NEW YORK FOREIGN MAIL CANCELS

INTRODUCTION;
Some postmasters and clerks in 19th century U.S. post offices carved fancy designs to "cancel" stamps on mail they processed. Although the New York City post office had, by 1870, a long history of using various fancy killers, at about that time a group of fancy killers began to emerge that would begee a popular and challanging collecting area for future generations. To add to their mystique, these fancy killers were only intended to be used on mail which was processed in the Foreign Mail Division sent to foreign destinations. This distinction would seem to set them apart from any other group of cancels that exist from any other city. Many of these killers are lovely and intricate Geometrics, Stars, and Representative designs. In total, over 200 different designs exist from the period between 1870-1880, and to collect them presents the student with a serious and rewarding hobby.
EARLY STUDENTS