Show Your 1851-61 Era Cancellations And Postal Markings

Fascinating. I bought this stamp from a William Gross auction, described as a #37 with NYC 13-bar square grid cancel, SD-G 93. I trusted this was accurate and more likely (NYC more common) than the similar Detroit SD-G 94 13-bar grid. But after reading this thread, and Skinner Eno clearly noting NYC SD-G 93 was in use from 1847-1851 and Detroit SD-G 94 in 1861, I have to conclude the cancel on this #37 is from Detroit (or some other lookalike) and not NYC. Do I assume correctly? Love this site, making new discoveries every day.


Question: does Skinner Eno list the NYC 11-bar square grid? I don't see it.

So first off - Skinner/Eno, while great - should be thought of as an introduction and overview to these cancellations. There are many that are not in there.

That said, I agree that Detroit is most likely for your stamp.

This being a 24c stamp, it was probably used on foreign mail - very possibly to England, for the 24c rate. The New York foreign mail killers in ths period were all circular grids, either framed or open. There are no known square grids from the NYFM desk up to 1861.

I did not see the 11-bar in the Skinner-Eno book just now when I looked. It is, however, well-known - as you saw in this thread.

This single bar cancel is very scarce, having only been observed used for about 2 weeks in August of 1851.

The stamp is a 10A, pos. 22L1E.

A couple of examples of the Norton Duplex Cancel Patent device, known used in New York City from Jan 17-Mar 28, 1861, and also on Jan 30, 1862 for some reason.

Hubert Skinner reports about 20-25 known examples of these.

The patent involved attaching a killer to the CDS hand stamp, such that both CDS and Killer could be applied with one stroke, vs two. That was a big time saver for a busy PO.

One of the key identifying features of this device is the sideways '61' year date.
It is referred to as the 'lazy-61' cancel.

Here's an on piece not rare cousin of those excellent Norton Duplex cancels.
Actually I'm not even sure if this one is considered a 'duplex'.

Also tx, thanks for the follow up and information about the Ocean mail CDS.

@stampcrow - your cancel is definitely one of the duplex's, and it pretty much has to be 1861.

I believe that the duplex cancels in general showed up in New York City around August of 1860, for domestic mail only.

Kinda slow round these parts..,
#10 with green cancel.


edit: Macon, Georgia

#11 with red Waving Flag in Circle killer, from Newark Valley, NY. Circa 1857.

Flag cancels on 1851 & 57 issue stamps aren't all that common, nor are fancy's in general, as those proliferated more in the 1860s.

The recent Siegel Haller collection in sales 1350 and 9033, of flag cancels was pretty impressive.

On page 2 of this topic I posted a couple of unusual Vermont postmarks.

Here is a plate 5L #11A with a double-rim West Fairlee Vermont CDS:

Here is another unusual New England double-rim postmark, from Atkinson Depot New Hampshire. It's a yellowish rose red #11 from position 73R8:

Those are nice Collins-style postmarks I believe.

CC nice color stamps on both those covers.
Of course having a green stamp with the Collins-style ain't so bad eh.

Great stuff.

A Scott #22 with a double rim Boston cancellation. I bought this stamp from Winston close to ten years ago. I did sell it with some other items at Siegel maybe 8 years or so ago.

Wonderfull, really nice to see all theese markings, thank you all for sharing

here is one of my double ring, not to be found in simpson, skinner or the stamless catalogue, I guess the town, if that, was to small

brouwn north turner on cover with a pen cancelled 25A