The first franking machine imprint (EMA) appeared as early as May 1927 in Mulhouse, thus only a short time after those that started to flourish in the other French provinces.

In this first year, only one model was commercialized, the type A of the firm HAVAS, a single value franking machine. The imprints of at least 8 machines of this model have been observed before 1928, but in theory 20 machines could have been installed in the region as early as 1927. The A-machines were used for more or less extended periods according to the users, some of them having preferred to replace them rather quickly by B-machines, with 6 values, thus more convenient to print their postage, or even directly by machines with multiple values. The first mark of a "universal" machine (i.e. with multiple values), the model C of HAVAS, is observed in 1932. Only one SATAS machine seems was put into service, a machine used in Mulhouse from April 1938.

A total of 40 machines are known in the Bas-Rhin (of which 36 in Strasbourg), 35 in the Haut-Rhin (of which 26 in Mulhouse) and 15 in Moselle (of which 7 in Metz).

Read more...
See all books 1918-1940...