Show Your US 1851-57 Imperforate Stamps

txstamp, to my untrained eye there doesn't appear to be any perforation scars. This is the only suspect area.


revcollector, yeah, no. Not removing the stamp from the cover. But here's one more picture, top left corner right at the cut. looks like there could be a little unfolding at the edge.

Ok. I figured, but I have definitely learned that it can pay, to pay attention to the method of separation. People overlook that often, so I'm sure there are a few more discoveries to be had there.

Appears to be part of a wrapper or part of a folded letter with a strip of three one cent imperfs. Cancelled with 7 bar obliterators and stamped Cleveland O. Couldn't find either the obliterator or the CDS in Simpson's

Neither the top or bottom lines on any stamp appear to be recut or broken. #7's?




Left Stamp in strip looks to be a double transfer. Look in the ring to the right of Ben's chin.

Middle stamp in strip with unfortunate crease

Right stamp in strip

moyock, you appear to have positions 37-38-39L1E, Types II, II, IIIA (right-hand stamp has broken top line that cannot be seen).

It certainly does! Thank you dudley.

July 12th date— most likely 1851, can you confirm from docketing?

This is most likely a 1st month use. Those are very nice things to get — particularly so with the 1c stamp.

Sorry txstamp, that's all there is. Just a piece of the wrapper. I'll take another look, maybe I missed something.

I was a little bit torn over whether to share this on this thread or on the perforated thread. I thought that even though it is perforated, it belonged here. If the group disapproves, I'm happy to delete it and share it over there.

This is the rare unofficial Chicago perforation on a #11, on cover. Double tapped with a black "SEP 1, 1856 CHICAGO ILL." CDS (Piszkiewicz pages 6-7, A-9, used from May 20, 1856 until August 3, 1857)

Submitted for expertizing in 1970 by Jerome S. Wagshal.

There is a thin vertical line just to the right of the stamp to the left of this one. It is almost what some people would call a "double frame line variety". I am surprised it hasn't been plated by now. I guess that I will have to fix that.

EDIT: Plated as 58R6 by Charles DiComo.

The auction house described it like this:
1852, 3¢ dull red, type I, unofficial "Chicago" perf 12½. Tied on cover to Hanesville, Ill. by two strikes of "Chicago, Ill. Sep. 1, 1856" cds's, Very Fine and attractive, exceptionally clean and attractive, ex-Wagshal, with 1970 P.F. certificate.

The address matches Swift's handwriting (in my opinion, but I am no expert)

Stan Shepp

Even before waiting to see if the previous Chicago Perf was acceptable here, I'm going to share a second one!

This cover has been in a lot of the right hands. Ex-Grunin, Ex-Piller, Dr. Amonette Certified - and I am sure a lot of other people as well.

Described in one auction like this:

1852, 3¢ pale brownish carmine, type I, unofficial "Chicago" perf 12½. Position 19L7. Vibrant color, scissor separated showing full perfs on three sides and portion of adjacent stamp at left, tied by light "Chicago, Ill., May 22" cds on 1856 cover addressed in the hand of R.K. Swift to Washington D.C., reverse with blue Tremont House hotel cameo corner card on backflap, Very Fine, ex-Grunin & Piller, with 1975 P.F. certificate and 1993 Dr. Amonette attest.

AN EXCEPTIONAL HOTEL CORNER CARD COVER USAGE OF THE 3¢ CHICAGO PERF SENT BY THE PROMOTER OF THE HADLEY PERFORATING MACHINE, R.K. SWIFT, WHICH WAS USED TO PRODUCED THE CHICAGO PERFS.

This cover also sold in a Robert A. Siegel Auction, Sale 748, Lot 136, (1993 Stanley Piller Sale) described like this:

3c Rose Red, Chicago Semi-Official Trial Perforations, Perf 12-1/2 (11 var). Bright shade, scissors separated with full perf holes at left showing part of adjoining stamp, s.e. at right, tied by lightly struck "Chicago Ill." cds (possible Sep. 22) on cover addressed in the hand of R. K. Swift to Washington D.C., backflap with indigo oval return card of Tremont House, a lovely fresh cover and nice association between the Chicago perf and Swift, ex-Grunin, with 1975 P.F. certificate (submitted by Stanley Piller)

Dr. Amonette wrote some notes on the reverse of this cover - and signed it. Check that out!

A letter also accompanies this cover from June 12, 1993 and signed by "W. F. Amonette MD" with his name under it "Wilbur F. Amonette, MD"

In this letter, Dr. amonette says -
"Plate 6 or 7"
"Pale 1856 brownish carmine"
"usage is most likely 1856 or less likely 1857"

There is also a copy of the certificate, including a copy of the Siegel sale description, and a red pen note that says, "Possible 1855 use judging from the "Ills." CDS (Norona, p. 332-No.A6)" Referring to Delf Norona's book, "Cyclopedia of United States Postmarks and Postal History" (EDIT: New knowledge gained from Charles Epting's comment below)

I don't know Noronay, and am not even sure that is the right word, but I have Piszkiewicz's 573 page, illustrated, 2006 book, Chicago Postal Markings and Postal History". Sure enough, A-6 is a 32mm, blacl, CDS that was used from May 1853 to March 10, 1856. And it is the only one that matches with the period at the end -> "Ills."

The Siegel auction mentions "(possible SEP 22)" but the best that I can make out this date is "FEB 22" With the 1856 colors indicated by Amonette, this cover would have had to have been used no sooner than early 1856. And with the dates of use on the CDS, it would have had to have been used no later than March 10, 1856.

February 22 of 1856 matches colorwise, as well as being within the time period of that "CHICAGO, Ills." CDS. So I am going to go with a FEB 22, 1856 use.

Now for the funny part:

R. K. Swift didn't invent perforations, but he had a machine that made perforations on sheets of stamps. He experimented with a few of the imperforate stamps of the day. With the main postal rate being 3c at the time, most of the survivors are 3c Washingtons. (I don't have any 1c Franklins yet, but they show up from time to time.)

So here is this guy, experimenting with making perforations on sheets of stamps and trying to sell the US Postal Service on the idea. Perforating stamps so that they can be torn apart more easily. Look how easy! And then he pulls out a pair of scissors and he cuts along the perforations anyway. I can only imagine myself squinting slightly, tilting my head to the side slightly, and staring at this guy until he realized what he was doing.

Anyway - cool cover. #128526;

Stan Shepp

A private perf thread -

A few pages back, I left a scan of this strip of 3, keeping it under 300k. I received a request to post it full-size top-dpi. My scanner goes up to 600dpi, so here is a 600 dpi scan. Thanks to Don for leading me through this process!



It sold at Siegel's in 2011, and I bought it privately a few years later. Somehow I got it for less than the purchase price at the Siegel Auction. I MAY have said that I got it at Siegel's, but I was confused - I have since found my purchase records. It is/was described as having small thins which are actually quite minor. On a piece of this size, they seem almost irrelevant.

Hi Mooter -- Thanks for posting this -- as high-resolution images suitable for plating reference are always appreciated. And again -- that is a gorgeous strip of 3 -- thanks for showing it! // Regards // ioagoa

Anyone up for plating, identifying types, and estimating the value of this damaged strip of 5?

I'm seeing plate 4 Left, Row 5 stamps, picture is not clear enough and my expertise not great enough to know how to focus from there.

Those are C reliefs from Plate 4.

In spite of condition, its always pretty amazing to see any multiple from plate 4, that is larger than a simple strip of 3. Especially imperforate.

That is a very scarce strip. Too bad its so beaten up.

Either I or someone else on the board will eventually get around to trying to plate it as time permits.