The Experimental Datestamps of the Cape of Good Hope

#1 · September 26, 2020, 4:36 pm

Quote from Steve on September 26, 2020, 4:36 pm
By the early 1880s, the Cape Post Office was concerned about costs and the growing use of Circular Datestamps for the cancellation of postage stamps. At that time the Cape Post Office required postmasters to use an obliterator, typically a Triangular Obliterator or the Barred Oval Numeral Canceller, (BONC), to deface postage stamps.

Increasingly some post offices had begun to ignore the Cape Post Office's instructions. The reason for their doing so is probably because it required two actions, one with an obliterator to deface the postage stamp and another with a datestamp to date the letter. They also had the example of letters coming into South Africa from overseas that had been cancelled with circular datestamps. The post offices' complaint was most likely "why can't we do the same?"

Determined to maintain its authority and its requirement for obliteration, the Cape Post Office began a series of experiments starting in 1882 which aimed to find a suitable cost-effective canceller that offered the benefit of one-strike dating and obliteration in one action.

The acknowledged Experimental Datestamps are:

The Squared Circle Datestamp (Cape Town) - 1882
The Squared Circle Datestamp (NOT Cape Town) - 1882
The Squared Octagonal Datestamp - 1887
The Hooded Circular Datestamp - 1888
The Truncated Double Circle Datestamp - 1890
The Compass Wheel Datestamp - 1891

However, I believe that there is a case for adding two more. These are:

The Serifed Circular Datestamp of 1882
The Divided Inner Circle Datestamp of 1898

There are Topics in this Forum for each of the above datestamps. Simply click on the links above to go to the topics.

The Serifed Circular Datestamp experimented with serifed letters. Previously, it was believed to have been introduced on the 1st January and discontinued on the 6th, less than a week later. Now, a cover in the possession of club member Yannis Lazarides, proves slightly earlier use on 31 December 1881. This datestamp's very short period of use, just one week, is most peculiar.

The case for the Divided Inner Circle canceller as an experimental datestamp will be made by Yannis.

By the early 1880s, the Cape Post Office was concerned about costs and the growing use of Circular Datestamps for the cancellation of postage stamps. At that time the Cape Post Office required postmasters to use an obliterator, typically a Triangular Obliterator or the Barred Oval Numeral Canceller, (BONC), to deface postage stamps.

Increasingly some post offices had begun to ignore the Cape Post Office's instructions. The reason for their doing so is probably because it required two actions, one with an obliterator to deface the postage stamp and another with a datestamp to date the letter. They also had the example of letters coming into South Africa from overseas that had been cancelled with circular datestamps. The post offices' complaint was most likely "why can't we do the same?"

Determined to maintain its authority and its requirement for obliteration, the Cape Post Office began a series of experiments starting in 1882 which aimed to find a suitable cost-effective canceller that offered the benefit of one-strike dating and obliteration in one action.

The acknowledged Experimental Datestamps are:

The Squared Circle Datestamp (Cape Town) - 1882
The Squared Circle Datestamp (NOT Cape Town) - 1882
The Squared Octagonal Datestamp - 1887
The Hooded Circular Datestamp - 1888
The Truncated Double Circle Datestamp - 1890
The Compass Wheel Datestamp - 1891

However, I believe that there is a case for adding two more. These are:

The Serifed Circular Datestamp of 1882
The Divided Inner Circle Datestamp of 1898

There are Topics in this Forum for each of the above datestamps. Simply click on the links above to go to the topics.

The Serifed Circular Datestamp experimented with serifed letters. Previously, it was believed to have been introduced on the 1st January and discontinued on the 6th, less than a week later. Now, a cover in the possession of club member Yannis Lazarides, proves slightly earlier use on 31 December 1881. This datestamp's very short period of use, just one week, is most peculiar.

The case for the Divided Inner Circle canceller as an experimental datestamp will be made by Yannis.

#2 · September 27, 2020, 12:51 am

Quote from yannisl on September 27, 2020, 12:51 am

Quote from Steve on September 26, 2020, 4:36 pm

By the early 1880s, the Cape Post Office was concerned about the growing use of Circular Datestamps for the cancellation of postage stamps. At that time the Cape Post Office required postmasters to use an obliterator, typically a Triangular Obliterator or the Barred .....

However, I believe that there was an earlier experiment with the Serifed Circular Datestamp of 1882....

I am not too sure if one should include the Serified Circular Datestamp as an experimental datestamp. To me it appears that someone went on leave and he was replaced perhaps by a postal officer working in another department (perhaps money order branch) or somewhere that there are no surviving documents and that he brought his datestamp with him. The size of the stamp would fit nicely into the spaces allowed on telegraphs or money orders/savings bank documents.

Another possibility would be that the Department was trying a handstamp from a vendor for a few days.

The earliest date that I have is 31 December, a very unlike date for an experiment more like an emergency. I posted in another thread three covers stamped with this postmark (all backstamped). If you are correct in your write-up that there was one used at the front of a cover, then there are 6 copies known to us.

So the question is what makes a datestamp "experimental"? There are possibly three characteristics:

Limited distribution (careful might exclude the squared circle)

Unusual design?

Must be capable to obliterate the postage stamps and record the date and time that the mail was processed. Note the double bars in some of them (hooded/truncated), ensuring the postage stamps are obliterated properly.

I am sure the then Postmaster General Somerset French would have added a couple of other characteristic ... and be cheaper than buying a BONC and a circular... and quicker to use... I don't think it is coincidental that these experimental datestamps came into use during his first year as a Postmaster General. He was focused on the idea of reducing the postage to increase communication/sales and the most obvious solution in reducing labour costs by half was to have a single instrument for dating and obliterating.

Personally I also include the "Divided Inner Circle" as an experimental datestamp, as it meets all three characteristics I listed above. In summary either 5, 6 or seven experimental datestamps? I vote for six.

Quote from Steve on September 26, 2020, 4:36 pm

By the early 1880s, the Cape Post Office was concerned about the growing use of Circular Datestamps for the cancellation of postage stamps. At that time the Cape Post Office required postmasters to use an obliterator, typically a Triangular Obliterator or the Barred .....

However, I believe that there was an earlier experiment with the Serifed Circular Datestamp of 1882....

I am not too sure if one should include the Serified Circular Datestamp as an experimental datestamp. To me it appears that someone went on leave and he was replaced perhaps by a postal officer working in another department (perhaps money order branch) or somewhere that there are no surviving documents and that he brought his datestamp with him. The size of the stamp would fit nicely into the spaces allowed on telegraphs or money orders/savings bank documents.

Another possibility would be that the Department was trying a handstamp from a vendor for a few days.

The earliest date that I have is 31 December, a very unlike date for an experiment more like an emergency. I posted in another thread three covers stamped with this postmark (all backstamped). If you are correct in your write-up that there was one used at the front of a cover, then there are 6 copies known to us.

So the question is what makes a datestamp "experimental"? There are possibly three characteristics:

Limited distribution (careful might exclude the squared circle)
Unusual design?
Must be capable to obliterate the postage stamps and record the date and time that the mail was processed. Note the double bars in some of them (hooded/truncated), ensuring the postage stamps are obliterated properly.

I am sure the then Postmaster General Somerset French would have added a couple of other characteristic ... and be cheaper than buying a BONC and a circular... and quicker to use... I don't think it is coincidental that these experimental datestamps came into use during his first year as a Postmaster General. He was focused on the idea of reducing the postage to increase communication/sales and the most obvious solution in reducing labour costs by half was to have a single instrument for dating and obliterating.

Personally I also include the "Divided Inner Circle" as an experimental datestamp, as it meets all three characteristics I listed above. In summary either 5, 6 or seven experimental datestamps? I vote for six.

#3 · September 27, 2020, 9:49 am

Yannis, as ever, great advice. Thank you very much.

Herewith a revised list of Experimental types that includes the Divided Inner Circle Datestamp of 1898. (I have taken this date from Goldblatt. If you have issues with it, please advise.) The Experimental Datestamp list now reads:

The Squared Circle Datestamp - 1882
The Squared Octagonal Datestamp - 1887
The Hooded Circular Datestamp - 1888
The Truncated Double Circle Datestamp - 1890
The Compass Wheel Datestamp - 1891
The Divided Inner Circle Datestamp - 1898

Serifed Circular Datestamp
Until further information becomes available, I will not include this datestamp in the Experimental category.