• Introduction
  • Welcome
  • About BNAPS Education
• Canadian Philately
  • Canadian Philately - An Outline
  • The Canadian Posted Letter Guide
• Novices
  • Youth
    • Introduction
    • Canada’s Art and Artists on Canadian Stamps
    • My Favourite ... Cartier, 1534-1934
    • Collect Canada’s 1953–57 Wildlife Stamps
    • A Ship from History
    • First Day Covers
  • Adult
    • Introduction
    • A Small Start Can Build a Grand Collection
    • Canada's prime Ministers series of 1951-1955
    • The Admiral Stamps of Canada
    • An Introduction to Canadian Machined Slogan Cancels
    • Topical Collecting
• Experienced Collectors
  • Stamp Collectors
    • Introduction
    • Grenfell on Stamps of Newfoundland and Canada
    • Bluenose is Still Considered Canada’s Finest Stamp
    • The Open (or Shut) Case for Booklet Collecting
    • 1946 Stamps Show Canada’s Return to Peace
    • Issues of WWII: King, Country, and Conflict
    • The 1932 Medallions are Modern Classics
    • Canadian Stamps Marked Montreal Olympics
  • Postal Historians
    • Introduction
    • Canada’s ½¢ Small Queen had Multiple Uses
    • Covers Commemorated the Royal Visit of 1939
    • Some 19^th Century Mail That Took it on the Chin
    • Markings on Canadian Naval Mail of WWII
    • Crashes, Fires, and War Interrupted the Mail
    • Paquebot Covers: Mailed on the High Seas
• Exhibitors
  • Introduction
  • Aid to Exhibitors and Judges
  • Getting Started in Philatelic Exhibiting
  • Use resources to help solve puzzling covers
• The Press
  • Commercial publications
    • Introduction
    • Stamp Society Supports Youth Philately
  • Society publications
    • Introduction
    • Stamp Society Supports Youth Philately

An Introduction to Canadian Machined Slogan Cancels
by Cecil C. Coutts (ENA4)

Postal slogans are generally collected in two forms – either the whole envelope or as a cut-out that consists of two components – the slogan and the dater hub or dial, as it is referred to in the United States. In the interests of saving space, cut-outs will be used in this presentation.

The first machine slogans appeared in Montreal and Ottawa in 1897 to commemorate Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee. Two companies produced their own dies as noted below.

Additional Bickerdike slogans were used at Toronto in 1901 to advertise Canada’s Exposition held in that city. Two of the dies are shown.

The Imperial and Bickerdike machines were replaced in 1902 by those of the International Postal Supply Company. For a period of nearly ten years, no slogans were produced on International machines. Rather a bland wavy-line obliterator or killer was used with the dater hub.

By 1912 at least 57 cities were now using International cancellers. Finally, in that year, the first International slogan appeared in, of all places, small town Lethbridge, Alberta.

The year at the bottom of the hub distinguishes this machine from the Universal.

The concept of slogan advertising seemed to be very well received and most of the larger cities got on the bandwagon ordering slogans that advertised local exhibitions and fairs. The national government too got in on the act with slogans designed to help the war effort. It was during this period that the very collectable “flag” slogans made their appearance.

By mid-1919 there was a major transition from International machines to those of the Universal Stamping Machine Company. A few Universal and Columbia machines had been tried out earlier.

The period 1912 to 1919 is considered to be the “Classic Period” for slogans. Some are scarce such as the flags and prairie fairs. All slogans from this period are eagerly sought by collectors who, at times, will need deep pockets.

Universal machines were rented from an American firm and remained in use until the early 1930’s. About this time, Government officials decided to employ Canadian-made products. The cancelling machine contract with Universal was terminated and in its place the business went to one George Robert of Montreal who had obtained machine patents from J.O. Lamoureux. The machine was sold under the name “Perfect.” As it turned out, the Canadian-made product was anything but perfect. The government admitted it made a mistake buying the Perfects and once again turned to the Universal Company that by this time had merged with Pitney-Bowes.

By 1966 a total of 380 Pitney-Bowes machines were furnished to the post office department on a rental basis.

By 1970 the Post Office Department needed to find ways and means to speed up mail processing time. A number of different cancelling machines were experimented with. Following are examples of machine cancellers (with slogans) used at various post offices between 1970 and 1990. Many of these machines used the rather unexciting POSTAL CODE slogan.

Finally, we come to the fastest mail processor of them all. Introduced in the early 1990’s, this most up-to-date Optical Character Reader (OCR) can process up to 33,000 pieces of mail per hour. Coupled with the OCR is a jet spray printer that applies to the envelope the OCR number, the postal code of the processing plant and the time of processing right down to the minute on the 24 hour clock. Slogans can be electronically printed out with a touch of the computer keyboard. There were so many typing errors when these machines first came on stream that the post office decided to decline many privately-requested slogans and in recent years has stuck with a few of their own service slogans.

The authority on Canadian Slogans is found in SLOGAN POSTMARKS OF CANADA by Cecil C. Coutts. The Second Edition of this catalogue and handbook is out of print. Look for the Third Edition from your favourite stamp dealer in mid-2007.