Letters related to Spain with punch holes

  • The use of punch holes to penetrate letters was uncommon in Spain. I have some commercial letters from 1803/05 from a correspondence from Barcelona to Bruges (Flanders). The letter of 1803 was slitted with 2 cuts. The letters of 1804/05 have two, three or four punch holes, probably done with an awl. I'm interested to find out where they were treated.

    I have knowlege of the following letters with punch holes related to Spain:

    – Bernicarlo to Agde (1803) with 3 to 5 punch holes (mentioned in "Disinfected Mial of Spain" by Nathan)

    – Tarragona to Marseille (1804) with 5 punch holes (collection of Denis)

    – Mahón to Toulon (1804) with punch holes (collection of Guy Dutau, illustrated in his book on page 369)

    – Barcelona to Bruges (1804 and 1805) with 2, 3 or 4 punch holes (collection of André)

    – Barcelona to Tarragona (1805) with 8 punch holes (collection of a Spanish collector)


    Are there further letters known? Every hint is welcome!


    André



    Bruges1805.png

  • Two further letters with punch holes of 1805: Barcelona to Schwyz (Pratique XXVI, #3)


    In the article is stated that the letters were punched with an awl on arrival at the Schwyz frontier. In my opinion this is only a speculation which I not share – please see the other letters from Catalonia to other destinations. We still need some more information ...


    Im Artikel wird zu den beiden Briefen ausgesagt, dass diese bei Ankunft an der Genze zum Kanton Schwyz mit einer Ahle durchlöchert wurden. In Anbetracht der weiteren bekannten Briefe aus Katalonien mit anderen Destinationen teile ich diese Ansicht derzeit nicht. Weitere Informationen sind nötig ...



    Barcelona_1805.png


    – Bernicarlo to Agde (1803) with 3 to 5 punch holes (mentioned in "Disinfected Mial of Spain" by Nathan)
    – Tarragona to Marseille (1804) with 5 punch holes (collection of Denis)

    – Mahón to Toulon (1804) with punch holes (collection of Guy Dutau, illustrated in his book on page 369)

    – Barcelona to Bruges (1804 and 1805) with 2, 3 or 4 punch holes (collection of André)

    – Barcelona to Schwyz (1805) with 4 punch holes

    – Barcelona to Tarragona (1805) with 8 punch holes (collection of a Spanish collector)

  • There are some new additions to the list:


    – Barcelona to Agde (1805), with punch holes (sold at an auction in 2015)

    – Barcelona to Schwyz (1804/05), with punch holes (collection of Rudolfo)


    Status report:

    There are several disinfected letters known which were sent from Cataluna to or via France. Letters from 1804 are usually treated with vinegar only. From December 1804 onwards until the end of 1805 the letters were additionally punched with holes. All these letters were probably disinfected in or near Perpignan, when they were entering France.


    Kind regards,

    André

    Files

    • 1805_08_31.jpg

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    The post was edited 1 time, last by Andre: photograph of a letter from Barcelona to Schwyz added ().

  • A new additions to the list:
    – Barcelona to Montpellier (July 13th, 1805), with punch holes (sold at an auction)

  • Good Morning. I'm new to this wonderful forum, but I don't know how to add my avatar, sorry!.


    Andre comments that a letter dated in Benicarló (1805). I can show you this dated on March 20, 1805 and addressed to Agde, treated with 5 disinfection punches and sumerged in vinegar. I do not know if it's the same specimen that Nathan describes in his book.

    As you will see, it has:

    -Postmark on two lines; "BE / VALENCIA" in black with poor printing.

    -French postage "8" centimes on the obverse according to the French rate of 1759 for simple letters passed through Barcelona and Perpignan.


    After consulting with Guy Dutau, it could be a disinfection carried out in Spain or through a "Rastel d'Agde", although he is unaware of its use in the French city.

    I hope to hear your opinions about this rare disinfection system in Spain? or France?.

    King regards.

    Juan