The Language of Stamps

In the late nineteenth and early twentieth century England developed a ‘language of stamps,’ which soon spread around the world. The position of the stamp on the envelope was supposed to relay a message to the receiver. People began affixing stamps to envelopes in so many different positions that it became difficult to postmark them and rules were introduced requiring the sender of mail to affix stamps in the upright corner of the envelope, although there are still rebels like my FB friend Simon who apparently puts them wherever he damn well wants.

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