1898-1900 2 1/2c J. Ellwood Lee & Co., Orange, Hyphen Hole Perf. 7

This private die proprietary stamp was issued for the J. Ellwood Lee Company, a manufacturer based in Conshohocken, Pennsylvania that produced surgical dressings and medical supplies. The stamp came about because of the Revenue Act of 1898, a law passed to help fund the Spanish-American War. Under this law, companies that made certain products, including medicines and other proprietary goods, had to use tax stamps like this one on their packaging before selling their products to the public.

The design features a bold sunburst pattern made up of repeating leg shapes radiating out from a central oval. Inside the oval sits an image of the company's factory buildings in Conshohocken along with the company name. Banners across the top and bottom of the stamp read "United States Internal Revenue" and identify the value as two and one half cents. The corners display the denomination again in a diamond shaped frame, and the bottom of the design notes the series year of 1898.

This example is printed in a warm orange color and shows the hyphen hole perforation type, a feature that collectors use to help identify and date these private die proprietary issues. Stamps like this one offer a window into a specific period of American history when businesses were required to help fund a national conflict through their own product packaging.