A first-day bullseye resulting from the stamp's strategic placement on a first-day cover. This stamp is the carmine triangle from the carmine and blue se-tenant commemoratives issued in conjunction with the 1997 Pacifica International Stamp Show in San Francisco. Don
OK, I am counting on Latin American cancel experts (Anglobob - Werner) to explain what "encomienda" in this Quito, Ecuador, cancel means. Does it indicate a revenue usage? Don
Don.....I think it was used as a cancellation on parcel post...I don,t believe it was a revenue usage. Bob
Trying to get into the Chrismas mode here. I've been looking among my bullseyes for a Christmas day cancel on a Christmas stamp. Does anyone have one? Just a Christmas day cancel or a bullseye on a Christmas stamp would be good. So far, I haven't found one, but this one is close. It is Sc. 1125, described as the 17p Genie from the Christmas pantomime set of 1985. Don
Don...I think it would be difficult to get a Christmas day cancel on a GB stamp.Christmas Day and Boxing Day...Dec 26...are holidays and I don,t believe there is any delivery or collection on these days. Bob
Don, I found this one on Ebay It seems in searching around that most of the Christmas day cancellations are from around the turn of the century. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Christmas-Day-Postmark-Hammersmith-Dec-25-1905-Xmas-/360591377733
Bob and Hochstrasse: Bob, your answer makes sense, as does Hochstrasse. My thinking comes from working for the Post Office in the U.S. When I was working in the Council Bluffs, Iowa, and Omaha, Nebraska, Postal Transportation Service terminals and the Omaha Post Office in the late 1950s and early 1960s, they were open 24/7 with three shifts working, holidays included. The public service windows were closed, but mail was collected from the drops, canceled and dispatched to the air and rail terminals. Being unmarried then without family responsibilities, I volunteered to work most holidays for double time pay. Holiday work in the post offices has changed, however. No one these days expects or really cares that the mails don't move on holidays. I doubt anyone is working in our local post offices on holidays. Don
Bob: That means that Dec 24th and 27th would be the closest to Christmas one could expect to find a cancel. Given that, I appreciate my Dec 27th cancel above a little more. Don
Don.....back in my younger days,when I was single and at college.,I always managed to get a job over the Christmas period working for Royal Mail.I was a temporary postman,helping to deliver the Christmas mail.One year,I actually worked the nightshift in the main sorting office in Birmingham.That was actually the easiest job I have ever had....looking back,it amazes me that mail was delivered on time..!!! Bob
Hi Bob: Yes, I agree. I usually worked nights and holiday work was always light. Long breaks, not much mail collected and little to sort. That was for the city post office. The terminals were somewhat heavier with the trains still bringing in holiday mail. Don
This could also be posted in aircraft on stamps,but decided to post here as it shows a nice cancel.The stamp is a 1937 airmail from French Equatorial Africa.Gibbons catalogue describes it as Latecoere 300 Flying Boat over Pointe-Noire,thus making the cancellation highly relevant.
Wow! That one is a real prize, Bob. Lots of collecting points - identifiable aircraft, period usage, nicely centered, clearly struck, and, as you note, relevance between location of cancel and geographical location in stamp design, and an attractive stamp as well. Don
The cancel looked suspicious to me,so I had a look into the catalogue. Michel notes,that this set (UIT) was machine-overprinted with a cancel (look-alike). Funny thing is,Michel and Scott agree on this,the set was issued on January 27th,1966 ! By the way,Scott did not list the stamp and two other of the set as air-mails.
Hi Werner: That is why it appears so clearly struck! I should have checked the catalog before posting this one. In looking at my Scott catalog (the newest one I have for Ecuador is 1999), it does not mention the printed cancel. As you noted, the airmail stamps from this set are not listed in the airmail section. There is a footnote, however, to the set that identifies the 1,50, 3.00 & 4.00 sucres stamps as airmails. Scott apparently listed this set originally in the "For the Record" section only, but in the 1999 catalog the set is listed chronologically (1966) by denomination, but not valued. This stamp is obviously of questionable issue from a period of questionable Ecuadorian issues. Maybe Anglobob can shed some light from local authorities on the cancel. Was the stamp ever issued without the cancel? Don A post script. Yes, the cancel is dated seven days before the published issue date!!
Not sure of all the details but when I saw this cancel,I immediately thought it was dodgy....far too professional for Ecuador !!! Bob
Rummaging again, and came across some slogan cancels on stamps long forgotten with their origins unknown. Nothing breathtaking, but I'll post four of them anyway. The first on Sc. 2109, the Vietnam Memorial stamp of 1984, depicting the space shuttle with a promotional slogan is one I do not member seeing on cover. The second, Sc. 2037, the Civilian Conservation Corp commem of 1983 was a frequently seen slogan on envelopes of the '80s. The Goodwill in the slogan refers to Goodwill Industries, an organization that offers sheltered employment opportunities for the handicapped and operates multitudinous thrift shops in U.S. cities. The third, the U.S. Navy aviation commem of 1961, Sc. 1185, carries another widely used slogan. It has been a long time since I have seen it used. Tuberculous may no longer be the health threat it used to be. The fourth, and last, on the 1973 Love stamp, Sc. 1475 carries the ubiquitous admonition from the Postal Service to use our zip codes. Don
