Show Your US 1851-57 Imperforate Stamps

The above example has been confirmed as 10R11L -
Position 10, Right Pane, Plate 11.

Confirming done and examples shared with me by:
Winston Sinclair,
Robin Lund,
Charles DiComo.

Now we know what a #26A, damaged relief, both areas repaired looks like.

Thanks all!
Stan Shepp

A nice looking apparently type II I would like to plate. I see a guide dot lower left and double transfer ink in ONE.

Can I ask for someone to give me a head start on this? I made a halting attempt, but I'm not good at narrowing it down. Thanks in advance.

I'm still trying on this stamp. I'm leaning towards plate 2 because there seem to be a good number of stamps with that smear of ink along the top. But so far no luck.

risny - I think your stamp is from Plate 3. There are a number of "B" relief stamps on that plate with plate marks in "O". The best match with these marking and with the two guide dots are 82L3 and 50R3. Between the two, I think 50R3 is the more likely based on the spacing with the stamp on the left. There are several examples in the StampSmarter database that show the spacing between the 1st and 2nd column of the left pane of Plate 3 to be wider than on your stamp. Unfortunately, there aren't any examples that I can find to determine the relative height and spacing of the 10th column and the 9th column of the right pane of Plate 3.

risny - I take it all back; I mistook one of the dark spots in the right plume to be a guide dot. After blowing up the image, I can see that it is part of the cancellation. That changes everything! I'll keep working on it with you.

risny - Okay, here is another try - 88R2. Your stamp also has the small dot in ornament "M" that Doporto shows on his example. Your stamp also has a "dingle" which isn't found on relief "B" except on the 9th row.

That looks spot on to my eyes. The plate marks in the O of ONE are identical and I see the dot on Doporto. Thank you very much. Could I ask what technique you used to zero in on this? Was it the guide dot? I tried using the guide dot images, but didn't spot this one - the dot is visible on the position 87 image lower right. I thought I tried all those. Anyway, this certainly seems to be it. Thanks again.

I think you nailed it, widglo. The fact that the stamp is Type II and that the visible portion of the adjacent stamp to the left shows the "walking stick" mark leads us immediately to Plate 2. As widglo notes, the fact that this is a Relief B stamp with a dingle narrows it down to the ninth row.

I have to agree that its 88R2.

There are numerous reference copies on the internet, and Dick Celler has two in his plating that I have. The spacing to the left to 87R2 (with its guide dot) and vertical alignment, visually appears correct. The O-scratches are a dead-on match, and the left side ornament completeness also works. I agree that the dingle and the small top of ornament Z from 98R2 showing there is another B relief below it helps as well. Also, 88R2 has the crazy mis-placed low guide dot that had a lot to do with 99R2's issues. The fact that you cannot see a guide dot on yours also indirectly shows this.

ok, what's a dingle?

Dingle - probably best to read here:

https://d2jf3tgwe889fp.cloudfront.n...CS_and_B.pdf

Looks like page 16 goes into it. In fact page 19 goes into 88R2.
The Article is "The Toppan Carpenter Plates and the Guide Reliefing Method". Personally, I think its worth a read, but I'm biased.

A few partial references to it here -

https://goscf.com/t/72775&whichpage=44#652044
https://goscf.com/t/58151&whichpage=5#553821

Sharing from my phone.

A cute little ladies letter from Sarah Jane "Ginny" to her 'sister' Mary. (They've only known each other for about a year.)

Sent in the mid 1850's from COLD BROOK, MAS to DUDLEY, MASS. Both towns in Worcester County, Mass.

Cold Brook post office is listed in Merolla & Crowther's "The Post Offices of Massachusetts" on page 103.

COLD BROOK Post Office was established April 12, 1832 and discontinued on May 14, 1850 (Rarity 8)

This post office was operated under the name of SMITHVILLE from May 14, 1850 until Dec 20, 1853. (Rarity 7)

On Dec 20, 1853, the name changed back to COLD BROOK and stayed under that name until Sep 5, 1861 (Rarity 8)

From Sep 5, 1861 until July 27, 1900, this post office once again operated under the name of SMITHVILLE. (Rarity 7)

With a slight overlap, from Jan 2, 1900 it operated under the name WHITE VALLEY and was eventually discontinued on Jan 28, 1938. (Rarity 6)

This usage would have been during the second COLD BROOK phase, between Dec 20, 1853 & Sep 5, 1861.

Cold Brook or Smithville is actually located in the town of BARRE, MASS.

The letter provides a fascinating glimpse into the life of Sarah and her friend, Mary. It includes a story of Sarah's brother being injured.

"About four weeks previous while at work in the match shop, the furnace near which he was standing (in which phosphorous was burning) exploded and he received the contents in his face and on his hands and arms, while pieces of the furnace hit his foot and lamed him severely. It was thought to be a wonder that he was not instantly killed ..."

Noted in the letter are (soon to be?) Dr. James Newell (who is studying medicine with), Dr. Bates (of Worcester), Henry & Phoebe. Sarah Clapp, (teacher) Abby Howe (Who is quite intimate with Hiram Niles), (teacher) Sarah Clark, (teacher in Leicester) Adda Clark, & Mr. Prowley.

The COLD BROOK Circular Date Stamp has a rarity of 8. I have not been able to find another example of the COLD BROOK, MAS CDS, let alone an example with the double box cancel - let alone having this cancel on an imperf 3c Washington. - I would bump the rarity as such up to at least a 9, and it may even be a unique example.

That's a neat killer cancel for this period.

Thanks, txstamp.

I am pleased with the whole package. The stamp, the CDS, the cancel, the letter and its contents.

The average person may not think about the daily life of someone from the 1850's, but this makes you realize that matchmaking was a job that someone had to do - and it was dangerous. Sometimes, the furnace would blow up and almost kill the worker. Sometimes, they would survive, but there would be scaring all over their face, their eyesight would be ruined, the furnace piece might hit them in the foot or leg and they may have to walk with a cane for the rest of their life.

It was a rough time. And some people still managed to keep their letters in the original envelope and to save them from ruin or destruction - for 170 years.

I am pleased to have added this to my collection.

Stan

Stan - Thanks so much for sharing that cover and letter. Barre was in my neck of the woods, and I spent many years in my youth exploring the area and hiking Quabbin Reservoir. An area rich in history and much of it still proudly preserved. Also, a place of great natural beauty and diverse wildlife. It reminds me a great deal of a busier Berkshires where I now live. The politics and taxes in Massachusetts drive me crazy but the feel of the place keeps me here.

I am thinking of starting a collection of postal history from the "dead" towns that were flooded by Quabbin and still can be seen under the waters. You can still walk the town roads around the Reservoir and come across many buildings remains and cellar holes. The bodies were removed from the Town cemeteries, but the headstones are still there in some cases. You will also come across vintage 1920's and 1930's vehicles slowing decaying amongst the trees.