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Matrix, Franking Machine. Circular, steel, with detachable steel block typeset "STROMNESS ORKNEY 645 AM 28 SEP 90". Used at Stromness on a hand operated franking machine - 1990.

The printing roller hub from a Krag continuous impression cancelling machine. "Krag" machines were manufactured by a Norwegian company, Krag Maskin Fabrik A/S, and supplied to the British Post Office generally from about 1909 onwards until 1916 when purchasing ceased. In the end there were about 300 such machines, both hand and electrically operated, and many of these continued in use up until the 1960s and beyond. This one was in use until 1990. They were called "continuous" because they produced a continuous impression across the stamp and the whole of the top of the envelope. Some of these were also used to "frank" PAID mail when the ink would have been red rather than black.   As there are a lot of traces of red ink it can be assumed that this one was used for PAID mail.