OldStamps.org is an independent journal of philately, postal history, and historical ephemera. Its articles begin with an individual object—often a mailed cover—and follow the people, businesses, places, and postal systems that can be documented from the surviving evidence.
Begin with the object
We examine addresses, corner cards, postage, cancellations, markings, dates, and inscriptions before building a wider historical narrative. Front and reverse photographs are preserved as distinct records, with descriptive image captions where appropriate. Where an inscription or postal marking is uncertain, the uncertainty is stated.
Check identities against historical sources
Names and businesses appearing on a cover are researched through period directories, census records, newspapers, maps, institutional collections, postal references, company publications, and local histories when available. A matching name alone does not establish identity; places, dates, occupations, and relationships must also be consistent.
Separate facts from possibilities
A postal artifact rarely preserves the entire correspondence. We distinguish what an object visibly demonstrates, what independent sources substantiate, and what remains a reasonable but unproven interpretation. Missing enclosures, uncertain dates, ambiguous handwriting, and unresolved recipients are identified rather than filled in with unsupported certainty.
Provide a research trail
Feature articles include an object file and research notes with links or bibliographic references where practical. These are intended to let interested readers revisit the evidence, assess conclusions, and pursue additional lines of inquiry. Research can be revised when better evidence becomes available.
Editorial independence and collection links
OldStamps.org is both a historical research publication and a showcase for collectible objects. Some articles link to an eBay listing for the original item. Such links are clearly presented separately from the historical argument; an item’s availability for sale does not determine its historical interpretation.
Explore the current postal history research archive or return to the OldStamps.org homepage.
