Any Insights In Separating China's "Junk" Issues?

Good Morning!
I am working on identifying several of China's "junk" issues. As you know, there is the 1913 London printing, the 1915 Peking printing, and the second Peking printing of 1923.

Identifying the second Peking printing is (to me) easy. My "brick wall" is with separating the London from the first Peking printing.

I have both the Scotts and Gibbons catalogs and understand their descriptions of the differences. But frankly, using a couple of good magnifiers, I find that most of the stamps could fall into either category. Of course, they must be one or the other.

What do you use that help you separate them?

www.paperheritage.co.uk/arti...na-Junks.html

I sometimes have the same problem, but here is a link you can try.

Hope this helps,
Linus

Hi mobilman44,
I have the 2000 edition of the Stamp Catalogue of China by Shiu-Hon Chan, and the only difference noted between the two early sets is that the 1913 London is perf 14-15, and the 1915 First Peking (dated 1914-1919 in the catalogue) is perf 14. Hope this helps.
Regards
DavidR

I noticed that but wasn't sure what "14 - 15" meant. Does it mean 14 is used on one side and 15 the other? Or that the stamps were issued in 14 and some in 15?

The latter. It's in that range, otherwise it would be 14 x 15.

Nice website Linus. As for the difference btw the London and First Peking: I've always relied upon the white wave above the H of China, sc., whether or not it touches the junk. But now I'll go back and reexamine all my copies.

First photo Scott 203 (London printing on the left) and Scott 222 (First Peking printing on the right)
London printing shows weak or fine shading lines under top panel, right hand pennant long, clear diagonal lines in the sails and the wave above the H does not touch the junk. In the Peking printing the shading lines under the top panel are heavier, the right hand pennant is shorter, the diagonal lines are not as distinct and the wave touches the junk


Second photo Scott 207 (London) on left and Scott 226 (Peking) on right


Not all diagnostic characters are visible on all stamps, and I find the diagonal shading lines to be ambiguous at times, as I find them quite apparent on my Scott 226

Thank you all!

I do believe I have identified the stamps - with the "wave touching the ship" a key point.