U.S. Machine Cancel Finder -- Find a Style

U.S. Machine Cancel Finder -- Find a Cancel Style

This set of postmark and killer groupings may make it easier to identify a machine cancellation. You may have clicked on a link to get here, or the "finder" has sent you here because your criteria don't exactly match a known 1900-1920 U. S. machine cancel. Take a look at the following groups. Match up the format of the cancel (killer) with the postmark, and follow the appropriate link for more information.

There is a listing grouped by cancel (killer), and a listing grouped by postmark.

Postmark Types

These 3 different postmark types will be mentioned several times within this page, so it is best to become familiar with them.

Circle Postmark: [circle postmark]

Straight Line Postmark: [straight-line postmark]

Oval (or Rounded Square) Postmark: [oval postmark]

Listing Grouped by Killer (Cancel) Type

Follow down this listing, looking for a match with your killer (cancel) type. Each killer type will have one or more sub-entries that match each postmark type (see above). For instance, if your cancellation has a straight-line killer, and circular postmark, look down the list for that killer, then look below and/or across for the circular postmark entry. Follow the link(s) ( if any) to get more information.

Horizontal Bars (May Be In Pairs): [horizontal bars]

Circle Postmark: Try Here

Straight Line Postmark: Try Here

Oval (or Rounded Square) Postmark: Barry or
Time-Cummins

Wavy Lines: [wavy bars]

Circle Postmark: Try Here

Straight Line Postmark: Barry or
Columbia

Oval (or Rounded Square) Postmark: Barry

Vertical Bars: [vertical bars]

Circle Postmark: Try Here

Straight Line Postmark: Perfection

Oval (or Rounded Square) Postmark: Not Known

Diagonal Bars: [diagonal bars]

Circle Postmark: Constantine

Straight Line Postmark: Barry or
Hampden

Oval (or Rounded Square) Postmark: Barry

Vertical Bars and Horizontal Wavy Lines: [wavy lines and vertical bars]

Circle Postmark: Columbia

Straight Line Postmark: Not Known

Oval (or Rounded Square) Postmark: Not Known

Dashed or Dotted Horizontal Lines: [dashed horizontal bars]

Circle Postmark: Try Here

Straight Line Postmark: Perfection

Oval (or Rounded Square) Postmark: Not Known

American Flag (or flag-like) Plain or With Branch: [american flag]

Circle Postmark: Try Here

Straight Line Postmark: Not Known (See Langford)

Oval (or Rounded Square) Postmark: Not Known (See Langford)

Herringbone Pattern: [herringbone]

Circle Postmark: Not Known

Straight Line Postmark: Potter-Vail

Oval (or Rounded Square) Postmark: Potter-Vail

Repeating Eagle Image: [repeating eagle]

Circle Postmark: Not Known

Straight Line Postmark: Milam-Holmes

Oval (or Rounded Square) Postmark: Not Known

Repeating Horizontal Bars and Dial: [krag repeater]

Circle Postmark: Krag

Straight Line Postmark: Not Known in U.S.

Oval (or Rounded Square) Postmark: Not Known in U.S.

Service Marking ('Received', 'Train Late', etc): [circle postmark]

Circle Postmark: Service Markings

Straight Line Postmark: Service Markings

Oval (or Rounded Square) Postmark: Service Markings

Listing Grouped by Postmark Type

Follow down this listing, looking for a match with your postmark type. Each postmark type will have one or more sub-entries that match each killer type. For instance, if your cancellation has a circular postmark and straight-line killer, look down the list for the circular postmark group, then look below and across for the straight-line killer entry. Follow the link(s) ( if any) to get more information.

Circle Postmark:

Horizontal Bars (May Be In Pairs): Try Here

Diagonal Bars: Constantine

American Flag Plain or With Branch: Try Here

Repeating Horizontal Bars and Dial: Krag

Wavy Lines: Try Here

Vertical Bars and Horizontal Wavy Lines: Columbia

Herringbone Pattern: Not Known

Service Marking ('Received', 'Train Late', etc): Service Markings

Vertical Bars: Try Here

Dashed or Dotted Horizontal Lines: Try Here

Repeating Eagle Image: Not Known

Straight Line Postmark:

Horizontal Bars (May Be In Pairs): Try Here

Diagonal Bars: Barry or
Hampden

American Flag Plain or With Branch: Not Known (See Langford)

Repeating Horizontal Bars and Dial: Not Known in U.S.

Wavy Lines: Barry or
Columbia

Vertical Bars and Horizontal Wavy Lines: Not Known

Herringbone Pattern: Potter-Vail

Service Marking ('Received', 'Train Late', etc): Service Markings

Vertical Bars: Perfection

Dashed or Dotted Horizontal Lines: Perfection

Repeating Eagle Image: Milam-Holmes

Oval (or Rounded Square) Postmark:

Horizontal Bars (May Be In Pairs): Barry or
Time-Cummins

Diagonal Bars: Barry

American Flag Plain or With Branch: Not Known (See Langford)

Repeating Horizontal Bars and Dial: Not Known in U.S.

Wavy Lines: Barry

Vertical Bars and Horizontal Wavy Lines: Not Known

Herringbone Pattern: Potter-Vail

Service Marking ('Received', 'Train Late', etc): Service Markings

Vertical Bars: Not Known

Dashed or Dotted Horizontal Lines: Not Known

Repeating Eagle Image: Not Known

Where I refer to 'Langford', you should look for more information in the exaustive studies written by the late Frederick Langford, concerning flag cancellations. His books are available from the Machine Cancel Society.

U.S. Machine Cancel Finder -- Find a Cancel Style

Postmark Types

Listing Grouped by Killer (Cancel) Type

Listing Grouped by Postmark Type

More Links