Can Anyone ID This Compass Postmark On Cover To Canada 1864?

Hi this is gb to Canada 1864 & a postmark I have not seen before, can anyone id the postmark? Item on here see link. Looks like a compass to me?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...371360958705



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It is a quartered datestamp indicating arrival at Liverpool en route to Canada. The central portion has the "L"

Thank you not a postmark I'd seen before so its nice to have it identified

As you can see from this card, lots of continental mail was serviced via Liverpool and received the quartered circle datestamp. I am not sure if this type of handstamp was exclusive to Liverpool but I have not seen any other UK port using the handstamp.

Its interesting if its fairly common as I have sold hundreds of old letters and not seen it before, maybe the transatlantic ones I sell are earlier when did this L quarterdatestamp commence? It does look like a compass to me.

The origins seem to be mysterious
One source using Google mentions they were used by the UK Foreign Branch... in which case they should be very numerous ??

Another source says they are London datestamps.

I can only say that I have never seen one except in conjunction with Liverpool... the German postcard posted previously states "via Liverpool" for instance.

I had just looked at another cover from Liverpool to Canada dated 1858, no L quarterdatestamp used on it and the one in my listing is 1864, so maybe its started early 1860s and used right through to 1901 as seen on your 1901 cover? I don't think the it would be L for London more likely Liverpool. My 1858 did have the LPO Liverpool packet cancel but not the L quarterdatestamp. Maybe my 1864 one is an early example? I am surprised that I have not seen it when I have sold hundreds of transatlantic covers. Nice insufficient 3D mourning cover you have there. Thanks for posting those other examples. Its always nice to see an interest in postal history covers.

There is another example of this type of postmark, but this time on an outgoing postal card:


On another stamp forum, I was told that "this is a packet letter mark from the Foreign Section in London." And that "the central "L" indicates that that card should be sent by packet from London."

It would seem odd to route a card posted in London to the Cameroons via Liverpool.

Thanks for showing that one. You're right it would be odd if it was London no ships landing in London, I think more likely the L is for Liverpool? I say this because most maritime mail was sent through Liverpool back in those days. On other types of post marks the L was Liverpool.