Two Questions About ?sheet Margins On Early 20c Regulars

I have a number of early 20C regulars from an old shoebox which have narrow borders extending beyond the perfs on one edge (top or bottom, perhaps just by chance):

- on some the narrow border (3-4 mm) has a straight outer edge
- on others it has a wavy / serpentine outer edge

In both cases, this is a border that could be detached (i.e. the straight edge is not integral to the stamp as it would be with a booklet stamp).

Are these borders indicative that the stamp came from a sheet even though the margin is so tiny (about 3-4 mm)?

And why are some wavy? (e.g. on what I believe to be a Sc.632 Washington 1 cent).

Jan,

Welcome to the SCF community! In your previous post you indicated that you collect GB and now U.S. That's great, .

I don't know the answer to this question but others on this forum do and I'm sure they'll give you an answer shortly.

Art

Hello Jan, welcome.

perhaps the different margin cutting varieties could be caused by cutting the sheet into panes and thus the outer edges of a sheet of 200 stamps (say) would be straight and the edges of the two inner dividing cuts (to divide the sheet into four panes of 50 stamps each) (for ease of handling) could be wavey, just by choice of the printers?

So, on a pane of 50, two outer edges would be straight and two edges would be wavey.

I am guessing, do not know for sure.

That's an interesting idea, Puzzler. I'll let you know if I ever work it out. Maybe my Scott Specialized will tell me if it ever gets here.

Jan, without knowing the Scott numbers I couldn't tell you exactly what you are looking at but I hope these pics will help. I am using the Fourth Bureau (1922-38) 20 cent Golden Gate. The Fourth Bureau sheet stamps were printed either flat plate (551-573, 575-577 622-623) or rotary press (581-591, 631-642, 684-685, 692-701). The plate layout was different.


Above is the 567 flat plate sheet of 400 (4 panes of 100). The panes were separated by vertical and horizontal centerlines. The panes were cut on the centerlines which were not perforated resulting in natural straight edges on 19 stamps per pane.


Above is a detail view of rhe rigt horizontal centerline where the sheet was cut. The ventical centerline is between the last 2 stamps on the left.


Above is the 698 rotary press sheet of 400 (4 panes of 100). The panes were separated by vertical and horizontal 7mm gutters The stamps wer perforatedon either side of the gutters. The panes were cut through the guide marks in the center of the gutters.


Above is a detail view of the guide marks in the right horizontal gutter with the "+" between the last 2 stamps on the left being the vertical center guide. When the pane were cut this left a 3-4mm perforated margin.

I hope this helps.

Are those your sheets Russ, or did you scan some pix?

Jeff, the are images of certified plate proofs from the National Postal Museum at the Smithsonian.