RO126c Leigh & Palmer Match Stamp Pink Paper

This firm succeeded Hendrickson & Leigh about 1875 and appears in the Trenton directories for 1876 and 1877 making paper boxes and matches at the Stockton St factory It consisted of Hutchinson Leigh and Joshua K Palmer who is again listed in the directories for 1878 and 1879 but without occupation His connection with the business probably lasted less than two years The Bosfon Book states Die approved Jan 28 1876 First issued Feb 1876 Last issued prior to Oct 1 1880 3,139,500 issued in black on silk pink and watermarked paper The Leigh & Palmer stamps were printed from a new plate made by altering the old USM Co die The address is changed to Trenton NJ USM Co is erased from the pedestal LEIGH & PALMER replaces SAFETY MATCHES and there are other minor changes The new plate was made by the National Bank Note Co and the stamps on silk and pink paper were printed by that concern They may also have printed some or all of the stamps on watermarked paper There are no definite indications that the American Bank Note Co printed any of these stamps

Christopher West, Mekeel’s Weekly Stamp News, sept 13, 1919 p. 311