Did This Go Through The USPS? 1885 Pen Cancel.

Is this cover common? No postal stamped cancel. Did the postmaster write this?

The script of the 'cancel' appears to be written by the same person who addressed the envelope - so I would say not.

Very nice manuscript cancel. Yes, it appears to be on a cover in the handwriting of the clerk or postmaster there, thus the writing match - or the sender wrote very poorly and asked the postal employee to address it for him. I see no reason to believe it is not a legitimate postal use.

Could not have gone through the USPS since the USPS wasn't created until 1971.

Thanks John! So why didn't he stamp it with a post mark but instead wrote it out in pen?

Did not have a cancel ? Very early example of a Marker Monkey :-)


Peter

I agree with John Becker.

At this time (1885), the Post Office Department did not provide the common circular date stamps to small, 4th class post offices. Those postmaster who were willing to spend 25 or 50 cents could purchase one themselves, but most postmasters of the period simply used an ink pen to docket the mailing office and date, and cancel the stamps with several strokes of the pen as seen here. The year date on the stamp, or even the full date, was a common practice.

Glenn, LOL, good catch!

Very small PO's (i.e. 4th class offices) were not issued cancels until rather late in the game, thus a manuscript cancel is quite normal. Brentland, MD opened in 1882. The 1883 US Register (as of July 1, 1883) lists W M Brent as postmaster with a compensation of $52.11

I would strongly contend this is NOT a marker monkey example, but a fully legitimate "how it was" done at small offices. Manuscript cancels from these small offices are sought after.

Okay, I'll bite, what is a marker Monkey?

John, I was kidding. See the Smiley ?

Peter

Marker Monkey is what they do when a letter makes it through the mailstream without a cancel. They use a ballpoint pen to destroy the stamps. Of course I was kidding here,

Peter

Peter, the problem with "just kidding" answers is that readers don't always know to sift the helpful answers from the flippant.

John,
While true, this is a hobby forum with a large diversity of users. The beauty of a public hobby forum like this is that no one has to read every post (have pity on the poor Moderators who do). Not everyone here is a researcher, trying to win gold medals at a show, or even considers themselves a serious hobbyist.

We try to support anyone who has any level of interest in this hobby and we encourage everyone to post.
Don

thanks to all for the help! I enjoyed all comments!