Color On 25 Or 26, Brown/Plum? On Cover

hi all,

would really like some input on these 2 covers. what color are they?





thank you!

Here is my non-certifiable analysis of my stamp biopsy.

Looks pretty PLUM-like to me.

See this thread RE: plum --
https://goscf.com/t/54501
and I will stick my neck out and say the enlarged stamp looks somewhat oxidized to me (therefore color is indeterminate), but it may just be the scan.

stagedew, unfortunately, that's not how stamp color/shades are defined. Color names are just that, subject to interpretation. And here, "plum" has been largely defined by Dr.s Chase and Amonette, two of the great experts on the 3c. Since both are gone, I suppose the color definition then falls to the PF and other expert groups who probably do have reference material assembled by Chase and Amonette.

I agree with hy-brasil's response.

The stamp would first have to be treated with peroxide (I'm not advocating you do this yourself now) in order to just be able to see what is close to the original color. Its probably not what it looks like now.

Then the color would have to be expertised. The perforated 3c colors are a bit different than the imperforate colors is one thing I'd add. There is an even smaller contingent of people who could look at those. There are numerous people who have reference material color charts for the imperf 3c colors, but a much smaller contingent for the 3c perf colors. And fewer still who actually have the experience of how to use them... it takes some experience.

With Chase, Amonette, Hulme and others gone, I am concerned that the PF, in spite of the best intentions, could be quite susceptible to generating random color certs these days if they aren't careful. I don't know how this is being handled now, but its definitely more of a problem than ever. I'm not at all attacking the PF, this is simply a hard and unfortunate identification problem.

There are very qualified people at the PF when it comes to shades and colors right now. No one at the PF generates "random certs" for anything.

Thank you all for the info, really much appreciated.

if this is a plum color, and it is peroxide treated, would it damage it? I could use some obvious oxidation candidates that I have as trial before doing this one

I am reading :The plum color is only known from plates 2L, 3, and 4, and only from 1857 printings. but that was in a topic on inperf, does that matter? because if same plates are only ones for perf plum as well, plating it somehow would be a good extra step?

I agree with others that these stamps are affected by sulphurization. It is totally hopeless to believe they are the plum shade. I only recall seeing two certified/verified Type III, Scott #26 in the plum shade offered - they were both in the Hulme sale. I probably have more than one that would match the best one in the Hulme sale and they definitely do not look like these examples. A peroxide treatment may improve the color but it wont make the color more plum-like.

Personally, I find the cancels much more interesting. The cancel combination on the top cover is not one that I believe I have and is not very common....

I presumed that my intent was self-evident, but clearly not.

I know from personal experience that 3c color PFCs circa 20 years ago, were highly unreliable. I don't fault them - this is hard to get right and they went through a period where many of the certs I personally saw were just wrong. I discussed this at length numerous times in person with both Bill Amonette and Wilson Hulme. An opinion from them was worth way more than a PFC.

I'm very happy to hear that maybe they have improved. Once again - i'm not knocking the PF. They do a great job overall. Some things just require a particular expert.

I agree with Winston that these are both very nice Boston covers.

Thank you all, very interesting. so nice to keep learning

@ winston, is there a place on line were I can find the various (early) Boston cancels on line, I have a few more of these covers and would be interested to find out and learn on the cancels before I decide what ones to keep and what to move on


i do realize the odds are near no nill its a plum, but can treating oxidiced stamps with peroxite harm the colour or will it just bring out the original?
i have quite a few and if all colours are off, there is no way to determine whats what?

The stamp has change color over time and using a chemical reaction will not bring it back to its original color (although it would be closer to its original color). Think of a stamp like a car, if the paint job has badly faded and oxidized would polishing the car bring back the paint and finish to the way it appeared in the showroom?
Don

Hi Don,

great, thank you. this means I will start trialing, will post some results. I will first need to buy it ;-)

would this be the same PAID one?

https://www.philamercury.com/covers.php?id=4034

Yes, for the most part. It may be the same device but a little more worn. I am not sure. I think I may have seen other cities with the same PAID in circle and there may be breaks in the circle on those too, suggesting they were made that way. I think Providence, RI is the other that I frequently see.

Simpsons "U.S. Postal Markings, 1851-61" lists a single break and a multiple break separately. The multiple break being nearly identical to the one shown above. The single break shows a gap in the circle at about the one o'clock - two o'clock position.

It seems the single break is less common.