#408 Washington

Is this a gutter block?

no

Example of gutter block...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/U-S-Scott-6...em20d46835ce

Listings of other popular gutter blocks...

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_odk...&_sacat=3461

And the creme de la creme...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/634A-CENTER...em2ec0fc7b4e

(was unable to upload image to SCF)

Newby: Stamps are generally printed in large sheets containing 4 or more complete panes. The area between the panes is larger than the area between adjacent stamps in a pane. This area is the gutter. Pairs/blocks that include stamps from two adjacent panes are known as gutter pairs/blocks. Blocks that include stamps from four panes are known as cross-gutter blocks.
Modern examples have become common since the mid 90s with the sale of press sheets.

Let's answer the question of what it is, rather than what it isn't. What you have is a guide line block.

There are exceptions, but generally... For most definitive sized stamps, the flat plate printings were typically done in a sheet of 400 with a vertical and horizontal line dividing the sheet into 4 panes of 100, a "cutting guide" if you like. Your block comes from a sheet of 400 from which a block was cut that straddles this vertical guide line. If your block had come from the exact center of the sheet of 400 (thus with a stamp from the corner of each pane had it been cut normally) it would have the horizontal line running across it also and be called a center line block.

As partially described above, gutter pairs, gutter blocks, cross gutter blocks are from rotary press printings that have the wide space between the (typically) 4 panes on a sheet. These gutters are usually split to produce selvage on all 4 sides of a pane like you would find on a sheet of stamps in the 1940s, 1950, 1960s.

Thank yall for the replies, John Becker,JLLebbert, disi123, chasa.
The next question was going to be the guide line block as I should of edited the post with it, but fell to. I did read somewhat something about them, but it wasn't making sense. I do have some of the Follies that was mention in the reply post.
Thanks again it's really appreciated.
On a different note where can I find out about Plate # singles? I have a Durlands for the blocks.

The Hebert's Standard Plate Number Single Catalogue from the American Plate Number Single Society.

http://www.apnss.org/publications.htm

Clark

Thank you cfrphoto.

Newby
"A little knowledge can be a dangerous thing"