There are those who collect envelopes that passed through now closed post offices. The early cancellation devices are also collected, along with the early strikes.Some also collect old P.O.boxes. There are those who trend towards the collection of old rules/regulations/publications that came from the old timers. I personally have started collecting photo essays of stamps, sent by the post office as publicity. Don't ask me why!!
Best,
Dan C.
I've got the original key and it still operates perfectly. Purchased for $40 in 2014 at the flea market in Waldo, Florida.
Ernie:
You got a deal! We sell the odd Canadian one in the shop. A fully functioning one sells for about $150.
How old is that one with Uncle Sam on the front?
David
DavidG: I like the color-coded screws on your framed sign; did they come with the sign, or did your friend go out of their way?
Cheers,
/s/ ikeyPikey
David,
That's a good question. I never really did any research on it or looked at any markings on it. I need to get it down and do that. Looks like the 1980s to me.
I live in Black Point, a community just outside Halifax, Nova Scotia. They closed down the local post office here in the early 1980's and it was run by Flora Lohnes in the house next door to me. She gave me the very early post office sign from the early 1900's - red and black on white enamel. I put it in my antique shop for display and had many offers to buy it, but I think the best thing to do would be to donate it to the community center in nearby Hubbards. The most I could sell it for would be about $300 and for that price it's better to keep it local. There are several Black points in Canada and once it leaves the area it would lose it's identity. I just wish I had kept her set of stamps that she had used for doing post marks and dates for the letters!
IkeyPikey: My friend went all the way. He painted the screws to match the red and white. He mounted the sign on a wooden board, sanded and varnished and framed it.
Ernie: I would guess your stamp dispenser was used until the 1980s, but probably dates from the 1950s. Many of those dispenser (in Canada and the United States) were installed in Drug Stores.
Harvey: I would donate it to the community centre.
David
" I would guess your stamp dispenser was used until the 1980s"
I own this pair of 1920s vending machines. I believe these are Schermack units.
I did buy them together, sold as broken. Seller said he didn’t have key for one of them. Turned out that they both use the same key. Guess he never tried. I was able to unjam one by replacing a broken spring with one from a pen. There is a broken part on the other one. If anyone has knows of parts, please let me know!
Tom:
Nice vending machines!
David
I found this in an old barn behind a rental I was cleaning out.
The post office in the town I grew up in, Maquoketa, Iowa, hasn't changed a thing since my earliest memories of it. Down to the plywood 'sculpture' of Mr. Zip, probably installed sometime in 1963, right next to the stamp purchase window:
Several years ago, I was in town, and had an errand at the PO. Yep, it was still there. I asked if it was for sale. No go.
It was about 42 inches tall, from memory. Looks like something that would not be too challenging to reproduce... Hmmmm...
-Paul
Paul - That is cool, thanks for sharing, typical of the way things are in small town Iowa!
Linus
Crowman:
what exactly is that?
DavidG
David G: A post office box. The older style with the combination. I think I had one like that into the 1980s (maybe even early 1990s?).
In the location I'm in now, it still looks pretty much like this, with the little window at bottom, but now opened with a key instead. {Edited to add:} My post office was built, I think, in the 1920's or 1930's. I'll double-check the next time I go in.
Philatarium:
Interesting. Certainly collectible!
David
Here's how it looks open.
Some people collect things from the post office, along with their stamps.
Some folks collect the scales, signs, uniforms, etc.
I have a vintage 1970s Canada Post sign (my friend framed it for me), and a number of Canada Post letter carrier uniform shoulder badges.
Does anyone else collect such things?
David
re: Post Office Collectibles
There are those who collect envelopes that passed through now closed post offices. The early cancellation devices are also collected, along with the early strikes.Some also collect old P.O.boxes. There are those who trend towards the collection of old rules/regulations/publications that came from the old timers. I personally have started collecting photo essays of stamps, sent by the post office as publicity. Don't ask me why!!
Best,
Dan C.
re: Post Office Collectibles
I've got the original key and it still operates perfectly. Purchased for $40 in 2014 at the flea market in Waldo, Florida.
re: Post Office Collectibles
Ernie:
You got a deal! We sell the odd Canadian one in the shop. A fully functioning one sells for about $150.
How old is that one with Uncle Sam on the front?
David
re: Post Office Collectibles
DavidG: I like the color-coded screws on your framed sign; did they come with the sign, or did your friend go out of their way?
Cheers,
/s/ ikeyPikey
re: Post Office Collectibles
David,
That's a good question. I never really did any research on it or looked at any markings on it. I need to get it down and do that. Looks like the 1980s to me.
re: Post Office Collectibles
I live in Black Point, a community just outside Halifax, Nova Scotia. They closed down the local post office here in the early 1980's and it was run by Flora Lohnes in the house next door to me. She gave me the very early post office sign from the early 1900's - red and black on white enamel. I put it in my antique shop for display and had many offers to buy it, but I think the best thing to do would be to donate it to the community center in nearby Hubbards. The most I could sell it for would be about $300 and for that price it's better to keep it local. There are several Black points in Canada and once it leaves the area it would lose it's identity. I just wish I had kept her set of stamps that she had used for doing post marks and dates for the letters!
re: Post Office Collectibles
IkeyPikey: My friend went all the way. He painted the screws to match the red and white. He mounted the sign on a wooden board, sanded and varnished and framed it.
Ernie: I would guess your stamp dispenser was used until the 1980s, but probably dates from the 1950s. Many of those dispenser (in Canada and the United States) were installed in Drug Stores.
Harvey: I would donate it to the community centre.
David
re: Post Office Collectibles
" I would guess your stamp dispenser was used until the 1980s"
re: Post Office Collectibles
I own this pair of 1920s vending machines. I believe these are Schermack units.
I did buy them together, sold as broken. Seller said he didn’t have key for one of them. Turned out that they both use the same key. Guess he never tried. I was able to unjam one by replacing a broken spring with one from a pen. There is a broken part on the other one. If anyone has knows of parts, please let me know!
re: Post Office Collectibles
Tom:
Nice vending machines!
David
re: Post Office Collectibles
I found this in an old barn behind a rental I was cleaning out.
re: Post Office Collectibles
The post office in the town I grew up in, Maquoketa, Iowa, hasn't changed a thing since my earliest memories of it. Down to the plywood 'sculpture' of Mr. Zip, probably installed sometime in 1963, right next to the stamp purchase window:
Several years ago, I was in town, and had an errand at the PO. Yep, it was still there. I asked if it was for sale. No go.
It was about 42 inches tall, from memory. Looks like something that would not be too challenging to reproduce... Hmmmm...
-Paul
re: Post Office Collectibles
Paul - That is cool, thanks for sharing, typical of the way things are in small town Iowa!
Linus
re: Post Office Collectibles
Crowman:
what exactly is that?
DavidG
re: Post Office Collectibles
David G: A post office box. The older style with the combination. I think I had one like that into the 1980s (maybe even early 1990s?).
In the location I'm in now, it still looks pretty much like this, with the little window at bottom, but now opened with a key instead. {Edited to add:} My post office was built, I think, in the 1920's or 1930's. I'll double-check the next time I go in.
re: Post Office Collectibles
Philatarium:
Interesting. Certainly collectible!
David
re: Post Office Collectibles
Here's how it looks open.