Should This Stamp Be Removed From Cover For Grill ID?

Having difficulty with Grill ID on this stamp. Number of rows appears to be 18 but going cross eyed recounting. My first instinct is to soak it off cover and examine it from the reverse but wonder if this would be a reasonable approach, or even matter at all. Nothing significant about the cover as far as I can tell. Grill does appear interesting enough to sacrifice the cover. Any and all opinions welcome and appreciated.

I think you can count without removing on this one.

The technique that I use is to mark each columns and row that I can using a graphics app. (Keeps my eyes from becoming crossed!) Example:

Don

When I look at the image the grill seems to be points up on the face?

51studebaker

Thank you. Graphic app does do the trick. I'm going to look into that. Any that you might recommend?

NO! Do not soak the stamp. In your example, the stamp has a very strong grill so that scanning/photographic techniques will easily ID the grill. I always like to make a scan made with the contrast skewed greatly to emphasize the points better.

From a strong postal history bias, I believe never lift/soak a stamp until all the postal history aspects have been evaluated. In this case there is a very attractive cancel which has value beyond the value of the cheaper grills. The stamp is damaged and has minimal value whatever the grill ID. Some collectors will shy away from a lifted-and-hinged cover. The value is in the intact cover as postal history. Please do not destroy its value. End of preaching!

John

Thank you for that advice. I took Don's advice and used a graphic app that came with my image editing software. I'm going to send this cover off to PF as I think it might just be something special.

What grill did you conclude you have?
What do you see that is special?

John

I am unable to determine the grill type but think it might be a C grill. I am not certain. I will submit it as such and hope the PF will either confirm or deny.

I grew up in Flushing though this cover may predate me slightly. Can't see a date stamp on the cancel- what is the time-frame?

I lived in Flushing about 30 years ago. It's changed a ton since then, so if you lived there earlier then that you might not recognize it.

Revcollector I know exactly what you are speaking of as it pertains to downtown Flushing. I left in 1990 but the trend had started in the 1980s and exploded in the 1990's. I've been back many times, my brother still lives in NY. The part of Flushing where I lived was much closer to Fresh Meadows.

That side has not changed as much, but it has changed some.

My grandparents had a house right across the street from the old Worlds Fair Grounds. Little house on 3/4 acre with the Long Island Expressway running alongside. After they died the house was sold and now an apartment building sits there. As a kid I used to play around that big giant globe whenever I visited my grandparents in Flushing.

I googled the addressee on the envelope. Seems he was a big property owner in Queens during his lifetime. Can't date the cover. Nothing on reverse.

It's a very cool cover