They Did This In 1887?! (Glad For Self Stick Stamps Today!)

The very idea of this suggestion sounds so "gross". To even think that some people may have actually done it back in the day gives me satisfaction to know that we have self stick stamps today.



Maybe self stick stamps aren't so bad after all.

If you borrowed a stamp, it would be best to ask him/her to lick and apply to the envelope for you!

Lice express mail?

Perhaps this is the first instance of Pony-tail express!

Will it work the same if you rub it on the pony?

Does hair oil glow differently under UV light?

Do you remember your granny having a small lacy or crocheted thingy on the top edge of the back of her overstuffed chairs? Do you remember that she called it an antimacassar (which was, in fact, the correct name)?

The most popular hair tonic around the turn of the 19th century was "macassar" oil, and since it stained fabric forever, the so-called [anti]macassar was invented to protect furniture. True!

Now that's interesting doug2222! Those lace doily thingies.

Hey Doug to add to your post, my Great-Grandmother had some names for some similar objects.For instance: The piece of fabric around the bottom of a shelf or piece of furniture was referred to as a "lamberkin". The Sofa was the "Davenport" and the bed cover was a "counterpane"...

My Great grandma had these things she called 'Chamber Pots' in all the bedrooms.

What's a doily?

A doily is a small ornamental piece of embroidery or lace that is used to protect an object from damage or stains. Often used on wood or painted furniture to protect it from scratches or stains on upholstered furniture. Hmmm, I wonder if anyone has ever collected doilies on stamps?

The first photo on this website shows a properly-decorated 1860s "parlor," and discusses the furnishings in some detail. Fascinating!

http://www.victoriaspast.com/ThePar...decorate.htm

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WARNING
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Avast warned of a virus on the link posted above!

Doug,

Wonderful to see the word antimacassar being used correctly. It is one of my favourite words, primarily because most people I talk to have no idea what it means! Where I grew up deep in rural Wales the farmhouses round us would have 'room for best', usually the front room (or living room) into which no one went as it was 'kept for best'. When guests did go round and the room was opened up to view almost inevitably the backs and arms of the chairs were covered with antimacassars.

Fabulous memories...

What I like about self adhesive stamps, is that they stick as readily to plastic as paper. When we post a great deal of items in waterproof packets now in England the self adhesive is very useful for that reason.
Yuri-YSC.