Washington 2 Schermack

Some Schermack

Perhaps someone can comment on the second stamp down. The cancellation seems to say Century of Progress Exposition, Chicago. The date is in 1921. The Exposition did not take place until 1933. What is going on with the cancellation.

Looking again, perhaps the first word is not Century.

The pageant of progress exhibition was held in Chicago in 1921.

The Pageant of Progress expos were held in both 1921 and 1922. Special cancel dies (Universal) were issued for both years.

Here's an example of the 1921 slogan cancel, similar to that shown on the Schermack scanned earlier:



[Note the more squared off typeface used in the 1921 example as compared to that used in 1922.]

Thank you all, but is it a comment about Scott catalog number for one of these postage stamps

All very common stamps

The last scan appears to be an offset printing

2,3, and 5 are offsets
4 is a weak type-1 flat plate-- 482 or 409, I'd guess 482 from the color

1 is interesting-- I think it's been manufactured. It appears to be a Type II rotary press print-- look at the ribbon, with the one line on both sides. Also look at the toga and button-- complete, and definitely looks like a rotary.

I can see where someone not knowing these issues would say "the button is complete, this must be a 482A!", but it does not look like at Type Ia in any way-- completely wrong impression and completely wrong color. What is the line of different color and paper, vertically down the entire stamp bordering the inside of the Schermack perf? Could it be that a Schermack has been added to a rotary print stamp? That'd be my guess.

Hope this helps, Ray

The first one looks like SC 409, watermarked, "paste up" single

#1 409 pasteup
#2 & #3 534
#4 482
#5 another offset, possibly a 533 can't get a good enough look.

I have a paste-up pair of 409, below, and it shows the typical washed out look of a Type I. Stamp #1 could be 409, but it'd have to be a strong impression. It has the color of the deep impression flat plate 409, but the ribbon and toga looks like a typical Type II rotary. I have dark 409's and light ones like the picture below.



same-- can you look at the back of #1? If there is ink on the back, it's a flat plate stamp. If not, could still be a rotary. You also may want to watermark it. 409 has a single line watermark-- mine above does.

Nice exercise either way-- thanks, Ray

kcaramat, I believe you're correct on #2, #3 & #4. I think, based on the button and the left "2", #5 is a Type-V, #533. #1 could be either #409 or #482, depends upon watermarking. I've some 409s and 482s that are dark carmine and with pretty well struck buttons/ropes.

Ray, If #1 is a manufactured Schermack, whats your opinion on what issue it was made from and what issue its made to be? Could it be a #487 or #491 made to look like a #482A? I see the black line you're pointing out, don't know what that might be--though it looks like a paste-up single?

Thanks to all of you, my friends.
I have checked the watermark and I could not find any watermark, and this stamp image again.

I was mistaken about the paste-up identification, sorry. The overlap of the black background was misleading.