Stamped envelope
Encyclopedia
A stamped envelope or postal stationery envelope (PSE) is an envelope with a printed or embossed indicium indicating the prepayment of postage. It is a form of postal stationery
.
, colors, dies to print the indicia, and denominations there are literally thousands of different stamped envelopes produced for the U.S.
Siegfried Ascher was the first to try to comprehensively document all countries' postal stationery including stamped envelopes. This was followed some 40 years later by the Higgins & Gage World Postal Stationery Catalog
. Though now out of date, it is still frequently cited since it covers all countries and no other comprehensive catalog has been attempted since. The H&G catalog, as it is known, describes stamped envelopes by the envelope size, the depicted indicia and its valuations, some corner cards, while sometimes disregarding envelope color.
The Scott catalogue
generally only describes United States envelope color and value of the indicia which is perfect for dealing with cut squares, but falls short of information needed to collect entires, i.e. the whole envelope. The United Postal Stationery Society has two published books cataloging U.S. stamped envelopes. These books describe all of the other stated criteria plus the envelope knife
making them the most complete U.S. stamped envelope catalogs.
British postal stationery to 1970 has been comprehensively documented and Edifil is a Spanish company that has comprehensive listings for stamped envelopes of Spain, Cuba, Philippines and Puerto Rico.
Most stamped envelopes are collected as entires. In the 19th century the practice was to collect cut squares
(or cut-outs
in the U.K.) which involved cutting the embossed indicia from a postal envelope. This destroyed the envelope. As a result, one cannot tell from a cut square what specific envelope it came from and, many times, the cancellation information. The manner in which the stamped envelope is cut before folding (defined by the term knife
) vanishes on a cut square. The envelope size disappears, too, with a cut square.
In collecting entires, a single indicium may appear on many different sizes of envelopes. Some countries have issued the same indicium on different paper types: laid
and wove
. Likewise it is common for the same indicium to be embossed onto paper of several different colors. Finally, two envelopes of the same size can have a different flap size indicating that they were cut from a different knife
. Rarely, an uncatalogued color, or displaced surcharge, or albino indicium, or inside-out folding of the envelope may appear, in which case you have found something of value. All of these attributes relate to mint or unused envelopes. When you add a postmark
from a used envelope to the mix, the collecting possibilities explode. What was formerly in fashion, collecting only mint examples, has changed because many collectors seem to find used PSE collections more interesting.
Postal stationery
A piece of postal stationery is a stationery item, such as a stamped envelope, letter sheet, postal card, lettercard, aerogram or wrapper, with an imprinted stamp or inscription indicating that a specific rate of postage or related service has been prepaid...
.
Use in the United States
In August 1852 an act of the U.S. Congress authorized the Postmaster General to provide "suitable letter envelopes with such watermarks or other guards against counterfeits... with the addition of the value or denomination of the postage stamps so printed or impressed thereon...". The first result was the 1853 Nesbitt issues of stamped envelopes, named after the private contractor who produced them for the government. When you combine the different envelope sizes, knivesKnife (envelope)
The term knife is used to describe the cutting die for envelope or wrapper blanks. It is called a knife rather than a die in order to reserve the term die to describe the object which makes a embossed printed impression of the stamp or indicium on the envelope. Traditionally, a knife would...
, colors, dies to print the indicia, and denominations there are literally thousands of different stamped envelopes produced for the U.S.
Collecting
Collectors of stamped envelopes use a catalog to know what has been issued.Siegfried Ascher was the first to try to comprehensively document all countries' postal stationery including stamped envelopes. This was followed some 40 years later by the Higgins & Gage World Postal Stationery Catalog
Higgins & Gage World Postal Stationery Catalog
In philately, the Higgins & Gage World Postal Stationery Catalog is the most recent encyclopedic catalogue of postal stationery covering the whole world...
. Though now out of date, it is still frequently cited since it covers all countries and no other comprehensive catalog has been attempted since. The H&G catalog, as it is known, describes stamped envelopes by the envelope size, the depicted indicia and its valuations, some corner cards, while sometimes disregarding envelope color.
The Scott catalogue
Scott catalogue
The Scott catalogue of postage stamps, published by Scott Publishing Co, a subsidiary of Amos Press, is updated annually and lists all the stamps of the entire world which its editors recognize as issued for postal purposes. It is published in six large volumes and is also produced in...
generally only describes United States envelope color and value of the indicia which is perfect for dealing with cut squares, but falls short of information needed to collect entires, i.e. the whole envelope. The United Postal Stationery Society has two published books cataloging U.S. stamped envelopes. These books describe all of the other stated criteria plus the envelope knife
Knife (envelope)
The term knife is used to describe the cutting die for envelope or wrapper blanks. It is called a knife rather than a die in order to reserve the term die to describe the object which makes a embossed printed impression of the stamp or indicium on the envelope. Traditionally, a knife would...
making them the most complete U.S. stamped envelope catalogs.
British postal stationery to 1970 has been comprehensively documented and Edifil is a Spanish company that has comprehensive listings for stamped envelopes of Spain, Cuba, Philippines and Puerto Rico.
Most stamped envelopes are collected as entires. In the 19th century the practice was to collect cut squares
Cut square
In philately, a cut square is an imprinted stamp cut from an item of postal stationery such as a stamped envelope, postal card, letter sheet, letter card, aerogram or wrapper in a square or rectangular shape. An alternative use of the term is simply any stamp, from sheets or postal stationery, cut...
(or cut-outs
Cut-out (philately)
In philately a cut-out is an imprinted stamp cut from an item of postal stationery such as a postcard, letter sheet, aerogramme or wrapper and used as a normal stamp....
in the U.K.) which involved cutting the embossed indicia from a postal envelope. This destroyed the envelope. As a result, one cannot tell from a cut square what specific envelope it came from and, many times, the cancellation information. The manner in which the stamped envelope is cut before folding (defined by the term knife
Knife (envelope)
The term knife is used to describe the cutting die for envelope or wrapper blanks. It is called a knife rather than a die in order to reserve the term die to describe the object which makes a embossed printed impression of the stamp or indicium on the envelope. Traditionally, a knife would...
) vanishes on a cut square. The envelope size disappears, too, with a cut square.
In collecting entires, a single indicium may appear on many different sizes of envelopes. Some countries have issued the same indicium on different paper types: laid
Laid paper
Laid paper is a type of paper having a ribbed texture imparted by the manufacturing process. In the 19th century its use diminished as it was largely supplanted by wove paper...
and wove
Wove paper
Wove paper is a writing paper with a uniform surface, not ribbed or watermarked.The papermaking mould's wires run parallel to each other to produce laid paper, but they are woven together into a fine wire mesh for wove paper...
. Likewise it is common for the same indicium to be embossed onto paper of several different colors. Finally, two envelopes of the same size can have a different flap size indicating that they were cut from a different knife
Knife (envelope)
The term knife is used to describe the cutting die for envelope or wrapper blanks. It is called a knife rather than a die in order to reserve the term die to describe the object which makes a embossed printed impression of the stamp or indicium on the envelope. Traditionally, a knife would...
. Rarely, an uncatalogued color, or displaced surcharge, or albino indicium, or inside-out folding of the envelope may appear, in which case you have found something of value. All of these attributes relate to mint or unused envelopes. When you add a postmark
Postmark
thumb|USS TexasA postmark is a postal marking made on a letter, package, postcard or the like indicating the date and time that the item was delivered into the care of the postal service...
from a used envelope to the mix, the collecting possibilities explode. What was formerly in fashion, collecting only mint examples, has changed because many collectors seem to find used PSE collections more interesting.
Further reading
- Higgins & Gage World Postal Stationery CatalogHiggins & Gage World Postal Stationery CatalogIn philately, the Higgins & Gage World Postal Stationery Catalog is the most recent encyclopedic catalogue of postal stationery covering the whole world...
, 19 volumes covering the whole world. Out of print, but worth looking for. - Huggins, A.K.; British Postal Stationery, A Priced Handbook of the Postal Stationery of Great Britain, Great Britain Philatelic Society, 1970
- ThorpPrescott Holden ThorpPrescott Holden Thorp , of New Jersey, was a stamp dealer who was a recognized world famous expert on stamped envelopes of the United States.-Philatelic literature:...
-BartelsJulius (John) Murray BartelsJulius Murray Bartels , of New York City, was a dealer and auctioneer of rare postage stamps. He was also well known for his knowledge of United States postal stationery.-Collecting interests:...
Catalogue of U.S. Stamped Envelopes, Century Edition, 1954 - Cutting Knife Handbook by United Postal Stationery Society, 1999. Envelope knifes illustrated.