Welcome to the world of state revenue stamps.
As a small caveat, though some collectors generically call them "mattress stamps" or similar, I doubt your example is from a mattress since the content was "shredded clippings", whatever that is. Despite the stamp's wording of "Division of Bedding" which might imply use primarily on mattresses, these stamps were used on a broad variety of padded, cushioned, and upholstered products – including mattresses. Here is a non-mattress example from New York which I removed from the bottom of an old metal folding chair with a padded seat.
I have no idea if NY's Division of Bedding included feathers or not. Each state would have established their own rules and definitions. Louisiana is more descriptive with their "bedding & upholstered furniture inspection stamp".
Indiana had two denominations of bedding stamps in several perforated and rouletted configurations. The ¾ cent for "pillows, cushions, comforters and bolsters", and the 1.5 cent for everything else (like mattresses, and a long list of other things). Here are two of the ¾ cent tags with Indiana stamps, likely cut from pillows and an example I cut from an old mattress leaving some of the covering cloth. Really hard to save these on the "entire document"!
Posted 03/31/2016 9:46 pm
