So Who's Afraid Of The Indian States?

Agree,
the first is a classic "set off" as you suggested.

Be aware Charkhari is littered with "varieties", one never knows if things like yours is happenstance, or deliberately contrived.

tks both.... I think ill hang on to the Chakari - just bc its so well done :)

kind of neat.

Indeed,
so would I..

So this was sold as MH #1, Sirmoor. But in Scott, #1 diagram A1 does not show the perf around the printing. This leads me to A3 Scott but this is green not yellow green. Thoughts?




Maybe SG 3c??

Scott has a Blue Green variant, which looks right to me. #9a

Just a terrible cheap Type 2 forgery or reprint

Tks - maybe so. I'm think maybe a fake. Who knows?? Seems more green than blue green though. One thing for sure - it's not a MintHinged #1..... haha. It was in with a bunch of other stuff.

Why terrible? What do you see ? Inexpensive , I think. But, it has lots of good company....

so im on my last 2 for now for the Indian states. I have these 2 Jammu & Kashmir , 1/2a & 1 a.
thoughts please:

I originally thought the 1/2 was Scott 80. but this one looks to be more orange than red and the paper seems thin to me. so not im thinking Scott no.92 as I don't think its Laid Paper , but thin wove. also, is the odd shape from being cut from a sheet? Maybe a fake ? the round shapes in the corners make me think so, but then again they seem to be many and varied even on the kashmirstamps site...




the 1a (I think its a 1a) does not seem to match the no. on the back - it that's a cat. no.. question 1 - can it safely be removed from the card? I obviously cant tell what the paper is but I don't want to damage the stamp. the shapes in the corners of this one definately vary from the 1/2a. Scott no? Im stumped. Thanks. Wm.

This is absolutely genuine Jammu and Kashmir 1883 ½A orange red imperf. on very thin flimsy grayish toned wove paper (SG 147/Sc 106) from position R4/3(12) in sheet of 15 (3×5).

Without seeing the back, it is quite difficult to ascertain but most likely it belongs to the SG 127 family (having array of shades of red tint) i.e. JK 1879 1A brown red imperf. on thin wove paper (SG 127/Sc 93).

It is safe to soak off the stamp but in cold water.

Gibbons is practically useless when it comes to huge variations of shades of JK new rectangulars of both Jammu and Shrinagar printings but Scotts is just dud in the field of Indian Feudatory States stamps.

I would suggest to get hold of a copy of Stanley Gibbons Stamp Catalogue India, the latest one being the 2018 5th Ed. which as usual lacks in detail in almost every aspect of IFS stamps but still it is the starting option in the absence of a better alternative.

Thanks Joy - if you don't mind please I'd love to know.... if it's not too much trouble to explain as I've often been curious to learn more on this - on the 1/2A, how do you know plate position? What did you use as your guide? Was it common to cut these like this or was this done for collector maybe? I did see small reference on the kashmirstamps site.

I have the SG but I didn't see any mention of cut stamps with borders showing. I think SG in general lists more color var than Sc but as usual, I have trouble with yellow/reddish and greens. While these are not red red, it's close enough to trip me up. Terrible deficiency for a hobby like this#128580;.

Thank you again.

Every stamp in the sheet of JK ½A new rectangulars, differs from one another.

This is what a complete sheet of JK ½A new rectangular looks like, this one being from State III.



1. The position of the selvedge in the stamp in question clearly indicates the stamp being from the rightmost column.
2. Then the absence of any impression of rivet, further narrows down the stamp being from either R2/3(6) or R4/3(12).
It must be mentioned that State III shows the largest and maximum number of rivets in the sheet margin.
3. Then the distinguishing criterion was the sunburst design in the upper right corner, which was diagonally halved and this specific feature is not present in any other stamp in the sheet except in Pos. R4/3(12).





Mint stamp with selvedge is an indication that the stamp was cut for collecting purpose. Almost all of the JK stamps found commercially used on covers, are without any selvedge.

Plate pic From the kashmirstamps site?