Watermark Frustration

Some German watermarks can be so prominent they're visible from the front of the stamp, without fluid.

Hi Don,

I have been experimenting with an inexpensive (<$20) USB connected digital microscope from Amazon, in an effort to differentiate offset from engraved stamps using very low angle grazing illumination. It was suggested that using this technique with "wet" stamps (Ronsonol lighter fluid) can enhance the visibility of watermarks. My first try was pretty encouraging and you might want to consider trying it. The watermark on this stamp is easily visible using the black tray but is quite enhanced by this technique. It might be useful for less obvious watermarks. Please contact me if you would like more detail.

Hello Gary,

Have you had any success with the grazing light/digital microscope on single like watermarks?

Mike

gslaten,

What watermark is this? I see it (and like it) but cannot distinguish what it is.

Jack Kelley

Jack Kelly,

It is part of a double line P on a US Scott 319.

Hope this helps.

Gary

Mike,

No, haven't tried yet, but is on my list.

Gary

Gary,

I see it now. Its appears to be upside down and backwards?

Jack Kelley

To all the people who helped me out, many thanks. KGB, I found the watermarks on the Irish stamps quite easily? Why can't they be as easy on US stamps? I'll send them back tomorrow.

Don

Don, please keep the stamps if you`d like.

EDIT: Oh, and I should point out that I selected stamps that show the watermark in a prominent way. Not all these stamps are quite so straightforward. I have one early Irish definitive that was marked by a previous owner 'without watermark,' but that's impossible I think. But ... sure enough, I can't see anything like a watermark. It's maddening.

I have a lot of trouble with water marks to.
Kind of wish they never did it.

I've been wrestling with watermarks on a batch of Washington-Franklins lately myself. Some things that have helped are reviewing the templates that show where they might be expected to be found and setting aside those stamps where I know there should be a single v. double watermark that I can't find to review later. And when I start getting frustrated, I try to remind myself this is only stamp collecting, not a matter of life and death! Still have stack of orange, green and yellow WFs to get back to....

Orange and yellow stamps are always the most difficult to watermark, even for top level experts with decades of experience. No one should get down on themselves for finding them difficult, everyone does.

I have updated the interactive template on the 1847usa web site so that users can flip the watermarks around. Especially for the single line watermarks, it is little wonder why folks can get frustrated. Not only can only a small amount of watermark be found on a particular stamp but the possibility of the watermark rotation adds to the decision difficulty.
http://www.stampsmarter.com/1847usa...%20USPS.html
Don

So KGB and others also have occasional difficulties. Makes me feel better. This morning I looked at some revenue stamps, all watermarked. Found the watermarks on half of them.
Don

As with postage, the SL can be tough, the DL are usually pretty obvious.