A Piece of Americana Comes Alive
U. S. FLAG CANCEL AVAILABLE FROM WARREN, OHIO
US STUDY GROUP - JAPAN PHILATELIC SOCIETY MAKES IT POSSIBLE -- Report by the Editor
[From Machine Cancel Forum January 2005]
Special installations of hand driven machines were previously discussed by Bart Billings and Robert Payne. [1] In recent timed, since the 1970's installation of a flag cancel device at the Smithsonian, the first has been the Japan Philatelic Society--US Study Group display at the Tokyo Philatelic Museum. The Warren Area Stamp Club installed an Ohio State Flag in 2003. The inspiration for the Ohio State Flag was the Japanese HD2.
With the 150th Anniversary of commerce between Japan and America being celebrated just past, a question was posed to Mr Takahiro Ohta of the US Study Group, if the Group would be possible to swap cancelling hubs for a short period of time. The US cancelling hub would come to Warren, and the Ohio cancelling hub would go to Tokyo. Mr Ohta very promptly reported affirmatively, and sent the US Flag cancelling hub by international express mail. WOW!
I am pleased to announce that the US Flag cancel is operational, and a postal example is below.
![[U.S. Flag Cancel]](us_flag.jpg)
The US Flag hub will be available until the Warren Area Stamp
Club's spring stamp show.
[2]
It will then be returned to Japan. The machine is used only on
mail requesting its use, as the machine is old and tends to spit
and sputter, and does bend (sometimes tear) mail. Send requests
to:
POSTMASTER, MACHINE FLAG CANCEL
WARREN OH 44481-9998
Specific dates cannot be honored, and mail will be dispatched when the
machine is operational. Domestic and Foreign mail must bear correct
postage. Mail must be kept thin, or the machine will tear the
envelope.
Mail will be returned through ordinary mail channels
and over-sprays can occur. The Warren Area Stamp Club is
assisting, and if you include a self-addressed return envelope,
it will be used. There is of course no charge. Thank you
Mr Ohta and the US Study Group of the Japan Philatelic Society.
Footnotes
[1] Billlings & Payne, "Special Installations of Hand Driven Machines," (Machine Cancel Forum #209), July 2004, pp 3397-3407.
[2] This northeastern Ohio stamp show will be held Saturday, April 9 (10 am to 5pm) and Sunday, April 10 (11am to 4pm) at the St Demetrios Community, Youth and Fellowship Hall, 3223 Atlantic Street NE, Warren, Trumbull County, Ohio. Warren is located half way between Cleveland and Pittsburgh. [ed. This notice was for the year 2005.]
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