What's The Name For The Blank Spaces Between Stamps?

What is the name for the blank spaces between stamps? I am looking at blocks that have wider spacing between the rows than the columns and I want to describe this as "wide X" or "narrow X". I have seen "gutter" usually defined as the unprinted areas separating panes, but one source also defines it as the blank spaces between stamps. Is that right?

Thanks!

Margin

A gutter would be a very large unprinted area between stamps as in the Farleys. A margin would be the edge of the sheet. If you Google it, the definition is the blank, unprinted space between stamps in a sheet.

Peter

I guess I`d have to see it to name it. I`m familiar with the term `selvage` and, more specifically and less common, `gutter selvage.`

You can find glossaries or sources supporting either one. Personally, I don't think they can both be right. I wouldn't call the space between stamps where the perforation lies a "gutter." Either side of the perforation constitutes the "border" (or "margin") of a stamp. I think "gutter" should be left to refer to the unperforated area separating panes in a printed sheet where the sheet is typically cut into panes.

bljcr wrote "Either side of the perforation constitutes the "border" (or "margin") of a stamp."

That's how I have always understood "margin" to be used. "Margin" refers to the part of a stamp outside of the printed area. It seems there should be some specific term for the blank areas between stamps, whether perforated or imperforate.

Navalon, here is a pair of stamps from Tuvalu that has both margins and a gutter. The margins are on the left, and the gutter, between the stamps, with the two color dots is the gutter. The term is "gutter pair".

My understanding is that a 'gutter pair', in correctly perforated stamps, requires stamp-perfs-strip-perfs-stamp.

A wider spacing between two stamps, recurring in a sheet, in which one normally finds one row of perfs, would just be a wider spacing.

The nice thing about authoritative opinions is that there are so many to choose from.

Cheers,

/s/ ikeyPikey

I like ikey. In his explanation, as seen in BeeSee's image, a gutter requires two rows of perforations between stamps, with the blank space between the perorations being the gutter. I hereby declare any glossary that says anything else wrong. Thus Wikipedia is to be shamed:


The gutter does not separate stamps so much as it separates panes. The rest of Wiki's explanation is better, as is this image, which matches ikey's explanation perfectly:



The better glossaries will make clear that the gutter separates panes, not just stamps, as does this definition from Linn's:

So, it looks like there is no philatelic term for the narrow spaces between stamps other than "spaces" or "spacing." Pity. Will have to invent one. Maybe "channel."

Navalon,
Are you asking what the narrow space is called between stamps within a pane? A picture of what you are seeking would help guide responses.
Otherwise, the discussion on gutters needs one slight correction - the definition involves no mention of separation method - gutters can be perforated or not - it is a matter of space, such as this cross-gutter block:

Or on the humor side ... does mortar hold bricks together or apart?

My question is whether there is a specific philatelic term for the narrow blank spaces between stamps. See arrows in image. Thanks!

Arggh! Having trouble uploading image

Found it! Upload window was hiding behind browser window.

Got it. So your question has nothing at all to do with gutters, in a traditional sense.

I do not know of any term for what you point out. Taking US #367 as an example, Scott lists "2mm spacing" and "3mm spacing" between stamps and does not use any specific term other than the word spacing.

I vote "spacing" for the above pic.... In referring to a single stamp, pair or plate block, without surrounding stamps, then "margin" is correct term

Wow this is confusing ... I may not be capable of falling asleep tonight

Go denver