Stamps Commemorating Medicine “ Private Dye Proprietary Stam ps” J O S E P H A G R IS , M .D ., D .D .S.
F e w p e o p l e w ho are not philatelists are aw a re o f sta m p s know n as Private Dye Proprietary S tam ps, w hich are not for postal u se, but for o th e r revenue. T h e y a re required by the F ederal G o v e rn m e n t to be affixed to b o x e s and bottles o f pro p rie ta ry m edicines, p erfu m es, playing c a rd s , cigars, alcoholic beverag es, ce rta in d o c u m e n ts, etc. T h e y w e re m a n d a te d by C o n gress a fte r the Civil W ar to m ak e up som e o f the e n o r m ou s c o st o f th at tragic conflict. In a n o th e r e co n om y , m a n u fa c tu re rs o f such p ro d u c ts w ere perm itted to h a v e d y e s en g rav ed and plates m ade o f their design and exclusive p u rp ose from w hich the F ederal G o v e rn m e n t stru c k th e sta m p s. T his not only re d u c e d the co st to the g o v e rn m e n t but delighted m an u fa c tu re rs b e c a u se o f the co nsiderab le advertising value o f such stam ps. M edicines w ere taxed at the rate o f one cent for each 25 cen ts o f retail price o r fraction th e r e o f u p to $1.00 and tw o cen ts fo r e a c h 50 c e n ts o r fraction a b o v e that am o u n t. T h e sta m p s w ere p rinted in several issues. E ach issue w as on a different type o f pap er. T h e first issue o f 1862 to 1871 w as kn ow n as old paper. T h e secon d issue o f 1872 thro u gh 1877 w as on a silk p a p e r with th re a d s o f silk, m ostly red and blue, running thro u gh the pa p e r and easily visible with a m agnifying glass. T h e third issue o f 1877 thro ug h 1878 was on a soft, pink-colored paper. A fourth issue o f 1878 through 1883 is in te re s t ing for the fact that the printing w as on w a te rm a rk p a p e r, a soft p o ro u s p a p e r bearing the letters US1R (U nited S ta te s Internal Revenue). In general, the sta m p s a re in tricately and in te re st ingly en graved and dep ict the n am e and logo o f the c o m p a n y , th e n am e p ro d u c t, and p o rtra its o r o th e r a ttractive pictorial m atte r. In u se , th e sta m p not only se rv e d as a m ean s o f obtaining revenu e for the gov ern m ent and adv ertisin g fo r c o m m ercial in terests, but also insured th a t th e p ro d u c t w as sealed.
I»jr.AtiKit« litutu'jl i .\*jh>ttrtl kan*te
w FIGURE T h e illustration (Fig. 1) show s several o f the stam ps in th eir various and different sizes, shapes, and intri c a c y o f design. In su b se q u e n t articles several o f the stam p s o f m edical in terest, the c o m panies th a t issued th e m , and the p ro d u c ts pu rv e y e d will be illustrated and discussed.
D r. A gris is C h ie f o f P la stic S u rg e ry , T ex as I n stitu te o f R e h ab ilita tio n & R e s e a rc h , a n d I n s tr u c to r in P lastic S u rg e ry , D e p a rtm e n t o f S u rg e ry , B a y lo r C olleg e o f M e d icin e, H o u s to n , T exas.
J. Dermatol. Surg. Oncol. 5:3 March 1979
239
F e w p e o p l e w ho are not philatelists are aw a re o f sta m p s know n as Private Dye Proprietary S tam ps, w hich are not for postal u se, but for o th e r revenue. T h e y a re required by the F ederal G o v e rn m e n t to be affixed to b o x e s and bottles o f pro p rie ta ry m edicines, p erfu m es, playing c a rd s , cigars, alcoholic beverag es, ce rta in d o c u m e n ts, etc. T h e y w e re m a n d a te d by C o n gress a fte r the Civil W ar to m ak e up som e o f the e n o r m ou s c o st o f th at tragic conflict. In a n o th e r e co n om y , m a n u fa c tu re rs o f such p ro d u c ts w ere perm itted to h a v e d y e s en g rav ed and plates m ade o f their design and exclusive p u rp ose from w hich the F ederal G o v e rn m e n t stru c k th e sta m p s. T his not only re d u c e d the co st to the g o v e rn m e n t but delighted m an u fa c tu re rs b e c a u se o f the co nsiderab le advertising value o f such stam ps. M edicines w ere taxed at the rate o f one cent for each 25 cen ts o f retail price o r fraction th e r e o f u p to $1.00 and tw o cen ts fo r e a c h 50 c e n ts o r fraction a b o v e that am o u n t. T h e sta m p s w ere p rinted in several issues. E ach issue w as on a different type o f pap er. T h e first issue o f 1862 to 1871 w as kn ow n as old paper. T h e secon d issue o f 1872 thro u gh 1877 w as on a silk p a p e r with th re a d s o f silk, m ostly red and blue, running thro u gh the pa p e r and easily visible with a m agnifying glass. T h e third issue o f 1877 thro ug h 1878 was on a soft, pink-colored paper. A fourth issue o f 1878 through 1883 is in te re s t ing for the fact that the printing w as on w a te rm a rk p a p e r, a soft p o ro u s p a p e r bearing the letters US1R (U nited S ta te s Internal Revenue). In general, the sta m p s a re in tricately and in te re st ingly en graved and dep ict the n am e and logo o f the c o m p a n y , th e n am e p ro d u c t, and p o rtra its o r o th e r a ttractive pictorial m atte r. In u se , th e sta m p not only se rv e d as a m ean s o f obtaining revenu e for the gov ern m ent and adv ertisin g fo r c o m m ercial in terests, but also insured th a t th e p ro d u c t w as sealed.
I»jr.AtiKit« litutu'jl i .\*jh>ttrtl kan*te
w FIGURE T h e illustration (Fig. 1) show s several o f the stam ps in th eir various and different sizes, shapes, and intri c a c y o f design. In su b se q u e n t articles several o f the stam p s o f m edical in terest, the c o m panies th a t issued th e m , and the p ro d u c ts pu rv e y e d will be illustrated and discussed.
D r. A gris is C h ie f o f P la stic S u rg e ry , T ex as I n stitu te o f R e h ab ilita tio n & R e s e a rc h , a n d I n s tr u c to r in P lastic S u rg e ry , D e p a rtm e n t o f S u rg e ry , B a y lo r C olleg e o f M e d icin e, H o u s to n , T exas.
J. Dermatol. Surg. Oncol. 5:3 March 1979
239
