Existing comment:
Early usage of Mulready envelope
This envelope was postmarked at Leicester two days before Great Britain's first postage stamps and postal stationery became valid for postage. The practice of "jumping the gun" plagues philatelists to this day. Great Britain, May 4, 1840.
Mulready envelope postmarked May 4, 1840. Pre-paid postage was central to Sir Rowland Hill's proposal for postal reform. Previously, postage had been paid customarily by the addressee, rather than by the sender. Postal rates were complex and were set artificially high to compensate for the loss caused by people refusing to accept their mail. Great Britain, 1901.
Postal stationery includes envelopes, letter sheets, postal cards, aerograms and wrappers, officially issued by a postal administration with postage pre-printed on them. Post office sell certain items for the value of the pre-printed postage; on other items, there may be a surcharge to recover the additional cost of the stationery and printing.
Postal stationery may reproduce images of actual stamps of feature stamp-like designs created exclusively for these items. |