Pictorial cancellation
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A pictorial cancellation, in philately, is a cancellation in which part of the cancellation or postmark or a combination of the two contains some sort of picture or image; the term is sometimes used, loosely and perhaps technically incorrectly, for slogan cancellations, which contain some sort of commemorative phrase in addition to the regular format of the cancellation.
In the United States, what are officially described as pictorial cancellations (though there are frequently other pictorial cancellations if not officially so described -- they are among what are called special cancellations and are special die-hubs added to machine cancels, which usually contain merely a slogan but sometimes contain a picture) are almost invariably applied at special "stations" (post offices existing only for a limited time, usually one day, at special events). The range of allowable subjects is very broad, and may include a variety of commercial tie-ins, such as to movie characters. There has been a change, however, and what were formerly referred to as "pictorial cancellations" are now frequently called "pictorial postmarks".
Pictorial cancellations may, though more commonly in other countries than in the United States, form the day-to-day cancellation of a station. For example, there are a number of permanent pictorial postmarks in India[link] and Britain.[link]
In Japan there are several different types of what are there called "special postmarks":
- TOKU-IN: "[c]ommemorative hand postmarks with illustration relating to the event and occasions"
- EIRI-KIKAI-TOKU-IN: "commemorative pictorial postmark run on a special stamping machine"
- FUUKEI-IN: permanent pictorial cancellation[link]
See also
Advertising postmarksReference
[Review of Australian Pictorial Postmarks]External links
- [Pictorial Cancellations Handbook, United States Postal Service]
- [Discussion of development of pictorial postmarks in Britain]
- [Memorial Space Covers including discussion and pictures of pictorial postmarks]
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