Purpose of this Series of Posts:
One of the ultimate goals of the research found on this blog is to be able to create accurate and interesting write-ups for the items in my collection. Perhaps some of these will eventually be part of an exhibit, but that is not in the cards in the near future. This method allows me to share while also maintaining a record of my collection that is accessible from anywhere if I need it.
If you notice any errors on these pages, I appreciate hearing about it so I can correct it. Needless to say, I might not rush to change the file uploaded here, but I will most likely change the page the item resides on so I don't have to groan each time I view it myself!
Page last edited Nov 30, 2020
England (United Kingdom) Postal History
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There is a natural connection with the postal history of England and the 24 cent 1861 US postal history I focus on. That 24 cent stamp was created primarily to pay for the postal services carrying mail from the United States to the United Kingdom and Ireland. It is not a huge stretch to realize that British postal services during the 1860's should be a topic I would want to pay some attention to. In particular, I have found it rewarding to look at mail to other countries from Great Britain since many of these contracts inform how US mails were handled.
The domestic postal items in my collection have been less intentional, but are no less meaningful. Dave Vaughn was the proprietor of one of the last stamp shops in the state of Iowa and I would have the occasion to talk with him at least once per year at the Cedar Rapids Stamp Show. Dave had this pile of stampless letters and he wanted to sell them. I agreed to buy a few of them and he wistfully told me he wished he had spent more time with postal history. My initial (clueless) response was that I would gladly work with him on that if he wished. He very politely declined.
It was not long after this that I learned of Dave's passing. He knew he was dying at the point of our conversation and I could have picked up the clues he had dropped, but I did not. Nonetheless, he was happy to know that some of his items went to a person who would research those items and treat them appropriately. I still think of Dave and I hope I honor him with my efforts on the domestic British stampless material shown in the second section.
If you are interested in posts related to England on this blog, this link will provide you with all posts currently on the blog.
Netherlands Postal History
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My interest in Dutch material started with a stamp accumulation from which I could glean a fairly complete collection of pre-1940 material. The ability to handle some of the classic period stamps demystified them enough that I could consider learning more about the mail services for which they paid the fees. In addition to the classic stamps in the 1850-1875 period, I found the 1913 and 1923 issues to be attractive. Other than postal history of the United States, it is safe to say that postal history of the Netherlands has held at least a small part of my attention for the longest period of time. This might lead you to believe that I have an extensive postal history selection to share, but that is far from the case. Interest does not always correspond with resources (attention, time and money), but I have picked up some clean and inexpensive items over the years that I can share here.
If you are interested in posts related to the Netherlands on this blog, this link will provide you with all posts currently on the blog.
Switzerland Postal History
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Swiss Postal History
Once a person starts collecting European postal history in the 1850-1875 period, if you get a 'foothold' on the postal history of France, you can usually find your way with mails between France and most of its neighbors. Belgium, Switzerland, France and Italy make things even easier as they comprised the Latin Monetary Union. From a postal history standpoint, this begins to remove some of the complexities with the various money units. While I don't mind a good puzzle and I don't shy away form difficult learning, I also recognize that cutting down the variables provides a person with a beginning where one is needed.
If you are interested in posts related to Switzerland on this blog, this link will provide you with all posts currently on the blog.
Italy Postal History
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My interest regarding Italian postal history started with the typical
early collector's interest in wanting to acquire just ONE Roman States
stamp that most young collectors see a picture of in a beginner's
stamp album. However, it really was my interest in the 24 cent 1861 US
series postal history that got me looking at the postal history of
Italy, if only from the perspective of mail being received in that
country. About two and a half years ago, I started locating clean, but
inexpensive examples of French postal history from the 1850 to 1875
period. Because France and Italy are neighbors, it is not difficult to
find examples of mail that goes both directions.
You might find errors in my rendering of internal mail in the Papal States. Why? Because I finally uncovered a clear explanation of the rates this fall (2020) and I have yet to update pages. I always knew it felt wrong, but I could not find the help I needed for some time!
If you are interested in posts related to Italy on this blog, this link will provide you with all posts currently on the blog.
Belgium Postal History
 Internal Mail |
 Local Mail - Internal |
to England 1850 rates
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to France 1858 rates
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 to France 1866 rates |
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to the Netherlands 1865 rates
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to Italy 1863 rates
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Belgium made two successful strategic choices regarding rail transportation in the mid 1800's that placed it in a key position with respect to mail carriage. First, Belgium worked to create both East/West and North/South lines that connected to Ostende (Belgium's main port) and key rail lines in France, Prussia and the Netherlands. Second, the government allowed private development of rail, but it worked to maintain control over the main lines and aggressively purchased private lines to keep them out of the hands of interests outside of Belgium (in particular the Netherlands). The result is that Belgium became a key transit country for the United Kingdom and the Americas, putting it in direct competition with France for that business.
My
collection of Belgian material is not terribly large, but the material I am privileged to have does help me understand how mail from the United States might transit Belgium on its way to other destinations. I have found that the fairly liberal use of rail markings on Belgian mail makes it a satisfying pastime to look for various routing combinations that might occur. In particular, there are many border crossings between France and Belgium that reflect complex and evolving rail schedules.
The first postage stamp design (1849) is not likely something I will be able to find (or pursue) often, if ever, for foreign destinations. The second design, with its wide range of variations (including imperforate and perforate issues), provides sufficient opportunities to find some interesting things without breaking the bank. On the other hand, the 1865-1867 King Leopold issues are much easier to find if you are looking for destinations other than bordering countries. I do find it odd that I do not see much for the 1869 issue. But, when I do, it feels as if the items are overpriced. Perhaps not if the postal history is far less common than other issues. However, the off-cover stamp numbers don't seem to support this.
If you are interested in posts related to Belgium on this blog, this link will provide you with all posts currently on the blog.
Austria Postal History
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My collection of Austrian material is, admittedly, limited to relatively few items. For the most part, my entry into Austrian material has more to do with Austria's connection to Italian history and the fact that I had started to collect items from the 1850's-1870's from Italy. There is really no way to collect Italian postal history from that period without considering connections to Austria and France. In particular, Lombardy and Venetia were both under Austrian control for much of that time period. Then there was the postal union between Austria and many of the Italian States (Parma, Papal States, Modena, etc).
If you are interested in posts related to Austria on this blog, this link will provide you with all posts currently on the blog.
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