Duplex cancel
Encyclopedia
A duplex cancel was a hand stamp used to cancel postage stamp
s and imprint a dated postmark
applied simultaneously with the one device. The device had a steel die, generally circular, which printed the location of the cancel, together with the time and date of cancel. This die was held in place by a handle with an obliteration marker, often oval shaped, off to the right side that was applied over the postage stamp to prevent its reuse. The ink came from an ink pad.
In the United States, they were first used in the 1860s and use continued into the 1940s.
Some machine cancelling devices like the French Daguin machine
or the Italian Dani Machine also applied both the "killer" and the date stamp simultaneously. Especially in the Italian literature (and in German literature about Italian cancels) these cancelling devices are referred as duplex cancel.
Postage stamp
A postage stamp is a small piece of paper that is purchased and displayed on an item of mail as evidence of payment of postage. Typically, stamps are made from special paper, with a national designation and denomination on the face, and a gum adhesive on the reverse side...
s and imprint a dated postmark
Postmark
thumb|USS TexasA postmark is a postal marking made on a letter, package, postcard or the like indicating the date and time that the item was delivered into the care of the postal service...
applied simultaneously with the one device. The device had a steel die, generally circular, which printed the location of the cancel, together with the time and date of cancel. This die was held in place by a handle with an obliteration marker, often oval shaped, off to the right side that was applied over the postage stamp to prevent its reuse. The ink came from an ink pad.
In the United States, they were first used in the 1860s and use continued into the 1940s.
Some machine cancelling devices like the French Daguin machine
Daguin machine
The Daguin machine was one of the first cancelling machines used by the French postal administration. It was created by Eugène Daguin . Its first official use took place in June 1884 in Paris...
or the Italian Dani Machine also applied both the "killer" and the date stamp simultaneously. Especially in the Italian literature (and in German literature about Italian cancels) these cancelling devices are referred as duplex cancel.