What Is Richard Hudnut Overprint On RB52

I've got a 1 7/8 RB52 with Richard Hudnut Overprint in red on it. Mint LH from 1914, U.S. Proprietary. What is this? Has it any value? Thanks, Ken

The proprietary stamp was, in essence, a "war tax" and was attached to medicines and perfumes back in the day to prove the required taxes were paid.

The overprint "Richard Hudnut" was one of many overprints used by various companies to identify their stamps, and sometimes was intended as a means of advertising, too. According to this schedule, the stamp denomination shown at 1-7/8 cents represented the stamp attached to a product sold at 50 to 75 cents on the retail market:



If you don't know, Richard Alexander Hudnut (1855-1928) was a relatively colorful perfume manufacturer back in the day. Here's some information on him and his products:



http://www.perfumeprojects.com/muse...Hudnut.shtml

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Hudnut

Although this has nothing to do with stamps, here's a "model" that was used to advertise Richard Hudnut's rouges and compacts back in the day:

Thank you so much for all the info., and the picture is worth a thousand words, as they say.. K

A quick search using Google Street View discovered the Hudnut Building still stands.



It is located at 117 East 29th Street in Manhattan. The bottom two floors are a chiropractic & acupuncture clinic. The upper floors are condominiums.

Robert

That's cool - how much info one can generate from an overprint. Thank you --K

This is the book on these issues, there are many dozens of different cancels. Troutman, Scott. The Black Proprietary Stamps of 1914-1916.

Just as well, it is indescribable.

Terry