Help needed

Discussion in 'United States Stamps' started by RichardBabcock, Nov 26, 2020.

  1. RichardBabcock

    RichardBabcock Active Member

    Did this letter come from a town in New York? I think the name is beside the stamp but im not sure what it is. IMG_20201126_0003.jpg
     
    RichardBabcock, Nov 26, 2020
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  2. Gunny

    Gunny Retired Jarhead Moderator

    Looks like "Ford" or "Home" to me.
     
    Gunny, Nov 27, 2020
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  3. RichardBabcock

    RichardBabcock Active Member

    Me as well ,but there was no Ford town there in the 1860s, there was around the 1900s. Im thinking now it is Floyd New York, Before they had there own postal cancel. With the manuscript postal cancel on the stamp. There was a post master Richard M. Williams, in new york state at that time, Maybe that's were the W came into play.
     
    RichardBabcock, Nov 28, 2020
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  4. Hochstrasse

    Hochstrasse Moderator Moderator

    Hi Richard,
    The other way to try to determine whether the envelope originated from the state of New York is to try to decipher the cancellation. The scan is indeterminate and the fade out from right to left makes identification only possible with magnification, if at all.
     
    Hochstrasse, Nov 29, 2020
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  5. RichardBabcock

    RichardBabcock Active Member

    big2.jpg
     
    RichardBabcock, Nov 30, 2020
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  6. Hochstrasse

    Hochstrasse Moderator Moderator

    I find magnification to be the best way to determine grill type. It isn't easy to tell a grill pattern from a scan. Scott catalog gives good information on differences between the types. Counting the points horizontally and vertically under magnification and then using a millimeter scale should give you a good identification.
     
    Hochstrasse, Dec 1, 2020
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  7. RichardBabcock

    RichardBabcock Active Member

    I posted Grills Grills Grills, It has helped me over the years, But I still make mistakes on Grills. I have a cover at the APS presently, I determined it was a D grill But looks to have the points up like the C Grill. I will post the out come in a few months. This one is the common F Grill.
     
    Last edited: Dec 6, 2020
    RichardBabcock, Dec 6, 2020
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  8. Gill Daoust

    Gill Daoust New Member

    Hi Richard,
    I work with Photoshop and made some optimization to your picture.... Hoping it could help find out where this cover comes from...... Let me know if this is helpful...
     

    Attached Files:

    Gill Daoust, Jan 4, 2021
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  9. RichardBabcock

    RichardBabcock Active Member

    Thank you Gill. It does look like Ford but in the 1860s there was no town called Ford. The W was Orange county's postmasters last name at the time which indicates there was no postal cancel for that town at the time the letter was sent. You brought something else to my attention as well this cover was used twice there was writing on the left end that is also under the stamp partially, a paid 3 New York, swirl in the center, Another name erased out in the upper right. Its ever more interesting now. LOL
     
    RichardBabcock, Jan 4, 2021
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  10. Hochstrasse

    Hochstrasse Moderator Moderator

    Hi Richard,
    I didn't pay attention the pencil mark on your original scan, but it comes through quite plainly on the enhancement. Some dealer was able to decipher the cancellation to Orange, NJ.. I believe that the letter never had anything to do with New York, but rather went from Orange to East Orange and that the writing in the upper left hand corner is some kind of shorthand for "forward"
     
    Hochstrasse, Jan 5, 2021
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  11. BettyBoop

    BettyBoop Active Member

    Hi guys, I know nothing about your mail system, but I always find it fascinating to see any old envelopes where the address only had the town name, no need for streets as everyone knew everyone else.
     
    BettyBoop, Jan 8, 2021
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  12. Gunny

    Gunny Retired Jarhead Moderator

    I'm pretty sure that is because in the old days, the mail wasn't delivered to your house. A person had to periodically visit the Post Office to see if they had any mail (most cities only had one Post Office). I guess it could be an issue if two people, with the same name, were expecting mail.
     
    Gunny, Jan 8, 2021
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  13. Rick 2

    Rick 2 Member

    I love covers like this, but they always leave one with questions...! I think the Orange to East Orange is correct. Its a strange one, nothing on reverse? Does it show evidence of a previous stamp anywhere? I was thinking the return address was on LEFT side vertical, because it looks to me kinda like the writing goes over the stamp. The faded comments on RIGHT look likes a date (May) and comment "answered ...."
    Could the word next to the stamp be "Home" ? I really need to get some imaging software...... ! NICE COVER!
     
    Rick 2, Jan 18, 2021
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  14. RichardBabcock

    RichardBabcock Active Member

    I might send it in for a certificate, Its a F Grill, Not much value. Thank you Rick
     
    RichardBabcock, Jan 18, 2021
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