Stamps On Pieces

One of the reasons I believe it is more fun to collect covers and stamps on pieces is that they actually tell a story, as where a Stamp only tells a fraction of the story if even that. While rummaging through some covers this item fell out onto the floor. It looks as if it is from a package sent from a US Military base in China, after further investigation I found this, a very good read on the United States China Marines. http://chinamarine.org/Peking.aspx

The Postmark is Marine detachment American Legation, Peking China 1935

I read the whole link - that is fascinating. Stamps really do tell a story, don't they? Thanks for sharing.

Yes pieces do tell a story. I have a piece(2x4, tubafore,postmark collecting lingo), of the USS River Gun Boat Panay on station in the Yangtze River during the thirties. there is a fascinating story that goes with the boat. The movie Sand Pebbles, shows some of the gun boat diplomacy in China just before the outbreak of WW2. The Japanese at that time had already invaded the Chinese mainland. Yes, pieces can tell fascinating stories. I'd rather have them than stamps.
Joel

I appreciate parcel pieces. Probably a holdover from my youth when fantastic parcels would arrive from relatives and mail-order stores at Christmas and they had all travelled by train. This is my favourite but it's a dog's breakfast and I'm not sure whether there is story here or not.

Nice piece cynical but my feeling is that since the Jubilee's were postmarked 40 years after issue it kind of diminishes their used value.

It's possible whoever did this wanted to mark the 40th Anniversary of the jubilees which were issued on June 19, 1897 and got them postmarked June 23, 1937.

Litho: there is a story here afterall

OK you've got me curious, what is the story?

Litho: I'm not really sure myself other than the obvious - why would any one do this. But if you look at most of the stamps there are anniversary coincidences but was it just coincidence or contrived? Only the shadow knows! I also put it on the Canadian stamp forum to see if it would garner some reaction. Obviously whoever did this had no idea what a popular issue the Jubilees would become.

Agreed!

OK smauggie, now you've got me curious -- what is the story with yours?

Excellent historical background on the Marine Detachment.

This piece is from an envelope that sent mail from blockaded west Berlin to the outside world. The small blue stamp, called the "Blue Flea" was required on outgoing mail to defray the expenses of the Berlin Airlift. It is considered a tax stamp, though technically it was required to be placed on envelopes to qualify them for postal service.

smauggie I don't think that postmark is from Berlin but West Germany.Bielfeld is in Westphalia.

Mail from West Berlin did not have to have the tax stamp but most mail from West Germany did.

Thanks for the correction, litho.

"blue flea" - I have a few of these and was wondering what they were. Interesting!

It was not compulsory on foreign mail or mail to the DDR.
The tax ended April 1, 1956 as per Michel.