I Am Fascinated! Watermarks/Stationery/Reference

So I'm sitting here just looking through the many postal stationery pieces I have, and I pick up a pamphlet I had found amongst all this stuff (one of several pamphlets I found). This one is called "The United States Stamped Envelopes 1853-1913, Handbook Number 5 second edition." Written by Louis G. Barrett and J. Murray Bartels. No date. Price (on the cover): 15 cents.
Anyway, I had seen it before and my thought was it was all about pre-stamped envelopes. But it's not. It's actually all about postal stationery! And what fascinates me is that it speaks a lot to watermarks. And I'd never thought of postal stationery having watermarks. But sure enough: I have a Scott #U62 or 63 that is barely held together...so I opened it up, held it to the light, and sure enough, watermark #1... On the paper the envelope is made of. I'm pretty much blown away. And to be honest, I was thinking about putting the envelope up for sale. Not now! It has turned into a real useful reference.
Learn something every day.

Hi

Long ago I put together a reference set of envelope colors, help alot!

Watermarks on US postal stationery served several purposes: deter counterfeiting; identify paper manufacturer; denote contract period.

Handbook #5 was issued in 1913 with a 2nd printing later (sorry, year unknown. Barrett wrote for Mekeel's and Bartels was a major stamp dealer and cataloger of US postal stationery.

U62 or U63 depends on the paper color. In the Nesbitt issues if it is not white then it is buff. Beware of toned white but buff is cheaper and a safer choice if you are not sure.

The United Postal Stationery Society produces specialist catalogs for those he realize Scott is more of a cut square listing.