The Knapp sales ushered in a new era of collecting. During the next three decades, many famous collections would be formed and dispersed, all anchored by postal history and off cover stamps with interesting cancellations. The collections of Gore, Gibson, West, Moody, Caspary, Newbury and Jackson made for legendary auction sales. Today, collectors of this type of material eagerly seek out copies of these sales to learn about what covers or stamps might exist within their collecting domain.

There are three major books, all out of print, but readily available in the used book marketplace that can help you in the pursuit of postal markings and cancellations of the classic period of 1847 to 1869.

Simpson’s U.S. Postal Markings: 1851-61 by Tom Alexander; 1979; 434 pgs.; hard-bound.

This is a revised and enlarged edition of the original work of 1959 by Tracy W. Simpson. It is by far the most comprehensive work ever written on the subject. The text and illustrations cover town marks, rating, obliterators, auxiliary, waterway, route agent, steamboat, transatlantic, forwarder and express company markings. In addition, there is invaluable text on postal rates, civil war rates and usages as well as a copy of the 1855 postal regulations.

Don’t let the title U.S. Postal Markings: 1851-61 fool you. Many markings illustrated were in use during the life of the 1847 issue and continued to be in service during the existence of the 1861-67 issues.

One nice feature of this book is that each marking illustrated is accompanied by a rarity factor. It's Item No. 442 in our catalog at $55. New in publishers wrap, at $65.

Cyclopedia of United States Postmarks and Postal History by Delf Norona; 1975 Quarterman reprint of a 1933-35 work; 405 pgs.; hardbound. Delf Norona was one of the early pioneers of the study of postal markings and postal history. This work is actually an anthology of articles by Norona and others, gathered together and published in two separate volumes by the APS in the mid-30’s. Each article contains in-depth text and appropriate illustrations. Here are just a few of the topics covered in the 32 articles that make up this volume: Domestic Letter Postage Rates 1792-1932: County and Postmaster Townmarks; New York Foreign Mail Cancellations; Patent Cancellations; Quaker Postmarks, and Early Year-Dated Townmarks (to 1855). This is one of those treasure-trove volumes on postal history. It's Item No. 490 in our catalog at $45.

United States Cancellations: 1845-1869, by Hubert Skinner and Amos Eno; 1980; 362 pgs.; hard-bound.

A compilation of thousands of cancellations reproduced from actual size tracings, they are presented in eleven categories, ranging from simple designs to elaborate pictorial designs.

Each design has been assigned its own catalog number, the issue on which it can be found, the town of origin, color and whether or not it is known on cover.