Another Strange Stamp - 1855 10c Green

This 1855 10c green stamp is a real puzzler, to me anyway. The top appears to be recut ala Scott #16 but the bottom looks really weird. I've never seen the bottom line look doubled like that. It makes me think someone was playing around with a fine brush and some green ink.

Thoughts?

This whole stamp looks funky. The bottom portion has whiter looking paper than the rest of the stamp, suggesting that it has been exposed to some kind of treatment (any evidence seen from reverse that this is actually portions of two stamps?) The doubled bottom line is very weird, as you say. The shell ornaments also look strange. Plus there are only two pearls on the right. My impression is that the entire bottom part of the stamp has been doctored, perhaps in a not-very-convincing attempt to make a Scott #35 look like a Scott #16 (with fake top recut).

I suspect that the complete right margin has been added, and the cancels on that side were added to help cover it up. The top margin also might have been added as well.

Here is the back of the stamp:

Appears to be a Type II with margins added to the top, right, and bottom. Fake recut added to top with parts of design elements painted in at right and bottom.

Yeah, completely agree with sinclair2010's assessment. Put it face down in fluid, and use a magnifier to have a look. The seam lines of the added margins will be faint, but visible.

imo its been rebacked. look along the design edges when you dip it, and the work will become apparent.

I will try using fluid and a microscope. It's a shame there are so many bad actors out there trying to take advantage of the rest of us! At least we have you Super Heroes here at SCF to help make us all "Stamp Smarter"! I am so glad I found this forum.

keep us posted on your findings.

Anghus, At my Monitor & with old eyes, the used stamp looks reasonable for age.

I'm curious, did this stamp come out of a large lot? I feel like I might have seen it before.

revcollector, I don't remember exactly when or where I got this stamp. I'm thinking it may have been part of a wholesale lot I bought from Herrick Stamp Company over 20 years ago. If I remember correctly they were offering something like $5,000 (or was it $10,000?) catalog value of 19th century US stamps for $999 - supposedly all sound and genuine. I do remember several of the stamps were misidentified and several had small faults but at the price I didn't complain.

Did this stamp pass through your hands at some point?

By the way, I have not been able to view this stamp in fluid yet. I am allergic to all watermarking fluids I have tried but at the urging of some fellow collectors I bought some Ronsonol to try. As expected I immediately had a severe allergic reaction and had to leave the room. If one of the experts here would like to do a thorough analysis of this stamp (just for curiosity's sake) I'm quite willing to make it available.

Fluid would be nice but holding the stamp up to light is probably enough. You should be able to tell that margins have been added. I disagree that the stamp has been rebacked.

If nothing else, I would at least float it.
Don

I feel like I saw this stamp about 6 months ago in a large lot.