flirtatious language of the postage stamp

Far left, "Write Immediately" Center, "I long to see you" and Far right, "Does receiver love sender?"

   The language of postage stamps is the fad in this city at this time. The language, so called, is a sort of cryptography, or art of conveying by secret methods or signs the ideas of one person to another. The use of stamps placed in certain positions upon letters is one of the ways of conveying information that not many are versed in; still there are some who, fearing that their correspondence may be seen by persons of the writers believe have no right to see, resort to the placing of stamps on the envelope in such a manner as to convey to the mind of the receiver sentiments which the writer dares not commit to paper or has no chance to express verbally, either from lack of opportunity or lack of courage to "speak out in meeting." The placing of stamps may be according to the understanding between the parties who may desire to use such a "language," and the combinations that may be made are innumerable, but there are a number of positions which are recognized by those who have given the matter some attention. San Francisco Call, 1899

Far left, "Affection of writer for the receiver" Center, "I Hate You" and Far right, "Good-Bye Sweetheart"

Far left, "Cannot meet you" Center, "I love you" and Far right, "My heart is another's"

Original meanings of stamp placement on envelopes during the Victorian Era:

1. The stamp placed diagonally on the upper left-hand corner of the envelope means "I desire your friendship"
2.  Placed on the upper right-hand corner means "Want to make your acquaintance"
3. On the line with the surname and to the right thereof signifies "Accept my love"
4. In a similar position, but the stamp inverted, gives notice that "I am engaged"
5. The stamp placed at right angle with the envelope on the right-hand corner asks the question, "Does the receiver love the sender?"
6. If placed on the left-hand corner it gives the unpleasant information "I hate you"
7. The stamp placed at the bottom of the envelope in the corner means "yes"
8. At the bottom in the center means "no"
9. An inverted stamp on the upper left-hand corner gives indication of "Affection of the writer for the receiver" 
10. If the stamp is inverted on the right-hand corner it is notice to the reciener to "Write no more"
11. The stamp placed in the middle of the envelope on the right hand side, so as to be on a line with the surname, is a request that the receiver shall "Write immediately"
12. And if it is placed just after the surname, at right angle with the same, the writer by that tells the receiver "I long to see you"
13. The stamp placed face up on the left-hand corner is "Good-by, sweetheart"
14. Two stamps one above the other at right angle with the envelope tells the sad tale, "My heart is another's --that is sad to the receiver
15. "I love you" is expressed by placing the stamp inverted on the upper left-hand corner 
16. The stamp placed on the lower left-hand corner, face up, says to the receiver "Cannot meet you."
17. If the stamp is face up on the lower right-hand corner it is a notice from the writer that the "Parents object to letters." 
18. Of course, other combinations can be devised to make the correspondence more interesting.

Far left, "Write no more" Center, "Want to make your acquaintance" and Far right, "I desire your friendship"

Far left, "Parents object to letters" Center, "I am engaged" and Far right, "Accept my love"

Far left, "I long to see you" Center, "Yes" Far right, "No"

• Postage stamp placements
• The Language of Stamps
• From Love to Longing to Protest, It's All in the Tilt of the Postage
• Upside Down Stamp: Love and Trouble
• The Language of Stamps