"Postal mark" redirects here. For the symbol used to denote a postcode in Japan, see Japanese postal mark.
A postal marking is any kind of annotation applied to a letter by a postal service. The most common types are postmarks and cancellations; almost every letter will have those. Less common types include forwarding addresses, routing annotations, warnings, postage due notices and explanations, such as for damaged or delayed mail and censored or inspected mail. A key part of postal history is the identification of postal markings, their purpose, and period of use.
This 1953 cover has a normal postmark and two French service markings.
Service marks provide information to the sender, recipient, or another post office. Advice marks notify about forwarding, missending, letters received in bad condition, letters received too late for delivery by a certain time, or the reason for a delay in mail delivery. (For example, a letter may be marked "snowbank" if snow accumulation not cleared by the potential recipient, or for whatever other reason, makes it difficult or impossible for the carrier to deliver the mail.) Dead letter offices would use various markings to keep track of their progress in finding the addressee, such as a notation that the letter had been advertised in the local newspaper. The tracking process for registered mail may entail multiple marks, notations and backstamps.
Auxiliary marks are applied by an organization other than the postal administration. For instance, 19th century mail delivery often relied on a mix of private ships, steamboats, stagecoaches, railroads, and other transportation organizations to transport mail. Many of these organizations applied their own markings to each item, sometimes saying simply "Steamship" or some such, while others had elaborate designs. Similar routing notations were also used in the early days of airmail.
Shortly after the outbreak of the American Civil War, the Northern authorities declared the existing postage stamps invalid and issued new types. Letters using the demonetized stamps received a marking "Old stamps not recognized", an unintentionally humorous comment much prized by collectors today.
The traditional way to apply a postal marking is with the use of a rubber or metal handstamp; handwritten notations are sometimes seen for unusual situations or in very small post offices. In the United States, modern postal markings may appear in the form of yellow adhesive labels with the text printed on them. Many postal administrations now have the ability to print inkjet annotations directly onto a cover, either as a barcode for reading by other equipment, or as text.
Although it is technically possible to query postal services to find out what kinds of postal markings they use, in practice they do not seem to know about all the kinds of handstamps used in their offices, and previously unknown types of postal markings, both early and modern, regularly come to light. Hundreds of specialized works make up the philatelic literature of postal markings.
Simpson, Tracy W. (1959). United States Postal Markings and Related Mail Services, 1851 to 1861.
Simpson, Tracy W. (1979). Simpson's U.S. Postal Markings, 1851-61 (revised and enlarged ed.).
Kane, William. Catalogue of the postal markings of Dublin, c. 1840-1922. ISBN0-9507548-0-3.
Leathes, John (1997). Postal Markings of the German U-boat Arm During the First World War 1914 to 1918. ISBN1-902101-00-6.
External links
British postal markings
Hawaiian postal markings
March 12, 2023
postal, marking, postal, mark, redirects, here, symbol, used, denote, postcode, japan, japanese, postal, mark, postal, marking, kind, annotation, applied, letter, postal, service, most, common, types, postmarks, cancellations, almost, every, letter, will, have. Postal mark redirects here For the symbol used to denote a postcode in Japan see Japanese postal mark A postal marking is any kind of annotation applied to a letter by a postal service The most common types are postmarks and cancellations almost every letter will have those Less common types include forwarding addresses routing annotations warnings postage due notices and explanations such as for damaged or delayed mail and censored or inspected mail A key part of postal history is the identification of postal markings their purpose and period of use This 1953 cover has a normal postmark and two French service markings Service marks provide information to the sender recipient or another post office Advice marks notify about forwarding missending letters received in bad condition letters received too late for delivery by a certain time or the reason for a delay in mail delivery For example a letter may be marked snowbank if snow accumulation not cleared by the potential recipient or for whatever other reason makes it difficult or impossible for the carrier to deliver the mail Dead letter offices would use various markings to keep track of their progress in finding the addressee such as a notation that the letter had been advertised in the local newspaper The tracking process for registered mail may entail multiple marks notations and backstamps Auxiliary marks are applied by an organization other than the postal administration For instance 19th century mail delivery often relied on a mix of private ships steamboats stagecoaches railroads and other transportation organizations to transport mail Many of these organizations applied their own markings to each item sometimes saying simply Steamship or some such while others had elaborate designs Similar routing notations were also used in the early days of airmail Shortly after the outbreak of the American Civil War the Northern authorities declared the existing postage stamps invalid and issued new types Letters using the demonetized stamps received a marking Old stamps not recognized an unintentionally humorous comment much prized by collectors today Post offices may add cachets for special events such as a first flight The traditional way to apply a postal marking is with the use of a rubber or metal handstamp handwritten notations are sometimes seen for unusual situations or in very small post offices In the United States modern postal markings may appear in the form of yellow adhesive labels with the text printed on them Many postal administrations now have the ability to print inkjet annotations directly onto a cover either as a barcode for reading by other equipment or as text Although it is technically possible to query postal services to find out what kinds of postal markings they use in practice they do not seem to know about all the kinds of handstamps used in their offices and previously unknown types of postal markings both early and modern regularly come to light Hundreds of specialized works make up the philatelic literature of postal markings See also EditIndicia philately References EditSome representative works Konwiser Harry M 1980 Postal Markings Simpson Tracy W 1959 United States Postal Markings and Related Mail Services 1851 to 1861 Simpson Tracy W 1979 Simpson s U S Postal Markings 1851 61 revised and enlarged ed Kane William Catalogue of the postal markings of Dublin c 1840 1922 ISBN 0 9507548 0 3 Leathes John 1997 Postal Markings of the German U boat Arm During the First World War 1914 to 1918 ISBN 1 902101 00 6 External links EditBritish postal markings Hawaiian postal markings Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Postal marking amp oldid 1117039758, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
