Postal Stationery Paper Color Question (Probably Again?)

I'm assuming this has been asked before in some form or fashion but the search engine seems to be ooc on here at the moment, so: I have what is most probably a U168 entire. But, considering the huge difference in value between the U168 and the U171, I just have to ask if anyone out there has side by side examples of a white vs. fawn paper color they can post? Mine certainly doesn't look white, but I don't know how to or how much to attribute change in color to just aging, exposure to elements, etc. So any help you can offer up is greatly appreciated!

Here's a scan of mine (low res).

Thanks!
dave

Dave, it would help if you can scan a known white one along with this unknown color

Peter

Here's two scans, one low res, one high (?) 1200 not sure if that will make any difference.....

thanks again!

Here's an example of a fawn colored paper. This is Scott 184, from my collection.




The envelopes you have are likely to be differentiated between quality paper and the cheaper paper used to lower prices for business use.

You may have Scott 168 with this cover, but everyone on here needs a clear scan of the indicia close up to be able to help determine the type.

Thanks for the reply and the scan of your fawn. Looks reddish on my screen which is interesting. wish I could get my hands on a piece of fawn paper!
Here's a better scan.
Thanks again!

Thanks for the scan. You have what is listed in the Scott catalog as Type A46 (the Scott designation for type).

On white paper, this would be Scott U168. While not a windfall, like Scott U171, it's still a nice little nugget.

David Phillips made a folder of 11 actual paper samples a long time ago. There were also sets of paper samples probably made from remaining pieces left after cut squares were trimmed off envelopes; don't know who made those. Neither is complete, and there is variation in what Scott calls (for example) blue, orange and fawn depending on issue/time period.

Thanks!

I'm at dialysis now, but when I get home I can scan a page with fawn compared to other colors.
Don

I am not the expert, but yours just looks white to me.

here other examples including fawn
https://goscf.com/t/27102#232831

Theoretically, paper color is only consistent within a given issue (generally a 4 year contract period). Soiling and the effects of light and other environmental factors can alter the original color (check inside for a more accurate representation).

Scanners and monitors vary and may not present an accurate representation. Color is subjective so references are a good idea.

White ranges from dirty white through bright white with regular quality paper tending to be less white than extra quality paper.
Amber ranges from very pale amber, almost white, through yellow
Oriental buff (later just buff) is pinkish.
Blue ranges from pale blue to almost purple.
Manila is not a color but a type of paper and appears in over 15 shades.
Amber manila is Manila paper that has been dyed.
Fawn is the color of a baby deer's pelt, almost a light chocolate.
Cream, buff, oriental buff, are all shades of buff which, like manila occurs in a large number of shades. Some of these variations owe more to post office specifications and/or editorial preferences than to actual major color differences.

More paper samples.

Left column: manila, orange, fawn
Right column: amber, cream, white

thank you Thomas and Jobi,
again very helpful information.

About the manila paper: I know that it's not a color, but in Scott there are for each catalogue number the colors, and sometimes manila, like a color. So what would you (or Scott) do if there would be two different manila colors for a specific stationery? I guess there just is not, but what, if there was? Or is Scott (and UPSS) just saying that it's manila and does not matter the color then?

On the other hand there is also "amber manila" which indicated that manila is some kind of color for Scott (if there is amber manila and manila alone).

Thanks Don and Thomas for the examples. Very helpful! And also Jobi, yeah, I didn't think to look inside the envelope, having done that I'm 99% sure it's 168 (white).

There are multiple shades of manila paper for many of the issues. Early catalogs did list some shades of buff and some shades of manila but eventually those listings were simplified for the benefit of the average collector. Unfortunately, the specialized catalogs (produced by UPSS) also simplified the listings.

Thank you. Yes, it would be great to have more details in some catalogue about manila and buff (at least I can't see why there shouldn't be, it's not about 1000 manila or buff colors), and it would make it easier sometimes to check if it is a manila or buff paper or not. But it's like that. For manila, I know quite good how to see it. About buff I am still not sure. Is there anything in the paper structure (like with manila) that could tell us "buff"? Or is this mainly a color?