Registered Covers And The Stories They Tell

I think anyone who collects stamps and in particular, anyone who keeps covers must spend a lot of time musing about the reason for this particular chunk of history - the what, when, where and why of the envelope.

Some has to be speculation. The stories you make up in your head about the sender and the recipient and what was in the envelope itself make for some of the most interesting fantasies. Although I have noticed that in some threads people have come up with some dandy links to websites about companies or people in the address or the return address, most remains a mystery.

Registered covers have always been a grand source for speculation because they usually have such a detailed trail of postal markings. Attached are four such items.

1934 from a Jewish Organization in Chicago to an individual in New York City. Oct.29, 7:30 PM Air Mail Cancel in Chicago. On reverse A 2cnd Chicago Cancel - Machine Air Mail 8 PM; New York GPO Rec'd Oct. 30 5:30 AM; New York Sta. H received 7:30 AM and 8 AM






1935 From Hotel Pennsylvania New York, to same individual in New York. Face has a cancel dated Sep 16, 12 M (midnight?)1935. Reverse has Sep 16, New York Sta. H Rec'd Cancel. Also has a very neat printed warning about Letters mailed in Hotel Envelopes as well as the sender's return address.







1937 Mailed from Hollywood Knickerbocker (Hotel??) to an individual in San Francisco by, lo and behold, someone with the same last name but different initial as the recipient of the previous two. Face has a Jul 25, 5:30 PM Los Angeles Arcade Annex cancel. Reverse has a Jul 26, 7AM San Francisco Special Delivery Cancel. In Pencil on the face, 2 calls 7:05 AM, 8:15 AM,Not Listed, RE Office closed, Notice Left 7/26 (signature)







Ten Years Later, 1948. Now this one has absolutely no obvious relationship with the other three. But it can be worked in, I know it can. From Ottawa, government envelope using first, free hand stamp but these are covered by OHMS Perforated Air Mail and Special Delivery Stamps, to the Governor's Office in Lansing, Michigan. It does not appear to have been treated as Special Delivery though as there are no backstamps, just the Crown insignia on the envelope.

I include scans of the stamps because they are a bit out of the ordinary.










Now is when the fascination of collecting kicks in. Can anyone resist the temptation to create a story, out of thin air, to connect the dots in these four Special Delivery covers?

What covers can you share that create a story in your mind?

Backroads I am with you there...i am a cover guy...usually not U.S. but when I see registered letters using the right stamp for the right price I pick them up...someday I will try and compile my Argentina registered letters !

Oh! Oh! Another story already! I love it.

Here's a 1942 cover that has seen better days.



and the reverse



The story is of a young woman who, reaching the age of 21, is finally allowed by her father to marry. He didn't really approve of the lanky and rather dour Scot she had fallen for, but at 21 she could make up her own mind.
This envelope contained crisply printed wedding invitations for their forthcoming marriage. A few spares must have been ordered, as they remain in the envelope to this day.
I don't have to speculate too much on the story, the young woman was my Grandmother.

Great family history !!

What a fantastic story! Being a genealogy buff, among my other weaknesses, I know how great it is to have a story connection like this to your parents and grandparents.

Thank you for sharing.

I like em alot as well