stanley64
Member 
Posts: 1,979
What I collect: Canada, USA, Netherlands, Portugal & Colonies, Antarctic Territories and anything that catches my eye...
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Post by stanley64 on Oct 15, 2024 10:21:10 GMT
Paper types, colours and inks, fluorescence & tagging, gum, printing processing, perforations and errors, what is all the philatelic ‘hullabaloo’ all about?
For those interested in learning more about analytical philatelic, an article introducing the topic was written by Joseph Monteiro and published in the May - June 2000 issue of The Canadian Philatelist. The article, “ Philately – The Need for an Analytical and Educational Approach” and can be viewed or downloaded from here. An interesting approach and as the article’s author states, “for those who spend more than just a few hours on this hobby on a rainy or cold day”.
Have fun and happy collecting! |
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angore
Member
Posts: 5,697 
What I collect: WW, focus on British Empire
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Post by angore on Oct 15, 2024 10:57:22 GMT
I skimmed the article and see a lot of classification types but after looking at the conclusion I am wondering what the end goal.
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stanley64
Member
Posts: 1,979
What I collect: Canada, USA, Netherlands, Portugal & Colonies, Antarctic Territories and anything that catches my eye...
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Post by stanley64 on Oct 18, 2024 9:53:03 GMT
Having read the article, its limitations maybe a result of the fact that it was written almost 25 years ago and much has happened since then with scanners, computers and stuff. At the same time, perhaps we are more cognisant today of what is possible beyond 'buy & store' collecting
What the article does do well is share a foundation for what is ‘analytic philately’ and framework of study applicable to all levels of collectors:
- build a body or foundation of philatelic knowledge
- understand the differences between stamps that appear similar
- enables collectors to classify stamps to study both similarities and differences of various issues
- develop knowledge that allows the philatelist to distinguish genuine stamps from false ones
- enables philatelists to better appreciate their collections and make it a more interesting, fascinating and rewarding hobby.
Now, depending on one’s own interests and time, the article does give a basis to build upon or develop a methodology based on the Philatelic 5Ps (self-defined):
- Printings
- Perforations
- Papers
- Printing Varieties & Errors
- Postmarks
For the hobbyist or beginning collecting, the initial level may be enough, but as experience and knowledge grows, the different elements can be expanded to meet the needs of the philatelist as described in the Mr. XX’s paper and illustrated here using perforations category as an example.
2. Perforations 2.1. Imperforate 2.2. Variants : 15 x 14, 13 ½ x 14 & 12 x 11 ½ 2.3. Errors 2.3.1. Double perforations 2.3.2. Perforation shifts 2.3.3. Partial Imperforate 2.3.3.1. Between 2.3.3.2. Horizontal 2.3.3.3. Vertical The extent to which one can expand the framework is only limited by the individual collector’s desires and enthusiasm for a particular issue or topic. For the truly devote analytical philatelist, no doubt and based on the complexity of the hierarchy developed, there will be notes, copious amounts of notes.
Have fun and happy collecting! |
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angore
Member
Posts: 5,697
What I collect: WW, focus on British Empire
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Post by angore on Oct 18, 2024 10:49:40 GMT
I am still trying to understand what is really new. There are many specialists works, Deegam handbook comes to mind, that do this. This is what makes the difference beween the collector that is a just hole filler (follows a popular catalog) and a true philatelist. The specialists use various tools (more now due to technology improvements) to identify varieties and organize them. I have attended two video calls with this subject and nice to see scanners used a lot in identification but that is not new.
For me as a worldwide collector, I am more a hole filler but I go deeper for Machins. But, I am not trying to blaze new ground by studying every variety of any stamp. What we do not see is much emphasis on recent stamps. For example, with Scott for older material a hard to see plate scratch can create a new major catalog number (space in catalog) and if on a modern stamp it may not even get mentioned in any catalog.
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stanley64
Member
Posts: 1,979
What I collect: Canada, USA, Netherlands, Portugal & Colonies, Antarctic Territories and anything that catches my eye...
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Post by stanley64 on Oct 20, 2024 10:02:37 GMT
Agreed @ angore , I too wonder what is new under the sun? For the most part, technology i.e. all the computers and stuff, have perhaps made analysis easier and given the philatelist the ability to delve deeper within the confines of their own stamp den. Not everyone can afford or have access to a VSC 8000/HS, but there tools for those interested beyond the perforation gauge and watermark tray.
The beauty of the hobby is one can 'dig' as deep as one's pocketbook, time and curiosity allow. For the world-wide collector, the initial 5Ps is probably more than adequate. For others though, be it a focus on a specific era, theme or issue, expanding the levels is almost a given. One has to agree though, the classic material does have its following in the catalogues, journals and exhibits. However, if one is not interested in the monetary the analysis, research and documentation of the modern material does have its following. The blog maintained by brixtonchrome and his section on " Canadian Stamps and Postal History" with its focus on QEII material comes to mind... They say, "philately begins where the catalogue leaves off..." Have fun and happpy collecting! -Vince
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angore
Member
Posts: 5,697
What I collect: WW, focus on British Empire
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Post by angore on Oct 20, 2024 11:18:17 GMT
My setup while working on Machin pages with Album Easy.  |
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stainlessb
Member
qaStaHvIS yIn 'ej chep
Posts: 4,904
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 Oct 20, 2024 13:47:52 GMT
Thanks Vince ( @ stanley64 ) for these links! I think I can probably lose myself for several hours looking at all the resources!
Cheers
Stan
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rod222
Member
Posts: 11,047
What I collect: Worldwide Stamps, Ephemera and Catalogues
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Post by rod222 on Oct 20, 2024 22:03:42 GMT
My setup while working on Machin pages with Album Easy. Mirrors my setup !  3 screens, Left, dedicated to worldwide catalogues view, Centre, Isolated computer (off line) with master Stamp database running Windows 7 Right hand, Day to Day internet wanderings, Windows 11, Netflix, Rugby League, TSF, Youtube. |
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stainlessb
Member
qaStaHvIS yIn 'ej chep
Posts: 4,904
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 Oct 21, 2024 15:02:15 GMT
I did some perusing of the IAP site, including reading some articles- One pointed me to ImageJ which seems it will be a very useful tool for color analysis. I recommend looking into it. Runs on all platforms. I will play with some more today and do some cross-checking of results. Color is measured as R-G-B (I did not find a way to change to CIE-L*a*b*, but there may be an option) Great stuff!! |
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madbaker
Member
Posts: 801
What I collect: (Mark) General worldwide collector (to 1975 or so) with a soft spot for Sweden and the rest of Scandinavia.
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Post by madbaker on Oct 21, 2024 15:51:11 GMT
I'm super impressed with your three monitor setups. Only seen those with PC gamers before or stock traders in the movies!  I have one big monitor and a laptop but rarely use the large monitor anymore for stamping and stick to the laptop for Colnect and AlbumEasy. But I am not an analytical philatelist in the terms described here. I appreciate the folks who are without wanting to join them yet. |
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madbaker
Member
Posts: 801
What I collect: (Mark) General worldwide collector (to 1975 or so) with a soft spot for Sweden and the rest of Scandinavia.
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Post by madbaker on Oct 21, 2024 15:57:57 GMT
Having read the article, its limitations maybe a result of the fact that it was written almost 25 years ago and much has happened since then with scanners, computers and stuff.
Oh dear. That CP issue is from 2000. That seems like last month, not 25 years ago! Where has the time gone? 
It's like the child asking thier teacher if it's acceptable to cite an article from "the 1900's", meaning 1998. |
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stainlessb
Member
qaStaHvIS yIn 'ej chep
Posts: 4,904
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 Oct 21, 2024 16:20:07 GMT
I wish I had the room for 3, so I'm currently limited to 2 monitors (IMAC 27" and a 27 Acer). At some point I want to add a 3rd monitor on the wall to my right, but there are a number of changes to my study area to make this workable, and my wife has other tasks she feels are much more important.....
but I believe in the adage "Happy wife, happy life!"
Keep on stamping!
Stan
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stainlessb
Member
qaStaHvIS yIn 'ej chep
Posts: 4,904
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 Oct 21, 2024 17:42:40 GMT
After some continued testing (OK, I'm really just playing with the application). I have been doing a great deal of scanning and color analysis on mint gutter pairs millésime (Last digit of year printed in the gutter) of France Semeuse cameé, as well as blocks with coin dates. Below is an example of Yvert #137, millésime 7 (1917) on GC paper, left stamp. CIE values from PerfoMaster are: 37.2092, -15.5619, 11.8545 these, when converted to RGB are: 66, 99, 68 If added together and then divided (by 3) the mean is 77.66 Using ImageJ to analyze the same image (.png at 600 dpi) I get a mean of 77.795 not bad considering there is likely some deviance in both where within the "O" in POSTES the sample is taken (the area is outlined by a small square), and also the size of the area (# of pixels sampled)  This makes a nice 'double check"! Being open source, it does work with Python and if I can get my 3D graphing app functional, perhaps this will be another program I can 'tie' my code to! |
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stanley64
Member
Posts: 1,979
What I collect: Canada, USA, Netherlands, Portugal & Colonies, Antarctic Territories and anything that catches my eye...
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Post by stanley64 on Oct 22, 2024 9:47:42 GMT
I did some perusing of the IAP site, including reading some articles- One pointed me to ImageJ which seems it will be a very useful tool for color analysis. I recommend looking into it. Runs on all platforms. I will play with some more today and do some cross-checking of results. I had a bit of a play with this application and specifically ImageJ as a web application that can be accessed here - ij.imjoy.io
For those interested in highlighting and examining postmarks, the 'Process | Subtract Background' & 'Overlay' features hold promise...
Have fun and happy collecting!
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clivel
Member
Posts: 386
What I collect: Basutoland, Bechuanaland, Rhodesias, South Africa, Swaziland, Israel to 1980, Ireland predecimal, Palestine Mandate
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Post by clivel on Oct 22, 2024 16:13:41 GMT
I had a bit of a play with this application and specifically ImageJ as a web application that can be accessed here - ij.imjoy.ioFor those interested in highlighting and examining postmarks, the 'Process | Subtract Background' & 'Overlay' features hold promise... Have fun and happy collecting!
I have included a background subtraction tool called "Colour Erase & Replace" in ImageSleuth that some may find useful for examining postmarks.
I give an example of using this tool to extract an overprint from a Palestine Mandate stamp in a video illustrating the new features introduced with ImageSleuth V1.3 starting at 4:20.
Unfortunately, though, my video production skills are somewhat lacking. Clive
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