose next week?  Perhaps you should give me some feedback if something in particular interests you?

Second Childhood - Postal History Sunday

Here we are, at the seventh day of the week (or the first depending on when you start your week), which means it is time for Postal History Sunday on the Genuine Faux Farm blog.  You are currently reading on the GFF Postal History blog, where I cross post all of the Postal History Sundays and sometimes work on other things that might be a bit heavier on the postal history.

It is our tradition - as part of the opening to a PHS post - that we find a creative way to push our troubles and our worries aside for at least a little while so we can all enjoy something postal history related that I share here.  The idea is that if we do that, we might all learn something new and perhaps find a positive to balance out the weight those troubles and worries add to our lives.

Today's plan?  Put those troubles onto that key ring that most people have.  You know the one!  The key ring where you put the keys you will rarely, if ever, use.  IF you can find that key ring again, when you do, you will probably forget exactly what those worries were for - just like the keys that are sitting there with them!

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Like many philatelists or postal historians, I started in the hobby when I was quite young.  I can still recall clearly my perceptions of the hobby, including the feeling that much of the things that I knew existed would always be unattainable.  Always a dream, never a reality.

This is not exactly a new topic for Postal History Sunday as I explored that a bit with the Independent Mail blog back in January of this year.  The difference between that situation and this situation is that I probably figured I would never acquire an example of that Hale and Company letter, even as an adult.  The things I will be sharing today DID become attainable over time and it was just a matter of deciding to pursue it.

Shown above is a letter mailed from Detroit, Michigan to Riga Latvia in September of 1935.  This was sent as a registered letter via surface mail to a foreign country and two 10-cent stamps were used to pay for the postage and the registered mail fee.  

What is surface mail?  Its counterpart would be air mail, which was beginning to get a foothold in the 1930s.  Surface mail was less expensive and could use various modes of transportation via ground and water to get to where it was going.

In the case of the letter above, it likely took a train to a port city, such as New York or Boston, and boarded a ship to Europe.  By the time we get to 1935 there were many options for mail to be carried over the Atlantic and the lack of markings do nothing to help us figure out the route this might have taken.

In 1934, a series of ten stamps were issued to honor the National Parks of the United States.  Each of the ten stamps had a different denomination, from 1 cent (Yosemite) to 10 cents (Great Smokey Mountains).  The stamps on this cover were the denomination that was issued last (put on sale October 8, 1934).  If you have interest in reading more about the background of these stamps, there is an article with large pictures of each denomination offered by the White House Historical Association.

This series of stamps was one that caught my attention early in my collecting endeavors.  As a kid, with a kid's budget, I was pretty much able to acquire things with minimum value, often given to me by relatives.  The National Parks issue of 1934 had a few values that fell under that category, but the 10 cent Great Smokey Mountains stamp was not one of those.  If I recall correctly, it had a catalog value in the neighborhood of  $1.70, which was a relative fortune.  In fact, a nice copy of this stamp was probably my first targeted purchase for my collection.

I think we all have things that trigger early memories and many of us are fortunate to have pleasant memories we don't mind recalling.  This stamp issue does that for me.  And, the ten-cent value has a personal significance.  So, when I came across this particular item from Detroit to Riga at the Great American Stamp Show last weekend, I did not have to think too hard about adding it to my personal collection.

Foreign Letter Mail

Many of the envelopes and mail pieces that feature 1934 National Parks issue stamps are what I would identify as souvenir items or philatelic covers.  In other words, they were placed on a cover to commemorate a particular event (many to commemorate National Parks events - of course) or to feature the first day of issue for the stamp (First Day Covers or FDCs).  The focus of the cover was to create a keepsake rather than to carry something through the mails to someone else. 

I prefer items that had the postage paid by these stamps with the purpose to carry the contents in the mail.  In addition to my desire to find examples of regular letter mail using these stamps, I prefer items that went to another country other than the United States, such as the item shown above that was sent to Winterthur, Switzerland from Jackson, Michigan.

The United States was among those countries that joined the General Postal Union at its inception.  The letter rate for surface mail to other participating nations was set at 5 cents per 15 grams on July 1, 1875.  The General Postal Union became the Universal Postal Union, and the UPU continued to refine the postal agreement, resulting in some changes in those rates.  As of October 1, 1907, the cost was now 5 cents for a letter weighing no more than 20 grams.  

An item that qualifies for the first weight level for a postal rate is often referred to as a "simple letter."  The rate for a simple letter would not change again until November 1, 1953.

The letter shown above was postmarked in 1935, so it must have qualified as a simple letter.

You might notice that the postage stamp, featuring Old Faithful at Yellowstone, includes a bit of the selvage (the border around a sheet of stamps) and the printing plate number.  This tells me that it is likely that either the sender or the recipient (or both) were interested in or had some knowledge of philately (stamp collecting).  There are collectors who collect items that include the selvage with a plate number intact

That, in and of itself, does not make this a philatelic cover because it does properly pay the rate and there are no further markings that attempt to turn the cover into a souvenir item.  But, it is fairly safe to say that most uses of this series were probably the result of a person being aware of someone who collected stamps.

The general public would be more likely to use postage stamps that might look more like this one.

The National Parks issue is typically classified as commemorative stamps.  Their counterpart would be definitives, just like the 5 cent Washington stamp shown above.  Definitive stamps were often issued as a series with multiple denominations and a single design was typically maintained for many years.  Commemoratives, on the other hand were printed over a much shorter period of time and, frankly, were intended to attract stamp collectors - especially those who wanted to keep copies of each design without using them on mail. 

How Heavier Letters Were Handled

The other interesting feature about the new surface mail postage rates to foreign countries in 1907 was that the amount for each additional unit of weight after the first was actually LESS than the first unit of weight.  Prior to this point, the cost was 5 cents for every 20 grams in weight.

As of the 1907 rate change, an item weighing no more than 20 grams (a simple letter) would still cost five cents.  But, each additional 20 grams of weight only added 3 more cents to the postage.

This piece of letter mail sent from Woonsocket, Rhode Island to Yonne, France must have weighed more than 20 grams, but no more than 40 grams.  The cost?  Five cents for the first 20 grams and three more cents for the next 20 grams for eight cents in total.  This postage was paid by four of the 2 cent stamps from the National Parks issue.

The two-cent National Parks issue features the Grand Canyon.  Once again, I would not be surprised if the sender or receiver was a stamp collector.  There is selvage at the bottom of the stamps that was not removed.  And, the choice of a block of four 2-cent stamps to a person that is likely related to you implies (at least to me) that the individual was hopeful the envelope would come back to them at some point in the future after it had done its job carrying a letter overseas.  Or perhaps, the selection of stamps was because the recipient was known to collect.  Either way, the letter carried mail properly and the envelope does not carry additional adornments, so it interests me as a postal artifact.

Please note, I am not denigrating anyone who enjoys collecting philatelically inspired postal items such as FDCs or event covers.  There is plenty in that area to explore and enjoy.  The difference is merely that they don't interest me as much as the items in this post do.  We all have to set our boundaries and priorities.  In fact, you will find that I even make exceptions for this self-imposed guideline as can be seen in the PHS post titled Visiting the Arctic Circle and this one titled Personal Connections!

For me, a good story or a personal connection can change my mind about a particular item quickly enough.

Registered Mail

Persons who wanted to send items of value in letter mail had the option of using Registered Mail to pay for additional tracking by postal agencies as the item traveled through the various mail services.  The first such rate established by the Universal Postal Union was 10 cents on April 1, 1879.  This was increased to 15 cents on December 1, 1925, which is where it stayed until 1945 (it then increased to 20 cents).

The letter shown above was mailed in 1936 from New York City to Whitstable, England.  Five copies of the four-cent stamp were used to pay a total of 20 cents in postage (just like the first cover I shared in this post).  These stamps paid five cents for the price of a simple letter using surface mail because the letter weighed no more than 20 grams.  Fifteen cents were charged for the Registered Mail services.

As a side note, the registration fee did not change based on the weight of the item, even while the letter weight did.  So, if the previous letter had been registered, it would have required 8 cents for letter mail postage and 15 cents for registration (23 cents total).

If you look at the center left of the cover shown above, there is a purple handstamp that says "REGISTERED" and a registry number is placed just below that marking (226057).  In addition to those markings, a blue cross was placed on the front to give mail handlers another visual clue that this item was to be given registered mail services.  This cross is prevalent in mail that was carried at some point by the British mails, but it not necessarily seen on US mail items - so we can conclude it was likely added by a clerk in the British mail system.

The same can be said for the blue marking on the back of the cover shown below.  Yes, that is also supposed to be a "cross," but I think the clerk had more than one of these to process and wasn't feeling particularly interested in precision at that moment.

Since registered mail often carried items of value, registry markings were often placed over the area where the flap adheres to the rest of the envelope.  The idea was that if someone tried to open the envelope one would notice disturbance in the markings.  This is akin to the old wax seals that were applied in earlier mail.  Of course, this letter was not opened by tearing open the flap.  Instead, an end of the envelope was slit with a knife or letter opener - so this security feature was a bit of a moot point in that regard.

The four-cent stamp features Mesa Verde in Colorado.  

This cover adds a level of interest with the docket that reads "via S/S Lafayette" at the lower left side of the envelope.  The Lafayette was the first diesel powered ship in the Compagnie Générale Transatlantique's (CGT) fleet.  It was placed into service in 1929 or 1930, The Great Ocean Liner site reads unclear as to which year that would be and I did not feel compelled to dig further at the current time.  If someone else feels that they want to know more and they figure it out, feel free to share with me and I can add it in.

images taken from the Great Ocean Liner site linked in the paragraph above on 8/18/21

The typical sailing routes for CGT were to leave New York, stop in Plymouth or Southampton in the UK and then terminate the sailing at Le Havre in France.  So, it makes sense that mail destined for the British mails would offload at either Plymouth or Southampton rather than continuing on to France.  Unlike mail in the 1860s, there are no exchange markings for the arrival of the mail, so we would have to find evidence in the newspapers for the arrival of the Lafayette in either Plymouth or Southampton to figure out how this letter got to the United Kingdom.

All four of the envelopes shown today were acquired just last weekend, so my motivation for sharing them now is fairly high.  Perhaps I will follow this post up at some time in the future and show other National Parks issue items that have come my way over the years.  It is not a very big collection, but it is one that makes me feel like a kid again.  That, in itself, is enough reason to justify the time spent on them.

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Thank you again for joining me for this week's Postal History Sunday.  I suspect I will find myself back in the 1860s (or something around that time) in next week's blog, but I can certainly be convinced to take things in other directions. Feel free to contact me in comments or via email if you have thoughts, suggestions and, as always, corrections.

Additional Resources

The Smithsonian's National Postal Museum created a series of media items under the title Trailblazing: 100 Years of Our National Parks.  These media items highlight things shown in their 2016 exhibit on this topic.

The National Postal Museum also provides large photos and decent descriptions of postage stamps issued by the United States.  This link will take you to the National Parks issue descriptions and photos.

This article by Paul Lee for the Rocky Mountain Philatelic Library in 2015 gives an overview of what a person could look for if they wanted to collect stamps and postal history based on a National Park theme.

This thread on the Stamp Community discussion board features one collector's focus on stamp essays and First Day Covers.  There isn't much on postal history there, but it is still a fine example of how collectors often share their knowledge with other collectors.

Addendum - the Demise of the Lafayette

The Great Ocean Liner site referenced above gives a more complete story of this diesel-powered ship.  However, it was pointed out to me that the Lafayette met its demise on May 4 of 1938 while it was receiving repairs in drydock at Le Havre, France.  The site includes the picture above of the ship while it was aflame.  Since I often include details like this in my posts, I agree that I should have included it here!

Have a great remainder of the day and an excellent week to come.

And here's to forgetting where you put that key chain!

Showing Off - Postal History Sunday

Welcome to a special topic in Postal History Sunday!  This time we'll take a virtual trip to Chicago for the Great American Stamp Show hosted by the American Philatelic Society.  But, before I get into it too deep let me first remind you to put those troubles in the laundry with your dirty socks.  If we're all lucky, the troubles will disappear with all of the missing socks that have resulted in a drawer full of single, unmatched footwear.  If it doesn't work, we'll always say it SHOULD have!

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Let me begin by telling you that first - I am not all that great at taking pictures with a smart phone.  The photos are what they are.  You can click on them to get a bigger version of the photo - and I think they are good enough to illustrate the point.  Second, let me quickly remind you that readers of the blog come from all backgrounds, which means there may be varying needs for explanation.  And third, there were many, MANY exhibits I enjoyed at the show.  There are only a few given attention here.  If yours is not one of them, it's not a slight.  I just can't write that much in one blog!

Either way, I hope everyone walks away learning something new!

The Great American Stamp Show is held each Summer at various locations around the United States.  This year's show is in Chicago, which is within a reasonable distance of our location in Iowa.  The last Great American Stamp Show was held in Omaha, Nebraska (in 2019), which was also within driving distance for us.  Of course, no show was held in 2020.  That means the Genuine Faux Farmers actually have been able to attend each of the last two times it was held. (Though, I must admit that August is NOT an easy time for us to leave the farm.)

For those who do not know, this is not the only stamp show that happens in a year.  There are shows that are decent sized in many major cities that are held annually.  Similarly, smaller communities might also host shows or bourses that center around stamp and postal history collecting.  If you are tempted to think that is odd, I encourage you to consider hobbies or activities you or yours participate in.  Are there special local, regional and national gatherings that could be attended?  Typically the answer is "yes.'  Where there is an interest, there are events where people can gather.

A stamp "bourse" is typically a gathering where people who specialize in locating and selling stamps and postal history set up their wares and collectors (hopefully) come to purchase those items for their collections.  Sometimes, people come to these events to sell items to the dealers so they can find new homes for them.

Bigger shows often include a host of additional events including speakers, activities, specialist meetings, and exhibits.  Exhibiting is an opportunity for collectors to put together organized visual presentations of material they have collected and put them on display for others to see.  In fact, there is usually a competitive aspect to these exhibits too!  To put it simply, material with the best presentation of their material do better than those who show what they have poorly.  And, if someone shows "better" items than someone else, that should also receive better awards.  Of course, there can be plenty of debate of what is "better," but that's for another time and another blog.

What I like about this aspect of the show is that I can share things I've learned with other people who ALSO like to share things they've learned.  For me, the competition comes with the territory (and I participate willingly - even if I have pushed at boundaries over the years), but it is not the main highlight.

Without further ado - I would like to share some of things I have seen and enjoyed in the exhibits being displayed at the show.  There was more I wanted to share, but remember... poor phone photo taking skills.  Maybe I'll try to get better pictures to show in a part II?

Organizing topics so others can follow

One of the biggest challenges for showing a collection of material in an exhibit is trying to convey to anyone who is looking exactly what you are trying to accomplish.  You want to do this efficiently so you can get down to business and start showing people all of the things that you enjoy!

But, remember, you are doing this for people who do not have the luxury of sitting in their comfy chair while a silly farmer who likes postal history narrates for you!  So, most exhibits start with a title page that does its best to give you the purpose of the exhibit and basic organizational guidelines so the viewer has a chance of figuring things out.  

I selected the title page of Sam Chiu's exhibit titled "Hankow, China 1891-1919" and show it above.

I do not know much at all about Hankow, China, nor do I know much about its postal system or postal history at all.  So, if I can start to make a little sense of what this exhibit is about when I look at this page (and only this page), it is a good start to an exhibit.  

Feel free to click on the image and see if you can get some ideas as to what Sam is doing here.

Opportunities to learn

Exhibits are often put together by individuals who take learning very seriously.  Of course that doesn't mean there aren't mistakes, misinterpretation and incomplete information.  But, there is a wonderful opportunity to learn new things about topics you never considered AND in areas you are learning yourself.

Tonny Van Loij shared the exhibit "The Post of Thurn and Taxis during the 18th Century and Ending in 1867" at this year's show and I was pleased to see it.  Why?  Well, because I am trying to learn more about this are of postal history.  It doesn't hurt to learn from someone who has figured some of it out already!

If you look at the image above, you get a taste of some of the information a person might be able to get from Tonny's exhibit.

What I have found is that learning something new can feel completely impossible when you have absolutely no foothold - no starting bit of knowledge - to help you start the learning process.  An exhibit like this just might have some keys that open up your mind to that new thing!

So, I am grateful to those who share their knowledge through their exhibits because I can learn from them.

Entertainment galore!

Since there is a competitive aspect to this exhibiting thing, there are some common guidelines that are applied to help judges figure out who does this best.  And, like all things of that nature, there are people who push the boundaries of what is typically accepted.  

The great news?  Several people pushed on many boundaries - encouraging us to consider new ideas and approaches.  Don't get me wrong, I fully appreciate the boundaries created for exhibiting because it helps us focus on the challenge of communicating what we know and what we are showing.  But, I also enjoy seeing people push at them because this is how we can all grow and get more out of the process AND the competition.

Shown above is Chip Gliedman's "A Postal History Map of the United States."  The exhibit provides an example of an interesting and often rare item from each of the fifty states.  Each one resides on a page that is roughly in line with the location of the state on a map.  Alaska is at the top left and Hawai'i at bottom left.

This exhibit shows everything from a Hindenburg "crash cover" (a mail item that was partially burned in the Hindenburg crash) to .. well...  I can't pick a "to" because there is so much variety and all of it is interesting.

Let's me just put it this way.  This exhibit is a joyous celebration of the postal history hobby.  It is simply an intelligent and fun way to share with others.  It may not follow the guidelines in a way where it will win the top prize, but it makes people smile and it attracts attention.  

Good enough for me and I know this is exactly what Chip wants.

Exhibits of all sorts

Truth in advertising - I personally prefer the older material from the 1800s and I like postal history the best.  But, an exhibit can show "newer" things and focus on material that may not require a high monetary investment.  Topics can focus on stamps, souvenir items, or a mix of items that show things related to a topic like the Donald Duck exhibit by Edward Bergen, or Dawn Hammen's "How to Grow Tomatoes" and Fran Adams' "Letitia Incident."  This allows more people to play in the sandbox (so to speak)!

There was not one, but TWO exhibits that featured a stamp design I have appreciated ever since I saw it when I was six years old.  I admit to doing a poor job of paying attention to which photo came from where, but I believe this one is from Anthony Dewey's "The 3ct Connecticut Tercentenary Issue of 1935 and its First Days."

Sure, 1935 isn't exactly "new,"  but to me, when it comes to stamps and postal history, I consider this new because I prefer to look at things that are about 70 years older!

This exhibit also illustrated that people don't just show postal history.  First Day Covers are souvenirs created to celebrate the issue of a new postage stamp.  Now, of course, Rob the postal historian, chose to take the picture above because it has more postal history qualities to it.  It's a reminder that we all come at things with our own experience and preferences.

Persistence is a key

I realize I have not had the opportunity to go to many shows compared to some.  But I am very fortunate to have had the opportunity to go to one or two each year.  That means I have been able to observe as certain people work from year to year and show to show to improve how they present their material to everyone. 

I always enjoy looking at the innovative ways Greg Shoults has figured out how to display paper items with all sorts of characteristics to the best effect.  His exhibit "Washington & Franklin Coils Flat Plate and Coil Waste Issues 1908-1915" illustrates many tricks and techniques he has refined over the years - and I suspect he's not done tinkering and improving.

Once again, I am a postal historian, so I may not be very knowledgeable about what Greg shows here.  But, it is an opportunity to learn and a chance to appreciate how he communicates what interests him.  I have been fortunate to be able to watch the improvements over time.

And, of course, as I review my blog post, I came to realize that I mixed up a photo which was actually from Vicky Hadley's fine exhibit titled "the Kansas-Nebraska Overprints."  So, I just added bonus material by pointing out that there are numerous clever techniques shown in Vicky's exhibit as well.  (And, I was able to add and move photos with an edit on August 16 to clarify the situation.)

The Kansas-Nebraska issue is another that held some personal interest for me when I was younger, so it was a pleasure to view an advanced and intelligent treatment of an area for which I only had basic knowledge.  This exhibit illustrated for me exactly how many different kinds of things can fit into a particular topic area (including postal history).

Have I said yet that there are many talented and wonderful participants?

Not just the size of an envelope

Not everything in an exhibit is the size of a stamp or a standard envelope.  Those who collect revenue stamps (adhesives used to pay taxes other than postage - to put it simply) often collect large documents that must be displayed in a fashion that shows the content.  Some items can spread out to be much bigger than a common 8 1/2 by 11 inch page.  

Michael Mahler has turned exhibiting of this sort of material into an art form.  On top of all of that, he does an excellent job explaining to a postal historian (me) why the things he shows are interesting and important.  His "Rebel Documents, Yankee Stamps: How the Union Collected its Stamp Taxes in the Confederacy" attracts me because he connects the items in his exhibit to the history that surrounds them better than many people do.

(* note * - Mike won the Grand Award for the open competition, which means his was judged to be the best of a very large number of exhibits that covered a wide range of topics.  Well done!)

And some people go 3-D

One of the big "buzzes" in the exhibit area at this show was the special boxes constructed to allow Vince King to show books, toy blocks and other items that are NOT FLAT in his exhibit, "In the Beginning...Timbromanie, How the Proliferation of Postage Stamps Started a Collecting Revolution."

Shown above is an old stamp collecting album from the 1800s.  

Once again, there is creativity and problem solving shown here.  Vince has these neat items that are related to his topic - but they aren't flat and they don't fit in a normal display frame.  So, what do he do?  Build something that makes it work!

(* note * Vince received the most votes for the Most Popular Exhibit at the show.  Well done!)

Respect to all who share things that interest them

In the end, I have great respect for all who take the time to learn and then share their learning with others, whether it is through a competitive exhibit at a stamp show, a talk at a local library or being willing to answer a few questions from a person with an idle curiosity about the things you love.

There are a significant number of people who share in this way at stamp shows by working hard at creating and improving their exhibits.

Thank you to all of you who have done so.  

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And thank you to everyone who read this slightly different Postal History Sunday.  For those who are curious, the first photo is the first frame (16 pages) of my own exhibit that was shared at this show.

It has been a privilege to share something I enjoy and I have truly enjoyed the chance to answer questions and give "personal tours" to anyone who wants them.  Amazingly enough, the show has one more day to go and I am able to attend.

So, maybe I'll give yet a few more personal tours on Sunday.

(* notes added August 16*) I shared a 6 frame exhibit, which is 96 pages, at this show.  This exhibit participated in something called the "Champion of Champions" competition.  To qualify, the exhibit had to win a Grand Award at a participating "World Series of Philately" show.  I was honored with a grand in 2019 at the last Great American Stamp Show in Omaha.  

Essentially, all of the Grand Award winners from the prior year (or so) compete and one is chosen as the winner.  All of the others, receive a blue ribbon Prix d'Honneur for participation.  This year Dan Ryterband was given the Champion of Champions Award - well done Dan!

Be well.  Have a great rest of your day and a wonderful week to come.

Disastrous Revolution - Postal History Sunday

Welcome to Postal History Sunday.  Put those troubles and worries aside for a little while and let's see if we can learn something new - or at least be amused while I share something I enjoy!

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This week's postal history item is a folded letter sent by Carcenac & Roy in Mulhouse, France to an individual in Bordeaux, France.  The letter was mailed on March 27, 1849 and arrived at its destination on March 31 after going through Lyon on the 28th.

Before I go much further, let me point the year date out to you AGAIN.  1849.  This letter is 172 years OLD.  In the grand scheme of global history, that isn't so much.  And yet, here I am perusing a business letter that was written and read by people 172 years ago and the letter still looks pretty darned good.  Sometimes, I forget this fact, but when I remember, the wonder of the hobby returns to me full force.

 

What it cost to mail

At the beginning of 1849, France implemented new postal rates as a part of their reform to make the postal system more accessible to the public with "cheap postage," following England's lead.  This letter represents a significant reduction in postage.  Prior to this point, the cost of a letter in France was a function of both weight and the distance traveled.  The distance from Mulhouse to Bordeaux is about 830 km, which would have required 1 franc (100 centimes) in postage.

This letter weighed no more than 7.5 grams and qualified for the new 20 centime 1st Rate Level.

This rate was effective from January 1, 1849 to June 30, 1850 and followed this rate progression:

Let that sink in for a second.  A letter sent just THREE months prior to this one between the same sender and recipient would have cost FIVE TIMES MORE.  That's a big change.

The rate boundaries were inclusive - meaning the first rate would apply to items that weighed 7.5 grams and less.  For a broader look at the French Internal postage rates from 1849 until 1875, a post on my postal history blog that has been built and needs updating, but there is still good information there if you wish to look. 

The 20 centime black on yellowish paper stamp portrays an image of Ceres, the Greek goddess of agriculture and motherly love.  This stamp was issued in 1849 in conjunction with the new rates and the establishment of the Second Republic after the 1848 revolution.  This stamp issue and a 1 franc value were the first stamps released for use to prepay postage by the French post office.  Other values would follow in 1850 including 10 c (Sep 12), 15 c (Jul 29), 25 c (Jul 1) and 40 c (Feb 3) values.  The lower values would be used for local rates and non-letter mail.  The 25 centime stamp's issuance coincided with a new letter rate that increased the first step for letters weighing up to 7.5 grams to 25 centimes. 

How did it get there?

The back of the folded letter includes a couple of transit markings that help us understand how it got from Mulhouse (Haut-Rhin department)  in the East by Basel, Switzerland to Bordeaux (Gironde department) on the Atlantic Ocean to the southwest.

If you look at the map above, you will see that some of the earliest rail developments occurred in Paris (of course), Mulhouse and St Etienne/Lyon.  By the time we get to 1849, work to add rail to Bordeaux might have been planned, but was not yet seeing much progress.  Priorities at the time were to connect Paris to Marseille, Le Havre and Calais to promote access to shipping for the areas that had more commerce (thus more demand for the rail traffic) or to the coal mines in locations like St Etienne.  The agricultural focus of the West and South of France would have to wait a bit longer.

The markings for Lyon and Bordeaux are not the clearest I have seen, but they are sufficient for me to figure them out with their dates.  The existence of rail lines between Mulhouse and Lyon accounts for the quick (1 day) transit time.  It took three more days to travel by a combination of a small section of rail followed by a longer period by coach to get to Bordeaux.

This portion of an 1856 map of Bordeaux created by Charles Cocks gives me a little bit of an idea, when combined with current maps of Bordeaux, as to where Mr. Pointet, the recipient of this letter, was located.  The street address on the letter reads "4 rue devise St Pierre," which would place his location somewhere in the red circle, just to the left (South) of the Place de la Bourse in Bordeaux.

The Saint Pierre Catholic Church would easily be in view from the narrow Rue de la Devise and Mr. Pointet's office.  The church is mentioned (but not the current building) as far back as the 1100s AD.  The current structure was initially built in the 1300s and "restructured" in the 1880s. 

The existence of a street address on this letter implies that a mail carrier delivered the letter to this address.  No additional markings confirm that this is the case, but there were carriers in Bordeaux at this time.

What was in that letter?

According to Histoire documentaire de l'industrie de Mulhouse... Vol 2 by Société industrielle de Mulhouse (France), Carcenac & Roy were an active concern for yarns and fabrics from 1847 to 1862 (or so).  

I did take a shot at translating this letter.  However, there is just enough of an issue with handwriting, inside references to their business, and probably some colloquialisms that I am not entirely certain about much of it.  However, the overall gist is that Mr. Pointet seems to be a person who sells on commission and he believes commission rates should increase and Carcenac and Roy do NOT really agree.

Of most interest is the reference to the 1848 revolution that led to the creation of the 2nd French Republic.  It would soon fall to an internal coup when President Napoleon declares himself the emperor.

Monsieur Pointet in Bordeaux.

We are in possession of your two letters <dated etc>. We look forward to the communications they give us, observing that the prices established by Mr Deleros from Toulouse are extremely strong. You do not perceive that at this moment we could no longer afford the same prices as we obtained in the first months of our disastrous revolution.

<trouble reading the next section> ?? .... if the political horizon does not come to put something in the wheels.

We have noticed with pleasure your reconnection with Mr Guinon as we think that it is said to be a long time with you apart. <uncertain about this>
We will add for your guidance that the merchandise could not be more rare and that the little that there is on the spot is only growing, we could almost say that we are tearing it up, we therefore urge you to be firm. Commissions, for a new increase is no longer certain, take care therefore, my dear sir, your measures have consequences.

In the hope of receiving your next letter soon.

The letter includes some docketing by Mr. Pointet indicating the source of the letter and date as well as a record of his reply.

The reverse appears to provide a price list for Pointet's use.  The short-hand references aren't going to be clear to us, but it must have been to them.

There you are!  A simple business letter that shows us how business continues to go on, even when big events are transpiring - like the French Revolution in 1849!  This is a fine reminder to us that when big things happen, the little things - like business transactions and living daily lives - still keep our attentions.  These glimpses into history show us a bit about what people thought of world events and how they were going about handling them. 

And this gives you another reason why I am often captivated by the social history that often walks hand in hand with postal history.  The insights I can gather about 1849 also give me perspective for 2021.  

It is not a new thing for people to speak with authority on topics they may not understand and likely do not have a direct hand in.  Even the yarn and fabric industry in the 19th century was filled with experts on politics!

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There you are - yet another Postal History Sunday (Number 51) in the books!  I hope you enjoyed this journey to the France that was 172 years ago.

Next week's post will likely a be a bit different.  I will have an opportunity to attend the Great American Stamp Show in Chicago and will be sharing an exhibit of some of material there.  Assuming that all goes well and we can find ways to safely attend, I hope to share either a little about the show OR a bit about my exhibit and how I put it together.  

Until then, I hope you have a great remainder of the day and a wonderful week to come!

The Road to Mantova - Postal History Sunday

Believe it or not, you are currently perusing the fiftieth (50th) edition of Postal History Sunday on the Genuine Faux Farm blog.  The good thing about this sort of media is that you can read each entry on the day it is published or you can read it when you have time.  So, if you haven't had a chance to enjoy PHS before this, you can feel free to take the first link and just scroll through the posts until you find yourself looking at a post that is to your liking!

Now, without further ado, let's set those worries and cares aside for a while while I share some things I enjoy and maybe we'll all learn something new.

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Which Comes First?

I do get questions periodically and I try to answer them as it seems appropriate.  One of those questions was "do you pick up a postal history item because it references some historical event or a place or do you learn about the events and places because you picked up the postal history item?"

And the answer is..... YES!

To illustrate that point, I'll start out with the 1861 folded letter shown above.  This letter, mailed in Brescia, which is in the province of Lombardy, was sent to Mantova (also known as Mantua), also in the province of Lombardy.  There is a 20 centesimi postage stamp that should have paid the postage required to mail this item to a destination within Italy at the time.  But, the big, bold "5" at the top right tells me that it was NOT treated as fully paid.  Instead, additional postage was required (5 soldi).

That did not make sense to me, so I went on a journey to learn a bit more about Mantova.

A Bit About Mantova

Below is a portrayal of Mantua/Mantova in 1575 (click on the image to see a larger version).  At this time, the city was surrounded by man-made lakes created by diverting and damming the Mincio river. With natural fortifications like that, it is no wonder the Austrians didn't want to give up the city.

The Austrians did you say?  What does Mantua have to do with Austria?  I thought you said it was in Lombardy (and thus it is Italian)?

Well let me explain.  No, there is too much - let me sum up!

The Kingdoms of Lombardy & Venetia were under the control of the Austrians according to the treaties signed after the Napoleonic Wars in 1815.   The city of Mantova was part of a series of four fortress cities.  The Quadrilatero Fortress Cities of Peschiera, Verona, Legnago and Mantova were a key part of Austrian defenses in Lombardy-Venetia.  Their formation as a quadrilateral funneled invaders to predictable routes, both on invasion and retreat.  Once inside the ring of fortresses, an opponent would always have defenders that could approach from any side. 

As you can see from the map below, three of these cities were in Venetia.  Only Mantova was in Lombardy.

 

At the time this letter was mailed, the city was mostly surrounded by three man-made lakes, not four.  The flow of the Mincio River had been altered in 1198 by Alberto Ditentino to create four lakes: Lago Superiore, di Mezzo, Inferiore and Pajolo.  The land was reclaimed from Pajolo in the 1700's, while the other three remained.

It is not hard to see how Mantova could be easier to defend given the presence of significant bodies of water.  If you look at the graphic below, you can see the fortifications at the lower left.

City of Mantua / Mantova
from Die Gartenlaube, published in 1866

The second war of the Italian Risorgimento (Italian Unification) in 1859 is worthy of a lengthy post all its own, but others have written enough and a summary is all that is needed here.  The French allied with the Sardinians against the Austrians and the war essentially ended with the battle at Solferino on June 24.  The Austrians suffering defeat.   

The Armistice of Villafranca on July 11, 1859 ceded Lombardy to France.  France then ceded Lombardy to Sardinia in exchange for the Duchy of Savoy and the County of Nice (Treaty of Turin on March 24, 1860).  Venetia, however, remained with Austria until 1866 - and Mantova was included in that territory.  While Austria had lost, they were not going to give up the defensive advantage provided by occupying the city and its fortifications.

Back to the Postal History

Here we are - back with the original item in question.  Brescia is in Lombardy, which is now part of the newly forming Kingdom of Italy in 1861, when this letter was mailed.  Mantova, on the other hand, is officially a part of Venetia and under Austrian control.

The rate to mail a letter from one location in Italy to another was 20 centesimi, so that postage paid for the mail to the border with Venetia.  Mantova was now officially right on that border, so the cost of postage in Venetia was only 5 soldi for a local letter.  That price was collected from the recipient at the time of delivery.

I guess that makes some sense, because in 1861, Austria wasn't all that happy with Italy (and probably vice versa) so they had not normalized postal relations.  That meant you could not prepay a letter between the two countries.  You could only pay to get to the border and hope the recipient would pay the rest.

It All Comes Back Around

It all started with an old letter that had me asking the question "Why?"  Why did this letter require more postage.  The result was that I learned a good deal about Mantova and its role in the Italian Risorgimento.  When you learn something interesting in history, it shouldn't be a surprise that NOW you notice more things that might have a connection to it.  

Suddenly letters like this one are MUCH more interesting than they were before.

Above is a letter that was mailed in 1855 from Espalion in France to Mantoue (yet another spelling of Mantova/Mantua).  As we have just learned, Mantova (and all of Lombardy) is part of Austria because this is prior to the war in 1859.

How it Got There

The markings on this cover are as follows:

Espalion Nov 19, 1855
Clermont-Ferrand Nov 20
Clermont A Paris Nov 20
Lyon Nov 21
Lyon A Marseille Nov 21
Marseille Nov 22
Mantova Nov 27

So, let's take a look at where these markings say the letter traveled.  To see a larger version, click on the map.

At the time this letter was written, there was no rail service in or near Espalion.  However, there WAS a rail terminus in Clermont-Ferrand that connected to one of the very rare rail lines that did not go only to Paris.  France was rapidly developing a 'star configuration' of rail lines with Paris at the center.  Often, if someone wanted to travel, they were often left with only the option to go via Paris!

This letter likely traveled by mail coach to Clermont-Ferrand, where they had a brand new train station, courtesy of completion of the rail line from Gannet from the north.  One has to wonder if there was some amount of excitement that this option for mail now existed that might have caused the writer to very clearly direct the letter to take that route.

The letter was able to travel by train from Clermont-Ferrand to Lyon and then by train to Marseille.  From Marseille, it was back to the mail coach to go northeast to Gap and to cross the alps until meeting up with a railway spur west of Turin.

Five Days to Mantova

The trip to Mantova from Marseille seems to have taken a good bit of time, especially considering I have another letter from this correspondence in 1857 that covers the same distance in three days.  But, we have to remember that a great deal could change in a couple of years.  It is possible that some improvements in the roads or rail lines could have made that much difference.

On the other hand, we must also consider that this letter had to cross the Alps - in November.  There is always the possibility that weather had a hand in delaying the mail, especially in the mountains.  However, there is actually one more wildcard that might have influenced the travels through the Alps.

On November 23, 1855, there was a foreshock to a larger earthquake that would be in the Castellane vicinity.  The foreshock was strong enough to cause a major landslide and minor damage to dwellings in nearby towns.  The main tremor on December 12th did much more damage, but would have little to do with this letter as it was presumably in Monsieur Sartoretti's hands in Mantova at that time.

Is it possible that this quake set travels back a day?  Or perhaps there was a bit of a snow storm that slowed the coaches as they made their way east?  Or, perhaps, the letter took the southern route via Nice, where there would be less railway but possibly calmer weather?

It is likely the coach had traveled well past the earthquake zone before mid-afternoon on the 23rd, so a delay because of the earthquake seems unlikely - though it would certainly be dramatic from the postal historian's point of view.  The directive to go via Turin also implies that the letter would travel via Besancon rather than taking the southern route via Nice - and then presumably to Turin.

In the end, it is unlikely that I will ever know for certain the actual route this letter took, nor is it likely that we can confirm that it was delayed by storm, earthquake or other issue. 

What it Cost to Mail

Some people might say that this cover is more attractive because it doesn't have just one stamp, but it has five postage stamps on it.  Others might argue that it is a little ugly because the stamps are placed on it a bit sloppily, with one of them folded over the top of the envelope.  I, on the other hand, appreciate it because it shows some realities of life in a smaller community (Espalion).

There are two commonalities for rural communities that apply even today with postal services.  First, the frequency that people will mail things to another country is much less than more populace areas.  Second, post offices and postal patrons are less likely to have higher value stamps available.  After all, five 20 centime stamps DO add up to 1 franc, which is the amount of postage needed for this item to get it to Mantova!

As of July 1, 1851, the rate for mailing a piece of letter mail, weighing no more than 7.5 grams, to Mantova via Sardinia or Switzerland was 1 franc (100 centimes).  During the same period, mail from France to Lombardy that was taken via the German States would cost 1 franc and 20 centimes.  This would change to a flat rate of 60 centimes regardless of route per 10 grams on January 1, 1858.

Then there is the matter of the big, black pen "X" that spans the front of this cover.  This was the Mantovan post office's method of marking a letter as "paid."  When the carrier delivered the mail to Monsieur Sartoretti, they would know at a glance that the lawyer would have to pay nothing prior to receiving this letter.

 Mantova was known to have several carrier distributions of the mail each day and the circle around the "1" marking tells us that this was taken out with the first mail distribution of the day.

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There you have it - a long answer to a short question.  If you wanted the short answer, you could have stopped at "yes."  But, here we are at the end of the 50th Postal History Sunday and I am hoping you enjoyed the journey and learned something new.

Have a great remainder of the day and a good week to come.  I hope to see you next week! 

Are you interested in reading more?  This post actually got its origin in a few other posts I wrote for the GFF Postal History Blog some time ago.  There will, of course, be some repetition in content between this post and some of these posts, but there is also plenty of additional information.

On the Way to Mantova Part I   Part II  and  Part III