Cut square
Encyclopedia
In philately
, a cut square is an imprinted stamp
cut from an item of postal stationery
such as a stamped envelope
, postal card
, letter sheet
, letter card, aerogram
or wrapper
in a square or rectangular shape. An alternative use of the term is simply any stamp, from sheets or postal stationery, cut in a square or rectangular shape and not cut to shape.
It is distinguished from the entire (the complete postal stationery item) or the more common practice of earlier eras of cutting to shape
by removing all of the paper apart from the imprinted stamp. A variant of the cut square is the full corner which is a cutting of the corner to include the intact flap and back of the envelope as well as the front.
Just as used postage stamps were cut out, soaked and placed in an album, collectors also cut out postal stationery indicia
and mounted them conveniently in albums. Now, the practice is frowned upon by most collectors who collect the entire, thus saving the envelope's postal history
, the knife
of the envelope and the postmark
. To illustrate how far things have shifted in emphasis from the collection of cut squares, the most recent UPSS
publication on US 20th and 21st century stamped envelopes does not even mention cut squares, whereas its predecessor edition, just seven years earlier, devoted a section to their pricing.
The term cut square is differentiated from the term used on piece which denotes an adhesive stamp cut out in similar fashion from the original cover so as to preserve the entire postmark.
Philately
Philately is the study of stamps and postal history and other related items. Philately involves more than just stamp collecting, which does not necessarily involve the study of stamps. It is possible to be a philatelist without owning any stamps...
, a cut square is an imprinted stamp
Imprinted stamp
In philately an imprinted stamp is a stamp printed on to a piece of postal stationery such as a stamped envelope, postal card, letter sheet, letter card, aerogram or wrapper. The printing is flat upon the surface of the paper, as opposed to an embossed stamp which has a raised relief...
cut from an item of postal stationery
Postal stationery
A piece of postal stationery is a stationery item, such as a stamped envelope, letter sheet, postal card, lettercard, aerogram or wrapper, with an imprinted stamp or inscription indicating that a specific rate of postage or related service has been prepaid...
such as a stamped envelope
Stamped envelope
A stamped envelope or postal stationery envelope is an envelope with a printed or embossed indicium indicating the prepayment of postage. It is a form of postal stationery.-Use in the United States:In August 1852 an act of the U.S...
, postal card
Postal card
Postal cards are postal stationery with an imprinted stamp or indicium signifying the prepayment of postage. They are sold by postal authorities. In January, 1869 Emanuel Herrmann of Austria described the advantages of a Correspondenz Karte. By October, 1869 the world's first postal card was...
, letter sheet
Letter sheet
In philatelic terminology a Letter sheet, often written lettersheet, is nowadays an item of postal stationery issued by a postal authority. It is a sheet of paper that can be folded, usually sealed , and mailed without the use of an envelope...
, letter card, aerogram
Aerogram
An Aerogram, Aérogramme or Air Letter is a thin lightweight piece of foldable and gummed paper for writing a letter for transit via airmail, in which the letter and envelope are one and the same. Most postal administrations forbid enclosures in these light letters, which are usually sent abroad at...
or wrapper
Wrapper (philately)
In philately a wrapper is a form of postal stationery which pays the cost of the delivery of a newspaper or a periodical. The wrapper is a sheet of paper, large enough to wrap around a folded or rolled newspaper and with an imprinted stamp to pay the cost of postage...
in a square or rectangular shape. An alternative use of the term is simply any stamp, from sheets or postal stationery, cut in a square or rectangular shape and not cut to shape.
It is distinguished from the entire (the complete postal stationery item) or the more common practice of earlier eras of cutting to shape
Cut to shape
Cut to shape is a philatelic term referring to a postage stamp or postal stationery indicium that has been cut to the shape of the design, such as an octagon, circle or oval, instead of simply cut into a square or rectangular shape....
by removing all of the paper apart from the imprinted stamp. A variant of the cut square is the full corner which is a cutting of the corner to include the intact flap and back of the envelope as well as the front.
Just as used postage stamps were cut out, soaked and placed in an album, collectors also cut out postal stationery indicia
Indicia
In philately, indicia are markings on a mail piece showing that postage has been prepaid by the sender. Indicia is the plural of the latin word indicium, meaning distinguishing marks, signs or identifying marks...
and mounted them conveniently in albums. Now, the practice is frowned upon by most collectors who collect the entire, thus saving the envelope's postal history
Postal history
Postal history is the study of postal systems and how they operate and, or, the study of postage stamps and covers and associated material illustrating historical episodes of postal systems...
, the knife
Knife (envelope)
The term knife is used to describe the cutting die for envelope or wrapper blanks. It is called a knife rather than a die in order to reserve the term die to describe the object which makes a embossed printed impression of the stamp or indicium on the envelope. Traditionally, a knife would...
of the envelope and the postmark
Postmark
thumb|USS TexasA postmark is a postal marking made on a letter, package, postcard or the like indicating the date and time that the item was delivered into the care of the postal service...
. To illustrate how far things have shifted in emphasis from the collection of cut squares, the most recent UPSS
United Postal Stationery Society
The United Postal Stationery Society was formed July 1, 1945 from the merger of the Postal Card Society of America, in existence since 1891, and the International Postal Stationery Society, founded 1939. Current membership stands at about 1,000. The organization's journal since 1949 is called...
publication on US 20th and 21st century stamped envelopes does not even mention cut squares, whereas its predecessor edition, just seven years earlier, devoted a section to their pricing.
The term cut square is differentiated from the term used on piece which denotes an adhesive stamp cut out in similar fashion from the original cover so as to preserve the entire postmark.