Postal authorities assigned many different types of devices for use in marking the mail. Some were used to "cancel" the postage by marking the stamps, some were used to show the city name and date, some served both purposes with a single device, and some were used to show special handling of the mail (such as registered mail). Below is a summary of some of the more interesting types of devices assigned to Brandon; it would be pointless to show all the different devices, as they were quite numerous.

	broken-circle, split-ring, or split-circle; a type of dater	the first type, used from 1881 for a few years
	obliterator, or killer; used in conjunction with the first daters	used from 1881 for a few years
	circle-date-stamp (CDS); used as a dater; later used also for cancelling the postage	many variations were issued, from 1882 and used for several decades
	duplex - used as a single hammer in lieu of a dater and killer	used between 1883 and 1957
	roller - made with a device where the mail was cranked through and marked (courtesy of Gray Scrimgeour)	used between 1881 and 1882
	squared circle - very popular type for collectors	used between 1893 and 1900
	machine cancel	used between 1881 and 1882
	pre-cancels - stamps already "cancelled" by the post office. The earlier one shows the city name (this one is inverted, which makes collectors drool); the later one carries a number that was assigned to Brandon.	used between 1903 and 1948
	slogan cancel - a machine cancel with a specific message	used between 1913 and 1980s

Go to Page 6 (railway post offices)

---

Return To Page 1 of this exhibit | 1882 | business mail | early history | postmasters | post offices | postmarks | railway post offices |