U.S. Machine Cancel Identifier – Killer in the Shape of the American Flag (or Flag-Like)

Your machine cancel was most probably made by an American machine that impressed a U. S. flag as the killer. These types of machines were in use for many years, and were the lifetime study of Frederick Langford. His book has remained the most comprehensive listing of such cancels. Note that some of the ‘flag killers’ are in fact banners with slogans or post office branch names. However, the basic flag design remains for the American machines.

Note however, that there are some other flag or flag-like machine cancels, as noted by Langford. Most of the non-American ‘flags’ are uncommon to rare.

For example, the Time-Marking/Cummins company produced flag cancel machines for Lahaina, Hawaii, and Leesburg, Florida. In addition, the Hampden company produced a flag cancel used for a short time in Washington, DC. Finally, Barr-Fyke had flag-like killers on some of their cancellations. The markings mentioned here were discussed and illustrated in Langford’s flag cancel book.

It should also be noted, that there were a number of flag cancels created as handstamps. They may look like American machine cancels, but are actually handstamps. They can usually be identified by the large postmark dial circle, much larger in diameter than the circle used by the American machine.

[american flag machine used in balboa island california]

Flag Cancel Impressed by Typical American Machine

[american flag machine used for boston circuit (trolley car) RPO]

Station ‘flag’ cancel impressed by American machine (Boston Circuit, Trolley Car, RPO)

[american flag machine with slogan inside flag killer]

Slogan ‘flag’ cancel impressed by American machine (WW I Era)

[american flag machine with ‘involute’ flag killer]

‘Involute flag’ cancel impressed by early model American machine

[cummins flag machine from lahaina hawaii (rare)]

Rare flag cancel of Lahaina, Hawai’i impressed by Time-Marking/Cummins machine

[cummins flag machine from leesburg florida (rare)]

Rare flag cancel of Leesburg, Florida impressed by Time-Marking/Cummins machine (image from Langford book)

[barr-fyke flag-like machine ]

Flag-like cancel impressed by Barr-Fyke machines (image from Langford book)

[hampden flag machine from Washington, DC (rare)]

Flag cancel impressed by Hampden machine (rare, image from Langford Book)

[handstamp with flag killer (probably a composit)]

Handstamp that looks like a flag machine (probably a composit)

There is a bit more information available about these machines on my Machine Web page.

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