Poss Double Image.

Good Saturday,
I was wondering if this was a double image.

Don't see it.

I think gracie sees a slight shift left and up on the relief. There appears to be a lightening of blue background between the forehead and just below the lip area. Also relief appears to be 'double hit' giving George a 'mumps' like profile. Is that what you are seeing gracie?? I don't think it's a double but maybe a last strike as the press slows down????

I dont know if you can see any better.. but I looks , to me, that there is two ears.. and outline of second face.

sorry , I tried to enlarge the image. did not work.

On your small image I can see a trace of the front portion set off to the right. On the larger image, I can see where it appears to have a double strike around the chin, nose and eyebrow/eye socket

gracie: if you have another piece place side by side, look through a glass and see if you can note any difference (maybe a photo in a Scott might help???)

i did see in scotts u436 u93 3c purple stamp, double impression.

An interesting freak. Embossed envelope stamps are printed from dies, one at a time. Double impressions are known but they are complete double impressions of both the colored portion and of the white portion. During the life of the circular dies, 1915-1950, ongoing improvements in equipment and periodic loss of skilled operators due to war, results in many collectible varieties but many of those varieties do not warrant separate catalog numbers.

The most striking double impressions have stamps of two different values, each printed in the proper color.

Bill Lehr
US Postal Stationery Specialist

author of the as yet unpublished Guide to the Circular Dies

is this a cut square or a full cover? if a cut square could you scan from behind? the embossing would be clearer without the ink.

Let me add to what jobi-wan has laid out. There are a couple other scenarios to consider.

Try this:
Two envelope blanks move into position at the same time (this is how the scenario for albinos starts).

An impression is made, with only the top blank getting inked.

The top blank then moves forward to the folding and gumming station, but the lower blank (with its albino embossed image) stays put.

The press comes around and strikes the remaining blank, this time with an inked image. The blank then moves forward to the folding and gumming apparatus.

That envelope has an indicium that has one dose of ink, but two embossed impressions, one on top of the other.

Now, that second strike may have been slightly off, position-wise, but the second strike would largely dominate. And there would only be one inked strike.

That is just one of several possible scenarios. We'd need to look at the envelope "up close and personal" to get a better idea if it is the actual one.

This is the envelope that Scott is talking about with its double impression listing. Two inked images.