British Columbia and Vancouver Island – Handstamps & Map – Western Cover Society

British Columbia and Vancouver Island – Handstamps & Map admin 2018-02-23T14:15:19+00:00

BC/VI Handstamps No. 1.

BC/VI Handstamps No. 2.

BC/VI Handstamps No. 3.

BC/VI Handstamps No. 4.

BC/VI Handstamps No. 5

BC/VI Handstamps No. 6

BC/VI Handstamps No. 7

Paid, Unpaid, Collect, And Free Markings On B.C. And V.I. Covers (Handstamps)

VICTORIA V.I. / POST / OFFICE in oval

VICTORIA V.I. / POST / OFFICE in oval

Fig. 3 is a closely-spaced double oval used by the Victoria post office ; the earliest usage seen is in black ink in November 1859 in conjunction with the VICTORIA / V.I. / POST / OFFICE postal frank (Stuart Johnstone sale - Sissons , April 19, 1972, lot 710), so Victoria definitely had a PAID in oval before adhesive stamps were issued in April 1860 .

Nanaimo used a PAID in oval device (Fig. 4) which Wellburn's 1948 article lists as identical to the devices used at New Westminster, Yale, and Hope (Fig. 5).

Fig. 5. Virtually identical handstamps were used at New Westminster, Yale, Hope, and possibly other offices as well.

Fig. 6 was a name change from Barnard's Express in June 1862, and is seen in both black and blue ink.

Fig. 7 is Dietz & Nelson marking, usually seen in blue ink, but Wellburn lists it in black ink also. Bold strikes show a period after the D of PAID, although the period is not present in Wellburn's 1948 illustration. On strikes not showing the period, PAID is centred to the left inside the oval.

Fig. 8 is a Barnard's Express marking, narrower vertically than Dietz & Nelson's handstamp and with taller letters.

Fig. 9a

Fig. 9b

Fig. 9c

Fig. 10

Fig. 11

Fig. 12 is Dietz & Nelson marking which has small letters and a period after the T - it is scarcer than the one in Fig. 13.

Fig. 13

Fig. 14

Apparently the FREE refers to the express charges, not government postage.

British Columbia & Vancouver Island Washington Territory Map