Show Your US 1851-57 Imperforate Stamps

Classic Coins, finally made it to my stamp desk this morning. So far behind the power curve...!

Looking at your "rather dull-looking stamp", TFL left end, about a mm from the corner. Is that an engravers slip or from a cut removing the stamp from the sheet?

Classic Coins, for the Baltimore stamp I came up with 55L5L. Though the description says something about a minor crack. Just looked in Chase and the minor crack runs from the stamp above 45L lower left corner to the upper left corner of 55L. Couldn't see it on the Baltimore stamp.

Hi, Moyock,

55L5L is correct. Nice job! I'm not surprised you couldn't see the crack, as it is a very faint one.

That's a paper cut at the top of my 68L1L, unfortunately.

Thanks Classic Coins. Had to break out the microscope to see if I could find the crack. Might have found it.

Nice work with the microscope, Moyock. That's right about where the crack should be.

If you look at the first reference image for 45L5L (the position above yours) on Stamp Smarter, the crack is visible in the lower-left corner of that image. That's the best reference image available that I know of for viewing the faint crack.

I collect #10/A's on covers. (I still need a first day cover, if anyone is selling one cheap)
I was going through a collection that included a couple of #10/A's on cover and this one showed up.
No date. Date line - "Monday" which doesn't tie it down very well.

I found the recuts interesting. Check out that single line recut in the upper left triangle. Pretty unique.

And the left inner line?!? I am pretty sure this is the same engraver who did the #26A's. It practically goes from the top of the design to the bottom of the design!! (I might be exaggerating a bit, but it goes from about as high to about as low and any that I have seen!)

My plating attempts say 62R2E is right - although my example seems a little clearer than Chase's or Lund's.

My searches for Andrew G Pierce show that it is likely Tennessee, but I can't figure out that town name.

Penciled notes include "Nose Retouched" - Thoughts? Right in front of the eyes?

Enjoy!
Stan Shepp

Sharing -

4-Margins, A Relief, no Guide Dot - w/ "Jul 29 Baltimore, MD. CDS" on Cover.

Stan Shepp

Sharing -

A Relief, Both Inner Lines Recut, Pen cancel - 10th column stamp w/ Large right hand margin. Scissors cut both sides and bottom, raggedly torn across the top - close to the top frame line, but also including portions of the stamp above..

Folded Letter datelined "Sharon Springs, July 28, 1852"

2-1/3 Page Letter to "My Dear Sister" from "Your Affectionate Brother, Robert"

Stan Shepp

Sharing -

#11 Strip of 4.5 Stamps + a Pair w/ light "NOV 18, 1857 NEVADA CITY, Cal" CDS and heavy pen cancel.

Stan Shepp

The cover is going to "New Bedford"

Most likely this man in Massachusetts:
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial...ville-pierce

John Becker,

I thought New Bedford several times looking at it - and I keep circling back to:

||: "That guy's hand writing isn't *that* bad."

Then I think, maybe his mind was muddled. But who's mind is so muddled that they would write NEW BEDFORD like that?

Then I remembered the note on the front of the cover that says, "Nose Retouched" and I think .....
(knowing that 1/2 of us are below average in any given area.)

It probably is "New Bedford"

"But, that guy's hand writing isn't *that* bad." :||

Thanks for the assistance!

Stan Shepp

One writes as neatly as needed. Note, there is no state name. Thus this letter did not go very far. It follows that the town name was going to be very familiar to any clerks handling it. The writer needed the recipient's name to be clear (6 pen strokes), but the town name needed to be only a rapid squiggle (1 continuous pen stroke). Sufficiency to get the job done. My own grocery list is full of abbreviations and squiggles.

As a collector, do you know how you sometimes find something that really just tickles your fancy? Maybe it's just the right elephant; Or just the right Rooster; Or pig; or whatever you collect?
.
Well, I just love this little "prices current" from 1852. I'll share the whole thing in a separate post - but I didn't want to muddle this image with other images. This is just a spectacular 1c Franklin on a folded sheet advertising the current prices - Prices Current.
Some people collect "Prices Current". They are a great snapshot into that world.
.
I love the almost onion skin paper that this is on. So thin. See through. certainly, the ink can be seen from one side to the other.
I love the impression of the lettering on the printed matter. You can see where the press was impressing onto the raised letters on the press.
.
The manuscript handwriting on the cover. You just know that this handwriting came out of an inkwell.
And who did it go to? "Messr's H. G. & W. L. Hotchkiss" company is an essential oil company in Wayne Co., New York.
.
From Wikipedia:
"The H. G. Hotchkiss Prize Medal Essential Oil Company was founded by Hiram Hotchkiss with his brother Leman in the early 1800's. The current building on 95 Water Street, first rented in 1841 then purchased in 1884, is located on the banks of the original Erie Canal. H. G. Hotchkiss produced internationally famous mint oils bottled in glass containers made in Clyde, New York.
.
"For years Lyons was known as the "Peppermint Capital" of the world. Visitors can tour the building. Permanent exhibits include Hiram G. Hotchkiss' office, the bottling room, the chemical lab, the filter room, and a Lyons history room with artifacts and art from Lyons' history. Changing exhibits are also on the tour. Allow an hour for a tour. For arrangements outside of regular hours, contact Patty Alena at 315-946-4596.
.
"Located near the Lyons historic town center, the Hotchkiss building, near Lock 27, is accessible from the Erie Canal way Trail as well as the Lyons dock area. Visitors will want to walk to the town center, enjoy the quaint charm of Lyons as well as the many murals and historic buildings."
Then the stamp. What a beauty! "Superb 1852 color", says the note on the reverse. Clear margins all around. Just a wonderful early impression.
.
And that cancel tying it to the letter sheet. Boldly screaming "NEW-YORK" - I can almost hear the accent. "NEW-(F-ing)-YORK". Bold. Like New York. Also a wonderful, bold, clear and legible, date -
"AUG 1"
Wait until you look at the back. There are a previous collector's notes: (gently written in pencil)
Type IV
Relif "B"
Recut ( )
Aug 1
1852
Use
Superb
1852
Color
And
Engraving
.
Again, I don't claim to be an expert, but that handwriting looks exactly like Stanley B. Ashbrook's! Renowned philatelist from the middle of last century.
.
Wikipedia:
"Stanley Bryan Ashbrook (October 10, 1882 – January 23, 1958), of Kentucky, was a distinguished American philatelist who was known for his extensive studies of early United States stamps and postal history. He was usually known as Stanley B. Ashbrook."
Overall, this is (in my opinion) an amazing glimpse into the 1850's - The printing process, the paper used, the quilled writing, an early essential oils company (Well before Essential Oils were a thing, right?) and up through the historic collecting characteristics of the early 1900's - with Stanley Ashbrook's collector's notes - It could hardly be better certified without being certified.
.
It is a favorite of my items. And my absolute favorite today..

Stan Shepp

I have a couple of sets of these "Amonette plating cards" -
And a couple sets of his "Color Chart Cards".

This set of cards shows the plating characteristics of the #11 & #11A only.
Plates 1L, 2, 3, 4, 5L, 6, 7, & 8 - and uses all centerline copies to do so.

That is a little different than the "normal" set.
Dr. Amonette had to type in "CENTERLINE COPIES" on his pre-printed Cover Card.

I have provided scans of the cards as well as close ups of the stamps from the cards.

There isn't a whole lot to be said as they pretty much speak for themselves.

Enjoy!

Stan Shepp

I like these "BAR" cancels. New York City 'experimented' quite a bit with them and they regularly get described as "NEW YORK CITY EXPERIMENTAL CANCEL"

Rochester used them as well. I am not sure of the dates of Rochester's use, but all of the examples that I have (just a few) are on #10/A - Orange Brown stamps. This was advertised as a #11A, but I am thinking that this was used on OCT 28 1851.

I have scanned a few things this afternoon, but I haven't looked as closely as is needed, but I will be surprised if this is anything other than a #10A.

Sharing for your enjoyment - and because I scanned it for my own purposes.

Enjoy!

Stan Shepp

PS - after taking a moment to soak this stamp up a bit - She's a beauty!!