Pen Cancellations And Other Marks On Stamps

I have a number of higher value Australian stamps that have been cancelled by someone scribbling (initialling?) the surface of the stamp. Is this how they cancelled parcels at one time? Of course, I'd prefer the stamps to have been cancelled in the normal way but does this use of pen on the stamp make it worthless?
I also have a number of stamps from correspondence to court houses in Australia. The envelope has been stamped with a time stamp - a circle like a 24 hour clock of purple ink with the time indicated on it. In many cases the stamp has been struck with this purple ink. Is this, also, the death knell for the stamp?

Welcome to the forum mumut

As far as the pen cancellations are concerned, yes, they in a sense damage the stamp(s) and make them worthless.

I have had a battle with the local office here in the past and now, when they see stamps addressed to me, where the stamps are not cancelled, they will cancel them for me with the proper hammers etc.

Regarding your 24-hour clock marking you mentionmed, I am not sure what that would do unless it is some sort of revenue marking they apply to postage stamps?? Is there a chance that you can scan one of these markings? I might know what you are referring to but not certain.

Chimo

Bujutsu

Pictures ? Without Pictures it's hard to say exactly. Manuscript cancels usually signal a Fiscal cancel which is mentioned above as it detracts almost all the value as compared to a Postal Cancel.

Mumut, with regard to pen cancels, I agree that on modern stamps pen cancellations make stamps worthless however this isn't the case with old classic stamps. For example, I know that with regard to two used classic German stamps (Scott #12 and #13), pen cancellations are valued at $150 and $525 respectively.

On modern postage stamps, pen cancels are considered faults. (On 19th century postage stamps, it might be another story.) Some stamps used for documents or permits, depending on the regulations governing the particular stamps, have to be signed. Also whether the stamp is on the cover or document, or whether it is simply a off-paper stamp might also effect value.

Now with regard a time stamp from a courthouse, indicating when the cover was officially received, I would not consider that a fault. But not being familiar Australian court procedures, or the finer points of Australian postal history, I would defer to those who are better informed.

On the older stamps a manuscript pen cancel makes it look lovely(to me)but the main opinion is that they lessen the value. I tend to disagree as it's more personal than the static cancellation device as someone took the moment to pick up a quill and dip it and then scribble their cipher on it as opposed to "slam!-slam!" done. just saying. I would and have paid a premium for initialed stamps especially revenue stamps. Please try to post some pictures of questioned items as we may be able to shed some light on the subject. -Thanks

I for one believe a well written manuscript cancel is attractive and collectable. I would also include 20th century stamps although I have not yet found a worthy one as yet. I am always on the lookout for nice manuscript cancels.

Here is a beautiful manuscript on a US revenue



But these pen cancels are not considered by most collectors to be attractive.

I'll provide some pictures when I have bought a new scanner. All my stamps are off peper now, so the full courthouse marking can't be shown. With the scribbles, however, they are mainly on the 5/- stockman stamp. The age of the stamp suggests that such a high value must have been for a heavy parcel or registered mail. Again I don't have any on paper.
But thank you very much for the replies and assistance.

Quignight
It is a beautiful cancel yes. It would not have looked as attractive in biro would it, is this an argument for the return of fountain pens?

x silver spin, You are right that it would not look good in biro. I'd love to see postal workers take calligraphy lessons and use fountain pens.

I love writing with a fountain pen. But I'm having trouble finding cartridges for mine.
That is a lovely cancel Quigngt. Penmanship is a thing of the past.
I have a few older stamps with Xs on them. One right across Queen Vic's nose. I kind of like those because it says to me that someone was 'here' a hundred years ago, and I think it adds to the 'story' of the stamp.

I agree James that the art of Penmanship is is gone. I too love a nice manuscript cancel and will never understand how a signature of a real person could be of less value than a rubber stamp. This is the great thing about Stamp collecting, you get what you like.







But this is worth more ? Don't get me wrong as I also love a good SON cancel, but I feel manuscript cancels are scarcer by the individual.

That Revenue Stamp with a A. & W. Sprague Mfg. Co. date stamp got me looking at a fascinating history of Amasa and William Sprague and their well-to-do families in Rhode Island. What a history steeped in politics, romance, murder, the Civil War and finally the demise of one of the largest textile mills in the country due to the depression of the 1870's.

http://cranstonhistoricalsociety.or...sprague.html

stallzer,
I do believe these are nicer than stamped cancels. Very Attractive.