Comparing Shades Of Australian KGV Heads Sideface Series

Postmarks can be extremely important when various printing dates of shades are known, such as those listed in the KGV Australian Commonwealth Specialists' Catalogue (ACSC) for the 1d reds and the 4d oranges.

Quantity of stamps is the key to shading. Grouping similar shades together then moving as appropriate when one doesn't fit with the others.

A rich (usually rarer) deeper shade will start to stand out amongst the ordinaries. Sometimes there will be a quite extraordinary shade that becomes a gem in the collection.

In general, deep means dark, so try to group particular shades from lighter to darker - sometimes the ones that seem deep actually pale by comparison when order is established. They are then relegated to their rightful place.

Refinement can be achieved by scanning the page with various groupings then copying and pasting 'half-stamps' on top of others to compare directly the two shades.

Frank - very nice presentation of the shades in your collection - thank you.

Fairdinkumstamps..have you checked the 'C of A' w/m's for elusive reversed 'C' ?.

I have been collecting Australia for 20 years,
It was only a few weeks ago, I became aware of the importance of "Shades"

I had bought 6 or 7, 1/4d Turquoise Blue sidefaces, and was showing them to a colleague (Hi David)
He brought my attention to the "Very Deep Turquoise" shade.........$4000 used.
(No, I didn't have one)

Finches - none of my 4d olives have a reversed C in CofA.

Rod222, the latest edition of the KGV Australian Commonwealth Specialists' Catalogue has the 'very deep turquoise' shade listed as $6500.00 for used for single crown watermark and $6250.00 for 'deep turquoise' with CofA watermark. 'Intensely deep turquoise' with CofA watermark (known only mint) is $8500.

With up-to-date pricing on all KGV era stamps (not just the sidefaces) the latest catalogue is essential for collectors of KGV Australian stamps.

One wonders how many 'shades' in each KGV color collectors have.
Top right & bottom left color vary noticeably within a block.

Finches, collectable shades are noticeably different from each other when adjacent. Rarer shades are established when there is evidence that sheets of that shade (sometimes very few) were produced at some point.

The stamps on your block have the illusion of being different due to the heavier postmark on the top right stamp.

It is possible to have differences in ink intensity on a sheet due to hiccups in the printing process but not in this case.

I have transposed the middle sections of the upper right and lower left stamps of your block so that the consistency of shade can be seen.

Fairdinkumstamps... I was focused on solid color around Kangaroos leg, but I see your point.

Rod:




Here's a reference, written about the the time that Dad was in full swing, minutely examining every stamp that he had.

http://www.philatelicsannex.org/ref...il_GV_1d.pdf

Discussion of watermarks starts on Page 17. Also interesting (and relevant to this thread) is a listing starting on Page 26 which dates the various shades.

Frank.

And here is the jewel in the KGV Sideface crown - though some of mine are somewhat tarnished - the 1d red.










The empty Rose Carmine grouping is just imcluded for completeness. The colour groupings come from an ACSC catalogue of the 1950s. I don't know if the later catalogues include additional shades.

Finches:




I did a quick, probably very unscientific, check of colours and it seems that readings in white areas vary more pronounceably than readings in red areas across the block. So my guess is that the perceived changes in shade are more due to the ravages of use and time than to the actual shade of the red ink.