NRA Meter Cover

Picked this up the other day. I know next to nothing about meters, this one attracted my attention because of the NRA (National Recovery Act) logo on the meter.
The meter does not say PB. Is it a Pitney Bowes machine?

thanks

Not a Pitney Bowes, it's a National Postal meter type M - DB5

http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Intern...rica,_Part_1

Hello James,
It looks like Pitney Bowes machine, but check this out below:

http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Intern...rica,_Part_1

There's a couple of other companies that made similar meter machines. The meter number and possible measurements will be key to identification.

stallzer: You beat me to the same link :) However, looks like a Pitney Bowes DC5 to me rather than the National based on the meter # and lack of wavy horizontal lines in the center oval. How did you ascertain DB5?

When I was a boy we had family friends who lived about one block from the address on this cover. :-)

Wow fantastic link. Thanks everyone.
I'd agree with Battlestamps that it looks closer to the Pitney Bowes DC5-A. The meter number matches those listed.
I'm going to assume, though their example is 1938, that is was used earlier (mine being 1934), since they don't note otherwise.

The DC5A does not have the time shown. Even though it is the best sight for meters, they do not list every meter # for every indicia.

I do retract, the NPM typ M, completely missed the center of the indicia.

True facts. So I'd take the A off the DC5. Perhaps another sub-category.
Meter numbers still match.

The meter is a DC5A, with or without the time imprint. I don't think the time imprint matters much, as I believe the meter user had the ability to turn off the time imprint at will, just as they would have had the ability to turn off the NRA logo, should they have desired to do so.

The print United States Postage Meter Stamp Catalog classifies this meter as Pitney Bowes type DF2. The earliest known use of a DF series machine is Sept. 25, 1933.

Robert

Robert, would it be possible to post an image or picture of the catalog listing ?

Thanks for all your help with this cover.
I've used what you all have given me plus some info from the US National Archives website and created this page for it. It's turned into a small one page exhibit.
Hope you like it.

stallzer, here's the relevant page from the USPMSC:



Robert

Thank you. Always good to see a sample of a catalog. I am interested in this reference material, is there a download for it ? or does it need to be purchased ?

Let's be clear, we're talking about two different catalog listings based on the numbering system of the International Postage Meter Stamp Catalog Based (on-line version) versus the USPMSC, from which a sample page is shown.

If from the on-line catalog, the number is DC5A. If from the USPMSC the number appears to me to be a DF2, however, note the word "METER" (and number) positioning in the actual item versus the USPMSC illustration. The word "METER" extends to the "A" in "PAID" in the original item; the USPMSC shows the word "METER" extending only to the "P" in "PAID" on a DF2. It would seem the suffix "a" is added to differentiate the two, but the catalog page suggests only 01023 and 01024 meters had that ... obviously, the illustrated example is from Meter 01043, so it seems to me either the USPMSC is wrong or is old as it had not identified this particular variety.

The USPMSC was published in 1994. I believe a supplement to the catalog came out at a later date. You may be able to find a used copy from one of the online booksellers. I use Bookfinder (dot com) to search for out of print titles.

The differences in spacing of "METER" and the digits is documented by the note at the end of the listing for DF2. Early examples had a large gap due to the removal of "NO.". Later examples had the spacing adjusted to eliminate the large gap (as evidenced by the illustrated meter no. 01043).

Robert