Lines On #122 And #132

Why are there prominent vertical, and to a lesser extent horizontal lines on these two stamps? They look like they were perhaps a guide dot substitute, but it doesn't seem like there was any attempt to be subtle with them at all. The lines are distracting to me, but so many examples have them that I'm not sure they have any effect upon the stamps value in today's market. When I don't see the lines, it makes me wonder, in fact, if they have been somehow removed. The 1st stamp is #122 and the 2nd is #132.

they are as you surmised guide lines and position dots. the lines tend to wear out as the plates were used. they are common to many issues with both often covered by the design. frame less designs tend show them up better.

They are plate layout lines.

Those are gorgeous stamps, widglo46!

They are very beautiful, and I would not worry about the layout lines as they are found very often on older ( and newer ) stamps.
Usually they are removed from the plates but that sometimes does not happen

Peter

Thanks, Classic Coins. The Pictorials are some of my favorite stamps. Many of the Pictorials are fairly common stamps, but it can be a real challenge to find them with nice cancels and well centered. I'm still looking for a nice used #114 even though there were millions of them printed.

I thought it curious that, of the 1869 issue, it is just the 90 cent stamp that typically shows these prominent guidelines.

I can only guess that the one plate used to print both 122 and 132, plate 22, was used for such relatively low quantities of printing that the line never wore down.

I haven't done so, but I would bet dollars to donuts that you would see similar dots/lines if you searched this issue on Siegel's Power Search. They are very common on this issue. My question to everyone here is: has anybody plated this issue? I would fully expect these layout lines/dots would make the job relatively easy. I would expect only one plate for each color, especially on the 90c, due to the low numbers of impressions, but I don't know for sure. Anyway, has the 90c been plated?

Wow! I'm with ClassicCoins, those two stamps are stunning.

Wonderful stamps! And an interesting line of inquiry.

The lines are shown on the proofs.

they are often found on the match and medicine revenues. they were not usually burnished out or erased......the lines wore as the plate was used, the dots wore less and are more prominent. they usually were covered by the design of the stamps. there use appears to have been less prominent by about the 1890-1900 period to the best of my knowledge, or better hidden in the designs.

Of distinct relevance to this particular topic, there is an interesting exemplar of the 122 included in Siegel's impending Petersen sale [that of 29-30 April 2021] as lot 150 (page 82 of the catalogue).

It displays a fairly prominent horizontal line across the entire width of the top, and vertical lines at both sides, most clearly visible as they extend down from the top of the stamp. The dots at upper left and right are clearly visible as well.

A capture from the .pdf of the catalogue is below. The lot entry notes that the top is reperfed (which would seem to indicate a row position, but is also interesting for this sale, but that's discussed elsewhere).




Edited to add that whosoe'r of us buys this, must upload a really good scan.

- Jonathan

What is the paper like on this stamp? The reason I ask is that I found 1 in a collection I bought but I think it is fake the front looks OK but the back of the stamp is completely white and the paper is pretty stiff.

Sounds like a cardboard plate proof.