Also designed for precanceling regular-issue stamps in post- office panes of 100, rubber handstamps began to be issued from Washington in 1913. During the earliest years, such devices were arranged to read vertically on definitives. Styles 401-424 were of various configurations and carried lines, rather than bars.
Beginning in 1916, rubber handstamps were arranged to precancel the stamps in the horizontal position. Although some bar styles appeared during World War 1, lines continued to dominate until late in 1921 and from mid-1926 to mid-1930. During the intervening periods, bars were the rule until rubber handstamps were discontinued in mid-1932. After the initial period, rubber handstamps were 25 subjects (5 by 5).
Punctuation practices in making precancel devices were somewhat random in the early days, but became more standardized in later years. Styles 501-553 have period after state abbreviation, with or without comma after town name. Styles 556 to 581 generally show no punctuation. Styles 601-635 carry periods after the state abbreviation, but usually no comma after the town name.
