The origin of these lines (who did the ruling?) has yet to be confirmed. However, the multiple addressee's, the various colored ruled lines, the type's of ruling, and at least 2.5 years of use, suggests that the Providence Post Office put the lines through multiple panes. These "control marked" panes would then have been disseminated to individual or institutional (see Brown University covers) account holders, where they were affixed to covers & delivered the PO. The Providence PO then accepted them as unused (uncancelled) stamps, & applied their postmark (otherwise the stamps would have been deemed used) and put them in the postal stream.

Finally, in support the theory that the P.O. applied these markings is the fact that numerous "Advertised" covers passing through the Providence P.O. during this same period have been seen with red (& blue) crayon markings (often in a "T" or "X" configuration) on the cover front (see below). This red crayon marking, when compared to the "control marked" examples, is similar in color, texture, & width.

'57 Red Crayon "X"	'57 Red Crayon "X"	'57(?) Red Crayon "X"

'58 Red Crayon "T"	'60 Red Crayon "X"

'60 Blue Crayon "O"	'61 Blue Crayon "T"

With regards to Brown University, this academic institution did not open an on-campus P.O. until 1926. It seems plausible that enough mail went from Brown University (school, faculty, students) that they needed to set up an account with the Providence P.O. to use their "control marked" panes (was this an attempt to stop pilfering or misuse or simply for convenience). The stamps were almost certainly applied at Brown University. It is also feasible that Brown became an unofficial branch of the Providence P.O. & sold stamps & delivered letters to the Providence P.O., essentially providing a "carrier" service & had a stock of stamps available. This makes it work far simpler than having the Brown "agent" collecting cash & letters to take to the Providence P.O. to buy special ruled line stamps which he/she then stuck on the Brown letters. Otherwise, there would be no need for ruled-line stamps. From the other on-cover examples, it remains to be determined if they can be tied to an industry or institution in the Providence area.

Let it be said that persistence pays off. In February of 2003, a cover came to light that adds credence to the "control mark" theory presented above. And to a 3¢ collector, who better to confirm your hypothesis than Dr. Carroll Chase himself. While this marking neither appears in Chase's writings nor is mentioned in subsequent 3¢ research (less D. W. Smith, 1995), Chase apparently was aware of this marking. How do we know this? The cover denoted #11a bears his distinctive cursive style and reads as follows: "The ruled pencil lines (found in red & black) used in Providence as a control. Authentic & interesting." Chase goes on to state "Apparently a whole pane was thus ruled." And as this research has shown, clearly more than one pane was ruled, in a variety of colored lines, and in a number of combinations.

Another find was made on March 22, 2005. After recently obtaining a red crayon ruled single on piece that had been Chase-plated with his notations (thanks to J. Kellerman), I rechecked the census to find that Roy Weber had a similar Chase-played single on piece with his notations. To my surprise, these two singles separated for who knows how many years, can be rejoined. The scan above is said rejoining, showing that these stamps were once on a single cover, perhaps paying a 6¢ rate, cancelled with a MAR 16 Providence RI cds. The reverse shows Chase's distinct handwriting, plating both stamps as 36L6 and 81R6 (two singles from each pane showing red ruled lines on same cover).

Dr. Chase made the following observation: "Providence R.I. "Precancelled" by red crayon pencil line across sheet before cutting into". Interestingly, he refers to the lines as a "precancel", whereas on the Sweetland cover shown above, he refers to these lines as a "control". It is my belief that Dr. Chase examined the red ruled lines on piece initially and formualted the "precancel" theory. At a later date, it would appear that he came across or was presented the Sweetland cover with double-ruled black pencil lines and the "control marking" theory was born.

The Providence, RI "Silent Precancel" - Or Is It a Control Mark? Color (5.3 MB)

The Providence, RI "Silent Precancel" - Or Is It a Control Mark? B&W (3.1 MB)

Images 1-3	Images 4-6	Images 7-8
Images 9-12	Image 13	Images 14-15
Image 7a	Image 1a	Image 5a

Connections to Brown University

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A c k n o w l e d g e m e n t s
This work would not have been possible without the invaluable assistance & donated material from R.F. Chambers RI Cover Collection, D. Celler, T. E. Greene, M. Grossman, M. Gutman, A. Selengut, D. W. Smith, & R. P. Weber.

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