{Day 1 of Universal Letter Writing Week 2011}

Pre-paid postage stamps were first used in England in 1840. Prior to that, the recipient had paid upon acceptance of their letter. A few years later the United States saw its first stamps, bearing the likenesses of George Washington and Ben Franklin. It wasn’t until the early 1900′s that postal administrations around the world started regulating the placement of stamps, requiring that they be placed in the upper right-hand corner.

Before then, stamps were often used to convey messages to the recipient; their placement on the envelope, as well as their angle, determined what message was being shared. From “I love you,” to “Write no more,” stamps were used as a means of communication, just as much as the letter. This was especially true during the Victorian era when postcards were popular and writers were wary of nosy postmen and neighbors.

Researchers don’t all agree on what each stamp position means, due in part to the differences from one country to another. In France, a stamp turned on it’s side might mean something entirely different than it would in Russia or the United States. Here’s a sample list (from the Philatelic Database), though now an upside-down stamp in the top right corner means “I love you.”

• Upside down, top left corner = I love you
• Crosswise on top left corner = My heart is another’s
• Centre of envelope, at top = Yes
• Center of envelope, at bottom = No
• Straight up and down, any position = Goodbye sweetheart
• Upside down, top right corner = Write no more
• At right angle, top right corner = Do you love me?
• At right angle, top left corner = I hate you
• Upright top right corner = I desire your friendship
• Upright in line with surname = Accept my love
• Upside down in line with surname = I am engaged
• At right angle in line with the surname = I long to see you
• Centred on right edge = Write immediately!

If you’re interested in reading more about the history or the language of stamps,  here are some good websites to visit:

• 16 Sparrows – The Language of Stamps
• bookofjoe – The Hidden Language of Stamps
• Wikipedia – Postage stamps and postal history of the United States
• Philatelic Database – The Language of Stamps

{Remember to leave a comment on this post and then comment on my original ULWW post in order to gain an extra entry to the giveaway.}

4 Responses to “A Short History of Stamps and Their Language”