Three old ones in 1880, and two with the de Coppet flexible head canceler shipped in 1908.
The 1908 cancellers have at the bottom – Recomandate and each have a different decoration on the sides at 3 and 9 o’clock.
One decoration looks like squiggle, the other canceler looks more like a 4 part white diagonal cross in a rectangle.
These cancelers have the date show as 20.VI.08. This is the date shipped from the factory, the other dated 23.VII.08
The three cancelers shipped in 1880 are smaller in diameter and have the city name around the top with a hollow 5-pointed star at the bottom. The central point is down rather than the way we normally draw a star with the point up. These cancelers have the month as a three letter abbreviation. 27 JAN 08. In those years all cancelers were shipped with a fictitious date even the ones made for Swiss Post. Maybe the worker attempted to have the date set for 80, but looking at it in reverse set 08.
As to 1904 at this point in time I’ve not found any.
If you can send a scan of the cancel you are questioning, I can look through the Güller proof books and see if I can find it. Keep in mind all cancelers are logged as to the day they shipped from the factory, and are not segregated by town name, or pattern, or anything useful philatelically.
Another group of 10 have a different appearance and were shipped on the same day – 29 Fev 92. They do not have the double circle, but have at the top –
I judged your exhibit at Ameristamp Expo and your synopsis mentioned that you have copies of a proof book showing all cancels made by this Swiss company. I collect Peru and wonder if this company made cancels for Peru and if I can obtain pdf’s from the proof book of them.
Hi Chuck,
Thanks for asking. Sorry, but Güller did not make cancels for Peru. The proof books were originally small lined paper notebooks. In 2000 these notebooks were photocopied and bound into large six large volumes at about 90% original size. They take about one foot of shelf space. I have been through the pages from the earliest circa 1870 to 1930 and don’t believe I have missed any foreign cancels. What makes foreign cancels easier to find was the Swiss post office’s requirement that Güller make cancels for other countries look different from Swiss cancels. So the foreign ones do stand out on the pages when looking at 40 or so impressions per page.
Thanks for your judging. Your email confirms to me the purpose of this exhibit which covers so much ground for a single frame exhibit. It was once suggested by a judge that I could do a 10 page exhibit on only the Mexican cancels. The answer of course is that that’s not the goal of the exhibit.
I quite some time ago bought some swiss cover on ebay, as I was looking at them I notet that you had expressed interest in some letters. Please get in touch and we can see if I can sell you some items you were interested in. ” Switzerland 1846 -1881 Postal history 11 covers”
Sorry for the delay in responding to your question. I know there are some Güller cancelers made for France, but at this time I do not have a list. Please understand that the proof books show the cancel proofs on the date they were shipped from the factory, not by country name, nor style, etc. So I will have to turn many pages to find French cancels. I recall seeing railway cancers for France but must find them. Please give me some time and I will try to find them.
Hello Roger,
I came across your exhibit on De Coppet Razor Blade cancels and found it to be very interesting and informative. The range of material that you have is quite impressive and the amount of work that has gone into the write-up is obvious!
I noticed the history that you presented on the precursor cancels as well, in particular the Ste. Croix experimental canceler. According to your exhibit, you are aware of five cancels of this Ste. Croix type prior to 1899. I would like to let you know that I recently bought a copy of Zumstein 71D, 1 Fr. Standing Helvetia, canceled with this device on 15.X.98. I assume that it is not already included in your census of pre-1899 examples of this cancel, since I found it in a lot of relatively common stamps with no mention of anything special about any of them. It would thus appear to be a sixth example for your census. It is maybe also noteworthy that it was used during the first week of the razor blade trials.
Let me know if you would like me to send you a high-definition scan of the stamp.
Hi: I’m working on South African date-stamps up to 1910 (Union). Small double-circle wheel-change date-stamps were first used in the Zuid Afrikaansche Republiek in 1894, and were in general use by 1900; squared circle wheel-change date-stamps were introduced at a few large offices (including Johannesburg and Pretoria) in 1898, and larger interrupted double circle wheel-change date-stamps were introduced a half a dozen large offices at about the same time. After the Boer War, the Transvaal continued to use wheel-change date-stamps until and after Union.
I have been trying to find out where these wheel-change date-stamps were made, but so far haven’t got anywhere. It seems likely that they were made in Europe – perhaps in Germany or Holland. I’d welcome any comments or information; and would be happy to send scans of examples.
I think most of the cancel in question were made by Güller & Cie of Hüttikon, Switzerland.
They are found most often on telegraph stamps used during the Boer War and also found less frequently on regular issue stamps, that might have been available in the telegraph offices. I’ve sent you scan via email showing how they were used.
The first is a sample from the Güller proof books of which I have a set. Güller didn’t include a proof image of every single “Telegraphs” date stamp shipped. In some places the book shows a single example from the shipment and include the number shipped. It looks like the first group was created in 1887, then a group in 1889, then 1892, a large group in 1897. Güller continued to make Telegraphs date stamps through 1904, then again from 1911 to 1915.
There are numerous examples of the large sizes of which I’m showing scans from the internet. Notice the British used the same series in Sudan!
The pdf at the bottom of this email includes some information from a revenue exhibit.
I’m not sure I can help much more than this since Güller didn’t include proofs of all the many Telegraphs they shipped, just samples from the groups, therefore, it is not possible to determine first use dates except for the few shown in the proof books. Too put it in perspective, there were hundreds shipped!
Hi
I am the Editor of Menelik’s Journal, the quarterly newsletter of the Ethiopian Philatelic Society. Daryl Reiber sent me scans of the Guller cancels from Ethiopia that you have from his proof book. I have information about the cancellers that you may find interesting and hopefully I hear back from you to discuss.
Best regards,
Ulf
18 Comments
Ralph Bernatz
December 29, 2014Hello Roger,
I want to thank you for that wonderful site – phantastic, interesting and full of love for the subjects.
Yours,
Ralph
Stephen Kittle
July 6, 2015Were there any of these cancels used in Romania, 1904?
Specifically, Bucuresci, dated Nov. 4th.
Thank you
Stephen Kittle
Roger Heath
July 6, 2015Thanks for looking at my exhibit.
Yes, there are 5 cancellers made for Bucuresci.
Three old ones in 1880, and two with the de Coppet flexible head canceler shipped in 1908.
The 1908 cancellers have at the bottom – Recomandate and each have a different decoration on the sides at 3 and 9 o’clock.
One decoration looks like squiggle, the other canceler looks more like a 4 part white diagonal cross in a rectangle.
These cancelers have the date show as 20.VI.08. This is the date shipped from the factory, the other dated 23.VII.08
The three cancelers shipped in 1880 are smaller in diameter and have the city name around the top with a hollow 5-pointed star at the bottom. The central point is down rather than the way we normally draw a star with the point up. These cancelers have the month as a three letter abbreviation. 27 JAN 08. In those years all cancelers were shipped with a fictitious date even the ones made for Swiss Post. Maybe the worker attempted to have the date set for 80, but looking at it in reverse set 08.
As to 1904 at this point in time I’ve not found any.
If you can send a scan of the cancel you are questioning, I can look through the Güller proof books and see if I can find it. Keep in mind all cancelers are logged as to the day they shipped from the factory, and are not segregated by town name, or pattern, or anything useful philatelically.
Aurora Godanich
September 7, 2015Well done, Roger !
Célio Frederico
October 31, 2015How many cancels are from Angola? Some of them are the type used in FERROVIA in Italy in 1910?
Thank you
Célio Frederico
admin
November 18, 2015I have found 87 different Angola cancels in the proof books that were shipped on either 29 Fev 92, or 5 Mar 92. They look like the examples on your web site – https://sites.google.com/site/celiojgf/periodo-moderno/2o-grupo
Another group of 10 have a different appearance and were shipped on the same day – 29 Fev 92. They do not have the double circle, but have at the top –
Portugal
Prov.de
Angola
Then a wide octagonal date bridge
below the name of the office
Corro
de
Loanda
admin
November 18, 2015The Ferrovia cancels of Italy were railway cancels. Güller made many of these cancels for Italy in 1908.
William Stalder
November 13, 2015I would like to order the book on deCoppets Razor Blade postmarks.I need an address to mail payment.
Thak you W. Stalder
Chuck Wooster
February 27, 2018Roger,
I judged your exhibit at Ameristamp Expo and your synopsis mentioned that you have copies of a proof book showing all cancels made by this Swiss company. I collect Peru and wonder if this company made cancels for Peru and if I can obtain pdf’s from the proof book of them.
Thanks
Chuck Wooster
admin
February 27, 2018Hi Chuck,
Thanks for asking. Sorry, but Güller did not make cancels for Peru. The proof books were originally small lined paper notebooks. In 2000 these notebooks were photocopied and bound into large six large volumes at about 90% original size. They take about one foot of shelf space. I have been through the pages from the earliest circa 1870 to 1930 and don’t believe I have missed any foreign cancels. What makes foreign cancels easier to find was the Swiss post office’s requirement that Güller make cancels for other countries look different from Swiss cancels. So the foreign ones do stand out on the pages when looking at 40 or so impressions per page.
Thanks for your judging. Your email confirms to me the purpose of this exhibit which covers so much ground for a single frame exhibit. It was once suggested by a judge that I could do a 10 page exhibit on only the Mexican cancels. The answer of course is that that’s not the goal of the exhibit.
Frank Vignola
March 25, 2018Am giving a talk to the Greater Eugene and Springfield Stamp club.
Michael Kindahl
May 20, 2018Hello Roger,
I quite some time ago bought some swiss cover on ebay, as I was looking at them I notet that you had expressed interest in some letters. Please get in touch and we can see if I can sell you some items you were interested in. ” Switzerland 1846 -1881 Postal history 11 covers”
Sincerely Michael Kindahl
GUILLARD Luc
July 16, 2018Hello
Do you know if in the work of the tests of handstamps, it is referenced handstamps used in France ?
May i have copy ?
Because i know handstamps Frederic DE COPPET since 1913 in FRANCE
Thank you
Luc
admin
July 27, 2018Hello Luc,
Sorry for the delay in responding to your question. I know there are some Güller cancelers made for France, but at this time I do not have a list. Please understand that the proof books show the cancel proofs on the date they were shipped from the factory, not by country name, nor style, etc. So I will have to turn many pages to find French cancels. I recall seeing railway cancers for France but must find them. Please give me some time and I will try to find them.
Roger
Wayne Henderson
October 15, 2018Hello Roger,
I came across your exhibit on De Coppet Razor Blade cancels and found it to be very interesting and informative. The range of material that you have is quite impressive and the amount of work that has gone into the write-up is obvious!
I noticed the history that you presented on the precursor cancels as well, in particular the Ste. Croix experimental canceler. According to your exhibit, you are aware of five cancels of this Ste. Croix type prior to 1899. I would like to let you know that I recently bought a copy of Zumstein 71D, 1 Fr. Standing Helvetia, canceled with this device on 15.X.98. I assume that it is not already included in your census of pre-1899 examples of this cancel, since I found it in a lot of relatively common stamps with no mention of anything special about any of them. It would thus appear to be a sixth example for your census. It is maybe also noteworthy that it was used during the first week of the razor blade trials.
Let me know if you would like me to send you a high-definition scan of the stamp.
Sincerely,
Wayne
Bas PAYNE
April 15, 2022Hi: I’m working on South African date-stamps up to 1910 (Union). Small double-circle wheel-change date-stamps were first used in the Zuid Afrikaansche Republiek in 1894, and were in general use by 1900; squared circle wheel-change date-stamps were introduced at a few large offices (including Johannesburg and Pretoria) in 1898, and larger interrupted double circle wheel-change date-stamps were introduced a half a dozen large offices at about the same time. After the Boer War, the Transvaal continued to use wheel-change date-stamps until and after Union.
I have been trying to find out where these wheel-change date-stamps were made, but so far haven’t got anywhere. It seems likely that they were made in Europe – perhaps in Germany or Holland. I’d welcome any comments or information; and would be happy to send scans of examples.
admin
April 15, 2022Hello Bas,
I think most of the cancel in question were made by Güller & Cie of Hüttikon, Switzerland.
They are found most often on telegraph stamps used during the Boer War and also found less frequently on regular issue stamps, that might have been available in the telegraph offices. I’ve sent you scan via email showing how they were used.
The first is a sample from the Güller proof books of which I have a set. Güller didn’t include a proof image of every single “Telegraphs” date stamp shipped. In some places the book shows a single example from the shipment and include the number shipped. It looks like the first group was created in 1887, then a group in 1889, then 1892, a large group in 1897. Güller continued to make Telegraphs date stamps through 1904, then again from 1911 to 1915.
There are numerous examples of the large sizes of which I’m showing scans from the internet. Notice the British used the same series in Sudan!
The pdf at the bottom of this email includes some information from a revenue exhibit.
I’m not sure I can help much more than this since Güller didn’t include proofs of all the many Telegraphs they shipped, just samples from the groups, therefore, it is not possible to determine first use dates except for the few shown in the proof books. Too put it in perspective, there were hundreds shipped!
Ulf Lindahl
May 21, 2022Hi
I am the Editor of Menelik’s Journal, the quarterly newsletter of the Ethiopian Philatelic Society. Daryl Reiber sent me scans of the Guller cancels from Ethiopia that you have from his proof book. I have information about the cancellers that you may find interesting and hopefully I hear back from you to discuss.
Best regards,
Ulf