Handstamp
Object Details
- Description
- This 1985 bicentennial pictorial postmark and cancel for East Haven, Connecticut, is an example of a special postmark used to commemorate local history or events that would be of limited national interest or too specialized for recognition through a postage stamp.
- Pictorial postmarks are usually applied at special postal stations set-up in conjunction with an event. The postmark includes the date, city, state, and ZIP Code of the physical location of the event within the postmark circle. The cancel includes artwork relevant to the event. Most events that are commemorated with pictorial postmarks last only one day and so the postmarking devices do not usually have slots for changeable month, date, and year type. Because the East Haven event lasted more than one day, this handstamp has room for changeable type.
- Overall dimensions of a pictorial cancellation cannot exceed 4 inches horizontally by 2 inches vertically. Ordinarily, the imprint measures 3 1/2 inches x 1 inch.
- Although stamped envelopes are postmarked at the event with a handstamp similar to this specimen, mailed-in requests are processed up to thirty days later. After that period, the pictorial postmark is no longer available.
- Data Source
- National Postal Museum
- Date
- 1985
- Object number
- 1990.0300.10
- Type
- Mail Processing Equipment
- Medium
- wood; rubber
- Dimensions
- 3.25 x 1.5 x 3 in (8.3 x 3.8 x 7.6 cm)
- Place
- Connecticut
- See more items in
- National Postal Museum Collection
- Topic
- The Cold War (1945-1990)
- Mail Processing
- Record ID
- npm_1990.0300.10
- Usage
- CC0
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