Show Your US 1851-57 Imperforate Stamps

good day ioagoa,

I want to say thank you so very much, you have been a tremendous
help, and thank you so very much. I will work on trying to realignment
of the stamp and run it in the AI program. Hopefully this will help.
I have been working on a few things, and trying to organize my album pages.
they seem to be coming out great. I will share a few here.

Philazilla,

thank you also for your advice and taking the time to share with me.
you all are the best. I try. I do. but I get stuck more then not. I have a few
more that im still stuck on. I'll share in my next post.

again to everyone thank you. so very much.

Good evening all, yep I'm stuck on this one, its Jun 20 1853
from WOLCOTTVILLE Ct I believe it to be an US No.11a dull red
from plate 3. but Im not sure. as always thank you to all,
as im in need of help with this one also. always the most appreciative
to all.

Hi Phade122, I hope that you can take some unsolicited constructive criticism.

I enjoy seeing your nice covers and reading your elaborate album pages, but I must ask, are you using AI to write the descriptions, or do you write them yourself after doing your own original research?

Frankly, the puffery and superlatives in the descriptions are a bit of a turn-off when the features don't match the descriptions.

For example, the postmark on the Sep 29 cover is described as "a choice strike of the circular date stamp" when to me it looks typical, average, smudgy, and if I didn't know what it said, I would have hard time reading all of the text. The re-creation at the bottom of the page is what a clear and choice strike could look like.

Similarly, on the Apr 23 cover, the postmark is described as a "highly distinct, unlisted circular date stamp ... struck here with the clear date of APR 23". I know that the enlarged scan on the computer monitor is not as crisp as when looking at the actual piece, but can you honestly say that is a clear strike of the Apr 23 postmark? Adding all those extra words makes the page tl;dr and my excitement is diminished when looking at the piece after reading the flowery description.

It also makes me think twice about other claims in the descriptions. For example, on the Mar 13 cover, the description says "... the prevailing historical domestic postal regulations definitively solidifies the year of usage as 1855." But the basic domestic postal rate was 3 cents from 1851 to 1883, so what part of the postal regulations ties this definitively to 1855?

This part is funny. I've never seen a roughly torn opening described as a feature instead of a bug. Well done.




I don't want to deter you from putting together these beautiful pages, but if I were judging this as an exhibit or viewing the items at an auction, all I can say is, Less is More.

Hi Phade122 --

Your stamp with the blue JUN 20 WOLCOTTVILLE CT cds cancel is Scott #11A -- position 100L2L -- recut variety Left Inner Line runs down too far.

From here on out -- when you say you are "struggling" or "stuck" on a plating -- would you prefer pointers so that you can plate the stamp yourself -- or do you prefer that somebody just plates it and advises of the position. I am AOK either way -- but curious if you have an interest in learning to plate -- or if your main concern is simply knowing what the correct plate position is?

For example -- this stamp is clearly a B relief and the Left inner line runs down too far. The color is no where close to orange brown -- and the enclosure dates the cover to 1853. The recutting in the Top Label Block and lack of gouging in the Upper Right Diamond block pretty much eliminate plate 1L. The 1853 usage eliminates plate 5L which did not come into use until 1855. Both inner lines are recut -- so plates 4, 6, 7, and 8 are likewise eliminated -- leaving only plates 2L and 3 as possibilities.

Using the filtering tools available with either PlateAI or the StampPlating Wizard -- there are only 4 positions that meet the above filtering criteria -- and of those 4 -- only 100L2L is a fit.

Again -- I am AOK either way -- but am curious if you have an interest in plating -- or are simply interested in having the stamp plated for you so that you know its correct position?

Regards // ioagoa

Good day ioagoa,

Thank you so very much, you have been a tremendous help,
I have tried to understand the 3ct 10s & 11s but I either get stuck
on recuts, Relief, or shade. I would love to learn, better rather then ask.
but foe the most part I get stuck. I will work harder on trying to learn
the relief's and more on the recuts. since my accident, my life has been made very
difficult, even learning how to write and read again. even my eyes, aren't
ehat they once was. but I have the will power to continue ti try and push.
I do truly appreciate all of your time and help, and yes I do like to have the right information.
I will definitely try harder to learn more. thank you so very much.

Good day Zebrmen,

I hope all is well, and thank you for reaching out. to answer your question
I do almost all of the Philatelic researching myself, and at times with the help of peers.
and for the history, I do use AI for help, and references, also to correct my spelling
and punctuation.. I was in an accident that has changed my life, and with these changes,
comes some new learning curves. I see that when I have AI polish my write-up. and makes its own corrections and has added, or just changed some words. you are correct on e erything you posted out. and its much appreciated. This hasn't detoured me, but rather motivation me. I agree less is best. and I need to look over the write-up before I print.
and I agree the date is not crisp and clear, even tho I can read it. so thank you very much. I will adjust those pages, and work on making sure the write-up reflects the artifact.
have a great day. and tha k you again.

Hi Phade --

I am sorry to hear that you have suffered an accident that has impacted your quality of life -- and my wishes to you for hopefully being able to recover as best as possible over time.

As far as plating the 1851 3-cent stamp goes, I have helped plenty of collectors here on SCF -- and I am happy to help you out any way that I can -- time permitting of course.

From experience, I know that some collectors have an interest in learning to plate -- whereas others simply want to know what they have by way of Scott #, plate position, color ID, etc., etc. -- which is why I asked if you preferred hints to get you back on track when you are stuck -- or if you preferred that one of the 3-cent specialists here on SCF plate your stamps for you.

I am AOK either way.

Again -- my wishes to you for as speedy a recovery as possible (or if possible).

Regards // ioagoa

Good evening ioagoa,

Thank you so very much, Im with you. I want to get better, physically
and with the 3ct 1851s - 57s.. I like being pushed, and tort (learn)
It has been extremely challenging for me, but it seems slowly i'm finding
Some of the pieces in me. my life wasn't always like this and this is the first time publicly
I've shared. Thank you for your help, and words of encouragement and support.
I would love for you to be able to help me time permitting. i'm located in florida.
I did work on this one today. I hope I got the plating, right, and I adjusted in my right up
To reflect, The artifact. I'll share.
all the best Dom

Hi Phade --

Confirmed -- the stamp with the 7 bar circular grid cancel on your Blood's dispatch cover is correctly plated as position 93L1i. FYI -- this position shows recut variety #23 -- Left Inner Line up too far.

Regards // ioagoa

ioagoa-
do you think this pair of US No.11a are position 44-45L2L
Tied by Black circular grid PAID handstamp.
Much appreciated. and thank you.

Phade --

Is there any way you can post a higher resolution scan of your tentative 44-45L2L pair -- as the SCF image uploader reduces the quality of a pair to a greater degree than a single stamp.

I am thinking that you could make a 1200 dpi scan of the pair -- then crop it into the 2 singles -- and then re-upload a separate image for each stamp.

LMK if this is something you can do as it would really speed up the process on my end.

Thanks // ioagoa

good morning ioagoa

Hi Phade --

Confirmed -- your pair of stamps cancelled with the large Boston 'PAID" in grid cancel on your cover with the red JUN 7 Boston cds is confirmed as positions 44-45L2L.

As an aside -- I am curious what type of scanner you are using -- as your scans are not the best for doing plating work. Hopefully you are using a flat bed scanner -- set to 1200 dpi -- and with default settings for "photograph" mode. And, if you are using Epson scanning software -- with the color set to "continuous auto exposure".

Regards // ioagoa

thank you ioagoa

Im using yhe Epson Ecotank 2800 and I scan at 600DPI
and I believe its on photos. color settings I will adjust.
thank you for confirming the 44-45L2L positions. I have too many
cover's from the 3ct 1851. can I use the AI for 25, 25a, 26 & 26a?

good day ioagoa-

Hopefully these scans have come out better
US No.10a orange brown position 76L2e relief A
CDS from Harrisburg Pa Jan 20 (1852) blue
stamp tied by matching faint circular 7 bar grid handstamp.