“We do not deny that time does change the colour in stamps, but with those we do not think that it had anything to do. A friend of ours informed us that in looking over a lot of old letters which he had taken out of a trunk, and which had not been opened for several years, he found among them several registered letters, one with the Two Cent registration stamp almost a black, all the others having their normal colour. With due consideration and deference to better judges than myself, I have no doubt in saying that it is my firm belief that those Canada Two Cent, brown, registration stamps are a genuine misprint.
“Donald A. King.”
The members have not had an opportunity of examining any of the specimens referred to in Mr. King’s paper, so they are unable to give an opinion upon them. At the same time it should be stated that copies of this stamp are frequently met with showing traces of oxidation; some changed completely to brown or even black in colour. It seems therefore probable that the specimens described by Mr. King may be referred to the same category.
OFFICIAL STAMP FOR RETURNED LETTERS.
1879 (?).
The stamp in shape is a large oblong rectangular, printed in taille-douce upon white wove paper, and perforated 12. The design consists of a straight label of solid colour inscribed, in white block letters, “OFFICIALLY SEALED;” above this are the words “POST OFFICE CANADA,” in a curved line; and below the label “DEAD LETTER OFFICE,” also in a curve, both inscriptions being in small coloured Roman capitals. The rest of the design is composed of engine-turning, with ornaments of a trefoil character in the four corners. ([Illustration 38.])
- Without expressed value; dark red-brown.
Remarks.—The only information the Society can give about this stamp is contained in an article in The Halifax Philatelist for December, 1887, which is reproduced here for the benefit of those collectors who may not have seen it.
“THE ‘OFFICIALLY SEALED’ DEAD LETTER OFFICE STAMP OF CANADA.
“While endeavouring to afford some information about those interesting and handsome adhesives emanating only from the Dead Letter Office at Ottawa, I regret being unable to give all their history or chronology. What is said here the writer has gained his knowledge by observation and experience. Doubtless there are others who can speak of matters connected with these stamps which the writer knows nothing of. In the first place they are scarce, very, which is to be accounted for when we consider the manner of their use. They are never found on Local Dead Letters, registered or unregistered. What have been seen here have all come from the United States, and always on returned dead registered letters. I discovered the manner of their use quite accidentally. A friend who travels in Canada for a United States firm showed me a letter which had been returned to his address in Michigan, and which he had posted in Canada for a Canadian address, and registered; and for some reason, misdirection or what not, the letter was not delivered to party addressed—had been sent to Dead Letter Office, Ottawa, where, on being opened to ascertain address of writer, it was resealed and adorned by Dead Letter Office Crown Official Seal Stamp, sent to Dead Letter Office, Washington, U.S., and then sent on registered to the writer’s address in Michigan, where he obtained it, and exhibited it triumphantly to me.