TAKE OUT - a general delivery marking
Jul 26, 2021 21:09:28 GMT
Philatarium, salentin, and 8 more like this
Post by JeffS on Jul 26, 2021 21:09:28 GMT
If the TAKE OUT marking seems curious to you, let me explain -
In the USA, the General Delivery window at larger post offices was a collecting spot for mail addressed either c/o General Delivery, or for mail which was, in later years, simply addressed to a person by name and city. In European countries a similar service, poste restante, was used. In the US, no additional charge was incurred unlike some (if not most) European countries which charged a minimal fee for this service.
TAKE OUT here includes a date at which the mail item was to be "taken out" of general delivery and returned to sender if a return address was present.
A curious aspect of this card is that it is fully addressed and should have been delivered as addressed. For some unknown reason, subject to speculation, this card was held at General Delivery for pickup. Or, in an alternate universe, it received the marking in error. The card was written May 12, not May 2, confirmed on the message side.
US general delivery mail is a subject that would make a worthwhile 1-frame exhibit, or at minimum, an interesting collection. General delivery markings on cover and card can mostly be had for $20 or less.
( I felt compelled to interject the previous public service message on behalf of a little-collected aspect of US postal history.)
