Stamp Community Family of Web Sites
Thousands of stamps, consistently graded, competitively priced and hundreds of in-depth blog posts to read
Stamp Community Forum
 
Username:
Password:
Save Password
Forgot your Password?

This page may contain links that result in small commissions to keep this free site up and running.
Welcome Guest! Need help? Got a question? Inherit some stamps?
Our stamp forum is completely free! Register Now!

1857 GB Cover And Invisible Ink Question

 
To participate in the forum you must log in or register.
Author Previous TopicReplies: 8 / Views: 452Next Topic  
Valued Member
86 Posts
Posted 03/20/2025   2:06 pm  Show Profile Bookmark this topic Add solomons_prayer to your friends list Get a Link to this Message
I have another from GB that piqued my interest. It doesn't have any writing inside, but when held to certain light you can see reverse writing on the outside of the cover which is dyed in a strange way. I read about "invisible ink" covers that spies would occasionally use during the 1800's to send hidden messages. Could this be something like that?
The inside flap reads "Hoggins dead".




Send note to Staff

Pillar Of The Community
6141 Posts
Posted 03/20/2025   2:44 pm  Show Profile Bookmark this reply Add John Becker to your friends list  Get a Link to this Reply
It is much more likely that you have only 1/2 of the mail piece and that the actual "letter" portion has been cut off by a previous owner for privacy reasons or to make cover storage less bulky or to sell the interior letter for an interesting autograph, etc.

The "8 April 1857 / Hoggins ...." writing in the last image is docketing added by the recipient as they refolded the letter for filing purposes.
Send note to Staff  Go to Top of Page
Edited by John Becker - 03/20/2025 4:18 pm
Pillar Of The Community
United Kingdom
8262 Posts
Posted 03/20/2025   2:58 pm  Show Profile Check GeoffHa's eBay Listings Bookmark this reply Add GeoffHa to your friends list  Get a Link to this Reply
More likely "Hoggins deal", I think.
Send note to Staff  Go to Top of Page
Bedrock Of The Community
11700 Posts
Posted 03/20/2025   3:22 pm  Show Profile Bookmark this reply Add rogdcam to your friends list  Get a Link to this Reply
I liked the invisible ink, spies and death story much better. It added to the value.
Send note to Staff  Go to Top of Page
Pillar Of The Community
Netherlands
5447 Posts
Posted 03/20/2025   3:35 pm  Show Profile Bookmark this reply Add NSK to your friends list  Get a Link to this Reply
No conspiracy. No invisible ink. Just an ordinary mourning cover. Or as GeoffHa wrote an even more ordinary cover with a deal. The latter most likely, as mourning mail, usually, had a black frame.
Send note to Staff  Go to Top of Page
Edited by NSK - 03/20/2025 3:45 pm
Pillar Of The Community
Australia
3170 Posts
Posted 03/20/2025   4:01 pm  Show Profile Bookmark this reply Add Bobby De La Rue to your friends list  Get a Link to this Reply
NSK is correct - it's not a mourning cover, which have black borders of varying widths.

A typical solicitors letter from the period, which are in abundance. Even I have a few
Send note to Staff  Go to Top of Page
Pillar Of The Community
Germany
1714 Posts
Posted 03/20/2025   6:51 pm  Show Profile Bookmark this reply Add scotzm to your friends list  Get a Link to this Reply
Potentially a decent stamp to find. Die 2 Alphabet 3? It's perforated 14. Unknown watermark. On an optimistic day it could even be one of the transitional issues on yellowish to cream paper. Good postmark date for that stamp. Better image needed.
Send note to Staff  Go to Top of Page
Valued Member
86 Posts
Posted 03/21/2025   11:30 am  Show Profile Bookmark this reply Add solomons_prayer to your friends list  Get a Link to this Reply
Docketing added by the recipient makes total sense. The writing style is very different! Thank you John Becker.

My main question was about the backwards writing seen faintly on the front of the cover.



These were my thoughts:
-It is only visible on the outside of the paper. This means that it couldn't have come from the contents inside, otherwise the ink would be visible from the inside of the cover as well.
-The writing is seen strongest from the right side, then visibly fades to the left, but uninterrupted by creases. This means that it was added to the paper before the paper was folded.
-The writing is backwards, therefore it could be writing from a separate document that was then pressed against this one to produce a mirrored effect.
I did not think this was plausible, since both top and bottom margins of the writing is clearest from right to left. Ink will always be most wet at the bottom margin, so if this cover paper was pressed on top of a fresh document, the ink should be more visible at the bottom right to left margins then fade to the top.

My first theory was invisible ink. If the outside of the cover faces 150 years of various environmental changes, it would make sense that the outside would start to show the ink while the inside would remain clean. So I did a quick Google search and found out about 19th century spies and whatnot, then posted about it here to see if anyone knows a safe way to test the inside of the cover for a potential visible ink usage.

Maybe I am missing something very obvious! So I thank you for the comments.
Send note to Staff  Go to Top of Page
Valued Member
86 Posts
Posted 03/21/2025   11:45 am  Show Profile Bookmark this reply Add solomons_prayer to your friends list  Get a Link to this Reply
Scotzm your knowledge and instinct for penny reds is outstanding
I just started learning about them this month, so I have very little knowledge on what might make one unique. But I took a mental note of this one because of the creamy paper type. It's amazing you could see that from a small image.


They're very easy (and cheap) to come by. So what I like to do is buy a ton of them and absorb whatever I can, however long I can, before doing any scholarly research. That way there isn't any voices in my head pulling me one way or another when examining them.
And thanks for the mourning cover explanation! I now know what the black border means. Here are some others I just got. The ones in the France cover look more crisp, so I'm assuming they're a later printing-



Send note to Staff  Go to Top of Page
  Previous TopicReplies: 8 / Views: 452Next Topic  
 
To participate in the forum you must log in or register.

Go to Top of Page

Disclaimer: While a tremendous amount of effort goes into ensuring the accuracy of the information contained in this site, Stamp Community assumes no liability for errors. Copyright 2005 - 2025 Stamp Community Family - All rights reserved worldwide. Use of any images or content on this website without prior written permission of Stamp Community or the original lender is strictly prohibited.
Privacy Policy / Terms of Use    Advertise Here
Stamp Community Forum © 2007 - 2025 Stamp Community Forums
It took 0.11 seconds to lick this stamp. Powered By: Snitz Forums 2000 Version 3.4.05