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Wilmington, NC |
Prepayment of postage on U.S. mail resulted in the issue of U.S. postage stamps in 1847. Post Offices cancelled these new postage stamps to prevent their reuse.
Some Post Offices used existing devices to cancel stamps, such as "PAID" or various numbers that were previously used for postage due or paid amounts. Others used ink pens for canceling, or postmarks, which normally included the town name, state and date.
The large Post Offices were eventually issued canceling devices. The smaller Post Offices created their own inked canceling devices. Most of these were hand-carved from wood or bottle stoppers (cork or rubber).
Naturally some postal workers were more talented carvers than others & produced what are now called fancy cancels. Private businesses later manufactured fancy cancels and sold them along with the postmarks mounted in a duplex canceller.
Machine canceling phased out most hand canceling by 1900. However fancy cancels continued, especially on registered letters, which required the postmarks to be stamped on the back of the envelopes while the stamps remained on the front. During the U.S. depression era fancy cancels became very popular again and provided needed income for small Post Offices from cancel collectors.
Even today fancy cancels have been combined with postmarks and used to commemorate special events or new stamp issues.
Below is an outline of fancy cancels that were used in Wilmington, North Carolina:
Some Post Offices used existing devices to cancel stamps, such as "PAID" or various numbers that were previously used for postage due or paid amounts. Others used ink pens for canceling, or postmarks, which normally included the town name, state and date.
The large Post Offices were eventually issued canceling devices. The smaller Post Offices created their own inked canceling devices. Most of these were hand-carved from wood or bottle stoppers (cork or rubber).
Naturally some postal workers were more talented carvers than others & produced what are now called fancy cancels. Private businesses later manufactured fancy cancels and sold them along with the postmarks mounted in a duplex canceller.
Machine canceling phased out most hand canceling by 1900. However fancy cancels continued, especially on registered letters, which required the postmarks to be stamped on the back of the envelopes while the stamps remained on the front. During the U.S. depression era fancy cancels became very popular again and provided needed income for small Post Offices from cancel collectors.
Even today fancy cancels have been combined with postmarks and used to commemorate special events or new stamp issues.
Below is an outline of fancy cancels that were used in Wilmington, North Carolina:
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Hand-carved Pinwheel Wilmington & Raleigh Railroad Ref: Skinner & Eno |
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Geometric Design Wilmington NC Ref: Skinner & Eno |
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Pen Cancel Wilmington NC Ref: NC PO & PM |
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Various Wilmington NC Ref: NC PO & PM |
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Letter "B" (PM- Edwin R Brink) Wilmington NC Ref: WPS Member Stamp: Scott #65 |
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Floral Pattern Wilmington NC Ref: NC PO & PM |
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Circle of Eight V's Wilmington NC Ref: WPS Member Stamp: Scott #94a |
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Hand-carved "W" Wilmington NC Ref: Skinner & Eno |
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Postmark Wilmington NC Ref: NC PO & PM |
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Hand carved "L" Wilmington NC Ref: WPS Member |
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Postmark Wilmington NC Ref: NC PO & PM |
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5 Pointed Star Wilmington NC Ref: WPS Member Postal Card: Scott #UX5 |
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Four Pointed Star Wilmington NC Ref: WPS Member Postal Card Scott: UX3 |
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Geometric Design Wilmington NC Ref: James Cole |
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Geometric Design Wilmington NC Ref: WPS Member Envelope: Scott #U163 |
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Circle of 4 V's Wilmington NC Ref: NC PO & PM |
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6 Pointed Star Wilmington NC Ref: WPS Member Envelope: Scott #U74 |
Fancy Cancel References:
US Cancellation Club
Whitfield, Cancellations Found on 19th Century U.S. Stamps
Herst and Sampson, 19th Century Fancy Cancels
James Cole, Cancellations of the Banknote Era 1870-1894
Skinner and Eno, United States Cancellations 1845-1869
North Carolina Post Offices & Postmasters
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