Your Oldest Stamp Pictures

Would that it were that simple! But some trial color proofs were pulled AFTER the stamps had been issued. Not as tests, but most often as distribution pieces or favor items or for special displays.

Yes, true. Roosevelt proofs are a big example of proofs that came later - in some cases much later. Are there resources out there that have that kind of history? For example, for the 1847 issue, is there any documentation of when these proofs were actually printed?

In a word: "yes." However, it is interesting that you chose that particular example.

In 1947 the late Clarence Brazer published a booklet entitled, A Historical Catalog of U.S. Stamp Essays & Proofs: The 1847 Issue. In it he sets the essay and proof material then known for those stamps into chronological sequence.

As a teaser on your question, consider this sentence from p. 14
"Proof specimens were printed for various purposes from these 1847 dies at various times including 1858, about 1879 when the American, National, and Continental Companies combined, and as late as 1895 when albums of proof specimens were prepared for each of the directors of the American Bank Note Co." ( Here he added the note that he has some of those last items on paper watermarked "1895".)

Brazer's "Historical Catalog" was something he envisioned as a major project for a specialist society called "The Essay-Proof Society," a group he had helped found in 1942 at about the time he came out with his groundbreaking Essays for U.S. Adhesive Postage Stamps. It was not the first such undertaking, but was by far the greatest. Attention was given to that enterprise - in a hit and miss fashion - from 1947 until 1993 when the Society ceased. That final date roughly coincides with Scott's introduction of an Essay section into the U.S. Specialized catalog (1992). Scott picked up on the "Catalog" aspect of Brazer's concept, but to this day the "Historical" aspect has never quite come together except as fragments in isolated articles and monographs. It is a vision that needs a society behind it.

I remember when the essay-proof society ceased to exist as a separate entity. A sad day, for a strong group.

Refresh my memory - did they get assimilated into the US Stamp Society, or did they, in fact, completely cease to exist?

The E-PSociety ceased altogether. Barbara Mueller had been editing the E-PJournal at the time, and she took up aspects of that task as essay-proof editor for the USSS Specialist. Since the E-PSociety was mainly identified by its Journal at the end, her movement may have made it seem that the USSS "took it on." Jim Lee continues to play a similar role for the USPCS Chronicle.

The popular image being circulated at the time was that the raison d'être for the Society was to elevate the status of Essays and Proofs as collectibles, and that the Scott recognition meant this defining goal had been achieved. That piece of fiction overlooked all the attention which had been given to non-US material down through the years, and just as importantly the investment and involvement of paper money collectors who also studied products of the companies who had produced U.S. stamps before the Bureau took over. The sad truth of the matter is that the membership had stopped meeting together, even at major events such as the International shows. Members were not writing new articles for the journal, so Ms Mueller was forced to lean on a few and resurrect old pieces from early journals. Financially a handful of "angels," as Barbara called them, periodically wrote out the checks that allowed the Journal to get out one more edition. Truth be told, the Essay-Proof Society, from the beginning, was essentially an offshoot of the Collector's Club of New York, but with a national membership not in the CCNY and a particular focus. When the leading lights gradually passed from the scene, it diminished without a structure to keep it going.

Now that we have the internet to bring us together, I would like to see a resurrection of that kind of Society. I wish I had the connections and the know-how to do something about it.

Very interesting history lesson. Thanks!

Came across this document also focused on the 1847 proofs and essays.
Looks like the stamp I posted would have been produced around 1895.

http://d2jf3tgwe889fp.cloudfront.ne...47-Issue.pdf

The reference you linked follows Brazer in referencing the 1895 printings to the "Presidents books" which Brazer said were produced in that year. The 1895 printings were done in five colors on a very distinctive semi-glazed wove, so-called "Ivory" paper. Your example does not look like that, but since it is in a mount and not well lit it is not easy to tell just what it is.


If you are looking for pics of the earliest "US stamp" you need to go back to the City Despatch Post run by the U.S. Government in New York from 1842 (Locals section 6LB). Here is an example from Siegel sale 1150:



Note that this is an early original of which only two or so examples are known. It should not be confused with similar looking examples of the stamp used a bit later.

Interesting - Here is the description from the Schuyler Rumsey auction where I bought it:
"1847, 5¢ black, trial color large die proof on bond, reprint proof with cross-hatching (24x30mm), Very Fine.
Scott No. 1TC1"

I also have a laid paper 10 cent proof (2P1c).

Love the picture of the 1842 stamp. Guess I won't be adding that anytime soon ;)

Rick