Officially sealed labels

[bill]

This post probably belongs in the Postal History section of the BB.

Tinsley's book (1986) on Tasmanian stamps illustrates an example of an
Officially Sealed label on the back of a letter (see Fig 11-14), Chapter 11.
Also, Ingles' contribution (Chapter 15) lists a few officially sealed labels
and refers to Fig 11-14.

The Green Book, Part 2, on Tasmanian postal history has a brief list of
officially sealed labels but no illustrations of such things.

Has anyone on this BB ever seen an example of an officially sealed label,
apart from the solitary example illustrated in Tinsley's book?

These items are not considered to be postal stationery under FIP rules as
stated by the RPSL Publication Committee in Chapter 15 of Tinsley's book.
Nor are they really postage stamps in the usual sense. That did not stop
some overseas catalogues from listing and even pricing them.

[bill]

Thanks to Eric Frazer (Editor, Philately from Australia), it is possible
to provide a link to an Officially Sealed label inscribed VR instead of
GR as in Tinsley's illustration (Fig 11-14).

http://www.poseal.com/australia01.html

This website is maintained by Todd A. Hirn. It illustrates examples
of these labels for some mainland States and also overseas.

You need to look at the first two images to see all of the VR label as
it was applied to the end of the envelope and hence is folded over.
The date (17 October 1901) is later than the 1899 dates given in the
Green Books (Part 2). No doubt, the Post Office was using up stocks
of VR labels before introducing the ER versions (Edward VII instead
of Queen Victoria).

According to the website, the VR label is perf. 12. This is probably
the 11.8 machine in use at the Government printing office.

Bill

[Hobbit123]

As Bill is aware, I used to own both a VR and an ER label in my Postal Markings collection.

They are very scarce, but they are in my monograph "Tasmania: Informative & Instructional Handstamps published as a supplement to the BSAP Bulletin in 2008.

Here is the section on these labels, which I have kept updated in my personal copy.

RESEALING LABELS

Three different resealing labels are recorded.
The VR Label: A substantial label, about 75 mm square, printed in black on white paper (LB01). Four examples recorded dated 7/03/1899, 14/11/1899, 19/2/1900 and 1?/10/1908. The last was applied at Queenstown to a cover rescued from the wreck of the Aeon ( ex-Clemente).Offered in TSA sale #38, ref JFC256L.

The ER label: Similar to the above, but with King Edward’s initials (LB02). Three examples recorded dated 19/08/1903, 19/07/1905 and 16/03/1906.

Money Order Label (not illustrated)

Printed in black on white paper, measuring 40 by 93 mm. It consists of three sections. The centre consists of a square frame with the words “Stamp of Despatching Office” and at each side is the instruction “This form is only to be used for sealing Money Order Daily Account and Remittance Envelopes”. One example seen dated 10/12/1910 from Bradshaw’s Creek to Hobart.
Resealing Labels

Ross Ewington may wish to add something about the "Aeon" example as it is a "VR" example used in 1908. I feel sure that I have written about it, perhaps in the BSAP Bulletin also

[bill]

Very interesting material on sealing labels. There was also one in the Clemente collection.

An image of the Money Order label (mentioned by Hobbit123) would be welcome. Would
it be possible to illustrate an example on the BB?