Discussion - Member to Member Sales - Research Center
Discussion - Member to Member Sales - Research Center
I'd also be interested in other people's opinion of the "unofficial" versions of the O.B. overprint found on many Philippines stamps. Scott describes government officials sometimes handwriting or using their own inkstamp to identify these for official use. Most of these (in my collection) have a purplish handstamp, but some are handwritten in ball-point pen. They all came to me from the same secondhand album, so I don't know if these are commonly seen, or if I happened upon a group from the same original source. All I know is that the ball-point versions look very sketchy.... especially for an "official" stamp!
TomD
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I've come across stamps with handwritten "OB", too, here is a fragment of a letter that was given to me a few years ago.
No cancel, but various marks on the back. Just to show an example.
Martin
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Given the recent SOR discussion regarding the various “Official Business" overprints, thought I would take a few moments to identify the various overprint options or categories. This information is not intended to be the definitive treatise on the matter, but rather potentially a catalyst for further SOR discussion.
According to Scott, the basis for the “Official Business” overprints was a December 1905 directive from C.M. Cotterman, Director of Posts. Effective January 1, 1906, all branches of the Insular Government (that is, the territorial government of the United States established in 1901 and dissolved in 1935, and succeeded by the Commonwealth of the Philippines) were authorized to mark then-valid postage stamps with the letters “O.B.” indicating use of the mailing for “Official Business”. The placement of the overprint was such that doing so would not deface the overall appearance of the affected stamp.
For my "generalist” purposes have identified five possible categories/types of the various “Official Business” overprints:
1) Typewriting. (Have yet to personally come across an example.)
2) Applied during the printing of the affected stamp. Starting in 1926, by the
Bureau of Posts. These are the overprints illustrated in Scott. Which make sense
given the rubber stamp overprints were done on an ad hoc basis.
3) Rubber stamp. Based on my personal observations, these are the most common. Usually noted as “O.B.”. While the ink colors reportedly included black, blue, red, green, or yellow, based on personal observation the most common is/was a light purple hue.
4) Handwritten. Based on personal observation, most commonly “O.B.” in either black or dark blue pen ink.
5) Japanese occupation period (1942-45). Featured the lettering “K.P.” (representing the Tagalog words for “Official Business”) accompanied by two Japanese characters. Often within parentheses.
Based on Scott, am surmising these overprints were applied at the time of the stamp’s printing. However, it also appears said overprints could have also been applied via hand stamp. Clarification welcome.
In closing, there is also the “G.O.” overprint. Which Scott (also) says represent the Tagalog words for “Official Business” (Gawaing Opisyal). Based on Scott illustrations am concluding the associated markings were applied during the printing for the stamp. Do rubber stamp equivalents exist? (And is Scott correct that both “K.P.” and “G.O.“ translate to “Official Business” in Tagalog?)
Jim
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The ballpoint pen handwritten ones (although they may be perfectly legitimate), just feel "wrong", like they're defaced or damaged. In fact, until I realized it was a known practice, that's what I assumed!
I do have a few typewritten O.B. (third row, left and center), they appear to be from two different typewriters. The purple OB stamps have a few variations too, and all of the handwritten ones look different from each other.
Apologies for the poor photo, I do not have a scanner, but hopefully you get the idea!
As for "KP", a google translation of “Kagamitang Pampamahalaan” (they refer to it as Filipino) comes up as "government equipment", and the kanji found on the occupation stamps appears when attempting to translate "official business" into Japanese. I'd say they're probably pretty close.
TomD
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Tom.
Very helpful. Now I can say I’ve seen the “typewriter” version.
Thx for sharing.
Jim
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Well, now I went looking on eBay, and just picked up a small lot of OB's... another typewritten, a few handwritten, some new (to me) stamp fonts in purple, and some "professional" overprints.
I also noticed a very cool $9.99 (to start) cover, with a group of 6 O.B. overprints. Postmarked 1952, its addressed to the Director General of the World Health Organization in Geneva, Switzerland, and the return address is the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs in Manila. The cancellation even advertises the 1952 Panapex... I guess that one has some fairly legitimate provenance!
TomD
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Rather than hijack the other Philippines threads started by Calstamp....
I'd also be interested in other people's opinion of the "unofficial" versions of the O.B. overprint found on many Philippines stamps. Scott describes government officials sometimes handwriting or using their own inkstamp to identify these for official use. Most of these (in my collection) have a purplish handstamp, but some are handwritten in ball-point pen. They all came to me from the same secondhand album, so I don't know if these are commonly seen, or if I happened upon a group from the same original source. All I know is that the ball-point versions look very sketchy.... especially for an "official" stamp!
TomD
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02:33:25am
re: Philippines "O.B." created locally?
I've come across stamps with handwritten "OB", too, here is a fragment of a letter that was given to me a few years ago.
No cancel, but various marks on the back. Just to show an example.
Martin
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04:07:14pm
re: Philippines "O.B." created locally?
Given the recent SOR discussion regarding the various “Official Business" overprints, thought I would take a few moments to identify the various overprint options or categories. This information is not intended to be the definitive treatise on the matter, but rather potentially a catalyst for further SOR discussion.
According to Scott, the basis for the “Official Business” overprints was a December 1905 directive from C.M. Cotterman, Director of Posts. Effective January 1, 1906, all branches of the Insular Government (that is, the territorial government of the United States established in 1901 and dissolved in 1935, and succeeded by the Commonwealth of the Philippines) were authorized to mark then-valid postage stamps with the letters “O.B.” indicating use of the mailing for “Official Business”. The placement of the overprint was such that doing so would not deface the overall appearance of the affected stamp.
For my "generalist” purposes have identified five possible categories/types of the various “Official Business” overprints:
1) Typewriting. (Have yet to personally come across an example.)
2) Applied during the printing of the affected stamp. Starting in 1926, by the
Bureau of Posts. These are the overprints illustrated in Scott. Which make sense
given the rubber stamp overprints were done on an ad hoc basis.
3) Rubber stamp. Based on my personal observations, these are the most common. Usually noted as “O.B.”. While the ink colors reportedly included black, blue, red, green, or yellow, based on personal observation the most common is/was a light purple hue.
4) Handwritten. Based on personal observation, most commonly “O.B.” in either black or dark blue pen ink.
5) Japanese occupation period (1942-45). Featured the lettering “K.P.” (representing the Tagalog words for “Official Business”) accompanied by two Japanese characters. Often within parentheses.
Based on Scott, am surmising these overprints were applied at the time of the stamp’s printing. However, it also appears said overprints could have also been applied via hand stamp. Clarification welcome.
In closing, there is also the “G.O.” overprint. Which Scott (also) says represent the Tagalog words for “Official Business” (Gawaing Opisyal). Based on Scott illustrations am concluding the associated markings were applied during the printing for the stamp. Do rubber stamp equivalents exist? (And is Scott correct that both “K.P.” and “G.O.“ translate to “Official Business” in Tagalog?)
Jim
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re: Philippines "O.B." created locally?
The ballpoint pen handwritten ones (although they may be perfectly legitimate), just feel "wrong", like they're defaced or damaged. In fact, until I realized it was a known practice, that's what I assumed!
I do have a few typewritten O.B. (third row, left and center), they appear to be from two different typewriters. The purple OB stamps have a few variations too, and all of the handwritten ones look different from each other.
Apologies for the poor photo, I do not have a scanner, but hopefully you get the idea!
As for "KP", a google translation of “Kagamitang Pampamahalaan” (they refer to it as Filipino) comes up as "government equipment", and the kanji found on the occupation stamps appears when attempting to translate "official business" into Japanese. I'd say they're probably pretty close.
TomD
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07:14:14pm
re: Philippines "O.B." created locally?
Tom.
Very helpful. Now I can say I’ve seen the “typewriter” version.
Thx for sharing.
Jim
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re: Philippines "O.B." created locally?
Well, now I went looking on eBay, and just picked up a small lot of OB's... another typewritten, a few handwritten, some new (to me) stamp fonts in purple, and some "professional" overprints.
I also noticed a very cool $9.99 (to start) cover, with a group of 6 O.B. overprints. Postmarked 1952, its addressed to the Director General of the World Health Organization in Geneva, Switzerland, and the return address is the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs in Manila. The cancellation even advertises the 1952 Panapex... I guess that one has some fairly legitimate provenance!
TomD
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