King George V Sideface Varieties

I was asked to include perforations and watermark where possible to help with identification. This is a lettergram or something. Can someone please give me details. Do I keep it or do I junk it? Sorry but I did try and soak the "stamp" off.

We do not "junk" stamps! Eeeek! (It has survived 93 years, and now in your care)
Every one tells a story.

Yours is Australian Stationery, (Lettercard) Postmarked (Machine Roller) GEELONG Victoria

(With on inverted "3" in the date slug)

I am having trouble with the date, only one can fit (I think) is 1930

The slogan Postmark may confirm that suggestion. (I have no listing in my slogans, closest "Include the Postcode in every address)


Bib: Brusden White Postal Stationery 2013

Here is the text to your slogan
Author : Bear 0001

"Include Postal District Number in Melbourne Suburban Addresses"

Same text , yours is a roller
Circa 1931

Thanks Rod. I presume "EEEK" means it ranks as a stamp. Can someone please recommend a good way of finding watermarks. I am having a ball going through dad's old KGV's but don't have any specialists books left so am trying to sort them by value, perforations and watermark first (there are 1500 1½ reds for instance tied up in bundles of 100) and hundreds of 1d, 2d etc..
The problem is I am on oxygen and a little bit reluctant to try lighter fluid or shellite etc.. (I do have an ultraviolet light). One friend said that specialist use their knowledge of shades etc to help identify the watermark, but that is no help to me at the moment. For instance my father pencilled "no wmk" on this 2d red, perf 14, which makes it quite rare if he was right. (SG 99ab £2750 to buy from them).
Are there any reliable watermark detectors out there.

Sorry, It means EEEK! as I recoil in horror, at someone contemplating destroying a postage stamp.


There are 2 reliable methods of watermark detection
Water
Lighter fluid

Both are easy, just use enough to cover the stamp in a black dish
the reverse of the stamp will show the wmk

Lettercards and any stationery do not have watermarks (generally speaking)

Please forget my last stamp. It is perforated 14 which means it is NOT SG 99ab. ie it does have a watermark even if I can't see it. Will try water in a black dish. Thanks again folks.

Quite common, there are billions out there.

My method, tried and true, for watermarking.

Prepare an A4 sheet of blank paper, give a 2" square or so in area and PASTE
a different watermark icon in those spaces.

KEEP as a template for watermarking

Use Lighter Fluid, and do 10-15 stamps at a time, before the wmk evaporates
Place each stamp under the correct icon,

repeat ad nauseum
Store each wmk bundle in its own glassine

Print and cut your icons from here............

Thanks Rod, I might have to try lighter fluid. I tried water on the 2d red but couldn't see the small multiple even though I know it must be there. Will make up a sheet as you suggest. I presume the number of copies of each watermark is based on the frequency they occur.

That was my assumption.

Just a quick dip in lighter fluid should do, use tongs, and shake any drips off
The more you do, the skill becomes easier.
Sometimes you can see a wmk without dipping.

There are some beautiful shades and varieties to be found on these orange two pence KGV stamps.

I appreciate stamps with character - such as the right stamp with rough print, OS NSW puncture, 100+ year old Canley Vale postmark, colour spot outside of the frame behind the roo and the fancy emu tail!

A tip for everyone. Going through dad's old stamps I discovered that most KGV's separate from the paper they are stuck on after 100 years - you don't have to soak them off'.
Also found one of dad's "stamps" from Palestine 1940

Please tell me I have this right. It is DIE lll isn't it?

Correct, Boreraig - Die III it is.

My Australian Commonwealth Specialists' Catalogue KGV arrived yesterday. I am amazed at what inflation has done. Stamps that dad had listed for 1d. are now $45 to buy. In any case I am looking forward to hours of fun. (The fourth one I checked was "white flaw at base of neck".) BW (88)12i.

I might even get to the point where I can identify stamps for other people.

Cancel that thought that I might be able to help others. What is this? It is not 88(11)h.The "A" of half is filled in but the "EE" are not.Also the word HALFPENCE is a real mess.