
One would hardly imagine envelopes making a showing in our virtual world of emails and WhatsApp. But they do and they have. The Smithsonian has had presentations about them in their National Post Museum. Author and lecturer Maynard Benjamin has published two books on the humble envelope:
‘The Graceful Envelope’
‘Undercover: The Evolution of the American Envelope’
There are over 100 sayings about envelopes that might become extinct before you’ve finished reading this. But while Richard Branson still retains his current iconic status, envelopes have a role to play, as he said;
‘If something can’t be explained on the back of an envelope, it’s rubbish.’
A Mythic Emperor’s Live ‘Envelope’
There is a story that says that an emperor shaved a slave’s head, wrote a message on the scalp, waited for his hair to regrow, and then sent him off to have his head shaved wherever he’d wanted the message read. Time clearly not being of the essence!
Babylon’s Place in the History of Envelopes
Experts say that the idea of enclosing contents in envelopes baked hard to secure the insides was started by the Babylonians. Presumably, the only way to reach the secured innards would have been to smash the outer shell.
Egypt’s Place in the History of Envelopes
The Egyptians were said to simply send messages in rolled, sealed scrolls – so the letter was essentially the envelope too. Doesn’t that remind you of the old blue airmail letter paper you could buy that you folded and glued into an envelope?
France & Spain Enter the History of Envelopes
Somewhere in the 17th century, records of separate envelopes turn up in France and Spain.
You only need to watch The White Queen or the like on Netflix to see letters and envelopes sealed with red wax and a signet ring impression.
But we have to hand it to the toothless French King, Lois the XIV, who made popular the idea of a cover to ensure the privacy of missives. He had a special template made for cutting, folding, and pasting his court communications.
Englands Place in the History of Envelopes
Charles I is said to have made a postal service open to the public with about 45 sorting and delivery staff. Today’s Royal Mail employees some 140 000 – just when you thought letters and envelopes were no longer a thing!
Donkeys and ponies gave way to horse-drawn post wagons until post office buildings and mail boxes were established. Train mail gave way to airmail and mail trucks, while postmen on bicycles delivered to street addresses.
It took a global pandemic for people to reappreciate the value and connectivity letters in envelopes can bring. But let the last word on the worthy envelope be delivered with humour:
‘I’m completely different from Pietersen.
He would turn up to the opening of an envelope.’
– Andrew Flintoff
Give Mailmech a call on 011 789 1608 or email us at info@mailmech.co.za and let our experts both advise and supply you with top-quality letter prep for your campaigns.