Show Your US 1851-57 Imperforate Stamps

Nice stamp ioagoa. I know I've seen that boxed cancel somewhere recently. I'll have to go back and look for where I saw it.

The more I look at these stamps up close the more I appreciate what went in to producing them. I still haven't been able to get the book on line engraving that you recommended but I'm still looking for it. It's impressive that rust wasn't a problem on the other plates as well. I'm assuming these were bare steel plates. They were used repeatedly for years. Conditioned air/humidity control was still 100 years away. They must of had a way protecting the plates from moisture that still allowed them to use them. I'm guessing they weren't able to coat the plates with oils as that would impact printing. Perhaps it was just the frequent use of the plates that prevented the corrosion from occurring. Sounds like plates 5 was put into storage for several years and that is when the corrosion occurred with it.

Cool stamp. Im off to find that cancel.
Harper1249

Edit: Found It!! Looks to be 41L3. Cancellation looks to be the same but not as clear.

Hi Harper --

YEP -- that is the same West Hartford, CT boxed cancel -- very nice strike. Not often that you will find this cancel -- but here we have 2 of them in as many days -- proving once again that there are still great finds out there waiting to be had.

I sure would have liked to have seen the covers from which my stamp and yours came. I presume they must have been in really poor condition as it is beyond me why somebody would soak stamps like these?

I did not fully confirm your plating -- but it looks correct at first glance. As an aside -- another interesting thing about position 41L3 is that it is one of only 3 positions on plate 3 where the URDB is not recut.

I love seeing cancels like this -- thanks for showing this stamp.

Regards // ioagoa

Could someone check image 1 for postion 27L1L in the SSD. I don't think it is correct. It is showing a LR guide dot and I don't think there should be one. Also the left frame line is too close to the UL triangle and diamond block. The Chase image appears to be correct. Lund matches Chase as well.

Harper1249

Hi Harper --

Great catch!

You are correct -- the stamp currently slotted as 27L1L in the StampSmarter database is wrong -- it is actually 27R1L -- with 3 lines recut in the ULT.

This is more of a "mechanical error" versus a true error of plating -- and easy enough to make by even the most experienced platers -- but either way -- it is wrong -- and needs to get fixed.

One thing that my mentor taught me about plating is to always have a pencil handy to immediately note the plate position once figured.

I do not have the capability to re-slot the image into the correct place -- so if Don D. is reading this post, perhaps he could make the correction.

Regards // ioagoa

I am pretty intimidated by US 19th century stamps. Therefore I only have one imperforate from 1851-57. I may have posted it a while back but it was not a scan. Posting it now - in hopes that the experts can confirm this is an 11a - at least that is what I believe it to be. Yes I know that the pen cancel is less desirable - but that is ok, I am happy to have this stamp.

Thanks all.

Hi Mrita75 --

Based on the color and the impression in your scan -- and the fact that both inner lines have been recut -- your stamp looks like a Scott #11A.

More specifically, based on what I can see in your scan, the stamp is most likely from either plate 2L or 3. The fact that both inner lines are recut eliminates plates 4, 6, 7, and 8. The URDB has one horizontal line recut across the top -- so that eliminates plate 1L -- and, preliminarily, based on the scan, the strength of the recut inner lines look a touch too strong for plate 5L.

Your stamp looks like an A relief -- and with the RFL extending down beyond its intersection with the BFL -- both of which are key features that can be used as a plating aid.

While your scan quality is sufficient for me to be confident in saying that your stamp is a Scott #11A -- it is not of suitable quality for plating purposes. If you want the stamp plated, I am happy to do that for you -- but you will first need to soak and press the stamp to get the paper flat -- and then rescan at a higher resolution, preferably 1200 dpi.

In the meantime -- I am confident that even without actually plating your stamp, it is a Scott #11A.

Regards // ioagoa

ioagoa - thank you SO much for responding, After 2 years, I finally decided to put something out there in terms of US. I understand that my scan is not ideal - it is 600 dpi - however that is the highest my scanner will go. It is definitely big progress from my iPhone pictures. :) Once I progress as a more experienced collector, I know that a top notch scanner will be in order. I agree with you that this is an 11a. Thanks again :)

Looking for plating assistance on this one. I don't see any marks on here that would help me narrow the search. Clues appreciated. Thanks.

Nice position piece:

rinsy, at a glance I see No Inner Lines, Guide Dot Lower Right, looks like the Frame Lines have been Recut, could be a "B" Relief, could be a single Vertical Recut in the lower left triangle, looks like the Lower Label Block and Lower Right Diamond Block have been Recut, and there's something funny about that toga button.

Your #12 is clearly position 1R1, Relief A.

Nice item.

Hi rlsny --

I plated your 3c stamp with the apparent green cancel -- and here are a few more hints --

-- Moyock is correct that your stamp is a B relief -- and it is very typical of a "B9" (i.e., meaning a B relief from the 9th row) -- where the "B-hump" at the bottom of the oval got pressed out a little when the 10th row was rocked in. This "B9" effect is due to the curvature of the transfer roll, where the A relief often impacted the lower portion of the 9th row positions -- and especially in those cases where TCC over-rocked the 10th row. If you want to know more about the "B9" characteristic -- there is a great article in the Sesqui Book (free on the USPCS website) -- titled "A Detailed Study of the 3c 1851 Relief Characteristics" -- authored by Richard Celler and Elliot Omiya.

-- Your stamp has no inner lines recut -- and does not look OB -- so has to be from plates 4, 6, 7, or 8. The BFL on your stamp -- even though shaved -- seems to be a touch weaker on its left half versus the right half -- which is often seen on plates 6 and 7. Generally speaking, all 4 frame lines look too light for plate 8 -- AND -- the LFL looks a touch too strong for plate 4.

-- There is a weak spot in the LFL at a level opposite the bottom half of the ULR -- and this is something you can use as a plating aid.

I believe that with the above hints you should be able to plate the stamp. Start on plates 6 and 7 -- and look for similarly situated guide dots. Unless I missed one -- this exercise should eliminate all but 4 possibilities. Next, for all of the stamps with similarly situated guide dots -- look for that weak spot in the LFL. Once you land on the tentative position -- compare everything else to nail it down -- especially the relationship of the FL's to the label blocks and the design -- and also the white spacing between the FL's and the diamond blocks at all 4 corners.

Good luck with this one -- and I am happy to confirm your plating -- or if you want me to reveal the position, I am happy to do that as well.

Regards // ioagoa

edited to fix grammar and a few typos

This is hard. These clues are great, but I barely understand them. The best I found so far is 88R7. If that's wrong (which is likely) I think I'm ready for the answer.

Hi rlsny --

Agree -- plates 6 and 7 can be tough -- especially the A reliefs where there is no GD.

In the case of your 3c imperf with the apparent green cds cancel -- I found 4 candidates on plates 6 and 7 that were B relief's with similarly situated guide dots -- namely. 25L6, 68L6, 86L6, and 81R7.

Then, upon closer study, your stamp clearly plates to position 86L6.

Regards // ioagoa

Thank you. Maybe some of this will rub off on me over time.