Ceylon: Theft Protection Overprint

I thought that this was an interesting overprint. Could it be an advertisement or an indication that a sample was in the letter? I don't recognize the cancellation style. Damaged, but different. Any help identifying? Thanks.



<Thanks to Rod for his Research. Title changed per his recommendation.>

The overprint looks like it might read as "SAMPLE" in relation to the stamp but given that it appears to have been postally cancelled it doesnt compute

Commercial overprint

"STAMPED / F&Co
used between 1872 1881
possibly Freudenberg & Co

Would be helpful for students
if you adjust your thread title to something like
ceylon : commercial overprint

even better.... ceylon : theft prevention

It will be on the internet somewhere
look for ceylon / sri lanka overprints

I looked around a bit, found a major town named Gampola in Ceylon, but the letter after the P does not look like an O. Also, thought (briefly) it might be a receiving mark for Aden Camp, but the spacing's wrong. I can't think of any reason why you'd find the word "sample" on a stamp. And it does have a postal cancel, I'm pretty sure. Don't think we're going to solve this one.

Excellent research Rod. Title of topic changed, as recommended. You are a continued wealth of information. Thanks.

Thanks,
It's not confirmed, but speculative,
if I find the link, I'll post.

Now that you have altered the thread title,
I'll add some well known theft preventers.....

The first CAVE





Carson and Co

Bingo!

I was going to post Carson history, and the
link was in the text.

Acknowledgement Blair RCSD stamp Newsgroup

Carson & Co. was established in Colombo in 1857.
In addition to using overprints, Carson also is
believed to have used the C. & / C. L. perfin in the 1920s.

Cast the eyeballs over this lovely link:
http://www.cosgb.org/ceylon.htm


Carson & Co. was established in Colombo, Ceylon in 1857.
It still exists today, as Carson, Cumberbatch & Company.
The company has over 2200 emoployees throughout SE Asia.

Their current ventures include: oil palm plantations,
investment banking, breweries, real estate (estate agents),
hotels, travel agents, and management services.

Previously they were also involved in cotton goods, coffee,
shipping agents and insurance.

They were agents for Bibby line, owned by Messrs Bibby
of Liverpool, who ran a service outward from Liverpool
to Marseilles and hence to Colombo and Rangoon. They
also carried mail.

http://www.carsoncumberbatch.com/ab.../history.htm

CARSON, MORRIS & CO. R. B. Carson, an assistant in 1857 of A. & B.
Scott left this firm in 1860 to start a small import business on his
own under the title Carson & Co. Ltd. His office was in Baillie
Street, Fort, Colombo. G. B. Carson and George Morris were his
assistants.

In 1864, G. B. Carson and George Morris left the firm and R. B. Carson
then became associated with C. A. Morris under the name and style of
Carson, Morris & Co.

The development of the importing side of the business was continued,
the connections at this time consisting to a large extent of
Manchester houses exporting cotton goods. An estates agency bad also
been started some years earlier and it is perhaps to this side of the
business that the Borella Mills token (see below) refers.

C. A. Morris retired in 1871 and R. B. Carson decided upon a
reconstruction. Another partner was brought into the business and the
firm name was changed to Carson & Co. The firm continued under this
name until 1913 when it was formed into a limited company. This was
the first example of the conversion of an Agency firm in Colombo into
a limited liability company.


In addition to using overprints, Carson also is
believed to have used the C. & / C. L. perfin in the 1920s.
http://www.cosgb.org/images/ceylon-carson-6q.jpg
http://www.cosgb.org/images/ceylon-carson-30q.jpg

They also issued tokens.See Coins and Tokens of Ceylon,
Lieut. Col B. Lowsley, Num. Chron. Sr III Vol. XV, 1895.

Blair (TC)

My money would certainly be on 'STAMPED'. It was very common in the late Victorian era across the Strait in India. There are threads on the subject here. Usually 'STAMPED' was written across the stamp, but you do find occasional variations, like this





where the stamp is simply tied with an ink line (although there seems to be something else there under RMS (railway mail service) killer), and 'Stamped' is written on the front.

Therein lies the difference between an "overprinted" stamp.
The device was simply to "tie" the stamp to the cover
to prevent theft.

I notice that the STAMPED/F&Co example in your link shows a version completedly contained on one stamp. My version looks like a much larger version that went across several stamps. Still, quite interesting.

As advised.
quote "It's not confirmed, but speculative,"

Rod. Yes, understood that it's speculative, but appears to be the best guess at this time. Would be nice to see if someone has a pair or block of the same type to see the known security device. Or, of course, one actually on cover.

Well, personally I would bet your entire wallet on it,
If a group has used STAMPED, it is a fair guess
they would have several rubber stamps over time.

You are on the rim of philately, certainly the catalogue has finished
so your example and others like it, make up the known knowledge.
That's why places like SCF are important.
Your piece just makes up a piece of the jigsaw.

Not everything is known phiatelically, it is an evolving experience.
You cannot expect to prove everything.

Here, a gentleman has written a book on Ceylon Postmarks
yet I found a postmark 15 years later than his latest
record.

I wrote to him with the pmk

That's the good thing about the brotherhood of collector's,
we all add to each others knowledge.

Nothing hardly is written in stone.