Cover Question - Is The A US 10A? Copper Brown?

This cover is one that belongs to a friend of mine. I posted the images from the Norther Philatelic Library where we had met for a study group there.

He believes the stamp is 10A based on the clarity of the design. Admittedly if it was a 10A the date on the cover makes it a rather late 10A.





The 10A stamp also comes in copper brown color, which seems to sync with the color I see on the monitor and stamp. I knew that judging colors via internet doesn't work well, but would welcome any comments about the copper brown color vis a vis what is seen on the stamp/image.

Thanks,
Smauggie

Edit: P. S. I agree with him that it is likely a 10A.

smauggie....I agree - 10A

Thanks Kevin.

Let me add another question that occurred to me. Is there a time frame in which stamps of the copper brown color are found on cover?

The Copper Brown shade is a shade unique to certain printings from Plate 2E. You must first plate the stamp to Plate 2E before it is even worth considering. I am doubtful. It is said that the stamp paper has been slightly discolored by the ink in the Copper Brown printings. I didn't notice it in the one stamp that I have seen identified by Dr. Bill Amonette but whatever. The shade is not a deep shade of OB either. The stamp you show seems to be quite a deep OB I would say.

Plate 2E was used from late July '51 to the end of 1851. I think it is impossible to identify a certain, narrower time frame for usages of the Copper Brown shade.

That is useful information sinclair. The problem I have with plating is that I despair that I will ever learn plating without someone to teach me in person. I think it has to do with my learning style.

Based on what I see on my monitor, this doesn't even look OB to me. I think it is oxidized which has altered the color. But I would always defer to Mr Sinclair on 1c and 3c 1851-57 issues!

You could be right, Bill. I was thinking it was just the scan but it could be an oxidized, deep brownish carmine.

I am not recommending that this be done, but I would like to hear opinions on what would happen to the stamp AND to the cover if this cover were put in a sealed container with a smaller container of 3% hydrogen peroxide solution for a few minutes up to half an hour. Would the envelope come apart at the seams? If the color actually is copper brown, would the peroxide change it, as it would with a sulphite affected/infected stamp? (Let us assume that plunging in straight 3% H2O2 is not an option.)

Bill Weiss - I am now seeing the stamp using a different computer and monitor and here it does have that flat-colored look of an oxidised stamp so I see where you are coming from there.

essayk - I like your question. I have done testing on inexpensive covers of peroxide treatment to stamps on cover by applying some peroxide with a cotton swap directly to the stamp but with mixed results at best. I have heard of doing it sweatbox style which you refer to but have not attempted it.

Of course the cover itself does not belong to me.

I cropped to just the stamp and got this after setting the white and black levels of the image:



Here's an example of a sulfuretted stamp comparison from http://www.uspcs.org/the-1851-1860-...-10-and-10a/



"The ink used in #10 printings was not susceptible to significant discoloration from exposure to sulfides, although many #11 inks were."

smauggie believes that the image posted is representative of the stamp that he/she saw in person. Based on that and my level adjusted image, I think that the stamp is not significantly sulfuretted and may actually be copper brown. There don't seem to be any areas that are not sulfuretted such as pointed out by the comparison above which also lends to the probability that it is not an altered color.

I propose that hydrogen peroxide should be applied directly to it via cotton swab in the upper right diamond block. That area would be the most inconspicuous to notice if a color change did occur.

For more consideration, here is part of a color study from http://www.nystamp.org/postal-histo...-1851-issue/:



This implies that the copper variant came from plate 2 Early only. Can any of our plating gurus confirm or not that this example is from that plate?

That is beautifully done sir! That image you made looks identical to the stamp I saw.

Clark/cfrphoto gave us a link of how to adjust the black and white levels of a scan which is very useful to best represent colors despite the inadequacies of representing colors across the Interwebs: https://goscf.com/t/40190#342262

This should be done to every image before posting. The process is different for each photo manipulation program. I don't have a comprehensive list of how to do so for each program, but I'll gladly try to help anyone who lists what program that they have access to.

http://www.getpaint.net/ is a free program that is capable of doing so. Go to "Adjustments" on the toolbar and then select "Levels..." from the drop down list. Then follow the instructions listed in Clark's link.

EDIT: grumble...grumble "I work for a living, don't call me sir". Obligatory Navy saying. It doesn't matter to me though.

I just wanted to thank everyone for their responses. The owner of the cover will likely next send it to an expertiser for further identification.

You're welcome. I'm very curious to hear the result. Did he decide to test for sulphuretting? Was he able to confirm that it is from plate 2 Early?