U311 cut square UPSS Die 88, New Brighton PA CDS, round 4-segment cancel, EFO

Item Specifics

Country

United States

Catalog Number

U311

Stamp Type

Postal Stationery

Condition

Used

Stamp Format

Error

Topic

People - Politicians

Year of Issue

1890

Item Description

56x55mm. This large cut square is Scott U311, green indicium on laid white paper. The United Postal Stationery Society (UPSS) identifies this as Die 88. This copy does not include any portion of a watermark. The 1892 cancellation includes most of a circular date stamp (CDS) from New Brighton, Pennsylvania, and a round obliterator with four widely spaced segments. The top edge and upper left edge show residual stains after being treated with ammonia to neutralize possible foxing. The brownish spot of material between the CDS and indicium is firmly adhered to the paper, and there is a paper tear at the right side near the bottom.

Only a few dozen of the cut squares collected at Union City, Indiana (explained below), are large enough to include the addressee’s business name. Several of those were addressed to a supply company and the handwriting at the bottom of this cut square appears to identify it as one of that group. The Knapp Supply Company was the only supply company identified in the 1890 Sanborn™ fire insurance map set for Union City. The company had been dealers in plumbing, steam and gas fitting supplies since 1874, shortly before the large Trenton natural gas field was discovered and developed. The subsequent industrialization of the region probably kept the Knapp company very busy for many years and would have generated a lot of mail. The company was relocated to Muncie, Indiana, in the 1920s and is still in business.

This item has never been mounted in a collection. It was among 11-12,000 cut squares collected from Union City, Indiana, businesses. Although a few cut squares may have been collected across the state line in Union City, Ohio, I have found no evidence of that. Most of the readable postmarks are from 1891 to 1893, with the majority from 1892. However, there were also postmarks from the 1880s.

Although mail was coming to Union City from all over the country, much of it seemed to be coming from small cities and towns in Indiana and Ohio and to a lesser degree from smaller communities in other nearby states. In other words, most of the fancy and geometric cancels probably originated within 150 to 200 miles of Union City. New Brighton, Pennsylvania, is located north of Pittsburgh and is 240 miles east of Union City. This New Brighton cut square appears to be one of at least four found among the Union City collection. Three others include less of the CDS, but have the same or very similar obliterator. 

The Die 88 stamped envelope indicia were printed in huge quantities. They display a wide variety of inking problems (including setoffs) and die varieties that fall under the EFO (errors, freaks and oddities) umbrella. Except for a few newly identified items that are yet to be confirmed, these characteristics are repeating and documented; some display progressive characteristics. The most obvious characteristic of this copy is the widely spaced teeth of the inner toothed frame line above CENTS. While this may be uncommon, it is not rare. I have found just over 50 copies with this characteristic in the Union City hoard. The same condition sometimes shows up elsewhere in the indicium design.

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Seller Information

Seller

keesindy (4649)

Registered Since

04/11/2016

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Store

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Item Location

Indiana, United States

Ships To

United States

Shipping Instructions

About 3½ years ago, I stopped selling and shipping outside the US due to new postal rules and rapidly rising costs. The USPS is raising postal rates again in January 2019. Today, December 25, 2018, due to the continuing rise in the cost of postage and associated fees, I am reluctantly raising my general shipping fee for the first time in many years. My sales here at HipStamp involve no additional charge for the purchase of multiple stamps. Shipping is via USPS unless otherwise specified. Be sure to contact me before making your purchases if you have questions.

Returns Accepted

Yes

Returns Policy

All items may be returned unless otherwise stated in the listing. Of course, I cannot be responsible if uninsured items are damaged during shipping. If you are dissatisfied with a purchase, contact me within 7 days of your receipt of the item to make arrangements for returning it. If I have made an error in my listing or the item is not as described, you will receive a full reimbursement plus the pre-agreed-upon cost to return the item.