Type Of Cancellation On US Covers

Hi fellow collectors,

Generic title.

I need the type and if possible the period of use for this CHICAGO cancellation mark

Thank you

Regards

Hornet

I have a very similar Chicago cancel on an advertising cover that is dated 1887 by the enclosure.

Hi littlerivephil,

That's a good start, thank you.

Hornet

The Leonard Piszckiewicz book "Chicago Postal Markings and Postal History" has a chapter on circular rate mail. This type is designated as type C-24 and has a listed use from December 1883 to August 1886. Circular rate mail can be difficult to date, though.

Hi paperhistory,

Awesome! Thank you. I saw this book for sale. I also read that you can use it as a reference for the US towns not only Chicago.

Best regards

Hornet

Hi,

Same questions about this one: Oval BOSTON

Type and period of use?

On one cent wrapper, no receiver mark.

Thank you

Hornet

Also a circular rate marking, and about the same time period.

littleriverphil, we're missing a scan, I think.

Excellent strike of this. Dates of use are unknown to me, but I hope someone will grab their Boston Postmarks to 1890 book and enlighten us. By the way, dated cancels were not to be used on circulars/printed matter, though it happened. Circulars did not require receiving cancels, either.

Hello,

Thanks guys. Yes it is a nice strike indeed. We hope somebody will come up with more info.

Hornet

Hi,

Couple others that I have, printed matters strikes.

I like them.

Best regards

Hornet

The double ovals were used for other things, too. Parcel post comes to mind.

Hi,

Here a strike from WINDOW ROCK, Arizona.

Provisional? or some kind of normal strike? No date on the cover nor receiver.

On Wiki:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Window_Rock,_Arizona

Hornet

The rectangular "box cancel" serves the same purpose as the ovals. They were regularly issued devices. Without seeing your entire cover, it is very difficult to draw any real conclusion to the use. Ovals and box cancels get used on just about any kind of mail from time to time. Please show us the entire cover.

Hy-brasil, Parcel Post may have used the double ovals at first, but developed a cancel just for parcel post. Here's some examples:

This first is likely a very early use of the double ring cancel used for Parcel Post. I know these double ring cancels were also used on registered mail, in purple, not black. Wish it showed the bottom half of the cancel...




It appears to have been hit and miss until the 1920s when the use of the double ring cancel became more commonly applied.









As you can see, these were used with a variety of colored ink. I've even got at least one which is green.

These are rather scarce, and if you want pristine stamps, forget about it. These stamps were used on parcels which were seldomly handled gently, so the examples I've seen are often - almost always - damaged.

I've found maybe a couple of dozen over the last twenty years, so it's a challenge, if anyone wants one. Happy hunting!

Regarding the BOSTON / MASS. in and oval cancellation on the one cent wrapper - there are a series of them listed in the Boston Postmarks to 1890 book as numbers 2163-2171. They differ slightly in size and the weight of the oval.

The range of dates for this style of postmark is 1884-86.

I did not find the mute Boston W cancellation in the book, so it would likely be after 1890.

Chip