Rather than write this over.... I copied it from Jean's blog as I thought it was great information! I hope you like it and brings clarity! Here is her blog if you haven't found it already:
http://www.pushingtheenvelopes.blogspot.com
annie asked about the non-conforming positioning of stamps on mail art.
she asked if i take them in for a hand cancel or just drop them in the mail box and hope for the best.
i prefer to drop them in the mail box.
a few postal workers can be very unfriendly when they see non-conforming decorated envelopes.
the friendlier postal workers who understand mail art are not bothered by non-conforming stamp placement.
if you want to send a one-ounce envelope that conforms to the standards of size and thickness,
and you do not want to pay extra
it is my understanding that the address needs to be horizontal on the envelope
in landscape orientation.
and
the essential information is the street address and the zip code
i like to make that information very clear, towards the bottom, of the envelope.
also
i like to keep the bottom 1/2 inch of the envelope clear.
i saw a video of mail traveling through the postal system and when the
mail is sorted, it is sent along a little track, which obscures the
bottom 1/2 inch.
if the machine can't read the address
then it sends the envelope along the track where it is read by a
human being
who types in the address which is converted to that bar code
which imprints on the envelope or on a sticker on the envelope
and that bar code helps the envelope reach its destination.
i actually know someone who had the job of sitting in front of the track
and deciphering the addresses that were not machine-legible, usually
because of poor penmanship.
she was always happy to see some lovely mail art.
but...the bottom line is that if you pay that first class rate
and have the address clearly written, in landscape orientation
the position of the stamp is not critical.
i don't know if they will ever attempt to enforce the upper-right corner as the only acceptable position.
i understand that canada has tried to impose some strict rules about addressing envelopes.
maybe some of the canadian readers will comment.
if our PO starts to enforce stamp placement, i will comply.
but i hope they don't.
i think they have more important issues at this time.
so, we can be zany with our stamps,
legible with our addresses
and
the only consequence to non-compliant position
will be that it
takes the envelope a little longer to arrive at its destination
because it has to take time to travel along the track to the human being.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
That being said.... I will post a couple of envelopes with the stamp in an "obscure" place
I would definitely get mine hand canceled.... but I have very nice postal workers in my town!
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These were done by Jean Wilson of Pushing the Envelopes
to show the placement of the stamp! |
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| Another by Jean Wilson of PtE |
