The control perforations (the perfins on the stamp face) were applied by the Schermack mailing machine at the time the stamp was affixed to the envelope. Schermack used a square 9 pin pattern with different pins omitted to signify the company that owned that particular mailing machine. It was for security reasons. Approximately 10% of the Schermack machines were fitted with this feature and they were only in use for a short period of time.
The pins are numbered left to right, top to bottom #1 through #9. In the above example the missing pins are #5 and #6 . That was the pattern of the Chalmers Motor Company. The pattern is fairly common on Schermack type III stamps but was unknown on a Mailometer type V until a couple years ago when a single stamp was discovered in an
ebay lot.
That stamp was later authenticated and sold in a Kelleher auction for $1100. This past year I found this specimen still on it's original cover.
Scott lists a 384 Mailometer V on cover at $5000. Having the only cover known with a control perforation, priceless.
Posted 01/21/2015 5:36 pm
