Identify 148-E9 Or 186tc4

I aquired this item a while ago. Was listed as "148-E5 TC die proof, private perf ex-landau" Brazier 115-aeFd.

The purple color is not listed for 148-E5 or 186TC4

Seems like they covered their bases by describing just about every possibility of what it is, but may have missed on all accounts.It is a bit hard to decipher as it is overinked.

I have narrowed it down to a 148-E5 or possibly a 186TC4. The paper is very soft much like another 186TC4 that I have.

The color is not listed for E5 or TC4

If it is an essay it is an E9 as it has the hair combed forward. It also appears to have the round shadow under the ear, not the pointed one that is on the released design.

The lines on the cheek seem to be more solid that dotted, but is hard to tell because of the overinking.

To me most evidence points to E5, but soft paper, maybe the lines and of course the perfs are like 186TC4. The color doesn't help.

sorry I can get my scanner above 600dpi. isnt there some software/driver that can force it higher?

Yes, there is. I have a 3 in 1 type printer/fax/scanner, a Canon MX 300, somehow in my move, I have misplaced the manufacture's instalation CD, so I downloaded the software from the internet. After instalation, the maximum resolution I could scan at was 600 DPI.

I came across some information about Google's Picasa 3, liked what I read and since I really needed a better Photo editor, I downloaded the program.

About a week later, while browsing the Picasa options I discovered that Picasa's scanning software setup would allow me to scan at 1200 DPI. Not as high as I would like it to go but will serve better than 600 DPI. Add to that, Picasa's file system which makes scrolling thru scans a breeze. The program was designed for online sharing, but I keep my system off line.

http://picasa.google.com/

Thanks for the tip.

here is a new scan. Also a 186TC4 that I have. Now when I look at side by side they appear to be similar.

I compared your last two scans with a scan of one of my Sc148 and they all look the same, small trianglur shadow under ear, hair combed foreward. Except for the purple essay with the heavely dotted cheek. Sorry I can't help more than that.

148-E4 ,148-E5 and 148-E6 are all dies on india paper. Yours is surely #186TC6 in unlisted color. You indicate it is on soft paper and since the perfs look 100% genuine, it is not india paper with fake perfs.

My biggest concern is that you bought it as a die essay which has a much higher Scott value than 186TC6, so if you paid the price based on the higher value, I would say it was a bad transaction. 148-E4-6 catalog between $700./$1,250. while 186TC4 is only $300. Big difference.

littlriver, just to clarify, my post above with the purple and the blue example, the purple one is the same stamp in the first post. I just rescanned it at a higher resolution. Thanks for the how to scan at 1200 dpi!

Bill, no worries I acquired at a low price that works for either possibility.