Scott # 1772 Red Missing Possibility?

Hello fellows. I have a copy of the 15c Sc # 1772 that is clearly a different color then my others of the same issue. Looks like the red color may have not been mixed in the ink. My question is, have there been any verified color missing examples reported for this issue? It may have been exposed to strong light thereby rendering the red to escape. Thanks for any comments. Wolf-==-

Wolf, any way you might post a picture? This is like looking at tealeaves


Peter

1772, Year of the Child is a single color stamp, brown; thus there is no mixing of ink colors on the press. That said,

Scott describes the color of this stamp as orange red. This suggests that your stamp may be a color changeling ... something that frequently occurs for stamps of a similar color. But as has been suggested, nothing can be determined without a picture.

Yet as I mentioned above the USPS claims it is brown as noted below:

[A tech glitch is not allowing the illustration to load--I will post now and try again later.]

Pictures to follow early next week. Sorry. Wolf-==-

Here is the promised (per my 4-28-23 6:52 PM post) illustration:


The USPS describes the stamp's ink color as "brown" for the only color used.

Brown is not a primary color.
It is a mixture of 2 or 3 colors. For example Red and Yellow.
If a "brown" stamp is made of red and yellow, and red is missing, then the stamp is yellow.
Usually the "local chemist" removes yellow from a stamp (yellow is most succeptible to tampering). It would be interesting if someone could remove red, but not yellow from a stamp.

The OP opened another post with a picture of the stamp in question - it looks like a changeling


Peter

From original poster.

Do not confuse the four or six cartridge computer printer inks mixed to make a color with the pigmented inks used in intaglio printing. The stamp in question is "brown" which can be made from several individual pigments, often two types or red and one blue, but "brown" is also a single pigment color as well. Pigments behave much differently than dyes from a chemical standpoint.


The main point is that the OP posited that perhaps the printer mixed the ink incorrectly. The printers don't mix the ink they purchase the intaglio in the color need for this single color stamp. Since brown can be a single pigment color, there is only one pigment color being mixed.
He also asked about "color missing examples" which when dealing with a single color stamp means no ink and thus an albino print (often seen on postal stationery). With or without a photo the answer can only be, it is not a color missing if you see color in the design. None of this has anything to do with what may happen after the stamp is printed, issued, used, stored and accidentally or purposely manipulated later.

Now in one way I agree with you,drkohler, in your discussion of color make up. As the environmental as well as health and safety laws arose in the years on and after 1979 (the year the stamp in question was produced) pigments have been eliminated, especially the stable and long-lasting heavy metal pigments. The modern and "more environmentally friendly" dyes and pigments as well as the carrier-bases for same are far less stable than prior iterations be it for printing presses of any ink transfer variety, computer printers, paints (especially metal paint) and foods.

IMO the discussion of brown is throwing things off. Regardless of what the USPS said on their souvenir sheet the color is obviously a red of some variety and as JLL posted above red can be problematic when it comes to environmental damage. Now it is strange that the text of the stamp and main design have denigrated differently. Still believe that it is a changeling.

Looks like it sat on a shelf in direct sunlight. No matter the details, I agree - it looks like a changeling.

Thanks all for the interesting and informative discussion on inks and color. I appreciate all the help. I guess I might put one of my copies in direct sun and see what happens. Cheers! Wolf-==-

Wolf, please try that, and let us know what happens


Peter