Xmas 1898 - Curved Line At Left Middle - Common?

Good Evening All,

I've scanned 3 of the 1898 Canada Xmas stamps trying to figure out what the type is or what have you.

Have a look, the line curves down from left to right and starts at the 5th horizontal line up from "XMAS 1898". The first stamp below being the most defined example.

I've seen some pictures online - but don't know the type, frame type, error type if it is one, etc... don't know if this is common either.

I have yet to get a Unitrade book - will get soon - probably over the weekend.







Thanks!

hi souldjer777

I have checked well over 100 of my map stamps and have come across exactly what you are seeing....But I cant remember what or why they are there..I will try to find out for you.

Robert

Here is a quick one I have with weird lines near the 5th horz. line.



If you want a professional answer to your question..Go to http://www.bnaps.org/study.php

Go half way down the page and look at "Map Stamp", send a email to Orville and he will help you.

These are Guide Lines, or better termed, Guide Arcs. We discussed this in a 2016 thread, located here:

https://goscf.com/t/48532

What I have read so far is NOT an explanation!

Simply calling it "guide lines" or "guide arcs" does NOT explain a thing.

In order to prepare a whole plate from a single stamp image you may need a guide dot but these are usually NOT inside the stamp image but at the corners or edges.

So, the question remains! What are these lines?

Yes, those are unerased guidelines.

Thank you everyone for your help. Not convinced why one would use a curved guide arc or guide line and then make it show sometimes and not on others "erased". As long as the stamp type is the same, I guess I will leave the topic alone. For instance - there is no stamp in any catalog that is listed as "1898 Canada 2c stamp - Type 2 - showing guide arc or curve.

Is this is a common enough trait to leave that trait off the stamp catalog description and listings?

Enhanced areas from initial post:

Robert - to confirm your findings above - I also found 1 stamp of mine to have an additional line across the middle - just slightly above the middle line and below the dashed line - barely visible but it's there. Lots of carmine ink splatter on this one... The variations may never end!

I have the book "The Canadian Map Stamp of 1898" by F. Tomlinson (1972 reprint) which calls this line a compass arc. There may also be a compass point close to or inside the coast of China.

According to the book, this line occurs in considerably more than half of the stamps. It is possible that these marks are different which would help distinguish otherwise identical stamps, but having the mark does not make the stamp unusual.

Jan

$28 CAD

Very good to know it is a compass arc Jan j2186



I'll call this closed - very good reference as well.

Thank you all for the help! Very good information all around.

Hi siouldjer777,
I have tried to reach you via the email contact system of this forum without success. I may be interested to purchase or at least get a better scan of one of the stamps you showed in your initial post with the curved compass lines. Your forum signature suggests you are willing to sell posted items. Even if you do not want to sell your stamp, I may be interested to feature it on my Flyspecker.com site if I could see a better scan.
Let me know.
Scott.

Well that makes sense as to why I'm not receiving any emails.



I'll see what my settings are - try to resolve myself.

UPDATE: Resolved - automatic filter settings in Gmail.

souldjer77I have about 75 of these map stamps, here is a little portion on oddities of this stamp.

Robert

Also check Ralph's website for map stamps.
https://www.re-entries.com/mapstamp.html