Stamp (French) & Envelope

A stamp is comprised of several layers; on the face, inks, pigments, and dyes are used to create an image. Stamps originally all bore images of Queens, Presidents and other political figures, and philatelists (those who study stamps) are often able to tell a lot about the history of a nation from its stamps. It wasn’t until later on in the life of the stamp that other designs not featuring national leaders began to appear. This delicate design looks like a tiny woodblock print, and features the French national motto ‘Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité’. The back of the paper stamp is coated with an adhesive, which is sometimes a water-activated gum (i.e. you need to lick it to activate the glue), and sometimes pressure-sensitive and self-adhesive so it doesn’t require moisture to make it stick to the paper. 

There is another feature of interest in the envelope. It has a fluorescent orange tag printed on it that runs just underneath the stamp. In the same way as a barcode on a tin of baked beans, this combination of vertical lines of varying heights and groupings codifies information, in this instance, about the date, time and location of the letter's posting. The use of fluorescent inks allows for the automatic sorting of post by machines, as under UV light this barcode can be read clearly without being obscured or confused by  other markings that may be on the envelope.