"The study of material carried by, and related to, official, local or private mails. It illustrates routes, rates, markings, usages and other postal aspects, services, functions and activities related to the history of the development of Postal Services. Postmark collections - also called 'marcophily' - demonstrate classifications and/or studies of postal markings related to official, local or private mails on covers and other postal items.
Postal History tells the story of how mail has been handled, who has handled it, and why. In postal history, research is necessary to interpret a cover and its postal markings. In so doing one comes face to face with the history and the personalities of a particular event, place or postal service.
Pre-adhesive mail - Postal services development - Postal rates - Mail routes - Postmarks - Postal markings - Military mail and field post - POW and internee mail - Maritime mail - Air Mail and first flights - Inland waterway mail - Railway mail - Travelling Post Offices - Disaster mail - Censorship mail - Postage due mail - Registered mail - Automation of the mails - Forwarding agents markings - Official mail - Free Frank mail etc. etc
