Arago: Handstamps

Postal employees who postmarked mail found that the task was simpler with a hand movement allowed by a long handle, akin to hammering. This long handled handstamp was a postal employee's modification. Not until the Pitney Bowes model S-55 handstamp was introduced were postmarking devices supplied with an extended handle.

The employee modification consisted of removing the usual vertically-placed wooden handle and ferrule. This left an upright spike projecting from the back of the postmarker head or cross-bar. The spike could be threaded or placed through a split at the end of the handle that was bolted together to secure the head in place.