B-Bm

B: 1: precedes the European postal code on addresses in Belgium, such as B-1000 Brussels. 2: semi-postal, Scott catalogue number prefix to identify stamps other than standard postage. 3: symbol for Banknote Corp. of America, which appears before the plate number on coil stamps printed by the firm. 4: abbreviation used as a postmark from Switzerland to the Kingdom of Sardinia. 5: B-blank; error appearing on GB imperforate penny-red stamps of 1841-54 in which the lower right check letter box received no letter (B-A, plate 77 of die I). 6: with eagle and United States of America: South Carolina Custom House revenue seal. 7: (Fr.) beau, good to very good, without apparent faults. 8: auction firm abbreviation for block.
B4: auction term for block of four.
BA: Bosnia and Herzegovina, country code as used by UPU.
B & K: Berthold & Kummer:Handbook of Zeppelin Letters, Postal Cards, and Stamps.
B & D: Blau & Deighton: Graf Zeppelin Orient Flight.
Babatoland: bogus; British Colonial Royal Wedding frames from book Surreal Stamps and Unreal Stickers.
Babenberg, S.S.: Danube Steam Navigation Co. ship; 1890s: service for the upper Danube lines.
BABN: British Bank Note Co., stamp printer for Canada.
Baby: nickname for Spanish King, 1886-1900: early issues of King Alfonso XIII.
Baby Zepp: 50-cent US airmail issue as opposed to higher values of regular US Zepp issues.
Baccarat: local provisional, France, 1944.
Bache, Richard: postmaster general of the Continental Post Office, 1776: during period when Benjamin Franklin traveled to France.
Back: as opposed to the front of a philatelic object.
Background, design: the lines, shading or other solid feature against which a design is placed.
Background, inverted: the background is inverted compared to the stamp design.
Backing: the process of filling the shell with molten metal to form a printing plate.
Back numbers: numbers appearing on the back of the liner release paper of U.S. coil stamps.
Back of an envelope: very important for possible philatelic markings.
Back-of-the-book (BOB): refers to a variety of items usually listed in the back of specialized stamp catalogs; postage dues, revenues, postal saving stamps, etc.
Backprint: an "overprint" applied to the back of a stamp.
Backstamp: postmark applied on back of incoming mail to show date and time of receipt at the receiving post office; in Britain, a plain diamond shape backstamp for statistical purposes.
Bacon, Joshua Butters: founder of Perkins Bacon and Co., printer of early postage stamps.
Bacon, Sir Edward Denny: curator of King George V's collection, 1913-38.
Bactria Margiana Archaeology Complex (BMAC): an ancient civilization reported in 2001 that used a unique form of script around 2300 BC.
Badajoz: local, Spanish civil war, Nationalist and Republican forces, 1936-38.
Badakhshan: local cinderella, Russian, 1998?
Badalona: local, Spanish civil war, Republican forces.
Bade: (Fr.) Baden.
Baden: German State; 1806: first postal markings known, 1850, Apr.: postal union formed between Prussia and Austria with Baden included, 1851, May 1: first stamps for the Grand Duchy of Baden with Baden inscription, 1862: rural delivery, 1870: joined the German Empire, 1872, Jan.1: stamps of the German Confederation without inscription, 1905: six official stamps released by Germany in for use in Baden, 1945-46: Zone Francaise inscription, French Occupation issue, 1948-49: posthorn overprint on stamps of Germany, US, British Zone of Occupation, 1949-Mar. 31, 1950: occupation semi-postals.
Baden, forged issue: 1862, postage due, Sc. LJ1-LJ3.
Baden Republic 16: local official, Germany, 1905.
Bad Nauheim: local, Germany, 1945-48.
Bad. Oe. C: (Ger.) term signifying a reduced postal rate between Austria and Baden.
Badonviller: local provisional, French, 1944.
Bad Saarow: local, Germany, 1945-48.
Bad Suderode: local, Germany, 1918-23.
B A E C: Bavarian Aero Club semi-official flight label used with regular postage; 1912-13: sold by state post office in Munich and Nuremberg.
Baeza: (Sp.) city in Spain, two-ringed postmark, 1842: named for Juan Baeza, administrator of the Post Office, 1937: local, Spanish civil war, Republican forces, 1937.
Bagdad: local transit label, 1935.
Bagel: printers of German stamps after WW II.
Baghdad, Bagdad: city of Iraq, part of Turkish Empire from 1638-1918; 1863- : Turkish post office operated, 1868-1914: Indian post offices operated, 1917, Sept.: "Baghdad in British Occupation" overprint on stamps of Turkey.
Bagley & Dunham: private die match proprietary stamps.
Bahai: now Salvador, Brazil.
Bahama Inseln: (Ger.) Bahamas.
Bahamas: island group of British West Indies, British Commonwealth Independent State; 1760s: letters known, 1763: became a British colony, 1804: Bahamas straight line cancel used, 1841: "Crown Paid" handstamp initiated by Royal Mail Line, 1858-59, Apr.: stamps of Great Britain used, 1859, June 10: "Interinsular Postage" inter-island mail inscription for first stamps issued since external mails were under control of London until May 1860, 1860, May: "Interinsular Postage" inscription removed from stamps, 1863: Bahamas inscription used, 1915-16: Bahamas stamps sold in Canada, 1964, Jan. 7: became internal self-government, 1973, July 10: gained independence.
Bahamas, forged issue: 1863-65, Queen Victoria, Sc 15, 19.
Bahawalpur: former Indian state, now part of Pakistan; 1948-pre: stamps of India used, 1945, Jan. 1: first stamps issued, official use only, 1947: declared independence from India, joined Pakistan, 1948, Apr. 1-Oct. 10, 1949: stamps valid only for internal use, 1950: stamps of Pakistan used.
Bahamas: Long Island, world’s longest stamp, 70mm; unissued Great Britain cinderella by David Horry, 2001.
Bahia: (Sp.) now Goliath, Texas.
Bahn: (Ger.) railway, train.
Bahnhof: railway station.
Bahnhofpostamt: railway station post office.
Bahnhofspostexpedition: (Ger.) former name for railway station post office.
Bahnhofsstempel: (Ger.) railway station cancel.
Bahnpost: (Ger.) railroad mail.
Bahnpostamt (BPA): (Ger.) railway post office postmark.
Bahnpoststempel: (Ger.) railroad post cancel.
Bahnpostwagon: (Ger.) mobile mail railcar.
Bahrain: independent sheikdom in the Persian Gulf; 1861-1971: British Protectorate, 1883, Aug. 1-1933: stamps of India used, distinguishable by named date stamps, 1933, Aug. 10-48: stamps of India overprinted "Bahrain," 1948, April 1-1960: stamps of Great Britain overprinted "Bahrain," 1953: first stamps for internal use only, 1960: own designs, 1966, Jan. 1: Bahrain stamps issued, 1971, Aug. 15: became independent, 1971, Oct. 2: State of Bahrain inscription.
Bailen: local, Spanish civil war, Republican forces, 1937.
Bailiwick of Guernsey: Channel Islands, Guernsey, Great Britain.
Bairuth: Lebanon, Egypt, see: Interpostal seals, Overseas Offices, 1868-82.
Baja California: district in Northern Mexico; 1915: local, single stamp of revolutionary and civil war provisionals, 1915: locals, set of 4 imperf. stamps inscribed "Distrito Sur de la Baja Cal. Mexico."
Baja, S.S.: Danube Steam Navigation Company steamship; 1850s for the upper Danube lines.
Bajo: (Sp.) under, below, low or lower.
Bajos: (Sp.) part of address indicting ground floor.
Baker's City Express Post: U.S. local post, Cincinnati, Ohio, 1849.
Bakhmut: local, Russian Zemstvo, 1901.
Bakker Express: local stamps by F. M. Bakker, South Africa; 1887: for mail to Mylstroom, Pretoria, Marabstad and part of Transvaal.
Bakshi: India States term for paymaster, treasurer.
Baky: Azerbaijan, Province of Baku.
Balashof: local, Russian Zemstvo, 1870-80.
Balay: French colonial stamp issue of 1906-12 with portrait of Dr. N. Eugene Balay.
Balbo Issue: Gen. Italo Balbo; 1933, May 20: Italian issue commemorating mass transatlantic air flight; Rome, Italy to Chicago, USA., overprints exist, including colonies.
Balcony Falls, Va. Paid 10 C.S.: see: Confederate Postmasters’ Provisionals.
Baldonie: bogus.
Baldwin's Railway Postage: bogus Canadian local post.
Bale: specialized Catalog of Israel Postage Stamps.
Baleares: local, Spanish civil war, Nationalist forces, 1937-38.
Balija: (Sp.) postman's bag.
Balken: (Ger.) bar used to cancel stamps.
Balken-abstand: (Ger.) distance between cancel bars.
Balkenförmiger phosphor: (Ger.) phosphor bars.
Balkenlänge: (Ger.) length of bars.
Balkennummernstempel: bars and numeral cancel.
Balkenstempel: (Ger.): barred cancel (with stripes).
Balliana: Egypt, see: Interpostal seals, 1879-1882.
Ballonpost: (Ger.) balloon mail.
Ballons (poste par): (Fr.) balloon post.
Balloon flight: flight made by a balloon.
Balloon mail: first recorded use of letters carried by balloon was in 1784 by Vincent Lunardi at Northaw Common, Hertfordshire, England.
Balloon mail, official: John Wise carried mail in the balloon Jupiter on Aug. 17, 1859 between Lafayette and Crawfordsville, Indiana.
Balloon Postage, buffalo: United States semi-official airmail stamp; 1877, June 18: Balloon flight from Nashville to Gallatin, Tenn., balloon named "Buffalo."
Baltimore: Maryland, James M. Buchanan, postmaster; 1845-46: postmaster's stamps and prepaid envelopes, 1850-57: semi-official local carriers' stamps.
Baltische staaten: (Ger.) Baltic states.
Bamberg: return to sender, Germany, 1865-84; local, Germany, 1896-1900.
Bamra: India (Native) Feudatory State; 1888-1894: stamps for internal use only, 1894: stamps of India used.
Banana Republic: bogus advertising fantasy created by company of same name.
Banana, Republica de: bogus Donald Evans issue, central Europe.
Binit Bicska: overprint on stamps of Hungary for Banat, district of Hungary; 1919: stamps of Hungary for Serbian Occupation, 1919, July: Serbian troops withdrew, area divided between Romania and Yugoslavia.
Bancroft's City Express: bogus Canadian local post.
Band: (Ger.) volume (book).
Banda: (Sp.) strip (of stamps).
Bande: (Fr.) strip of two or more imperforate stamps.
Bande de roulette: (Fr.) coil strip.
Bandelette: (Fr.) "Do not Deliver on Sunday" label; 1893-1914: attached by perforation to Belgian stamps, when removed, sender indicates Sunday delivery desired, also known as Dominical label or tablet, Sunday delivery labels.
Bande pour journaux: (Fr.) wrapper.
Bandera:(Sp.) 1: national colors of the country on banner or flag; 2: flag, as a theme or topic.
Banderole: (Fr.) tab.
Bandiera: (It.) flag, as a theme or topic.
Bando: 1: (Sp.) postal announcement proclamation or official notice placed on walls or bulletin boards; 2: (Ger.) German World War I prisoner of war camp in Japan, 1918.
Band of Good Hope: bogus based on stationery of Cape of Good Hope.
Band phosphorescente: (Fr.) phosphor band.
Bandstempel: (Ger.) machine or hand rolled cancel.
Baneres: local, Spanish civil war, Republican forces, 1937.
Banghazi: formerly Bengasi, Libya.
Bangkok: city in Siam, now capital of Thailand; 1855-July 1, 1885: stamps of Great Britain, 1882-July 1, 1885: Straits Settlements stamps overprinted "B" for use at the British post office, 1885: Siam joined the U.P.U. and only stamps of Siam used.
Bangladesh: India, then East Pakistan, now independent; 1947: British India partition, Moslem portion made up East Pakistan, 1971, Mar. 26-Apr. 30, 1973: stamps of Pakistan handstamped for use in Bangladesh, 1971, July 29: "Bangladesh" inscription.
Bangsa Moro: bogus, Philippines, Muslim controlled area, handstamp used.
Banjul: formerly Bathurst, The Gambia.
Bank Holiday Monday Island: unissued Great Britain cinderella by David Horry, 2001.
Bank Holiday Monday Island: redrawn Christmas island, unissued Great Britain cinderella by David Horry, 2001.
Bank mixture: assortment of stamps, usually on paper, collected from the incoming mail of financial institutions.
Bank note issues: stamps produced by three banknote firms; 1870, April: National Bank Note Company, 1873, May 1: Continental Bank Note Company, 1879, Feb. 4: American Bank Note Company.
Bank Note Stamps: Latvia used paper for stamps in 1919-21, originally designed for banknotes, banknotes were Bermondt (German) and Bolshevik (Russian) five ruble notes.
Bank notices: Importers and Traders National Bank, 1874-80, local stamps in the form of postal cards, no postmarks or cancellations were used.
Bannockburn: local, Great Britain strike, Bannockburn Delivery, 1971.
Banos de la Encina: local, Spanish civil war, Republican forces, 1937.
Banque (de France): (Fr.) Bank of France printings, proofs or reprints.
Bantams: nickname given to the miniature war-tax stamps of South Africa during World War II, term for SWA overprint: see: S W A.
Bantayan Islands: bogus, Philippine island northeast of Cebu.
Banyoltes: local, Spanish civil war, Republican forces, 1937.
B. A. P. O.: British Army Post Office.
Bar: 1: lines used for canceling stamp; 2: part of surcharge which obliterates original value.
Barb: Barbados bisected and surcharged stamp.
Barbabar: bogus; British Colonial Royal Wedding frames from book Surreal Stamps and unreal Stickers.
Barbade: (Fr.) Barbados.
Barbados: Windward Island in the West Indian islands; 1628-1966: British colony, 1663: Great Britain Imperial Post Office established a postal agency, 1760s: first postal marking appeared, 1851: Island Post office authorized, 1851, Aug. 1: first stamps issued, 1966, Nov. 30: became independent state within British Commonwealth, 1966, Dec. 2: first stamps after independence; see: Ados.
Barbar: Sudan, see: Interpostal seals, 1872-1882.
Barbara: 1: Somaliland Protectorate, see: Interpostal seals, 1882; 2: local, Spanish civil war, Republican forces, 1937.
Barber & Peckham: private die match proprietary stamps.
Barber, Geo. & O.C.: private die match proprietary stamps.
Barber Match Co.: private die match proprietary stamps.
Barbero covers: US official covers flown on a Regulus missile, launched from USS Barbero submarine June 8, 1959; first official US Missile Mail.
Barbre, Ile: bogus, unknown.
Barbuda: Leeward Islands, British West Indies, overprint; 1862: used stamps of Antigua, 1922, July 13-1968: overprint on stamps of Antigua and Leeward Islands, 1968: started using Barbuda stamps; see: Antigua.
Bar cancel: cancellation consisting of bars in various configurations.
Barcelona: 1:Spain,1929-53: local postal tax issue; 2: local, Spanish civil war, Republican,1937.
Barcentrum: bogus, Donald Evans issue for Netherlands.
Bar code: pattern of straight lines of varying heights and thickness that permits electronic equipment to read the address.
Barcode sorter: computerized machine that sorts letter-size mail by using a barcode reader to interpret the imprinted barcode.
Bardsey: island off coast of Wales; Great Britain local carriage label.
Barfrankierung: (Ger.) pre-payment of postage in cash when stamps were unavailable.
Barfreimachungsstempel: (Ger.) printed matter cancel per UPU 1920, to be in red color and include words "Franco" and "Gebühr bezahlt" cancels.
Barfreimachung: (Ger.) printed matter cancel.
Barker's City Post: local handstamp, Boston, Mass., 1853.
Barnard, Joseph O.: Mauritius engraver of the "Post Office" 1d and 2d stamp designs of 1847.
Barnard's Caribou Express: local post; British Columbia,1858: inscribed "Paid" and "Collect." Barnard's City Letter Express: U.S. local post, Boston, Mass.,1845.
Barnesville: U.S. local, "F.B.S." Friend's Boarding School, 1877-84.
Barnwell C.(Court) H. (House) S.C. 5 Paid: see: Confederate Postmasters’ Provisionals.
Baroda: now Vadodara, India.
Barquitos: (Sp.) term for first issue of Argentina because of little barks, or ships design.
Barrado: (Sp.) stamp remainders overprint with black bars during 1854-82 to deface the design.
Barras: (Sp.) lines or bars used for canceling stamp remainders.
Barré: (Fr.) stamps overprinted with black bars or rules to deface the design.
Barre, Desire Albert: b.1818-73, French engraver of stamps, son of Jean Barre; 1863-pre: 1863: eagle design of the French colonial issue, 1863-70: French stamp issues, Greece Hermes design, Persia first issues.
Barre, Jean Jacques: b. 1793: engraver for the Paris Mint, 1849-60.
Barr's Penny Dispatch: U.S. local post, Lancaster, Pa., 1855.
Barred: stamps overprinted with black bars or rules to deface the design.
Barred cancel: striped cancel, used as a precancel device or an obliteration to void features of the stamp portrait, as when a king is overthrown.
Barrel mail: Galapagos Islands mail container for deposit of mail from passing ships.
Barr's Penny Dispatch: Lancaster, Pa. local letter service by Elias Barr.
E. N. Barry's Despatch Post: local handstamp, New York, N.Y., 1852.
Bars: printed horizontal dashes used by electric eye machines to center perforations in the stamp manufacturing process.
Barsinghausen: local, Germany, 1945-48.
Bar tagging: phosphorescent tagging where a bar of taggant is applied to the stamps.
Barwani: India Feudatory State; 1921, April: issued local use stamps, 1948, July 1: separate stamps discontinued, replaced by stamps of the Republic of India.
Barzahlung: (Ger.) cash payment.
Basel: city, Switzerland Canton; 1845, July 1-Apr. 5, 1850: issued own stamp issues, 1850: replaced by Swiss federal issues, 1913: local airmail.
Basel dove: 1845: Swiss Canton's local issue.
Base plate: stamps put on these varying size plates ready for perforating.
Base sheet: heavy paper pulled from original or intermediate plate or stone.
Bashahr: India Feudatory State of Bussahir.
Bashkiria: local, cinderella, Russian, 1996?
Bashkortostan: bogus Russian Federation Republic; local overprint and stamps.
Basic presort: bulk mail presorted to first three digits of USA Zip code, bundled prior to mailing.
Basic stamp: stamp design before any overprint or surcharges have been added.
Bassa Vedasca: local, Italian liberation, Allied occupation, 1944.
Basso: 1: printing plate formed through baths for strengthening, 2: (It.) bottom, lowest side.
Basutoland: Africa, British protectorate, overprint; 1871-1910: stamps of Cape Hope, identified by date stamp or Cape numeral cancels, 1910-1933: stamps of Union of South Africa, 1933, Dec. 1: first inscribed stamps issued, 1945: "Basutoland" overprint on stamps of South Africa, 1966, Oct. 4: became independent state of Lesotho, 1966, Oct. 31: all Basutoland stamps withdrawn.
Basutoland: N’Chacadinga Bridge which was never built, perfin ‘specimen” unissued Great Britain cinderella by David Horry, 2001.
Bataan War Prisoners Relief: seal issued by private group to raise funds, 1944-45.
Batallon: (Sp.) battalion.
Batavia: Netherlands Indies, postage due; now Jakarta, Indonesia.
Batea: local, Spanish civil war, Republican forces, 1937.
Bateke: bogus for Equatorial Africa, Portuguese territory.
Batekeland: bogus, 1896.
Bateken: bogus issue.
Bates & Co.: local handstamp, New Bedford, Mass. 1845.
Bathurst: now Banjul, The Gambia.
Bati Almanya: (Turk.) West Germany.
Batta: India States term for allowance for soldiers of public servants on active duty.
Batonné: (Fr.) ruled, used in philately as having a watermark of parallel lines about a cm apart.
Baton Rouge: Louisiana, a Confederate "Postmasters" issue of 1861.
Baton Rouge, La. P.O. Paid 2, 5: see: Confederate Postmasters’ Provisionals.
Batoum: (Fr.) Batum.
Battleship revenue: ; name is from stamp design that illustrates the U.S. ship, Maine, 1898: series of documentary and proprietary stamps.
Battone: paper that resembles laid paper, except lines are further apart and crossing lines exist.
Batum: Georgia, Russia port city; 1863-64: used stamps of Russia, 1865-77: used stamps of Russian Levant, 1878: annexed by Russia from Turkey, 1878-1918: used stamps of Russia, WW I: occupied by Germans and Turks, 1918, Dec.1- July 7, 1920: "British Occupation" overprint on Russian stamps, 1919: used overprint types of Georgia, 1923: Russian stamps used, 1990: stamps of Georgia used, 1994: local "stamps" issued for Azerbaijan, but have not seen postal use.
Batum, forged issues: 1919 Aloe Tree, (kopeck) Sc. 1-3, Sc. 4-6 (ruble).
Batum, Batumi: bogus labels issued in 1993.
Bau., Baux.: (Fr.) Bureaux, French offices (abroad).
Bauer & Beudel: private die match proprietary stamps.
Bautenserie: (Ger.) building series of German stamps; popular due to many varieties in issue.
B. a. V.: (Fr.) "Bateau a Vapeur" steamship postmark.
Bavaria: German State; 1849, Nov. 1: stamps first issued, 1870: became part of the German Confederation, 1871-1918: continued use of its own stamps, issued first stamps in the world by the photogravure process depicting King Ludwig III, 1919: "Volksstaat" overprint on stamps of Bavaria, 1919, May 17: "Bayern" overprint on stamps of Bavaria, 1920, Feb.14: unoverprinted issue released, postal rights transferred to Reichpost, 1920, April 1: "Deutsches Reich" overprint on Bavaria officials, 1920, April 6: "Deutsches Reich" overprint on stamps of Germany, valid in Germany, 1920, June 30: Bavarian stamps no longer valid.
Bavaria: local, displaced persons camp, 1946.
Baviera: (Sp.) Bavaria.
Bavicre: (Fr.) Bavaria.
Bavure: (Fr.) rough or smudged edge (printing impression).
Bayay Porto: Indonesia, postage due.
Bayer, Post Taxe: (Ger.) Bavaria postage due.
Bayer, staatseisenbahn: (Ger.) Bavaria railway issue.
Bayley, C. J.: Governor of Bahamas, made sketch of proposed design of 1859 1d stamp.
Bayonne City Dispatch: U.S. local post, Bayonne City, N.J., 1883.
Bayreuth-Leopoldkaserne: local, Displaced Persons Camp, 1948.
Bayrisch: (Ger.) Bavarian.
Baxa: (Sp.) early form of Baja.
Baza: local, Spanish civil war, Republican forces, 1937.
B blank: Great Britain 1d red of 1858-64, variety where "B" is blank on bottom right corner.
BB: Barbados, country code as used by UPU.
B. C.: 1: Before Christ, used following year dates; see: A.D.; 2: British Columbia, or British Colonies, or British Commonwealth; 3: (Fr.) bien centré, well centered.
B C P S G: British Caribbean Philatelic Study Group, USA.
B C S: Bermuda Collectors Society, USA.
BD: 1: auction abbreviation for bird topic; 2: Bangladesh, country code as used by UPU.
BDPh: (Ger.) see: Bund Deutscher Philatelisten.
Be., B: (Fr.) abbreviation for bande, strip, wrapper.
BE: Belgium, country code as used by UPU.
B. E. A.: British East Africa.
Beacon stamp: the U.S. 5¢ Beacon airmail stamps of 1928.
Beamter: (Ger.) official.
Bear's Grease Republic: bogus, country,1977 "Fun and Fact Calendar" by Erbe Publications.
Beau: (Fr.) fine, a state of excellence.
Beaufort house essays: first stamp designs in British competition by Charles Whiting, 1840.
B. eau Fr. De Bale: (Fr.) postmark; French Post office, Basel, Switzerland.
Beaumont: Texas city, one of the Confederate Postmasters' Provisionals of 1861.
Beaumont, Texas Paid 10 cents: see: Confederate Postmasters’ Provisionals.
Beaux: (Fr.) bureau, post offices.
Beaver: first Canadian stamps issued in1851, first stamp to feature an animal, the beaver.
Bebeh: Egypt, see: Interpostal seals, 1879-84.
Bechuanaland, British: former British crown colony; 1885-86: mail was carried by runner or border police, 1886-91: stamps of Cape of Good Hope (1871-75) ovptd/surcharged "British Bechuanaland," 1887: stamp of Great Britain (Sc.111) overprinted "British Bechuanaland," 1887-88: British Bechuanaland, inscription, 1891-94: stamps of Great Britain overprinted "British Bechuanaland," 1893-97: stamps of Cape of Good Hope overprinted "British Bechuanaland," 1895: annexed to Cape Colony, 1886-97: became a province in the Union of South Africa, 1910: stamps of South Africa used in addition to stamps of Cape Colony, 1937: stamps of Cape Colony no longer valid..
Bechuanaland Protectorate: South Africa, overprint; 1885: British protectorate established, 1888, Aug. 7-90: overprint "Protectorate" on stamps of Bechuanaland, 1890, June-1897: used stamps of Bechuanaland, British (Sc.10), 1889: overprint on stamps of Cape of Good Hope(1886), 1897-1926: overprint on stamps of Great Britain (1881-87), 1910: overprint on stamp of Transvaal (Sc.274), 1932-38: issued own stamps of Bechuanaland Protectorate, 1945: overprint on stamps of South Africa (Sc.100-102), 1947-66: Bechuanaland Protectorate stamps, 1966, Sept. 30: Republic of Botswana; see: Botswana.
Bechuanaland Protectorate: bogus; British Colonial Royal Wedding frames from book Surreal Stamps and Unreal Stickers.
Bechuanaland Protectorate: Gastric Clinic; unissued Great Britain cinderella by David Horry, 2001.
Beckmann’s City Post: Charleston, S.C., see: Carriers’ Stamps.
B. Economique: label; used on mail originating in Europe; means second day domestic delivery. Bedarfsbrief: (Ger.) mail sent for non-philatelic purposes.
Bedienen: (Ger.) expedite.
Bed plate: contains bored holes into which perforating machine pins descend.
Bedrechein: Egypt, see: Interpostal seals, 1879-84.
Beecher, A. & Son. (A.B.&S): private die match proprietary stamps.
Bee hive: US fancy cancel used in 19th century.
Beer stamps: tax paid revenue stamps, denominated in barrels & fractions of barrels,1866-1951.
Befestigungsleiste: (Ger.) stamp hinge.
Befeuchten: (Ger.) to moisten, dampen.
Befreiungsmarken: (Ger.) stamps of liberation.
Behaehckar: Russia, Wenden (Livonia).
Behna: Egypt, see: Interpostal seals, 1864-84.
Beige: (Eng., Fr., Ger., Sp.) grayish-tan color.
Beijing: also known as Peking, formerly Pei-ching, People's Republic of China.
Beilegen: (Ger.) enclose.
Beirut: formerly Beyrouth, Lebanon; 1840-1914: French post office, 1857-85: used stamps of France, can be identified by diamond or dots cancels, 1857-Sept. 30, 1914: Russian postal agency, ROPiT, (Russian Company of Trade and Navigation) operated, used stamps of Russia, 1870: Egyptian post office opened, 1873: British post office opened, 1873-83: Italian postal administration operating, 1905, Jan.: Beyrouth, French overprint used, 1906, July: British overprint for provisional use, 1909: ROPiT , Russia, issued overprinted stamps for Beirut, see: British Offices in Beirut, Levant, French.
Beisteuermarke: (Ger.) postal tax stamps required on letters, but not valid for postage; also called Zwangszuschlagsmarke.
Bejuma: town near Valencia, Venezuela; 1854: postmaster issued local post stamps to deliver mail.
Belalp: Switzerland hotel post, 1873-83.
Belanglos: (Ger.) insignificant, meaningless, unimportant.
Belarus: was Byelorussia, White Russia; 1920: 5 denominations of a "stamp" may be a propaganda label, WW II-Post: became Belyorussian Soviet Socialist republic, within Soviet Union, 1991, Dec. 8: joined Commonwealth of Independent States of the Soviet Union, 1992, March 20: first stamp as Belarus.
Belastingzegel: (Dut.) fiscal stamp.
Belebey: local, Russian Zemstvo, 1890-1908.
Belegstück: (Ger.) specimen copy.
Belg: (Fr.) Belgium postmark.
Belgia: (Pol.) Belgium.
Belgian Congo: former Belgian colony in Africa; 1885: Congo Free State established, 1886: first stamps issued, 1908: annexed to Belgium, renamed the Belgian Congo 1960: became independent as the Republic of the Congo, also known as Congo Free State; see: A. O., Congo Democratic Republic, Zaire.
Belgian Congo, forged issues: 1: 1894 Port Matadi, Sc. 16, 1895. 2: 1895 Stanley Falls, Sc. 18. 3: 1894 Inkissi Falls, Sc. 20. 4: 1894 M’pozo railroad bridge, Sc 22.
Belgian East Africa: see: Ruanda Urundi.
Belgica: (Port., Sp.) Belgium.
Belgio: (It.) Belgium.
Belgique: (Fr.) Belgium.
Belgisch: (Ger.) Belgian.
Belgische besatzungspost in Deutschland: (Ger.) Belgian occupation of Rhineland.
Belgisch Kongo: (Ger.) Belgian Congo.
Belgium: name came from the Celtic, Belgae, 1500s: postal service via Thurn and Taxis, 1701: French postal service replaced Thurn and Taxis, 1725: Thurn and Taxis returned, 1744: French postal service replaced Thurn and Taxis, 1748: Austrian postal service used, 1793-1814: French postal administration used, 1814: Prussian postal service used, 1849, July 1: first stamps issued, without name of country, 1869: Belgique (Fr.) appeared on stamps, 1893: Belgie (Flemish) and Belgique (Fr.) appeared jointly on stamps, 1914, Oct.1: Germany issued stamps for occupied Belgium, WW II: occupied by Germany, see: Allemagne-Duitschland (Flemish), Ambulant.
Belgium, forged issues: 1: 1912-15 King Albert I, Sc. 102. 2: 1914 Merode Monument, Sc. B28-30. 3: 1882-94 parcel post, Sc Q7-Q15.
Belgium, reduced rates: surcharge; 1946: -10% by individual post offices.
Beliebtes sammelgebiet: (Ger.) favorite collecting field.
Belize: formerly British Honduras; 1866: British colonial stamps issued, 1973, June 11: "Belize" overprint on British Honduras stamps, 1981, Sept. 21: became independent, 1974, Jan.1: first stamps as Belize; see: Cayes of Belize.
Belle: (Fr.) nice, fine, good.
Bellegarde: local provisional, French, 1944.
Bellreguart: local, Spanish civil war, Republican forces, 1937.
Bell's Dispatch: bogus Canadian local post.
Belmont via Bologne: local Great Britain strike, Osborne's Emergency Service, 1971.
Bemrose, William and Henry Howe: obtained perforating rotary patent in 1854, US stamps used this device since 1857.
Benadalid: local, Spanish civil war, Nationalist forces, 1937.
Benagalbon: local, Spanish civil war, Nationalist forces, 1937.
Benaguacil: local, Spanish civil war, Republican forces, 1937.
Benahavis: local, Spanish civil war, Nationalist forces, 1937.
Benaholiz: local, Spanish civil war, Nationalist forces, 1937.
Benalaurin: local, Spanish civil war, Nationalist forces, 1937.
Benalmadena: local, Spanish civil war, Nationalist forces, 1937.
Benamargosa: local, Spanish civil war, Nationalist forces, 1937.
Benamocarra: local, Spanish civil war, Nationalist forces, 1937.
Benaojan: local, Spanish civil war, Nationalist forces, 1938.
Benasal: local, Spanish civil war, Republican forces, 1937.
Benarraba: local, Spanish civil war, Nationalist forces, 1937.
Bendel, B. & Co.: private die match proprietary stamps.
Bendel, H.: private die match proprietary stamps.
Beneficencia: (Sp.) Spain charity labels with no franking value, but permitted for postal use from one postal employee to another, issued by a postal welfare organization.
Beneficienza (francobollo di): (It.) charity stamps: stamps sold at more than the inscribed face value, with the difference between the face value and the selling price used for charity work; these are often called semi-postal stamps.
Beneficos: (Sp.) charity stamps.
Benejana: local, Spanish civil war, Republican forces, 1937.
Benera Island: bogus labels for island off the coast of Scotland.
Ben Franklin Stamp Clubs: 1980s: USPS sponsored stamp clubs of school children.
Bengasi: overprint on stamps of Italy; July 1901-11: first stamps issued at Italian post office, Ottoman Empire, 1912: Libyan issues used, now spelled Banghazi, Libya.
Benicario: local, Spanish civil war, Republican forces, 1937.
Benifallin: local, Spanish civil war, Republican forces, 1937.
Benifayo: local, Spanish civil war, Republican forces, 1937.
Beni-Korrah: Egypt, see: Interpostal seals, 1879-1882.
Beni-Mazar: Egypt, see: Interpostal seals, 1879-1884.
Benin: French colony, French West Africa; 1888: first stamps French Colonies General issues at Porto Novo, 1892, Sept.: overprint "Benin" on stamps of French Colonies, 1893: inscribed "Golfe De Benin" full name Établissements Franeais du Golfe de Benin, 1894: inscribed "Benin," 1895: incorporated into Dahomey, 1899: Dahomey used "Dahomey Et Dependances," 1944-60: Dahomey used stamps of French West Africa, 1975, Nov.: became People's Republic of Benin, including Dahomey, with inscription "Republique Populaire Du Benin" see: République Populaire Du Bénin.
Benipeixcar: local, Spanish civil war, Republican forces, 1937.
Benjamin & Sarpy: Alfred Benjamin and Julian Sarpy were dealers in faked and forged stamps in late 1880s, careers ended in 1892 when sentenced to jail in London.
Benisouef: Egypt, see: Interpostal seals, 1868-80.
Bent & Lee: private die match proprietary stamps.
Bentley's Dispatch: U. S. local post, New York, N.Y., 1856(?).
Bentz, H & M: private die match proprietary stamps.
Benzine: used to identify watermarks, but highly volatile.
Beograd: also known as Belgrade, Yugoslavia.
BEP: see: Bureau of Engraving and Printing.
Bepaald: (Dut.) definitive.
Beppu: Japan (only English word inscription on stamp).
B.E.P.T.O.M.: (Fr.) Bureau d'etude des postes et telecommunications d'outre-mer; Department of Research for Overseas Posts and Telecommunications.
Bequia Island: Grenadines of St. Vincent island, stamps first issued in 1976.
Berdyansk: local, Russian Zemstvo, 1870-82.
Berford & Co.'s Express: U.S. local post, 1851 for mail from New York to Panama and then to west coast ports of North and South America.
Berg.: (Ger.) mountain, as a theme or topic.
Berg, Gladbach: local, Germany, 1918-23.
Berga: local, Spanish civil war, 1937.
Bergbau.: (Ger.) mining, as a theme or topic.
Bergedorf: German State; 1861, Nov. 1: issued its own stamps, 1867: purchased by Hamburg, 1868: stamps of the North German Confederation.
Bergdorf: local, Germany, Brief-Beforderungs-Gessellschaft, 1887-88.
Bergen bypost: Norway local post, 1865-69.
Berlin: locals, Germany, 1: Berliner-Packetfahrt-Gessellschaft, 1884-1923; 2: Berliner-Privatpost und Spedition, 1895; 3; Berliner-verkehrs-Anstalt, 1895; 4: Berliner-Verkehrs-Anstalt-Hansel, 1886; 5: Brief & Druckschriften Expedition, 1873-74; 6: Deutsche Privat-Post-Lloyd, 1886; 7: Privatpost-Courier, 1906,8: Russian Embassy Post office, 1922; 9: Stadt-Verkehr-Berlin, 1944-45.
Berlin-Brandenberg: Soviet Occupation, 1945.
Berlin Germany: overprint in Russian Zone of Occupation, post WW II; 1945, June: Berlin-Brandenburg; OPD Berlin, Russian Zone post WW II, see: O.P.D. 1946, Feb.: Soviet, American and British Zones used combined issue, 1946, June 24: Russia issued their own stamps with "O.P.D." overprint, 1948, July 3: "Sowjetische Besatzungs Zone" Russian Zone overprint, 1948, Sept. 1: Allied occupation stamps overprinted in black for use in Western zone of Berlin, 1949, Jan.: overprint in red for revised currency, 1949, Oct. 9: new stamps for East and West Berlin, 1990: stamps of West Berlin discontinued, 1991, Dec. 31: reunion of the two Germanies.
Berliner Ausgabe: (Ger.) Berlin issue, stamps of German colonies and offices.
Berlinerbla: (Dan., Swed.) Prussian blue (color).
Berlino: (It.) Berlin.
Bermellon: (Sp.) vermillion (color).
Bermuda: British crown colony, North Atlantic; 1609: became British colony, 1784-1812: Bermuda Gazette operated a domestic postal service, 1820-1859: external mails handled by London packet agent, 1848-54: Hamilton Postmaster William B. Perot produced stamps, 1865: Bermuda stamps issued, 1968: became a self-government.
Bermuda, forged issue: 1865-89 Queen’s head, Sc. 1, 19.
Bermudes: (Fr.) Bermuda.
Bernburg: local, Germany, 1897-1900.
Berne: local airmail, Switzerland, 1913.
Bernera: island off coast of Scotland, Great Britain local carriage label.
Berner ausgabe: (Ger.) Bern issue, some UPU stamps overprinted "Specimen."
Bernsteingelb: (Ger.) amber (color).
Berühmte: (Ger.) famous men, as a theme or topic.
Berührt: (Ger.) touched, adjoined, border on.
Besatzungsfeldpost: (Ger.) occupation fieldpost.
Beschadigd: (Dut.) damaged.
Beschädigt: (Ger.) damaged.
Beschaffenheit: (Ger.) condition.
Bescheinigen: (Ger.) certify, authenticate.
Beschnitten: (Ger.) close cut (margins).
Beschreibung: (Ger.) description.
Beschriftung: (Ger.) inscription.
Beskadiget: (Dan.) damaged.
Bestand: (Ger.) stock.
Beta: Denmark; 1870-85: name given to flaws in bicolored stamps.
Betera: local, Spanish civil war, Republican forces, 1937.
Besetzung: (Ger.) occupation.
Besetzungsausgabe: (Ger.) occupation issue.
Besondere: (Ger.) special.
Besser: (Ger.) better grade.
Bestätigungsstempel: (Ger.) cancel confirming mode of transportation and/or postal performance; such as per airmail, or flight delayed.
Bestemmende: (Nor.) definitive.
Betrag: (Ger.) amount.
Betschuanaland: (Ger.) Bechuanaland.
Bewerten: (Ger.) to estimate, to price.
Bexar: (Sp.) now San Antonio, Texas.
Beyrouth: overprint for Beirut, Offices in Turkey; 1873-1914: stamps of Great Britain postmarked, 1905: French Levant overprint stamp plus surcharge, 1909: overprint on stamps of Russia, Levant, Offices in the Turkish Empire, now Beirut, Lebanon.
Bezahlt: (Ger.) paid.
Bezeichnung: (Ger.) designation, name.
Bezirk: (Ger.) district.
Bezirkshandstempel: (Ger.) local hand surcharge.
Bezirkspostamt: (Ger.) district post office.
Bez kleju: (Pol.) ungummed.
Bez podlepki: (Pol.) never hinged.
BF: 1:Belgian franc, currency; 2: Burkina Faso, country code as used by UPU.
B. F.: (Fr.) French Post Office postmark.
B.F.P.O.: British Forces Post Office.
B G: precedes the European postal code on addresses in Bulgaria, such as BG-1000 Sofia.
BH: Bahrain, country code as used by UPU.
B. H. M. A. V. : Mongolia.
Bhopal: Feudatory State in India; 1876: issued local use stamps, 1903-pre: inscription: H. H. Nawab Shah Jahan Begam, 1903: separate stamps discontinued, 1908, July 1: official mail stamps issued, 1950, Apr. 1: official stamps replaced by stamps of the Republic of India.
Bhor: India Feudatory State, Bombay, British India; 1879: first stamps, 1895: state post offices closed, 1901: stamps supplied to collectors as mint or used, 1902: uses stamps of India.
Bhoutan: (Fr.) Bhutan.
Bhutan: Eastern Himalayas Kingdom; 1910: became British protectorate, 1949: became indenpendent, 1955, Jan. 1: first stamps were fiscals, but validated for internal postal use, 1962: first stamps, covers usually also bore stamps of India, Tibet or China, later years issued 3-D stamps, flower scents, and phonograph records stamps.
B. I.: British India.
BI: 1: auction abbreviation for bisect topic or theme;2: Burundi, country code as used by UPU.
B I A: Bureau Issues Association, USA, see: USSS.
Biafra: overprint, stamps of Nigeria; 1967, May 30: proclaimed independent Republic of Biafra, 1968, Feb. 5-70: first stamps, revolutionary forces, 1970, Jan. 9: Nigerian stamps used.
Bialy: (Pol.) white (color).
Bialystok: province in northern Poland; 1916: German military commander issued local stamps.
Bianco: (It.) white (color).
Bicentenaire: (Fr.) bicentenary.
Bicentenaire de Port-au-Prince: (Fr.) Haiti bicentenary.
Bicentenario de Talco: (Sp.) Chile, Talca postal tax.
Bicentennial: two hundredth anniversary; 1976: America celebrated its 200th birthday.
Bicolor: a stamp printed or otherwise produced in two colors.
Bicycle mail: operated with local stamps by themselves or with stamp of the country; 1890s: Western Australia as the Coolgardie Cycle Express, 1909: Mafeking, Boer War, 1918: South Africa. 1945: Amiens, France: Vaduz, Liechtenstein and Switzerland, 1953: Northern Italy.
Bicycle Mail Route: U. S. local post; 1894, between Fresno and San Francisco, Calif.
Bicycle posts: postal service operated by means of bicycle delivery.
Bid (opening): first, or opening bid at an auction.
Bid book: auction house data book composed of bids submitted by absentee bidders on the lots offered at auction, with the bid book being maintained manually or by electronic means.
Bidding against the ceiling, curtains: practice designed to artificially create higher realization for an auction lot by "accepting" bids from non-existent bidders.
Bidding circle: a group composed of two or more participants agreeing either not to bid against each other during a public auction, or to keep bids below a certain pre-agreed amount; also known as crossing off.
Bidding increments: series of regular increasing currency intervals called by the auctioneer during the bidding process for a lot.
Bidding paddle: card or similar item with a number assigned specifically for the bidder registered with the auctioneer, and used during the auction to denote active participation in the bidding procedures during the sale; permits early recording by an auctioneer of winning bidder.
Bid sheet: mail order form with bids for a upcoming auction.
Bid shielding: a situation where two bidders collude where one buyer bids low, the other buyer bids very high to scare off other potential bidders; seconds before the Internet auction ends, the high bid is withdrawn, and the partner wins the lot by default.
Bieden: (Dut.) to bid (at an auction).
Biedformulier: (Dut.) bid sheet.
Bielefeld: local, Germany 1898-1900.
Bielozersk: local, Russian Zemstvo, 1868-1915.
Bien centré: (Fr.) well-centered.
Bienenkorbstempel: (Ger.) beehive cancel.
Bienfaisance (timbre de): (Fr.) charity stamps: stamps sold at more than the inscribed face value, with the difference between the face value and the selling price used for charity work; these are often called semi-postal stamps.
Bietempfehlung: (Ger.) suggested bid.
Bieten: (Ger.) to bid (at an auction).
Bieter: (Ger.) bidder.
Bigello: (It.) beige, grayish-tan color.
Bigelow's Express: U.S. local post, Boston, Mass., 1848-51.
Big Mail: until 1772, Austrian postal system term for incoming foreign mail.
Bijawar: India Feudatory State; 1935: issued local use stamps, 1939: separate stamps discontinued, replaced by stamps of India.
Bilbes: Egypt, see: Interpostal seals, 1867-1880.
Bildfrei gestempelt: (Ger.) cancelled not to touch stamp design as requested by topicalists.
Bild: (Ger.) image (printed area of a stamp).
Bildbrösse: (Ger.) size of design.
Bildnis: (Ger.) portrait, illustration.
Bildpostkarte: (Ger.) picture postal card.
Bildpostkarte mit Eingedruckter Marke: (Ger.) picture postal card with imprinted stamp.
Bildseite: (Ger.) face or picture of stamp.
Bilhete: (Port.) postal card.
Billet de Banque: (Fr.) Bank note, paper money.
Bilingual: two languages on the same stamp.
Bilingual pairs: pair of stamps on which the inscription is in one language on one of the stamps, and in another language on the other stamp; common with stamps of South Africa.
Bilingue: (Fr., It.) bilingual, two languages on the same stamp.
Bilingüe: (Sp.) bilingual, two languages on the same stamp.
Billigst: (Ger.) cheapest.
Billigung: (Ger.) approval.
Bipaket: (Fin.) parcel post.
Bipartido: (Port.) bisected.
Bipartite stamps: stamps printed in two parts with one part meant to be used as postage and the other as a receipt of mailing.
Bird: Czechoslovakia newspaper stamps, spread wing bird design.
Birket-el-Sabh: Egypt, see: Interpostal seals, 1864-1884.
Birlesik Kirallik: (Turk.) Great Britain.
Birmania: (Sp.) Burma.
Birmanie: (Fr.) Burma.
Birobidzhan: cinderella local, former Soviet-Jewish republic in Southern Siberia, 1993.
Birthday cover: covers or postcards postmarked on the date of a birthday.
"Birth Prince Henry": 1984 surcharge on stamps of Aitutaki.
Bis: (Sp.) used in addresses where two houses have the same address to alert mailman to check name of recipient.
Bisagra: (Sp.) stamp hinge or mount.
Bisbal del Panades: local, Spanish civil war, Republican forces, 1937.
Biscay: Spanish Basque province; 1873: Carlist stamps, with Don Carlos' portrait.
Biseccionado: (Sp.) bisected.
Bisect: stamp cut in half which has been used to pay the postage at half the face value of the original stamp; the bisect is collected on the original cover with the postmark or cancellation covering the cut.
Bisectado, partido en dos: (Sp.) see: Bisect.
Bisecto: (Sp.) bisected stamp.
Bishop, Henry: appointed British postmaster general by Oliver Cromwell, 1660-63, and continued in that position during the Restoration and the accession of Charles II.
Bishop Mark: first dated postmark of Great Britain indicating day and month; 1661, about: Henry Bishop initiated form of a circle divided horizontally with a line month abbreviated to two letters in top half and day of the month in the lower half.
Bishop's City Post: U. S. local post, Cleveland, Ohio, 1848-51, see: Carriers' Stamps.
Bisseto: (Port.) bisect.
Bister: (Eng.,Ger.) dark brown, yellow brown (color).
Bistre: (Fr., Sp.) dark brown bister, yellow brown (color).
Bistro: (It.) dark brown (color).
Bit: name of part that is affixed to a roller impressing into the newly formed paper, making the watermark.
Bite: the impression of design lines into the paper.
Bitola: formerly Monastir, Yugoslavia.
Bixcaia: (Sp.) early form of "Vizcaya" one of the Basque Provinces.
Bizonals: stamps issued in the Anglo-American zones of occupied Germany, 1945-49.
Bizone, Bizonia: American and British Zones of Occupation.
BJ: Benin, country code as used by UPU.
B. J. & Co., (Barber, Jones & Co.): private die match proprietary stamps.
Bjorneborg: now Pori, Finland.
Bjorn oya: bogus Bear Island local post.
Bjuda: (Swed.) to bid (at an auction).
BK: booklet, (U.S., G.B.), Scott Catalogue number prefix.
B K C: airmail booklets, Scott Catalogue number prefix.
Bklt: abbreviation for booklet.
Bkstp(d): abbreviation for backstamp(ed); see: Backstamp.
Bl: (Ger.) catalog abbreviation for blue (blau) overprint or surcharge.
BL: abbreviation for Bolaffi, Italian catalogue firm.
Bla: (Nor., Swed.) blue (color).
Blaa: (Dan.) blue (color).
Black: the darkest color.
Bläck: (Swed.) ink.
Black bar: marking printed next to the arrows on sheets of British stamps with phosphor bands to help in checking supplies.
Black Blot: American Philatelic Society program; 1962-79: offered guidance on the world's new stamp issues as to what issues they considered as unnecessary.
Black Flag Republic: Formosa, Japanese seceding state, 1895.
Black Jack: nickname given to the US 2c issue of 1863 showing Andrew Jackson's head, printed in black.
Bläckmakulerad: (Swed.) pen canceled.
Black on color: used to describe an issue printed in black on colored paper with the actual color indicated being the color of the paper.
Black-out cancel: Canadian censored postmark used in port cities during WW II..
Black plates: plates originally used for the 1840 Penny Black, later used for the 1d red stamps.
Black print: proofs of Austrian stamps pulled in black, not a color of the issued stamp, from the actual printing plates: used for press releases.
Blad: (Pol.) error.
Blek: (Dan.) ink.
Blagoveshchensk: Far Eastern Republic; 1921: stamp issue.
Blagronn: (Nor.) cobalt (color).
Blair, Montgomery: United States Postmaster General, 1862, Aug. 4: suggested a conference on international mail handling that led to the formation of the Universal Postal Union.
Blanc: (Fr.) white (color).
Blanca: local, Spanish civil war, Republican forces, 1937.
Blanco: (Port., Sp.) white (color).
Blanco Karte: (Ger.) blank cover, with stamp affixed, to be postmarked for special occassions.
Blanc type: French stamp design in 1900, named after designer, Joseph Blanc.
Blanes: local, Spanish civil war, Republican forces, 1937.
Blank (envelope): individual sheet of paper cut from the sheet by the knife in the envelope manufacturing stage; also known as shape.
Blanket: 1: papermaking term for the belt that carries newly formed paper; 2: rubber sheet used on offset presses to transfer the impression from the plate to paper.
Blase im gummi: (Ger.) bubble in gum.
Blason: (Fr.) stamp with arms design.
Blass: (Ger.) pale (color).
Blattalbum: (Ger.) page for album.
Blattpapier: (Ger.) sheet.
Blau, bl.: (Ger.) blue (color).
Blaue Karte: (Ger.) blue card from United Nations-Geneva; UN-Vienna has a white card; UN-New York has a green card.
Blaugel: (Ger.) commercial product to prevent stamps from adhering to album pages due to moisture absorption.
Blauw: (Dut.) blue (color).
BLDG: USPS abbreviation for building.
Bleached: use of a chemical agent to lighten or remove a discoloration or foreign substance from a stamp.
Bleeding: color that runs when immersed in water: also printing of design that overlaps onto the margin or next attached stamp.
Bleu: (Fr.) blue (color).
Bleues: (Fr.) "blues" stamps of classic France.
Bleuté: (Fr.) paper that has unintentionally turned blue; found on early British issues..
Blinddruck: (Ger.) albino, print with no ink.
Blind perforation: perforation holes that have been lightly impressed into the stamps, leaving the paper intact, but considered as cut.
Blind stamp: a stamp with no mention of its country of origin; many revenue stamps fall into this category.
Blindzähnung: (Ger.) perforation that was not punched out completely.
Blister, gum: may be caused by excessive heat in gumming process, leaves areas of ungummed paper.
Blister, photographic: flaw from a defect in the photographic plate or film resulting in trapping of air or fluid.
Blitz perforation: perforations changed from De La Rue to Waterlows; 1936-43: New Zealand stamp series; due to the Blitzkrieg air raids on London.
Blizzard mail: U.S. local post, New York, N.Y., March 12-16, 1888, operated during blizzard.
Bljesak: bogus labels for Jugoslavia.
Blk: abbreviation for block of stamps, quantity in block should be quoted.
Bloating: an early philatelic term used for exhibitors who display several copies of the same stamp because it is rare.
Bloc: (Fr.) block, souvenir sheet (of stamps).
Blocco: (It.) block, souvenir sheet (of stamps).
Blocco di quattro: (It.) an unseparated group, or block, of four stamps.
Bloc commémoratif: (Fr.) souvenir sheet.
Bloc de quatre: (Fr.) an unseparated group of four stamps.
Bloc-feuillet: (Fr.) sheet of a stamp or stamps, surrounded with a paper margin issued for a specific event or purpose, souvenir sheet..
Block: 1: (Ger.) block, souvenir sheet (of stamps); 2: an unseparated group of stamps; if the block is larger than four stamps, it is referred to as a block of six, block of eight, etc.3: Michel 2001 catalogue considers blocks (souvenir sheets/miniature sheets) and sheetlets as items containing one, two or three stamps; four to six stamp are blocks, provided three of the stamps are different; items with the same four stamps are blocks when said stamp also appears at the same time in a sheet.
Blockade-run mail: US Civil War postal route between Europe and the Confederate States.
Block, arrow: block with attached margin with arrow; see: arrow block.
Blockausgabe: (Ger.) miniature sheet or sheetlet issue.
Block, center gutter: block including two wide spaces separating the printed sheet into panes.
Block, center line: block with center lines and point of crossing.
Block, corner: one of four corners, usually with plate number where the margin is attached to the stamps, on rotary press, not flat plate in the U.S.
Blocked value: one value in each set of stamps issued by the German Democratic Republic; 1955-1982: the sale of which was restricted to control the philatelic traffic in these stamps, prevent speculation and avoid currency regulations.
Blockform: (Ger.) miniature sheet format.
Block, irregular: block, not square, but description must contain number of stamps in block.
Block, line: contains either vertical or horizontal guide lines.
Block of four, imperforate within: blocks that are perforated on all outside edges, but are missing perforations within the block, sometimes done intentionally.
Bloc report: (Fr.) block of stamp clichés from a small plate or stone, used to replicate a full plate (Bordeaux issue).
Block tagged: tagging applied on a stamp in a rectangle that does not touch the perforations.
Block, traffic lights: block with attached margin showing color checks.
Bloco: (Port.) block.
Bloco comemorativo: (Port.) souvenir sheet.
Bloco do quatro: (Port.) an unseparated group of four stamps.
Bloc-feuillet: (Fr.) souvenir sheet.
Bloc Report: (Fr.) block of clichés of stamps from a small plate or stone, used to replicate a full plate (Bordeaux issue).
Blok: (Dan., Dut., Pol.) block (of stamps).
Blokk: (Nor.) block (of stamps).
Blomme: (Dan.) plum (color).
Blood's Penny Post: U. S. local post, Philadelphia Despatch Post, Philadelphia, Pa. 1843: operated by Robertson & Co., predecessor of D.O. Blood & Co.
Blood's Penny Post: U. S. local post, D.O. Blood & Co. Despatch Post, Phil., Pa., 1845-54; formed by Daniel Otis Blood and Walter H. Blood, successor to Philadelphia Despatch Post. Blood's Penny Post: U. S. local post, Philadelphia, Pa., 1855-60: acquired by Blood's Penny Post general manager, Charles Kochersperger, when Daniel O. Blood died.
Bloque: (Sp.) block, souvenir sheet (of stamps).
Bloque de cuatro: (Sp.) an unseparated group of four stamps.
Blu: (Sp.) blue (color).
Blu di Prussia: (It.) Prussian blue (color).
Blue: having the color of a clear sky, or the deep sea.
Blued: British stamps printed by De Le Rue on paper showing usually faint blue color, caused by reaction between the ink and chemicals in the paper; pre 1884: see: Ivory Head;
Bluefields: Nicaragua issue, 1904-11.
Blue Helmets: term used for United Nations Peacekeeping Forces, color of their helmets.
Blukubade te Sarof: bogus label.
Blue Nose: 1929 50c stamp considered the most beautiful Canadian stamp depicting schooner Blue-nose in full sail.
Blue Safety Paper: prussiate of potash added during paper manufacture to prevent the printing ink from penetrating deeply into the paper thus preventing the removal of the postmark by chemical means; created a blue appearance in British stamps of 1855-56; see: Ivory Head.
Blue savoia: (It.) royal blue (color).
Bluffton, So. Ca Paid 5: see: Confederate Postmasters’ Provisionals.
Bluish paper: a grayish blue colored paper used for the Washington-Franklin series of 1909; made on 35% rag paper stock, instead of the usual wood pulp paper, to see if excess paper shrinkage could be reduced; also known as Blue Paper..
Blume: (Ger.) flower, as a theme or topic.
Blurred impression: if the printing plate strikes the paper in the printing process with a jarring motion, a blurred impression will have been produced.
B. M.: 1: Bench of Magistrates, South Australia official overprint, 1868-74; 2: see: Boite mobile, also British Administration.
BM: Bermuda, country code as used by UPU.
B. M. A.: British Military Administration.