The Machine Cancel Society past vice-president, Tony Crumbley, has produced an award-winning exhibit on the history of the introduction of machine cancels in the state of North Carolina. This exhibit covers the years 1898 to 1925. A variety of machine brands were used during that time period, including American flag, Doremus, Time-Cummins, Columbia, Barr-Fyke, Hampden, International and Universal. The presence of this variety of machine cancellations provides an excellent overview of these machines. This web page contains images of the exhibit pages created by Tony Crumbley, and are reproduced and distributed to the public with his permission.
This web page, published by the Machine Cancel Society, contains the text of Frame 2 of the Crumbley's North Carolina Machine Cancel Exhibit.
To see all of the exhibit frame images, go to Frame 2 all exhibit frame images.
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William Barry, born in 1841, educated in Canada and moved to Carthage, NY then to Syracuse. While living in Syracuse, he called himself an inventor, machinist and manufacturer of machines. After an unsuccessful partnership with Attorney George Hey and Matthew Dolphin in the early 1890’s, Barry was issued his first mail marking machine patent on January 2, 1894. His second patent was issued in June, 1897. Information on total number of Barry cancels is unavailable. However, Raleigh was the only city in the state to use this machine.
Type U 2-31 Barry machine cancel used in Raleigh from December 1898 until November 1899. Above cover is the earliest known machine cancel in North Carolina.
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Type U 2-31 cancel. Note split date by North Carolina in the CDS. Used from December 1898 until November 1899.
Type U 2-31. The last recorded use of this die in Raleigh.
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Type V 1-31 cancel. Note date above North Carolina.
Ty V 1-31 circular cancel. Used from January 1900 until December 1900.
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Type K-2 rectilinear postmark, Type 5 (1) cancel. Used in Raleigh from October 1901 until May 1902. Note straight line cancel. The K-2 model has slightly longer lines under the Ral — igh then the K-1 but not as long as the L model.
Type L-1 rectilinear postmark, Type 5 (1) cancel. Only recorded example of this marking.
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Type K-1 5 (1) rectilinear postmark killer. Used in Raleigh from March 1901 until May 1901. The K-1 has short bars under Ral — igh.
Type L-1 rectilinear postmark, Type 8 (1) cancel used in Raleigh from October 1902 until February 1904. Note curved line in cancels. The L model has longer bars under the Ral — igh extending to the end of the town name.
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Type B dial, type 14 flag used from 1907 until 1921.
Type B dial, type 14 flag used from 1908 until 1921.
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Type B dial, type 14 flag used from 1906 until 1913.
Type B dial, type 14 flag. In 1913 a new die was received for the flag cancelling machine. It was used until 1920. Note larger stars.
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Type B dial, type 14 flag. In 1908 Raleigh received a new die with no number within the flag. This was used until 1910.
Type B dial, type 14 flag. New die used without dates in CDS.
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Type A dial, type 14 flag used from 1910 until 1925.
Type A dial, type 14 flag. Wilmington had only one flag die which it used from 1905 until 1910.
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Type B dial, type 14 flag with 1 insert within flag. Winston and Salem merged in July 1899.
Type B dial type 14 flag with blank spot in flag. The above two cancels were used from 1899 until 1902.
Updated February 11, 2020