Arago: Handstamps

Postal clerks used this type of device when accepting a mailpiece at a post office window. It was usually used in connection with Certified or Registered Mail, when the sender stipulated that only the named addressee could sign for the item. The exact date of use is difficult to determine because postmasters procured this type of handstamp from a variety of sources; additionally, the wording, font size, and typeface vary on stamps used in a similar manner.