History of the Postage Stamps of the United States of America Part 15

14 by 16 " 1c blue "

14 by 16 " 3c rose "

14 by 16 " 10c green "

14 by 16 " 12c black "

14 by 16 " 2c " "

14 by 16 " 3c rose "

11 by 13 mm., 14 by 16 " 3c " "

14 by 16 " 3c " "

10 by 14 mm., 14 by 16 " 3c " "

13 by 16 " 3c " "

13 by 16 " 10c green "

_Oddity._ With 2 grilles touching on the same stamp. 3 cents, rose, perforated 12.

_Note._ It is not uncommon to find parts of two grilles on the same stamp at a distance from each other, part of a grille being at the top and part at the bottom, or part of a grille on each side. The oddity noted presents two grilles touching by the top and bottom, one a little farther to the left than the other, making a strip of squares from the top to the bottom of the stamp.

This medium grille if examined on the face is quite different from the foregoing large grille. It appears to be composed of raised lines between the squares and depressed crosses in them. A gla.s.s transforms these lines into rows of diamonds. On the reverse it appears as if composed of depressed lines, between the squares, and raised crosses in them.

_Note._ The other values so far as known, have not been found with this grille. Up to May, 1868, only the values from 1 to 12 cents had been noted by the stamp papers as having been found with any grille. The 24 and 30 cents are chronicled with a grille in the November, 1868, but the 90 cents was not so noticed until much later, February, 1869, (see American Journal of Philately).

The fourth and most common grille is a square of 9 by 14 mm., composed of 12 rows of 16 squares each. The date of its adoption is not known.

It was applied to the whole series.

1 cent, blue, perforated 12, small grille.

2 " black " 12 "

3 " rose " 12 "

5 " brown " 12 "

10 " green " 12 "

12 " black " 12 "

15 " black " 12 "

Nov. 1868, 24 " lilac " 12 "

" 30 " orange " 12 "

Feb. 1869, 90 " blue " 12 "

_Varieties._ 9 by 14 mm., 12 by 16 rows, 1c., perf. 12.

" " " 3c "

" 12 by 17 " 30c "

OBSERVATIONS.

The colors are generally stronger than in those without the grille. The majority of the specimens of these stamps appear to have the surface of the paper tinted slightly with the color of the stamps, possibly from some imperfection in cleaning the plates. A few values have been noted on pure white paper.

1 cent, blue, small grille, perforated 12.

2 " black " " 12 10 " green " " 12

The 3 cents, rose, small grille, unperforated, has been noted, and

2 cents, black, grille, variety 4 { unperforated 3 " rose " " 4 { at the 5 " brown " " 4 { sides.

The re-impressions of these designs did not have the grille.

The five cents was in use up to September, 1870.

Some specimens examined seem to indicate that all these varieties of grille are occasionally to be found reversed, i. e. they present the appearance on the face that is usually to be seen on the back, and vice versa.

Of these stamps with the grille, there were, issued approximately the following numbers:

1 cent 9,638,600 2 cents 46,440,000 3 " 231,773,300 5 " 1,006,400 10 " 3,076,070 12 " 2,087,575 15 " 868,080 24 " 167,453 30 " 214,000 90 " 26,870

During the currency of these stamps, a new contract was entered into with the same company. A special despatch to the St. Louis Globe-Democrat, dated Oct. 3rd, 1868 states:

"Postmaster General Randall to-day accepted the proposal of the National Bank Note Company, of New York, for furnis.h.i.+ng stamps for four years at 25 cents per 1000. This includes everything required for preparing the stamps for immediate use, gumming, perforation printing and preparing receipts. The contractors are also required to furnish new designs, at least four of which must be printed in combination colors."

The number of the several values of these stamps issued, with the _grille_ is approximated as above, it being not quite certain whether a few without the grille were not in stock at the dates from which the enumeration is made.

XXII.

THE ISSUE OF 1869.

The New York Evening Post of October 6th, 1868, also contains a notice of;

"THE NEW CONTRACT FOR POSTAGE STAMPS.

In June last, Postmaster General Randall, advertised for proposals for furnis.h.i.+ng the Government with postage stamps for a term of years. The Committee of experts appointed for the purpose, decided in favor of the National Bank Note Company, and on Sat.u.r.day last, the Postmaster General awarded the contract to that Company for a term of four years. We have been shown proofs of the new stamps, and they reflect credit upon the artistic taste of the Company."

Some of these proofs are then described.

"One of the characteristics of the stamps manufactured by this Company is that the ink used prevents persons was.h.i.+ng, and using the stamps a second time. The fiber in the centre of the stamp is broken completely, and they adhere better, while the ink of cancellation sinks into the paper. The engraving on these stamps are remarkable copies of historical pictures, and bear the test of microscopical examination."

These are probably the only words of approbation to be found in the daily press among the host of comments upon these stamps, which by the terms of the contract were to be ready on the first of February, 1869.

Messrs. Butler & Carpenter, of Philadelphia, had claimed to be ent.i.tled to the award on the ground that they had submitted a better bid than the National Bank Note Co., which resulted in delay and the appointment of the commission above mentioned.

However, in March, 1869, the greater part if not all the values were printed and ready for issue, but were distributed to the public only as the stock of the old issue was exhausted. About the end of April they began to appear, and even in September only the 1, 2, 3 and 6 cents were to be obtained in the larger post offices. Already the public demanded that they should be replaced, and this was done in April, 1870. As late as March, 1870, the 90 cents of the previous issue was on sale in some of the offices.

This unfortunate issue was generally received with approval by the Philatelic press. It is certainly well engraved, and forms an interesting and handsome series for the most part, and is an adornment to the collectors' alb.u.m. But it is hardly so well suited to the practical requirements of a postage stamp. It was announced that the series was intended in some sort, to portray the history of the Post Office in the United States, beginning with Franklin, the Continental postmaster, and the post rider of the early days, followed by the locomotive of a later day, and the Ocean Steamer carrying the mails which had become so important a branch of the postal service, the most important scenes in the early history of the country, its triumphant arms, and Was.h.i.+ngton its first and Lincoln its last President. But hardly had it been issued before its doom was sealed.

In August the New York Tribune says:

"The greater part of the stamps sold at the Post Office in this city are worthless, and have not sufficient gum to make them stick to letters. One can be amused, or become indignant, in watching people who buy stamps, demanding a little mucilage from the clerk, in order to fasten the stamp on their envelopes. It appears that the invention of embossing which is continued in this emission, while it spoils the stamps, does not increase their adhesive properties as was pretended."

Other papers p.r.o.nounced the stamp too small. The comic papers exhibited caricatures in which the people were looking for their stamps in their pocket books with powerful microscopes.

The Evening Telegram says:

"The new United States postage stamps have a very un-American look."