Grill? Is This What Was Used To Grill Stamps In The 1800's?

Grill? Is this what was used to Grill Stamps in the 1800's?
I bought it and thought wow is this what they used to grill stamps :)
Thanks guys this site is awesome. I love it. I love sharing....

My unqualified guess is that you are looking at a grill cancel device for individual revenue stamps on individual documents ... as opposed to the pre-sale revenue loss prevention grills applied to postage stamps.

Cheers,

/s/ ikeyPikey

http://www.stampsmarter.com/1847usa/Grills.htm

https://goscf.com/t/40021 ... How was the grilling of stamps done?

https://goscf.com/t/32177 ... INT REV stamp with a grill?

Possibly to emboss the amount on a check to make it harder to replace.
Google "antique check protector"

http://www.officemuseum.com/check_p...y_simple.htm

The devices used to grill stamps had a roller with lots of little rectangles of grilled areas (like a little part of that check protector). Whole sheets (of multiple thicknesses, sometimes) would be grilled.

The first grill was an "all over" grill that would put a pattern on the stamp similar to the thing you have. Unfortunately, this made the stamp too weak to separate at the perforations. They then machined out some of the patterns to make them into rectangles. Various sizes and patterns would be used for the next few years.

(edited to add link to antique check protector page)