French postal marks

The postal marks French appeared between the end of the Middle Ages and Modern times. They were used to announce a communication between postal agents.

History

Nature of these marks in France

Handwritten postal marks

Postal marks with the plug

Principal types of marks in France

The postmark

This seal has as a function to obliterate the postage stamp so that it is not reusable any more. Years 1850 with 1876 in France, this seal gives an obliteration in form of Losange composed of a great number of black spots.

Thereafter, this rhombus of points comprises the sequence number of the office of departure. That gives place to a collection marcophile of the stamps according to the number carried by their obliteration.

Lastly, the stamp on date ends up acting as postmark as from March 1876 in France.

The stamp on date

These seals could comprise according to the times the date, the sequence number of the post office, the name of the city, the hour when the schedules of the liftings of the letter-boxes are fixed.

As from January 1849 and introduction of the postage stamp in France, it is supplemented by a postmark. At the beginning, the seal on continuous date with being affixed on the envelope so that it is readable. As from March 1876, the seal on date ends up also making office postmark.

From 1828 up to 1965, the shape of the stamp on date allows the identification of the standard of post office:

round: round office of direction then of receipt
tireté: full office of distribution then of receipt distribution
hexagonal: sub-office then urban or rural auxiliary receipt
hexagonal tireté: post office or rural correspondent

Obliteration First Day is a seal on date.

Marks of the rural post office

Marks of rural box

Marks of urban box

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