Postal Intelligence connects and situates histories of the post and government intelligence alongside print technology and state power in the wider context of the early modern communications revolution. In the sixteenth century, postal services became central to domestic governance and foreign policy enterprises, extended government reach and surveillance, and offered new control over the public sphere.
Rachel Midura focuses on the Tassis family, members of which served as official postmasters to the dukes of Milan, the pope, Spanish kings, and Holy Roman emperors. Using administrative records and family correspondence, she follows the Tassis family, their agents, and their rivals as their influence expanded from northern Italy across Europe. Postal Intelligence shows how postmasters and postmistresses were key players in early modern diplomacy, commerce, and journalism, whose ultimate success depended on both administrative ingenuity and strategic ambiguity.
For as long as people have been communicating through writing, they have found ways to keep their messages private. Before the invention of the gummed envelope in 1830, securing correspondence involved letterlocking, an ingenious process of folding a flat sheet of paper to become its own envelope, often using a combination of folds, tucks, slits, or adhesives such as sealing wax. Letter writers from Erasmus to Catherine de’ Medici to Emily Dickinson employed these techniques, which Jana Dambrogio, the MIT Libraries’ Thomas F. Peterson (1957) Conservator, has named “letterlocking.”
Published by MIT Press, the 528-page book contains more than 300 images and diagrams, and explores the practice’s history through real examples from all over the world. It includes a dictionary of 60 technical terms and concepts, systems the authors developed while studying more than 250,000 historic letters.
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https://fepanews.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/letterlocking-800.jpg800800Costas Chazapishttps://fepanews.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/fepanews_logo-107x138-1.pngCostas Chazapis2025-08-02 10:43:442025-08-02 10:43:44Letterlocking: The Hidden History of the Letter
Display Your Way at Stampex in London is back this October. And once again the PTS has invested in developing this exciting feature further to be able to include more displays in an even more user friendly way.
Display Your Way was first established as a way of showcasing a wide range of displays, exhibits, collections, and stories at Virtual Stampex in 2024. Last year, we piloted bringing an in-person version of this concept to London. And people loved it — not just visitors to the show, but also displayers themselves, many of whom were able to take part remotely.
We are passionate about giving collectors of all levels and areas of interest the chance to show off what they love, and for visitors of the show to feel inspired by seeing other collections and philatelic stories in a fresh and creative light!
Our interactive Display Your Way attraction features large touch screens for visitors to browse a wide range of collections, from formal award winning exhibits, to work in progress pages, to artistic story telling techniques.
It is free to Display Your Way at Stampex. No frame fees here!
Wherever you are in the world, you can Display at Stampex in London.
There are no rules. You can show what you want to show, in your own way.
Displays will now use the same technology as Virtual Stampex building continuity across both shows.
Digital Displays remove logistics and security concerns and costs.
Visitors to the show can vote for their fav display in our People’s Choice Award.
The winner of the People’s Choice Award will win the Unique Official Proof for the 2019 Spring Stampex Smiler Sheet printed by Cartor for the Royal Mail. Imperf in the issued colours.
Simon Carson, PTS Chair says: “The PTS believes strongly in the need to continually evolve to keep up with our ever-changing hobby. In the case of Display Your Way, we are seeking to inspire and encourage the exhibitors and philatelic story tellers of the future! If you would like to inspire others, I encourage you to apply to Display. If you are thinking about how you might develop your collection into a story or research project, I encourage you to visit Stampex this October to explore the Displays, our Court of Honour, and chat to PTS Members about your passions.”
https://fepanews.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Display-Your-Way-800.jpg800800Costas Chazapishttps://fepanews.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/fepanews_logo-107x138-1.pngCostas Chazapis2025-07-31 17:16:172025-07-31 17:16:17STAMPEX: Display Your Way is back!
Postal Intelligence
Postal Intelligence connects and situates histories of the post and government intelligence alongside print technology and state power in the wider context of the early modern communications revolution. In the sixteenth century, postal services became central to domestic governance and foreign policy enterprises, extended government reach and surveillance, and offered new control over the public sphere.
Rachel Midura focuses on the Tassis family, members of which served as official postmasters to the dukes of Milan, the pope, Spanish kings, and Holy Roman emperors. Using administrative records and family correspondence, she follows the Tassis family, their agents, and their rivals as their influence expanded from northern Italy across Europe. Postal Intelligence shows how postmasters and postmistresses were key players in early modern diplomacy, commerce, and journalism, whose ultimate success depended on both administrative ingenuity and strategic ambiguity.
The book is available from the publisher, Cornell University Press.
…
Letterlocking: The Hidden History of the Letter
For as long as people have been communicating through writing, they have found ways to keep their messages private. Before the invention of the gummed envelope in 1830, securing correspondence involved letterlocking, an ingenious process of folding a flat sheet of paper to become its own envelope, often using a combination of folds, tucks, slits, or adhesives such as sealing wax. Letter writers from Erasmus to Catherine de’ Medici to Emily Dickinson employed these techniques, which Jana Dambrogio, the MIT Libraries’ Thomas F. Peterson (1957) Conservator, has named “letterlocking.”
Published by MIT Press, the 528-page book contains more than 300 images and diagrams, and explores the practice’s history through real examples from all over the world. It includes a dictionary of 60 technical terms and concepts, systems the authors developed while studying more than 250,000 historic letters.
…
STAMPEX: Display Your Way is back!
Received from the PTS and Stampex:
Display Your Way at Stampex in London is back this October. And once again the PTS has invested in developing this exciting feature further to be able to include more displays in an even more user friendly way.
Display Your Way was first established as a way of showcasing a wide range of displays, exhibits, collections, and stories at Virtual Stampex in 2024. Last year, we piloted bringing an in-person version of this concept to London. And people loved it — not just visitors to the show, but also displayers themselves, many of whom were able to take part remotely.
We are passionate about giving collectors of all levels and areas of interest the chance to show off what they love, and for visitors of the show to feel inspired by seeing other collections and philatelic stories in a fresh and creative light!
Our interactive Display Your Way attraction features large touch screens for visitors to browse a wide range of collections, from formal award winning exhibits, to work in progress pages, to artistic story telling techniques.
Simon Carson, PTS Chair says: “The PTS believes strongly in the need to continually evolve to keep up with our ever-changing hobby. In the case of Display Your Way, we are seeking to inspire and encourage the exhibitors and philatelic story tellers of the future! If you would like to inspire others, I encourage you to apply to Display. If you are thinking about how you might develop your collection into a story or research project, I encourage you to visit Stampex this October to explore the Displays, our Court of Honour, and chat to PTS Members about your passions.”
Details: https://www.stampexinternational.com/display
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