596 Canidate ?

In discussions on another message board, I've had two experts, Ken Lawrence and Clark Frazier, admonish me not to get hung up over the measurement of a stamp's image. Apparently, the measurements given both in the Scott Catalogue as well as the 1847USA web site are not an absolute; that all factors regarding a particular stamp must be considered (in line with stallzer's comment). They basically said that there are many factors about paper, die and plate preparation, the printing process, usage and so forth that can and do effect the dimension. That all started over my query over a pair of #499s that I measured at 19 x 22.5mm. Resources said it should only measure 22mm. I also have a #581 on cover measuring 19.5 x 22.75mm that should measure (by the references) 19 x 22.5mm, and two single #552s on cover measuring 19.25 x 22.25mm that the references say should be 18.5-19 x 22mm. All my measurements are done with the Sonic Imagery Multi-Gauge and are accurate. I guess all this does is muddy up the water some more, but clearly reference measurements must be taken with a grain of salt and not used as the determining factor about what a stamp is or is not.

Thanks,that might just have cleared things up,at least I'm not too excited anymore.

The printing processes back then were quite hap-hazzard I guess,a 552 width could be anywhere from 18.5mm to 19.25+,that's quite a swing.

Its like the more we learn, the more we realize what we really don't know. Make ya wonder a bit about those big buck items that are set apart from there lesser cousins by the design dimensions doesn't it?

i don't know about measurements but you hit a topic I have been mulling over and that is these catalogs seem to not be absolute even in color-

the postal guide is just that a guide it lists things in vermilion yet there are so many descriptions of vermilion and they are so not made clear in any stamp catalog just what the heck they are talking about,

seems only the writer of the catalog and his/her editor know what the difference is between dull and pale. Who is to determine dull or pale that has faded it all just seems like guess work to me.(does it really fade read the last paragraph haha jokes on us)

maybe it is not vermilion at all but cinnabar. maybe they should revise and go to hex numbers #E34234

here vermilion is not one color-Vermilion is not one specific hue; Mercuric sulfides make a range of warm hues – from bright orange-red to a duller bluish-red. Differences in hue are caused by the size of the ground particles of pigment. Larger crystals produce duller and less-orange hue.(wikipedia)

here just grind to make a different color-vermilion was taken out, and it was ground. When first created the pigment was almost black, but as it was ground the red color appeared. The longer the color was ground, the finer the color became. The Italian Renaissance artist Cennino Cennini wrote: "Know that if your ground it every day for twenty years the color would become finer and more handsome(wikipedia)

say what it gets darker?! Vermilion has one important defect; it is liable to darken, or develop a purplish-gray surface sheen.The Renaissance painter and writer Cennino Cennini wrote of vermilion: "Bear in mind that it is not in its nature to be exposed to the air, but it stands up better on panel than on the wall; because, in the course of time, from exposure to air, it turns black when it is used and laid on the wall. The darkness is not a result of the vermilion itself, which is very stable, but is caused by impurities and adulteration of the pigment. Newer research indicates that chlorine ions and light may aid in decomposing vermilion into elemental mercury, which is black in finely dispersed form.

there is more but this is enough - what a hoot...

Color in philately is, to my way of thinking, a pretty subjective quagmire; at least in the classic period for U.S. issues. What is considered Vermillion (and other colors) in one issue may not be the same color as what is considered Vermillion (and other colors) in another series. Not only that, but color batches could and did vary, sometimes considerably between printings of the same stamp denomination in a series depending upon who made up the ink batch for a given day/printing etc. Some issues like #70 and #78 have pretty unstable ink colors too. Very Early in collecting, I had a heck of a time with "pigeon blood pink"---what the heck color is that? And to this day I don't think all the experts are in agreement as to what that color as well as "pink" is for the 3-cent 1861-1867 issue. I think color for the classics will always be pretty subjective for many of the color designations.

Al,

Look at the 12c Large Banknotes... the color on them is referred to as Blackish Violet. Now look at a 24c 1861 in Blackish Violet, aka the 78c. They look NOTHING alike!