The envelope is addressed to a savings institute. My thinking is that the "US Collector" is not a collector of US stamps, but a collector of federal taxes.
I wondered that, also.
Bruce
i'm with Michael on this. Lowell is big enough that a private business would likely need a street address. There are enough things to collect that stamps need not be the only adjective.
Yes, I'm leaning in the direction of a tax collector or possibly credit collector now but not fully there, yet chiefly for fantasy reasons, as in I'm fantasizing that this is a private stamp collector.
During that era, I believe the post office was still fighting what was then a losing battle to get private individuals to place a full return address on the mail.
Bruce
I doubt that a private citizen would have paid to have a return address printed on the envelope, unless it was someone wealthy.
I'm fascinated by 19th stamp dealer covers. It's a weakness, easily satisfied though. This cover has me thinking about the name of (see: left side of cover) the U.S. Collector. I'm assuming this was a stamp collector who resided in Lowell, Massachusetts, circa 1860s. Who was he? Was he also a stamp dealer? Anyone else have 19th Century covers with return addresses indicating stamp collectors rather than dealers?
Bruce
re: Long Shot Question...
The envelope is addressed to a savings institute. My thinking is that the "US Collector" is not a collector of US stamps, but a collector of federal taxes.
re: Long Shot Question...
I wondered that, also.
Bruce
re: Long Shot Question...
i'm with Michael on this. Lowell is big enough that a private business would likely need a street address. There are enough things to collect that stamps need not be the only adjective.
re: Long Shot Question...
Yes, I'm leaning in the direction of a tax collector or possibly credit collector now but not fully there, yet chiefly for fantasy reasons, as in I'm fantasizing that this is a private stamp collector.
During that era, I believe the post office was still fighting what was then a losing battle to get private individuals to place a full return address on the mail.
Bruce
re: Long Shot Question...
I doubt that a private citizen would have paid to have a return address printed on the envelope, unless it was someone wealthy.