Insurance Agent Cancels: Frank B. Eldredge of Mansfield, Massachusetts

FRANK. B. ELDREDGE. MANSFIELD

OCT. 10. 98.

Frank B. Eldredge was in the insurance business but was also an active philatelist, helping to explain the artful manuscript cancel above. 

From Mekeels Weekly Stamp News, Jan 11, 1913:

Insurance Agent Cancels: J. L. Drake of Decatur, Illinois

J. L. DRAKE

AUG 18 1899

DECATUR

ILLS.

J. L. DRAKE

FEB 1 1900.

DECATUR

ILLS.

J. L. Drake:

From the Decatur Herald and Review, November 3, 1925:

Insurance Agent Cancels: E. Eichhorn & Sons of Minneapolis, Minnesota

E. EICHHORN & SONS.

APR

10

1899

MINNEAPOLIS.

From The National Real Estate Journal, June 15, 1910:

Insurance Agent Cancels: R. B. Hatch of Peterborough, New Hampshire

R. B. Hatch

APR

17

1901

Peterboro N H

From the Peterborough Transcript, August 23, 1923:

From the Fitchburg, Massachussets Directory of 1877:

Insurance Agent Cancels: H. B. Sly & Company of Elmira, New York

 

H. B. SLY & CO.

APR 20 1900

ELMIRA, N. Y.

The Insurance Field, May 15, 1930:

Insurance Company Cancels: German American Fire Insurance Company of Washington, DC

G. A. F. Ins. Co.

DEC 12 1898

Washington, D. C.

Insurance Company Cancels: Williamsburg City Fire Insurance Company of New York

W. C. F. I. CO.

?? 4 1899

NEW YORK.

W. C. F. I. CO.

JUN 19 1899

NEW YORK.

Insurance Agent Cancels: Harold E. Foster of Winthrop, Maine

 

H. E. FOSTER

APR

?

1899

WINTHROP, MAINE

Insurance Company Cancels: Windham County Mutual Fire Insurance Company of Brooklyn, Connecticut

W. C. M. F. I. CO.

MAR

9

1899

Brooklyn, Conn.

From The Standard, December 1, 1906:

Documentary Printed Cancels: A Second "C. E. C." Canceled Half Cent Grey Battleship

In 2014, the stamp immediately below was posted to this site.  Frank Sente's unusual copy of a Scott R162 with what appears to be both horizontal and vertical printing by a firm or individual with the initials C. E. C. has remained a mystery.  We speculated that its origins might come from the Charles E. Cornell company, which had a similar appearing initial and date cancel, that was otherwise known only on proprietary battleships, though that association has always seemed a bit dubious.  

A few days ago I was examining stamps in my possession and found a second R162 with identical markings.

Frank's Stamp:

Horizontal cancel:

C. E. C.

AUG 6 1900

Vertical cancel:

partial fine print at top right

The new find:

The registration of the printing on the second stamp is a bit lower and shifted slightly left on the stamp,  revealing a bit more of the original printing or cancel.  The last word in the vertically printed letters ends in "nce", and is consistent with the word insurance, which would be a high probability on the 1/2 cent battleships since the 1/2 cent battleships were primarily used to pay taxes on insurance policies.

While there is still no clear answer for the firm cancelling this stamp, we do have more information, with more letters available to read and evidence that the firm was canceling or using these stamps on August 6, 1900, for more than just one transaction.  

The chance that the C. E. C. might be printed remains, though the vertical portion was clearly added after the stamp was placed on a document.  

If you have a half cent grey or other battleship stamp with similar markings, please let me know at 1898revenues@gmail.com.

Insurance Agent Cancels: Montgomery O. Selden of Baltimore

M. O. SELDEN,

JAN

7

1901

Balto., Md.

Montgomery Selden was the General Agent in Maryland for North British and Mercantile Insurance Company of London and Edinburgh

Insurance Cancels: Real Estate Title Insurance & Trust Company of Philadelphia

R. E. T. I. & T. Co.

JAN 12 1899

PHILA.

Insurance Company Cancels: Capital Insurance Company of Des Moines, Iowa

from Hayden's Annual Cyclopedia of Insurance 1901-02

Industrial Cancels: ACME Ball Bearing Caster Company of New York

ACME BALL BEARING CASTER CO.,

MAY

22

1899

N. Y. 

Industrial Cancels: Salem G. Levalley, Sporting Goods and Gun Dealer of Buffalo, New York

S. G. LeValley,

JAN 24 1899

BUFFALO, N. Y.

Industrial Cancels: Western Brass Manufacturing Company of St. Louis, Missouri

W. B. M. Co.

SEP 20 1900

CANCELLED

Industrial Cancels: John A. Dunn, Chair Manufacturer of Gardner, Massachussets

JOHN A. DUNN,

APR

30

1900

GARDNER

Industrial Cancels: Atlas Tack Company of Taunton, Massachussets

ATLAS TACK CO.,

NOV

1898

Taunton, Mass.

 

Industrial Cancels: W. J. Dyer & Brother of St. Paul, Minnesota

W. J. DYER & BRO.

FEB

17

1900

W. J. Dyer & Brother sold and made musical instruments.

Industrial Cancels: The American Wringer Company

The American Wringer Co.

10/12/98

American Wringer was famous for its "Horseshoe" brand wringer.

 

Industrial Cancels: J. Jenks & Company, Harbor Beach, Michigan

J. JENKS & CO.

DEC 14 189?

Harbor Beach, Mich.

J. Jenks & Company's businesses included a salt block & flour mill.

Industrial Cancels: Dueber Watch Case Manufacturing Company of Canton, Ohio

DUEBER W. C. MFG CO.

NOV

5

1898

CANTON, O.

Industrial Cancels: Langdon & Geffs of Buffalo, New York

LANGDON &

SEP 28 1898

GEFFS.