SQUARED CIRCLE POSTMARKS

A WORLD – WIDEOVERVIEW

By Mattia Guida

Squared Circles from Aden to Zanzibar

• A squared-circle postmark (SCPM) is a type of postmark that surrounds the circle of town and date with a set of concentric arcs forming a square outline.

• They were introduced in the United Kingdom in late 1879 as an alternative to the duplex cancels, which were somewhat larger and more cumbersome to use. The additional arcs constituted the "killer" that marked the stamp as having been used. They declined in use from the 1910s, when new types of cancelling devices became available, and disappeared by the 1930s (but they were still used at a later date in Canada)

An Overview

• The Squared Circle Postmarks were mostly used in British Colonies and Territories. However they were used also outside the British Empire in countries like the Dutch Colonies (but not Holland) ,Italy (Bolli Tondo Riquadrati) and Hawaii. They are quite numerous and exist in different types. Some types and particularly the ones from small towns can be quite valuable as there is a growing number of collectors interested in these postmarks.

ADEN

• Squared Circle Postmarks from Aden resemble the Indian types due to the links between this colony and the Indian Postal administration.

• There are 4 types and 3 locations (Aden, Aden-Cantonment and Aden-Camp), and these postmarks can be found on stamps of British East Africa and India, if cancelled on arrival.

Barbados

• Used in 11 post offices, with numbering from 1 to 11 under the Barbados inscription. Also exist without numbers. At a later date other types of postmarks were introduced with letter A – B and C.

B. Bechuanaland

• The post offices of Mafeking and Vryburg were in this territory.in 1895 this territory was absorbed into the Cape of Good Hope and the Mafeking squared circle postmark was modified with the inscription of CGH. The postmarks from the two towns are relatively rare.

B. Central Africa

• See also Nyasaland. The only confirmed postmarks from this territory are those of Karonga , Blantyre and Chintnche with the inscription BCA at the bottom. Some others definitely exist but have not been catalogued yet. They exist in different types and are relatively rare.

• I have one of Liwonde and one of Deep Bay and have seen on the internet a BCA postmark from Chiromo.

British East Africa

• Territory identified as BEA or EAP in the postmark, and comprising Kenya, Uganda and Tanganyka.

• Only 15 locations have been catalogued, such as Mombasa or Melindi , but probably there are other rarer postmarks from smaller villages which have not yet been properly identified.

British Guyana

• 11 offices have surely used these postmarks from the early 1880’s in 3 different types. Known locations are Brahn, Cabacaburi, Carmichael ,Cotton Tree , Dunoon , Georgetown, Hackney, Mallali , New Amsterdam, Puruni and Skeldon.

Canada• Two different types known, with thin and thick bars, introduced in

the 1890’s.• A precursor was already used in Ottawa between 1880 and 1881.• These postmarks have been introduced in all provinces of Canada so

there are hundreds of different postmarks that can be found.• Squared circle hammers also were issued for three railway "runs" -

that is they were issued to clerks who worked aboard railway post offices

• These postmarks continued to be used until 1940’s (London) and sporadically beyond this date (Prince Albert,Sk.,Christmas 1950)

• A very detailed listing can be found in the BNAPS handbook by Glenn Hansen and W.G. Moffatt: "The Squared Circle Postmarks of Canada”. They are also catalogued at the back of the Unitrade catalogue.

Cape of Good Hope

• There are close to 100 different postmarks from this Colony. Used frequently also as a receiving postmark.

• A unique “ octagonal “ postmark was produced for Cape Town but this experiment was not very successful and later was abandoned.

Cyprus

• The British Post Offices started operating in 1878 and from 1882 started using the squared circle postmarks. 13 locations are known to have used these postmarks and some postmarks , like Larnaca , Limassol and Nicosia are quite common.

French India

• These postmarks were used in a few locations such as Chandanagore, Karikal, Pondicherry and Yanam.

• These territories used the same type of postmark used in India

Great Britain

• The squared circles postmarks were introduced in the United Kingdom in late 1879 as an alternative to the duplex cancels, which were somewhat larger and more cumbersome to use. They were introduced in England and Wales but not in Scotland and Ireland. Around 4000 distinct types are known to exist. They declined in use from the 1910s, when new types of cancelling devices became available, and disappeared by the 1930s.

Gulf Post Offices

• Indian type postmarks were used in Muscat, Guadur and Bahrain, from circa 1885 to 1900. It appears that the other offices in the area opened after 1900 and did not use the squared circle postmark. If they exist, this type of postmark from other locations would be surely rare.

Hawaii

• This squared circle postmark was produced in Canada and probably sent to Honolulu as a sample or gift. The proof for the Honolulu device was apparently produced in 1894, but the use of this device as a postmark started around January, 1897, based on the dates figured for nearly unworn strikes .It was used as a second class postmark, always undated There are records of letters bearing this postmark from April 1897 to April 1900 but only from Honolulu. If they exist, similar postmarks from other towns in the Hawaii islands, would be very rare.

India

• Introduced around 1880, with bars in the corners, instead of the usual arches. At least four different types were used and in over 200 different post offices, including military or field post offices (also in Upper Burma) and ship’s post offices, such as the Bombay-Karachi sea post office and the steamer Ghat Dibrugarh , and Feudatory / Convention States and in foreign towns of M.E.(Basra, Mahommera, Baghdad etc.) and Africa.

Various India Cancels Grant Road Stn. TPO, Rangoon, Bushire, Busrah

Italy

• Introduced in 1890, in all Italian post offices, including colonies and offices abroad. Considering that many different types exist, particularly for the big cities, we are exceeding the ten thousand different types. Some are very rare particularly some colony types. Gradually replaced from 1910, they have been used until 1933. Some major hotels decided to imitate the squared circle to stamp their correspondence but these did not have any postal function and are not catalogued with the squared circle postmarks, although sought after by specialized collectors. Used also on transit correspondence for example on early San Marino letters

A selection of Italian Postmarks

Here are also some new finds not in catalogue like Caraffa del Bianco , Ragalasi and Cosenza with two circles. Also a combination of Orta Novarese and a TPO Domodossola- Novara on same postcard.

Some particular Italian postmarks

Milano Expo SCPM. Also two blue advertising facsimiles of a SCPM

Lake Postal Boat Colico-Como Train P.O. Milano-Domodossola

Examples of Italian Offices Abroad

Braga,Somalia Juba,Somalia Mogadishu,Som. Tripoli,Libya

Scutari,Albania Jannina,Albania Jerusalem Salonicco,Greece

San Marino stamped on arrival

An example of a card stamped with SCPM on arrival in Italy. Due to the particular design of the card, the arrival cancel is often on the stamp picture

Jamaica

• Introduced in 1882, four different types are known to exist and have been used in about 40 different post offices.

• Some of these postmarks were kept for a very long time and can be found also on King George V stamps

Kenya

• Used in 12 post offices, in various types.• Known postmarks of Escarpment,

Kikurgu/Kikuyu, Kilindini, Kismayu, Kiu, Machakos , Melindi , Mombasa ,Ndi, Railhead/Mombasa, Takaungu and Wasin and in one rail post office.

Malaya

• Over 40 different locations known, with many different types.

• Design of postmarks varies a lot, and this was particularly driven by the need to increase durability. This also increases the possibility of encountering rare or unique postmarks

Nepal

• The squared circle postmarks were also introduced in Nepal, however at the moment there is only one postmark known with the generic inscription of Nepal and no town identification

Netherlands Antilles / Curacao

• Used from 1891. They did not use the name of the town but the name of the island only. Have been used in Curacao (different types made), Bonaire,St. Martin, Saba and St.Eustatius

Netherlands Indies

• Introduced around 1900 in the Indonesian islands. Many different types and designs. Over 100 towns in various islands,including Merauke in New Guinea, have used these postmarks. These were also used by the Dutch postal agents in Singapore and Penang.

• (Bandoeng-Java shown in above picture)

New Zealand

• The first squared circle postmarks were introduced in 1882 and new ones were introduced until around 1915. The latest known usage was in 1958.However it was again used in Eureka in 1965.

• Used in about 100 different post offices , in some naval offices and for some philatelic societies exhibitions.

Nigeria

• With thousand of post offices, Nigeria only used the squared circle postmarks in seven offices, at Benin, Bonny, Brass, Old Calabar (in the picture), Opobo, Sapele, Warri, from the mid -1890’s.

Northern Rhodesia

• Introduced in early 1900 and used in 13 post offices, with many different types, as follows:

• Feira, Kampanda , Kapopo , Kasama , Lundazi, Mpiga or Mpika , Mwomboshi , Ndola, Nawalia , Petauke , Sakontwi , Serenje , Sitanda .

Nyasaland

• Over 30 different post offices used the squared circle postmarks with the country name of Nyasaland, BCA or both.

• There is also a travelling post office mark dated 1924 and a “paid” squared circle postmark used for official mail.

South Africa

• In Orange Free State there were octagonal squared circle postmarks with the OVS and then the ORC (Orange River Colony) abbreviation.

• Some squared circle postmarks exist from the South African War which are extremely rare such as the postmarks of Kuruman and Rustenburg ( forgeries exist)

South Australia

• Used in around 600 post offices in South Australia, but not in the rest of Australia except Port Darwin, N.T., which at the time was part of S.A. and may be also in Melbourne and Brisbane.

• The types of postmarks vary a lot and differ in the number of corner elements, size of the lettering and spelling of South Australia abbreviation.

Sudan

• One squared circle postmark ,of Indian origin?,was used in Sudan at the Field Post Office number 11.There were 3 field post offices during the conflict with the Mahdi troops but only one used the squared circle postmark. Correspondence with this postmark is quite rare.

Suriname (Dutch Guyana)

• Widely used in Suriname but there is no publication listing the postmarks at different post - offices so very few are recorded as of today such as Paramaribo , Sarama , Nickerie and Beneden Commewijne .

Swaziland

• Only 3 offices used the squared circle postmarks i.e. Embadaan , Darkton and Bremersdorp (previously Manzini) with the Swaziel and Z.A.R. country identification .They exist in blue.

Zanzibar

• Both Indian and British types were used. The Indian postmark (of Zanzibar) is found on items arriving from Aden.

• The British one has been used in quite a few locations such as Chwaka , Mkoan , Mkokotoni , Weti etc.

Other Countries

• Square circle postmarks have also been used elsewhere ,at least at an experimental stage. Here are copies of Postmarks used in Spain (Madrid), Brazil ( Belem, state of Para’)and China ( Shangai - registered mail).