Post by therealwesty on Mar 5, 2014 14:39:15 GMT
Contained within my Peterborough postal history collection is a sub-collection of Quaker Oats covers from the factory located in Peterborough Ontario. The Peterborough factory is still in operation and has become a landmark building as well as a staple industry of my hometown.
The American Cereal Company was established in 1901 from the merger of 3 or 4 (depending on your source) oat mills. Initially the company produced breakfast cereals and other grain products as its main focus, later it would expand into numerous food and non-food related industries. In 1902 the American Cereal Company opened a base for operations in Peterborough, Ontario as part if it's branch plant expansion into Canada. The Peterborough location remains the largest base of operations north of the border. In 1903 the American Cereal Company changed its name to the Quaker Oats Company.
Here's three variations of the company cachet on postal stationary envelops from the Peterborough branch of the Quaker Oats company. The covers are regular issue envelops (Webb EN17, Unitrade U16) with the King Edward VII 2ยข red impression, embossed. The envelops measure 152x88mm. I have not yet checked which dies the stamp impression are.
Here's the first variety; Postmarked May 18, 1905. This cover still reads the American Cereal Company at top left, though the company changes its name 2 years prior. Notice the Quaker Man is wearing a dark hat and jacket.
The second variety; Postmarked December 18, 1907. This cover bears the same version of the Quaker Man, but has the updated Quaker Oats Company name at top left in a stylized font. I have a second copy of this cachet postmarked September 18, 1907.
The third variety; Postmarked August 27, 1908. This covers has the same company name and font as the last, but now we see an updated imprint of the Quaker Man. Notice his jacket and hat are not coloured in black, along with a few other details have changed. I have another cover with this cachet postmarked March 3, 1909.
If anyone has in their possession, or has seen images of, any other Quaker Oats Company cachets from Peterborough please share them! I would like to see if there are any other varieties of the cachet, and try to narrow down the usage period of each cachet. So... I need to see the cachet as well as the postmark dates.
The American Cereal Company was established in 1901 from the merger of 3 or 4 (depending on your source) oat mills. Initially the company produced breakfast cereals and other grain products as its main focus, later it would expand into numerous food and non-food related industries. In 1902 the American Cereal Company opened a base for operations in Peterborough, Ontario as part if it's branch plant expansion into Canada. The Peterborough location remains the largest base of operations north of the border. In 1903 the American Cereal Company changed its name to the Quaker Oats Company.
Here's three variations of the company cachet on postal stationary envelops from the Peterborough branch of the Quaker Oats company. The covers are regular issue envelops (Webb EN17, Unitrade U16) with the King Edward VII 2ยข red impression, embossed. The envelops measure 152x88mm. I have not yet checked which dies the stamp impression are.
Here's the first variety; Postmarked May 18, 1905. This cover still reads the American Cereal Company at top left, though the company changes its name 2 years prior. Notice the Quaker Man is wearing a dark hat and jacket.
The second variety; Postmarked December 18, 1907. This cover bears the same version of the Quaker Man, but has the updated Quaker Oats Company name at top left in a stylized font. I have a second copy of this cachet postmarked September 18, 1907.
The third variety; Postmarked August 27, 1908. This covers has the same company name and font as the last, but now we see an updated imprint of the Quaker Man. Notice his jacket and hat are not coloured in black, along with a few other details have changed. I have another cover with this cachet postmarked March 3, 1909.
If anyone has in their possession, or has seen images of, any other Quaker Oats Company cachets from Peterborough please share them! I would like to see if there are any other varieties of the cachet, and try to narrow down the usage period of each cachet. So... I need to see the cachet as well as the postmark dates.
