the Ph.J. Maul letter scale with
Dutch postal rates at the top plate
A Columbus letter scale created by Philipp Jakob Maul has been repeatedly shown on this website, see Columbus and a further example Columbus. The peculiarity of the specimen shown here is the top plate on which the Dutch postal rates are printed. The Inland rate for sending letters was valid during the period October 1, 1908 until October 16, 1916. Apart from the domestic rates, the rates are shown for sending mail to foreign countries and below the rates for the Dutch colonies East and West Indies are specified. The name of the design is at the back of the mechanism. The front of the mechanism has two German D.R.P. patent numbers 167192 and 184690 and also an Austrian patent number 25487. The Deutsches Reich Patentschrift with DRP number 167192 was granted by the Kaiserliches Patentamt and the patentee is named as AUTOMAT Aktien-Gesellschaft in Berlin. It was patented starting September 16, 1904. The patent was published January 30, 1906. The patent DRP 184690 is an addition to the former patent. It was granted December 30, 1904 and was valid until September 15, 1919. The Austrian patent was
rear of the letter scale
