Topic: Velos Hygienic Moistener - Bakelite

[Anne E.B.]

Anyone seen one of these before? A Velos Hygienic Moistener made from Bakelite, tin and wool felt.

I thought it had something to do with smoking at first, but now think it might be something that you had on a desk connected with stationery use.

I haven't tried it out, but think that the metal lid goes on top.  Water is put in the bakelite base which has a trough and the felt flaps take it up to the felt pad under the lidded top that has holes (osmosis???) and stamps/envelopes can be moistened - I think

[Anne]

I'm sure this is what this is Anne. Velos Perforex made (and still do make) office stationary items, such as those rubber finger caps for counting out notes, and hole punches, and so on, so a stamp moistener would seem to fit perfectly with their line of business.

[antiquerose123]

I never seen one of those....I seen the ceramic roller, with a little tub of water it sits in....and you give in a spin, the roller get wet -- and then you brush the stamp on it, to get the stamp wet.

Geeeez...........tried to find a image, and could not locate one...

[Anne E.B.]

I quite liked licking postage stamps and envelopes but they seem to be mostly self-adhesive ones nowadays.

I remember seeing those roller type ones in the past, but the rollers were made from something like rubber.  Ive never seen a ceramic one Rose.  Sounds more up-market

[antiquerose123]

I tried to find a pic of one, as my Mom had one.  It was like a stoneware item...in fact, at the Post office I go to, they still have one there on the shelf -- yet I could not find one on the net for images.

Yes, most stamps self-sticking.  And you know your getting OLD when you go to the post office to get a stamp, they give you a (self-sticking) stamp -- and then I tired to lick it and wonder why it would not stick.

......then the lady said "You don;t have to lick it -- just pull the adhesive off....."

I admit I've done that.    After all, years of years licking stamps, it is hard to not do it these days.  Modern technology (??)

That is quite the different machine here in this post - I would have never guessed that if I saw it...

[Anne E.B.]

I initially thought it was some kind of ashtray - being placed the other way up, and it took a while for the penny to drop