Constantine Photo Stamps
Scope and Contents
Folded, the stamp booklet measures 5” by 2”. The booklet cannot be entirely unfolded due to the binding but is presumably 10” by 2” when unfolded. The cover is red, and printed with information about the stamps. A handwritten note in the corner suggests the stamps were $4. There are six stamps to a page, and tear lines to rip one out. Each of the stamps has a label identifying their location, sometimes with more details, like the specific building in the picture. The back of the booklet has a line for an address as well as a stamp box.
Dates
- Creation: approximately 1910
Biographical / Historical
Postage stamps, also referred to as personal stamps, are customizable stamps that can feature a wide variety of images and serve many purposes. While the first stamps were made by postal offices with the intention of letting customers put family pictures on them, they quickly branched out into a much wider variety of pictures and scenes. The stamps in this booklet were made by the Photo-Stamp Co. in Saginaw, Michigan. Various locations depicted on the stamps include streets, Fawn River, a high school, a paper mill, a Methodist Episcopal church, and a Lutheran church from Constantine. One of the churches on the stamps, the Methodist church, seems to still stand in Constantine today, recently celebrating their 190th year in 2021.
Extent
0.05 Cubic Feet ; Folded the booklet measures five inches x 2 inches. Unfolded the booklet presumably measures 10 inches x 2 inches. The booklet cannot be entirely unfolded.
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
The collection is composed of a booklet of 24 photo stamps depicting scenes from Constantine, Michigan.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Starring Endowment
Physical Description
The booklet is in decent condition. While the staple binding has held up well, most of the sticker backings on the stamps have begun to peel off, sometimes completely. The edges of the paper are a bit grayed at the edges, but there are no tears or otherwise much damage.
- Title
- Constantine Photo Stamps Finding Aid
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Meena Jacobs, Mallory Heslinger
- Date
- 2024-08-29
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the Western Michigan University Archives & Regional History Collections Repository
Charles C. and Lynn L. Zhang Legacy Collections Center
1650 Oakland Drive
Kalamazoo MI 49008-5307 US
(269) 387-8490
arch-collect@wmich.edu