Popular Post RWB Posted March 9, 2021 Popular Post Share Posted March 9, 2021 (edited) Most of us associate the phrase "red tape" with unnecessary bureaucracy in government and corporations. Well, here is a real US Mint bill for delivery of stationery supplies - including 25 spools of authentic "Red Tape." (This was used for sealing vaults and similar purposes, but it's kind of fun to see it on a bill.) Edited March 9, 2021 by RWB Hoghead515, GoldFinger1969 and Alex in PA. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Henri Charriere Posted March 9, 2021 Share Posted March 9, 2021 I believe red tape was used to seal vaults after their contents were verified by two or more employees, right? I believe it was also used during the tour of select Ft. Knox vaults by members of Congress and authorized officials. Hoghead515 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat Bath Posted March 9, 2021 Share Posted March 9, 2021 This is a famous one.... Released from the Vatican archives for the first time, this 1530 letter - a 3ft-wide parchment with 81 wax seals attached to red silk ribbons - sent by English noblemen urged Pope Clement VII to annul Henry VIII's marriage to his first wife so the king could marry Anne Boleyn GoldFinger1969 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RWB Posted March 9, 2021 Author Share Posted March 9, 2021 Very interesting Cat Bath. Only a few more seals and it might have worked! GoldFinger1969 and Cat Bath 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bsshog40 Posted March 9, 2021 Share Posted March 9, 2021 I'll take a dozen of those pen racks for 50c. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RWB Posted March 10, 2021 Author Share Posted March 10, 2021 The bill covers only materials used for July...They use 13 gross of steel pen nibs - that's a lot of scribbling by clerks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woods020 Posted March 10, 2021 Share Posted March 10, 2021 57 minutes ago, RWB said: The bill covers only materials used for July...They use 13 gross of steel pen nibs - that's a lot of scribbling by clerks. They may have been in the pocket of they guy that fell in the acid. Or his coworkers were throwing them at him telling him not to swim in that pool. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RWB Posted March 10, 2021 Author Share Posted March 10, 2021 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conder101 Posted March 10, 2021 Share Posted March 10, 2021 16 hours ago, RWB said: The bill covers only materials used for July...They use 13 gross of steel pen nibs - that's a lot of scribbling by clerks. Yes, but how often did they have to order steel pen nibs? That 13 gross might have lasted for years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RWB Posted March 10, 2021 Author Share Posted March 10, 2021 Bills were rendered monthly. Was this just July, as stated on the bill header? Seems like a huge volume of supplies, though. The alternative could be quarterly use, or simply the supplies received in July but actually intended for various time periods. We don't have the account journals to allow checking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
