Glossary – B

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

B: 1: precedes the European postal code on addresses in Belgium, such as B-1000 Brussels. 2: semi-postal, Scott catalogue number prefix to identify stamps other than standard postage. 3: symbol for Banknote Corp. of America, which appears before the plate number on coil stamps printed by the firm. 4: abbreviation used as a postmark from Switzerland to the Kingdom of Sardinia. 5: B-blank; error appearing on GB imperforate penny-red stamps of 1841-54 in which the lower right check letter box received no letter (B-A, plate 77 of die I). 6: with eagle and United States of America: South Carolina Custom House revenue seal. 7: (Fr.) beau, good to very good, without apparent faults. 8: auction firm abbreviation for block. 9. overprint, British post office at Bangkok, 1882-85. 10. overprint; Colombia airmail sold in Belgium in early 1920s for mail from Belgium to Colombia via SCADTA air line; Belgian stamps were also required; also Colombia consular overprint; see: SCADTA. 11. overprint, 1904-1912, Nicaragua province of Zelaya; 12: Belgian stamp inscription, or “B” within an oval, with “Chemins de Fer Spoorwegen” Railway Parcel Post, 1940-44 (overprint), 1949- (inscription); 13: overprint; Belgian stamps to indicate railway parcel; 14: overprint on Straits Settlements stamps for Bangkok, 1882-85, see: Bangkok. 15: Antigua, British WW II censor mark for Antigua. 16: Bahia, Brazil; British Postal Agency insufficiently prepaid mark. 17: Berwick or Bristol, British postmark with month and day within the letter
B (blank): Great Britain 1d red of 1858-64, variety where “B” is blank on bottom right corner
B (in a box): auction abbreviation for booklet pane
B4: auction term for block of four
B 15: written on early 19th century ail means hat the item was carried by a canal packet boat outside of the U.S. Mails before being brought to a U.S. postal facility
BA: Bosnia and Herzegovina, country code as used by UPU
B. A.: 1: British Administration overprint on stamps of Great Britain, post World War II, British Offices Abroad, 1950, Jan. 2: Somalia, 1950, Feb. 6-Dec. 1951: Tripolitani, 1950, Feb. 14-Sept. 14, 1952: Eritrea. 3: Baena: occupation of city of Baena, Spain, province of Cordoba, not valid for postage, 1937, July: overprint on stamp by Nationalist and Republican revolutionary forces
Babatoland: bogus; British Colonial Royal Wedding frames from book Surreal Stamps and Unreal Stickers
Babenberg, S.S.: Danube Steam Navigation Co. ship; 1890s: service for the upper Danube lines
BAB, BABN: British Bank Note Co., stamp printer for Canada
Baby: nickname for Spanish King, 1886-1900: early issues of King Alfonso XIII
Baby Zepp: 50¢ US airmail issue as opposed to higher values of regular US Zepp issues
Baccarat: local provisional, France, 1944
Bache, Richard: postmaster general of the Continental Post Office, 1776: during period when Benjamin Franklin traveled to France
Back: as opposed to the front of a philatelic object; Ruckseite (Ger.), Dos (Fr.), Verso (It.), Dorso (Sp.)
Background, design: the lines, shading or other solid feature against which a design is placed
Background, inverted: the background is inverted compared to the stamp design
Backing: the process of filling the shell with molten metal to form a printing plate
Backing paper: liner on self-adhesive coil stamps that stamps are affixed to
Back inscription: printing on the back of a stamp; usually describing scene on the front of the stamp
Back numbers: numbers appearing on the back of the liner release paper of U.S. coil stamps
Back of an envelope: very important for possible philatelic markings
Back-of-the-book (BOB): refers to a range of items usually listed in the back of specialized stamp catalogs; postage dues, revenues, postal saving stamps, etc
Backprint: an “overprint” applied to the back of a stamp
Backstamp: postmark applied on back of incoming mail to show date and time of receipt at the receiving post office; in Britain, a plain diamond shape backstamp for statistical purposes. Ruckseitigerstemple (Ger.), Cachet au Dos (Fr.), Annulato Verso (It.), Marca Postal al Dorso (Sp.)
Bacon, Joshua Butters: founder of Perkins Bacon and Co., printer of early postage stamps
Bacon, Sir Edward Denny: curator of King George V’s collection, 1913-38
Bácska: (Hung.) Megszállas, Bánát-Bácska a Szerb és a Román Helycsere Között
Bactria Margiana Archaeology Complex (BMAC): an ancient civilization reported in 2001 that used a unique form of script around 2300 BC
Båd: (Dan.) boat
Badajoz: local, Spanish civil war, Nationalist and Republican forces, 1936-38
Badakhshan: local cinderella, Russian, 1998?
Badalona: local, Spanish civil war, Republican forces
Bade: (Fr.) Baden
Både: (Nor.) both
Baden: German State; located in southwestern Germany; currency: 60 kreuzer = 1 gulden; stamps of this country can be found in these catalogs: Michel, Scott, Stamps of the Grand Duchy of Baden, Stanley Gibbons, Yvert & Tellier; 1806: first postal markings known when created as a Grand Duchy by Napoleon, 1850, April: postal union formed between Prussia and Austria with Baden included, 1851, May 1: No.1, 1 kreuzer dark buff; first stamps with Baden inscription, 1851-67: used five concentric circles as cancel, 1862: rural delivery, postage due stamp with “Land-Post” inscription issued, 1870: joined the German Empire, 1872, Jan.1: stamps of the German Confederation without inscription, 1905: six official stamps released by Germany in for use in Baden, 1945-46: Zone Francaise inscription, French Occupation issue, 1947: first semipostal stamp issued, French occupation
Baden, forged issue: 1862, postage due, Scott LJ1-LJ3
Baden Republic 16: local official, Germany, 1905
Bad Nauheim: local, Germany, 1945-48
Bad. Oe. C: (Ger.) term signifying a reduced postal rate between Austria and Baden
Badonviller: local provisional, French, 1944
Bad Saarow: local, Germany, 1945-48
Bad Suderode: local, Germany, 1918-23
B.A.E.: British Army, Egypt, Aug. 1882-Oct. 1882
B A E C: Bavarian Aero Club semi-official flight label used with regular postage; 1912-13: sold by state post office in Munich and Nuremberg
B. A. Eritrea: overprint, British Africa Eritrea; Middle East Forces, British Offices Abroad for Offices in Africa, 1950, Feb. 6-Sept. 14, 1952: overprint on stamps of Great Britain
Baeza: (Sp.) city in Spain, two-ringed postmark, 1842: named for Juan Baeza, administrator of the Post Office, 1937: local, Spanish civil war, Republican forces, 1937
Bagages Reisgoed: (Fr./Flem.) overprint on stamps of Belgium, baggage parcel post revenue
Bagdad: local transit label, 1935
Bagel: printers of German stamps after WW II
Baghdad, Bagdad: city of Iraq, part of Turkish Empire from 1638-1918; 1863- : Turkish post office operated, 1868-1914: Indian post offices operated, 1917, Sept.: “Baghdad in British Occupation” overprint on stamps of Turkey
Bagley & Dunham: private die match proprietary stamps
Bagside: (Dan.) reverse side
Baha 1943: surcharge; 1943: on Philippine stamps, Japanese occupation
Bahai: now Salvador, Brazil
Bahama Inseln: (Ger.) Bahamas
Bahamaøerne: (Dan.) Bahama Islands
Bahamas: island group of British West Indies, British Commonwealth Independent State; currency: 12 pence = 1 shilling; 20 shillings = 1 pound, 100 cents = 1 dollar (1966), 1760s: letters known, 1763: became a British colony, 1804: Bahamas straight line cancel used, 1841: “Crown Paid” handstamp initiated by Royal Mail Line, 1858-59, Apr.: stamps of Great Britain used, 1859, June 10: “Interinsular Postage” inter-island mail inscription for first stamps issued since external mails were under control of London until May 1860, 1860: No.1, 1 penny dull lake; first stamp, 1860, May: “Interinsular Postage” inscription removed from stamps, 1863: Bahamas inscription used, 1915-16: Bahamas stamps sold in Canada, 1916: first special delivery stamp, 1917, May 18: first semipostal stamp, 1918, Feb. 21: first War Tax stamp issued, 1964, Jan. 7: internal self-government, 1973, July 10: independence, 1974, April 24: joined UPU. 1983, Oct. 13: first air mail stamp issued
Bahamas, forged issue: 1863-65, Queen Victoria, Sc 15, 19
Bahawalpur: former Indian state, now part of Pakistan; 1945, Jan. 1: first official stamps issued, 1947, Dec. 1: declared independence from India, joined Pakistan, 1947, Dec. 1: No.1, ½ anna bright carmine rose/black; first stamps valid within Bahawalpur, 1948-pre: State of India, stamps of India used only valid within Bahawalpur, 1948, Apr. 1-Oct. 10, 1949: stamps valid only for internal use, 1950: stamps of Pakistan used
Bahamas: Long Island, world’s longest stamp, 70mm; unissued Great Britain cinderella by David Horry, 2001
Bahia: (Sp.) now Goliath, Texas
Bahn: (Ger.) railway, train
Bahnhof: railway station
Bahnhofpostamt: railway station post office
Bahnhofspostexpedition: (Ger.) former name for railway station post office
Bahnhofsstempel: (Ger.) railway station cancel
Bahnpost: (Ger.) railroad mail
Bahnpostamt (BPA): (Ger.) railway post office postmark
Bahnpoststempel: (Ger.) railroad post cancel
Bahnpostwagon: (Ger.) mobile mail railcar
Bahrain: independent sheikdom in the Persian Gulf; currency:12 pies = 1 anna; 16 annas= 1 rupee; 100 naye paise = 1 rupee (1957),1,000 fils = 1 dinar (1966) 1861-1971: British Protectorate, 1883, Aug. 1-1933: stamps of India used, distinguishable by named date stamps, 1933, Aug. 10: No.1, 3 pies gray; stamps of India overprinted “BAHRAIN,” 1948, April 1: British postal agency opened, stamps of Great Britain overprinted “BAHRAIN,” 1953: first stamps for internal use only, 1960: first stamps inscribed Bahrain, 1965, Dec. 31: British postal agency closed, 1966, Jan. 1: Bahrain stamps issued, 1971, Aug. 15: became independent, 1971, Oct. 2: State of Bahrain inscription, 1073, Oct.21: War Tax stamp issued, 1973, Dec. 21: joined the UPU
Baijeri: (Fin.) Bavaria
Baikal: local, Russian overprint, 1920
Bailen: local, Spanish civil war, Republican forces, 1937
Bailey & Cherington’s Express: local parcel company serviced Ohio, used a label, year unknown
Bailey Mail: United Kingdom strike local post, 1971
Bailiwick of Guernsey: Channel Islands, Guernsey, Great Britain
Bairuth: Lebanon, Egypt, see: Interpostal seals, Overseas Offices, 1868-82
Baj: short for Bajocchi
Baja California: “Distrito sur de la Baja Cal” (Sp.) A district in Northern Mexico which issued its own set of four stamps during the revolution, 1914
Bajar Porto: inscription on Indonesia stamps for Postage Due
Baja, S.S.: Danube Steam Navigation Company steamship; 1850s for the upper Danube lines
Bajo: (Sp.) under, below, low or lower
Bajocchi: an ancient Italian currency denomination largely used in Central Italy (100 baj. to the scudo)
Bajos: (Sp.) part of address indicting ground floor
Baked, Alaska: joke precancel on U.S. stamps
Baker & Penniman’s Express: local parcel firm serviced Boston & New York Central Railroad, Norwich & Worchester Railroad; 1854-58
Baker’s City Express Post: U.S. local post, Cincinnati, Ohio, 1849
Bakhmut: (now Artemovsk) Russian town in Yekaterinoslat Oblast (now Ukraine) ca. 45 miles N of Donetsk; issued local Rural Post stamps (1901); Zemstvo
Baksidan: (Swed.) reverse (side)
Bakker Express: local stamps by F. M. Bakker, South Africa; 1887: for mail to Mylstroom, Pretoria, Marabstad and part of Transvaal
Bakshi: India States term for paymaster, treasurer
Baku: overprint; 1922-24: on stamps of the Transcausasian Soviet Federated Socialist Republic, 1993: Azerbaijan, local overprint
Baky: Azerbaijan, Province of Baku
Balek, Balex: overprint on Russian stamp, German occupation; 1941-42: Great Alexandrovka
Balashof: (now Balashov) Russian town in Saratof (now Saratov) Oblast ca. 110 miles W of the city of Saratov; issued local Rural Post stamps (1876-1880); Zemstvo
Balay: French colonial stamp issue of 1906-12 with portrait of Dr. N. Eugene Balay
Balbo Issue: Gen. Italo Balbo; 1933, May 20: Italian issue commemorating mass transatlantic air flight; Rome, Italy to Chicago, USA., overprints exist, including colonies
Balcony Falls, Va. Paid 10 C.S.: see: Confederate Postmasters’ Provisionals
Baldonie: bogus
Baldwin’s Express: local private post, serviced Southern Louisiana, used a corner card; 1865
Baldwin’s Express-NJ: local private parcel post, serviced Newark, N.J. and New York City; used labels; 1848
Baldwin’s Railway Postage: bogus Canadian local post
Bale: specialized Catalog of Israel Postage Stamps
Baleares: local, Spanish civil war, Nationalist forces, 1937-38
Balickova posta: (Czech.) parcel post
Balija: (Sp.) postman’s bag
Balík: (Czech.) parcel, package
Balíková Pripousteci Známka: (Czech.) License stamp (coupon) for parcels
Balkan: bogus issue, not valid for postage
Balken: (Ger.) bar used to cancel stamps
Balken-abstand: (Ger.) distance between cancel bars
Balkenförmiger phosphor: (Ger.) phosphor bars
Balkenlänge: (Ger.) length of bars
Balkennummernstempel: bars and numeral cancel
Balkenstempel: (Ger.): barred cancel (with stripes)
Balliana: Egypt, see: Interpostal seals, 1879-1882
Ballon Monté: 1870-71: inscription for letters via piloted balloon during the Siege of Paris
Ballon Non-Monté: 1870-71: inscription for letters dispatched by non-piloted balloon
Ballonfahrt (German) balloon flight
Ballonpost: (Ger.) balloon mail
Ballons (poste par): (Fr.) balloon post
Balloon flight: flight made by a balloon
Balloon mail: first recorded use of letters carried by balloon was in 1784 by Vincent Lunardi at Northaw Common, Hertfordshire, England
Balloon mail, official: John Wise carried mail in the balloon Jupiter on Aug. 17, 1859 between Lafayette and Crawfordsville, Indiana
Balloon Postage, buffalo: United States semi-official airmail stamp; 1877, June 18: Balloon flight from Nashville to Gallatin, Tenn., balloon named Buffalo
Ballycastle Railway: Ireland, local post
Balonova posta: (Czech.) balloon mail
Balpex: Baltimore Philatelic Society
Baltic States: Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania
Balticum: collector term for Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania
Baltikum: (Dan., Nor., Swed.) the Baltic States ( Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania)
Baltisk: (Nor.) Baltic
Baltiske Lande: (Dan., Nor. Swed.) the Baltic States ( Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania)
Baltimore: Maryland, James M. Buchanan, postmaster; 1845-46: postmaster’s stamps and prepaid envelopes, 1850-57: semi-official local carriers’ stamps
Baltimore & Ohio Express Co.: railroad express company, serviced Baltimore & Ohio system; used stamp booklets; c1886
Baltische staaten: (Ger.) Baltic states
Bamber & Co.’s Express: local express serviced Contra Costa and Alameda Counties, Calif; used labels; late 1850s
Bamberg: local, Germany, 1896-1900
Bamra: India (Native) Feudatory State; 1888-1894: stamps for internal use only, 1894: stamps of India used
Banana Republic: bogus advertising fantasy created by company of same name
Banana, Republica de: bogus Donald Evans issue, central Europe
Bánát: (Hung.) Megszállas, Bánát-Bácska a Szerb és a Román Helycsere Között.Bancroft’s City Express: bogus Canadian local post
Bancroft’s Express: local parcel express serviced Boston, North Cambridge and Somerville, Mass.; used a label; c1880s
Band: 1. (Ger.) volume (book). 2. (Swed.) coil (stamp)
Banda: (Sp.) strip (of stamps)
Bandaufdruck: (Ger.) ribbon type overprint as used on Germany posthorn issue of 1948
B and C: United Kingdom strike local post, 1971
B & D: Blau & Deighton: Graf Zeppelin Orient Flight
Bande: (Fr.) strip of two or more imperforate stamps
Bande de roulette: (Fr.) coil strip
Bandelette: (Fr.) “Do not Deliver on Sunday” label; 1893-1914: attached by perforation to Belgian stamps, when removed, sender indicates Sunday delivery desired, also known as Dominical label or tablet, Sunday delivery labels
Bande pour journaux: (Fr.) wrapper
Bandera:(Sp.) 1: national colors of the country on banner or flag; 2: flag, as a theme or topic
Banderole: (Fr.) tab used as a wine tax paid label in Denmark, ended Oct. 1, 2001
B & ETPO: Bristol & Exeter Traveling Post Office
Bandiera: (It.) flag, as a theme or topic
Bandjermasin: local overprint, Japanese occupation, Naval Control Area, 1942-45
B & K: Berthold & Kummer: Handbook of Zeppelin Letters, Postal Cards, and Stamps
B & L HR/West: Buffalo and Lake Huron Railway
Bandmärke(n) : (Swed.) coil stamp(s)
B & N (Brockert & Newton): private die match proprietary stamps
Bando: 1: (Sp.) postal announcement proclamation or official notice placed on walls or bulletin boards; 2: (Ger.) German World War I prisoner of war camp in Japan, 1918
B & O (Baltimore & Ohio Telegraph Companies): U.S. telegraph stamps issued for use on own firm’s telegrams, 1885-87
Band of Good Hope: bogus based on stationery of Cape of Good Hope
Band Overprint: continuous overprint of coil and posthorn in center of stamp issue of Germany, 1948
Band phosphorescente: (Fr.) phosphor band
B & S Investigations: United Kingdom strike local post, 1971
Bandstempel: (Ger.) machine or hand rolled cancel
Band tagging: continuous band of tagging that extends across a pane of stamps
Bane: (Nor., slang) railroad, railway; railroad line, railway line; Jernbane, jernbanelinie
Baneres: local, Spanish civil war, Republican forces, 1937
Banepost: (Nor., slang) railroad post (mail), railway post (mail); Jernbanepost
Banghazi: formerly Bengasi, Libya
Bangka & Billiton: local overprint, Sumatra, Japanese occupation, 1942-45
Bangkok: city in Siam, now capital of Thailand; currency:100 cents = 1 dollar 1855-July 1, 1885: stamps of Great Britain, 1882-July 1: No.1, 2 cent brown; stamps of Straits Settlements overprinted “B” for use at the British post office, 1885, July 1: Siam joined the UPU and only stamps of Siam used
Bangladesh: southern, central Asia, India, then East Pakistan, now independent; currency: 100 paisas = 1 rupee, 100 poishas = 1 taka 1947: British India partition, Moslem portion made up East Pakistan, 1971, Mar. 26-Apr. 30, 1973: stamps of Pakistan handstamped for use in Bangladesh, 1971, July 29: No.1, 10 paisas red, dark purple and lt. blue; “Bangla Desh” inscription. 1973: first official stamp issued. 1973, Feb. 7: joined the UPU
Bangsa Moro: bogus, Philippines, Muslim controlled area, handstamp used
Bani: currency unit in Moldova
Banja Luka: overprint on two Yugoslavian stamps by local partisans, northern Bosnia; WW II
Banjul: formerly Bathurst, The Gambia
Bank: mechanical meters have value characters called a bank, on the outer rim of wheels that are rotated to show the correct postage
Bank & Insurance City Post: inscription on locals by Hussey’s Post, New York
Bank Holiday Monday Island: unissued Great Britain cinderella by David Horry, 2001
Bank mixture: assortment of stamps, usually on paper, collected from the incoming mail of financial institutions
Bank note: (Eng.) bill (money)
Bank Note cancels: postmarks on bank note issues began the system of standardization of cancellations, 1870-79
Bank Note issues: stamps produced by three bank note firms; 1870, April: National Bank Note Company, 1873, May 1: Continental Bank Note Company, 1879, Feb. 4: American Bank Note Company
Bank Note Stamps: Latvia used paper for stamps in 1919-21, originally designed for bank notes, bank notes were Bermondt (German) and Bolshevik (Russian) five ruble notes
Bank notices: Importers and Traders National Bank, 1874-80, local stamps in the form of postal cards, no postmarks or cancellations were used
Banner: aka scroll, contains the country of issue or identifies the subject of the vignette
Bannockburn: local, Great Britain strike, Bannockburn Delivery, 1971
Bannock City Pony Express: operated by Davis, Patterson & Co. to connect with Overland Mail Coach at Salt Lake City, 1863
Banos de la Encina: local, Spanish civil war, Republican forces, 1937
Banque (de France): (Fr.) Bank of France printings, proofs or reprints
Bantams: nickname given to the miniature war-tax stamps of South Africa during World War II, term for SWA overprint: see: S W A
Bantayan Islands: bogus, Philippine island northeast of Cebu
Banyoltes: local, Spanish civil war, Republican forces, 1937
B.A.O.R.: British Army on the Rhine
B. A. P. O.: British Army Post Office
Bar: 1: lines used for canceling stamp; 2: part of surcharge which obliterates original value
Bar (German) cash
BAR: letter-code within cds (q.v.) assigned to Barrouallie, St. Vincent, BWI (1873-1884), 1871 pop. 1,219
Baranja: bogus, Jugoslavia stamps overprinted for Bosnian Republic
Baranow: city in former Austrian-occupied Poland, local post overprint, 1918-20
Baranya: county in S Hungary (cap. Pécs) occupied by Serbian forces in 1919; occupation stamps issued known as “1st” and “2nd-Barancy Issues.”
Barawe: Somalia inscription
Barb: Barbados bisected and surcharged stamp
Barbabar: bogus; British Colonial Royal Wedding frames from book Surreal Stamps and unreal Stickers
Barbade: (Fr.) Barbados
Barbados: West Indies islands; official name of postal administration: Barbados Postal Service (BPS). currency: 4 farthings = 1 penny, 12 pence = 1 shilling, 20 shillings = 1 pound, 100 cents = 1 dollar (1950) 1628-1966: British colony, 1663: Great Britain Imperial Post Office established a postal agency, 1760s: first postal marking appeared, 1851: Island Post office authorized, 1852, April 17: No.1, ½ penny deep green; first stamps issued, 1897: first commemorative stamp issued, 1907, Jan. 25: first semipostal stamp issued 1917: first War Tax stamp issued 1934: first postage due stamp, 1966, Nov. 30: became independent state within British Commonwealth, 1966, Dec. 2: first stamps after independence, 1967, Nov. 11: joined the UPU
Barbados: inscription, Attack of the Giant Jellyfish; unissued Great Britain cinderella by David Horry, 2001
Barbados: inscription, Stamford Raffles as Nelson unissued Great Britain cinderella by David Horry, 2001
Barbar: Sudan, see: Interpostal Seals, 1872-1882
Barbara: 1: Somaliland Protectorate, see: Interpostal seals, 1882; 2: local, Spanish civil war, Republican forces, 1937
Barber & Peckham: private die match proprietary stamps
Barberia: overprint on stamps of Italy for Italian post offices in Tripoli
Barber, Geo. & O.C.: private die match proprietary stamps
Barber Match Co.: private die match proprietary stamps
Barbero covers: US official covers flown on a Regulus missile, launched from USS Barbero submarine June 8, 1959; first official US Missile Mail
Barber pole: nickname for cover with border of red and blue parallelograms
Barbuda: island in the West Indies; currency: 12 pence = 1 shilling, 100 cents = 1 EC dollar 1862: used stamps of Antigua, 1922, July 13: No.1, ½ penny green; overprint on stamps of Antigua and Leeward Islands, 1968: first stamps, inscribed Barbuda, Antigua, 1982, June 28: first semipostal stamp
Barbuda mail: overprint on stamps of Antigua
Barca: overprint used on stamps of Mexico for this district during 1856-1883
Bar cancel: cancellation consisting of bars in various configurations
Barcelona: 1:Spain,1929-53: local postal tax issue; 2: local, Spanish civil war, Republican,1937
Barcelona Issue: stamp of Spain overprinted “Republica” in Barcelona, 1931
Barcentrum: bogus, Donald Evans issue for Netherlands
Barclay’s Bank D.C.O.: United Kingdom strike local post, 1971
Bar code: pattern of straight lines of varying heights and thickness that permits electronic equipment to read the address
Barcode sorter: computerized machine that sorts letter-size mail by using a barcode reader to interpret the imprinted barcode
Barcode sticker: a gummed sticker applied to mail by the USPS indicting exact delivery address
Bardsey: island off coast of Wales; Great Britain local carriage label
Barefoot: British based catalog of British and European revenues
Barfrankatur (German) postage prepaid in cash
Barfrankierung: (Ger.) pre-payment of postage in cash when stamps were unavailable
Barfreimachungsstempel: (Ger.) printed matter franking per UPU 1920, to be in red color and include words “Franco” and “Gebühr bezahlt.”
Barfreimachung: (Ger.) printed matter cancel
Bargeld (German) cash
Barham Pile Cure Co.: inscription on Medicine stamp; Private die proprietary stamps
Barker’s City Post: local handstamp, Boston, Mass., 1853
Barna: (Hung.) brown (color)
Bármely címlet: (Hung.) any denomination (of postage stamp).
Barna: (Hung.) brown (color).
Barnard, Joseph O.: Mauritius engraver of the “Post Office” 1d and 2d stamp designs of 1847
Barnard’s Caribou Express: local post; British Columbia, 1858: inscribed “Paid” and “Collect.”
Barnard’s City Letter Express: U.S. local post, Boston, Mass., 1845
Barnard’s Pirate P.S.: United Kingdom strike local post, 1971
Barnás: (Hung.) brownish (color)
Barnásibolya: (Hung.) brown(ish)-violet (color)
Barnáslila: (Hung.) bown(ish)-lilac (color)
Barnássárga: (Hung.) brown(ish)-yellow, buff (color)
Barnásszürke: (Hung.) brown(ish)-grey, taupe (color)
Barnászöld: (Hung.) brown(ish)-olive green, olive-drab (color)
Bármely címlet: (Hung.)any denomination (of postage stamp)
Barna: (Hung.)brown (color)
Barnás: (Hung.)brownish (color)
Barnásibolya: (Hung.)brown(ish)-violet (color)
Barnáslila: (Hung.)bown(ish)-lilac (color)
Barnássárga: (Hung.)brown(ish)-yellow, buff (color)
Barnásszürke: (Hung.)brown(ish)-grey, taupe (color)
Barnászöld: (Hung.)brown(ish)-olive green, olive-drab (color)
Barnes, Demas: inscription on Medicine stamp; Private die proprietary stamps
Barnes, D. S.: inscription on Medicine stamp; Private die proprietary stamps
Barnesville: U.S. local, “F.B.S.” Friend’s Boarding School, 1877-84
Barnwell C.(Court) H. (House) S.C. 5 Paid: see: Confederate Postmasters’ Provisionals
Baroda: now Vadodara, India
Baronial envelopes: large square shaped envelope, two sizes, introduced in post offices in 1884, discontinued 1920
Bar precancels: earliest form of precancels, consisting of bars, lines, etc., any form that does not include a readable name
Barques: (Fr.) boats; French colony revenue inscription
Barquitos: (Sp.) term for the first issue of Argentina with design of small barks (ships)
Barrado: (Sp.) stamp remainders overprinted with black bars during 1854-82 to deface the design
Barranquilla: with “Franqueo Particular” Colombia local post, 1882
Barras: (Sp.) lines or bars used for canceling stamp remainders
Barré: (Fr.) stamps overprinted with black bars or rules to deface the design
Barred: stamps overprinted with black bars or rules to deface the design
Barred cancel: striped cancel, used as a precancel device or an obliteration to void features of the stamp portrait, as when a king is overthrown
Barre, Desire Albert: b.1818-73, French engraver of stamps, son of Jean Barre; 1863-pre: 1863: eagle design of the French colonial issue, 1863-70: French stamp issues, Greece Hermes design, Persia first issues
Barred diamond: used in Toronto, 1858, complicated design to prevent washing of stamp for reuse
Barred oval: a cancel or killer in which the bars increase and then decrease in size to form an oval pattern; British Commonwealth countries use this a lot.
Barre, Jean Jacques: b. 1793: engraver for the Paris Mint, 1849-60
Barrel duplex: cancel with barrel-shaped portion in the center
Barr’s Penny Dispatch: U.S. local post, Lancaster, Pa., 1855
Barrel mail: Galapagos Islands mail container for deposit of mail from passing ships
Barrington’s P.S.: United Kingdom strike local post, 1971
Barr’s Penny Dispatch: Lancaster, Pa. local letter service by Elias Barr
Barr, T. H. & Co.: U.S. private die medicine proprietary stamp
Barry Dock & Railways: Wales local post
Barry Postal Supply Co.: manufacturer of cancelling machines used from the 1890s – 1910s
Barry Railway: Wales local post
Barry Rapid Canceling Machine: used on U.S. stamps, patented 1897 and 1904
Barry’s: inscription on Medicine stamp; Private die proprietary stamps
E. N. Barry’s Despatch Post: local handstamp, New York, N.Y., 1852
Bars: printed horizontal dashes used by electric eye machines to center perforations in the stamp manufacturing process
Barsinghausen: local, Germany, 1945-48
Bar tagging: phosphorescent tagging where a bar of taggant is applied to the stamps
Barton Press: subcontractor to Banknote Corp. of America, printed the 1994 Wonders of the Sea U.S. stamps
Barva: (Czech.) color
Barwani: India Feudatory State; 1921, April: issued local use stamps, 1948, July 1: separate stamps discontinued, replaced by stamps of the Republic of India
Barzahlung: (Ger.) cash payment
Basal shift: Term used for early British stamps meaning a double lower frame or partial impression on the lower part of the stamp
Base Atlantica: overprint on Italian stamps; 1943-44: for use of military submarine personnel stationed in Bordeaux France
Base Depot/ (date)/ Siberia: Canadian Forces in Siberia
Basel: city, Switzerland Canton; 1845, July 1-Apr. 5, 1850: issued own stamp issues, 1850: replaced by Swiss federal issues, 1913: local airmail
Basel dove: 1845: Swiss Canton’s local issue
Base plate: stamps put on these varying size plates ready for perforating
Base sheet: heavy paper pulled from original or intermediate plate or stone
Bashahr: India Feudatory State of Bussahir
Bashkiria: local, cinderella, Russian, 1996?
Bashkortostan: illegal labels, purporting to be stamps, as per Jan. 14, 2002, Russian Federation report to the UPU; not valid for postage
Basic presort: bulk mail presorted to first three digits of USA Zip code, bundled prior to mailing
Basic stamp: stamp design before any overprint or surcharges have been added
Basle: Basel
B. A. Somalia: overprint, British Africa Somalia; Middle East Forces, British Offices Abroad for Offices in Africa, 1950, Jan. 2-1952: overprint on stamps of Great Britain
Bassa Vedasca: local, Italian liberation, Allied occupation, 1944
Basso: 1: printing plate formed through baths for strengthening, 2: (It.) bottom, lowest side
Basted mills paper: stamps of New Zealand used paper made by the Basted Paper Company, a thin hard paper, with a close weave, and watermarked with double-lined “NZ” and a star
Basutoland: South Africa, British protectorate, overprint; currency: 12 pence = 1 shilling, 100 cents = 1 rand (1961) 1871: annexed to Cape Colony, 1871-1910: stamps of Cape of Good Hope, identified by date stamp or Cape numeral cancels, 1883: control transferred to British crown, 1910-1933: stamps of Union of South Africa, 1933, Dec. 1: No.1, ½ penny emerald; first postage due stamp issued, 1933, Dec. 1: first inscribed stamps issued, 1934: official stamp issued, 1945, Dec.3: “Basutoland” overprint on stamps of South Africa, 1966, Oct. 4: became independent state of Lesotho, 1966, Oct. 31: all Basutoland stamps withdrawn
Basutoland: N’Chacadinga Bridge which was never built, perfin ‘specimen” unissued Great Britain cinderella by David Horry, 2001
Basutuföld: (Hung.) Basutoland
B.A.T.: (abbr.) British Antarctic Territories
Båt: (Nor.) boat
Bata: (Sp.) overprint of capital of Rio Muni (Spanish Guinea); 1901: on issue of Fernando Poo
Bataan & Corregidor: overprint, Philippines, Japanese Occupation, 1942
Bataan War Prisoners Relief: seal issued by private group to raise funds, 1944-45
Batallon: (Sp.) battalion
Batavia: Netherlands Indies, postage due; now Jakarta, Indonesia
Batchelder’s Express: local private baggage express co., serviced stations along Eastern Railroad and the Maine Central Railroad, c1880s, used a label
Batchlor’s Service: United Kingdom strike local post, 1971
Batea: local, Spanish civil war, Republican forces, 1937
Bateke: bogus for Equatorial Africa, Portuguese territory
Batekeland: bogus, 1896
Batello Postale: (It.) mail boat
Bates & Co.: local handstamp, New Bedford, Mass. 1845
Bates Personal Service: United Kingdom strike local post, 1971
Bathtubbing: term formerly used by precancel collectors to wash gum off stamps
Bathurst: now Banjul, The Gambia
Bati Almanya: (Turk.) West Germany
Batoeradja: local overprint, Sumatra, Japanese occupation, 1942-45
Batonné: (Fr.) ruled, used in philately as having a watermark of parallel lines about a cm apart
Batonne paper: lines, whether wove or laid, are spaced far apart
Baton Rouge: Louisiana, a Confederate “Postmasters” issue of 1861
Baton Rouge, La. P.O. Paid 2, 5: see: Confederate Postmaster’s Provisionals
Batoum: (Fr.) Batum
B. A. Tripolitania: overprint, British Africa Tripolitania; Middle East Forces, British Offices Abroad for Offices in Africa, 1950, Feb. 6-Sept. 14, 1952: stamps of Great Britain overprint. 1950, Feb. 6-Dec. 1951: valid only in Tripolitania
Batta: India States term for allowance for soldiers of public servants on active duty
Battle of Maiwand: cinderella issued by the Baker Street Irregulars for 100 th anniversary of the battle; July 27, 1980
Battleship revenue: name is from stamp design that illustrates the U.S. ship, Maine, 1898: series of documentary and proprietary stamps
Battleship revenue plates: design of 1898 were printed on plates of 216 subjects, Internal Revenue objected because of the difficulty of fractional amounts, BEP returned to 200-plate subject
Battleships: U.S. documentary and proprietary revenue stamps showing Maine, 1898
Batum: Georgia, Russia port city on Black Sea; currency: 100 kopecks = 1 ruble 1863-64: used stamps of Russia, 1865-77: used stamps of Russian Levant, 1878: annexed by Russia from Turkey, 1878-1918: used stamps of Russia, WW I: occupied by Germans and Turks, 1918, Dec.16- July 7, 1920: “British Occupation” overprint on Russian stamps, 1919: No. 1, 5 kopecks green; used overprint types of Georgia, 1920, July 14: returned to Georgia, 1921: became autonomous republic of the Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic,1923: Russian stamps used, 1990: stamps of Georgia used, 1994: local post “stamps” issued for Azerbaijan, but have not seen postal use
Batum, forged issues: 1919 Aloe Tree, (kopeck) Scott 1-3, Scott 4-6 (ruble)
Batumi Post: illegal issue and not valid for postage, UPU letter of Aug. 27, 1997
Bau., Baux.: (Fr.) Bureaux, French offices (abroad)
Bauer & Beudel: private die match proprietary stamps
Bautenserie: (Ger.) building series of German stamps; popular due to many varieties in issue
B. a. V.: (Fr.) “Bateau a Vapeur” steamship postmark
Bavaria: German State; located in southern Germany; currency: 60 kreuzer = 1 gulden, 100 pfenning = 1 mark (1874) 1849, Nov.1: No.1, 1 kreuzer black, stamps first issued, member German Confederation, 1850: used “mill wheel” as cancel, 1856: used concentric dashes as cancel, 1862: first postage due stamp issued,1870: became part of the German Empire, 1871-1918: continued use of its own stamps, issued first stamps in the world by the photogravure process depicting King Ludwig III, 1908: first official stamp issued, with “E” overprint for “Eisenbahn” railway official use, 1911: first air mail stamps issued, 1919: “Volksstaat” overprint on stamps of Bavaria, 1919, May 17: ” Freistaat Bayern,” Free State of Bavaria overprint on stamps of Bavaria, 1919: first semipostal stamp issued, 1920, Feb.14: unoverprinted issue released, 1920, March 31: postal rights transferred to Reichpost, 1920, April 1: “Deutsches Reich” overprint on Bavaria officials, 1920, April 6: “Deutsches Reich” overprint on stamps of Germany, valid in Germany, 1920, June 30: Bavarian stamps no longer valid
Bavaria: local, displaced persons camp, 1946
Bavaria Railway: German railway that printed stamps for mail carried on their trains to post offices
Baviera: (Sp.) Bavaria
Bavicre: (Fr.) Bavaria
Bavure: (Fr.) rough or smudged edge (printing impression)
Bayay Porto: Indonesia, postage due
Bayern: (Ger., Nor.) inscription used on stamps of Bavaria, 1849-1920
Bayer. Post Taxe: (Ger.) Bavaria postage due
Bayer. Staatseisenbahn: (Ger.) Bavaria railway issue
Bayley, C.J.: Governor of Bahamas, made sketch of proposed design of 1859 1d stamp
Bayonne City Dispatch: U.S. local post, Bayonne City, N.J., 1883
Bayr: (Ger.) inscription used on stamps of Bavaria, 1849-1920
Bayreuth-Leopoldkaserne: local, Displaced Persons Camp, 1948
Bayrisch: (Ger.) Bavarian
Baxa: (Sp.) early form of Baja
Baza: local, Spanish civil war, Republican forces, 1937
Bazen, X.: U.S. private die perfumery proprietary stamp
BB: 1. Barbados, country code as used by UPU. 2. British censor marking for St Kitts Nevis
B B M: USPS term for bulk business mail
BC: British Consulate, Cadiz, 1830-1848
B. C.: 1: Before Christ, used following year dates; see: A.D.; 2: British Columbia, or British Colonies, or British Commonwealth; 3: (Fr.) bien centré, well centered
B. C. A. : 1: overprint on stamps of Rhodesia for British Central Africa; 1891-95:; British Central Africa. 2: Banknote Corporation of America
BCC: British Civil Censorship; A/Austria; G/Germany; LO/Liaison Officer
B. C. G.: Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (Anti-Tuberculosis League) inscription on postal tax issue of Dominican Republic
B. C. M. : overprint for Madagascar; 1884-86: British Consular Mail
B. C. O. F. JAPAN 1946: overprint on Australian stamps;British Commonwealth Occupation Forces,1946-1947 Australian forces stationed in Japan (post WW II)
B C P S G: British Caribbean Philatelic Study Group, USA
B C S: Bermuda Collectors Society, USA
BD: 1: auction abbreviation for bird topic; 2: Bangladesh, country code as used by UPU
B. D.: Barracks Department, South Australia official overprint, 1868-74
BDE: Brigade
BDE HQPO: Australian Brigade Headquarters Post Office
BDPh: (Ger.) see: Bund Deutscher Philatelisten
Bdr. (German) (= buchdruck) surface printing process, typography, letterpr
B. Dpto. Zelaya: overprint to prevent currency manipulation; Nicaragua, Province of Zelaya
Be., B: (Fr.) abbreviation for bande, strip, wrapper
BE: Belgium, country code as used by UPU
B. E. A.: British East Africa
BEA Airway Letter Service: United Kingdom strike local post, 1971
Beacon stamp: the U.S. 5¢ Beacon airmail stamps of 1928
Beaconsfield Post: United Kingdom strike local post, 1971
Beaded oval: term applied to group of stamps issued for Colony of Victoria, 1860-63
Beamte(r): (Ger.) official
Bear’s Grease Republic: bogus, country,1977 “Fun and Fact Calendar” by Erbe Publications
Bear stamps: refers to St. Louis Provisional, St. Louis Bears
Beau: (Fr.) fine, a state of excellence
Beaufort house essays: first stamp designs in British competition by Charles Whiting, 1840
B. eau Fr. De Bale: (Fr.) postmark; French Post office, Basel, Switzerland
Beaulieu Post: United Kingdom strike local post, 1971
Beaumont: Texas city, one of the Confederate Postmasters’ Provisionals of 1861
Beaumont, Texas Paid 10 cents: see: Confederate Postmasters’ Provisionals
Beaux: (Fr.) bureau, post offices
Beaver: first Canadian stamps issued in1851, first stamp to feature an animal, the beaver
Bebeh: Egypt, see: Interpostal seals, 1879-84
Bechuanaland: aka British Bechuanaland, former British Crown Colony
Bechuanaland, Bechuanaland Protectorate: Southern Africa; currency: 12 pence = 1 shilling, 20 shillings = 1 pound, 100 cents = 1 rand (1961) 1885, Sep. 30: Crown Colony of British Bechuanaland established, a larger area north of the Colony named British Protectorate named at the same time, stamps of Cape of Good Hope overprinted “British Bechuanaland,” 1885-86: mail was carried by runner or border police, 1886: No.1, 4 pence blue, 1887, Nov. 1: stamp of Great Britain overprinted “British Bechuanaland,” 1888, Aug. 7: overprint “Protectorate” on stamps of Bechuanaland, 1889: overprint on stamps of Cape of Good Hope (1886), 1890, June-1897: used stamps of British Bechuanaland, 1891-94: stamps of Great Britain overprinted “British Bechuanaland,” 1893-97: stamps of Cape of Good Hope overprinted “British Bechuanaland,” 1895, Nov. 16: Bechuanaland annexed by Cape of Good Hope, stamps continued in use in the Protectorate until 1897, 1886-97: Cape of Good Hope became a province in the Union of South Africa, 1890: Protectorate and British Bechuanaland used one postal administration, 1897-1926: “Bechuanaland Protectorate” overprint on stamps of Great Britain, 1899: Boer War, stamps of Colony and Protectorate overprinted for “Mafeking Siege,” 1910: stamps of South Africa used in addition to stamps of Cape Colony, 1926: first postage due stamp issued, 1932-38: issued own stamps of Bechuanaland Protectorate, 1935: first pictorial stamp issued, 1937: stamps of Cape Colony no longer valid. 1945: “Bechuanaland” overprint on stamps of South Africa, 1947-66: Bechuanaland Protectorate stamps, 1966, Sept. 30: Bechuanaland Protectorate became Republic of Botswana; Botswana
Bechuanaland, British: stamps of Cape of Good Hope (1871-75) ovptd/surcharged “British Bechuanaland,”1887: stamp of Great Britain overprinted “British Bechuanaland,”1887-88: British Bechuanaland, inscription, 1891-94: stamps of Great Britain overprinted “British Bechuanaland,” 1893-97: stamps of Cape of Good Hope overprinted “British Bechuanaland.”
Bechuanaland Protectorate: South Africa, overprint; 1888, Aug. 7-90: overprint “Protectorate” on stamps of Bechuanaland, 1889: overprint on stamps of Cape of Good Hope(1886),1897-1926: overprint on stamps of Great Britain (1881-87), 1910: overprint on stamp of Transvaal (Sc.274), 1945: overprint on stamps of South Africa (Sc.100-102)
Bechuanaland Protectorate: Gastric Clinic; unissued Great Britain cinderella by David Horry, 2001
Beckmann’s City Post: Charleston, S.C., see: Carriers’ Stamps
B. Economique: label; used on mail originating in Europe; means second day domestic delivery. Bedarfsbrief: (Ger.) mail sent for non-philatelic purposes
Becsuánaföld: (Hung.) Bechuanaland
Becsületes: (Hung.) white (color) (also féher)
Bedarfsbrief (German) letter mailed for non-philatelic purpose
Bedford & Co.’s Express: private post, serviced coast to coast, with connections to West Indies, Hawaii, some Central and South American ports; mid 1800s, mail, newspaper and package express; used corner cards, embossed envelopes, labels and stamps
befördert (German) transported
Beförderung (German) transport; forwarding; the conveyance for so doing
Bedienen: (Ger.) expedite
Bed plate: contains bored holes into which perforating machine pins descend
Bedrechein: Egypt, see: Interpostal seals, 1879-84
Beecher, A. & Son. (A.B.&S): private die match proprietary stamps
Beekman’s Post: semi-official carrier service, Charleston, S.C., 1860-65, associated with John H. Honour
Bee hive: US fancy cancel used in 19th century
Beer stamps: tax paid revenue stamps, denominated in barrels & fractions of barrels,1866-1951
Beez: (Est.) beige (color)
B. E. F.: British Expeditionary Force overprint
Befestigungsleiste: (Ger.) stamp hinge
Befeuchten: (Ger.) to moisten, dampen
BEFM: British Expeditionary Force Mediterranean
Befördert: (Ger.) forwarded
Befreit: (Ger.) free frank, postage free
Befreiungsmarken: (Ger.) stamps of liberation
Begagnat: (Swed.) used
Behaehckar: Russia, Wenden (Livonia)
Behie: (Turk.) overprint for discount postage to encourage use of Turkish stamps, 1901
Behna: Egypt, see: Interpostal seals, 1864-84
Beifrankatur (German) additional postage
Beige: (Eng., Fr., Ger., Sp.) grayish-tan color
Beijing: also known as Peking, formerly Pei-ching, People’s Republic of China
Beilegen: (Ger.) enclose
Beirut: formerly Beyrouth, Lebanon; 1840-1914: French post office, 1857-85: used stamps of France, can be identified by diamond or dots cancels, 1857-Sept. 30, 1914: Russian postal agency, ROPiT, (Russian Company of Trade and Navigation) operated, used stamps of Russia 1870: Egyptian post office opened, 1873-1914: stamps of Great Britain, British Levant, 1873-83: Italian postal administration operating, 1905, Jan.: Beyrouth, French overprint used, 1906, July: British overprint for provisional use, 1909-10: Russia, overprinted stamps for Beirut, Offices in Turkish Empire
Beisteuermarke: (Ger.) postal tax stamps required on letters, but not valid for postage; also called Zwangszuschlagsmarke
Bej: (Rom.) beige (color)
Bejuma: town near Valencia, Venezuela; 1854: postmaster issued local post stamps to deliver mail
Bekjentjøre: (Nor.) publish or notify
Beklippet: (Nor.) cut into
BEL: international postal code for Belarus
Belalp: Switzerland hotel post, 1873-83
Belanglos: (Ger.) insignificant, meaningless, unimportant
Belarus: aka Byelorussia, Eastern Europe (White Russia); official name of postal administration: Belpochta currency: 100 kopecks = 1 ruble 1920: 5 denominations of a “stamp” may be a propaganda label, WW II-Post: became Belyorussian Soviet Socialist republic, within Soviet Union, 1947, May 13: joined the UPU, 1991, Dec. 26: joined Commonwealth of Independent States of the Soviet Union, 1992, March 20: No. 1, 1 ruble multicolor, first stamp as Belarus. #+9!CIE[: (Cyrllic) Belarus
Belastingzegel: (Dut.) fiscal stamp
Belebey: Russian town in Ufa Oblast ca. 250 miles of the city of Samara; issued numerous local Rural Post stamps (1890-1908), Zemstvo
Belegstück: (Ger.) specimen copy
Belfast & County Down Railway: Ireland local post
Belfast & Northern Counties Railway: Ireland local post
Belg: (Fr.) Belgium postmark
Belga: (Hung.) Belgian
Belga-Kongó: (Hung.) Belgian Congo
Belgia: (Nor., Pol.) Belgium
Belgian Congo: former Belgian colony in Central Africa; currency: 100 centimes = 1 franc 1885: Congo Free State established, 1886: No.1, 5 centimes green, first stamps issued, 1887: first parcel post stamps, 1908: annexed to Belgium, renamed the Belgian Congo, 1918, May 18: first semipostal stamp issued, 1923: first postage due stamp issued, 1920, July 1: first air mail stamp issued, 1960: became independent as the Republic of the Congo, also known as Congo Free State; A. O., Congo Democratic Republic, Zaire
Belgian Congo, forged issues: 1: 1894 Port Matadi, Scott 16, 1895. 2: 1895 Stanley Falls, Scott 18. 3: 1894 Inkissi Falls, Scott 20. 4: 1894 M’pozo railroad bridge, Sc 22
Belgian East Africa: see: Ruanda Urundi
Belgian Occupation of German East Africa: Belgian Congo stamps overprint; 1916: “Est Africain Allemand Occupation Belge,” 1924: became Belgian mandate and renamed Ruanda-Urundi. Belgian Occupation of Germany (part): Eupen, Malmedy stamps; 1919-20: “Allemagne/Duitschland”(Flemish) overprint, 1919-21: Poste Militaire postmark used for Belgian troops
Belgica: (Port., Sp.) Belgium
Belgicky: (Czech.) Belgian
Belgie: 1. (Flem.) Belgium inscription. 2. (Czech.) Belgium
Belgien: 1. (Ger.) Belgium, overprint; 1914-18: on stamps of Germany, German Occupation, World War II occupation stamps consisted of surcharge, but no country name. 2. (Dan., Swed) Belgium
Belgie posterijen: (Flemish) inscription, 1891-96, Belgium post
Belgio: (It.) Belgium
Belgique: (Fr.) Belgium
Belgisch: (Ger.) Belgian
Belgische besatzungspost in Deutschland: (Ger.) Belgian occupation of Rhineland
Belgisch Congo: inscription 1910-60
Belgisch Kongo: (Ger.) Belgian Congo
Belgisk: (Dan., Nor., Swed.) Belgian (adj.)
Belgiska Kongo: (Dan., Nor., Swed.) Belgian Congo
Belgisk Congo: (Dan.) Belgian Congo
Belgium: Western Europe; name came from the Celtic, Belgae; official name of postal administration: La Poste currency: 1833:100 centimes = 1 franc 2002: 100 cents = 1 Euro; stamps of this country may be found in the Belgium Stamp Catalog; 1500s: postal service via Thurn and Taxis, 1701: French postal service replaced Thurn and Taxis, 1725: Thurn and Taxis returned, 1744: French postal service replaced Thurn and Taxis, 1748: Austrian postal service used, 1793-1814: French postal administration used, 1814: Prussian postal service used, 1849, July 1: No.1, 10 centimes brown; first stamps issued without name of country, 1850: used rectangle within lines in a circle as a cancel, 1869: Belgique (Fr.) appeared on stamps, 1870: first postage due stamp issued, 1875, July 1: joined the UPU, 1879: first railway stamp “chemins de fer” 1893: Belgie (Flemish) and Belgique (Fr.) appeared jointly on stamps, 1911, June 1: first semipostal stamp issued, 1914, Oct.1: Germany issued stamps for occupied Belgium, WW II: occupied by Germany, 1928: first newspaper stamp, 1929: first official stamp issued, 1930, April 30: first air mail stamp issued, 1939: first military parcel post stamp issued, 1967: July 17: first military stamp issued, 2002: stamps in Belgian francs change to euros July 1, 2002; Allemagne-Duitschland (Flemish), Ambulant
Belgium, Belga: (Hung.) Belgium, Belgian (adj.)
Belgium Congo: 1908: annexed to Belgium as a colony, admitted to the UPU, 1923, Aug. 31: Ruanda-Urundi became independent, affiliated with the UPU, 1960, July 1: became the independent Republic of the Congo, Congo Democratic Republic
Belgium, forged issues: 1: 1912-15 King Albert I, Scott 102. 2: 1914 Merode Monument, Scott B28-30. 3: 1882-94 parcel post, Scott Q7-Q15
Belgium, German Occupation: 1914-18: surcharge/overprint on stamps of Belgium. Belgian Occupation of German East Africa: Belgian Congo stamps overprint; 1916: “Est Africain Allemand Occupation Belge”, 1924: became Belgian mandate and renamed Ruanda-Urundi. Belgian Occupation of Germany (part): Eupen, Malmedy stamps; 1919-20: “Allemagne/Duitschland”(French/Flemish) overprint, 1919-21: Poste Militaire postmark used for Belgian troops, 1920: first postage due stamp issued
Belgium, reduced rates: surcharge; 1946: -10% by individual post offices
Belice es Nuestro: (Sp.) “Belize is Ours” inscription on stamp of Guatemala as propaganda for territory, 1959
Beliebtes Sammelgebiet: (Ger.) favorite collecting field
Belize: Central America; formerly British Honduras; currency: 100 cents = 1 dollar 1866: British colonial stamps issued as British Honduras, 1973, June 11: “Belize” overprint on British Honduras stamps, 1973, June 1: No.1, ½ cent multicolor; 1974, Jan.1: first stamps as Belize, 1976, July 1: first postage due stamp issued, 1981, Sept. 21: became independent, 1982, Oct. 1:joined the UPU, 1982, Dec. 10: first semipostal
Belize Relief Fund: overprint on British Honduras semi-postals; for Sept.1931 hurricane relief
Belle: (Fr.) nice, fine, good
Bellegarde: local provisional, French, 1944
Bellerby Pirate Post: United Kingdom strike local post, 1971
Bellreguart: local, Spanish civil war, Republican forces, 1937
Bell’s Dispatch: bogus Canadian local post
Bell’s Express: local parcel express serviced Boston, Danvers, Danversport, and Danvers centre, Mass; used a label, year unknown
Bell’s Taxis, Lincoln: United Kingdom strike local post, 1971
Belmont via Bologne: local Great Britain strike, Osborne’s Emergency Service, 1971
Belorusko: (Czech.) Belarus (White Russia)
Belorusky: (Czech.), Belarusian (White Russia)
Bélyegfüzet: (Hung.) booklet pane
Bélyeg Postautalványon: (Hung.) postage stamp on a postal money order
Bélyeg Szállítólevélen: (Hung.) postage stamp on a parcel post card
Bélyeg Táviraton: (Hung.) postage stamp on a telegram
Bélyegtekercs: (Hung.) stamp roll (coil stamps)
Bélyegzéssel: (Hung.) cancellation
Bélyegzett: (Hung.) used, canceled, használ
Bemrose, William and Henry Howe: obtained perforating rotary patent in 1854, US stamps used this device since 1857
Bemutatás: (Hung.) exhibition
Benadalid: local, Spanish civil war, Nationalist forces, 1937
Benaders: overprint, Persian port; 1911-12: used stamps of Iran, 1921: used at Iranian Persian Gulf ports, 1922: overprint on stamps of Persia. Benadir: on Somali Coast; 1897: controlled by Italy, 1903, Oct. 12: inscription used on first stamps of Italian Somaliland, 1922, April: name changed to Italian Somalia, 1960, July 1: area combined with British Somaliland Protectorate to form Somalia; Afars and Issas, Djibouti, Obock, Oltre Giuba, Italian East Africa, Somaliland, Italian
Benadir: on Somali Coast; 1897: controlled by Italy, 1903, Oct. 12: inscription used on first stamps of Italian Somaliland, 1922, April: name changed to Italian Somalia, 1960: area combined with British Somaliland Protectorate to form Somalia
Benagalbon: local, Spanish civil war, Nationalist forces, 1937
Benaguacil: local, Spanish civil war, Republican forces, 1937
Benahavis: local, Spanish civil war, Nationalist forces, 1937
Benaholiz: local, Spanish civil war, Nationalist forces, 1937
Benalaurin: local, Spanish civil war, Nationalist forces, 1937
Benalmadena: local, Spanish civil war, Nationalist forces, 1937
Benamargosa: local, Spanish civil war, Nationalist forces, 1937
Benämningar: (Swed.) printing terms
Benamocarra: local, Spanish civil war, Nationalist forces, 1937
Benaojan: local, Spanish civil war, Nationalist forces, 1938
Benasal: local, Spanish civil war, Republican forces, 1937
Benarraba: local, Spanish civil war, Nationalist forces, 1937
Bendel, B. & Co.: private die match proprietary stamps
Bendel, H.: private die match proprietary stamps
Beneficencia: (Sp.) Spain charity labels with no franking value, but permitted for postal use from one postal employee to another, issued by a postal welfare organization
Beneficienza (francobollo di): (It.) charity stamps: stamps sold at more than the inscribed face value, with the difference between the face value and the selling price used for charity work; these are often called semi-postal stamps
Beneficos: (Sp.) charity stamps
Benejana: local, Spanish civil war, Republican forces, 1937
Ben Franklin Stamp Clubs: 1980s: USPS sponsored stamp clubs of school children
Bengasi: overprint on stamps of Italy; July 1901-11: first stamps issued at Italian post office, Ottoman Empire, 1912: Libyan issues used, now spelled Banghazi, Libya, Italian Offices in Turkish Empire
Benicario: local, Spanish civil war, Republican forces, 1937
Benifallin: local, Spanish civil war, Republican forces, 1937
Benifayo: local, Spanish civil war, Republican forces, 1937
Beni-Korrah: Egypt, see: Interpostal seals, 1879-1882
Beni-Mazar: Egypt, see: Interpostal seals, 1879-1884
Benin: West Coast of Africa, formerly Dahomey; currency: 100 centimes = 1 CFA franc 1888: first stamps French Colonies General issues at Porto Novo, 1892, Sept.: No.1, 1 centime bluish; overprint “Benin” on stamps of French Colonies, 1893: inscribed “Golfe De Benin” full name Établissements Français du Golfe de Benin, 1894: inscribed “Benin,” 1894: first postage due stamp issued, “Benin” handstamp on stamps of French Colonies, 1895: French possessions incorporated into Dahomey, 1899: Dahomey used “Dahomey Et Dependances,” 1944-60: Dahomey used stamps of French West Africa, 1961, April 27: joined the UPU, 1975, Nov.: became People’s Republic of Benin, including Dahomey, with inscription “Republique Populaire Du Benin” 1976: first air mail stamps issued, 1976, April 30: first stamps as Republic, 1978: postage due stamp issued as Republic; Dahomey, République Populaire Du Bénin. 1989: first parcel post stamp issued
Benipeixcar: local, Spanish civil war, Republican forces, 1937
Benisouef: Egypt, see: Interpostal seals, 1868-80
Benjamin & Sarpy: Alfred Benjamin and Julian Sarpy were dealers in faked and forged stamps in late 1880s, careers ended in 1892 when sentenced to jail in London
Ben Kulen: local overprint, Sumatra, Japanese occupation, 1942-45
Bennett, D.M.: inscription on Medicine stamp; Private die proprietary stamps
Bent & Lee: private die match proprietary stamps
Bentley’s Dispatch: US local post, New York, N.Y., 1856(?)
Bentz, H & M: private die match proprietary stamps
Benzine: used to identify watermarks, but highly volatile
Benzyna(y): (Pol.) watermark detection fluid(s), e.g. benzine
Beograd: also known as Belgrade, Yugoslavia
BEP: see: Bureau of Engraving and Printing
Bepaald: (Dut.) definitive
Beppu: Japan (only English word inscription on stamp)
B.E.P.T.O.M.: (Fr.) Bureau d’etude des postes et telecommunications d’outre-mer; Department of Research for Overseas Posts and Telecommunications
BEQ: letter-code within cds (q.v.) assigned to Bequia, St. Vincent, BWI (1894-1908), 1871 pop. 969
Bequia Island: Grenadines of St. Vincent island, stamps first issued in 1976
Berdyansk: (formerly Osipenko) Russian town in Tavric Oblast (now Ukraine) ca. 45 miles SW of Mariapol; issued over 80 different local Rural Post stamps (1870-1882), Zemstvo
Berford & Co.’s Express: U.S. local post, 1851 for mail from New York to Panama and then to west coast ports of North and South America
Berg.: (Ger.) mountain, as a theme or topic
Berga: local, Spanish civil war, 1937
Bergbau.: (Ger.) mining, as a theme or topic
Bergedorf: German State; 1861, Nov. 1: issued its own stamps, 1867: purchased by Hamburg, 1868: stamps of the North German Confederation
Bergdorf: local, Germany, Brief-Beförderungs-Gesellschaft, 1887-88
Bergen: Seaport city and seat of Hordaland county in SW Norway ca. 220 miles W of Oslo. Local post established, with first “Bergens / By-Post” lithographed 2 Skilling imperforate dark brown on wove paper local stamp issued in 1865, and a second samedesign 2 Skilling imperforate brown on greyish wove paper issued in 1866
Bergen bypost: Norway local post, 1865-69
Bergen – F. Schroeter Local Post: Local post re-organized by F. Schroeter as the successor company to the Norshuss & F. Schroeter Local Post (q.v.) company. Red (shades) “Bypost / 2 / Bergen // 2 Skilling” local stamp issued in 1869
Berg. Gladbach: local, Germany, 1918-23
Bergqvist Lokala Expressposten: Hälsingborg – A. Bergqvist Lokala Expressposten
Bergen – Norshuss & F. Schroeter Local Post: Local post established by Messrs. Norshuss and F. Schroeter, with a 2 Skilling imperforate black on lilac-rose paper “By-Post / 2 / Bergen” local stamp being issued 1 July 1868. Identical stamps in different colors are proofs
Berlin: Germany: overprint in Russian Zone of Occupation, post WW II; 1945, June: Berlin-Brandenburg; OPD Berlin, Russian Zone post WW II, O.P.D. 1946, Feb.: Soviet, American and British Zones used combined issue, 1946, June 24: Russia issued their own stamps with “O.P.D.” overprint, 1948, July 1: Russians withdrew from four-power control of city, 1948, July 3: Sowjetische Besatzungs Zone; Soviet Zone overprint, 1948, Sept. 1: Allied occupation stamps “Berlin” overprinted diagonally in black for use in American, British and French occupation zone of Berlin, 1949, Jan.: overprint in red for revised currency, 1949, Oct. 9: new stamps for East and West Berlin, 1990, Sept. 27: last issue, stamps of West Berlin discontinued, 1991, Dec. 31: reunion of the two Germany’s
Berlin-Brandenberg: Soviet Occupation, 1945: Issued “Berlin Bear” stamp
Berlinerblå: (Swed.) Prussian blue (color)
Berlin Germany: overprint in Russian Zone of Occupation, post WW II; 1945, June: Berlin-Brandenburg; OPD Berlin, Russian Zone post WW II, see: O.P.D. 1946, Feb.: Soviet, American and British Zones used combined issue, 1946, June 24: Russia issued their own stamps with “O.P.D.” overprint, 1948, July 3: “Sowjetische Besatzungs Zone” Russian Zone overprint, 1948, Sept. 1: Allied occupation stamps overprinted in black for use in Western zone of Berlin, 1949, Jan.: overprint in red for revised currency, 1949, Oct. 9: new stamps for East and West Berlin, 1990: stamps of West Berlin discontinued, 1991, Dec. 31: reunion of the two Germanys
Berliner Ausgabe: (Ger.) Berlin issue, stamps of German colonies and offices
Berlinerbla: (Dan., Swed.) Prussian blue (color)
Berlinikék: (Hung.) Prussian blue (color)
Berlino: (It.) Berlin
Bermellon: (Sp.) vermillion (color)
Bermuda: island in the Atlantic off the coast of the U.S.; official name of postal administration: Bermuda Post Office currency: 4 farthings = 1 penny, 12 pence = 1 shilling, 20 shillings = 1 pound, 100 cents = 1 dollar (1970) 1609: became British colony, 1784-1812: Bermuda Gazette operated a domestic postal service, 1820-1859: external mails handled by London packet agent, 1848-54: Hamilton Postmaster William B. Perot produced stamps, 1865, Sept. 13: No.1, 1 penny rose red, stamps of Bermuda issued, 1918: first War Tax stamp issued, 1936: postal-fiscal stamp issued, used for revenue and postage, 1968, July 1: first stamps as a self-government
Bermuda: inscription, Six Shillings, unissued Great Britain cinderella by David Horry, 2001
Bermuda: inscription, Devil’s Triangle, unissued Great Britain cinderella by David Horry, 2001
Bermuda, forged issue: 1865-89 Queen’s head, Scott 1, 19
Bermudák: (Hung.) the Bermuda Islands
Bermudes: (Fr.) Bermuda
Bernburg: local, Germany, 1897-1900
Berne: local airmail, Switzerland, 1913
Bernera: island off coast of Scotland, Great Britain local carriage label
Berner ausgabe: (Ger.) Bern issue, some UPU stamps overprinted “Specimen.”
Bernsteingelb: (Ger.) amber (color)
Berørt: (Dan.) touched
Berühmte: (Ger.) famous men, as a theme or topic
Berührt: (Ger.) touched, adjoined, border on
Besa: “Genuine” overprint, 1921-22: Albania validity control
Besættelse: (Dan.) occupation
Besættelse, Allieret: (Dan.) Allied Forces occupation
Besættelse, Allieret – i Azerbaidjan: (Dan.) WWI Allied Forces occupation of Azerbaijan
Besættelse, Allieret – i Trakien: (Dan.) WWI Allied Forces occupation of Thrace
Besættelse, Albansk: (Dan.) Albanian occupation
Besættelse, Amerikansk: (Dan.) American occupation, United States occupation
Besættelse, Amerikansk – i Tyskland: (Dan.) American occupation of Germany, United States occupation of Germany
Besættelse, Australsk: (Dan.) Australian occupation
Besættelse, Australsk – i Japan: (Dan.) Australian occupation of Japan
Besættelse, Belgisk: (Dan.) Belgian occupation
Besættelse, Belgisk – i Tyskland: (Dan.) Belgian occupation of Germany
Besættelse, Belgisk – i Tysk Øsrafrika: (Dan.) Belgian occupation of German East Afrika
Besættelse, Bolivisk: (Dan.) Bolivian occupation
Besættelse, Britisk: (Dan.) British occupation
Besættelse, Britisk – i Batum: (Dan.) British occupation of Batum
Besættelse, Britisk – i Bushire: (Dan.) British occupation of Bushire
Besættelse, Britisk – i Irak: (Dan.) British occupation of Iraq
Besættelse, Britisk – i Kamerun: (Dan.) British occupation of Cameroun
Besættelse, Britisk – i Kreta: (Dan.) British occupation of Crete
Besættelse, Britisk – i Mesopotamien: (Dan.) British occupation of Mesopotamia
Besættelse, Britisk – i Orangeåen Kolonie: (Dan.) British occupation of Orange River Colony
Besættelse, Britisk – i Palestinien: (Dan.) British occupation of Palestine
Besættelse, Britisk – i Persien: (Dan.) British occupation of Persia
Besættelse, Britisk – i Togo: (Dan.) British occupation of Togo
Besættelse, Britisk – i Tysk Østrafrika: (Dan.) British occupation of German East Africa
Besættelse, Bulgarsk: (Dan.) Bulgarian occupation
Besættelse, Bulgarsk – i Rumænien: (Dan.) Bulgarian occupation of Romania
Besættelse, Dansk: (Dan.) Danish occupation
Besættelse, Finsk: (Dan.) Finnish occupation
Besættelse, Finsk – i Rusland: (Dan.) Finnish occupation of Russia
Besættelse, Fransk: (Dan.) French occupation
Besættelse, Fransk – i Cilicien: (Dan.) French occupation of Cilicia
Besættelse, Fransk – i Kamerun: (Dan.) French occupation of Cameroun
Besættelse, Fransk – i Kastellorizo: (Dan.) French occupation of Castellorizo
Besættelse, Fransk – i Kreta: (Dan.) French occupation of Crete
Besættelse, Fransk – i Rumænien: (Dan.) French occupation of Romania
Besættelse, Fransk – i Syrien: (Dan.) French occupation of Syria
Besættelse, Fransk – i Togo: (Dan.) French occupation of Togo
Besættelse, Fransk – i Tyskland: (Dan.) French occupation of Germany
Besættelse, Fransk – i Ungarn: (Dan.) French occupation of Hungary
Besættelse, Graesk: (Dan.) Greek occupation
Besættelse, Graesk – i Æægiske øer: (Dan.) Greek occupation of the Aegean Islands
Besættelse, Graesk – i Epirus: (Dan.) Greek occupation of Epirus
Besættelse, Graesk – i Trakien: (Dan.) Greek occupation of Thrace
Besættelse, Graesk – i Tyrkiet: (Dan.) Greek occupation of Turkey
Besættelse, Graesk – i Vesttrakien: (Dan.) Greek occupation of Western Thrace
Besættelse, Hollandnsk: (Dan.) Dutch occupation
Besættelse, Italiensk: (Dan.) Italian occupation
Besættelse, Italiensk – i Æægiske øer: (Dan.) Italian occupation of the Aegean Islands
Besættelse, Italiensk – i Abyssinia: (Dan.) Italian occupation of Abysinia ( Ethiopia)
Besættelse, Italiensk – i Dalmatien: (Dan.) Italian occupation of Dalmatia
Besættelse, Italiensk – i Korfu: (Dan.) Italian occupation of Corfu
Besættelse, Italiensk – i Kreta: (Dan.) Italian occupation of Crete
Besættelse, Italiensk – i Østrig: (Dan.) Italian occupation Austria
Besættelse, Japansk – i Hollandsk Indies: (Dan.) Japanese occupation of the Dutch (East) Indies
Besættelse, Litauensk – i Memelområdet: (Dan.) Lithuanian occupation Memel
Besættelse, Japansk: (Dan.) Japanese occupation
Besættelse, Japansk – i Hollandsk Indies: (Dan.) Japanese occupation of the Dutch (East) Indies
Besættelse, Japansk – i Kina: (Dan.) Japanese occupation of China
Besættelse, Japansk – i Korea: (Dan.) Japanese occupation of Korea
Besættelse, Japansk – i Malay: (Dan.) Japanese occupation of Malaya
Besættelse, Japansk – i Manchuriet: (Dan.) Japanese occupation of Manchuria
Besættelse, Japansk – i Philippinerne: (Dan.) Japanese occupation of the Philippines
Besættelse, Kinesisk: (Dan.) Chinese occupation
Besættelse, Kroatiensk: (Dan.) Croatian occupation
Besættelse, Østrigsk: (Dan.) Austrian occupation
Besættelse, Østrigsk – i Italien: (Dan.) Austrian occupation of Italy
Besættelse, Østrigsk – i Montenegro: (Dan.) Austrian occupation of Montenegro
Besættelse, Østrigsk – i Rumænien: (Dan.) Austrian occupation of Romania
Besættelse, Østrigsk – i Serbien: (Dan.) Austrian occupation of Serbia
Besættelse, Portugisisk: (Dan.) Portuguese occupation
Besættelse, Rumæniensk: (Dan.) Romanian occupation
Besættelse, Rumæniensk – i Ungarn: (Dan.) Romanian occupation of Hungary
Besættelse, Rumæniensk – i Vestukraine: (Dan.) Romanian occupation of Western Ukraine
Besættelse, Russisk: (Dan.) Russian occupation
Besættelse, Russisk – i Kreta: (Dan.) Russian occupation of Crete
Besættelse, Russisk – i Letland: (Dan.) Russian occupation of Latvia
Besættelse, Russisk – i Litauen: (Dan.) Russian occupation of Lithuania
Besættelse, Russisk – i Tyskland: (Dan.) Russian occupation of Germany
Besættelse, Serbienisk – i Ungarn: (Dan.) Serbian occupation of Hungary
Besættelse, Spansk: (Dan.) Spanish occupation
Besættelse, Svensk: (Dan.) Swedish occupation
Besættelse, Tyrkisk: (Dan.) Turkish occupation
Besættelse, Tysk: (Dan.) German occupation
Besættelse, Tysk – i Belgien: (Dan.) German occupation of Belgium
Besættelse, Tysk – i Estland: (Dan.) German occupation of Estonia
Besættelse, Tysk – i Frankrig: (Dan.) German occupation of France
Besættelse, Tysk – i Letland: (Dan.) German occupation of Latvia
Besættelse, Tysk – i Litauen: (Dan.) German occupation of Lithuania
Besættelse, Tysk – i Luxemburg: (Dan.) German occupation of Luxembourg
Besættelse, Tysk – i Polen: (Dan.) German occupation of Poland
Besættelse, Tysk – i Rumænien: (Dan.) German occupation of Romania
Besættelse, Tysk – i Rusland: (Dan.) German occupation of Russia
Besættelse, Ungarnsk: (Dan.) Hungarian occupation
Besatzungsausgabe: (Ger.) occupation issue
Besatzungsfeldpost: (Ger.) occupation fieldpost
Besatzung: (Ger.) occupation
Besatzungausgabe: (Ger.) occupation issue
Beschadigd: (Dut.) damaged
Beschädigt: (Ger.) damaged
Beschaffenheit: (Ger.) condition
Bescheinigen: (Ger.) certify, authenticate
Beschnitten: (Ger.) close cut (margins)
beschränkt (German) limited
Beschreibung: (Ger.) description
Beschriftung: (Ger.) inscription
Besetztes gebiet NordFrankreich: (Ger.) overprint handstamp; 1940:on French definitives used by German troops after the British evacuation of Dunkerque
Besetzung: (Ger.) occupation
Besetzung, Albanische: (Ger.) Albanian occupation
Besetzung, Albanische: (Ger.) Albanian occupation
Besetzung, Alliierte: (Ger.) WWII Allied occupation
Besetzung, Amerikanische: (Ger.) United States occupation
Besetzung, Australische: (Ger.) Australian occupation
Besetzung, Belgische: (Ger.) Belgian occupation
Besetzung, Britische: (Ger.) British occupation
Besetzung, Bulgarische: (Ger.) Bulgarian occupation
Besetzung, Chinesische: (Ger.) Chinese occupation
Besetzung, Dänische: (Ger.) Danish occupation
Besetzung, Deutsche: (Ger.) German occupation
Besetzung, Finnische: (Ger.) Finnish occupation
Besetzung, Französisische: (Ger.) French occupation
Besetzung, Griechische: (Ger.) Greek occupation
Besetzung, Indische: (Ger.) Indian occupation
Besetzung, Italianische: (Ger.) Italian occupation
Besetzung, Japanische: (Ger.) Japanese occupation
Besetzung, Jordannische: (Ger.) Jordanian occupation
Besetzung, Litauische: (Ger.) Lithuanian occupation
Besetzung, Österreiche: (Ger.) Austrian occupation
Besetzung, Peruanische: (Ger.) Peruvian occupation
Besetzung, Polnische: (Ger.) Polish occupation
Besetzung, Russische: (Ger.) Russian occupation
Besetzung, Rumänische: (Ger.) Romanian occupation
Besetzung, Serbische: (Ger.) Serbian occupation
Besetzung, Sowjetische: (Ger.) Soviet (USSR) occupation
Besetzung, Spanische: (Ger.) Spanish occupation
Besetzung, Syrische: (Ger.) Syrian occupation
Besetzung, Thailändische: (Ger.) Thai occupation
Besetzung, Tschechoslowakische: V Czechoslovakian occupation
Besetzung, Türkische: V Turkish occupation
Besetzung, Ungarische: V Hungarian occupation
Beskadiget: (Dan., Nor.) damaged
Beskåret: (Dan., Nor.) cut close to stamp design
Beskåret høyre side: (Nor.) cut close on right hand side of stamp design
Beskåret høyre og øvre side: (Nor.) cut close on right hand and top sides of stamp design
Beskåret høyre og nedre side: (Nor.) cut close on right hand and bottom sides of stamp design
Beskåret nedre side: (Nor.) cut close at bottom side of stamp design
Beskåret øvre side: (Nor.) cut close at top side of stamp design
Beskåret venstre side: (Nor.) cut close on left hand side of stamp design
Beskåret venstre og nedre side: (Nor.) cut close on left hand and bottom sides of stamp design
Beskåret venstre og øvre side: (Nor.) cut close on left hand and top sides of stamp design
Beskjeftigelse: (Nor.) occupation
Beskjeftigelse, Allierad: (Nor.) Allied Forces occupation
Beskjeftigelse, Allierad – på Azerbaidjan: (Nor.) WWI Allied Forces occupation of Azerbaijan
Beskjeftigelse, Allierad – på Trakien: (Nor.) WWI Allied Forces occupation of Thrace
Beskjeftigelse, Albansk: (Nor.) Albanian occupation
Beskjeftigelse, Amerikansk: (Nor.) American occupation, United States occupation
Beskjeftigelse, Amerikansk – av Tyskland: (Nor.) American occupation of Germany, United States occupation of Germany
Beskjeftigelse, Australisk: (Nor.) Australian occupation
Beskjeftigelse, Australisk – av Japan: (Nor.) Australian occupation of Japan
Beskjeftigelse, Belgisk: (Nor.) Belgian occupation
Beskjeftigelse, Belgisk – i Tyskland: (Nor.) Belgian occupation of Germany
Beskjeftigelse, Belgisk – i Tysk Østafrika: (Nor.) Belgian occupation of German East Africa
Beskjeftigelse, Bolivisk: (Nor.) Bolivian occupation
Beskjeftigelse, Britisk: (Nor.) British occupation
Beskjeftigelse, Britisk – av Batum: (Nor n.) British occupation of Batum
Beskjeftigelse, Britisk – av Bushire: (Nor.) British occupation of Bushire
Beskjeftigelse, Britisk – av Irak: (Nor.) British occupation of Iraq
Beskjeftigelse, Britisk – av Kamerun: (Nor.) British occupation of Cameroun
Beskjeftigelse, Britisk – av Kreta: (Nor.) British occupation of Crete
Beskjeftigelse, Britisk – av Mesopotamien: (Nor.) British occupation of Mesopotamia
Beskjeftigelse, Britisk – av Oransje Elv Kolonie: (Nor.) British occupation of Orange River Colony
Beskjeftigelse, Britisk – av Palestinien: (Nor.) British occupation of Palestine
Beskjeftigelse, Britisk – av Persien: (Nor.) British occupation of Persia
Beskjeftigelse, Britisk – av Togo: (Nor.) British occupation of Togo
Beskjeftigelse, Britisk – av Tysk Østrafrika: (Dan.) British occupation of German East Africa
Beskjeftigelse, Bulgarisk: (Nor.) Bulgarian occupation
Beskjeftigelse, Bulgarisk – av Rumanien: (Nor.) Bulgarian occupation of Romania
Beskjeftigelse, Dansk: (Nor.) Danish occupation
Beskjeftigelse, Finsk: (Nor.) Finnish occupation
Beskjeftigelse, Finsk – av Russland: (Nor.) Finnish occupation of Russia
Beskjeftigelse, Fransk: (Nor.) French occupation
Beskjeftigelse, Fransk – av Cilicien: (Nor.) French occupation of Cilicia
Beskjeftigelse, Fransk – av Kamerun: (Nor.) French occupation of Cameroun
Beskjeftigelse, Fransk – av Kastellorizo: (Nor.) French occupation of Castellorizo
Beskjeftigelse, Fransk – av Kreta: (Nor.) French occupation of Crete
Beskjeftigelse, Fransk – av Rumania: (Nor.) French occupation of Romania
Beskjeftigelse, Fransk – av Syrien: (Nor.) French occupation of Syria
Beskjeftigelse, Fransk – av Togo: (Nor.) French occupation of Togo
Beskjeftigelse, Fransk – av Tyskland: (Nor.) French occupation of Germany
Beskjeftigelse, Fransk – av Ungarn: (Nor.) French occupation of Hungary
Beskjeftigelse, Grekisk: (Nor.) Greek occupation
Beskjeftigelse, Grekisk – av Æægiske øy : (Nor.) Greek occupation of the Aegean Islands
Beskjeftigelse, Grekisk – av Epirus: (Nor.) Greek occupation of Epirus
Beskjeftigelse, Grekisk – av Trakien: (Nor.) Greek occupation of Thrace
Beskjeftigelse, Grekisk – av Tyrkia: (Nor.) Greek occupation of Turkey
Beskjeftigelse, Grekisk – av Vesttrakien: (Nor.) Greek occupation of Western Thrace
Beskjeftigelse, Hollandsk: (Nor.) Dutch occupation
Beskjeftigelse, Italiensk: (Nor.) Italian occupation
Beskjeftigelse, Italiensk – av Æægiske øy: (Nor.) Italian occupation of the Aegean Islands
Beskjeftigelse, Italiensk – av Abyssinia: (Nor.) Italian occupation of Abyssinia (Ethiopia)
Beskjeftigelse, Italiensk – av Dalmatia: (Nor.) Italian occupation of Dalmatia
Beskjeftigelse, Italiensk – av Korfu: (Nor.) Italian occupation of Corfu
Beskjeftigelse, Italiensk – av Kreta: (Nor.) Italian occupation of Crete
Beskjeftigelse, Italiensk – av Østerrike: (Nor.) Italian occupation Austria
Beskjeftigelse, Japansk: (Nor.) Japanese occupation
Beskjeftigelse, Japansk – av Filippinerna: (Nor.) Japanese occupation of the Philippines
Beskjeftigelse, Japansk – av Hollandsk Indien: (Nor.) Japanese occupation of the Dutch (East) Indies
Beskjeftigelse, Japansk – av Kina: (Nor.) Japanese occupation of China
Beskjeftigelse, Japansk – av Korea: (Nor.) Japanese occupation of Korea
Beskjeftigelse, Japansk – av Malaj: (Nor.) Japanese occupation of Malaya
Beskjeftigelse, Japansk – av Manchuriet: (Nor.) Japanese occupation of Manchuria
Beskjeftigelse, Kinesisk: (Nor.) Chinese occupation
Beskjeftigelse, Kroatisk: (Nor.) Croatian occupation
Beskjeftigelse, Litauisk – av Memelområdet: (Nor.) Lithuanian occupation Memel
Beskjeftigelse, Østerrikisk: (Nor.) Austrian occupation
Beskjeftigelse, Østerrikisk – av Italia: (Nor.) Austrian occupation of Italy
Beskjeftigelse, Østerrikisk – av Montenegro: (Nor.) Austrian occupation of Montenegro
Beskjeftigelse, Østerrikisk – av Rumania: (Nor.) Austrian occupation of Romania
Beskjeftigelse, Østerrikisk – av Serbien: (Nor.) Austrian occupation of Serbia
Beskjeftigelse, Portugisisk: (Nor.) Portuguese occupation
Beskjeftigelse, Rumænsk: (Nor.) Romanian occupation
Beskjeftigelse, Rumænsk – av Ungarn: (Nor.) Romanian occupation of Hungary
Beskjeftigelse, Rumænsk – av Vestukraine: (Nor.) Romanian occupation of Western Ukraine
Beskjeftigelse, Russisk: (Nor.) Russian occupation
Beskjeftigelse, Russisk – av Kreta: (Nor.) Russian occupation of Crete
Beskjeftigelse, Russisk – av Lettland: (Nor.) Russian occupation of Latvia
Beskjeftigelse, Russisk – av Litauen: (Nor.) Russian occupation of Lithuania
Beskjeftigelse, Russisk – av Tyskland: (Nor.) Russian occupation of Germany
Beskjeftigelse, Serbisk – av Ungarn: (Nor.) Serbian occupation of Hungary
Beskjeftigelse, Spansk: (Nor.) Spanish occupation
Beskjeftigelse, Svensk: (Nor.) Swedish occupation
Beskjeftigelse, Tyrkisk: (Nor.) Turkish occupation
Beskjeftigelse, Tysk: (Nor.) German occupation
Beskjeftigelse, Tysk – av Belgia: (Nor.) German occupation of Belgium
Beskjeftigelse, Tysk – av Estland: (Nor.) German occupation of Estonia
Beskjeftigelse, Tysk – av Frankrike: (Nor.) German occupation of France
Beskjeftigelse, Tysk – av Letland: (Nor.) German occupation of Latvia
Beskjeftigelse, Tysk – av Litauen: (Nor.) German occupation of Lithuania
Beskjeftigelse, Tysk – av Luxemburg: (Nor.) German occupation of Luxembourg
Beskjeftigelse, Tysk – av Polen: (Nor.) German occupation of Poland
Beskjeftigelse, Tysk – av Rumania: (Nor.) German occupation of Romania
Beskjeftigelse, Tysk – av Russland: (Nor.) German occupation of Russia
Beskjeftigelse, Ungersk: (Nor.) Hungarian occupation
Besondere: (Ger.) special
Bessarabia: bogus Russian overprint
Besser: (Ger.) better grade
Bestand: (Ger.) stock
Bestätigungsstempel: (Ger.) cancel confirming mode of transportation and/or postal performance; such as per airmail, or flight delayed
Bestemmende: (Nor.) definitive
Bestruket Papper: (Swed.) coated paper
Beta: Denmark; 1870-85: name given to flaws in bicolored stamps
Betera: local, Spanish civil war, Republican forces, 1937
Betrag: (Ger.) amount
Betschuanaland: (Ger.) Bechuanaland
Bewerten: (Ger.) to estimate, to price
Bexar: (Sp.) now San Antonio, Texas
Bexhill Delivery: United Kingdom strike local post, 1971
Beyrouth: overprint for Beirut, Offices in Turkey; 1873-1914: stamps of Great Britain postmarked, 1905: French Levant overprint stamp plus surcharge, 1909: overprint on stamps of Russia, Levant, Offices in the Turkish Empire, now Beirut, Lebanon
Bez: (Pol.) without
Béz: (Hung.) beige (color), drapp
Bezahlt: (Ger.) paid
Bezeichnung: (Ger.) designation, name
Bezirk: (Ger.) district
Bezirksaufdruck: (Ger.) district, local overprint
Bezirksgericht: (Ger.) Austrian court fee revenue stamp
Bezirkshandstempel: (Ger.) local hand surcharge
Bezirksmarke (HOPS): (Ger.) hand overprinted stamp cancelled for Russian occupation zone
Bezirkspostamt: (Ger.) district post office
Bez kleju: (Pol.) ungummed
Bez lepu: (Czech.) 1. unused, no gum. 2. regummed
Bézovy: (Czech.) beige (color)
Bez podlepki: (Pol.) never hinged
BF: 1:Belgian franc, currency; 2: Burkina Faso, country code as used by UPU
B. F.: (Fr.) French Post Office postmark
BFAL Fireside Post: United Kingdom strike local post, 1971
B.F.K. watermark seen on French-area artist’s die proofs
BFM: British Fleet Mail
BFMO: British Fleet Mail Office
B.F.P.O.: British Forces Post Office
BFPS: British Forces Postal Service
BG: Benjamin Goldsworthy, BEP employee initials, 1906-1928; Plate Finisher, Siderographer
B.G.: 1: Botanical Garden, South Australia official overprint, 1868-74; 2: (It.) inscription, Bollo Gazzatte, newspaper tax stamps for Modena. 3. precedes the European postal code on addresses in Bulgaria, such as BG-1000 Sofia
B-Gate: Bishopsgate Receiving House, London Penny Post
B G D: (Bureau Grand Ducal) Duchy of Berg, Lubeck, postmark, 1806-Aug. 1808
B Grill: grill used on US stamps in the 19th century
B. Guiana: inscription on stamps for British Guiana
BH: international postal code for Bosnia-Hercegovina
Bhangies: Indian States term for parcel post service
B. H. M. A. V. : Mongolia
Bhopal: Feudatory State in India; 1876: No.1, 1/4 anna black; issued local use stamps, 1903-pre: inscription: H. H. Nawab Shah Jahan Begam, 1903: separate stamps discontinued, 1908, July 1: first official stamp issued, 1950, Apr. 1: official stamps replaced by stamps of the Republic of India
Bhor: India Feudatory State, Bombay, British India; 1879: No.1, ½ anna carmine; first stamps, 1895: state post offices closed, 1901: stamps supplied to collectors as mint or used, 1902: used stamps of India
Bhoutan: (Fr.) Bhutan
bHP: (Cyrillic) cinderella, Belarusian National Rada (council)
Bhutan: kingdom in the Eastern Himalayas; currency: 100 chetrum = 1 ngultrum 1910: became British protectorate, 1949: became independent, 1955, Jan. 1: first stamps were fiscals, but validated for internal postal use, stamps of India required for external mailings, 1962, May: first stamps, covers usually also bore stamps of India, Tibet or China for external use, 1962, Oct.10: No.1 2 chetrun red/gray; first stamp issued, Bhutan stamps valid for international mail, 1964, Mar.: first semipostal stamp issued, 1967, Jan. 10: first air mail stamp issued, 1969, March 7: joined the UPU, 1973: issued the famous phonograph record stamps, and stamps with a scent
B. I.: British India
BI: 1: auction abbreviation for bisect topic or theme; 2: Burundi, country code as used by UPU. 3. letter-code within cds (q.v.) assigned to Biabou, St. Vincent, BWI (1873-1883), 1871 pop.56
B I A: Bureau Issues Association, USA, see: USSS
Biafra: overprint, part of Nigeria; 1967, May 30: proclaimed independent Republic of Biafra during civil war, 1968, Feb. 5: first internal stamps of revolutionary forces, later on external mail via air from Libreville, 1968: first semipostal stamps issued, 1970, Jan. 9: Nigerian stamps used, revolution over
Bialy(o), Bialawy(o): (Pol.) white, whitish (color)
Bialystok: province in northern Poland; 1916: German military commander issued local stamps
Bianco: (It.) white (color)
Bible Cover: Iceland cover with 22 Official 8-skilling stamps (20 in one block) from 1873 found in a bible
Bíbor: (Hung.) purple (color)
Bíboivsörö: (Hung.) magenta (color)
Bíbor: (Hung.) magenta (color)
Bicentenaire: (Fr.) bicentenary
Bicentenaire de Port-au-Prince: (Fr.) Haiti bicentenary
Bicentenario de Talco: (Sp.) Chile, Talco postal tax
Bicentennial: two hundredth anniversary; 1976: America celebrated its 200th birthday
Bicester Post: United Kingdom strike local post, 1971
Bicolor: a stamp printed or otherwise produced in two colors
Bicolored envelope: Nesbitt envelopes printed in two colors for USPO requirements, 1861
Bicolored postmarks: Millpoint, N.Y, inking pad was divided half red, half violet, with dividing line, 1885
Bicycle mail: operated with local stamps by themselves or with stamp of the country; 1890s: Western Australia as the Coolgardie Cycle Express, 1909: Mafeking, Boer War, 1918: South Africa. 1945: Amiens, France: Vaduz, Liechtenstein and Switzerland, 1953: Northern Italy
Bicycle Mail Route: U. S. local post; 1894, between Fresno and San Francisco, Calif
Bicycle posts: postal service operated by means of bicycle delivery
Bid (opening): first, or opening bid at an auction; Ausgebot, Angebot (Ger.), Enchere (Debut) (Fr.), Offerta (Iniziale) (It.), Oferta (inicial) (Sp.)
Bid book: auction house data book composed of bids submitted by absentee bidders on the lots offered at auction, with the bid book being maintained manually or by electronic means
Bidding against the ceiling, curtains: practice designed to artificially create higher realization for an auction lot by “accepting” bids from non-existent bidders
Bidding circle: a group composed of two or more participants agreeing either not to bid against each other during a public auction, or to keep bids below a certain pre-agreed amount; also known as crossing off
Bidding increments: series of regular increasing currency intervals called by the auctioneer during the bidding process for a lot
Bidding paddle: card or similar item with a number assigned specifically for the bidder registered with the auctioneer, and used during the auction to denote active participation in the bidding procedures during the sale; permits early recording by an auctioneer of winning bidder
Bid rigging: collusion among two or more dealers to withhold bids and permit one of their group to big for group and obtain material at a lower price, then the material is resold among the group’s members
Bid sheet: mail order form with bids for a upcoming auction
Bid shielding: a situation where two bidders collude where one buyer bids low, the other buyer bids very high to scare off other potential bidders; seconds before the Internet auction ends, the high bid is withdrawn, and the partner wins the lot by default
B I E: vertical overprint; 1946: Bureau International d’Education, Switzerland
Bieden: (Dut.) to bid (at an auction)
Biedformulier: (Dut.) bid sheet
Bielefeld: local, Germany 1898-1900
Biélorussie: (Fr.) Belarus
Bielozersk: Russian town in Novgorod Oblast; issued numerous local Rural Post stamps (1868-1918), Zemstvo
Bien centré: (Fr.) well-centered
Bienenkorbstempel: (Ger.) beehive cancel
Bienfaisance (timbre de): (Fr.) charity stamps: stamps sold at more than the inscribed face value, with the difference between the face value and the selling price used for charity work; these are often called semi-postal stamps
Bietempfehlung: (Ger.) suggested bid
Bieten: (Ger.) to bid (at an auction)
Bieter: (Ger.) bidder
Bigello: (It.) beige, grayish-tan color
Bigelow’s Express: private mail serviced Boston to Canada; used a corner card, and labels; 1846-53
Biggin Hill Free Post: United Kingdom strike local post, 1971
Big Head: current name: Black Jack
Big Mail: until 1772, Austrian postal system term for incoming foreign mail
Bijawar: India Feudatory State; 1935: issued local use stamps, 1939: separate stamps discontinued, replaced by stamps of India
Bijzonderevluchten: (Dut.) inscription; 1933: airmail issue
Bilateral Treaty: postal treaty between two nations on international mail
Bilá, Bíly: (Czech.) white (color)
Bilbao: local overprint, Spanish civil war, Nationalist and Republican forces, 1937
Bilbes: Egypt, see: Interpostal seals, 1867-1880
Bildfrei gestempelt: (Ger.) cancelled not to touch stamp design as requested by topicalists
Bild: (Ger.) image (printed area of a stamp)
Bildgrösse: (Ger.) size of design
Bildnis: (Ger.) portrait, illustration
Bildpostkarte: (Ger.) picture postal card
Bildpostkarte mit Eingedruckter Marke: (Ger.) picture postal card with imprinted stamp
Bildseite: (Ger.) face or picture of stamp
Bilhete: (Port.) postal card
Billet de Banque: (Fr.) Bank note, paper money
Bilingual: two languages on the same stamp
Bilingual pairs: pair of stamps on which the inscription is in one language on one of the stamps, and in another language on the other stamp; common with stamps of South Africa
Bilingue: (Fr., It.) bilingual, two languages on the same stamp
Bilingüe: (Sp.) bilingual, two languages on the same stamp
Billets de port payé: (Fr.) slips (of paper) for postage paid, sold in monasteries, courthouses, colleges and prisons in Paris, France, 1653 by Renouard de Villayer, who used an adhesive postage stamp for prepaid postage, and had street corner posting-boxes service ended due to vandalism to the boxes
Billigst: (Ger.) cheapest
Billigung: (Ger.) approval
Bill Nyans: (Swed.) cheapest shade (color)
Bilpostur: (Ice.) bus transport
Binit Bicska: overprint on stamps of Hungary for Banat, district of Hungary; 1919: stamps of Hungary for Serbian Occupation, 1919, July: Serbian troops withdrew, area divided between Romania and Yugoslavia
B. I. O. T. : British Indian Ocean Territory; 1968: overprint on stamps of Seychelles
Bipaket: (Swed.) parcel post
Bipartido: (Port.) bisected
Bipartite stamps: stamps printed in two parts with one part meant to be used as postage and the other as a receipt of mailing
Bird: Czechoslovakia newspaper stamps, spread wing bird design
Birket-el-Sabh: Egypt, see: Interpostal seals, 1864-1884
Birlesik Kirallik: (Turk.) Great Britain
Birks Circular Dist.: United Kingdom strike local post, 1971
Birmania: (Sp.) Burma
Birmanie: (Fr.) Burma
Birmingham City Centre: United Kingdom strike local post, 1971
Birmingham Private Post: United Kingdom strike local post, 1971
Birobidzhan: cinderella local, former Soviet-Jewish republic in Southern Siberia, 1993
Birthday cover: covers or postcards postmarked on the date of a birthday
“Birth Prince Henry”: 1984 surcharge on stamps of Aitutaki
Bis: (Sp.) used in addresses where two houses have the same address to alert mailman to check name of recipient
Bisagra: (Sp.) stamp hinge or mount
Bisbal del Panades: local, Spanish civil war, Republican forces, 1937
Biscay: Spanish Basque province; 1873: Carlist stamps, with Don Carlos’ portrait
Biseccionado: (Sp.) bisected
Bisect: stamp cut in half which has been used to pay the postage at half the face value of the original stamp; the bisect should becollected on the original cover with the postmark or cancellation covering the cut
Bisectado, partido en dos: (Sp.) see: Bisect
Bisecto: (Sp.) bisected stamp
Bishop, Henry: appointed British postmaster general by Oliver Cromwell, 1660-63, and continued in that position during the Restoration and the accession of Charles II
Bishop Mark: first dated postmark of Great Britain indicating day and month; 1661, about: Henry Bishop initiated form of a circle divided horizontally by a line with the month abbreviated to two letters in top half and day of the month in the lower half
Bishop’s City Post: U. S. local post, Cleveland, Ohio, 1848-51, see: Carriers’ Stamps
Bishop’s Stortford: United Kingdom strike local post, 1971
Bisseto: (Port.) bisect
Bisseção, Bissetor: (Port.) bisect, bisecting
Bister: (Eng., Ger.) dark brown, yellow brown (color)
Bistra-Post: Romania – Bistra Local Post
Bistre: (Fr., Sp.) dark brown bister, yellow brown (color)
Bistro: (It.) dark brown (color)
Bistru: (Rom.) bistre, yellowish-brown (color), Brun-galbui
Bistru-oliv: (Rom.) bistre-olive, yellowish-brown olive (color)
Bit: name of part that is affixed to a roller impressing into the newly formed paper, making the watermark
Bite: the impression of design lines into the paper
B. I. T.-OCT. 1930: Bureau International du Travail overprint;1: 1930: Belgium, International Labor Bureau; 2: 1938: Switzerland
Bitola: formerly Monastir, Yugoslavia
Bixcaia: (Sp.) early form of “Vizcaya” one of the Basque Provinces
Bizonals: stamps issued in the Anglo-American zones of occupied Germany, 1945-49
Bizone, Bizonia: American and British Zones of Occupation
BJ: Benin, country code as used by UPU
Bjælkenummerstempel: (Dan.) numerical oblit cancellation with bars
B. J. & Co., (Barber, Jones & Co.): private die match proprietary stamps
BJ de F: (Bureau Imperial de France) Duchy of Berg, Lubeck, postmark, c1806-Aug. 180
Bjorneborg: now Pori, Finland
Bjorn oya: bogus Bear Island local post
Bjuda: (Swed.) to bid (at an auction)
BK: booklet, Scott Catalogue number prefix
B K C: airmail booklets, Scott Catalogue number prefix
Bklt: abbreviation for booklet
BKM: auction term abbreviation for Brookman Catalog
Bkstp(d): abbreviation for backstamp(ed); see: Backstamp
Bl: (Ger.) catalog abbreviation for blue (blau) overprint or surcharge
BL: abbreviation for Bolaffi, Italian catalogue firm
Blå: (Dan., Nor., Swed.) blue (color)
Blaa: (Dan.) blue (color)
Blåakt Grå: (Swed.) bluish-grey (color)
Blåakt Grön: (Swed.) bluish-green (color)
Blåaktig grønngrå: (Dan., Nor.) bluish green-grey (color)
Blåakt Lila: (Swed.) bluish-lilac (color)
Blåakt Mörkgrön-grön: (Swed.) bluish dark green-green (color)
Blåakt purpur: (Swed.) bluish-purple (color)
Blåakt violett: (Swed.) bluish-violet (color)
Black: the darkest color
Bläck: (Swed.) ink
Black bar: marking printed next to the arrows on sheets of British stamps with phosphor bands to help in checking supplies
Black Blot: American Philatelic Society program; 1962-79: offered guidance on the world’s new stamp issues as to what issues they considered as unnecessary
Black border: on the King Alexander memorial issue of Yugoslavia, 1934
Black Flag Republic: Formosa, Japanese seceding state, 1895
Black Hardings: nickname for the mourning stamps issued in 1923 for the death of President William Harding
Black Heritage: U.S. stamps honoring Black Americans, started in 1978
Black Honduras: black overprint and surcharge for newly established airmail route; 1915-16: Honduras, only two copies known to exist
Black Jack: nickname given to the US 2c issue of 1863 showing Andrew Jackson’s head, printed in black
Bläckmakulerad: (Swed.) pen canceled
Black on color: used to describe an issue printed in black on colored paper with the actual color indicated being the color of the paper
Black-out cancel: Canadian censored postmark used in port cities during WW II
Black plates: plates originally used for the 1840 Penny Black, later used for the 1d red stamps
Blackpool and Fylde: United Kingdom strike local post, 1971
Black print: 1: proofs of stamps pulled in black, not color of the issued stamp, from the actual printing plates: used for press releases. 2: Greenland: stamp-like labels, engraved by Slania and Rosing, sold by postal authorities to raise money for stamp shows
Blackwell-Weilandy Book & Stationary Co.: private merchandise delivery serviced St.Louis, MO., used a label, year unknown
Blad, Bledy: (Pol.) error, errors
Blad (bledy) Pozorne: (Pol.) apparent color error(s) on a postage stamp that can be easily tampered with (e.g., missing silver color), to be purchased only with an expert’s guarantee
Blæk: (Dan.) ink
Blækannullering: (Dan.) pen cancellation
Blåfiolett: (Nor.) blue-violet (color)
Blagoveshchensk: Far Eastern Republic; 1921: stamp issue
Blågrå : (Dan., Nor.) blue-grey (color)
Blågrön: (Swed.) blue-green, emerald-green (color); see Smaragdgrön
Blågrøn: (Dan.) blue-green (color)
Blå-grönakt Blå: (Swed.) blue-greenish blue (color)
Blagronn: (Nor.) cobalt (color)
Blågrønn: (Nor.) blue-green (color)
Blair, Montgomery: United States Postmaster General, 1862, Aug. 4: suggested a conference on international mail handling that led to the formation of the Universal Postal Union
Blålig: (Dan., Nor.) bluish (color)
Blåliggrøn: (Dan.) bluish-green (color)
Blåliggrå: (Dan.) bluish-grey (color)
Blåliglilla: (Dan.) bluish-lilac (color)
Blåligpurpur: (Dan.) bluish-purple (color)
Blåligviolet: (Dan.) bluish-violet (color)
Blålila: (Swed.) blue-lilac (color)
Blå-ljusblå: (Swed.) blue-light blue (color)
Blanc: (Fr.) white (color)
Blanca: local, Spanish civil war, Republican forces, 1937
Blanco: (Port., Sp.) white (color)
Blanco Karte: (Ger.) blank cover, with stamp affixed, to be postmarked for special occassions
Blanc type: French stamp design in 1900, named after designer, Joseph Blanc
Blandad: (Swed.) mixed
Blandet: (Dan.) commercial cover
Blanefield Strike Post: United Kingdom strike local post, 1971
Blanes: local, Spanish civil war, Republican forces, 1937
Blånet: (Dan.) blued (color)
Blank (envelope): individual sheet of paper cut from the sheet by the knife in the envelope manufacturing stage; also known as shape
Blanket: 1: papermaking term for the belt that carries newly formed paper; 2: rubber sheet used on offset presses to transfer the impression from the plate to paper
Blase im Gummi: (Ger.) bubble in gum
Blåskifer: (Dan.) blue-slate (color)
Blason: (Fr.) stamp with arms design
Blåsort: (Dan.) blue-black (color)
Blass: (Ger.) pale (color)
Blatt (German) sheet
Blattalbum: (Ger.) page for album
Blattenden (German) margins, ends of sheet
Blattpapier: (Ger.) sheet
Blått påtryck: (Swed.) blue surcharge
Blau, bl.: (Ger.) blue (color)
Blaue Karte: (Ger.) blue card from United Nations-Geneva; UN-Vienna has a white card; UN-New York has a green card
Blaugel: (Ger.) commercial product to prevent stamps from adhering to album pages due to moisture absorption
blaugrau (German) blue-grey
blaugrün (German) blue-green
Blå-ultramarin: (Swed.) blue-ultramarine (color)
blaßultramarin (German) pale ultramarine
bläulich (German) bluish
bläulichgrau (German) bluish grey
bläulichgrun (German) bluish green
bläulichviolett (German) bluish violet
bläurötlich (German) maroon
blauschiefer (German) blue-slate
blauviolett (German) deep violet, blue-violet
Blauw: (Neth.) blue (color)
Blauwgroen: (Neth.) bluish-green (color)
Blåviolett: (Swed.) blue-violet (color)
Blazon: (Rom.) coat-of-arms
B L C I: Urdu language inscription on corners of stamps; 1800s-1900s: Feudatory State of Bhopal, India
B.L. Co.: Ben Levy, US cancel or revenue stamp overprint for face powder product, 1914-16
BLDG: USPS abbreviation for building
Bleached: use of a chemical agent to lighten or remove a discoloration or foreign substance from a stamp
Bleacher: U.S. Navy code name during WW II for Tonga
Blechdosepost: (Ger.) Tin Can Mail
Bledny: (Pol.) faulty
Bledy: (Czech.) pale (stamp color)
Bleeding: color that runs when immersed in water: also printing of design that overlaps onto the margin or next attached stamp
Bleg: (Dan.) pale (as referencing the color of a postage stamp)
Blegblå: (Dan.) pale blue, light blue (color)
Blegbrun: (Dan.) pale brown, light brown (color)
Bleggrå: (Dan.) light gray (color)
Bleggrøn: (Dan.) pale green, light green (color)
Bleggul: (Dan.) pale yellow, light yellow (color)
Bleglila: (Dan.) pale lilac, light lilac(color)
Blegorange: (Dan.) pale orange, light orange (color)
Blegpurpur: (Dan.) pale purple, light purple (color)
Blegrød: (Dan.) pale red, light red (color)
Blegrosa: (Dan.) pale rose, light rose (color)
Blegrosarød: (Dan.) pale rose-red, light rose-red (color)
Blegviolet: (Dan.) pale violet, light violet (color)
Blek: 1. (Dan.) ink. 2. (Nor., Swed.) pale (as referencing the color of a postage stamp)
Blekblå: (Nor., Swed.) pale blue (color)
Blek blåakt grön: (Swed.) pale bluish-green (color)
Blek blåliggrønn: (Nor.) pale bluish-green, light bluish-green (color)
Blek blågrön: (Swed.) pale blue-green (color)
Blekbrun: (Nor., Swed.) pale brown, light brown (color)
Bleket: (Nor.) faded
Blekfiolett: (Nor.) pale violet, light violet (color)
Blekgrå: (Nor., Swed.) pale grey, light grey (color)
Blekgrønn: (Nor.) pale green, light bgreen (color)
Blekgrön: (Swed.) pale green (color)
Blekgul: (Nor., Swed.) pale yellow, light yellow (color)
Blekitney(o): (Pol.) sky blue (color)
Blekk: (Nor.) ink
Blekkannullering: (Nor.) pen cancellation
Bleklila: (Swed.) pale lilac (color)
Bleklilla: (Nor.) pale lilac, light lilac (color)
Blekmosegrønn: (Nor.) pale moss-green (color)
Blekolivengrønn: (Nor.) pale olive-green, light olive-green (color)
Blekorange: (Swed.) pale orange (color)
Blekröd: (Swed.) pale red (color)
Blekrosa: (Nor., Swed.) pale rose, light rose (color)
Blekorange: (Swed.) pale orange (color)
Blekorangeröd: (Swed.) pale orange-red (color)
Blekoransje: (Nor.) pale orange, light orange (color)
Blekpurpur (Nor., Swed.) pale purple, light purple (color)
Blekpurpurpurrød (Nor., Swed.) pale purple-red (color)
Blekrød: (Nor.) pale red, light red (color)
Blekröd: (Swed.) pale red (color)
Blekrosa: (Nor, Swed.) pale rose, light rose (color)
Blekrosarød: (Nor.) pale rose-red, light rose-red (color)
Blekrosaröd: (Swed.) pale rose-red, light rose-red (color)
Blekviolett: (Swed.) pale violet (color)
Bleu: (Fr.) blue (color)
Bleues: (Fr.) “blues” stamps of classic France
Bleu-foncé: (Fr.) dark blue
Bleuté: (Fr.) paper that has unintentionally turned blue; found on early British issues
Blinddruck: (Ger.) albino, print with no ink
Blind perforation: perforation holes that have been lightly impressed into the stamps, leaving the paper intact, but considered as cut
Blind stamp: a stamp with no mention of its country of origin; many revenue stamps fall into this category
Blindtakking : (Nor.) blind perforations (perforator impressing but not penetrating paper)
Blindtakning: (Dan.) blind perforations
Blindtryk: (Dan.) albino printing (printed without designated inking)
Blindtrykk : (Nor.) albino printing (printed without designated inking)
Blindzähnung: (Ger.) perforation that was not punched out completely
Blister, gum: may be caused by excessive heat in gumming process, leaves areas of ungummed paper
Blister, photographic: flaw from a defect in the photographic plate or film resulting in trapping of air or fluid
Blitz perforation: perforations changed from De La Rue to Waterlows; 1936-43: New Zealand stamp series; due to the Blitzkrieg air raids on London
Blizzard mail: U.S. local post, New York, N.Y., March 12-16, 1888, operated during blizzard
Bljesak: bogus labels for Jugoslavia
Blk: abbreviation for block of stamps, quantity in block should be quoted
Bloating: an early philatelic term used for exhibitors who display several copies of the same stamp because it is rare
Bloc: (Fr.) block, souvenir sheet (of stamps)
Bloc avec numero de planche: (Fr.) plate block
Blocco: (It.) block, souvenir sheet (of stamps)
Blocco con numero di lastra: (It.) plate block
Blocco di quattro: (It.) an unseparated group, or block, of four stamps
Bloc commémoratif: (Fr.) souvenir sheet
Bloc de patru marci: (Rom.) block-of-4 postage stamps
Bloc de quatre: (Fr.) an unseparated group of four stamps
Bloc-feuillet: (Fr.) sheet of a stamp or stamps, surrounded with a paper margin issued for a specific event or purpose, souvenir sheet
Bloch, Herbert J.: (1907-87) received every top philatelic honor, best known for his ability as an expert
Block: 1: (Ger.) block, souvenir sheet (of stamps); 2: an unseparated group of stamps; if the block is larger than four stamps, it is referred to as a block of six, block of eight, etc. 3: Michel 2001 catalogue considers blocks (souvenir sheets/miniature sheets) and sheetlets as items containing one, two or three stamps; four to six stamp are blocks, provided three of the stamps are different; items with the same four stamps are blocks when said stamp also appears at the same time in a sheet. 4. (Swed.) miniature sheet
Blockade-run mail: US Civil War postal route between Europe and the Confederate States
Block, arrow: block with attached margin with arrow; see: arrow block
Blockausgabe: (Ger.) miniature sheet or sheetlet issue
Blockbusting: breaking stamp multiples to yield singles that are well-centered or have full never-hinged gum
Block, center gutter: block including two wide spaces separating the printed sheet into panes
Block, center line: block with center lines and point of crossing
Block, corner: one of four corners, usually with plate number where the margin is attached to the stamps, on rotary press, not flat plate in the U.S
Blocked value: one value in each set of stamps issued by the German Democratic Republic; 1955-1982: the sale of which was restricted to control the philatelic traffic in these stamps, prevent speculation and and maintain a high sales value
Blockform: (Ger.) miniature sheet format
Block, irregular: block, not square, but description must contain number of stamps in block
Block, line: contains either vertical or horizontal guide lines
Bloco Comemorativo: (Port.) souvenir sheet
Block of four, imperforate within: blocks that are perforated on all outside edges, but are missing perforations within the block, sometimes done intentionally
Bloc report: (Fr.) block of stamp clichés from a small plate or stone, used to replicate a full plate (Bordeaux issue)
Block tagged: tagging applied on a stamp in a rectangle that does not touch the perforations
Block, traffic lights: block with attached margin showing color checks
Block type: a plain squared type without ornament
Bloco: (Port.) block
Bloco comemorativo: (Port.) souvenir sheet
Bloco do quatro: (Port.) an unseparated group of four stamps
Blocque con numero de plancha: (Sp.) plate block
Bloc Report: (Fr.) block of clichés of stamps from a small plate or stone, used to replicate a full plate (Bordeaux issue)
Blodrød: (Dan., Nor.) blood red (color)
Blog: a web site made up of a personal journal characterized by a conversational writing style
Blok: (Dan., Dut., Pol.) block (of stamps)
Blokados Fondui: (Lith.) Blockade Fund semiofficial label issued by Lithuania post office
Blokk: 1. (Nor.) block (of stamps). 2. (Hung.) souvenir sheet
Blokken van 4(vier) Zegels: (Neth.) block-of-4 postage stamps
Blomme: (Dan.) plum (color)
Blonie: city in German-occupied Russian Poland, local post overprint, 1918-20
Blood’s Penny Post: U. S. local post, Philadelphia Despatch Post, Philadelphia, Pa. 1843: operated by Robertson & Co., predecessor of D.O. Blood & Co
Blood’s Penny Post: U. S. local post, D.O. Blood & Co. Despatch Post, Phil., Pa., 1845-54; formed by Daniel Otis Blood and Walter H. Blood, successor to Philadelphia Despatch Post. Blood’s Penny Post: U. S. local post, Philadelphia, Pa., 1855-60: acquired by Blood’s Penny Post general manager, Charles Kochersperger, when Daniel O. Blood died
B. L. P.: (It.) overprint semi-postal with advertisements sold to benefit invalids; 1901-22: Buste Lettere Postali, Italy
Bloque: (Sp.) block, souvenir sheet (of stamps)
Bloque de cuatro: (Sp.) an unseparated group of four stamps
Blow, W.T.: inscription on Medicine stamp; Private die proprietary stamps
Blu: (Sp.) blue (color)
Blu-chiaro: (It.) light blue (color)
Blu di Prussia: (It.) Prussian blue (color)
Blu Savoia: (It.) royal blue (color)
Blu Scuro: (It.) dark blue (color)
Blue: having the color of a clear sky, or the deep sea
Bluebell Railway: British railway that printed stamps for mail carried on their trains to post offices
Blue Boy: Alexandria, Virginia, postmaster’s provisional 5¢ black on blue paper; nickname taken from Thomas Gainsborough’s portrait of Thomas Buttall, wearing a blue suit
Blue Cross: drawn or preprinted across the entire front of an envelope indicates that piece of mail is registered; mainly used in the British Empire
Blued: British stamps printed by De Le Rue on paper showing usually faint blue color, caused by reaction between the ink and chemicals in the paper; pre 1884: see: Ivory Head;
Bluefields: Nicaragua issue, 1904-11
Blue Helmets: term used for United Nations Peacekeeping Forces, color of their helmets
Blue Mauritius: unissued German 1980 Olympic stamp all used by the family of the then Minister of Posts
Bluenose: 1929 50¢ stamp considered the most beautiful Canadian stamp, depicting schooner Bluenose in full sail
Blue Plaques: British term for stamp designs that relate to London plaques that recognize famous people and events
Blue Post Horn: imprinted on back of Swedish stamp paper as a “control print,” 1886
Blueprint paper: paper made sensitive to light by treatment with a solution of yellow prussiate of potash and peroxide of iron
Blue Rag Paper: used experimentally to produce U.S. stamps in 1909
Blue Safety Paper: prussiate of potash added during paper manufacture to prevent the printing ink from penetrating deeply into the paper thus preventing the removal of the postmark by chemical means; created a blue appearance in British stamps of 1855-56; see: Ivory Head
Blue savoia: (It.) royal blue (color)
Bluffton, So. Ca Paid 5: see: Confederate Postmasters’ Provisionals
Bluish paper: a grayish blue colored paper used for the Washington-Franklin series of 1909; made on 35% rag paper stock, instead of the usual wood pulp paper, to if excess paper shrinkage could be reduced; also known as Blue Paper
Blukubade te Sarof: bogus label
blutrot (German) blood red
Blume: (Ger.) flower, as a theme or topic
Blurred impression: if the printing plate strikes the paper in the printing process with a jarring motion, a blurred impression will be produced
Blyszczacy(o): glossy (as referencing the color of a postage stamp)
B. M.: 1: Bench of Magistrates, South Australia official overprint, 1868-74; 2: see: Boite mobile, also British Administration
BM: Bermuda, country code as used by UPU
B. M.: Bench of Magistrates, South Australia official overprint, 1868-74
B. M. A.: British Military Administration
B. M. A. Burma: on stamps of Burma; 1945-51: British Military Administration
B. M. A. Eritrea: overprint on stamps of Great Britain, Offices in Africa; 1948-49: British Military Administration
B. M. A. Malaya: overprint on Straits Settlements;1945-51: British Military Administration
B. M. A. North Borneo: overprint North Borneo; 1945-51: British Military Administration
B. M. A. Sarawak: overprint Sarawak; 1945-51: British Military Administration
B. M. A. Somalia: overprint Great Britain, Offices in Africa;1948-49: British Military Adm
B. M. A. Tripolitania: overprint on stamps of Great Britain, Offices in Africa; 1948, July 1-49: British Military Administration, 1950, Feb. 6-Dec. 1951: used in Tripolitania only
BMC: Bernard M. Connelly, BEP employee initials, 1906-1928; Plate Finisher, Siderographer
BMEF: British Mediterranean Expeditionary Force
BMM: British Military Mission, Indian Army, 1984
BN: 1: auction abbreviation for topical or thematic subject balloons; 2: Brunei Darussalam, country code as used by UPU
B N A: British North America (Canada, Newfoundland, etc.)
BNA: British North Africa, WWII
BNAF: British North Africa Force
BNAPS: British North America Philatelic Society
B. N. F. Castellorizo: Base Navale Francaise overprint on stamps of French Levant; 1920: French occupation of Turkey, Offices in Turkey
B.N.R.: cinderella, Belarusian National Rada, White Russia, 1920
B O: 1: consular overprint, SCADTA stamps of Colombia, sold in Bolivia, 1920s; 2: Bolivia, country code as used by UPU
BOAC: British Overseas Airways Corp
Board of Education: overprint; 1902-04: Great Britain Official
Board of Governors: governing body of the US Postal Service: includes nine governors who are appointed by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate. The nine then elect a Postmaster General, who becomes a member of the Board. Those ten elect a Deputy Postmaster General who also serves on the Board; review the policies and practices of the Postal Service
Boardwalk margins: stamps with wide margins: also referred to as Jumbo Stamps
Boating stamp: US revenue stamp; 1960: required on certificate applications for motorboats of more than 10 horsepower
B O B: see: Back of the Book
Bobcat: U.S. Navy code name during WW II for Bora, Bora
Bobina: (It., Sp.) coil (of stamps)
Bobina de Sêlo: (Port.) Coil stamp
Bobrof: Russian town in Voronezh Oblast; issued over 150 different local Rural Post stamps (1872-1896, the local post being suppressed at the end of the year 1896), Zemstvo
B. O. C.: (Ger.) Bayerische-Osterreichisch Correspondenz postmark; 1840s: Austrian-Bavarian postal treaty offered reduced rates
Bocairente: local, Spanish civil war, 1937
Bocas del Toro: Panama; 1903-04: overprint “R de Panama” used in City of Bocas del Toro
Bochnia: city in former Austrian-occupied Poland, local post overprint, 1918-20
Bochum: locals, Germany, 1: Express Packet Verkehr Brief, 1886-91; 2: Privat Stadtbrief & Packetbeförderungsanstalt, 1897
Bockenheim: local, Germany 1890-1900
Bock, Schneider & Co.: private die match proprietary stamps
Bod: (Czech.) 1. Dot. 2. Stop. 3. Period. 4. (Dut.) auction (bid)
Bodensee Schiffspost: (Ger.) Lake Constance ship mail
Body bags: USPS printed plastic envelope whose purpose is to explain why the enclosed mail piece was damaged or delayed
Boekdruk: (Dut.) typography
Boers: stamps for use in Pietersburg, South Africa, captured by the British April 9, 1901
Bogen: (Ger.) sheet (of stamps)
Bogenabklatsch: (Ger.) sheet offset
Bogenanordnung: (Ger.) plate arrangement
Bogenecke: (Ger.) corner of sheet (pane)
Bogenfeld: (Ger.) position of a stamp in a sheet
Bogenförmig: (Ger.) name given to Canadian set of King George V of 1930-31 to differentiate them from previous series; also arched
Bogenlage: (Ger.) plate position
Bogenlochung: (Ger.) harrow perforation, full sheet perforated in one operation
Bogenmitte: (Ger.) center of sheet
Bogenpack: (Ger.) pack of sheets
Bogenperforierung (German) sheet perforation (same as harrow)
Bogenplatz (German) sheet position
Bogenrand: (Ger.) sheet margin
Bogensammlung: (Ger.) collection of complete sheets
Bogensignatur: (Ger.) number in sheet margin
Bogenwasserzeichen: (Ger.) sheet watermark
Bogenzähler: (Ger.) sheet serial number
Bogenzähnung: (Ger.) sheet perforation
Bogert & Durbin: stamp dealers, issued priced catalogues, New York, 1886
Boghuchary: Russian town in Voronezh Oblast; issued several local Rural Post stamps (1872-1880, these local post sendings being free from 1873), Zemstvo
Bogorodsk: (now Noginsk) Russian town in Moscow Oblast ca. 35 miles E of the city ofMoscow; issued a large number of local Rural Post stamps (1871-1896, the local post being suppressed at the end of the year 1896), Zemstvo
Bogota, City of: local stamps, 1889-03, Colombia
Bogtryk: (Dan.) Tryk – Bog
Bogus stamp: make-believe stamps from real places, usually made to defraud; Falschung (Ger.), Emission Faux (Fr.), Emissione Falso (It.), Emision Fantasi (Sp.); Fantasy stamps, Cinderellas
Bohemia and Moravia: Czechoslovakia; 1939: Czech provinces declared German protectorate, used overprinted Czech stamps, then stamps inscribed Böhmen and Mähren, 1942-1945: Deutsches Reich and Grossdeutsches Reich issues
Bohcme et Moravie: (Fr.) Bohemia and Moravia
Bohemia y Moravia: (Sp.) Bohemia and Moravia
Bøhmen og Mæhren: (Dan.) Bohemia and Moravia
Böhmen und Mähren: (Ger.) inscription for Czechoslovakia, Bohemia and Moravia
B O I C: British Occupation of the Italian Colonies
Boite aux Lettres: (Fr.) letter box
Boite Mobile: (Fr.) movable mail box at dockside or aboard ship; mid-1800s-World War II: used by ships crossing the English Channel
Boite Postale: (Fr.) post-office box
Bøjning: (Dan.) slight crease
Boju ofu: bogus issue from Burma
Boka Kotarska (Cataro): Yugoslav province, overprints in Italian and German currency, 1944
Bokhara: bogus labels for vassal state in Russia, issued in 1886
Boktryck: (Swed.) letterpress
Boktrykk: (also Trykking) (Nor.) typography
Boktrykker: (also Trykker) (Nor.) printer
Boktrykkeri: (also Trykkeri) (Nor.) printery, printing plant
Bolaffi (BOL): Bolaffi Specialized Postage Stamp Catalog, Italy and Colonies
Boletin: (Sp.) magazine, bulletin
Bolivar: former state of the United States of Colombia; 1863-1904: a department of Colombia
Bolivar, Sucre Miranda-decreto: overprint of Escuelas Venezuela stamps as validation of non-postage school stamps
Bolivia: Central South America; currency: 100 centavos = 1 peso boliviano (1963), 100 centavos = 1 boliviano (1987) 1825: became independent, 1863, Mar. 18-Apr. 29, 1863: Sr. Justiniano Garcia carried mails, 1867: No.1, 10 centavos green, first stamps issued, revenues, provisionals and postage dues used as postage, 1886, April 1: joined the UPU, 1924, Dec.: first air mail stamp issued, 1931: first postage due stamp issued, 1939: first semipostal stamp issued
Bolivia, forged issues: 1: 1868-69 Coat of Arms, Scott 10-14. 2: 1897 Coat of Arms, Scott 54
Bolivie: (Fr.) Bolivia
Bolivien: (Dan., Ger.) Bolivia
Bolivisk: (Dan.) Bolivian
Bolla Della Posta di Sicilia: (It.) stamp of the Post of Sicily; Kingdom of Two Sicilies, Italian States, first stamp, Jan. 1, 1859
Bolladore: local, Italian liberation, “Co. Nazional di Liberazione,” 1944
Bollo Postale: (It.) San Marino
Bolla Della Posta Napolitana: (It.) stamp of the Napolitan Post, Kingdom of Two Sicilies, Jan. 1,1858
Bollawollabongo: bogus labels, no information on source available
Bolletta: (It.) San Marino parcel post
Bollo: (It.) postmark
Bollo di Ferrovia: (It.) railway postmark
Bollo di Franchigia: (It.) franchise stamp
Bollo Straordinaria per le Poste: (It.) extraordinary stamp for the post; Italian State, Tuscany, newspaper tax stamp for foreign publications
Bollullos del Condado: local, Spanish civil war, Nationalist forces,1936-38
Bologna Vallescura: (Esperanto) Red Cross cinderella
Bolschaya Alexandrovka: local, Soviet, German occupation, 1941-42
Bomba Heads: King Ferdinand II, known as “King Bomba”; 1859: stamps for Kingdom of Two Sicilies featuring King’s portrait with instructions that his royal image could not be marred in any way; a frame-shaped cancel devised to grant his wish
Bonn: 1: local, Germany, Express-Packet-Verkehr, 1887; 2: Private-Brief-Beförderung Rhenania, 1896-1900
Bon(ne): (Fr.) good
Bon(s): (Fr.) coupon(s), ticket(s)
B.O.N.C.: Barred Oval Numerical Canceller, the term for describing the numerical oblits on the postage stamps of the Cape of Good Hope
Bonde: (Fr.) wrapper
Bond paper: a thin crisp high quality paper with a hard surface; 1862-71: used for early US revenue stamps, proofs and essays
Bond, Wm. & Co.: private die match proprietary stamps
Bone: now Annaba, Algeria
Bonelli’s: stamp of British private telegraph company
Bongonga: bogus, spoof stamps created for 1936 stamp exhibition
Bonito: (Sp.) used to describe a stamp in nice condition
Bon marché: (Fr.) cheap
Bonny River: Royal Niger Company rubber stamp cancel, on stamps of 1892 Great Britain. Booby head: first Plimpton die (1874) of 10¢ Washington head, which is extremely large
Book bid: bids entrusted by an absentee bidder to an auctioneer; bids to be executed on behalf of an absentee bidder during the course of the public auction
Bookgirl, Republic of: product of Artistamp, private label manufacturer
Booklet: stamp book that contains one or more panes of unused stamps; Markenheftchen (Ger.), Carnet de Timbres (Fr.), Libretto di Francobolli (It.), Cuadernillo de Sellos (Sp.)
Booklet leaf: term for a booklet pane, a page from a booklet containing stamps
Booklet number singles: booklets with plate numbers on the stamp itself, 1997
Booklet pane: uncut block of stamps especially printed and cut for use in booklets; 1895: first booklets in Luxembourg
Bookmark postcards: a narrow postcard, measuring 2 5/8 by 5 5/8, that can also be used as a bookmark
Boonie Islands: bogus, remote nonexistent place
Bootheel Postmark: Barbados oval marking, 1863-82, name derives from marks resembling metal studs on men’s shoes
Bootleg mail: letter carried outside of the normal mail stream; term may have originated when travelers carried letters illegally in their riding boots; carried from overseas, often for missionaries, then franked and deposited in local mail, avoiding the high international rates in the pre-UPU period
Bophuthatswana: South Africa Homeland State; 1977, Dec. 6: first stamps issued after given autonomy, 1994, Apr. 27: Bophuthatswana ceased to exist
Bord, an: (Ger.) (on) board
Bordbriefkasten: (Ger.) paquebot
Bord: (Fr.) margin, selvage, or border around stamps
Bord cancel: (Fr.) cachet applied on board (spacecraft, ship, etc.)
Bord de Feuille, BdeF: (Fr.) sheet margin
Borde: (Sp.) margin, selvage, or border around stamps
Bordeaux: (Fr.) maroon (color)
bordeauxrot (German) carmine-red; claret
Bordeaux issue: Third Republic of France; 1870: provisional government issue of provisional stamps used during Siege of Paris due to lack of supplies from Paris; local, liberation, 1944
Bordein: Egypt, see: Interpostal seals, 1879-1884
Bordentown & New York Stage: handstamp used in 1786 on stage mail route between New York and Philadelphia
Border: the frame or edge of a stamp design
Border and G’way: United Kingdom strike local post, 1971
Bordo di foglio: (It.) selvage
Bordo de hoja: (Sp.) selvage
Bordpost: (Ger.) ship mail
Bordpoststempel: (Ger.) cancel on board ship, Zeppelin, etc., pacquebot cancel
Bordsiegel: (Ger.) cachet on board (spacecraft)
BordSt.: an on-board Zeppelin marking
Bordure: (Fr.) margin, boder, selvage, gutter
Boreas, S.S.: Danube Steam Navigation Co. steamship; 1850s: for the lower Danube lines
Borgå: (Fin.) local post via steamship, Finland late 1890s
Borge: local, Spanish civil war, Nationalist forces, 1937
Borisoglyebsk: (now Borisoglebsk) Russian town in Tambov Oblast ca. 260 miles SE of Moscow; issued numerous local Rural Post stamps (1871-1896, the local post being suppressed in 1882), Zemstvo
Borneo, North: northeast part of Borneo island, Malay Archipelago, Malaysia; currency: 100 cents = 1 dollar 1881: British North Borneo Company administered country, 1883, June: first stamps issued, 1892: stamps canceled with bars were remaindered in huge quantities, 1895: first postage due stamp, 1912: “British protectorate” overprint on stamps of North Borneo, 1916: first semipostal stamp, 1940: became a British colony along with Labuan, 1942, June: overprinted stamps issued as Japanese Occupation of British Borneo, 1943-44: stamps of Japan issued for use in Borneo, 1945, Dec. 17: first stamps of North Borneo overprinted B.M.A. 1963, Sept. 6: part of Federation of Malaysia, changed name to Sabah
Borongós: (Hung.) grey (color)
Borovichy: (now Borovichi) Russian town in Novgorod Oblast ca. 160 miles SE of St. Petersburg; issued several local Rural Post stamps (1869-1912), Zemstvo
Borresen Local Post: Drammen – Borresen Local Post
Borroso: (Sp.) blurred, roughly printed
Börse: (Ger.) bourse; such as a stamp show, where stamps are bought, sold or exchanged
Boscawen: New Hampshire, Postmaster’s issue, 1846
Bosna: (Czech.) Bosnia
Bosna-Hercegovina: (Czech.) Bosnia-Herzegovina
Bosna i Hercegovina: Jugoslavia overprint on stamps of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina: Ottoman Empire provinces; Dalmatia/Serbia, formerly Yugoslavia; currency: 100 novcica (neukreuzer) = 1 florin (gulder), 100 heller = 1 krone (1900) 1850s: postal service operated using Turkish stamps, 1878: military posts operated in area, Austrian protection, 1879, Jan.: civilian postal service started, with stamps of Austria and Hungary, 1879, July 1: No.1 ½ novcica black; first stamps issued, 1892, July 1: joined the UPU, 1904: first postage due stamp issued, 1908: Austria-Hungary annexed Bosnia and Herzegovina, 1910, Oct. 18: first stamps under regime of Austria-Hungary issued, 1914, June 28: Austria-Hungary Archduke Ferdinand assassinated, 1914: first semipostal stamp issued, 1917: became part of Kingdom of Yugoslavia, 1918, Nov.: provincial stamps issued, 1941: stamps issued by occupying powers, Germany and Italy, 1992, Oct. 26: stamps of Yugoslavia surcharged, 1992: Proclamation of Independence, with Serb administration, currency: 100 paras = 1 dinar, 100 pfennig = 1 mark (1996) 1993-post: Croat and Serb administration, 1993, Jan. 26: rejoined the UPU, 1993-95: “Republika Bosna I Hercegovina” inscription for Muslim government in Sarajevo, 1995: Dayton Peace Accord divided nation between Croats, Muslims and the Serbs, 1997, Sep. 14: first postal tax stamp
Bosnia and Herzegovina, forged issues: 1: 1900 Coat of Arms, Scott 11-21. 2: 1900 Coat of Arms, Scott 22-24. 3: 1906 Emperor Franz Josef, Scott 45. 4: 1912 Jaice, Scott 62. 5: 1912 Konjica, Scott 63. 6: 1912 Vishegrad, Scott 64. 7: 1913 girl, newspaper stamps, Scott P1-P4
Bosnia and Herzegovina (Herceg Bosna): Croat Administration in Mostar: currency: 100 paras = 1 dinar (1993), 100 lipa = 1 kuna (1994), 100 pfennig = 1 mark (1998) 1993, May 12: first stamp, 1999, Nov. 22: last issue
Bosnia and Herzegovina (Republika Srpska): Serb Administration in Banja Luca currency: 100 paras = 1 dinar, 100 pfenning = 1 mark (1998) 1992, Oct. 26: first stamps
Bosnia Erzegovina: (It.) Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnie et Herzégovine: (Fr.) Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnien: (Dan.) Bosnia
Bosnien-Hercegovina: overprint on stamps of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Yugoslavia, 1918
Bosnien i Herzegowina: inscriptions on Bosnia and Herzegovina stamp, 1906-12
Bosnien und Herzegowina: (Ger.) Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosniensk: (Dan.) Bosnian
Bostgebiet: Lithuania overprint on stamps of Germany, German occupation, 1916-17
Boston: Mass.: 1849-51: semi-official local carriers’ stamps; see: Carriers’ stamps
Boston & Albany R.R. Co.: private parcel delivery serviced Boston & Albany Railroad Co., used stamps, 1880s
Boston & Bangor Express Co.: private parcel firm serviced Boston, Mass and various towns in Maine; used labels; c1885
Boston & Gardner Express: private parcel firm serviced Boston, Mass and Gardner, Mass, used a label, year unknown
Boston & Providence Despatch Express Co.: private parcel firm serviced Mass., Conn., and Rhode Island.; used a label
Boston counterfeit: the US 2¢ stamp of the 1922 series, look for a large and out-of-proportion “S” in Washington, plus variations in the perforations
Boston Hartford & Erie R.R. Express: private express serviced stations on the Boston, Hartford & Erie Railroad, used a label; mid-1860
Boston Hotels Coach Co’s Baggage Express: local baggage firm serviced Boston, Mass.; used a label, year unknown
Boston Independent Express Cop.: serviced, Boston, Mass., used a label, year unknown
Boston island: bogus label from American Journal of Philately
Boston, Lowell & Nadhua Railroad Co.’s Express Department: railroad station package delivery serviced the railroad; used a label, year unknown
Boston Parcel Delivery Co.: private parcel delivery firm serviced Boston, Mass.; used labels, year unknown
Boston Parcel Post: parcel delivery firm serviced Boston, Mass., used a label; 1848
Boston Shoe Fair: poster stamp promoting a show in 1939
Boston Street Car R.P.O.: consisted of seven circuits, 1896
Boston Tea Party Stamps: nickname for the 1765 Stamp Act stamps even though these stamps had nothing to do with the Boston Tea Party
Boten: 1: local stamps of Hamburg, term taken from inscription Hamburger Boten, 1861; 2: (Ger.) messenger (postman)
Botenbrief: (Ger.) private courier letter
Botenlohn (German) delivery fee (esp. Vienna pneu. post)
Botenmeister: (Ger.) messenger (postmen) supervisor
Botenordnung: (Ger.) regulations for messengers (postmen)
Botschaft: (Ger.) message
Botswana: formerly British Bechuanaland Protectorate – Southern Africa; currency: 100 cents = 1 rand, 100 thebe = 1 pula (1976) 1888: overprint on Cape of Good Hope stamps, followed by overprints on British stamps, 1966, Sept. 30-67: “Republic of Botswana” overprint on stamps of Bechuanaland Protectorate; 1966, Sept. 30: No.1 2 ½ cent multicolor; first stamp issued, 1967, Mar.1: first postage due stamp issued, 1968, Jan. 12: joined the UPU; Bechuanaland Protectorate
Bottle Mail: first tested by Theophrastus, Greek philosopher, about 300 BC who launched bottles with messages and determined that the Mediterranean Seas’s water came from the Atlantic Ocean
Bottom: lowest side of anything
Bouah: Egypt: see: Interpostal seals, 1879-84
Bou Armado: (Sp.) civil war naval marking for armed trawler
Bouchir: (Fr.) Bushire
Boughies: (Fr.) candles; French Colony revenue inscription
Bought in: auction term for a lot where seller literally bought the lot back against the book and/or floor bidder; an unsold lot
Boughton’s Express: freight and baggage firm serviced Brooklyn and New York City; used a label, year unknown
Bousfield & Poole: private die match proprietary stamps
Boulak: see: Interpostal seals, 1879-84
Boule de Moulins: sealed zinc balls to carry mail; 1870-71: French attempt to use the River Seine to carry mail in boules from Moulin to Paris when Paris was under siege.
Bounce back: commercial mailers term for undeliverable mail; padding. commercial mailers term for undeliverable mail; padding
Bourg d’Orsans: local provisional, France, 1944
Bourgueil: local provisional, France, 1944
Bournemouth and District: United Kingdom strike local post, 1971
Bournemouth Life Guard: United Kingdom strike local post, 1971
Bourse: a market place, such as a stamp show, where stamps are bought, sold or exchanged
Bourse aux Timbres: (Fr.) stamp market
Boutell & Maynard: private die match proprietary stamps
Bouton’s Manhattan Express: S. Allan Taylor label
Bouton’s Manhattan Express: local post serviced Manhattan, N.Y.; used a stamp, year unknown
Bouton’s Post, Franklin City Despatch Post: U. S. local post, New York, N.Y., 1847
Bouton’s Post, Manhattan Express: U. S. local post, New York, N.Y., 1847
Bouton’s Post, City Dispatch Post: U. S. local post, New York, N.Y., 1848
Bouvenkant: (Dut.) top
Bouvet-märkena (Norge): (Swed.) Bouvet stamps (Norway)
Bouvet Øya: Norway handstamp, about 1970s, as overprint for Bouvet Island, commemorates the visit of British Vice-Admiral Evans to the island in 1934, repudiated by Norwegian government; in 1955 and 1960-70s, South Africa had a survey team land on the island; in 1958, Italian expedition landed on island; covers and cachets exists for all these expeditions
Bowers & Dunham: private die match proprietary stamps
Bowery Post-Office: S. Allan Taylor label
Bowlsby Coupon Essay: stamp with a coupon attached that was to be detached by the postmaster when the stamp was sold; to prevent reuse of stamp; original patent called for tearing away part of the stamps; used on a variation of the 1¢ 1861 Franklin stamp; invented by G. W. Bowlsby
Boxborough-Oxford: bogus local post, U.S
Box Cancel: marking within a frame, usually contains a city and date of application
Boxed marking: marking that is set within a frame, may be handstamp or printed marking in margin of sheet of postage stamps
Boxer labels: 23 engraved privately printed labels, depicting heavyweight champions of the world; drawn by well-known stamp artist Czeslaw Slania; forgeries exist
Boxers: a Chinese anti-foreign secret society
Boxer Uprising, China: China, Boxer Uprising
Boxlink: New Zealand Post express delivery
Bøy: (Nor.) fold
Boyaca: department of Colombia; 1750-post: Spanish handstamps in use, 1834: forwarding agents cachets known, 1847:US Mail Despatch Agency used stamps of USA with red grid cancel, 1899: first provincial stamps, 1902-04: stamps of Colombia
Boyce’s City Express Post: U. S. local post, New York, N.Y., 1852
Boycott British Goods: inscription on propaganda labels, India
Boyd’s City Express: U. S. local post, New York, N.Y., 1844-67
Boyd’s City Dispatch: U. S. local post, New York, N.Y. 1874-77, change in name
Boyd’s Dispatch: U. S. local post, New York, N.Y. 1878-82, change in name
Boyd’s City Post: U. S. local post, New York, N.Y. envelopes, 1864-78
Boy Scout issue: Boy Scout Association national and international jamboree commemoration of event by host nation, also used to commemorate the boy scouts
Boys in Blue: inscription on Hawaiian post cards; used for prestamped cards given to servicemen leaving for the Spanish- American War zone
Bozze: (It.) proof
Bozzetto: (It.) design, artwork printed portion of a stamp, as distinguished from the surrounding margin of blank paper
B P: 1: booklet pane; 2: Bundespost (Germany Federal Post)
B P A: 1: British Philatelic Association; 2: Bahnpostamt (Ger.) railway post office
B P C: Belgian military postmark, Bureau de Poste de Campagne
BPCV.P.K.: (Fr./Flem.) Belgian military postmark, Bureau de Poste de Campagne, veld Post Kantoor
“B” Perforator: purchased May 28, 1862, used for stamp sheets too narrow for the “A” perforator, used for small stamp sheets since the line of holes was only 12 inches long
B P F: British Philatelic Federation, Great Britain
“Bpitish”: overprint variety on British East Africa overprints
B P O: 1: British Post Office. 2: Base Army Post office, military postal facility to separate bulk mail
B press: a three-color Intaglio Giori webfed combination press used by the BEP starting about 1976; officially called Press 701
Br, br’n: (Ger.) catalog abbreviation for brown (braun) overprint or surcharge
BR: Brazil, country code as used by UPU
B R: overprint, indicating consular stamp sold in Brazil, 1920s: on SCADTA Colombia stamps
B. R. A.: overprint, British Railway Administration late letter fee; 1901: on stamps of China during Boxer rebellion
BRA: international postal code for Brazil
Brac, Brac Franco: island in the Adriatic Sea; stamps of Jugoslavia overprint; 1943: stamps of Yugoslavia unauthorized overprint by Germany, 1944, May: charity stamps printed when occupied by Germany, never issued
Bradbury, Wilkinson & Co. Ltd.: British stamp printing firm
Bradbury Wilkinson Co.: United Kingdom strike local post, 1971
Bradford & Co.’s Express: local parcel firm serviced Boston and Plymouth, Mass., used labels; c 1880s
Bradford Insurance Co.: United Kingdom strike local post, 1971
Bradway’s Despatch: U.S. local post, Millville, N.J., between Philadelphia and Millville, 1857
Brady & Co. : U.S. local post, New York, N.Y., 1857
Brady & Co. Chicago Penny Post: U.S. local post, Chicago, Ill., about 1860
Braekstad & Co.: private local post at Trondhejm (Drontheim), Norway, Nov. 1865
Brainard & Co.: U.S. local post, New York, N.Y., 1844
Brake Shoe: a variety found on the 11¢ Caboose stamp of the Transportation coil series; appears as a semi-circular line that follows the outside curve of the front wheel
Branca Bros. (Fernet Branca): inscription on Medicine stamp; Private die proprietary stamps
Branch: name given to a post office that is a subsidiary of the main post office
Branch Post Office: 1: local handstamp, New York, N.Y., 1847. 2: In U.S. a subsidiary postal station located outside corporate limits of the city to which attached
Branco: (Port.) white (color)
Branded stamps: another term for perfins, stamps perforated with initials or designs
Brandenburg: local, Germany, Stadtbrief-Beförderung Courier, 1896-1900
Brandkastzegels: (Neth.) Marine Insurance stamps
Brandreth, B.: inscription on Medicine stamp; Private die proprietary stamps
Branford Wool: United Kingdom strike local post, 1971
Brasil: (Nor., Port., Sp.) Brazil
Brasile: (It.) Brazil
Brasilien: (Ger., Swed.) Brazil
Brasilsk: (Nor., Swed.) Brazilian
Brasshat: U.S. Navy code name during WW II for Amphibious Training Group, SW Pacific
Bratislava: formerly Pressburg, Czechoslovakia
Brattleboro: Vermont, US postmaster’s provisional stamps, 1846
Braun: (Ger.) brown, coffee or chocolate (color)
braungelb (German) bistre
braunkarmin (German) brown-carmine
bräunlichkarmin (German) brownish carmine
bräunlichlila (German) brownish lilac
bräunlichlilarot (German) brownish lilac-red
bräunlichocker (German) brownish ochre
bräunlichrot (German) brownish red
bräunlichviolett (German) brownish violet
braunlila (German) brown-lilac; dull purple
braunocker (German) brown-ochre
braunoliv (German) brown-olive
braunorange (German) brown-orange
braunrot (German) Venetian red; brown lake; chocolate
braunschwarz (German) brown-black
Braunschweig: (Ger.) Brunswick, German State, also known as Brunswick
braunviolett (German) brown-violet
Brazil: North and East Coast, South America; official name of postal administration: Empresa Brasileira de Correios e Telégrafos currency: 100 centavos = 1 cruzeiro (1942), 100 centavos = 1 cruzado (1986), 100 centavos = 1 cruzeiro (1990) 1798, Jan. 20: Royal postal service started between Portugal and Brazil, 1822: Empire of Brazil declared independence, 1843, Aug. 1: No.1, 30 reis black; first stamps, the “Bull’s Eye” issue, 1851: British Royal Mail took over control, British and French markings used, 1860: stamps of France used with anchor cancel, 1866-74: stamps of Britain used at ports, 1877, July 1: joined the UPU, 1889: first postage due, newspaper stamp issued, 1890: issues of the Republic of Brazil, 1900: first commemorative stamp issued, 1906: first official stamp issued, 1927, Dec. 8: first air mail stamp, 1928: first air mail stamp issued, 1934, Sept. 16: first semipostal stamp issued
Brazil: 1: local airmail, ETA, 1920s; 2: Colombian Airline Postal Service, SCADTA, 1921-23. 3: local airmail, Syndicato Condor, 1927; 4: local airmail, Varig, 1920s. 5: (Hung.) Brazil
Brazil, forged issues: 1: 1894-97 Sugarloaf Mountain, Scott 112. 2: 1889 postage due, Scott J4
Brazília: (Hung.) Brazilian
Brazílie: (Czech.) Brazil
Brazilien: (Dan.) Brazil
Brazilik: (Dan.) Brazilian
Brazil Mail Steamship Company: started service Jan. 1866, subsidized by the American government which required it to carry mail
Brazilsk: (Dan.) Brazilian
Brazilsky: (Czech.) Brazilian
Brazowy(o), Brazowawy(o): (Pol.) bronze, bronzish (color)
Brazza: see: Brac
Breakdown die proofs: see: Schernikow die proofs
Breast cancer: US non-denominated semi-postal stamp, value 32, 33, 34¢, July 29, 1998
Brechou, Brecqhou: island off coast of Sark, Great Britain local carriage label, 1969
Brecon & Merthyr Railway: United Kingdom strike local post, 1971
Breedgerand, Breedrandig: (Neth.) large margins
Bree’s Express: private mail and parcel firm serviced routes of the Morris and Essex Railroad and Sussex Railroad to northern N.J. and New York City; used a label; 1950s
BréfhirÅ¡ing: (Ice.) general name for smallest Iceland post offices
Breit: (Ger.) wide, large
Brefmärke: (Fin.) “letter stamp” used on steamships, carrying mail, local post serving Finnish cities, late 1800s
Breitemarke: (Ger.) oversized, wide stamp
Breitenausdehnung: (Ger.) with wide (broad) margins
Breitrandig: (Ger.) wide margins
Breiz: bogus labels for French province
Brekk: (Nor.) crease
Breme: (Fr.) Bremen
Bremen: German State; located in northwestern Germany; 1784: Thurn and Taxis had office in Bremen, 1810: Bremen annexed to French Empire, 1813: Bremen became a Free City again, 1855, Apr. 10: No.1, 3 grote blue; first stamps, 1868, Jan. 1: stamps of the German Confederation, 1870: became part of the German Empire, 1872, Jan.: German stamps issued
Bremen: locals Germany, 1: Briefbeförderung Hammonia, 1886-87; 2: Packetfahrt Bremen, 1900; 3; Privat-Briefbeförderungs-Anstalt, 1896-1900
Brésil: (Fr.) Brazil
Bresil Calais: (Fr.) border entry date stamp from Brazil to Calais, France
Bresilien: (Ger.) Brazil
Breslau: now known as Wroclaw, Poland
Breslau: locals, Germany; 1: Breslauer Packetfahrt Gesellschaft, 1896-1906; 2: Breslauer Stadtpost Courier, 1896-1900; 3; Breslauer Transport-Bureau, 1890-94; 4: Briefbeförderung Hammonia, 1886-87; 5: Dientsmanns-Institut, 1867; 6: Hansa-Zeitungsspedition und Incasso, 1900; 7: Neue Breslauer Expres-Packet-Brieförderung, 1886-87; 8: Privat-Stadtbrief-Brieförderung Hansa, 1893-1900; 9: Stadtbriefbeförderung-Neue Stadtpost, 1896-1900
Bretagne: bogus issue
Brett: (Nor.) crease, fold
Brev: (Dan., Nor., Swed.) postage stamp on cover
Brevbärare: (Swed.) mail man, mail carrier, post man
Brevbudsauktion: (Dan.) mail bid sale
Brevframsida: (Swed.) cover front (only)
Brevklip: (Dan.) postage stamp(s) on a piece of paper or envelope
Brevklipp: (Swed.) postage stamp(s) on paper clipping
Brevkort: (Dan., Nor., Swed.) postal card
Brevkort, Dubbelt (med Betalt Svar): (Swed.) doubled PostalCard (with the “Reply Paid” portion)
Brevkort dubbla: (Dan. Nor., Swed.) doubled postcard
Brevlåda: (Swed.) letter box, mail box, mail drop, post box; Postbox
Brev med innehål: (Swed.) cover with enclosure
Brevsamlingar: (Swed.) cover collections
Brevstykke: (Dan., Nor.) postage stamp(s) on a piece of paper or envelope
Brevstycke: (Swed.) postage stamp(s) on a piece of paper or envelope
Brev till Utlandet: (Swed.) covers addressed to foreign destinations
Brewer & Co.’s Express: local parcel firm serviced Boston and Charlestown, Mass, used a label; 1800s
Brezen: (Czech.) March (month)
Brf: brief, envelope, cover
Br. Fr.: (Fr.) Brigades Frontieres; inscription on Swiss soldier stamp from a French-speaking unit
Brick’s Express: local parcel firm serviced Boston, Mass. and part of Maine; used a label, year unknown
Bridge: the tiny piece of paper that holds stamp together in a perforated multiple before they are torn apart
Bridge perforation: the portion of paper between perforation holes that extends between adjoining stamps
Bridge postmark: circular postmark with two lines across the center containing date, known as a “bridge.”
Bridgeville, Al. Paid 5: see: Confederate Postmasters’ Provisionals
Bridgeville: US Alabama, Confederate postmaster’s provisional, 1861
Brief: 1. (Dut., Ger.) letter, envelope, cover. 2. (Neth.) cover
Briefbeförderung Deutscher Herold: local post, Frankfurt am Oder, Germany, 1886-1900
Briefbestellung: local, Duisberg, Germany, 1896-1900
Briefbestellung Kraus: local, Dusseldorf, Germany, 1895-1900
Briefbewertung: (Ger.) cover pricing
Briefbogen: (Ger.) letter sheet
Briefdatum: (Ger.) date of letter
Briefgebühr: (Ger.) letter postage
Briefhülle: (Ger.) envelope
Briefkaart: (Dut.) postcard
Briefkarte: (Ger.) letter card
Briefkaste (German) postbox
Briefkasten: (Ger.) mail box
Briefkopf (German) letter head
Briefkuvert: (Ger.) envelope
Briefmarke: (Ger.) postage stamp
Briefmarken auf Briefm.: (Ger.) stamp on stamps thematic
Briefmarkenauktion: (Ger.) stamp auction
Briefmarkenauschnitte (German) envelope cut squares
Briefmarkenausstellung: (Ger.) postage stamp exhibition
Briefmarkenbörse: (Ger.) postage stamp bourse
Briefmarkengeld: (Ger.) encased postage stamp used by Austria in July 1923
Briefmarkenhändler: (Ger.) stamp dealer
Briefmarkenkunde: (Ger.) knowledge of stamps
Briefmarkenkünstler: (Ger.) designer or engraver of postage stamps
Briefmarkenpaket: (Ger.) package of stamps
Briefmarkenprüfer: (Ger.) stamp expert
Briefmarkensammler: (Ger.) stamp collector
Briefmarkensammlung: (Ger.) collection lot; an auction lot comprising of a mounted or unmounted country, topical, etc. collection, which normally is viewed previous to bidding
Briefomslag: (Dut.) envelope
Briefpost: (Ger.) letter post
Briefpreis: (Ger.) price of cover
Briefrückseite: (Ger.) back of cover
Briefsammlung: (Ger.) collection of covers
Briefstück: (Ger.) cut square of cover or post card, on piece
Briefstempel (German) postmark, cancellation
Briefstück (German) piece (of cover)
Briefstuk: (Neth.) postage stamp(s) on a piece of paper or envelope
Brieftaubepost: (Ger.) pigeon mail
Briefträger: (Ger.) letter carrier
Briefumschlag: (Ger.) cover
Briefumschlag: (Ger.) envelope or cover
Briefvoorzijde: (Neth.) cover front
Briefvorderseite: (Ger.) cover front
Brigata Garibaldi: local, Italian liberation, 1944
Brigg’s Despatch: U.S. local post, Philadelphia, Pa., 1847-48
Brighton Private P.S.: United Kingdom strike local post, 1971
Brillante: (Sp.) shiny, glossy, surfaced paper
BRINDIV: British Indian Division, Indian Army, 1984
Brink’s Chicago City Express: local parcel express firm serviced Chicago area; used a corner card and stamps; 1859-1929
Brinkerhoff: Brinkerhoff Vending Machine Co.: sold stamps in imperforate condition and also added private perforation to fit their machine
Brinkerhoff Company: Brinkerhoff Company: Sedalia, Mo., Clinton, Iowa manufacturers of stamp vending machines, 1906-12, distinct perforation
Brique: (Fr.) brick red (color)
Brisé: (Fr.) broken
Bristol Emergency Post: United Kingdom strike local post, 1971
Bristol Omnibus Co.: United Kingdom strike local post, 1971
Brisure: (Fr.) break
Brit: (Hung.) British
Britanic: (Rom.) British (adj.)
Britain: see: Great Britain
Britain Strike Post: United Kingdom strike local post, 1971.
Brittania Letter Service: United Kingdom strike local post, 1971
Britannia type: name given to stamp design showing the full face of Britannia: used for early stamps of Barbados, Mauritius and Trinidad, 1851-83
Britannien: (Ger.) Britain
Britannique: (Fr.) British
Brit Észak-Borneo: (Hung.) British North Borneo
Brit Guyana: (Hung.) British Guiana (Guyana)
Brit Honduras: (Hung.) British Honduras (Belize)
Brit Indiai Óceáni Területek : (Hung.) British Indian Ocean Territories
Britisch Guiana: (Ger.) British Guiana
Britisch Honduras: (Ger.) British Honduras
Britisch Kolumbia undae Vancouverinsel: (Ger.) British Columbia and Vancouver Island
Britische Marken im Ausland Verwendet: (Ger.) British stamps used abroad
Britisch Ostafrika: (Ger.) British East Africa
Britische Post auf den Bahamas: (Ger.) British post office in the Bahamas
Britische Post auf den Insel Ionische: (Ger.) British post office in the Ionian Islands
Britische Post auf den Seychellen: (Ger.) British post office in the Seychelles
Britische Post in Ägypten: (Ger.) British post office in Egypt
Britische Post in Bermudainseln:/ (Ger.) British post office in Bermuda
Britische Post in Hongkong: (Ger.) British post office in Hong Kong
Britische Post in Japan: (Ger.) British post office in Japan
Britische Post in Jamaika: (Ger.) British post office in the Jamaica
Britische Post in Kanada: (Ger.) British post office in Canada
Britische Post in Neufundland: (Ger.) British post office in Newfoundland
Britische Post in Neuseeländ: (Ger.) British post office in New Zealand
Britische Post in Südafrika: (Ger.) British post office in South Africa
Britische Post in Zypern: (Ger.) British post office in Cyprus
Britische Salomoninseln: (Ger.) British Solomon Islands
Britisches Weltreich: (Ger.) British Empire
British: overprint variety (should be British) on British East Africa overprints
British Air Ferries: United Kingdom strike local post, 1971
British American Bank Note Company: stamp printers of Canadian stamps 1868-97, 1930-34
British and American Express Company: private mail and parcel firm serviced northeastern U.S. and Canadian border towns; used a label; 1850s
British & Irish Magnetic Telegraph Co.: stamp of British private telegraph company
British Antarctic Territory: formerly part of Falkland Island Dependency; 1962: became separate colony, 1963, Feb.1: first stamps as part of British Commonwealth omnibus issues
British Australian Colonies: 1891, Oct.1: became affiliated with the UPU, 1907, Oct.1: changed UPU affiliation to British Colonies and Possessions
British Bechuanaland: Bechuanaland, British
British Central Africa (B.C.A.): former British territory in Africa; 1891-95: stamps of Rhodesia overprinted “B.C.A,” 1895-1907: inscription of British Central Africa Protectorate, 1908: name changed and stamps used of Nyasaland Protectorate, which became independent as the Republic of Malawi
British Central Africa (B.C.A.): 1891-95: stamps of Rhodesia overprinted “B.C.A,” 1895-1907: inscription of British Central Africa Protectorate
British Central Africa Protectorate: see: British Central Africa
British closed mail: prepaid mail for foreign countries sent through the British postal system, 1849
British colonial (stamp): term used for issues of Great Britain, Dominions, Colonies, Protectorates and Mandated territories of Great Britain
British Colonies and Possessions, Oriental Africa: 1895, Dec.1: joined the UPU, 1901, Apr.1: changed UPU affiliation to Oriental Africa and Uganda
British Columbia: Pacific coast of Canada; 1860: first stamp as British crown colony, 1865, Nov.1: first separate stamps when united with Vancouver Island as British Columbia, 1866, Nov.19: some stamps surcharged as British Columbia, 1871, July 20: became a Canadian province, see: Canada
British Columbia: local, Canada; Dietz and Nelson Express, 1862-71
British Columbia and Vancouver Island: Canadian province; 1847: first post office at Victoria, 1860: external communications were via U.S. expresses, such as Wells Fargo, US stamps sold, 1865: superseded by separate issues, 1866; united as part of Canadian Confederation, 1871, July 20: became a Canadian province as part of British Columbia, see: Canada
British Consular Mail: stamps issued 1884-87 for consular postal service; see: Madagascar, Great Britain Consulate
British Durduras: bogus, British Colonial Royal Wedding frames from book Surreal Stamps and Unreal Stickers
British East Africa: part of East Africa, currently Kenya; currency: 16 annas = 1 rupee 1888: firm received charter as Imperial British East Africa Company, 1890, May 23: No.1, ½ anna lilac; “British East Africa Company” overprint on stamps of Britain, 1890, Oct.: stamps inscribed and handstamp of “British East Africa Company,” 1895: under direct control of British administration, 1895-97: overprint on stamps of India, 1896-1903: stamps inscribed “British East Africa Protectorate,” 1895-97: overprint “British East Africa” on stamps of Zanzibar, 1903: area changed and stamps inscribed “East Africa and Uganda Protectorate,” 1903: East Africa and Uganda stamps used, 1963, Dec. 12: named Kenya
British East Africa Company: 1890-94: overprint on stamps of Great Britain
British East Africa, forged issue: 1890-94 light and liberty, Scott 29
British East Africa Protectorate: 1896-1903: inscription on stamps of Great Britain
British European Airways: United Kingdom strike local post, 1971
British Flying Post Office: label from Argentina for Rowland Hill centenary
British Forces, Egypt: effective 1932-1941; 1932, Nov.1-Feb. 29, 1936: seals valid as stamps issued to British forces and their families with a special postage rate for mail to Great Britain, applied to the back of mail, 1936-Apr.1943: Army Post inscription used
British Guiagu: bogus, British Colonial Royal Wedding frames from book Surreal Stamps and Unreal Stickers
British Guiana: Central America, on northeast coast of South America; currency: 100 cents = 1 dollar 1850, July 1: first stamps as British Crown Colony, called “cotton reels,” 1851: No.1, 2 cents pale blue, 1856: crowned circle “PAID” mark used, 1858-60: stamps of Britain used on mail to Britain, 1875: first official stamp issued, 1918: first semipostal, War Tax stamps issued, 1940: first postage due stamp issued, 1966, May 26: became an independent republic and renamed Guyana
British Guiana 1¢ magenta: term used for the unique 1856 1¢ magenta stamp, also known as The Penny Magenta
British Honduras: now Belize – Central America; currency: 12 pence = 1 shilling, 100 cents = 1 dollar (1888) 1786: letters from Jamaica known, 1798: under British authority, 1800: “Belize” handstamp used on foreign mail, 1857: London branch Post office opened, 1858-60: stamps of Great Britain used, 1862: British colony administered from Jamaica, 1866, Jan.: No.1, 1 penny blue; first definitive issue, 1871: declared Crown Colony, 1884: became independent colony, 1866, Jan.: first stamps, 1923: first postage due stamp issued, 1932: first War Tax stamp issued, 1939: Guatemala claimed area in its map issue (Sc.296), 1960: became a Crown Colony, 1973: changed name to Belize, 1984, Jan. 1: became self-governing
British Honduras: inscription, Deafforestation, unissued Great Britain cinderella by David Horry, 2001
British Honduras: local; Caye Service, 1895
British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT): British-owned islands in the Indian Ocean; currency: 100 cents = 1 rupee, 100 pence = 1 pound (1990) 1965, Nov. 8: established as a Crown Colony, 1968-pre: stamps of Mauritius or Seychelles valid, 1968, Jan. 17: first stamps issued, 1968: No.1, 5 cent multicolor; stamps of Seychelles overprinted B.I.O.T, 1969: mails have been carried by m.v. Nordvaer, with a temporary post office, 1976: mail is entirely military, 1976, June 23: islands Aldabra, Farquhar and Des Roches islands transferred to Seychelles and Seychelles stamps used, 1980: name changed to Zil Eloigne Sesel then to Zil Elevagne Sesel
British Inland Mail: stamps issued at Antananarivo (Madagascar); 1895, Jan.-Sept.: French fleet blockade; mail carried by runner to Vatomandry
British Levant: British post offices in the Turkish Empire; 1832: British embassy mail started, 1854, Nov.: Constantinople opened an Army post office, 1854: British stamps used, 1885, Apr. 1: first British stamps issued with surcharge, 1905: stamps of Great Britain overprinted “Levant,” 1914, Sept. 30: post offices closed, 1916: Levant stamps for Salonica, 1918-20: British Army post office in Constantinople opened, 1921: stamp issued British occupation of part of the old Ottoman Empire, 1920-23: overprinted stamps used
British Military Administration of Malaya: 1945, Oct. 19: first stamps issued, 1945-48: Straits Settlements stamps overprinted BMA Malaya used, 1948-post: states issued their own stamps, but BMA overprint was used to 1951
British Military Administration of North Borneo: 1945, Dec. 17: first stamps of North Borneo overprinted B.M.A
British Monmon Islands: bogus, British Colonial Royal Wedding frames from book Surreal Stamps and Unreal Stickers
British Naiana: bogus, British Colonial Royal Wedding frames from book Surreal Stamps and Unreal Stickers
British New Guinea: former name for Papua; 1883, Apr. 4: annexed by Queensland, 1888, Sep. 4: post offices opened at Port Moresby and Samarai, 1888: cancels were barred ovals with letters NG or BNG, along with a dated stamp, 1901, July 1-05: first stamps issued, 1902: transferred to Australia, 1906, Sep. 1: name changed to Territory of Papua, 1907: definitive issue, 1949: Papua and New Guinea, 1972: Papua New Guinea, 1975: independence
British Occupation: 1918, Dec. – July 1920: overprint on stamps of Russia, “Batum” overprint, occupied by British Forces
British Occupation of Batum: overprint on stamps of Batum; Batum
British Occupation of Italian East Africa: 1941, Jan.: British forces invaded former Italian colony, along with Eritrea, Somalia and most of Ethiopia; used regular British stamps, 1942, Mar. 2: British stamps overprinted “M.E.F.” (Middle East Forces) used in Eritrea, 1942, Mar. 23: Ethiopian postal services resumed operations, 1942, Apr. 13: British stamps overprinted “E.A.F. (East African Forces) used in Somalia, 1948, May 27: British stamps overprinted “B.M.A. Eritrea and “B.M.A. Somalia” (British Military Administration), 1950, Jan-Feb.: Military administration ended; new stamps overprinted “B.A. Eritrea” and “B.A. Somalia” issued, 1950, Mar. 31: Somalia turned over to a United Nations Trusteeship, stamps demonetized, 1952, Sep. 15: Eritrea annexed to Ethiopia
British Occupation of Libya: 1943: British forces occupied Cyrenaica and Tripolitania; stamps of Britain overprinted “M.E.F.” (Middle East Forces), 1948, July 1: British stamps overprinted “B.M.A. Tripolitania” (British Military Administration), 1949, June 1: Cyrenaica established as an autonomous station, 1950, Jan. 16: New stamps depicting King Idris, 1950, Feb. 6: Military Administration ended; new stamps overprinted “B.A. Tripolitania,” 1951, Dec. 24: Kingdom of Libya formed, included Cyrenaica, Tripolitania and Fezzan-Ghadames
British Offices in Beirut: 1873-1914: stamps of Great Britain, British Levant, 1906, July 2: provisional issued
British Offices in China; various cities; 1844: consular treaty port post offices opened, 1862-post: all mail canceled B62 in Hong Kong, 1862-1917: first stamps, Hong Kong, 1917: first overprinted stamps of Hong Kong, “China,” 1922, Nov. 30: all offices were closed except for Wei-hai-wei, 1930, Oct. 1: stamps withdrawn, handed back to China. British Offices in Crete: British zone of joint administration includes France, Italy, Russia; 1898-1900: stamps issued until establishment of autonomous government
British Offices in Eastern Arabia: 1963, Mar.30: first British agency post office opened, 1963, Mar.30-March 29, 1964: used stamps of British postal administration in Eastern Arabia, 1967, Jan.1: local service starts
British Offices in Japan: 1859-Dec.1879: Yokohama, used stamps of Hong Kong from 1864, 1860-Dec.1879: Nagasaki, used stamps of Hong Kong from 1866, 1869-Dec.: (Hyogo), used stamps of Hong Kong from 1876
British Offices in Morocco: 1857-86: used stamps of Great Britain, postmarked at Gibraltar, 1886-1907: placed under control of Gibraltar, 1898-1906: used stamps of Gibraltar, and Great Britain, 1907-56: used stamps of Great Britain, overprinted, currency surcharge in Spanish, plus separate issues used in Spanish Zone, French Zone and Tangier, 1917-Jan. 8, 1938: used stamps of Great Britain surcharged in French, 1927-pre: Tangier used stamps of Great Britain without overprints
British Offices in the Turkish Empire: 1885-pre: British stamps used, 1885: British stamps overprinted “Levant” or surcharged in Turkish currency, 1914, Oct. 1: British post offices closed, 1919, Mar.: British post offices reopened, 1923, Sep. 27: British post offices closed. see: British Levant
British Philatelic Federation: formed 1976 as umbrella federation for British philatelic societies, closed 1993; Association of British Philatelic Societies
British postal administration in Eastern Arabia: stamps of Great Britain surcharged in Indian currency, 1948, Apr.1-Jan. 6, 1961: Dubai, 1948, Apr.1-April 29, 1966: Muscat, 1950-57: Qatar, 1960, Dec.-March 29, 1964: Abu Dhabi, 1951, 1953: Kuwait, Bahrain. British postal strike: started Jan. 20, 1971, ended March 8, 1971: involved 220,000 postal employees: it was legal for private firms to deliver mail and many made their own stamp labels for the occasion
British Postal Strike: On Jan. 20, 1971, British postal workers started a seven-week strike; private delivery services created for local delivery to bringing mail to Europe for remailing, strike ended Mar. 8, 1971
British Post Office: British government took over the American colonial postal system, 1707
British Post Office Act of 1657: listed international towns of commercial importance
British Post Offices in Morocco: currency: 40 paras = 1 piaster, 12 pence = 1 shilling (1905) 1857-86: used stamps of Great Britain, postmarked at Gibraltar, 1886-1907: placed under control of Gibraltar, 1898: No.1, 5 centimos green;(Spanish currency) used stamps of Gibraltar, and Great Britain, 1907: stamps of Great Britain in British currency, 1907-56: used stamps of Great Britain, overprinted, currency surcharge in Spanish, plus separate issues used in Spanish Zone, French Zone and Tangier, 1917-Jan. 8, 1938: used stamps of Great Britain surcharged in French, 1927-pre: Tangier used stamps of Great Britain without overprints
British Post Offices in the Turkish Empire: currency: 40 paras = 1 piaster, 12 pence = 1 shilling (1905) 1854, Nov: British Army P.O. as sorting and forwarding office for forces in Crimea, 1885, April 1: No. 1, 40 paras lilac; British stamps overprinted “Levant” or surcharged in Turkish currency, 1919, Mar.-1922: Smyrna post office reopened with unoverprinted stamps, 1923, Sep. 27: British post offices closed. British Levant
British Protectorate Oil Rivers: Niger Coast Protectorate; 1892-93: overprint on stamps of Great Britain
British Rail Parcels LS: United Kingdom strike local post, 1971
British railway letter stamps: used from 1891-1941; in 1920, rate increased from 2d to 3d bringing causing surcharges on current inventory
British Solomon Islands: British protectorate in the West Pacific Ocean; 1893: southern islands, British territory, 1896: New South Wales first stamps, postmarked Sydney, 1907, Feb. 14: first stamps as British Protectorate, postage to Australia and then stamps of New South Wales necessary, 1907, Sept. 3: joined the UPU, 1940, Sept.1: first postage due stamp issued, 1942: Japanese invasion, post offices closed, 1943, July: post office opened on Guadalcanal, 1946: Guadalcanal closed, replaced by Honiara, 1975: name changed from British Solomon Islands to Solomon Islands, 1978, July 7: became independent, 1982, May 3: first semipostal stamp issued,
British Somaliland: 1903: overprint on stamps of India; see: Somaliland Protectorate
British South Africa Company: Rhodesia; currency: 12 pence = 1 shilling, 20 shillings = 1 pound 1841-53: Livingston sent mail to Great Britain, via casual caravans or ships, 1875-76: mail send from Transvaal, 1888-92: stamps of British Bechuanaland used, 1888, Aug.: mail sent from Tati in Bechuanaland Protectorate, 1890, Jan. 2: first stamps for British South Africa Company, 1890: horse post established, 1898: railway from Beira to Umtali, 1889: administered by the British South Africa Company, 1909, Apr. 15: first stamps overprinted with name “Rhodesia,” 1923: area divided and portion became British Crown Colony of Rhodesia. 1924: remaining territory formed Protectorate of Northen Rhodesia, 1924: remainders of issues 1892-1910 sold to stamp dealers, 1953, Sep.3: Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland, Rhodesia, Rhodesia and Nyasaland
British Telegraph Co.: stamp of British private telegraph company
British Vice Consulate Antananarivo: 1884-86: Madagascar; see: British Consular Mail
British Virgin Islands: islands in the West Indies, southeast of Puerto Rico; currency: 12 pence = 1 dollar, 20 shillings = 1 pound, 100 cents = 1 U.S. dollar (1951), 100 cents = 1 dollar (1962) 1666-pre: under Dutch control, then to Britain, 1858: British stamps used at Tortola on overseas mail, 1866: Virgin Islands stamps issued under British control, 1890-1956: Leeward Island stamps used with those of BVI, 1916: War Tax stamp issued, 1917-pre: western portion under Danish rule, then U.S. rule, 1917: first semipostal stamp issued, 1935: first pictorial stamp issued, 1956: became a separate Crown Colony, 1967: new constitution, became an Associated State under Britain, 1968, Jan. 2: first “British Virgin Islands” stamp issued to avoid confusion with US Virgin Islands
British Zone: plus American and Russian occupying powers; 1946-48: one issue, overprinted with pattern of posthorns, for occupation of Germany, 1948-49: “Deutsche Post” inscription used
Britisk: (Dan., Nor.) British, Storbritannien
Britská Guyana: (Czech.) British Guiana (Guyana)
Britská Honduras: (Czech.) British Honduras (Belize)
Britská Kolumbia: (Czech.) British Columbia
Britská Panenské Ostrovy: (Czech.) British Virgin Islands
Britisk Centralafrika: (Dan.) British Central Africa
Britiske Salomonøer: (Dan.) British Solomon Islands
Britiske skibspost: (Dan.) British ship mail (ship post)
Britiske skipspost: (Nor.) British ship mail (ship post)
Britiske Sone: (Nor.) British Zone
Britiske Zone: (Dan.) British Zone
Britisk Guiana: (Dan.) British Guiana
Britisk Honduras: (Dan.) British Honduras
Britisk Jomfruøerne: (Dan.) British Virgin Islands
Britisk Jomfruøy : (Nor.) British Virgin Islands
Britisk Nordborneo: (Dan.) British North borneo
Britisk Nyassaland: (Dan.) British Nyassaland
Britisk Østafrika: (Dan.) British East Africa
Britisk Post i Afrika: (Dan.) British Post Offices in Africa
Britisk Post i Kina: (Dan.) British Post Offices in China
Britisk Post i Marokko: (Dan.) British Post Offices in Morocco
Britisk Post i Øst Afrika: (Dan.) British Post Offices in East Africa
Britisk Post i Tyrkiet: (Dan.) British Post Offices in the Turkish Empire ( Levant)
Britisk Post i Udlandet: (Dan.) British Post Offices Abroad
Britisk Salomonøer: (Dan.) British Solomon Islands
Britisk Somaliland: (Dan.) British Somaliland
Britsky: (Czech.) British
Brit Szomália: (Hung.) British Somaliland
Brittin’s Express: local parcel firm serviced Newark, N.J. and New York City; used labels; 1850s
Brittisk: (Swed.) British (adj.), Storbritannien
Brittiska Burma: (Swed.) British Burma
Brittiska Centralafrika: (Swed.) British Central Africa
Brittiska Columbia: (Swed.) British Columbia
Brittiska Guyana: (Swed.) British Guiana (Guyana)
Brittiska Honduras: (Swed.) British Honduras
Brittiska Jungfruöarna: (Swed.) British Virgin Islands
Brittiska Militära Flygpoststämplar (Island): (Swed.) WWII British military Royal Air Force cancellations (Iceland)
Brittiska Nordborneo: (Swed.) British North Borneo
Brittiska Nyasaland: (Swed.) British Nyasaland
Brittiska Salomonöarna: (Swed.) British Solomon Islands
Brittiska Västindien: (Swed.) British West Indies
Brittiske skeppspost: (Swed.) British ship mail (ship post)
Brittiske Zon: (Swed.) British Zone
Brittisk militärpost: (Swed.) British field post offices
Brittisk Militärpost (Island): (Swed.) WWII British military mail (Iceland)
Brittisk Post på Afrika: (Swed.) British Post Offices in Africa
Brititsk Post på Kina: (Swed.) British Post Offices in China
Brittisk Post på Marocko: (Swed.) British Post Offices in Morocco
Brittisk Post på Østafrika: (Swed.) British Post Offices in East Africa
Brittisk Post på Tyrkiet: (Swed.) British Post Offices in the Turkish Empire (Levant)
Brittisk Post på Udlandet: (Swed.) British Post Offices Abroad
Brittisk Salomonöer: (Swed.) British Solomon Islands
B R M: USPS term for business reply mail
Brno: formerly known as Brunn, Czechoslovakia
Broadway Postal Service: United Kingdom strike local post, 1971
Broadway Post Office: U.S. local post, New York, NY, 1848
Broken circle: printing variety in which a circle that appears on the stamp is defective
Broken (fractured) gum: final appearance of gum caused by application while paper passes through the gum-fracturing machine, which is used to counteract paper curl
Broken hat: variety seen on the 2¢ 1893 Columbian issue found in the hat of the knight standing to the left of Columbus. The lines in the hat brim are broken
Broken Hill: now known as Kabwe, Zambia
Broken letters: malformed letters in the stamp inscription caused by damage or deterioration in the printing plate or cylinder
Broken set: an incomplete set of stamps that doesn’t contain all the values
Broken type: letter in an overprint or surcharge where the face is damaged so that there is no complete impression
Bromberg: local, Germany, Stadtpost Hansa, 1896-1900; now known as Bydgoszcz, Poland
Bromide: photo of the artwork reduced to the actual size of the stamp printed on bromide paper
Bronce: (Sp.) bronze (color)
Bronnytzy: (now Bronnitsy) Russian town in Moscow Oblast ca. 32 miles SW of the city of Moscow; issued several local Rural Post stamps (1868-1905, the local post being suppressed in 1905), Zemstvo
Brons: (Swed.) bronze (metallic color)
Bronse: (Nor.) bronze (metallic color)
Bronsefarget: (Nor.) bronze (color)
Bronsgroen: (Neth.) bronze-green (metallic color)
Bronsgrön: (Swed.) bronze-green (metallic color)
Bronsegrønn: (Nor.) bronze-green (metallic color)
Bronson & Forbes City Express Post: U.S. local post, Chicago, Ill. 1855
Bronz: (Rom.) bronze (metallic color)
bronze (German) bronze
Bronzegrøn: (Dan.) bronze-green (metallic color)
Bronzen: (Ger.) bronze (color)
Bronzo: (It.) bronze (color)
Brooklyn City Express Post: U.S. local post, Brooklyn, N.Y., 1855-64
Brooklyn Independent Carriers: local post of Brooklyn, N.Y., 1846-55
Brookman: United States based stamp catalogs of U.S., U.N., and Canada
Brook’s Express: local parcel firm serviced Kingston, Mt. Auburn and Boston, Mass.; used a label; late 1800s
Brotkartenpapier: (Ger.) bread ration ticket paper, used for printing 1919 stamps of Lithuania
Brown: coffee or chocolate (color)
Brown (E) & Co. : U.S. local post, Cincinnati, Ohio, 1852-65
Brown & Durling: inscription on Match stamp; Private die proprietary stamps
Brown & McGill’s U.S.P.O. Despatch: 1858, Louisville, Ky; see: Carriers’ Stamps
Brown, C.F.: inscription on Medicine stamp; Private die proprietary stamps
Browne’s Easton Despatch Post: U.S. local post, Easton, Pa., 1876 established for philatelic purposes by stamp dealer William P. Browne
Brownout-franking: 1845-March 1847; U.S. department term for signatures required on mail sent by employees of their department to use the franking privilege
Brown, Fred Co.: inscription on Medicine stamp; Private die proprietary stamps
Brown, John I. & Son: inscription on Medicine stamp; Private die proprietary stamps
Brown’s City Post: U.S. local post, New York, N.Y., 1876
BRU: international postal code for Brunei Darussalam
Bruch (Spur): (Ger.) crease
Bruchdruck: (Ger.) surface printing, typography
Brücke: 1: (Ger.) gutter between two stamps; 2: (Ger.) bridges, as a theme or topic
Bruges: also known as Brugge, Belgium
Brugparen: (Neth.) interpanneaux pair
Brugsbrev: (Dan.) commercial cover
Brugsmærke(r): (Dan.) definitive issues
Brugt: (Dan.) used
Bruin: (Dut.) brown (color)
Bruingeel: (Neth.) brownish-yellow (color)
Bruinlila: (Neth.) brownish-lilac (color)
Bruinrood: (Neth.) brownish-red (color)
Bruksbrev: (Swed.) commercial cover
Bruksmärken: (Swed.) definitive issues
Brukt: (Nor.) used, canceled
Brun: (Dan., Fr., Nor., Rom., Swed.) brown, coffee or chocolate (color)
Brunakt grå: (Swed.) brownish-grey (color)
Brunakt grå-lila grå: (Swed.) brownish – grey-lilac grey (color)
Brunakt lila: (Swed.) brownish-lilac (color)
Brunakt Mörklila: (Swed.) brownish dark violet (color)
Brunakt Olivgrå: (Swed.) brownish olive-grey (color)
Brunakt orange: (Swed.) brownish-orange (color)
Brunakt orangeröd: (Swed.) brownish orange-red (color)
Brunakt röd: (Swed.) brownish red (color)
Brunakt violett: (Swed.) brownish-violet (color)
Brunatny(o): (Pol.) brown (color)
Brun-carmine: (Rom.) carmine-brown (color)
Brun-cenusiu: (Rom.) grey-brown (color)
Brunei: Sultanate of North Borneo under British protection; official name of postal administration: Postal Services Department, Ministry of Communications currency: 100 cents (sen) = 1 Malayan dollar 1888: under British protection, 1895: local post stamps issued for mail to and from Labuan, 1906, Oct.11: No.1, 1 cent violet and black; first stamps were overprints on stamps of Labuan, 1907: Brunei stamps issued, 1942-44: stamps overprinted in Japanese characters during occupation, 1945: British occupation, stamps of North Borneo and Sarawak overprinted B.M.A., 1947: Brunei stamps reappeared, 1971: became a self-government, 1984: became fully independent, 1985, Jan.15: joined the UPU
Brunei Darussalam: Brunei
Brunei, Japanese Occupation: Brunei
Brunfiolett: (Nor.) brown-violet (color)
Brun-galbui: (Rom.) yellowish-brown (color), Bistru
Brungrå: (Nor.) brown-grey (color)
Brun gris: (Fr.) grey-brown (color)
Brungul: (Dan., Nor., Swed.) brownish-yellow (color)
Brunguk: (Nor.) buff (color)
Brun-închis: (Rom.) dark brown, chestnut brown, maroon (color)
Brunkarmin: (Dan., Nor.) brown-carmine (color)
Brunlig: (Dan., Nor.) brownish (color)
Brunligfiolett: (Nor.) brownish-purple (color)
Brunligkarminrød: (Nor.) brownish carmine-red (color)
Brunliglilla: (Dan., Nor.) brownish-lilac (color)
Brunliglillarød: (Dan., Nor.) brownish lilac-red (color)
Brunligoker: (Nor.) brownish-ochre (color)
Brunligokker: (Dan.) brownish-ochre (color)
Brunligoliven: (Dan., Nor.) brownish-olive (color)
Brunligorange: (Dan.) brownish-orange (color)
Brunligoransje: (Nor.) brownish orange (color)
Brunligpurpur: (Dan., Nor.) brownish-purple (color)
Brunligrød: (Dan., Nor.) brownish-red (color)
Brunligviolet: (Dan.) brownish-violet (color)
Brun-lila: (Rom.) lilac-brown (color)
Brunlilla: (Nor.) brown-lilac (color)
Brunn: now known as Brno, Czechoslovakia
Bruno: (It., Port., Sp.) brown, coffee or chocolate (color)
Brunoker: (Nor.) brown-ochre (color)
Brunokker: (Dan.) brown-ochre (color)
Brun-olive: (Rom.) olive-brown (color)
Brunoliven: (Dan., Nor.) brown-olive (color)
Brunorange: (Dan.) brown-orange (color)
Brunoransje: (Nor.) brown-orange (color)
Brun-portocaliu: (Rom.) orange-brown (color)
Brunpurper: (Dan., Nor.) brown-purple (color)
Brunrød: (Dan., Nor.) brown-red (color)
Brun-roscat: (Rom.) red-brown (color)
Brun rouille: (Fr.) rust (color)
Brunsort: (Dan.) brown-black (color)
Brunsvart: (Nor., Swed.) brown-black (color)
Brunsvil: (Czech.) Brunswick
Brunswick: German State, also known as Braunschweig; located in Northern Germany; currency: 12 pfennings = 1 gutesgroschen, 30 silber groschen = 24 gutesgroschen = 1 thaler 1852, Jan. 1: first stamps depicting a “Leaping Saxon” horse, 1856: used diamond shape as cancel, 1868, Jan. 1: stamps of the North German Confederation, 1870: became part of the German Empire, 1872, Jan.: German stamps issued
Brunswick printing: AMG (AM Post) stamps of Germany printed by Westermann of Braunschweig, Germany
Brunswick Star: name given to a duplex cancel used at Edinburgh, Scotland in 1863-73, name taken from the breast-star in the Hanoverian Order of Brunswick
Brunviolet: (Dan.) brown-violet (color)
Brunviolett: (Swed.) brown-violet (color)
Brussels, Bruxelles: Belgium precancel; local Courier Provisoire, 1914
Brustbild (German) bust
Bruten hörntand: (Swed.) bent (stamp) corner
Bruttokatalog: (Ger.) priced catalog, subject to discount
Bruun Local Post: Christianssund – J. C. Bruun Local Post
Bruxelles: surcharge precancel, 1929; also known as Brussels, Belgium
Bryant & Co.s Express: local package delivery firm serviced Boston, Mass and Bangor, Maine; used labels, 1849
Bryant & Manning’s Express: local post firm serviced Boston, Mass and Bangor, Maine; used a label, 1854
Bryant & Spear’s Express: local post firm serviced Boston, Mass and Bangor, Maine; used labels, 1850
Bryant’s Express: local post firm serviced Boston, Mass and Bangor, and Penobscot, Maine; used labels, 1850
Bryssel: (Fin., Nor.) Brussels, Bruxelles
Brzeg: (Pol.) selvedge
Brzeziny: city in German-occupied Russian Poland, local post overprint, 1918-20
BS: 1: auction abbreviation for boy/girl scout theme; 2: Bahamas, country code as used by UPU
B/s: auction abbreviation term for Backstamp, Backstamp
BSA: British South Africa
B.S. & Co.: bogus college stamp, S. Allan Taylor
BSIP: British Solomon Islands Protectorate
BSMT: USPS abbreviation for basement
Bst.: Zeppelin confirmation marking that the mail piece was carried
Bstmp: abbreviation for backstamp, see: Backstamp
B. T.: Board of Trade, perfins, or punch perforated on stamps of Great Britain, with a crown
BT: Bhutan, country code as used by UPU
Btlln: (Sp.) abbreviation for military force, battalion
Btonn: paper watermarked with straight parallel lines
BU: letter-code within cds (q.v.) assigned to Buccament, St.Vincent, BWI (1874-1882), 1871 pop. 88)
Bubble pack: container used for the over-the-counter retail sale of coils of 100 stamps
Buccleuch find: rare British 1840 stamps found in 1946 in a desk belonging to the Fifth Duke of Buccleuch
Buchanan: city in Liberia, registration inscription, 1893-1924
Bucharest: also known as Bucuresti, Romania
Buchdruck: (Ger.) typography, letterpress
Büchse (German) the letter-transmitting container used in the Vienna pneumatic post
Buchstabe (German) letter, character (eg ‘a’)
Buchstabestempel: (Ger.) letter cancel
Buck, L. W. & Co.: private die match proprietary stamps
Buck’s Express: local post serviced Newark, N.J and New York City, used labels, 1861
Buck’s Richmond Express: fantasy stamps printed during Civil War period, large range of stamps
Bucles: (Sp.) curls, used to describe the 1855 watermark instead of lazos
Bucureste: also known as Bucharest, Romania
Bud: (Dan., Nor.) bid (at an auction)
Budcentralens Expresspost Hälsingborg: Hälsingborg – A. Thene Budcentralens Expresspost
Budliste: (Dan.) bid sheet
Budweis: now known as Ceske Budejovice, Czechoslovakia
Buegig: (Ger.) creased
Buenos Aires: province in Argentina; currency: 8 reales = 1 peso 1771: earliest known postmarks, 1814: independent posts established, 1858, Apr. 29: No.1,1 peso light brown; issued own stamps as part of Argentine Confederation, 1860-73: stamps of Great Britain used, 1860-78: stamps of France used, 1862, Oct. 4: last issue of own stamps, became a province of Argentina
Buffalo Balloon: see: Balloon Postage, Buffalo
Buffer: an alkaline reserve added to paper
Bug: (Ger.) crease
Buggy whip: plate crack that appears on the 4.9c Transportation coil series stamp
Bugulma: Russian town in Samara Oblast ca. 160 miles SE of Kazan (now capital of Tatarstan); issued over 20 different local Rural Post stamps (1882-1915), Zemstvo
Buguruslan: Russian town in Samara Oblast (now Orenburg Oblast) ca. 95 miles NE of the city of Samara; issued numerous local Rural Post stamps (1879-1915), Zemstvo
Buildings Study Group: study of the postal history and stamps of the emergency German 1948 building sets, Germany Philatelic Society, USA
Buiten Bezit: Dutch Indies overprint for Java and Madura, 1908: outer possessions, to check the use of mail
Buitos postales: (Sp.) inscription for parcel stamps of Mexico
Bukovina: local overprint, bogus, Ukrainain, 1993
Bulgar: (Rom) Bulgarian (adj.)
Bulgár: (Hung.) Bulgarian
Bulgaria: former Turkish republic in the Balkans, Southeastern Europe; official name of postal administration: Bulgarian Posts currency: 100 stotinki = 1 lev, 100 centimes = 1 franc 1850s: used stamps of Turkey, 1878: “Greater Bulgaria” established, 1879, May 1: No.1, 5 cent black/yellow; first stamps issued, 1879, July 1: joined the UPU, 1884: first postage due stamp issued, 1885: absorbed Eastern Rumelia under rule of the Sultan of Turkey, 1908: independence from Turkey formalized, 1920, June 20: first semipostal stamp issued, 1917: Macedonia issue, but not used until1921, 1918-39: King Boris III, royal issues, 1925: Sunday delivery stamps, first postal tax stamp issued, 1927: first air mail stamp issued, 1942: first official stamp issued, 1946, Sept. 15: stamps of People’s Republic issued; AEB, AEBA
Bulgária: (Hung.) Bulgaria
Bulgaria, forged issues: 1: 1901 War of Independence, Scott 53-54. 2: 1902, Battle of Shipka Pass, Scott 70-72
Bulgarian Occupation of Romania: an ally of Austria and Germany, 1916: overprint on stamps of Bulgaria for use in occupation of Romania
Bulgarie: (Bul.) Bulgaria
Bulgarien: (Dan., Ger., Nor., Swed.) Bulgaria
Bulgarisk: (Dan., Nor., Swed.) Bulgarian
Bulgarska carska pochta: bogus, Bulgarian Royal Posts, 1964
Bulharsko: (Czech.) Bulgaria
Bulharsky: (Czech.)Bulgarian
Bulk mail: mail that is rated for postage partly by weight and partly by the number of pieces in the mailing; USPS term
Bulk e-mail: direct mail advertising to large numbers of addresses via e-mail
Bulk rate: low denomination stamps for use bulk mail
Bulk rate USA: 1. eagle/shield design, US non-denominated postage stamp, value 10¢, 1991. 2. auto design, US non-denominated stamp, value 10¢, issued March 10, 1995
Bulldog Post: United Kingdom strike local post, 1971
Bulle: (Fr.) manila (color)
Bulletin d’expedition: (Fr.) a parcel card that could be delivered to the addressee as a notice of a package’s arrival, upon receipt of the parcel, the recipient signed the parcel card, which was kept by the post office
Bull, John, Dr.: inscription on Medicine stamp; Private die proprietary stamps
Bullock Mail: bullock carts carried mail between Allahabad and Delhi, India, between 1846 and 1904
Bull’s eye: Aug. 1, 1843: first issue of Brazil consisting of an intricate circular design
Bull’s eye cancellation: postmark in which the city, state and dates have been placed directly on the center of a stamp or block of stamps; also known as socked on the nose (SON)
Bumbunga Province: bogus Australian secessionist state three hectares north of Adelaide
Bumper: post office term for cancellation on second, third and fourth class matter
Bund: (Ger.) federation, federal
Bund Deutscher Philatelisten (BDPh): (Ger.) Association of German Philatelists
Bundesmarke: (Ger.) German Federal Republic postage stamp
Bundesmarken (German) stamps of federal states
Bundespost: (Ger.) German Post Office
Bundesprüfer: (Ger.) a competent authority recognized as being qualified to certify the identification, authenticity or other status of philatelic materials; now just called Prüfer
Bundesdruckerei: (Ger.) Berlin, Germany security printer
Bundesrepublik Deutschland: (Ger.) Federal Republic of Germany (West Germany)
Bundi: India Feudatory State; 1894, May-1902: first stamps, 1902-15: stamps of India used, 1915-48: used own stamps, 1939: separate stamps discontinued, 1948-50: used stamps of Rajasthan, 1950, Apr. 1: replaced by stamps of the Republic of India
Bundi service: India, Bundi officials, 1919
Bundleware: old time stock of stamps that were bundled and tied together with string
Bundt: (Dan.) bundle
Bunt: (Swed.) bundle
Buntdruck (German) coloured print
Buntfrankatur: (Ger.)a coverwith at least three stamps of different colors
Bunol: local, Spanish civil war, 1937
Buque: (Sp.) ship, used in ship markings, thematic
Buque Minador: (Sp.) civil war naval marking for minelayer
Buque Prision: (Sp.) prison ship, may be seen in an address
Bur.: abbreviation for bureau
Burdo: (Sp.) coarse
Burdsal, J.S. & Co.: inscription on Medicine stamp; Private die proprietary stamps
Bureau: (Fr.) office(s), postoffice(s)
Bureau a l’étranger: (Fr.) post office abroad
Bureau aux Armées: (Fr.) field post office
Bureau de Départ: (Fr.) post office of origin
Bureau de Destination: (Fr.) post office of delivery
Bureau de Poste: (Fr.) post office
Bureau de Poste Central: (Fr.) main or head post office
Bureau d’Ambulants: (Fr.) mobile post office
Bureau Inexistant: (Fr.) postal term for “No Such Post Office” return to sender
Bureau International d’Education: Switzerland overprint for International Board of Education
Bureau International du Travail: Switzerland; 1923-1950: official overprint for International Labor Bureau
Bureau issues: stamps produced by theUS Bureau of Engraving and Printing
Bureau Issues Association (BIA): now called the United States Stamp Society
Bureau Militaire: (Fr.) army post office
Bureau of Engraving and Printing (BEP): official US printer of currency; 1862, Aug. 29: started by overprinting the Treasury Seal and Treasury Notes; 1894, July 1: started producing US postage stamps
Bureau precancels: stamps that are precanceled at the B.E.P. in Washington, D.C
Bureau postal maritime: (Fr.) packet-letter post office
Bureau print: precancellation applied by the BEP during the production of the stamp for use by post offices that required a large number of precancel stamps
Bureaux Allemands: (Fr.) German Offices (Abroad)
Bureaux Américain: (Fr.) United States Offices (Abroad)
Bureaux Autrichien: (Fr.) Austrian Offices (Abroad)
Bureaux Britannique: (Fr.) British Offices (Abroad)
Bureaux Chinois: (Fr.) Chinese Offices (Abroad)
Bureaux Espagnols: (Fr.) Spanish Offices (Abroad)
Bureaux étranger: (Fr.) overseas post offices
Bureaux Français: (Fr.) French Offices (Abroad)
Bureaux Grec: (Fr.) Greek Offices (Abroad)
Bureaux Hongrois: (Fr.) Hungarian Offices (Abroad)
Bureaux Indien: (Fr.) Indian Offices (Abroad)
Bureaux Italiens: (Fr.) Italian Offices (Abroad)
Bureaux Japonais: (Fr.) Japanese Offices (Abroad)
Bureaux Polonais: (Fr.) Polish Offices (Abroad)
Bureaux Russes: (Fr.) Russian Offices (Abroad)
Burelado: (Sp.) see: Burelage
Burelage, Burelé, Burlage: (Fr., Sp.) a fine overall network of dots or lines printed on the surface of stamps in addition to the stamps design; was usually done to discourage counterfeiting. Burg: (Ger.) castle, as a theme or topic
Burelering: (Nor.) see: Burelage
Burgdorf: local airmail, Switzerland, 1913
Burgenland: 1945: German stamps overprinted diagonally “Osterreich” for use in Burgenland
Burgos: Spanish province; local overprint, Nationalist and Republican forces, 1936-37
Burhans, D. & Co.: private die match proprietary stamps
Buriatia: bogus Russian Federation Republic; local overprint and stamps, 1996?
Burilagem: (Port.) see: Burelage
Burin: tool used by stamp engravers to engrave in steel
Burjasot: local, Spanish civil war, Republican forces, 1937
Burkina Faso: formerly French colony of Upper Volta, Northwestern Africa; currency: 100 centimes = 1 franc 1919: French territory of Upper Volta made a separate colony, 1920: No.1, 1 centime brown-violet; first stamps were Upper Senegal and Niger overprinted Haute-Volta (Upper Volta); first postage due stamp issued, 1928: issued own stamps, 1933: divided among French Sudan, Ivory Coast, and Niger Territory, 1958, Dec.11: named Upper Volta, 1959: stamps issued as Republic of Haute-Volta, 1963, Feb.1: first official stamp, 1961, Mar. 4: first air mail stamp, 1961, Apr. 7: first semipostal stamp, 1963, March 29: joined the UPU, 1984, May 23: first air mail stamps with new name, 1984, Aug. 4: name changed to Burkino Faso, “country of incorruptible men”, 1984, Nov. 21: first regular issue stamps issued as Burkino Faso
Burma: southeast Asia, south of China, part of British Indian Empire; now named Myanmar; currency: 12 pies = 1 anna, 100 pyas = 1 kyat (1953), 16 annas = 1 rupee 1826-Apr.1, 1937: part of British India, 1854, Oct.: stamps of India used for first time, 1887: river steamer temporary post offices established, 1937, April 1: No.1, 3 pies slate; stamps of India (1926-36) overprinted “Burma” when it became part of the British Commonwealth, 1937: first official stamps issued, 1938: Burma stamps, British Administration, 1943-45: Japanese occupation overprints and issues, 1942, May: Burmese emblem, the peacock, used as overprint during Japanese occupation, 1941-45: Stamps of India used by Imperial troops, 1947, Oct.: interim government overprint, 1948, Jan. 4: became Union of Burma as an independent nation, 1989: name changed to Myanmar, 1990: first stamps issued as Myanmar
Burma, Japanese Occupation: Burma
Burma, Japanese Occupation, forged issues: 1: 1943 farmer plowing, Scott 2N30-2N37. 2: 1943 water carrier, Scott 2N41-2N43. 3: 1943 Elephant with log, Scott 2N44-2N48. 4: 1943 Mandalay Watchtower, Scott 2N49-2N50
Burnett, Joseph & Co.: inscription on Medicine stamp; Private die proprietary stamps
Burnishing: removal of portion of an engraved design from a die, plate, or transfer roll; usually done to remove imperfections or re-work a design
Burnham Post: United Kingdom strike local post, 1971
Burnley Chamber of Commerce: United Kingdom strike local post, 1971
Burr: uneven raised edge of surplus metal from engraver’s tool, prints as a flaw
Burriana: local, Spanish civil war, Republican forces, 1937
Burritt, Elihu: (1810-1879) proponent of Ocean Penny Postage as a drastic reduction in an established set of postal rates in use by many different nations
Burrus, Maurice: stamp collector who is depicted on a set of Liechtenstein 1968 stamps
Burse Express Co.: local parcel firm serviced Brooklyn, N. Y. and New York City
Bursztynowy: (Pol.) amber (color)
Burundi: UN Trusteeship territory (Ruanda-Urundi) administered by Belgium, Central Africa; currency: 100 centimes = 1 franc 1899-1914: as Urundi, part of German East Africa, 1914-62: administered by Belgium under a United Nations mandate, 1953: overprint “Royaume du Burundi” on Ruanda-Urundi (1959-61), 1962, July 1: No.1, 25 centimes green/orange; became independent nation, 1962, Sep.27: Burundi stamps issued, 1963, Feb.15: first semipostal stamp issued, 1963, April 6: joined the UPU, 1964, July 2: first air mail stamp issued, 1966, Nov. 28: military coup overthrew monarchy, declared a republic, 1967: “Republique du Burundi” overprinted on Royaume du Burundi issues (Scott 111, 113, 116, 118-25, 141-52, 154-56), 1967: first stamp with inscription of Republique du Burundi
Burutu: city in Southern Nigeria; 1896-1899: Royal Niger Company handstamp used on stamps of Great Britain
Buryatia, Republic of: illegal labels, purporting to be stamps, as per Jan. 14, 2002, Russian Federation report to the UPU; not valid for postage
Bury’s City Post: U.S. local post, New York, N.Y., 1857
Busch, Charles: private die match proprietary stamps
Bushehr: formerly Bushire, Iran
Bushire: Persian Gulf port; 1915, Aug. 8-Oct. 16: British occupation now known as Bushehr, Iran
“Bushire under British Occupation”: overprint on stamps of Iran (1911-13). 1914-15: “Bushire under British Occupation” Persian stamps overprint
Bush’s Brooklyn City Express: U.S. local post, Brooklyn, N.Y., 1848 (?)
Business Facilities: United Kingdom strike local post, 1971
Business Reply Mail (BRM): specially printed postcards, envelopes and labels that may be mailed without postage prepayment; postage and fees are collected when the mail is delivered back to the original sender; usually a license and deposit are required
Business school stamps used by business colleges in their courses to demonstrate business practices
Bus parcel stamps: private labels issued by bus firms to prepay freight charges on parcels carried on their routes
Bussahir: India Feudatory State, Punjab; 1895, June 20: first local stamps, 1901, Mar.31: cancelled obsolete stamps (Rampur 19 MA 1900) sold to stamp trade, 1901, Mar.31: stamps of British India used. 1950, Apr. 1: replaced by stamps of the Republic of India
Bussfraktmärken (Soumi): (Swed.) bus parcel stamps (Finland)
Busspaket: (Fin.) Finland parcel post
Busta: (It.) cover, an envelope or a postally used envelope or one with a postal cancellation
Busta primo giorno di emissione: (It.) first day of emission
Bustees: India States term for hamlets
Butler & Carpenter: engraver and printer of US revenue stamps
Butlin’s Holidays For a King: inscription, unissued Great Britain cinderella by David Horry, 2001
Butterfield Overland Mail: service began Sept. 15, 1858, between St. Louis and San Francisco, taken over by Wells Fargo
Butterflies of Victoria: butterfly-like cancel; 1850-52: used for the first issues of Victoria
Button: U.S. Navy code name during WW II for Espritu Santo Island, New Hebrides Islands
Buu-chinh, Buu-Chinn: Vietnam
Buy bid: practice whereby a bidder instructs an auctioneer or auction agent to purchase a lot regardless of the ultimate hammer or final price; rarely accepted by auction houses since two “buy bids” on same lot would create chaos
Buyer’s premium: auction term for percentage premium added to the final price of a lot, and retained by the auctioneer as part of the commission for selling the lot; also known as buyer’s fee or the tip
Buy prices: price a buyer is willing to pay for certain stamps or other philatelic items
Büyük Britanya: (Turk.) Great Britain
Buzon: (Sp.) posting or mail box
Buzones columnas: (Sp.) pillar, or mailing boxes in streets, as opposed to those in post offices
Buzones tranvias: (Sp.) posting boxes on Madrid, Barcelona and Bilbao tramcars
Buzones vapores: (Sp.) posting boxes on ships in regular service between the Spanish mainland and the Balearic Islands of Ceuta, Melilla, and the Canary Islands
Buzulul: Russian town in Samara Oblast (now Orenburg Oblast) ca. 90 miles ESE of the city of Samara; issued over 20 different local Rural Post stamps (1876-1915), Zemstvo
B V C C A R I: overprint; 1918: naval victory commemorated on Fiume stamps
B. V. I.: British Virgin Islands
BW: 1: abbreviation for “bankwissel” bank draft revenue overprint of Orange Free State; 2: Botswana, country code as used by UPU
B.W.: Bahnoff Warschau (Ger.) Warsaw railway station
B. W. & Co.: Bradbury, Wilkinson, stamp printers, Great Britain
B. W. A.: British West Africa
B W I: British West Indies
B W I S C: British West Indies Study Circle, Great Britain
B.X.Y. Express Co.: Brigham Young and Hiram Kimball received a mail contract with stations from Independence, Mo. to Salt Lake City, 1857; no notations are known from this mail service
By: (Nor.) 1. to bid (at an auction). 2. town, city
BY: Belarus, country code as used by UPU
Byam, Carlton & Co.: private die match proprietary stamps
Byde: (Dan.) to bid
Bydgoszcz: formerly Bromberg, Poland
Byezhetsk: Russian town in Twer (Russ. Tver) Oblast; issued over 30 different local Rural Post stamps (1872-1894, the local post being suppressed in 1896), Zemstvo
Byelorussia: Belarus
Bypass mail: mail that does not require postal preparation before outgoing distribution
Bypost: (Dan., Nor.) local post
By Post letters: mail picked up by post riders on the London-Edinburgh post route in the 1630s; see:Allen, Ralph
By Post stamps: local stamps issued by Danish and Norwegian towns in the 19th century
Byrd: Richard E. Byrd Antarctic Exploration, 1933US stamp commemorates his flights over South Polar regions
Bytown: now known as Ottawa, Canada
Bz: (Ger.) catalogue abbreviation for bronze overprint or surcharge
BZ: Belize, country code as used by UPU.