by Jerry H. Miller
‘From Duplex to Mechanical’: The Evolution of Experimental and Early Machine
Postmarks Worldwide .. 1857-1920s
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
Soon after the introduction of prepaid postage and use of the first postage stamp in England in 1840, postal authorities recognized
a need for clear and legible posimarks as well as an improvement in handling of the ever-increasing mail volume.
Forerunner duplex hand-postmarking devices were introduced in Europe and the United States between 1850- 1860s with ‘pioneer’ mechanical machines
following in many countries between 1857- 1880s.
With improved mechanical technology evolving between 1880s-1900s, rapid hand-operated machinery resulted followed by
electrically powered high-speed machinery.
Concurrent with those developments, a number of innovative unusual postmarking machines evolved which were
evaluated & tested by many postal authorities.
FIRST POSTMARKING MACHINE
introduced in England by Pearson Hillin September 1857, this treadle-operated machine was able
to postmark about one hundred units of mail/minute.
EXHIBIT
This postal history exhibit is a chronological presentation of the evolution of important postmarks applied
by early experimental postmarking machines tested or evaluated by post office authorities worldwide between 1857 — 1920s.
Shown postmarks are from devices or machines considered to be of philatelic and historic importance with impact
worldwide in the evolutionary process with many lesser important machines tried or tested worldwide not included in this exhibit, nor are all the postmarks of each indicated machine shown.
EXHIBIT PLAN
I. Introduction and
Title Page
ll. Forerunner Devices
(1850s — early 1860s)
lil. ‘Pioneer’ Mechanical Machines
(1857-1880s)
A. Great Britain
B. Expansion Worldwide
IV. Early Rapid Postmarking Machines (1880s-1900s)
V. High-Speed Flexible Machines (1904-1940s)
VI. Epilogue:
Innovative Unusual Postmarking Machines (1870s-1920s)
TEXT COLOR-CODING
BLACK: General Historical or Other Information
BLUE: Chapter-Start-Page Heading, important annotative information, with blue-matting
as visual indication of particular scarcity
MAROON: Postal-Rate Information
ll. FORERUNNER DEVICES United States of America Early Attempts at Duplex Markings
1850s - early 1860s
Attempts at ‘hand-stamper’ duplex postmarking out-going mail were tested or tried in a number of countries in the
1850s and early 1860s.
OUT-GOING MAIL POSTMARKING WERE WITH DATED DATER-DIAL INDICATING CITY & WITH OBLITERATOR IN DUPLEX.
| C4» 19 January (7?) . 1a <<)
| © pee erst
“Chicago-Blue” i a j %,
Postmark oncoversentto eee | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
|
31 March (?)
Advertising cover
postmarked
New York City,
sent to
Chester,
New Jersey.
| oe
2 September 1863
Civil War Period “Baltimore Blue” Postmark
on folded-letter addressed
to “Secretary of State
Seward”,
at Washington D.C.
Three Cents...
Prepaid Postage for letter-mail /2 ounce (1 July 1851 — 30 September 1883)
FORERUNNER DEVICES Denmark
DOMESTIC MAIL
12 MARCH 1853
Folded commercial
letter, postmarked at
the
Copenhagen Railway Post
Office, sent to Lonstrup,
Denmark.
4 Skilling ...
Single-weight domestic
letter-rate.
Early Attempt at Time-Dating Mail
Through the Copenhagen Railway Post Office 1853 - 1856
In 1853, the Copenhagen Railway Post Office commenced
| experimenting with a HAND-OPERATED DEVICE APPLYING A TIME-DATED POSTMARK
to out-going or transit mail.
FOREIGN-BOUND MAIL
29 October 1856
Folded commercial letter,
postmarked at
Copenhagen Railway Post Office, sentto “Bourdeaux”, France,
via Danish & Thurn & Taxis
Post Offices at Hamburg.
Transit Postmarks:
* Copenhagen Railway
* Post Office,
29. October (front, left-bottom)
* Danish Post Office at Hamburg, 30 October 18546
* Thurn & Taxis Post Office
at Hamburg, 30 October 1856 * Valencienne & Tours Train ‘2’
Railway Postmark, 1 November
* Paris, 1 November
* Bordeaux, 2 November 1856
Eight Skilling ..
Singie-page commercial mail.
(18-Centimes transit posiage)
FORERUNNER DEVICES United States of America Norton ‘Patent Duplex’
22 January 1861 - 30 January 1862
One of the early American pioneers of hand-stamper duplex postmarking devices
was Marcus P. Norton, patent attorney,
who, commencing in 1859, introduced various types of duplex stampers.
IN 1861, A ‘NORTON ‘PATENT DUPLEX’ WAS INTRODUCED AT NEW YORK AND CAPABLE OF
INNOVATIVE ADJUSTABLE DATE SETTINGS.
Ex Chase, Preston
22 January 1861
New York origin postmark on cover sent to Dover, Massachusetts.
Prepaid postage for letter-mail /2 eunce
Earliest known use date.
FORERUNNER DEVICES United States of America Norton Duplex ‘Stamping Iron’
October 1862 - January 1863
IN 1862, ANOTHER ‘NORTON’ DUPLEX-POSTMARKING DEVICE, REFERRED TO AS A “STAMPING IRON”,
USING CUTTING-BLADES AS THE OBLITERATOR WAS TESTED AT THE MAIN NEW YORK CITY POST OFFICE.
The blades canceled the postage stamp
but potentially the mail itself, resulting in
Postmaster Abram Wakeman at Washington D.C. rejecting the device and suggesting
substituting the blades for cork.
24 October 1862
New York origin postmark on folded-ietter sent to Boston, Massachusetts.
Three Cents ... Prepaid postage for letter-mail /: ounce
Earliest known use date.
AL Great Britain
Pearson Hill ... Machine ‘A’
21 September 1857 — 17 February 1858
Early work done by Pearson Hill, son of Rowland Hill, “father” of the posiage stamp, at the British Post Office concentrated on studying posimarking
deficiencies concurrently recognizing a =f foe sy, re | f bes Ma el i in Oe 7 &..
in 7 wal “ne BbEe eS a
- a | Wie bane J iS me eT
for “stamping, marking or printing...letters”, a single-impression, treadle-operated, single-siroke, posimarking machine.
POSTMARK FROM THE FIRST FIELD-TESTED POSTMARKING MACHINE..
Postmark Code ‘A’ Machine Code ‘A’
25 September 1857
Single-weight folded commercial letter, postmarked at London on the first day of day/night machine usage,
sent to Glasgow, Scotland.
One Penny ..
Domestic single-weight letier-rate.
fwely b-swawe e ever freare Hele earrhy emarctaneal Aeassa mt OOD Known Cover from mis ecary ope PO alae.
Reverse
Front
PIONEER MECHANICAL ~ Great Britain Pearson Hill
Parallel Motion Machine
THIRD TRIAL Duplex Postmark Type III
Officially first demonstrated on 13-14 May 1858, HILL'S SO-CALLED ‘PARALLEL-MOTION STAMPING MACHINE’
had a parallel-motion linkage with a double-roller inking feature to eliminate offset inking on mail.
19mm Dater-Dial with ‘London’ 15mm in length along with a
duplex obliterator having a postal code in obliterator between
9 (2.5.5.2) heavy bar lines.
Postmark Die Code Numbers: Vary
Postal Day Codes “A” thru “Z”
15 MARCH 1861
Commercial cover sent from London to Kilmarnock, Scotland.
One Penny.. Domestic single-weight letter-rate
PIONEER MECHANICAL - Great Britain Charles Rideout Machine ‘1’
Duplex Postmark Type | (‘HS”) 4 February - 14 October 1858
In January 1858, Charles Rideout, a former surveyor, offered the London Post Office a new table-top, single-die, hand-operated
postmarking machine, patented in October 1857 _ by his son-in-law, George Beard.
RIDEOUT’S POSTMARK WAS DUPLEX-STYLE HAVING A DATER AND OBLITERATOR INDICATING THE MACHINE NUMBER
19mm Dater-Dial with ‘HS’ Code,
Ss | ll | month, day & year along with a
‘Sc 8 } duplex obliterator having ‘1’ between 58 ii 12 (2.8.7.2) vertical bar lines.
Ex Chase, Ward, Gibson
12 May 1858
Cover postmarked at Charlottesville, Virginia, sent to London where ‘Rideout Postmark’ was applied
with additional ‘redirected’ postage to Chester, England.
24 Cents .. Single-weight letter-rate to London, England. Plus
One Penny.. Domestic single-weight letter-rate postage in England for redirected mail.
PIONEER MECHANICAL _ Great Britain Charles Rideout Machine ‘2’ Duplex Postmark Types II (‘CR’)
27 December 1858 - 3 December 1859
In December 1858, Charles Rideout, delivered a SECOND TRIAL MACHINE to the General Post Office at London: POSTMARK NOW HAD A NEW DATER-DIAL CODE OF ‘CR’ HAVING
OBLITERATOR INDICATING ‘2’.
duplex obliterator having ‘2’ between 9 (2.5.5.2) vertical bar lines.
(Bey 19mm Dater-Dial with ‘CR’ Code, 3} month, day & year along with a
16 September 1859
Prepaid folded letter postmarked at London, England, sent to Richmond, Virginia.
Carried on the Cunard Steamer “Asia” with Liverpool transit mark and red “X” postal inspector's mark.
15-day transit time.
24 Cents... (3+16+5 Cents) Single-weight
letter-rate to America including
Five Cents domestic postage (New York City to Richmond).
III-B. PPONEER MECHANICAL Australia Expansion Worldwide (New South Wales)
Charles Rideout Machine 10 July 1861 - 8 May 1862
In 1861, the New South Wales Post Office acquired Charles Rideout Mechanical Postmarking Machines for trial use at
Sydney’s main post office.
THE POSTMARK WAS DUPLEX-STYLE HAVING A DATER DIAL AND OBLITERATOR INDICATING
A MACHINE NUMBER “2” OR “3”.
—_——
ot ae 19mm Dater-Dial with ‘AO’, ‘EO’ or (SYONE i Sm HO’ Codes, “Sydney” \ AP ZA | ct Damas month, day & year along with a
aa at \ 8Ly
duplex obliterator having ‘3’ between
9 (2.5.2) horizontal bar lines.
5 August 1861 (“EO” Code)
Sydney origin postmark on mourning cover sent to Brisbane.
3-day transit time.
Six Pence..
Single-weight (1/2 ounce)
letter-rate to
another province
23 November 1861 (“EO” Code)
Sydney origin postmark on mourning cover sentto
Newcastle.
One-day transit time.
Two Pence...
Single-weight (1/2 ounce)
letter-rate
er
22 April 1862 (“AO” Code)
Sydney transit postmark on reverse
of outbound cover to
England. 85-day transit time.
PIONEER MECHANICAL Australia Expansion Worldwide (New South Wales)
Pearson Hill
Parallel Motion Machine
21 January 1867 - 7 November 1871
In 1867, the New South Wales Post Office acquired Pearson Hill Parallel Motion Machines
for trial and comparison to similar ‘Charles Rideout’ Machines
operating at Sydney’s main post office since 1861.
20 mrmn Bater- Dial with letter code, “Sydney”,
month, day & year along with a duplex obliterator having “NSW"
between three oval lines.
rt eG iF
6a 3 on
26 July 1868 f (“H" Code) |
Sydney posimarked “tady’s” cover
sent to | Potts Point, Australia ;
One Penry..
Single-weigh! lefter-rafe in
New South Waies
21 April 1869 (*K" Code)
Sydney posimarked cever sent to Newport, Shropshire, England,
with route endorsement “Via Marseilles”.
83-day transit ime.
Arrival Postmark: {Revere}
“Newport, July 13, 1869"
Ten Pence ... Single-weight {1/2 ounce}
letier-rate fe England, “Vie Marseilles” (France).
PIONEER MECHANICAL France Expansion Worldwide (Paris .. Depart)
Pearson Hill
Parallel Motion Machine
18 June 1880 — 23 August 1881
In an effort to expedite mail and reduce hand-cancelling by their postmarking clerks, the French Post Office at Paris in 1880 acquired
a trial Pearson Hill Parallel Motion Machine from England for applying origin postmarks to out-going mail.
22 mm Double-Circle Dater-Dials in Duplex
indicating city, time, date & year with each dial having different type size
wm
Exp. Pothion
1 DECEMBER 1880 (24 PM)
Commercial bank cover, unsealed, postmarked ‘Paris Depart’, sent to Econ/Andelot, Haute Mame, France.
Arrival Postmark: (Reverse)
“Andelot, Haute Marne,
3 December 1880”
K Pantinnac 2» Gennimes...
L= 19%) A Ar we cinala_wusalinkt mrintaad. maar mril iam ta EA are . Domestic singie-weigni printea-marirer mail up fo oU grams.
Less than five known.
PIONEER MECHANICAL : Italy Expansion Worldwide (Tuscany)
Pearson Hill
Parallel Motion Machine
April 1868
IN OCTOBER 1863, A PEARSON HILL PARALLEL MOTION MACHINE WAS ACQUIRED BY THE TUSCANY STATE POST OFFICE FROM DE LA RUE COMPANY, whereupon the machine had a brief trial at Florence (Firenze), a subsequent
brief trial at Turin in 1864, WITH FINAL RETURN TO FLORENCE FOR SPORATIC POSTMARKING USE APPLYING
ARRIVAL OR TRANSIT MARKS TO MAIL BETWEEN 1868-69.
19 mm Dater-Dial
indicating time code, city, date & year.
23 April 1868
(“4 S” Time Code)
Firenze origin & Pearson Hill transit postmarked folded-sheet printed-matter sent to Milan.
Arrival Postmark: (Reverse)
“Milano 25 April 1868"
Two Centesimo ... Domestic single-weight printed-matter mail rate.
PIONEER MECHANICAL United States of America Expansion Worldwide John McAdams Machine
Washington D.C. Trials 4-10 December 1862
Because of the high volume of Union Soldiers’ Mail having to be
handled & distributed daily at Washington D.C. during the Civil War, the Postmaster General sought machines to expedite mail handling
and reduce postmarking by hand.
‘JOHN McCADAMS’ DEVELOPED A TREADLE-OPERATED MACHINE, TESTED AND EVALUATED IN DECEMBER 1862 AT WASHINGTON D.C. APPLYING TWO STYLES OF DATER DIALS WITH DUPLEX OBLITERATORS,
Oval Dater (35mm) & 5-Ring Obliterator
9 December 1862
Washington D.C.
postmarked cover sent to Newark, New Jersey
Known Use:
5-9 December 1862
Circular Dater (32mm) & Waffle -Format
Obliterator
8 December 1862
Washington D.C. postmarked cover sent to Providence, Rhode
Island.
Known Use:
4-10 December 1862
PIONEER MECHANICAL United States of America Expansion Worldwide McAdams or Other Machine
Washington D.C. Trials
7-11 March 1863
Just prior to Adams Machine Trials at New York City, another brief trial continued at Washington D.C. in March 1863.
IT CANNOT BE VERIFIED WHETHER THE MACHINE POSTMARK APPLIED IN 1863 WAS DEFINIITELY FROM A ‘McADAM'S MACHINE’, OR FROM
ANOTHER INVENTOR, ALBEIT THE DATER DIAL OF BOTH THE WASHINGTON ‘MARCH TRIAL’ AND THOSE AT NEW YORK IN 1863 HAD
THE SAME DATER DIAL DIAMETER.
Round Dater (2mm)
& 5-Circle obliterator
10 March 1863
Washington D.C. postmarked cover sent to Cushing, Maine.
Three Cents ... Prepaid Postage for letter-mail /2 ounce
Only known example.
PIONEER MECHANICAL United States of America
Expansion Worldwide McAdams Foot-Motion Machine New York City Trials
March - June 1863
Trials were also held in New York City with machines developed by
John McAdams.
TWO DIE VARIETIES WERE APPLIED AND TRIAL EVALUATED.
DIE |: - —
Round Dater (26mm)
& 10-bar obliterator
Use: 28 March - 6 April
1863
3 April 1863
New York City postmarked
folded-letier sent to Providence,
Rhode Island.
Three Cents ...
Prepaid postage for letter-mail 2 ounce.
Ex R. Payne
DIE Il: Round Dater (26mm)
| & 12-bar obliterator | Use: 8 April - 6 June
1863 gene &
342 & 344 oe EX 6 June 1863
» nF New York City postmarked
(hf, cover
. LLted ; sent to occupied New Orleans, Louisiana.
Three Cents ...
Prepaid postage for letter-mail 2 ounce.
e s
o e
~ We
| r . “ate o
a Ex P. Stafford
PIONEER MECHANICAL United States of America Expansion Worldwide Unknown Machine Manufacturer
Pittsburgh Trials 1871-1872
lt would not be uniil 1871-1872 when another single-impression postmarking machine would be evaluated and tested in the United
States of America and at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania,
Invented and manufactured by an unknown person or company.
TRIALS LASTED BETWEEN 1871-1872 HAVING SEVERAL POSTMARK CONFIGURATIONS USED WITH THE
“SHIELD” OBLITERATOR BEING THE MOST ATTRACTIVE.
IPT Tgpiiaeu Pal * ye ot
| Ub15.5 PM |
LIFE INSURANCE CO, bbws ' - Vie I. Fo LOOMIS, Agent,
68 FIFTH AVENUE,
PITTSBURCH. PA,
Rectangular Dater 45x18mm & ‘Shield” Obliterator
15 July (1872)
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, postmarked advertising cover
sent to Westchester, Connecticut.
Three Cents... Prepaid Postage for letier-mail % ounce
PIONEER MECHANICAL United States of America
Expansion Worldwide Pearson Hill ‘Pivot Machine’ New York City
1874
A MODIFIED VERSION OF THE BRITISH MANUFACTURED
‘PEARSON HILL PARALLEL MOTION’ MACHINE,
mounted with a swivel arm and referred to as a ‘Pivot Machine’,
WAS TRIED AT NEW YORK CITY IN 1874. Postmark: 27mm Diameter Dater Dial
with obliterator indicating “12”
between 21 thin horizontal bars.
Usage: 10 September ~ 26 October 1874
26 October (1874)
New York City postmarked local city cover.
Latest usage date known.
Three Cents... Domestic letter-mail for each % ounce
(1 July 1863 - 1 October 1883)
PIONEER MECHANICAL Expansion Worldwide
United States of America
Pearson Hill ‘Pivot Machine
Boston, Massachusetts 1880 - 1891
Subsequent to the 1874 trial at New York City, Pearson Hill's ‘Pivot
Machine’ was transferred to Boston, Massachusetts, for trials using a different obliterator.
DESPITE A TRIAL DURATION OF TEN YEARS, THE PEARSON HILL MACHINE HAD NO WIDER SUCCESS IN THE UNITED STATES.
18 Ociober 1888
Cheisea Sation {Bester},
Massachusetts. postmarked
postal stationery card for local city
delivery.
Sne Cen...
Sormestic
Postcard Rafe {i May 1873 -
4 july 1892)
_ Tf not called for widiin TEN days, return to.
GEORGE F, SLADE, Manufacturer of
CIGARS, CIGARETTES AMD CHEROOTS,
ao. 14 BROAD ST, Pacioree at Chelsea and Clittondale, Mass,
Postmark: 27mm Diameter Dater Dial
BOSTON.
NOTHING BUT THE ADORESS TO BE ON THIS SIDE.
with obliterator indicating “7” in an oval having 8-3-3 horizontal & vertical bars
NAS
“i ee a a ate FF
- ane We me fhe ? is Ci ce eg a & ff “i
ae Ceo if thE a fs ge
es Z eer c tps & © hilt ie omni" = £
25 August 1887
Chelsea Station
oe sent to Lowell, a Massachusetts.
ee LA ee A ‘ Two Cenis...
of Single-weight if {one ounce}
domestic letter-
Rate {i July 1885 -
2 Navember 1917}
1 iene Se
PIONEER MECHANICAL United States of America Expansion Worldwide Palmer & Clark
1876-1877
ONE OF THE FIRST EFFECTIVE AMERICAN-BUILT HAND-OPERATED POSTMARKING MACHINES WAS PATENTED BY TIMOTHY G. PALMER
AND HENRY F. CLARK IN 1875.
Their machine was evalvated by the American Post Office in seven different cities between 1876-1877, albeit not
otherwise more widely accepted as a result of still more effective competitive machines, e.g. Leavitt, being evaluated
28mm Round Dater Dial & 6-Bar Oval Obliterator
15 December (1876)
Washington, D.C. postmarked cover sent fo New York City. One-day transit time.
Arrival Postmark: (Reverse)
“New York, December 14, 1876”
Three Cents ...
Prepaid Postage for letter-mail Ys ounce
PIONEER MECHANICAL Expansion Worldwide
United States of America Leavitt Machines
1876-1892
BROTHERS THOMAS & MARTIN LEAVITT DEVELOPED THE FIRST SUCCESSFUL ROTARY -OPERATING HAND-OPERATED
POSTMARKING MACHINE IN FIELD USE UP TO FIFTEEN YEARS IN VARIOUS CITIES OF AMERICA.
Leavitt Machines postmarked both covers and postal cards applying varied postmarks and obliterators over the time of their use.
Fist FIELD USE POSTMARK APPLIED AT BOSTON
11 January 1876
Bosion, Macsachusetis, posimarked cover
$erd is iscal Hyde Park.
Gare cert S168 ai ices ‘aihes. ea
£32 agnes}
11 November 1889
UPU Infernational
Postal Card, postmarked at
Washington, D.C.,
sentio Munich, Bavaria, Germany.
Two Cents:
UP infemmalional Pesicard Rate
FIELD USE POSTMARK APPLIED AT
WASHINGTON, D.C.
3 November 1886
Up-rated domestic postal
card, postmarked at
Washington, D.C..,
sent tc
Potsdam, Germany.
Twe Cents:
UPU intemoficnail
Postcard Bate
(Etats-Unis ee : WRITE ONLY THE AOCR ESS ON THIS S205
United States of America American Postal Machine Company
1884 - 1885
PIONEER MECHANICAL
Expansion Worldwide
IN 1884, MARTIN VAN BUREN ETHRIDGE, ENTREPRENEUR & FOUNDER OF THE AMERICAN POSTAL MACHINE COMPANY,
INTRODUCED A NEWLY DEVELOPED POSTMARKING MACHINE TO THE BOSTON
POST OFFICE, capable of postmarking 300 mail units/minute. Thus, the “Ethridge Machine”
was unique for the time being able to postmark the equivalent of six postal clerks hand-cancelling mail in similar time period.
a t
"BAGH, SHEWELL & SANBORN, Publishers, 24mm Round Dater Dial
No. 87 FRANKLIN STREET, & High Heavy 6-Bar Obliterator Boston, Mass.
(Type I)
Usage:
24 Nov. 1884 - 5 April 1885
1884 Boston postmarked
cover sent to
Cambria, Michigan.
1 Cent:
Third-class printed-
matter enclosed mail.
24mm Round
Dater Dial
& Concaved in Center
Heavy 6-Bar Obliterator
(Type Il)
Usage:
3 April - October 1885
7 June 1885 Boston postmarked
cover sent to
Berlin, Germany.
14-Day Transit Time.
Arrival Postmark: (Reverse)
“21 June 1885”
5 Cents:
UPU Single-Weighi
international
Letter-Rate.
PIONEER MECHANICAL Expansion Worldwide
Great Britain
American Postal Machine Company
September 1886 — April 1887
1 oat LAN TLIEID
IN RRITAIN THE ‘AAAEFRIC AN POCTA! AAACHINE*’ WERE RPEEFEPBE IN BRITAIN, THE ‘AMERICAN POSTAL MACHINES’ WERE REFERR
“ETHRIDGE MACHINES”, NAME OF THEIR INVENTC
Testing at London took place between
September 1886 and 20 April 1887 with no sales resulting.
6 December 1886
Commercial-mail German postal stationery reply card, transit
postmarked at London, England (Ethridge Machine) with arrival at Bingen, Germany, on 7 December 1886.
10 Pfennig...
UPU International Postcard Rate.
w
~ he d Y } )
PIONEER MECHANICAL New Zealand
Expansion Worldwide Wright Postmarking Machine 1865-1868
THE FIRST TRIAL OF A NEW ZEALAND-BUILT POSTMARKING MACHINE TOOK PLACE IN 1865 WITH A MACHINE DEVELOPED BY F.E. WRIGHT,
POSTMASTER AT CHRISTCHURCH.
Whereas the British ‘Pearson Hill Machine’ was primarily intended to postmark out-going mail, The ‘Wright Machine’ was a
single impression, single-stroke, device intended to apply service,
receival or arrival marks to in-bound or transit mail.
ES a ae ary eames)
JEST LHOWH USAGE O8-80UND MAIL)
4 February 1265
Front
LATEST KNOWN TRANSIT
USAGE (FOREIGN-BOUND MAIL)
4 April 1868
Cover sentice Edinburgh,
Scotland, with Wright
Machine Mark used a transi? mark (reverse).
“London Paid, 28 May 1868”
(Front) “Edinburgh,
May 28, 1868” (Reverse)
Six Pence...
Britain-bound
singie-weight
letter-rate
PIONEER MECHANICAL City-State of Hamburg Expansion Worldwide Fischer-Mass/Hinrichsen Machine
1866-1867
IN 1865, MESSRS. FISCHER & MAAS OF GERMANY DEVELOPED A POSTMARKING MACHINE, MANUFACTURED BY ROBERT HINRICHSEN, AND SUBMITTED
iT FOR TRIALS AT THE ‘GENERAL POST OFFICE’ OF THE CITY-STATE HAMBURG IN 1866 AND, SUBSEQUENTLY, ALSO TO THE PRUSSIAN MAIN POST OFFICE AT BERLIN,
where the machines initially applied arival/service postmarks to
in-bound or transit mail and origin postmarks to out-bound mail. Postmark on Cover Reverse:
23mm Single-Circle Dater Dial with year-date at bottom.
Reverse
gs. ; SEPA. HAMBURG!
tyva / S66
=
6 MAY 1866
Thurn & Taxis (T&T) Post Office at Hamburg-postmarked folded-letter sent to Stadthagen with
Hamburg-City Post Office Hinrichsen-Machine transit Postmark.
2 Silver Groschen...
Thurn & Taxis Post Office Single-Weight Letter 20-(German) Mile Rate (Thurn & Taxis Mail permitted to towns located in the States of Bremen & Oldenburg)
Earliest & only known 1866 postmark usage for this postmark.
PIONEER MECHANICAL Hamburg & Prussia Expansion Worldwide Fischer-Mass/Hinrichsen Machine
1866-1867
Ten days after the (6 May) trial commencement applying an arrival/transit postmark to mail at Hamburg, trials continued using a different style postmark intended
for applying also an origin postmark to out-going mail with a Hinrichsen Machine at both Hamburg and Berlin (Prussia).
Trial Dates Of Surviving Examples:
HAMBURG: (3 Examples)
17-19 May 1866 & 15 February 1867
BERLIN: (2 Examples}
18-20 December 1866
Postmark:
24mm Double-Circle Dater Dial
with year-date at bottom.
15 February 1867
Hamburg ‘Transit Marking’ (reverse) on New York-postmarked cover sent to Austria.
Vessel: ‘Germania’..
Departure from New York .. 2 February/
arrival at Hamburg .. 15 February.
One of three postmark examples recorded for Hamburg;
only one applied as a transit-mark & only known usage in 1867.
15 Cents ...
U.S. = North German Confederation Rate for
single-weight (One Ounce) letter mail
PIONEER MECHANICAL Prussia Expansion Worldwide Hinrichsen Machine
1867
In May 1867, the Imperial Prussian Post Office at Berlin contracted Robert Hintichsen of Hamburg to a supply a postmarking machine
able to postmark 400-500 units of inbound-mail/minute.
PRIOR TO DELIVERY OF A HINRICHSEN-SUPPLIED MACHINE FOR
RLIN, MACHI NETESTS WERE CONE IN, NV uk
HAMBURG P POST OFFICE BETWEEN 5-15 AUGUST 1867.
7 TEM AT
fi mae Postmark: Rectangular Die 17x 12mm.
5 August 1867
Folded commercial letter, deposited at the Prussian Post Office in Hamburg, transferred to the Hamburg City Post Office, where
6 receiving/transif mark was ‘Hinrichsen Machine’ applied —___| / aiong with an origin-out-bound mail postmark,
sent to Copenhagen, Denmark,
2-1/2 $chiling ... Lefier-rate (1 Loth in weight) for mail to Denmark
t ‘Berl 5 et beeen eliasta rm! ny T toet ood fd wooed ore ee est known date of ‘Berlin-bound Machine’ Trial at Nampurg
PIONEER MECHANICAL North German Confederation Expansion Worldwide Hinrichsen Machine
1868
With the establishment of the North German Confederation of several heretofore autonomous German states,
A ‘UNIFIED’ NORTH GERMAN POSTAL ADMINISTRATION COMMENCED RENEWED TRIALS (3) WITH THE
‘HINRICHSEN MACHINE’
postmarking origin out-going mail. Postmark: Rectangular dater (19x14 mm) wifhout
year date having an obliterator with five widely spaced diagonal horizontal rows of three.
Only recorded pair of % Greschen stamps postmarked from the first trial,
First Trial: 23-25 January 1648
24 January (1868)
Commercial folded letter, postmarked at Hamburg, sent to “Captain Hintichsen”, Sonderburg, Germany.
Single-weight (1 Loth or 15 grams} domestic letter-rate
Less than twenty covers or pieces recorded
PIONEER MECHANICAL North German Confederation
Expansion Worldwide Hinrichsen Machine 1868 - 1873
COMMENCING IN APRIL 1868 AT HAMBURG, THE POSTAL AUTHORITIES USED THE HINRICHSEN MACHINE TO APPLY
SERVICE/ARRIVAL MARKINGS TO INBOUND MAIL FROM
THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,
Postmark: Rectangular dater die (19x13 mm),
red-orange ink color, with text
“Hamburg Franco”
14 April 1868
Single-weight “Paid all New York Direct” cover,
sent to Mittenwald, Bavaria, Germany, with “Hamburg Franco”
arrival/transit mark. 16-day transit time
Hamburg-America Line Vessel ‘Saxonia’:
14 April (departure New York) to Hamburg
(arrival 27 April 1868), by train to Mittenwald.
Ten Cents ...
U.S.-German States Rate
(January 1868-June 1870)
for single-weight letter mail.
PIONEER MECHANICAL German Empire Expansion Worldwide Hinrichsen Machine
1874 - 1881
In October 1874,
A NEW POSTAL STATION AT THE ‘VENLO TRAIN STATION’ RECEIVED AN IMPROVED FASTER VERSION OF THE HINRICHSEN MACHINE
intended to handle voluminous printed-matter & lottery advertising mail.
Postmark: Rectangular dater dial (42 x 15mm) having two lines of tex? with three versions reflecting one of each of the postmarking machine dies.
Usage: 10 October 1874 = 24 April 1881
Cert Brugger
18 October 1874
Printed-matter wrapper with lottery mail advertising, postmarked (type 3) at Hamburg, sent to Cotibus, Germany.
1/3 Groschen ... Printed-maitter rate for mail up fo 50 grams.
One of five known entire wrappers for the period. Unique complete wrapper with contents
having the ‘large shield’ issue of Germany
PIONEER MECHANICAL Great Britain Expansion Worldwide Hinrichsen-Azemar Machine
1869 -1872
IN 1867, THE HINRICHSEN MACHINE WAS PATENTED IN BRITAIN
WITH J.C. AZEMAR OF LONDON BECOMING THE LOCAL SALES REPRESENTATIVE.
Four years of trials (3) resulted in no broad sales success.
Postmark: 20mm diameter dater dial with the Code
“YI” (First 1869 Trial Only) indicating “London”
(14mm length) and month, day & year
dates with a combination of obliterator
bar-configurations.
Usage: (First Trial) 31 March — 24 June 1869
~ A
ea l
Ry
b\ /4
“ T R O T
“T EI YU E
“S ET EE ?
8 April 1869
Commercial cover sent from London to Blaircowrie, Scotland,
arriving on 9 April (backstamp/reverse).
One Penny ... Domestic single-weight letter-rate.
Early days of the first trial had the dater-dial parallel
with the upper bar of the obliterator or centered....
Configuration: 1.2. / 3.2.5.
One of two known examples with break in center of obliterator.
PIONEER MECHANICAL German Empire Expansion Worldwide Haller Machine
1881 - 1906
In 1880, Wilhelm Loffelhardt patented the second postmarking
machine fo be trial-tested by the German Reichspost, manufactured by Haller & Company in Germany,
with machines placed in field operation in fifteen locations.
HALLER MACHINES WERE DESIGNED TO APPLY RECEIVAL/SERVICE POSTMARKS TO INCOMING MAIL
Postmark: Type ‘a’ at Berlin ..
Single-Circle Dater Dial 26mm in diameter
Usage: (Berlin Type ‘a’) 14 - 26 April 1881
20 April 1881
Postal Stationery Card, postmarked at
Spandau’s ‘Hamburg Train Station’, sent to a
local Berlin pharmacist.
5 Pfennig ...
Domestic Postcard Rate
One of five known examples from the 1881 trial.
PIONEER MECHANICAL United States of America
Expansion Worldwide Haller Machine
1882
HALLER & COMPANY ALSO SOUGHT TO SELL THEIR POSTMARKING
MACHINES IN THE UNITED STATES, with one machine known tested for applying transit marks
at New York City in 1882.
Postmark: Single- Circle Dater Dial 24mm in diameter
Usage: (New York City) 1882
sym oer
em a
a Y 7 ‘ Piet St =: ’
é titer retires fhatlocert f er i" nese : fue : }
Aiea - | ee ee
25 December 1882 oe SS oo Pe —
“Chappaqua, New York, ee ~
posimorked cover, ue setd ia Baker City, Oregori, i with transit al New York City.
SE <
28 November 1882
Basten, Messachusels,
posimarked cover, : A ane _- sent fo Landisville,
See ae Pennsylvania,
at with transit ai New
y PS York City.
oe 2 ae a ie t —— :
Three Cents ...
Domestic half-ounce letter-rate
Less than ten Haller Postmark examples known.
PIONEER MECHANICAL German Empire Expansion Worldwide Haller Machine
1882
Based on its success with the Reichspost and its machine to apply arrival marks to in-bound mail,
IN 1882 HALLER & COMPANY DEMONSTRATED (on previously used postal cards)
ITS RAPID HAND-OPERATED POSTMARKING MACHINE ABLE TO APPLY ORIGIN POSTMARKS TO OUT-GOING MAIL...
‘FORERUNNER TO THE ‘HOSTER’ POSTMARKING MACHINE.
Postmark: 42mm diameter double- circle indicating “Kaiserlich Deutsche Reichspost"
along with an inner 25mm diameter single dater dial.
Usage: (Berlin C2) 5 January & 1 February 1882
“ # As ri tp a ae o ; oe ee 9 0 ee ET ey, ee)
Front
1 February 1882
‘Dummy’ /used (1880) Dutch Postal Stationery Card,
on which the Haller Origin Postmark within a Reichspost Double-Dial was applied in the upper-right corners of each card side.
One of three known examples from the 1882 demonstration trial.
PIONEER MECHANICAL Great Britain Expansion Worldwide Hoster Machine
1883 - 1893
Over the period of ten years, Albert Hoster sold the British Post Office at
London eight ‘Hoster’ Postmarking Machines to apply origin or arrival/service postmarks at several London locations.
EACH HOSTER MACHINE HAD TWO DIE HEADS RESULTING IN TWO POSTMARK VARIETIES FOR EACH MACHINE WITH ADDITIONAL
POSTMARK VARIEITIES OVER TIME.
Postmark: 30mm Single- Circle Dater Dial with
14-thick-line bar obliterator descending
from left to right..
Usage: (London Type VI..
23 December 1884 - 14 July 1886
FOREIGN DESTINATION MAIL
SSS. en a a ee
MAILTO FRANCE FROM As HENRY & COs (Late LEBEAU & Con, Conti
2 February 1885
Commercial
cover, sent to Bordeaux, é f
France. / :
2-1/2 Pence... s A.
“IZ” in dater dial
denotes late arrival
at post office. Moree i ee a
& rs
' »
THE SHOOTING TIMES. 3 AND KENNEL NEWS '2 ip |
POSTAGE DUE MAIL TO
CANADA “FLEET STREET, L@N
12 August 1885
Commercial advertising
cover, sent short-paid to Guelph, Ontario, Canada
One Penny franking should
have been Four Pence ee resulting in Six Pence
equivalent postage due in
be 2 Dz ~ | rel r ehanmoe 3 Fence aqcamondi posiage
+3 Pence penalty.
PIONEER MECHANICAL German Empire Expansion Worldwide Hoster Machine
1885 - 1887
Albert Hoster introduced his new postmarking machines to the
German Reichspost in 1883, albeit formal field trials first commenced in 1885 at Berlin and Hamburg, having less success than machines used in Britain.
‘HOSTER MACHINES’ IN GERMANY WERE DEDICATED TO APPLY ORIGIN POSTMARKS TO OUT-GOING MAIL WITH
‘HALLER MACHINES’ APPLYING ONLY RECEIVAL/SERVICE POSTMARKS TO IN-COMING MAIL...
BOTH FROM THE SAME MANUFACTURER. Postmark: Berlin C2 ..
30mm Double-Circle Dater Dial with 17-line-bar obliterator descending from left to right
Usage: (Berlin Type 1) 15 July - 6 November 1885
Ve. a Vy:
Mth dill
LOS4
15 July 1885
local city use of Reichspost postal stationery card, sent from ‘Berlin Center Post Office 2’ to ‘Berlin W62 Post Office’
informing addressee “Imperial Postal Advisor Rehbach” that the postmarking machine used here
was able to process 400 mail units/minute”.
5 Piennig ... Domestic Postcard Rate
Earliest known date for field trial.
PIONEER MECHANICAL German Empire Expansion Worldwide Hoster Machine
1885 - 1887
Postmark: Berlin C2 ..
30mm Double-Circle Dater Dial with
17-line-bar obliterator descending
from left to right:
machine number upper left comer (°27’")/
die number in lower left corner (‘1’ of ‘2°).
Usage: (Berlin Types Ili& IV) -— § November 1885 - 12 February 1887
COMMERCIAL MAIL
2 May 1886
Postal stationery
card, iocal city delivery.
5 Piennig -...
Semesiic
posicard-rate
J UPL intemationa! Poesicord-Raie
PIONEER MECHANICAL German Empire Expansion Worldwide Hoster Machine
1885 - 1887
In addition to Berlin, trials also took place at Hamburg during the same period using a similar postmark.
Postmark: Hamburg P.A. 1 ..
30mm Double-Circle Dater Dial with 17-line-bar obliterator descending from left to right
Usage: (Hamburg Types | & Il) 17 September 1885 - 8 June 1887
28 September 1885 (‘Hamburg Type II’)
Mourning cover,
postmarked at
Hamburg, sent to New
York City, U.S.A.
12-day transit time.
Arrival Postmark:
(Reverse) “10 October 1885”
40 Pfennig .
UPU International Double-Weight (15-30 grams)
Letter-Rate
Only Known Hoster Machine Postmark
Cover sent to U.S.A.
22 September 1885 (‘Hamburg Type |’)
UPU International Postal
Stationery Card, postmarked at
Hamburg, sent to Copenhagen, Denmark
Arrival Postmark:
“K .. OMB 1,
24 September 1885”
10 Pfennig ...
UPU International
Postcard-Rate
PIONEER MECHANICAL Austro-Hungarian Empire Expansion Worldwide Hoster Machine
1891-1894, 1904
ALBERT HOSTER LICENSED THE ‘CZEIGA-NISSL COMPANY’ OF VIENNA, AUSTRIA, FOR SALES TO THE
AUSTRO-HUNGARIAN POSTAL ADMINISTRATION.
Trial machines were operationally tested at Vienna, Austria,
and Prague, Czechoslovakia, for dedicated use in applying
receival/service posimarks to in-bound mail. Posimark: 30mm Single-Circle Dater Dial.
Usage: Vienna (1891-1894), Prague (1904)
cea eG Gee ne ee) at
25 January 1894 (Purple Ink Color)
Commercial postal
stationery card,
postmarked (24 Jan.)
at Trient, South Tirol,
Austria, sent to Vienna.
2 Kreulzer ..
Domestic pestcard-rate.
yaaa et Sameass * squalea aaa ae aE a |
29 January 1904 (Blue ink Color)
Viewcard,
postmarked at Hallie (Saale),
Germany (Bickerdike Machine
Flag Postmark),
sent to Prague,
Czechoslovakia.
3 Pfennig ...
Concession-Rate for
German Printed-
Matter to 50 grams
seni fo
Austro-Hungarian Empire destinations.
pe Wobhnuna CEA
Strage und Hausnumme) A Eee a ge
LEE S. CL
~- PIONEER MECHANICAL THE NETHERLANDS
Expansion Worldwide Meliet Machine 1887-1894
AUGUSTE MELLET OF HAGUE, NETHERLANDS, MANUFACTURED THE
FIRST DUTCH-ORIGIN HAND-OPERATED
POSTMARKING DEVICE IN 1867,
with a first trial at the Hague Post Office demonstrating that the
machine was able to postmark about 135 mail units/minute
compared fo 70 units for a postal clerk
hand-stamping similar mail.
Dutch Post Office acceptance resulted in machines being introduced at five Dutch cities;
‘s-Gravenhage, Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Utrecht & Arnhem. Postmark: 21mm and/or 23mm Diameter
(depending upon cily & lime peried)
Double-Circle Dater Dial.
2b October 1875 li ie i (Pier Coben Celj i :
Guten Postal Stationery ig : Card, postmarked at rH
Rotterdam, sent to ‘ : Brussels, Belgium. i |
Antival Postmark: [i ‘ “Brussels, ie 4
27 October 1875” t Hl : {a
_ § Cents ... cig UPL international Ee At Posicard-Rate ‘ fal
|
(6 ae POSTAL ) 24 May 1892
i {2tmm Doter Beh j LOGUE! a ve “TRABENIG cite COMO POSTALE UNIVERSE)
7 SS Dutch UPU Postal Wijde yor het ee buses a oe Men h (actress, ) oes Stationery Card.
i i eo . ; DreNON aie ee postmarked at i Amsterdam, sent to
| Cologne, Germany.
Arrival Postmark:
“Céin *(Rhein)* ; 25 May 1892"
| eS § Cents ...
UPU iInfernational
Posteard-Rate
PIONEER MECHANICAL THE NETHERLANDS Expansion Worldwide Roelants Machine
1893-1899
J.F.C. ROELANTS, POSTMASTER AT ASSEN, NETHERLANDS, INTRODUCED IN 1893 A SIMILAR-IN-OPERATION MACHINE TO THE
EARLIER WIDELY-USED ‘MELLET MACHINE’, ALBEIT DESIGNED WITH A COUNTER-WEIGHT WHICH WAS
LESS PRACTICAL DURING OPERATION.
Similar to the Mellet Machine, the ‘Roelants’ was designed fo apply both origin postmarks to out-going mail as weil as
anival/service postmarks to in-coming mail.
Although the Dutch Post Office authorized field trials in three Dutch cities (s-Gravenhage, Amsterdam & Rotterdam), the machine
proven slower than the ‘Mellet Machine’ already in use with no subsequent units placed in operation beyond 1898.
Postmark: 27mm Diameter Double-Circie or Triple-Circle Dater Dial (depending vpen city & time period).
COARTE POSTALE)
NB POSDREENCGMG ONION POA UNIVERSELLE)
Poor het: adres bestema, (COLE réservé d& Varese.)
er p r e t t a m e a
if s e A
ca a e r a m m a
( S e t e
as
3 February 1898 (27mm Double-Circle Dater Dial}
Dutch UPU Postal Stationery Card, pestmarked at Rotterdam, sent to Ronnenberg, Germany.
Arrival Postmark: “Ronnenberg
5 February 1898 & 6 February 1898"
5 Cents ... UPU Intemational Postcard-Rate
PIONEER MECHANICAL France Expansion Worldwide Daguin Machine
1884 - 1905, 1941-1945
THE FRENCH-DESIGNED & MANUFACTURED “DAGUIN MACHINE” WAS FIELD OPERATIONAL IN FRANCE IN 1884
WITH WIDE USE UNTIL HIGH SPEED ELECTRICALLY-OPERATED MACHINES WERE INTRODUCED IN 1898.
Heretofore non-operational machines were resurrected during World War Il France, during occupation, and beyond
between 1941-1945.
The ‘Daguin Machine’ was unique in that it applied twin postmarks with each impression application, with postmarks able
to be adjusted for distance between each other.
Postmark: 24mm Diameter Twin
Double-Circle Dater Dials
5 November 1884
French Postal Stationery Card, postmarked at Amiens (Somme),
sent to Rosiers (Somme), re-directed to Moreuil (Somme), France.
Arrival Postmarks:
“Rosiers,
6 November 1884” &
“Moreuil, 7 February 1898”
10 Centimes ...
Domestic Postcard-Rate
PIONEER MECHANICAL France Expansion Worldwide Daguin Machine
1900 Paris Worid's Fair
IN AN EFFORT TO DEMONSTRATE FRENCH TECHNOLOGY AND ENGINEERING, TWO OF THE FRENCH POST OFFICES
AT THE PARIS WORLD'S FAIR OF 1900 UTILIZED ‘DAGUIN MACHINES’
TO POSTMARK OUT-GOING MAIL.
The posimarks utilized were now 25mm in diameter and the distances between the twin postmarks (adjustable)
were each different. Postmark: 25mm Diameter Twin
Double-Cirecle Dater Dials
CARTE POSTALE (Ce cole est exclusivement reserve a fedresse. FS
21 April 1766 “Paris Exposition - Alma”
16 Centimes ...
UPU international
Printed-Matier Rate
28 September 1900
“Paris Exposifian -
Rapp"
Paris Exposiicn Viewcard,
ig heh gaenicac OR eet oes MACE rn LOVE wae Pe Sup PRACIYIO Rt pap ede en SLs MDyUNQe sas gals a ti Lae ag ae ORES Ua vaQhDaNtihy Civuainpiestorerencabasoraernaccrcbes
big eh
ft tO ot te a 10 Cenlimes ... as UPU infemeficnal
Printed-Matier Bate
United States of America
American Postal Machine Company
1890's — 1900's
IV. EARLY RAPID MACHINES
THE FIRST EARLY EFFECTIVE HIGH-SPEED POSTMARKING MACHINES WERE
DEVELOPED AND INTRODUCED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA & CANADA, ELECTRICALLY POWERED, USING MORE
ADVANCED TRANSMISSION TECHNOLOGY THAN EARLIER MACHINES.
In 1894, the ‘American Postal Machine Company’ introduced its latest model,
becoming a standard for over fifty years, postmarking with a ‘patriotic flag’ die soon to be emulated by other machine companies
and foreign post offices. Postmark: 22mm Diameter Dater Dial with 13-star flag obliterator
8 November
1894
Cover,
postmarked at Boston,
Massachusetts,
with an ‘American
Machine’
patriotic ‘flag’ .
postmark, S
sent to Fitchburg,
Massachusetts
One Cent.. £
Third-class printed-matter
rate up to two ounces
sf TO
R e y
19 May 1897 Cover, postmarked
o witha dedicated
Le co) 4 of ie flag postmark GP = A - €ommemorating the
iF fir & ee : (5) Universal Postal 7 Congress at
of Aas ns A Washington D.C.,
- Lo ors sent to -Lttt1tb4aw ee e Aas New York City
ys f' 4 z= E pep a Two Cents... {i “fle Pn (4 2, ke < ~ a First-class letter-rate M Fee
up to one ounce a 3
A ace $3
(ee SVE Bee 4-7 me = ; 2
Pogo " Cee
EARLY RAPID MACHINES United States of America American Postal Machine Company
1890's — 1900's
IN AN EFFORT TO DEMONSTRATE AMERICAN TECHNOLOGY & ENGINEERING AT THE PARIS WORLD’S FAIR OF 1900, AN ‘AMERICAN
POSTAL MACHINE’ OPERATED AT THE AMERICAN PAVILLION’S POSTAL STATION APPLYING COMMEMORATIVE FLAG POSTMARKS TO OUT-GOING MAIL, SUBSEQUENTLY SENT THROUGH THE
FRENCH POST OFFICE TO THEIR DESTINATIONS.
Postmark: 22mm Diameter Dater Dial with 13-star flag
obliterator indicating “Paris Exposition 1900”.
& October (1900)
U5. Postal Station’
Paris World's Fair sent io
Chemniiz, Germany.
10 Ceniimes ..
Printed-Matter Rate. \ si ee 4
2 a is”
16 October (1900)
Cover, postmarked
at the
‘U.S, Postal Station’
Paris World's Fair,
sentto
Enghien-ies-Bains (Seine & Oise),
Frence
@ V Je, AEE 4 cee = age oA Le 30 Cenfimes .. Gy. 2 at of CBr fl, Siena:
Uff ve abn (es single-weight Cee SAA ecg tere . : letfter-rate
a : f eS it fo ye rhe ee ct tH Z = iam Cf’ Pe if
ct £3 ee fg Gd COe-#
Exp.
: fo oa “ a 3
if Sttel, F CAG
t S
EARLY RAPID MACHINES Canada Imperial Mail Marking Company
1896 - 1904
THE ‘IMPERIAL MAIL MARKING COMPANY’, LOCATED IN BOTH BOSTON AND MONTREAL, HAD ITS PRIMARY SUCCESS IN CANADA HAVING ITS
BASIC MACHINE DESIGNED BY MARTIN ETHRIDGE OF THE UNITED STATES.
Its machine postmarks were patriotic in theme .. initially having line- obliterators followed with patriotic ‘flag’ types.
Postmark: 22mm Diameter Dater Dial with 7-line
staggered line obliterator with “Canada” as centered text.
12 Pharch 1896
thonkeal, Guebec,
seni ic Newmarkel, Z
Ontario Wa . LAF oe ee
One Cent .. , Domestic
Ze oe
Posicard-Raie 1 CA 0A oe SP
Third Day of e
Postmark Use fa oe ,
U FF"
14 February 1897
Cover, posimarked at
Montreal, Quebec, sentio
Alexandria, Oniarie
Three Cents . Domestic
Single- Weigh?
EARLY RAPID MACHINES Canada Imperial Mail Marking Company
1896 - 1904
THE CANADIAN POST OFFICE OPERATED SEVEN “IMPERIALS”. SIX AT MONTREAL AND ONE FOR OTTAWA.
Between 1896-1899 one or more of the Montreal irial machines applied patriotic wavy-line postmarks.
Postmark: 22mm Diameter Dater Dial with 7-wavy line obliterator with “Canada” as centered text.
24 March 1896
z f Cov 7,
thonitedl, Guebec, seth ic Miwaukee, Wisconsin
Three Cenfs ..
Single-Weight
istier-Rate fo tie §.5.A,
{Valid unfil 31 Dec, 1898}
ssemsrvst «| py 2
siete
te in 10 Days to
Te MONTREAL LITHOGRAPH y ie :
12 September 1899
Advertising cover. 3 . posimarked at
Montreal, Quebec,
seni io
Toronto, Ontario
; a 4 , le, : Two Cenis .. Toronto Lithographing Co. sDomerte
~ Cor. King and Bathurst — letter-tate
TORONTO, Or dnt,
EARLY RAPID MACHINES Canada Imperial Mail Marking Company
1896 - 1904
BETWEEN 1896 — 1897, THE “IMPERIALS” AT MONTREAL AND OTTAWA APPLIED A MORE PATRIOTIC POSTMARK ILLUSTRATING THE SO-CALLED
‘STRAIGHT & ‘UNION-JACK’ FLAG POSTMARES.
“STRAIGHT JACK”
OBLITERATOR Use:
11 -22 April 1896
11 April 1896
Commercial Cover, postmarked at
Montreal, Quebec,
sent to London,
Ontario
Three Cents ..
Single-weight
domestic letter-rate
First Day of
Postmark Use.
i — te
AUSTIN & ROBERTSON WHOLESALE STATIONERS,
MONTREAL,
We
FLAG OBLITERATOR
WITH UNION JACK Use:
21 March 1896 -
28 October 1897
23 September 1897
Member- of-Parliament Cover,
postmarked at
Ottawa, Ontario,
sent to Scotland.
Ten Cents .. Allan and Cunard
Lines
Double-Weight
Letier-Rate.
EARLY RAPID MACHINES Canada imperial Mail Marking Company
1897
TO COMMEMORATE THE JUBILEE OF QUEEN VICTORIA IN 1897, THE CANADIAN POST OFFICE HAD
THEIR “IMPERIALS” FITED WITH COMMEMORATIVE FLAG POSTMARKS.
Postmark: 22mm Diameter Dater Dial with Involute Flag Obliterator having text
“1837 - 1897 Victoria”. Usage: 20 June -7 August 1897
21 June 1897
Registered
commercial mail,
postmarked at Montreal, sent to local
insurance company.
7 Ceris..
Double drop-letier
registered city rate..
2 Cents + 5 Cents registration fee
First-day use
a [Printer | : 7 July 1897 SNA | Ottawa Advertsing cover
Ottawa, Ontario,
sentto Montreal,
Quebec
Three Cenis .. Single-weighi
domestic
letter-rate.
EARLY RAPID MACHINES Canada Canadian Postal Supply Company
1896 - 1902
John Brooks Young, earlier associated with the Imperial Mail Marking
Company and Martin Van Buren, received a patent on a new high speed electrically-operated
posimarking machine in October 1896.
TESTED IN DECEMBER 1896 BY THE CANADIAN POST OFFICE WAS THE ‘CANADIAN POSTAL SUPPLY COMPANY'S’ SO-CALLED “BICKERDIKE’ MACHINE,
NAMED AFTER THE COMPANY’S FINANCIER, ROBERT BICKERDIKE.
Postmark: 22mm Diameter Dater Dial with involute
flag obliterator
Use: Trial |: 2-8 December 1896
Trial Il: 28 December 1896 - 3 January 1897
McKENNA, THOMSON 4 CO., SUCCESSORS TO
(JAMES O’BRIEN & CO.,)
WHOLESALE CLOTHING, FIRST TRIAL MONTREAL.
2 December 1896
Commercial Cover,
postmarked at
Montreal, Quebec,
sent to
Ambhurtstburg, Ontario
First Day Trial Usage
1896
Gein SECOND TRIAL in FIVE DAYS RETURN TO ; 3
REAL.
Ze LY SEove, 30 December “ }
Commercial fo Cover,
otk. : postmarked at f Montreal,
Quebec,
sentto
C7 : | Rock Island, \ Quebec
a o e
Three Cents ..
Single-weight domestic letter-rate.
EARLY RAPID MACHINES Canada Canadian Postal Supply Company
1897-1898
TO COMMEMORATE THE JUBILEE OF QUEEN VICTORIA IN 1897, THE CANADIAN POST OFFICE HAD
THEIR “BICKERDIKES” AT OTTAWA & MONTREAL FITTED WITH COMMEMORATIVE FLAG POSTMARKS.
Postmark: 22mm Diameter Dater Dial with Involute Flag Obliterater having text
“1837 VR 1897",
Use: 13 April 1897 = 18 April 1898
STAAL
11 Revember
fA
‘ ey é ff)
Ex Puls/Bomer :
HE MONTREAL NEWS COMPANY /
THE M oe | TRE
366 & 388 Sv, JAMES STREET, O \
McNTREAL, 2APL IST 20 -O
é MONTREAL
g92 15 Apri 1898
Comment Cover.
postenenked at
Meesrs T. C. Allen & Go., | aan nkec
Halifax,
N. 8S.
Three Cents ..
Single-weight domestic letter-rate.
EARLY RAPID MACHINES | Great Britain
Canadian Postal Supply Company
1897 - 1907
Unsuccessful in selling postmarking machines to the United States Post Office, Brooks Young embarked on offering
posimarking machines to European Pos Offices.
THE LONDON POST OFFICE UNDERTOOK A FIRST TRIAL WITH TWO ‘BICKERDIKE MACHINES IN OCTOBER-NOVEMBER 1897.
Postmark: 22mm Diameter Dater Dial with a seven-line
obliterator having “VR & Crown” in the center.
Use: 4 October - 26 November 1897
TYPE I: “VR” WITH SERIFS
6October 1897 0 =
Commercial Cover,
postmarked at
London,
sent to Winterthur,
Swiizeriand.
50 Centlimes
Pestage Due =
2-1/2 Pence +
2-1/2 Pence Penally
Only known
foreign-bound usage on trial mail
TYPE fl “VR” WITHOUT SERIFS
22 October 1897
Commercial postal
stationery cover,
postmarked at London for city
delivery.
One Penny
Domestic
single-weight lefer-rate
EARLY RAPID MACHINES Great Britain Canadian Postal Supply Company
1897 - 1907
Subsequent to a second successful trial between 1899-1900,
SIX ADDITIONAL ‘BICKERDIKES’ BECAME OPERATIONAL AT THE LONDON POST OFFICE.
Postmark: 22mm Diameter Dater Dial with a seven-line
obliterator having “ER” & Crown” in center
and indication of machine number.
Use: 1701 - 1903
13 November 1901 | f NOVA (Machine #3) eo haa
4 \ Printed-matter a Oo enclosure ina
commercial cover,
postmarked at i London, . i sentto \ -
nen | i. Or anatos (B20
7 May 1903 (Machine #2)
Advertising postal
stationery card, postmarked at London,
sent to Brighton.
Half Penny
Domestic
printed-maitter rate
EARLY RAPID MACHINES Germany
Canadian Postal Supply Company 1898 - 1901
IN 1898, THE GERMAN REICHSPOST INITIALLY OBTAINED TWO
‘BICKERDIKE’ MACHINES
from the Canadian Postal Supply Company
FOR TRIALS AT BERLIN AND SUBSEQUENTLY HAMBURG. Postmark: 22mm Diameter Dater Dial without stars having a
56mm 7-line obliterator with “DR” & crown at
center.
Usage: 14May-5 July 1878
Romain Talbot BERLIN. C.
25 thay 1698
Commercial
sent io Ceiegne
58 GaAs HAIGH
24 June 1898
EARLY RAPID MACHINES Germany Canadian Postal Supply Company
1901-1902
Having three years of satisfactory trial experience,
THE REICHSPOST EXPANDED FIELD USAGE by acquiring another six machines from Canada
WITH THOSE MACHINES NOW FITTED WITH A POSTAL FLAG OBLITERATOR resulting in the basis for a German-domiciled licensed manufacturing of
subsequent acquired machines for operation in Germany Postmark: 22mm single-circle dater dial with “horseshoe”
configuration having year-date at the dial bottom and post-office flag obliterator.
Use: 1901 - 1902
9 flovember 19701
Fres-rank
height pick-up neiiicaiion seni ic
a local Leipzig City address
Only known type usags exampie
? December 1901
Un-franked preof
posimark on cover.
| «applied by the Berlin
Postal Museum Machine
Pipes
Unique
Exp Kruschel
EARLY RAPID MACHINES France Canadian Postal Supply Company
1898 - 1899
Similarly to the German Reichspost,
THE FRENCH POST OFFICE AT PARIS HELD TRIALS BETWEEN 1898-1899 with ‘Bickerdike’ Machines.
Postmark: 24mm Diameter Double Dater Dial with small or large involute flag obliterators having “RF” in center.
Use: 1898-1899
SMALL FLAG OBLITERATOR
(First Trial)
13 Secember 1878
Un-franked piool posimark sirike on cover
1 eesoall\ oe LARGE FLAG ON 4 OBLITERATOR
(Second Trial}
29 December 1898
EARLY RAPID MACHINES France Canadian Postal Supply Company
1898 - 1899
In addition to function and efficiency, early & short trial field use determined
WHETHER THE POSTMARK OBLITERATOR SHOULD BE
A ‘LARGE’ OR ‘SMALL’ INVOLUTE FLAG,
with the latter subsequently being selected for field machine operation.
Postmark: 24mm Diameter Double Dater Dial with small or large
involute flag obliterators having “RF” in center.
Use: 1898-1899
SMALL FLAG OBLITERATOR (Field Trial)
28 JANUARY ; 1899 aoe ee
Cover, Paris-City a
printed matter. ) , 20 ae C 5 Ze L)
3 Centimes.. Local city .
printed matter . pe i
rate LY AAA le se
LARGE FLAG OBLITERATOR (Field Trial)
21 JANUARY 1899
Cover, postmarked
at Paris, sent to
La Rochelle, France.
Arrival postmark: (reverse)
“La Rochelle, 22 January 1899
5 Centimes..
National domestic
printed-matter rate.
EARLY RAPID MACHINES France Canadian Postal Supply Company
1900-1906
SUBSEQUENT TO SUCCESSFUL TRIALS, THE FRENCH POST OFFICE ACQUIRED TWELVE ‘BICKERDIKES’ FOR USE AT ITS
PARIS POSTAL STATIONS to apply origin postmarks to out-going and
service postmarks to in-coming mail.
Origin Postmark: 24mm Diameter Dater Dial with invelute
flag obliterator with “RF” in center.
Service Postmark: 24mm Diameter Dater Dial
Use: 1900 - 19704
err_s
OUTGOING MAIL
7 ar + hy ae ney ea
Caras etie |e : Sa a ee ee Pore Oppo ——-. eo Ge. Ae
Ugniel, France ee,
35 Centmes.. ee ge = Semssic Co or ee
singie-weight ; istier-iqis ae Se
oe A rts ee
oe SS Ee ee
fon . j Dees = =
eee gee Neer ee Si ae ee
a
IN-COMING MAIL
10 May 1900 tenet 3 Line c lia, , fea le Cover, postmarked at
Cs Lawrencevile. Boks . New Jersey. ae CLC? ae (Farplo “pe Ce sentte Pars, France.
enna service posimark upen 1 Bae 3 arrival.
aA Ltt 2D
bo 5 Cenis.. ef VO ~ A) UPU Infemafional
— Ww OF Gs oe. Single-Weight BNSC Woe oy Se Letier-Rate
EARLY RAPID MACHINES ltaly Canadian Postal Supply Company
1901 — 1906, 1912
Of the twelve ‘Bickerdike’ Machines acquired by the French Post Office
at least
FIVE OF THOSE MACHINES WERE TRANSFERRED TO THE ITALIAN POST OFFICE
which allocated them to their post offices at Brescia (1912), Genoa, Milan, Naples, Rome and Turin.
Postmark: 24mm Diameter Dater Dial with involute flag obliterator having “V E" (“Vicfor Emanuel”) in
(Provincia Es
center.
ak hase ne Fon es i
vk we | 29 December 1903 “ o \ Vf i
‘i \ \ \
Printed-matier cover, postmarked at CN ay
sentto Berlin, Germany oo 5 Canaan. ¢ Hea eeF Peete eee
UP infermational ae Saried- Mattar fate to 50 grams © er <- Eeee.
. #é ge -. —__——— SS nt tne TR eh pst al mate $a ¥. a
4. 10 LNA _POSTALE | CON TISPOSTA 2 ae s Avetlewate
2 \ = 29 January 1903 % 2 ‘ s- Postal stationery <
Py relurn-card,
Z = postmarked at Genoa, 2 = sent to Pallanza, Healy
2 z g saa 7-1/2 Centesmi.. = a Domestic a a fReply-Card}
z = Posicard-Rate Z —
Fast =
TPS Ak
in s,
idea
1 February 19701
Posicard, postmarked at
Naples,
sent to Brewer, Maine, U.5.A.
19 Centesmi..
UPL iniermnational Pasicard-fate
S i e
te < 5 ail ee fe ea mn PN te eit ‘Edit, Ey Ragozino, ‘Galleria Uimeerta-Mapol ee
(ebro see Oh ee ar eae eee sere ee pines ES eared veto ae sae
EARLY RAPID MACHINES South Africa Canadian Postal Supply Company
1899-1900
Two ‘Bickerdike’ Machines were tested and operational at
the Capetown & Pretoria Post Offices in South Africa.
Postmark: 22mm Diameter Dater Dial with a seven-line
obliterator having “C Crown C” in center.
Use: 1899 - 1900
7 BETO } | “Socti7 +} E ee 2 30PM
: Ei 1 x : © a OO , a
17 October 1900
Cover, postmarked at Capetown, South Africa, sent to Ironwood, Michigan,
United States of America.
2-1/2 Pence Single-weight UPU International
Letter-Rate
EARLY RAPID MACHINES United States of America International Postal Supply Company
1885 -— 1900s
After several years of machine development and internal frials, George W. Hey, Emil Laass & Matthew J. Dolphin established the International
Postal Supply Company in July 1885. Their machines were internationally
referred to as a “Hey-Dolphin Machines”.
Trial machines were placed at the Brooklyn & Buffalo, New York, and Washington, D.C. Post Offices 1888-1890 and later Philadelphia
IN 1891, THE AMERICAN POSTMASTER GENERAL SIGNED A SUPPLY AGREEMENT FOR ONE HUNDRED MACHINES WHICH COULD “COUNT, STACK AND POSTMARK
24,000 POSTAL CARDS/HOUR" (LESS FOR COVERS). Postmark: 25mm (1888-1890) or 1%mm (1894) Diameter Dater Dial
with seven horizontal bar obliterator
30 March 1890
Free-frank ‘Depariment of the Interior’
Censor Office Postal Card
posimarked at Washington, D.C.,
seniio
Mondon, Wisconsin.
gg
a =~
~ WESTERN GERMAN BANK, CINCINNATI, 0.
Return in Five Days.
10 November
1894
Commercial bank mail.
posimarked af Cincinnaii, Ohio,
sent to Fort Wayne, indiana
Twe Cents..
Single-weight {i oz)
domestic letter-rate. {1} July 1685 -
2 November 1717)
EARLY RAPID MACHINES Great Britain International Postal Supply Company
1893
IN AUGUST 1893, MESSRS. HEY & DOLPHIN FURNISHED THE LONDON GENERAL POST OFFICE ONE OF THEIR LATEST MACHINE VERSIONS FOR TESTING;
the electrically-operated “Flier” Model was subsequently rejected because of its high rental/leasing cost.
Postmark: 22mm Diameter Dater Dial
with seven horizontal bar obliterator
having numerical ‘1’ at right.
Trial Use: 25 August - 14 September 1893
14 September 1893
Commercial Printed-matter cover, postmarked at London,
sent to Mannheim, Germany
Half Penny .. UPU International Printed-Matter Rate
for mail up to 50 grams.
Latest trial use date & only known last-day use.
EARLY RAPID MACHINES United States of America Barry Postal Supply Company
1892 - 1912
Inventor William Barry of Syracuse, New York, progressed in postmarking machine development from early single impression
slower mechanical machines to a machine type having A REVOLVING POSTMARK DIE, ENABLING RAPID-SPEED POSTMARKING OF
FACED-PRE-SORTED MAIL
Soon after establishing his company in 1895, the ‘Barry Postal Supply Company’ supplied the United States Post Office between 100-200 machines.
Postmark: Various styles of dater dials and obliterators emerged over the period of the Barry Postal Supply Company’s period of
company’s existence.
WASHINGTON, L.G EE ILA | — = Woe oe Pret adith He ETE 21 August 1894 : subject toa fine of Three Hundred Dollars. ~
ke
Free-frank official
mail postal card JHC yg VA ee (Department of the
Interior), iP
postmarked at EL Adc
Washington, D.C., : Ze
sent to OL 3 oe
El Paso, Illinois.
Co.
ee After 5 days, return to
NEW OREEANS NATIONAL BANK.
NEW ORLEANS, LA. Smo OL: Pees 4? ek QQ OR LEAN se re ly _~ a) Rak OVAL DATER
av JAN i | % . é I ; . : ih ~
Sis Parte] oe GY a) 11 January | ae s es 1898
Mr.H. R. Siegert, Commercial bank mail,
postmarked at
Bluefieldg, New Orleans, Louisiana,
Nicaragua, sent to Nicaragua.
C. A. Ei ~ 1 Fiva Cante rive Vens..
EARLY RAPID MACHINES United States of America Barry Postal Supply Company
1892 - 1912
BARRY MACHINES ALSO HAD THE ABILITY TO HAVE A SLOGAN INSERTED INTO THEIR POSTMARKING DIE, THE FIRST EVER IN THE UNITED STATES,
as used for the ‘National Export Exposition’ of 1899 al Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and the ‘Pan American Exposition’ of 1901 at Buffalo, New York.
NATIONAL
EXPORT EXPOSITION
_ 588 Bourse Building, Philadelphia.
20 November
1899
Commercial mail cover,
postmarked at Philadelphia,
sent to Vienna, Austria.
vel She og by es : La Gen erale boy
Mr, Jul ® Jordan a
1 Dorothecrga
Five Cenis .. UPU International
Letier-Rete
PAN AMERICAN EXPOSITION
21 September 1900
Exposition advertising cover,
postmarked at Buffalo, sent to Warren,
Pennsylvania.
Two Cents .. Singie-weight {1 oz)
demesiic
leHer-raie.
{i July 1885 -
2 November 1?17)
EARLY RAPID MACHINES United States of America
Barry Postal Supply Company
1892 - 1912
IN CHICAGO, BARRY MACHINES WERE ALSO
OPERATIONALTO APPLY ‘RECEIVAL’ AND “TRAIN LATE”
POSTMARKS ON IN-BOUND MAIL.
ARRIVAL POSTMARK
AT CHICAGO (Front Center)
oe Wiirttembers.
ie 0 8 4 September 1898 3
in-bound up-rated
postal stationery card,
postmarked at Withelmsdorf,
State of Wirttemberg,
Germany,
sent to Chicago, Illinois.
Ten Pfennig ..
UPU infemationai
Postcard-Raie Wohnung . Of lest (Gtrake und gansines
SSS eer erceeee E
AR RIV AL
: : ; ee es POSTMARK
ee ieee Bes : eae INDICATING ee s = as “Mail Delayed
a Eg AERO SEN ACRE ARL ALL A AATEC TE ee
Train Late ” (Reverse) aie
a alate neem ome 8
7 <= MAIL DELAYE DI eee NOW 10. 93a AM'3S _ TRAIN. LATF cpiemnarcie ase eiNe: Geter een ea hae PLE LNET STD
10 November
1899
Commercial cover, postmarked at New York City
on ‘8 November’,
sent to Chicago,
“ Illinois.
; SS Two Cenis ..
> Single-weigh? {i oz}
domesiic
tefer-rate. £1 July 1885 -
2 November 1717}
EARLY RAPID MACHINES United States of America Barr-Fyke Machine Company
1896 - 1898
One ofthe smaller American companies having developed a rapid postmarking machine was one established by John Ban and John Fyke of Kansas City, Missouri,
whose objective was to market a speed-effective inexpensive machine.
POSTMARKS APPLIED BY BARR-FYKE MACHINES SOLD WERE INOVATIVE IN THAT THE
OBLITERATORS INITIALLY CONSISTED OF A LONG SERIES OF VERTICAL BARS.
EARLY KANSAS CITY TRIAL
13 October 1896 POSTAL Car
Postal card,
postmarked at Kansas
City, Missouri, sent to
Chillicothe, Ohio
One Cent:
Domestic postcard-rate
UNITED vANE ae ( Etats\Unis
Fea geet WRITE ONLYTBEADDRESS Pee
2 August 1897
UPU Postal Stationery Card, postmarked at Washington, D.C.,
sent to Gotha, Germany
Two Cents ..
UPU International
Postcard-Rate
LPP, ~
11 May 1898
i i t
i l a l a
Cover written by = 4 a i
Attorney General i ee
John W. Griggs, postmarked at oy
ny A Washington, D.C., s |
sent to Cleveland, mes a) Ou CONT OTD \ : Ohio.
“ ¢ t
Two Cents..
Single- weight
(1 072.) rt ' Zh mestic \ domestic \) iN
la» tt nel \ letier-rate. WK l ~ ck VAX CH
EARLY RAPID MACHINES Paris World's Fair 1900 Barr-Fyke Machine Company
1900
In an effort to promote American technology and postmarking machines, the BARR-FYKE COMPANY PLACED ONE OF THEIR MACHINES
AT THE UNITED STATES POSTAL STATION IN THE AMERICAN PAVILLION AT THE PARIS WORLD’S FAIR IN 1900,
where four postmark styles were used.
Period:
4 May -
21 October 1900
4 May 1900
Viewcard, first-day-use Ve Che postmarked at the .
American Postal Station at the Paris Exhibition, seni io MGhihausen
(Alsace), Germany
10 Centimes..
UPU Intemational Y
Postcard Rate THIS SIDE y Zz - % iF
FOR THE alge: “ PPI PEPE
Period:
20 June -
6 November 1900
11 July 1900
Viewcard,
postmarked at the
fe _ American Postal Station
@.- sent te ah ae Re Muhtihausen (Alsace)
Germany
10 Cenihnes_
UPU infemakonai
Posicard Reale Za fe
LG, Lee paara rtp.
Sender:
Musician of the ‘John Philip Souza’ Marine Corps Band
EARLY RAPID MACHINES New Zealand Barr-Fyke Machine Company
1899 - 1901
Although its success was limited in the United States of Ametica,
BARR-FYKE MACHINES WERE SUCCESSFULLY USED IN SEVERAL FOREIGN COUNTRIES
WHERE THEY APPLIED POSTMARKS HAVING PATRIOTIC OBLITERATORS. Postmark: 22mm Dater Dial with Straight Flag
Obliterator with ‘NZ’ Between Stars
17 October 1899
Commercial cover,
posimarked at
Wellington, sent to
Dunedin,
New Zealand.
Two Pence... | Messrs Hallenstein Bros. & Co.,;
Domestic single-
weight letier-rate. ge Pe Dunedin
8 Day of Use.
3 May 1900
‘New Zealand and Australia’
Postal Stationery Card,
illustrating first contingent
forces at Capetown,
South Africa (Boar War),
postmarked at Wellington for local delivery.
One Penny ..
Domestic posicard-rate.
4 September 1900
Free-Frank Official
Cover, postmarked at Wellington for local
delivery.
EARLY RAPID MACHINES Republic of Mexico Barr-Fyke Machine Company
1900 - 1908
Ban-Fyke Machines operational in the Republic of Mexico applied a
DATER-DIAL WITH FLAG OBLITERATOR AS A ORIGIN POSTMARK TO OUT-GOING MAIL AND ARRIVAL OR TRANSIT POSTMARKS TO IN-BOUND MAIL
22 March 1902 a
Postal-stationery cover,
postmarked at Monterrey,
Mexico, seni to
Kansas City,
Kansas, U.S.A.
Five Centayos..
UPU International
Letier-Rate
REPUBILUC A, , =
en TAR J ET Ag Soe LARS | r is
3 April 1903 Postal Stationery Card,
postmarked at
Monterrey, Mexico,
| sent to Tampico, | Joaquin Castilla, Mexico.
Two Ceniavos ..
Domestic Tampieo, lem., postcard-rate.
3 a
EN ESTE LADO: SOLO DEBE
27 July 1903
in-bound viewcard, postmarked at
Falmouth, England, sent
to Chihuahua, Mexico.
Transit Barr-Fyke
Postmark:
“Nuevo Laredo,
Tampico”
One Penny ..
UYPU Intemational
postcard-rate for mail
with less than fen
written words.
EARLY RAPID MACHINES Republic of Mexico Bar-Fyke Machine Company
1903 - 1904
Barr-Fyke Machines operational in the Republic of Mexico ALSO APPLIED UNIQUE “WEATHER FLAG”
OBLITERATOR POSTMARKS TO IN-BOUND MAIL, which indicated one of forty different weather conditions.
20 October 1903
pepniry ‘SrSz opeyredy “Cloudy ‘addaoy xe “2S
a Se a eh
qwisOg WLACUVL Piet yes oe ee a=
7 November 1903 “Mild Tomorrow“
13 November 1903
“Mild”
EARLY RAPID MACHINES United States of America
Columbia Postal Supply Company
1900 - 1925
in 1900, German-American Fred lelfield introduced and patented a rapid
VACUUM-FED POSTMARKING MACHINE, in Germany and the United Stales of America, HAVING SPEED AND TECHNOLOGY MOST COMPETITIVE to the
heretofore American, Intemational & Bary-brand machines
used by the United States Post Office.
An initial 1900 lease contract for twenty machines to the Columbia Posial
Supply Company of Silver Springs, New York, by the United States Post Office
followed by many more over the years, as the initial machine design success led to additional patents and ever increasing machine effectiveness.
Postmark: (Initially) 22mm Dater Diai with varied style obliterators
over approximately twenty-five years of field operation
rE rrr HH Mra a as = : aH i SIE ur
{LLINOIS MAHUPFACTURESS’ ASSOGIATION,
526 MAAGUETTE BUILDING, a & i: ee
5 130A a
i902 < LOnoc /
a = >
ee ne! woth Le Se oe
AES Set
EARLY RAPID MACHINES United States of America
Columbia Postal Supply Company 1908 - 1912
To compete with the Norwegian-developed ‘Krag’ repeater or confinuous-
impression machine operating in Europe and tested in the United States,
INVENTOR IELFIELD INTRODUCED AND PATENTED COLUMBIA'S
CONTINUOUS- IMPRESSION POSTMARKING MACHINE IN 1908 tested in Washington D.C. to apply origin postmarks to out-going mail
and arrival marks to in-bound mail.
OUT-BOUND MAIL
16 April 1908
Postcard, posimarked at Washington D.C., sent io Perkinsville,
Vermont.
One Cert...
Domestic postcard-rate
ILCUINET OND He eats eee Aik we
‘ y H AV 6 = ; = .
pes i hageiaaa ie Me
IN-BOUND MAIL
6 November 1911
Commercial cover,
posimarked af Huepac.
Mexico, sent te Washington D.C.,
having a
1 ‘Columbia’ continuous- Ne impression
yore machine-applied arrival pesimark on fhe
: reverse.
EARLY RAPID MACHINES Germany Columbia Postal Supply Company
1901 - 1903
Soon after the ‘Bickerdike’ Machines entered field service in Germany in 1901, the Columbia Postal Supply -Onipany submitted a first
TRIAL MACHINE AT THE HAMBURG POST OFFICE NO. '11’ FOR APPLYING STM ABIL TO O ec Y A ri VVEDT €
ORIGIN-POSTMARKS OUT-GOING LOTTERY ADVER a
Postmark: 22mm dater dial with ‘11’ at the bottom along with a 62mm 7-line obliterator.
Usage: 23 May 1901 -8 December 1903
OUT-BOUND MAIL
3 June 1901
Printed-matter lottery-advertising mail, postmarked at Hamburg, sent to “Elten” with re-direction to “Merseburg”.
3 Pfennig .. Printed-matter rate for mail up to
50 grams.
EARLY RAPID MACHINES Germany Columbia Postal Supply Company
1901 - 1903
A second ‘Columbia’ trial machine
A SECOND ‘COLUMBIA’ TRIAL MACHINE
was installed AT BERLIN with operation between 1901-1905
APPLYING A POSTMARK HAVING A ‘POSTAL FLAG’ OBLITERATOR.
Postmark: 22mm dater dial with ‘2’ at the bottom
along with an ‘A’ adjacent to the dial rim and with a narrow flag (having crown, banner with wide tassels) obliterator.
Usage: 14 October 1901 -7 August 1903
1. GM, 152587.
é pe swan
OREO ORO BGs one NSS RE oa SESE PH SS SHS SSF SS SSS S
G : ee
RAE BA | Og
B—
ey
FE os hs Mo
OUT-BOUND MAIL
24 October 1901
Printed-matter lottery-advertising mail, postmarked at Berlin, sent to Halle (Saale).
3 Pfennig ..
Printed-matter rate for mail up to §0 grams.
EARLY RAPID MACHINES Germany Columbia Postal Supply Company
1906 - 1907
Despite being unsuccessful with several earlier machines, IN 1906 THE ‘COLUMBIA COMPANY’ SUBMITTED to the Reichspost AT HAMBURG
A FASTER AND MORE EFFECTIVE MACHINE in an attempt to compete with the
‘Bickerdike’ Machine, which had become in wide field use in Germany.
Postmark: 25mm double-ring dater dial with ‘DR’ in the flag
obliterator. 23 April 1906 -— 9 January 1907 Use:
7 Pay 1996
Up-rated
(commercial mail) 4 ; postal stationery card,
sentic Blankenese. es
EARLY RAPID MACHINES Great Britain Columbia Postal Supply Company
1901 - 1902
TO COMPETE WITH “BICKERDIKE' AND ‘BOSTON’ MACHINES ALREADY BEING TESTED iN ENGLAND,
the Columbia Company submitted a frial machine in 1901,
resulting in success and a purchase order for twelve machines. Postmark: 22mm open dater dial with ‘London E.C.’
indicated with a seven-line obliterator.
Use: 9 November 1901 - 26 February 1902
“UNIVERSAL POSTAL UNION
GREAT er : - This stipe FAR
22 November 1901
UPU postal stationery card,
postmarked at London,
sent to Timmenroda
(Harz), Germany.
One Penry ..
UPU lrternetional
Postcard Rate
24 February 1902
Printed-matter wrapper, postmarked at London.
sent to
Manchester, England. oH )
Half-Penny...
Domestic
printed-matter
rate,
EARLY RAPID MACHINES Netherlands
Columbia Postal Supply Company
1905 - 1906
in a continuing effort to gain a market segment in Europe, the Columbia Company also attempted to sell machines in the Netherlands with
FIRST TRIAL AT S'GRAVENHAGE WITH MACHINES SUBSEQUENTLY
IN FIELD OPERATION IN THREE CITIES: S’Gravenhage, Amsterdam & Rotterdam.
COAT-OF-ARMS OBLITERATOR
17 September 1906
Viewcard, postmarked at S’Gravenhage,
sent to Los Angeles,
California.
2-1/2 Cent..
International postcard- rate (printed-matter) for
mail with less than ten
written words.
Postmark: 25mm double circle dater dial with small coat of arms
obliterator (7 September 1905 - 18 October 1706) or ‘Nederland’
Flag obliterator (19 October 1905 - 10 August 1909).
(Desverkiezende in te villen.) (Indications facultatives.)
naam ¢ _/ (tom.,
adres. of (adresse.\
Aw 2 Afzender: (Expéditeur :)
Le a Gia,
Uitg. ro ae Lage Degliwirg Spe oe te eA ee ee ere d le : of ip i
AGple—t. Holir eee cy
!
‘NEDERLAND’ FLAG
OBLITERATOR
24 July 1906
Commercial cover, postmarked at
Rotterdam, sent to
Copenhagen, Denmark.
Arrival Postmark: (Reverse/Krag Machine)
“Kjobenhavn, 26 July 1706”
12-1/2 Cents.. UPU International
single-weight (20 grams}
letter-rate
EARLY RAPID MACHINES Australia Columbia Postal Supply Company
1902 - 1910
The Columbia Company was also successful in Australia with machines
OPERATIONAL IN THE CITIES OF BRISBANE, MELBOURNE, PERTH AND SYDNEY,
with each having its own obliterator style.
OFFICIAL MAIL USE
Postmark:
22mm dater dial
with indication of the respective
city’s province/
state in the obliterator.
21 March 1908 a ay oy a ‘ YY es ‘Public Health Department’
& © local mail os §
ee PAs One Penny... Ze & :
« wy Single-weight
Oy domestic & intra-state printed-matter
we official mail (perin poslage).
EARLY RAPID MACHINES South Africa Columbia Postal Supply Compan
1904 - 1912 .
SINGLE-IMPRESSION ‘COLUMBIA’ MACHINES were tied and BECAME OPERATIONAL IN TWO CITIES
of the former British Colonies of South Affica,
prior to formation of the ‘Union of Sovih Altiica’ in 1710: Capefown (Cape of Good Hope) and Johannisburg (transvaai). ee
Le A Mec = MG ee er
CAPE OF GOOD HOPE Ned &
USE 2 yt,.4 6. p
24 January 1905 \eg 8” Se Se onl ence
Commercial bank
cover, postmarked at ee 4 a Capetown, sent to ; O7t—
Edinburgh, Scotland
ah PA eel a. Empire letter-rate
Cdambenh.
ae “=, 7
ONE PENNY POSTAGE gS
TRANSVAAL USE
29 July 1907
. Commercial cover, ie , f postmarked at / ae) : oflece ecb lord Johannesburg, sent
to Verden,
Germany
Wo de a. Lag eth, 72. : 2-1/2 Pence.. So UPU Intemational
Letter-Rate
HIGH-SPEED FLEXIBLE MACHINES Norway Nils Krag Company
1904 - 1908
In 1904, Gustav Adolf Hansen of Norway developed a revolutionary and effective
FIRST “REPEATER” OR CONTINUOUS IMPRESSION POSTMARKING MACHINE,
in manual or electrically-operated versions, manufactured by the
‘Nils Krag Company’ with subsequent trials and use in many countries.
IN-BOUND MAIL eee ARRIVALPOSIMARK =—«- #1, N
30 August 1905 let | el rate fg -
OUT-BOUND REGISTERED MAIL
3 June 1914
HIGH-SPEED FLEXIBLE MACHINES Germany Nils Krag Company
1905 - 1906
Between 1905-1906, the
‘KRAG COMPANY’ DELIVERED FOUR MACHINES TO THE GERMAN REICHSPOST, with three for trial at Berlin and one at Hamburg.
Postmark:
24mm dater dial with
bridge with sight horizontal 48mm line obliterator with text
“D Crown R”
repeating every 78mm.
13 Joly 1965 = 29 February 1766
ook OFFICIAL MAIL
20 July 1905
Free-frank official
tax office cover, postmarked at Berlin, sent te
police
headquarters
at Halle (Sadie).
HIGH-SPEED FLEXIBLE MACHINES
POSTCARD TRIAL USE
Germany
Nils Krag Company 1905 - 1906
BERLIN
16 June 1906
Viewcard,
posimarked at
sentic
EQLIAS £OZMNSC Foe poe el
10.0.0 SON. 2 caper atten NF
oF
Sse “Semmes ES ence re a
peers manny feet Sen eee en me el ta pink
hei
2 dy , ‘ : _
|
z if
VL hte
HAMBURG
2 February 1906
Viewcard,
postmarked at
Hamburg, sent to
: i ut ff fate : es
ie oe ft oy e.
ov it fs)
* a
yf ae a eo
ee
@ +l ak oo eS
Konigsberg (East Prussia)
aa Vesiag , Wergedialeck. Hamburg VIL
Five Ptennig .. Domestic postcard-rate
HIGH-SPEED FLEXIBLE MACHINES Austria Nils Krag Company
1906 - 1907
A ‘Krag’ Machine was operational at Vienna (Austia)
and applied ARRIVAL POSTMARKS ON IN-BOUND MAIL.
eee
POSTVEREIN
/ CART .POSTALE. 1906 USE i Assign pea universelle,
2 | i |
10 November 1906 a / ee 7s ies
re | 3 , pf Fea
Viewcard, ‘
Dreseden, Germany, a oe i
senifo POF Fe eel yma / 7 3
Yierna aa 3
(ited FP ee Ls Hit 10-09 amen — jo "8 —— a
ta bpd pe z- fri sal hy etek pee a ante |
ae Se a7: Lo en
1907 USE
14 August 1907
Viewcard,
posimarked at Reinerz, Germany,
sent te Vienna
(ales
Five Pfennig .. Concession postcard-rate
for mail sent from Germany te Austria
HIGH-SPEED FLEXIBLE MACHINES Canada & U.S.A. Nils Krag Company
1907-1908
ON 25 JULY 1907, A TRIAL MACHINE WAS TESTED AT TORONTO (Canada), not considered further, and
SUBSEQUENTLY SHIPPED TO THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA for trials between 1907-1908 at Washington D.C.
TRIAL TYPE! Use:
12-27 August 1707
22 August 1907
Viewcard, postmarked at
Washington D.C.,
sent to
Ogunquit, Maine.
One Cent..
Domestic pesicard-rate
One of three known
PROOF FROM TORONTO (CANADA) TRIAL ON 25 JULY 1907
Only known example
Al
GC. Bo ss el ma n
& Oo
. NA b
: f
VIN ee
on
\
_ M a d e
in G e r m a n y .
? a eo i. oo oe ee : Z ee aS 1
This side is foy the addvess,
PRINTED GY THE BLing AT THE C.P, 1:
WASHINGTON D.C. TRIAL TYPE li
Use
2? August 1707
é February 1708
28 September 1907
ize Caste sensi Washington D.c.,
Noite doe : P sentto Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
eae | One Cent .. a. oe Ge = + Domestic postcard-rate
PA iitdice aaa om
HIGH-SPEED FLEXIBLE MACHINES | Great Britain Nils Krag Company
1905 - 1913
THE BRITISH POST OFFICE AT LONDON TESTED THE 'KRAG’ MACHINE IN 1905 AND AGAIN SUCCESSFULLY WITH TWO TRIALS BETWEEN 1906-1907.
Where trial machines had round dater dials, field operating machine | postmarks had rectangular unboxed daters.
THIRD TRIAL PERIOD
9 -10 October 1906
10 October 1906
Viewcard, postmarked at London,
sent to Milan, Italy
One Penny .. UPU International
Postcard-Rate
Last Day of Two-Day Trial Period
HIGH-SPEED FLEXIBLE MACHINES Germany Sylbe & Pondorf Company
1907-1930s
To compete with the Norwegian-developed ‘Krag’ continuous-impression
machine, the German ‘Syibe & Pondorf Company
DEVELOPED AND INTRODUCED THEIR DUAL DIE-HEAD POSTMARKING
MACHINE HAVING SEVERAL UNIQUE FEATURES.. 25% higher speed, ability for single or multiple impression
as well as slogan postmarking. Postmark: 25 - 27mm double dater dial with bridge, repeating
every 78mm, with a 7-10 horizontal line obliterator
vena Carte postale.
. “~senion postale UniverSClle,, memes %
2mm DATER DIAL —
28. April 1908 cern ' on
Vieweard, i postmarked econ
at Munich, Bavaria, ee a ee sent to Speyer be ee
Gomestic posicard- og RC See My gL OAs (a
7174 :
Sci ee 27 April 1909
AAA AA AEF Printed-maiter cover,
postmarked a? Stuttgart for local
delivery.
ge i. ze : Three Piennig..
GC Awe) Domestic printed 5 mcler rie iz SE
dG oe ea ee grams.
HIGH-SPEED FLEXIBLE MACHINES Germany
Sylbe & Pondorf Company 1911..
One ofthe objections from business and the general public concering ‘continuous postmarking impressions’ was that their length often covered the
text message on postcards.
A 1911 ‘SYLBE’ MACHINE VERSION WAS FLEXIBLE AND ABLE TO APPLY EITHER SINGLE OR CONTINUOUS-IMPRESSION POSTMARKS.
SINGLE (or ‘Half’)
IMPRESSION POSTMARK
23 Gecember 19712
Postal stationery card, postmarked at
Chemnitz, seni to Dresden
Five Plennig .. Somesiic posicard-
tas
CONTINUOUS
(or ‘Full’) IMPRESSION POSTMARK
1 January 1973
‘New Year's
posimerked af Chemnitz, sent te
Cairo, Egypt
fen Plennig... eu ee vagess te Say A
Posicard-Raie
HIGH-SPEED FLEXIBLE MACHINES Germany
Sylbe & Pondorf Company 1913 = 1920s
One of the innovative features of the ‘Sylbe’ Machine was its abilily to have slogans or graphics inserted into the postmark obliterators.
THE FIRST GRAPHICS INSERTED INTO THE OBLITERATORS WERE COMMEMORATIVE POSTMARKS RELATED TO SPECIAL EVENTS COMMENCING IN 1913.
SINGLE
{or ‘Half) IMPRESSION POSTMARK
“Kill GERMAN TORHER FESTIVAL”
(16-18 july 1113) no ™
18 July 1913
Postal stationery card,
commemorative
posimarked at
Leipzig, for local delivery
Five Pfennig .. Domestic posicard-
rate
at te n
Wa te
. t d .
a
é iM
ie
4
i .
%] yd
= t
w y f o e
ay
B o t toh r
ips
' y v i e
e y
pe as y
o e
Fs
; oe
e a e
we b ee p ap ey ic ie y
ba re
;
” a7
7
Se
b f a
Galanteriowaren Fabrik,
| Leipzig -Plagwitz | Weissenfelser Strasse 51,
Fernsprechanschlu8 8035.
“OWEIHE DES AVOIKERSCHLACH TY’
og NDENKMALS “ee
CONTINUOUS (or ‘Full’)
IMPRESSION POSTMARK
“DEDICATION OF THE
18 October IF13
Commercial printed-
postmarked af Leipzig. sentio Gotha
Three Piennig...
Domestic printed-
matter rate up jo
56 grams
HIGH-SPEED FLEXIBLE MACHINES Germany Sylbe & Pondorf Company
1910 - 1920s
On 1 February 1910, the Bavarian Postal Administration introduced a postal prepayment service for large mailers’ mailings where
THE ‘SYLBE’ MACHINE APPLIED THE PREPAYMENT POSTMARK, a forerunner of meter marks, in red, green or black colors. Postmark: 25mm diameter dater dial, repeating at 78mm intervals,
between a four staggered horizonial line obliterator with integrated value indication .. “ - Franco Bezahit”’.
(Paid to destination)
FIRST DAY OF USE | suas a ELS xs
1 February 1716 Sap beg | PRANKG z Ee : ‘ =
ee ae ri ee j “theatte Antwort) RE rARLT!
stationery with reply ee eRe ee Ge ee card infact, oar gaa
posimarked at Munich, for local
delivery and
reply-postmarked on 7 February 1910.
Five Pfennig ..
Domestic
postcard-rate at rr
aes eae NEA i ae EN reat
“os BOOK ADVERTISING p & ORDER FORM
ey Sasa Gee : FR AN KO oS oe a ae
BEZAHLT | Sue i 2 May 1910
j ae _-Printed-matter book order advertising, posimarked at
Munich, senttio Gérlik
Ci
Three Pfennia...
Domestic printed- matter rate up to 56
grams
HIGH-SPEED FLEXIBLE MACHINES Germany Columbia Postal Supply Company
1909
IN AN EFFORT TO COMPETE WITH ‘KRAG’ AND ‘SYLBE’ CONTINUOUS IMPRESSION MACHINES, THE ‘COLUMBIA’ COMPANY DEVELOPED AND
INTRODUCED A SIMILAR POSTMARKING MACHINE, albeit with little sales success.
Postmark: 25mm double dater dial with bridge with six
horizontal line obliterator between repeating
dials at 972mm intervals. Use: 12-24 July 1909
A, Ms Tee pe Aes sie toss
\ = A oe
15 July 1909 f A 272 ALA, tt oe i
Commemorative disp i2: Cy any ae ;
‘Bundesschiessen’ aes tat get hagEl 1 Lg
(‘National Target Shooting Event’) 4 Ff o L ty tt fb f e CtLZ. Z th, LL 4 Ps fee Z f
postcard, postmarked a ff
at Hamburg,
sent to Lehe
VI 4
Tv «ft td siegs “Atel, Celérd | SH ee lee - yg ws ip yplhlitlt/ sae
2s Pe Le Le OS tdpar
| Alp LIMP? SET
2g ea eee ewe
17 July 1909
Commemorative ‘Bundesschiessen’
(‘National Target Shooting Event’)
postcard, postmarked at Hamburg,
sent to Rinteln
5 Pfennig ..
Domestic postcard-rate
Less than ten examples known.
HIGH-SPEED FLEXIBLE MACHINES GREAT BRITAIN Sylbe & Pondorf Company
1907-1908
Designed and manufactured by Paul Sylbe of the Schméllner Machine Manufacturing
Company of Germany, the ‘Sylbe’ Machine was evaluated by the London Post Office between December 1907 & November 1908
with two trials using two machine versions.
Similar to the ‘Krag’ Machine, it was rapid operating, electrically powered, having continuous-impression postmarking, albeit capable of adjusting to enable
single-impression postmarking.
Although tested in Britain about one year, the ‘Sylbe’ Machine was not accepted
for wider use, contrary to its wide use in Germany.
Postmark: Three line town line with ‘9’ indicated above
“London E.C.” with date & time having a six horizontal-line obliterator between 60mm town-line-dater spacing.
Use: December 1907 - November 1908
18 AUGUST 1908
P&O Ship Lines
litho-card, postmarked at London E.C., sent locally to Highbury N.W.
Arrival Postmark: “Highbury S.O.. August 18, (19)08”
Half Penny.. Domestic postcard rate.
HIGH-SPEED FLEXIBLE MACHINES Great Britain Columbia Postal Supply Company
1909 - 1910
To compete with similar postmarking ‘Krag’ & ‘Sylbe’ Machines being evaluated by the London Post Office, the ‘Columbia Company’ submitted thei
continuous-impression postmarking machine for evaluation. TESTED AT THE LONDON MOUNT PLEASANT FACILITY FOR SIX MONTHS.
Postmark: Three-line dater indicated “London”. Time & date
between a three-horizontal-line obliterator.
Use: 13 July 1909 — 1 March 1710
cs , | . CTW OAD Pp ONDON P-POST CARD.
PT AUG NEES FOR INLAND POSTAGE THIS SPACE, AS WELL THE ADDRESS ONLY TO BE 4
ae _ AS THE BACK. MAY NOW.BE-USED BOR PNET TICE
sy co NS COMMUNICATION. 16 August 1909 to Ok .
Viewcard, We y : postmarked at Cees EO cy
London, = Mang peseed, sent to Margate We os i
w= othe 3 or, Me Asad A md
ie dike, oe :
Boe tre. . fro hho.
F : . = ' % re : : 7
a POSTCARD: a This s space may be ‘used for correspondence Tha address to be written here.
ce 24 see eet ee
fee © oa“ aTty : ors, { 9 November 1909
Viewcard,
postmarked at London, sentto
Westclifie-on-Sea.
Postage with perfin implying card
franked & mailed at a business company
office.
Half Penny ..
Domestic postcard-rate
Less than ten examples known.
HIGH-SPEED FLEXIBLE MACHINES United States of America Universal Stamping Machine Co.
1909 - 1942
William H. Bowes acquired the Universal Stamping Machine Company in 1908 intent on manufacturing high-speed endorsing machines, albeit soon thereafter recognizing the potential for high-speed postmarking
machinery using the company’s existing check endorsing
machine technology.
IN 1909, THE ‘UNIVERSAL’ COMPANY WAS ABLE TO PLACE A TRIAL MACHINE AT THE WASHINGTON D.C. POST OFFICE,
which resulted in a twenty-five machine first lease following later that year, which was subsequently the beginning of a long duration of supply of such
machines to the Post Office well into the 1970s.
Postmark: 22mm dater dial with a 40mm seven-line obliterator
Trial Use: 4 - 16 August 1909
THIS SPACE FOR CORRESPOND!
2 s
E 3 °
ns v 3 a
=
= 6 re
= o z
“
2 = a
2 oO
x = » S if
FIRST-TRIAL MAIL
10 August 1909
Viewcard, postmarked at Washington D.C., sent to
Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
One Cent..
Domestic postcard rate (1 July 1898 - 1 November 1917)
One of five examples known
HIGH-SPEED FLEXIBLE MACHINES United States of America
Universal Stamping Machine Co.
1909 - 1942
The ‘Universal’ Company, later becoming ‘Pitney-Bowes', manufactured high-
speed manual or electric-operated machines most suitable for American post offices and stations with hundreds of machines being supplied.
MOST RENOWNED ARE THEIR EARLY SLOGAN AND SEVEN WAVY-LINE
OBLITERATOR POSTMARKS (MODEL ‘K’); the latter particularly installed
at military installations worldwide during World War Hl.
SLOGAN OBLiTERATOR
18 June 1920
Cover,
posimarked at
Chicago, illinois...
“Join the Navy
Training-Travel”, tor local delivery.
a= = SSeS Ss
AFTER FIVE DAYS RETURN TO
FRED E. FARNHAM DAVID STOTT BLDG,
DETROIT, MICH.
Postmark: 22mm dater dial with a 60mm in length slogan or seven wavy-line obliterator
a G JUN 18 Gl
ll py oF ee , tee Bh ap
a) ae ee” Mirena i
% ea : f sett a ae * a
Sane. DL i Jf) oe L AA eet
2 . UV ee s
aes
J We / a ge cos
be We Claflin,
Providence, R, I.
Two Cenis..
Domestic Lefier-Rate (One Ounce)
{1 Juby 1919 —6 July 1932)
Ni AVY = ‘ raha ce ee
ING =TRAVEL
ec A Rang ee SS RCM Ed SPF Ea WE
ne
7 L i
fa fe A
SEVEN WAVY-LINES OBLITERATOR
3 March 1931
Commercial
Over,
posimarked af
HIGH-SPEED FLEXIBLE MACHINES _ Germany Universal Stamping Machine Co.
1911 - 1912
In 1911, William Bowes of the ‘Universal’ Company offered the German Reichspost his
single-impression high-speed machines ..
TESTING COMMENCED IN JUNE 1911 AT CHARLOTTENBURG AND LATER AT
BERLIN W35, GEESTEMUNDE AND HAMBURG POST OFFICES.
Purchasing of the initial machines took place in 1912 upon successful completion of
trials postmarking 500 postcards/minute or
400 mixed mail types/minute.
Postmark: 22mm dater dial along with a seven wavy-line obliterator
50mm in length
FREE-FRANK
POST OFFICE TEST MAIL 4
IP »
FIRST OFFICIAL f <q DPDoftfarte
8 June 1911
Test mail postcard, & ne gee. ee postmarked at
Charlottenburg (Berlin), ges sent to the Berlin C2 ; aE Ls sf ees Main Post Office. ;
- : f Z f¢ ; # ¢ Mg , if. d f @
Only Known Proof % ot i ‘Fits if Peele iy eect arctic eat epee s gegen ot Pit gee oe : / ,
GEESTEMUNDE TRIAL PERIOD MAIL
30 September 1911
Printed matter mail,
postmarked at
Geesteminde,
sent to
Heiligenfelde
Three Pfennig ..
Domestic printed-
matter up to 50 grams
HIGH-SPEED FLEXIBLE MACHINES Germany Universal Stamping Machine Co.
1912—-— 1920s
In 1912, the ‘Universal’ Company licensed manufacturing of its machine to the
‘Deutsche Post- und Eisenbahn-Verkehrswesen Aktiengeselischaft’ (DAPAG) at Staaken (Berlin).
WITH LOCAL MANUFACTURING AND SERVICE, MACHINE SALES SOARED INTO THE HUNDREDS FOR OPERATION THROUGHOUT GERMANY.
The applied postmark was shorter in length fo avoid interference
with wiiiten text on postal cards, disadvantages of the
‘Krag’ and early ‘Sylbe’ Machines.
Postmark: 22mm dater dial with a 35mm seven horizontal-line obliterator
CENSORED OFERSEAS-EOUND
PALAL
1 Aprligié
Prepaid reply postal sicdionery commercial moi, posimarked at Leipzig, sent to Sao Paulo, Brazil, with
censorship at Cologne-
Deutz, Germany.
Ten Piennig ..
UPU International
Postcard-Raie
seers nine to earn eaRRR LAER ERAAIEL pane ~—
is ses | a bee C NNR SAAR UN ee
MILITARY FIELDPOST SOLDIER'S MAIL
22 April 1918
Free Frank fleicdpes? cover, posimarked at
Munster (Lager). military training base,
sent to
Altencelle
HIGH-SPEED FLEXIBLE MACHINES Germany Universal Stamping Machine Co.
1920s
In the 1920's the ‘Universal’ Machine’s
POSTMARK WAS ALTERED TO INCLUDE SLOGAN TEXT OR DESIGNS
EITHER ADAPTED FOR POSTMARKING MAIL OR
AS NON-POSTAGE-STAMP EARLY “METER” MARKING.
Postmark: 22mm dater dial with a 35mm seven horizonial-line obliterator having text or design with or without value indication.
OBLITERATOR WITH TEXT .. “Leipziger
Mustermesse”
(‘Leipzig Fair")
3 March 1926
Ten Piennig ..
Domesiic tong-
distance mail
posicard-rate.
th IR I RR OI i gh Ta aN gs ea Pha Pa a a Ph lee Re i Pi ie a a EP ATE IT Pe
ALTERED METER
MARKING WITH
EXCISED VALUE FROM
g “f Ny Roe: a” OBLITERATOR Md, {only recorded usage
Mh f i 4-7 December 1922}
le B. D. A.
71 Koln 77 Neumarkt 41
Fernruf B asd.
—t 6 December 1922
la Dare? akon nspife ome. RE Commercial cover. oe é posimarked af Cologne,
seniio Berlin-Charlofenbure
Six Marks. Domestic long-distance
posicard-rate {15 November —
15 December f?22}
HIGH-SPEED FLEXIBLE MACHINES Great Britain Universal Stamping Machine Co.
1911- 1930s
| A UNIVERSALTYPE ‘D’ MACHINE WAS SUPPLIED TO THE BRITISH POST OFFICE AT
LONDON FOR TRIALS COMMENCING IN 1711, concluding posifively later thai year with purchase by the Brifish Posi Office,
widespread installation 2 operation throughout Briain. Postmark: 22mm dater dial with a seven 65mm-wavy-line obliterator on
out-going mail with only a dater dial applied to in-coming mail as a service or arrival postmark.
OUT-GOING MAIL POSTMARK
3 August 1911
Commercial mail
cover, postmarked
at London, sent to Freiburg (Breisgau),
Germany.
Four Pence.. (with perfin)
UPU International
Singie-Weight Letter-Rate
RS = s
IN-BOUND
Ei cae 4 ARRIVAL POSTMARK
OND ees (reverse) ®
“FO hog |) ee 2 pM go 11 August 1911
In-bound
i a commercial mail cover,
postmarked at London E.C.
for local delivery.
Weg One Penny...
: =< Domestic tert aS. single-weight
: ; letter-rate.
HIGH-SPEED FLEXIBLE MACHINES United States of America International Postal Supply Company
1901- 1906
In 1901, the United States Postal Service contracted the ‘Intemational Postal
Supply Company’ fo furnish them one hundred “FLIER” MODEL MACHINES. RECOGNIZED FOR THEIR HIGH SPEED AND SUPERIOR EFFECTIVENESS VERSUS
OTHER MACHINES IN OPERATION AT THE TIME.
Postmark: 20mm dater dial with various seven-line obliterators applied
to outgoing mail. Only dater dial applied to in-coming mail.
EARLY
‘FLIER’ OUT-
GOING — = MAIL a Th
POSTMARK — uaala PLL ait Taga tae
1902 Ustad
Printed-
matter mail,
postmarked —
at Boston, sent to
Wilmington, Vermont. , . t
—RETURN IN 5 DAYS— Wel. One Cent.. Printed- KNIGHT & THOMAS, J
matter up to BosTon, MaAss., U. S.A.
two ounces (8 June 1872 - : .
1 July 1998) ‘
LATER ‘FLIER’ POSTMARK
FOR OUT-GOING
10 March 1904
Commercial
mail, : postmarked at
oo New York City,
aff Se fe i Defy War sent to Syracuse, New
York.
Lynne | ames.
One ounce 7 oa domestic leHer-rate
(1 July 1885 - ha od . perio ma: _—S i 2 November 1717)
HIGH-SPEED FLEXIBLE MACHINES United States of America International Postal Supply Company
An ‘International’
Machine also
postmarked
‘St. Louis’ mail
advertising the “WORLD'S FAIR”
of 1902. Postmark:
20mm dater dial with
54mm slogan obliterator.
21 November 1902
Bulk-paid
printed-mater, postmarked af 3.
Louis, sent te Dayton. Orie.
a ee Set mee
HIGH-SPEED FLEXIBLE MACHINES Canada International Post Supply Company
1902-1919
The Canadian Post Office was the second largest market for fhe
‘International’ Company with
THE FIRST ‘FLIER’ MODEL MACHINE OPERATING AT 600/UNITS MINUTE
AT TORONTO BETWEEN 4-10 FEBRUARY HAVING A SIMPLE DATER DIAL
INDICATING “TORONTO/DATE/1902”.
Postmark: 20mm dater dial with a 546mm seven wavy-line obliterator on out-going mail with only a dater dial marking for in-coming mail
DOMESTIC MAIL
§ February 1902
Civilian cover, posimarked at Toronto, sent io
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
iwe Cords...
ister-1cie
Early Gate for First Postmark
FOREIGN-BOUND
10 February 1902
Civilian cover.
posimarked at Terento.
Pp i = 7 | yg /‘s : ; Al sent to lowa City,
: 2 lowa, U.S.A.
i | Cs fen or CAS Ct ee
Twe Certs ..
LéMer-rate for mae fo
the Untied Sictes af
America : {fective } Januar 1234)
KOCH.
My
Late Date for Firs? Posimork
HIGH-SPEED FLEXIBLE MACHINES Britain & Germany
International Postal Supply Company 1902
The ‘international’ Company
ATTEMPTED TO SELL iTS HIGH-SPEED ‘FLIER’ MODEL TO BOTH THE BRITISH AND GERMAN POST OFFICES WITHOUT SUCCESS,
primarily because of the high lease cost.
in Britain, an eight month irial took place 27 August 1702-6 April 1903, whereas in Germany, a three week hal beiween
24 October— 14 November 19072.
Postmark: 20mm dater dial with a 546mm seven wavy-line obliterator.
USE IN BRITAIN
2? August 1902
Viewcard,
postmarked at London, sent to
Ayesbury, England. [
Half Penny..
Domestic printed- matter postcard-rate
ae FOOLS Px
fe ey USE IN GERMANY FG ty
fPnov ie” \
12 November 1902
Cover,
postmarked at Berlin,
sent to
Pitschkau, Germany
Ten Pflennigs...
Domestic single-weight letter-rate.
OTHER INNOVATIVE MACHINES
COVER BRANDING
19 August 1901
Commercial bank
printed-matter mail,
postmarked at
$’Gravenhage,
sent to
Amsterdam
VI. EPILOGUE.. _ Netherlands
Vulcanus Branding Machines
i Berea ee eae
1901
IN AUGUST 1901, THE DUTCH POST OFFICE AT S'GRAVENHAGE TESTED A TREADLE-OPERATED MACHINE WHERE THE
POSTMARKING DIE WAS HEATED AND OBLITERATED THE POSTAGE BY BRANDING.
Since the machine’s output was not higher than the Roelant Machines in use and for burned mail considerations, the trial
soon ended and machine no longer considered.
Postmark: 32mm triple dash-circle dial indicating
“S’Gravenhage” and date. Use: August 1901
Aan den Heer Directeur der Rijkspostspaarbank
Amsterdam.
A. OPPENHEIM, *s-Gravenhage.
[Earkvfelake) F
BRIEFKAART ie POSTCARD oe 7 BRANDING
24 23 August 1901
Viewcard, oo = postmarked at
$’Gravenhage,
sent to
GAS Mire Bracke Ub
Henoche, Belgium.
EPILOGUE.. Norway
OTHER INNOVATIVE MACHINES Uchermann-Krag 1903 - 1904
Two inventors in Norway between 1900-1904 developed ‘meter forerunner’ machines.
The more successful of the two was the 1903-4 development by
Messrs. Uchermann & Krag (Krag Maskinfabrick) which had ..
SEVEN MACHINES IN USE BY THE NORWEGIAN POST OFFICE AND COMMERCIAL BUSINESSES TO PRE-MARK, OR METER-MAIL, WITHOUT
THE NEED FOR AFFIXING POSTAGE STAMPS.
Various colors and styles for the meter mark to be applied were considered with a ‘green’ shield variety being selected in
accordance with UPU mail-type color guidelines.
COLOR SPECIMENS FOR LOCAL
DOMESTIC MAIL ( 5 Ore):
Black, blue, green
DESIGN SPECIMEN FOR LONG-DISTANCE DOMESTIC MAIL (10 Ore) :
red
EPILOGUE.. | Norway
OTHER INNOVATIVE MACHINES Uchermann-Krag 1903 - 1904
Postmark: Shield with crown at top of an oval around a standing figure with meter value at the sides
Use: 15 June 1903-11 November 1904
1903 USE
24 October 1903
Commercial
mail cover, double
meter-marked & fsa a
1904 USE
11 November 1904
Commercial
mail cover,
EPILOGUE.. New Zealand
OTHER INNOVATIVE MACHINES New Zealand Franking Machine Company
1904
Unaware of developments in Norway, two inventors, Messrs. Moss and Wales, in 1904 New Zealand
introduced their so-called today
“meter forerunner’ machines to the postal authorities. Primary difference between Norway’s and New Zealand’s inventors
was the fact that those in New Zealand were
SELF-SERVICE COIN-OPERATED MACHINES FOR PUBLIC USE.
‘Moss’ Machines were located outside the main post offices ait Christchurch and Wellington while a ‘Wales’ Machine was located at
the Dunedin Post Office. Wales’ Machine Postmark: (metal die)
Narrow upright double ova with "N Z” at top, “One Penny" at the bottom, "1D" at the sides,
and blank center.
Use: 7 July - 31 October 1904
23 July 1904
Commercial cover,
postmarked at Dunedin, sent locally.
One Pence ..
Domestic letter-rate.
EPILOGUE.. _ New Zealand OTHER INNOVATIVE MACHINES Automatic Franking
Machine Company
1904 - 1928
Competitor to Robert Wales’ ‘New Zealand Franking Machine Company’ was
Ernest Moss’ ‘Automatic Franking Machine Company’.
UNTIL 1922, WHEN THE UPU PERMITTED INTERNATIONAL USE ON MAIL, ‘METER’ MARKS
WERE ONLY PERMITTED FOR DOMESTIC MAIL USE.
Moss’ Machine Postmark: Round single or double circle dial (various
diameters) until 1909 and rectangular styles from 1910.
ROUND METER MARK
19 September 1907
Commercial cover, meter-marked and
Columbia-Machine postmarked at
Christchurch,
sent to London, England.
‘Official Paid’.. (meter not recognized)
One Pence..
Empire letter-rate RECTANGULAR
METER MARK
12 April 1911
Commercial cover, meter-marked and
hand-postmarked at Christchurch,
ij sent to
: Stockholm, Sweden Aktiebolaget Separator,
eo i ae ‘Additional Postage
a Franked’.. STOCKHOLM ~ tnidonial weasel 2-1/2 Pence...
\ UPU Intemational
Sweden, . letter-rate
EPILOGUE.. Germany
OTHER INNOVATIVE MACHINES DAPAG Company 1909
In 1909, the ‘DAPAG’ Company of Germany inttoduced
A PUBLIC-USE CRANK-HANDLE-OPERATED SELF-SERVICE
MAIL REGISTRATION MACHINE in Berlin's main post office lobby.
The postal potron, whose mail had to be properly franked,
inserted the mail into the machine, which then
applied a dafed and numbered registration mark in red, retaining the mail
while issuing a receipt fo the postal patron.
Registration Mark:
20 x 44mm in red indicating ‘Berlin’,
registration number and date.
Known Use:
9 & 22 Nov. and 10 Dec. 1909 Original Registration Receipt:
‘10 December 1709" Mail
Cover, postmarked at Berlin C,
sent to Nirmberg
30 Pfennigs ..
10 Pfg.. Single-weight domestic-Germany letter-rate
+ 20 Pig.. Registration fee
One of four known examples to-date.
EPILOGUE.. Russia OTHER INNOVATIVE MACHINES DAPAG Company
1912 - 1917
ST. PETERSBURG
1 September 1912
Earliest known usage of DAPAG in Russia
Foreign-bound mail = “R” in circle cachet
mark applied, sent to
a soldier at
Grafenwohr Military Training Base in
(Bavaria) Germany.
Transit & Arrival
Postmarks (Reverse)
“Bayreuth,
16 September 1912”
“Weiden,
14 September 1912”
“Lager Grafenwohr, 17 September 1912”
26 Kopecks...
1G isk. Lefer-iate
+ 3% tpn, Regisiration fee
ex yon Hofmann
MOSCOW
27 September 1913
Commercial mail
postmarked at Moscow with revised
style of DAPAG Mark (Russian & French fexf},
sent to Stockholm,
= “processed Through
Automat (Machine)”
Arrival Postmark {Reverse}
“Stockholn.
13 October 1773"
20 Kopecks... 10 Kpk. Lefer-rate
+ 10 Kpk. Regisioation Fee
ex ven Hofmann
EPILOGUE.. Germany
OTHER INNOVATIVE MACHINES DAPAG Company 1913 - 1921
Continuing to develop innovative postmarking machines, the ‘DAPAG’ Company in 1913 introduced a
SELF CONTAINED FRANKING AND POSTMARKING MACHINE FOR
POST OFFICE USE; The machine 'cuf’ a stamp from a coil, affixed it horizontally to
the unit of mail and then postmarked if in one operation.
The Reichsposi operated ‘DAPAG’ Machines in eight cities between 1913-1921: Berlin, Breslau, Cologne, Hamburg,
Hanover, Leipzig, Magdeburg & Stuttgart. Registration Mark: 25mm in red indicating city and
postal station number
Known Example Use: 21 February 1713 - 6 May 1914 --June 1919, ---April 1921
_N. GOTTSCHALK | Hoilieferant
BERLIN SW68 | Lindenfirahe 106 —
4 March 1913
Printed-matter cover, postmarked at ‘Berlin SW aé8q’, sent to Barmen, Germany.
Three Pfennigs .. Bemestic printed-matier rate up fo 50 grams
(1 April 1700 = 31 July 1714)
OTHER INNOVATIVE MACHINES EPILOGUE.. Great Britain
Wilkinson Machine Company
In 1912, the British Post Office at London tested a
developed by Mr. F. Wilkinson of Braintree, England...
During the seven month trial, 12,000 mail units were postmarked.
PUBLIC-USE COIN-FED SELF-SERVICE STAMPLESS POSTMARKING MACHINE,
The mailer inserted a One-Penny coin along with the cover, rotated the hand-crank, whereupon a “postage paid” circular marking was applied on
the cover, retained by the machine, until retrieved by a postal clerk, who subsequently applied a second postmark indicating day and time.
ADVERTISING MAIL
13 March 1912
Commercial Cover,
postmarked at
London (red ink),
sent locally
One Penny.. Domestic
Letter-rate
LS P
OR
T N T M E T
a T
f T
- e Soe ae ‘Xerts,
Postmark: 27mm single-circle postmark (red) with value & crown
25 January - 31 August 1912 Use:
hay: R. FOSTER.
—_ureyferd,
aN ightingale Road,
‘ —— Kickmansworth, _
o e
a A
& %
e e !
sa p d
e g
¥;
f
ch ai
n se in
Ae
ee t m a r t e s
e R
ge oh
CLERGY MAIL
9 Mail 1912
Cover,
postmarked at London (red ink),
sent to
Rickmansworth, England
One Penny .. Domestic Letter-rate
Page Layout Design Made Possible by: water css
Webpage design by The Swanson Group
Updated 10 December 2024