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Dater Types for International Machines

Daters used in Canadian International machines were classified by Sessions into several distinguished types based on provincial and country designation. In all cases, the year appeared at the bottom of the dater.

Type A A Type B B Type C C Type D D Type E E
Type F F Type G G Type H H Type Ea Ea Type Eb Eb
Type Ga Ga Type Gb Gb Type Ha Ha

Obliterator Types for Internationals

There were a variety of obliterators used in the International machines. By far the most common consisted of seven wavy lines with a service number and a service letter. The number referred to the number of the machine in the given office. Since most offices had only one machine, in most cases this is a '1'. The service letter was one of D, C, R, and T. In most cases, these service letters had no particular meaning.

The wavy line obliterators came in two basic lengths, depending upon the type of machine in which they were used.

1D Chatham 2R Montreal
Short wavy with 1D Long wavy with 2R

Slogan obliterators were introduced beginning in 1912 and appeared from time to time in International machines. These were too numerous to list here, but we show a few representative examples. Full listings of all known obliterators and their dates of use are recorded in the study group's database.

Quebec slogan Montreal flag
A Quebec slogan obliterator. A typical slogan/flag obliterator.

Resources

Until the advent of the IMCRSC, the best resource on International machines in published form was the book

Sessions, David F. The Early Rapid Cancelling Machines of Canada Can. Phil. Soc. GB and Unitrade Press, Toronto, 1982.

It remains a very good resource today.