Squared Circle Postmarks

A postal cancellation, by all means - inclusive of the not-very fancied scribblings of a pen cancel, marks the expiration of a postage stamps validity. In that journey from a sender to a postal worker, and finally the recipient, an envelope will be struck at least once. Be it a handstamp or an electronically printed slogan, the varieties that lies in decades of postal history makes it ever-so collectable. These variations are due to improvements of the existing handstamp, or in the case of emergencies or shortages, are of the postmasters' creativity. Errors and oddities such as misspelling of names, reversed or wrong dates, and faulty handstamps also make up a part of the fun especially to avid marcophilatelists (from the term, marcophily: the study of postmarks). But let us leave this to another article another day. 

As someone who is relatively new - which I measure this with a rubric of knowledge and number of references), I have always fancied clear postmarks. When it comes to squared circle postmarks, the obsession love for it climbs to an all time high. 

The rationale of a squared circle postmark, is purely a marriage between a postal cancellation and an obliterator, which replaced the complex family of duplex cancels used in British post offices in the late 18th century. Its adoption, after a lengthy process on the drawing board, culminated in a series of handsome postal markings on stamps. 

While I do not have any London squared circle postmarks at the time of writing, the adoption of this geometric design in early Malaya has surely made it an interesting focus. 

Squared circle postmark, kuaLA KURAU

PAPan/ P/ 23 AU/ 1897 

Various squared circle cancels

Perak aside, North Borneo has some interesting squared circle postmarks too inclusive of those from Tenom, which is also on my wishlist. 

sANDAKAN, squared circle postmark.

Squared circle postmarks on New Zealand's 'Penny Universal' stamp. 


My fascination towards 'nice-looking' postmarks has been redefined when I came across a book by Maurice Barett " London Fancy Geometric Postmarks", in which his fascination towards squared circle postmarks had infected me well enough. With the similar fascination, I am very sure the journey of collecting as well as studying will remain strong. 

In the words of Mr Barett, Tetragonocyclophily is a serious affair. 

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