Show Your US 1851-57 Imperforate Stamps

Here's a pretty #11A, possibly Orange-Brown...

Submitted to PSE in 2009 - This stamp appears to be in the Orange-Brown color. Because of the color, it was submitted as a #10A - but apparently, PSE sent it out to Dick Celler for plating. It came back from Dick plated as 26R2L. Although some specialists (including Dr. Amonette) have identified plate 2 Late stamps in the Orange-Brown color, PSE doesn't certify such.

Graded as XF-S 95 with a designated color of "Dull Red"

The initials "WAL" on the note would seem to be "William A. Litle", an avid 3c Washington collector himself.

The handwriting on the note and the initials "WAL" are definitely those of William A Litle who was the finalizer for PSE at the time of the certificate.

The scan makes it appear more red than OB. Of course, scans can't be fully trusted for detailed color work.

Plate 2L OBs - at least the one I had, and the ones I've seen - they really "pop" out as being different from normal Plate 2L stamps.

Canada East folded cover
Scott #9 Type IV PAID
67R1L
Diagonal crease on stamp upper left corner through E of ONE. Cover not creased, so the stamp must have gotten creased prior to being affixed.

Cover from Pittsburg to Cincinnati, my guess some legal documents to a judge in the US District Court, Ohio District . Heavy letter requiring 6 3 cent stamps for 18 cents.

Haven't yet been successful at plating, but the single looks to be plate 6 or 7 and I think the pair will follow. Haven't attempted the strip of three yet

Couldn't get the cover to upload horizontally, so sorry about the sideways picture.

Beautiful covers Moyock13. I've plated the 3 cents and they are from Plates 3 and 8. The strip of three are 11A "B" reliefs with no guide dots and each has a single line recut in the ULT. I'd look at the bottom row of the right pane of plate 3. The others appear to be from Plate 8 and are also "B" reliefs and two of them have guide dots. I'd focus on right pane of Plate 8.

Regards,
Harper1249

Moyock 13:

The stamp on your cover looks like it may have a pre-printing paper fold/crease and not be reused.

It might pay to look at it carefully with a very high power glass, a 40X if you have one.

Harper 1249, thank you for the tips. I've had the opportunity to review the strip of three and have concluded that they are 91R3 thru 93R3.

I'll get the digital microscope out and check out the one cent stamp. Any tips on what I should look for? I'll see if I can post a picture when I get the chance.

Thank you, everyone!

If it is a pre-printing paper fold, one side of it should be higher than the other where it is folded over. It might also be possible to feel the folded area as thicker then the rest of the stamp.

revcollector, I can feel the crease very slightly. Here are a couple of pictures with my digital microscope.

Moyock - on your Canada circular, can you post the date of the printed matter inside? The paid cancel like that was used at Chicago, as it appears to be on the front. I'm curious about the time period, however. Thx.

Hi txstamp, the circular, Chicago Market Review, is dated June 25, 1856.

Thanks Moyock. 1856 was my guess.
It coincides with other uses of that Paid, and also, the Hadley Chicago private perforations. There is a Chicago perf cover similar to yours. Kind of

The right side of your stamp appears probably manually separated/torn; can you see anything resembling a possible rough perf hole? Probably not, but always worth checking for when you line up on the target (city & period of chicago perf use, etc), so to speak. Also check the bottom…

edit: https://goscf.com/t/63022#584515

It does appear to be a paper fold, but there is no way to tell how wide it is since it is on cover. I certainly would not recommend removing it to find out.