East Highgate Octagon

I usually buy only covers for my postal history collection, but in the case of this example of the octagon from East Highgate, it was such a perfect specimen in the beautiful red (or is it pink?) shade, I made an exception.

This Franklin County post office existed from October 28, 1834 to September 27, 1963 as an independent post office. Then it changed to an independent rural station of Highgate Center from September 28, 1963 to July 29, 1972

Vermont Pictorial Cancels (June 2010)

There are at least 5 pictorial postmarks scheduled in Vermont for June 2010.

Opening Day Station

Montpelier: June 4, 2010

Vermont State Stamp Show Station

Montpelier: June 5, 2010

Runaway Pond Station

Glover: June 5, 2010

Fishing Derby Station

Chittenden: June 6, 2010

Sherlock Holmes Conference Station

Bennington: June 25, 2010

Vermont State Stamp Show 2010

The Vermont State Stamp Show 2010 is now in the history books. Thanks to the Washington County Stamp Club and exhibit chair, Bob Edson, for hosting the Vermont Philatelic Society annual meeting.

2 exhibitors were awarded the grand prize: Terence Hines (Hanover New Hampshire Postal History) and Glenn Estus (US Domestic Postage Rates: 1792-1855).

Other exhibits:

World Wide Printing Industry (Martin Morrissey) (Gold)

The Five-Cent Franklin Stamp of 1847: Vermont Usages (Paul Abajian) (Reserve Grand)

Vermont Presidential Campaign Covers (Dick Marek) (Reserve Grand)

Vermont Postal Markings (Bill Lizotte) (Postal History Award)

British Colonies (Bill Lizotte)

Vt Later Manuscripts (Bill Lizotte)

Vt Rural Stations (Bill Lizotte)

Montpelier Picture Post Cards (Gold)

2010 Vermont State Stamp Show

Every year the Vermont Philatelic Society holds its annual meeting at the Vermont State Stamp Show, which is hosted by one of the 7 stamp clubs in Vermont. This year the Washington County Stamp Club in Montpelier celebrates its 50 anniversary and has graciously agreed to host the VPS and the VSSS. The show and meeting will be on Saturday, June 5 at the Montpelier Elks Golf Club just off Rte 2 on the road to St. Johnsbury.

There will be 20 dealer tables plus exhibits.

The USPS might have a table at the show, but that is still being firmed up. However, there will be a special pictorial cancel to honor the show with the WCSC sponsoring two cachets: one showing the Vermont Capitol and the other showing the Montpelier 1st Baptist Church where the stamp club holds its monthly meetings.

Next year, we are scheduled to travel to Bennington for the 2011 VSSS.

West Haven Doane: New Early Date

Doane cancels are named after Edith Doane who studied this type of cancel in the mid part of the 1900s. Doanes were an attempt by the USPOD to standardize the types of cancels used by smaller post offices beginning about August 1903. There are 3 types of these cancels, sorted by the bars: Type 1 has 5 solid bars, Type 2 has 4 pairs of thin line while Type 3 has 4 thick parallel bars. Currently there are over 21,000 post offices recorded with Doane cancels. Vermont has 145 recorded post offices in the latest edition of the catalog edited by Richard W. Helbrock and Gary Anderson (2002).

The example from West Haven (Rutland County) is a new earliest use from that post office. The previous earliest use was October 22, 1906. One the reverse is a East Poultney Doane which is also the earliest reported use from that post office. The "1" in the bars means that the West Haven post office had business which amount to less than $100.00.

West Haven was a post office in 3 distinct periods: 1809-1888, 1888-1907, and 1907-1912. The DPO scarcity rating for the above cover "6" (very scarce) with a value of $50-$100 dollars. The Doane catalog rating is "3" (scarce). The Doane catalog doesn't list monetary values.

3 New Pictorials

I have just received information about 3 upcoming Vermont pictorial cancels: Newport (celebrating the 100th Anniversary of the Milk Train between Newport and Boston), Bethel (shows the old High School) and Chittenden (the Annual Fishing Derby).

All 3 cancels can be obtained by sending a stamped addressed envelope to the postmasters of the respective towns.

PAID 3 in Circle

One of the reasons that I like collecting postal history is that there are innumerable ways of collecting.

Irasburgh 1854?

Lately I have become interested in cancels from the 1851 period on stampless mail that show PAID 3 in a circle. I am currently researching this area for a future article for The Vermont Philatelist but I thought you might like to see some of the material currently in my collection.

I just added some very nice examples that I purchased from Elwyn and Anne Doubleday. They are disposing of an old time collection which seems to have been built with quality as the #1 goal. The cancels are exquisite and sharp.

Orwell 1851-1855

Hydeville 1853-54