Tuesday, October 22, 2024

A Collector's Guide to 1898 Documentary Printed Precancels: The Rexford Clift Cancel

Squarely belonging in the contrivances section of an updated version of the Fullerton list, the Waymart, PA precancel looks like a cancel made by a cancelling device prepared to precancel the standard size definitive US postage stamp.  On the example below, there is a bit of the T from the adjoining cancel to the left, and nearly a complete W from the cancel to the stamp that was once to the right.
  

Hmm.  A postage precancel on an 1898 documentary revenue stamp.  

Turns out there was a member of the Precancel Stamp Society, a Mr. Rexford Clift, living in Waymart, PA in the early to mid-20th century, so committed to his hobby or trade that he likely puttered around with fantasy cancels, like the one above.  


And we have clear evidence that he was involved with precancels to the point that he had dedicated stationery for the purpose.  Mr. Clift likely knew the local postmaster and had him make a few of these cancels as favor.  Are there more of these cancels in circulation?  Perhaps a multiple?

No comments:

Post a Comment