Let's Talk About Machins

Being British stamps, the default catalogue is Stanley Gibbons. In their wisdom, SG ignore shades in this series, so collectors tend not to recognise them. I'm not aware they have ever been properly listed, but the longest-standing values, 1p and 2p (decimal, that it) can be found in widely varying shades.

The Machin "Bible" would be arguably Douglas Myall's Deegam Handbook on DVD.

Here is an (part) interview in 1999 with Mr. Myall.............

Milne: Another member also has problems/challenges with colors. Specifically, he asks: "How does one identify
'new green' from 'deep green;' 'shocking pink' from 'bright magenta;' or the three different blacks used on the 75p
value?"

Myall: I think "new green" and "deep green" are different names for the same color used by different publishers.
"Shocking pink" is a Matthews color although it is omitted from the Bulletin list referred to above. It has been used
only for the 3p of 1989 and the 39p of 1996. (Note: It was subsequently used for the 7p of 2004.) I don't know who
uses "bright magenta" or for what stamp. I use "pale magenta" for the 2 1/2p of 1971 for the previously given
reason. It is nothing like "shocking pink."

Milne: What is the best way to identify Machin colors and shades? A member notes that the frequently used color "flame" isn't on any of the charts he's got at all! One suggestion he offers is to have a color chart published periodically — say, annually, maybe — for all the Machin issues. Would this be practicable?

Myall: I think that the naming of colors and shades should be treated as separate problems. There is at least some hope of agreement for the former. There are several color charts in existence, some of them published by catalogue editors in an attempt, it seems to me, to justify their own color names. All have limitations and none has proved generally acceptable. It was dissatisfaction with these that caused me to adopt the Methuen book as my standard since I was already familiar with it in my hobby of lettering and illuminating (a la medieval monks). Flame red is 7A8 in Methuen and is very similar to orange vermilion, a more orange version of the pre-decimal 4d red. The prospect of a color chart that would overcome the problems identified by GBCC'ers is an attractive one but the color plates for it would, I am afraid, be likely to prove too expensive. Instead, perhaps some enterprising dealer could put together a number of level 1 collections and market them. These might prove not only an attractive entry to Machin collecting but would solve the color problem (apart from the actual names).

Hi folks

I came across a few machins with flaws. Has anybody any thoughts on them? I am assuming the flaws are due to some form of contamination on the rollers at that points. I asked when I introduced myself earlier but the folks there said machins weren't their niche.
I have numerous machins but these are the only ones that have the small square and circular defects of color.

Thanks for any insights.

Those small "circular defects of color" appear to be sprayed-on cancels.

They are applied during the mail handling process. I know I've seen a discussion about them somewhere, perhaps on this forum.

Robert

Here it is: https://goscf.com/t/10141

Robert

Phosphor Dots for Post Office Mechanisation.

Note: I have them existing on a Christmas Island stamp

Thanks everyone. Some really interesting material there too.

23 pages, nice.



another soaked/sunlight affair?

Cannot tell by the scan, but the stamp on the left may be an offset printing. If there are no sawtooth borders around the "5", and if it is printed on phosphorized paper, then this is the case.

Also, offset printings of the 5p stamp would be perf 14, as opposed to 15 x 14 for the photogravure stamps.

The horizontal perforation gauge is definitely different between the two stamps. Left stamp is perf. 14 (printed by Questa); right is perf. 15x14 (printed by Harrison).

Robert

oh that was very valuable information.
Thank you
I have been accumulating to complete level 1 for years without success, and whenever I want to increase something like color or bands, you only manage to get a ton of information.
Awesome.

I have joined the Machin club with a lot of stamps to mount. My biggest challenge has phosphor bands.

The phosphor does not seem to react under LW or SW (steady or flick to see after glow). I can hold stamps at an angle at times to see the different sheen (side or center bands) but not often see a reaction under UV.

I will have to read through some of this thread later.

One of the tricks to see the afterglow is to illuminate the stamp in a pitch black room with your eyes closed. Turn off the lamp and immediately open your eyes. You will see the afterglow then, for only a few seconds.

Robert

do not waste your time, you have thousands of machins, so if you cant saw the bands go for other duplicate, you don't need start a specialized collection. I used adminware and start to classify the bands with my own list like...


8d duck egg blue: 2B
9d winchester green: 2B
10d light olive brown: 2B
1/- aconite violet: 2B
1/6 turquoise and garter blue: 2B
1/9 orange and olive brown: 2B

DECIMAL Small size:
1/2p turquoise: 2B, CB, LB
1p crimson: 2B, CB, LB, RB, E 2BY, E 2BB, ER 2BB, ER 2BVi, ER 2BBL
1½ p charcoal black: 2B
2p deep grey-green: 2B, E 2BY, E 2BB, ER 2BB, ER 2BVi, ER 2BViL
2½ p pale magenta: 2B, CB, LB, RB

you know,
2b=two bands,
E 2BB=Elliptical two bands blue,
ER 2BVil=Elliptical Revised (EME) two bands violet, etc.

I collect Machins used in my own way