philatelia I’m wondering what you mean by a “too big for std Austrian perforation gauge”?
Austria has issued a huge range of perfs often on the same issue, many more coarse than 11.
This is fun! One raggedy old stamp can sure generate some interesting conjecture. Hi Terri,
later on I'll drag out my Austria, measure the stamp design, and find the perf of the side, still looks large to me.
I love your last comment, "every stamp tells a story", at least invites one to find a story. (Great to hear the support for "raggedy stamps" )
Here are some other things for members to mull over.
FINLAND : Has sewing machine punctures as cancellations
UNITED STATES : Have you heard of "scored perforations" ?
CANADA : "Blind Perforations"
(CALGARY Alberta 8 bar Cancel)
........and some reading matter for those interested
university philatelics
"The tooth, the hole tooth and nothing but the tooth!" --Anon.
"What the hole is going on here!" --Alcohol. Anon.
NOTE: In Australia, if a stamp has 4 differing perf guages (4 sides) we take the bottom side as the first guage, and go clockwise.
A Short Essay on Postage Stamp Perforations
The Language of Stamp Dealers
Other short essays
No, we are not taking our ease in the dentist's chair. Rather, we are examining the
holes (perforations) that separate postage stamps from one another in an intact pane in
order to expedite the detachment of individual stamps from the pane.
Technically, perforations are but one method of facilitating stamp separation. They
involve removing bits of paper at the margins of stamps so they can be readily torn
apart. Other methods not involving the actual removal of paper are also common
(rouletting, die cutting, etc.). For our purposes, I shall employ the rubric of
"perforation" to encompass all the devices used to facilitate separation of stamps from
one another. I'll bet you didn't realize what a large topic this is.
You may well ask, can there possibly be a less significant subject than this? To the
philatelist these perforations are significant indeed. The number of such holes along a
2-centimeter distance on a stamp's edge is often an identifying characteristic. The
perforation may dramatically influence the value of a stamp. Thus, if you are the
proud owner of an unused US 50 cent stamp issued between 1916 and 1919 it might
be worth $1500 if it measures 10 holes/2cm (called perf.10) or $110 if it is perf.11.
Otherwise, the stamp design is the same and the colors similar.
Holes do make a difference! So how can one tell which is which? You could take a
ruler marked in metric units, align it with the stamp and simply count the number of
holes over a 2-centimeter distance. After examining a dozen or so stamps this way,
you would be ready for the "ga-ga" unit of your local asylum.
There are many devices for accurately measuring perfs. The simpler ones allow you
to slide your stamp along a perforation gauge until the perfs. align with the markings
on the gauge. Such gauges can be purchased for under $10. and should last for
decades. However my personal preference is a German-made electronic perforation
gauge.
It requires no mental input on my part beyond properly placing the stamp in the
machine. A digital read-out tells me within seconds what the perforation is. Neat,
accurate, and not tiring or mentally taxing but significantly more expensive than the
manual gauges
Ah, but philatelic life is not quite so simple. In 1932, the United States issued a
series of 12 stamps for the George Washington bicentennial. These showed various
portraits of Washington. The horizontal perforation gauge differed from the vertical
resulting in a perf. 11 x 10-1/2 configuration. This compound perforation means that,
for certain stamp issues, one must measure two sides of the stamp. In practice, the
horizontal dimension is given first and then the vertical.
Well, you say, that's not too difficult. To keep your interest heightened, some
countries have produced stamps with perforations differing on three or even all four
sides. New Zealand and some Australian states are notable in this regard. These
stamps are described giving the top measurement first
(NOT AUSTRALIA) and then proceeding clockwise
for the rest. Wait! Don't feel smug yet. Some stamps have one perf. gauge part of the
way along one dimension and a different gauge for the rest of the way! We refer to
stamp catalogues to help us know which stamp issues are so afflicted.
Ready to give up because of these complexities? Don't. The difficult perforation
combinations are restricted to a relatively few issues. We are not required to worry
about such things. We can enjoy the immense pleasures of stamp collecting without
going in to such detail. Only those of us who are fascinated by such things need be
involved with the intricacies of perforation measurements. However, we are more or
less compelled to do so if evaluating our stamp collections accurately becomes
necessary.
Want more perforation profundities? Next time we shall examine such delights as
syncopated perfs., gambling with roulettes, perce en points, rough perfs., microperfs.,
and the world of die-cutting. As space permits, we shall comb through what we know
about how these holes are made. Perhaps we can also briefly examine the history of
making holes to separate stamps and why compound perforations came into being.
Hopefully we shall come to better realize that understanding such holes is a deeper
subject than it appears from the surface.
To inquire about our offerings, or other stamps you might be seeking, or other
philatelic issues, please contact us.
