The Wonderful World Of Colors

"In my opinion catalog publishers and those that came before us who decide it was a good idea to use stamp colors for identification clearly over looked this fact."

Further exacerbated by the fact that color names are often different between different catalogs, and even with a catalog they are not consistent.

Here are a few 1c 1861 to take a gander at. Some of these stamps have been posted before. Might try to add a scan of just a select few later on with my opinion of what they are. To calibrate your eyes, I think the entire middle row are 63b... well maybe the last stamp is a little iffy.

So here are a few select stamps from the larger group. Top left is pale blue. If I were going to submit the top middle stamp, I would actually submit it as an ultramarine 63a. Top right I would just call plain old blue although it is perhaps a bit on the bright side. Bottom left is what might be called milky blue or pastel blue (from that rgstamp thread). My opinion is that it is related to bright blue and comes about by adding white pigment to the ink mix. I think Don would like me to call the color a tint of bright blue but I can't bring myself to do it. Bottom middle is bright blue and bottom right is dark blue. The image, before using the SCF optimizer came straight from my scanner. The only thing I did was reduce the brightness of the scanner light to -60.

Good stuff Winston. Thanks for sharing.

Thanks for the input. Thanks for sharing those scans, too.

Sinclair2010 said,


How were these digitized? Scanned? Photographed?

The images look brighter than the larger group. Or is it just my old eyes???

51studebaker:
" I have a high level of confidence that a person like Winston can accurately ID certain stamp colors, even those which sit on toned paper or are sulphurated"

Sorry small pet peeve about this site. We don't all know people by first name. It might be easier for some of us to know who you might be referencing if people give opinions.

Both of the images I posted came from 1200dpi scans done by an Epson V500. The scan of the six stamps was actually done with the scanner bulb turned down to -60. The big scan was done with the bulb set at the default of 0.

Magguss: Winston = sinclair2010 on SCF = wsinclairstamps on ebay.

Winston, how did you adjust the bulb strength on the scanner?

I have been studying the shades of this one too.

Here's what I have in my album:



And here are the rest of my 1861 1c stamps

Very nice Winston and Philazilla.

Philazilla said,


How do you tell the difference between "deep blue" and "dark blue?"

The deep blue looks like a lighter shade (less black) of dark blue to me. Aren't these supposed to be different hues???

Post a larger image of just those two if you can. Thanks.

Caper, you need to have the scanner in professional mode. From the home operating window, look for "Adjustments" and you will find one of the selectable icons that allows you to adjust brightness, among other things.

The Dark Blue is . . . darker. "Deep Blue" is at the darker range of "blue" shades and is still considered a 63. The dark blue is a 63b. It is crazy what colors get their own catalog number and which don't. I'll have to scan tomorrow if I remember.

Thanks Winston. Works the same on my V600.