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Post by msindc on Jul 1, 2024 16:06:23 GMT
Folks:
The difference between stamp xxx and yyy is that one is pigeon blood and the other is robin blood. Great. I've got a pile of stamps to identify, so I get our my handy-dandy color identifier and look at the color of the stamps, planning to create two piles. What do I end up with? As many piles as I have stamps. Fading and soiling make the job hard enough--but it seems impossible given the huge variation in the colors of stamps even under the best of circumstances!
My response is just to assume that the stamp is the less valuable option.
How do you all handle this? Are there ways of distinguishing known to Serious Collectors?
Micah
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stainlessb
Member
qaStaHvIS yIn 'ej chep
Posts: 4,799
What I collect: currently focused on most of western Europe, much of which is spent on France, Belgium, Germany and Great Britain Queen Victoria
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Post by stainlessb on Jul 1, 2024 16:49:35 GMT
msindc Color is a challenge, as it is both very subjective due (I think) largely because we do not all view the same color the same way. The names applied to the stamps often precedes most of us (despite most of us are "older"). The early catalogues were largely in black and white, and those that did have color, it is questionable as to whether the mixing of inks matched that of which the stamp was printed. The colour keys..... are sometimes helpful, but often "close" is as good as it gets. I have compared color keys from different sources (SG and Michel) and over the years they change, and a color of the same name doesn't look the same... Sometimes postmarks can be useful, if you can get dates as to when the various colors were first observed. Having said that, mint stamps are the most ideal, but unless you have selvedge with a coin date, or a gutter with 'vintage" it negates the argument of which came first. Used stamps- how heavily canceled,? were they affixed to colored paper envelopes (color from the paper bleeds into the stamp during soaking)?, were they soaked using something other than water? were they exposed to sunlight?, how much dirt and grime is on the stamp? Are the sulphuretted? All of which can have an impact on what the color of the stamp looks like now. When possible I have sought out mint stamps as references. A good light source 'equal to daylight' (pollution excluded) is a must. I use 10K LED array. Scanners..... can be helpful, but understand they do not all 'see' color the same, and not all monitors display the same, BUT! a scanner can be useful to see larger images side-by-side. I would suggest that your used stamps get a bath. There are lengthy discussion on the forum about this. Not everyone agrees, and your results may vary.... but is IMHO a great help to remove as much dirt, grime, stains, and the effects of sulfur (from the days of coal being the only source for heat) As with most listed color varieties, if you consult different reference/expert sources, you will find there is little consensus. And accept some stamps were purposely printed using methods such that the color or image would change if someone tried removing a cancellation, or re-using a stamp that missed the postal clerks stamp. Accept there will be outliers. Use your best guesstimate, and be willing to go back and re-evaluate when you might receive another stamp to consider. and welcome to the club!
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capejack
**Member**
Posts: 5
What I collect: South Afica, and Provinces, British South Africa Coompany, Rhodesias, Grear Britain, Canada, Australia
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Post by capejack on Jul 2, 2024 14:07:33 GMT
Well said stainlessb! As a shady character myself, I have spent countless hours sorting and resorting, moving stamps from pile to pile, and still not being satisfied. I do think colour keys are useful, in that they help you distinguish between pale, deep, bright, etc, as well as distinguishing between blue-green and green-blue and other compound colours. Recently I have found the following link useful. brixtonchrome.com/pages/understanding-colour-and-correct-use-of-a-colour-keyGood Luck, msindc. Happy shading!
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stainlessb
Member
qaStaHvIS yIn 'ej chep
Posts: 4,799
What I collect: currently focused on most of western Europe, much of which is spent on France, Belgium, Germany and Great Britain Queen Victoria
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Post by stainlessb on Jul 2, 2024 15:07:45 GMT
capejack very familiar with the brixtonchrome website (and he's also a TSF member). maybe I need newer color keys ![;)](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/wink.png) I've taken color samples from 3 different printings of SG, and with very few exceptiosn colors of the same name vary from one to the next. I am looking at my 'newest" SG colour key (item 2530) and you mention blue-green and green-blue. This particular key has a blue-green, but there is no green-blue, although there is a greenish-blue.. and the colors are considerably different There has to be a better way! I was making pages for Memel - the Germania provisionals allowed for usage when France first took oversight, and one stamp has 5 color shades, but it's noted that they are difficult to determine, expertizing required.... but finding an 'expertizer" who happens to have examples of all 5 color shades (and then the question, who determined that)... and then I trust his eyes (?!?) Color... I've fallen (into the rabbit hole) and I can't get up!
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paul1
Member
Posts: 1,207
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Post by paul1 on Jul 2, 2024 16:13:19 GMT
it may be of some interest to look at the colour charts I've just posted under the Cape Triangles section.
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renden
Member
Posts: 9,041
What I collect: World W collector with ++ interests in BNA (Canada etc) and USA
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Post by renden on Jul 2, 2024 16:36:28 GMT
it may be of some interest to look at the colour charts I've just posted under the Cape Triangles section. Color shades on a computer screen have left me so' so' René
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Post by michael on Jul 2, 2024 18:10:51 GMT
it may be of some interest to look at the colour charts I've just posted under the Cape Triangles section. Color shades on a computer screen have left me so' so' René
Yes renden, colour charts scanned on a scanner or phone and uploaded to a forum aren't much use.
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vikingeck
Member
Posts: 3,472
What I collect: Samoa, Tobacco theme, Mail in Wartime, anything odd and unusual!
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Post by vikingeck on Jul 2, 2024 19:05:39 GMT
paul1 those old colour charts have long since been superseded by the SG colour key with window holes for more accurate colour comparison. The early colours on your charts have sometimes been re named , new colours have been invented ( eg the Machin colour palette and more recent new GB colours for the matrix coded stamps) Even so, colour comparison on computer screens can vary and are often inaccurate. The image may be taken in daylight, artificial light, using a scanner , using a camera, using a phone, etc .
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