1893 Columbian Exposition Issues On Cover

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Tom, those covers with the 5 and 8 cent columbians--does that have a wax seal on the back??? (The one addressed to Haiti)

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Yes, that is sealing wax. Several of my covers from the 19th century have sealing wax on the back.

Recently three 19th century covers were sent to me in the mail. One had red sealing wax on it.
Already the days are getting pretty warm here in Massachusetts.
Sitting in the hot mailbox all afternoon, the wax had started to melt and stick to another cover!

"You never saw any better coal"

Here is a 1c Columbian on a prepaid business reply envelope from Lilly Coal Company in Altoona, Pa.
The cancel looks to be an RPO but I can't quite make it out - something OIN & CON.
Maybe someone will recognize it.



The stamp has a sharp impression and I just realized that the native American woman on the left is holding a child.

These are really neat. Thanks for sharing them. I have a few of the Columbian Exposition stamps, but none on cover. Yet. Something I will definitely be keeping an eye out for the next time I go to an antique store.

Thanks stamphop! Good hunting! I hope you find some.

This came in the mail today - a 1c Columbian cover sent from NJ to Germany with an engraved ad for a manufacturing jeweler:

Very nice, t360. The "1882" on the buiding seems to indicate that it was either completed in that year or it was the year in which the company was established.

Hey T360, thanks for all the great pictures of the Columbians on covers. You make a person very jealous.

Thanks amitvyas03 and sfgoda! I'll post a few more.

This is a late (1899) registered usage of two 6c Columbians on a 1c Columbian stamped envelope.
It has an added 5c Bureau issue and was sent from New York to Birmingham, England.



The obverse has a manuscript "per S. S. (steamship) Majestic" directive and the reverse
has a clear Birmingham receiving mark.

I like the "return receipt demanded" as opposed to the "return receipt requested" of today.

Also, I'm guessing the blue cross was put through the cover when it arrived in England.
It seems to be their way of flagging registered mail, even today.

That looks great, t360. I find the Birmingham mark on the obverse (show-through?) quite interesting. Did someone actually stamp it on the inner side of the envelope?

Do you know Cambridgeport ??

Cambridgeport is a neighborhood of Cambridge, Massachusetts.
The company I work for is located on Memorial Drive in Cambridgeport.
It is bounded by Massachusetts Avenue, the Charles River, the Grand Junction Railroad, and River Street.
It is a neighborhood of mostly triple-decker houses located between the campuses of Harvard and MIT.
Central Square is at the northern tip of Cambridgeport.

The name is not really used much anymore, everyone just calls it Cambridge.
Perhaps there were docks along the Charles river at one time and freight was unloaded there.

Here is a business reply envelope from Perkins Wind Mill Co. franked with a 2c "broken hat" variety Columbian. It received a neat town cancel in Tecumseh, Nebraska on April Fools Day in 1894.

Here is a 10c Columbian on 5c Columbian stamped envelope sent on May 2, 1893 from
Detroit, Michigan to King Williams Town, Cape Colony, South Africa.
I'm not sure what the significance of the large "5" is. Maybe a New York receiving mark.





The 10c Columbian stamp features Columbus Presenting Native Americans to Queen Isabella & King Ferdinand.



Cape Colony receiving mark.



King Williams Town receiving mark.