Disclaimer

A neat cancellation can look more certain than the evidence around it. The Correspondence Almanac encourages close looking, but its pages cannot settle every question raised by an envelope, a nib or an old sheet of paper.

Dates have definitions

A first sale, a first valid use, an experimental flight and an official postal service are different claims. Historical summaries here use those distinctions where the source supports them. Records may be incomplete or later revised. Links to collection records let a reader follow the evidence rather than relying on a decorative timeline alone.

The picture is an illustration

The homepage still lifes are original generated images. Their stamps, paper arrangements and marks were imagined for this publication; they are not collection photographs, proofs of provenance or usable postage. Do not identify an issue or a historic route by matching it to one of these pictures. Historical descriptions elsewhere should be judged by their stated sources.

Before something goes in the post

Envelope diagrams and lettering suggestions are examples. Obtain current postage, format, content and addressing requirements from the relevant postal operator. A wax seal, insert or unusual surface can affect acceptance and handling. The almanac cannot guarantee that a decorated envelope will be accepted or arrive undamaged.

Before something touches the original

Ink compatibility, heat, solvents, adhesives and water can permanently alter paper or pens. Test ordinary new materials safely and follow their manufacturers’ directions. Do not apply a casual desk experiment to valuable, fragile or historically significant correspondence. Seek qualified conservation advice instead. No page provides authentication, valuation or a conservation diagnosis.

If a date, quotation or description is doubtful, identify the passage and a better source. A correction can improve an account without pretending the whole history is complete.