Cataloging Pains

I've just been sorting stamps by Scott numbers and what
a pain trying to find some of them in the catalog, primarily
because they don't illustrate half of them.

Like Czechoslovakia, before that country started incorporating dates
in the design where Scott lists similar types only by their illustration number.
Locating the date somewhere on the design is the only way to find from any in the annual Art series
or The Treasures of the Prague Castle sets for example.

And how about this one from Egypt.



No date or inscription which would help. There is no more
AR Egypt only Egypt so its after 1976.
But at that time the values were still indicated by
m(illiemes) wheres this has a p(iasters) which makes
it after 1982.
Still can't find it.
Finally found it. AIRMAIL Scott C178.

Maybe "airmail" is written in Arabic somewhere on the stamp but I can only
read Latin script and sometimes have problems with that.


I realize that with the enormous numbers of stamps being
issued every year it's a matter of space & weight.

Bu there has to be a better way.

There is! Post the pic on SCF, and let us find it for you!

Fun for us, and you get to keep all the hair on your head!

k

That's an idea khj.

Post a pic, have a beer or glass of wine and check
back later for the catalogue number.

Agreed! I don't work with Scott, only with Michel and they usually give a pic to go with the description which mostly makes life a lot easier. To illustrate: I have a head full of hair...

Seriously, just keep asking.

The Arabic word at the top in the middle means "airmail".

SG1568 (1985) T0702 15p edfu temple [0m1] .jpg

Thanks Nigel, you always have the answers.

Yes, the only way I can remember it is to imagine this sequence: duck, rabbit, and 2 flying seagulls.

k

When I first read duck, rabbit , 2 seagulls I thought
what the heck is khj talking about.
Is he talking about hieroglyphics ?

But when I looked at the stamp again, it made sense.



Nice one khj.

the joys and frustrations of cataloging

Another mystery solved!

I should point out, although Arabic numerals are read from left to right, Arabic words are read from right to left. So technically, I should have said 2 seagulls, rabbit, duck (but then they'd all be facing the wrong direction!). Did I confuse everybody?

k

khj, you sure confused me. I looked at the right arabic letter and couldn't see a duck for the life of me. After I realized that you were going from left to right, it became obvious.

Anyone looks for an Arabic language tutor?!


Cheers

Yeah, sorry about that. I usually assume most speakers/readers of Western languages don't realize immediately the difference in reading directions. So I just default to describing things from left to right. But that was probably a mistaken assumption. I realized that afterwards, so I posted about the "right to left" except for numerals...

k

I have many frustrations trying to find stamps in the Scott Catalog.

You all make me laugh with the replies to
"But there has to be a better way."

khj quote:



And lithograving's quote:



Though I feel a bit guilty sometimes by posting a stamp here and not trying to do the research myself...

Have a good day,
SueStamps