banknoteguy
Member 
Posts: 324
What I collect: 19th Century US, High denomination US (> $1), 19th century covers US, Indian Feudatory States and most recently I acquired a BigBlue [with about 5,000 stamps] and pristine pages.
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Post by banknoteguy on Sept 17, 2021 19:08:27 GMT
I think this is a pretty good example of what can happen with iron gall ink. Although it may have occurred not only because of the ink but also the paper.
You can clearly see that the paper is being destroyed. Image from an eBay listing -- not my cover:
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Beryllium Guy
Moderator 
Posts: 5,911 
What I collect: Worldwide Stamps 1840-1930
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Post by Beryllium Guy on Sept 17, 2021 20:37:46 GMT
South Australia 1876 Sc#65 Stamp severed by acidic cancellation: iron gall ink (Note: typo in printed piece: "Oat Galls" should be Oak Galls)  Rowland Hill's tests on Cancelling Inks.  Back in 2015, there was the above post in a South Australia thread that seems to illustrate that iron gall ink corrosion has also been known to destroy stamps, too. There is a good explanation of the how the process occurs in the original post by Rod. |
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WERT
Departed
Rest in Peace
Posts: 1,062
What I collect: Canada and Provinces
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Post by WERT on Sept 17, 2021 21:01:02 GMT
Hey Beryllium Guy {and all collectors} If you need a stamp fixed as per Beryllium Guy's post, there is a place that fixes them and re-perfs etc.
Not that i agree, but if some one wants to use their service....Post below Robert
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banknoteguy
Member
Posts: 324
What I collect: 19th Century US, High denomination US (> $1), 19th century covers US, Indian Feudatory States and most recently I acquired a BigBlue [with about 5,000 stamps] and pristine pages.
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Post by banknoteguy on Sept 18, 2021 11:34:47 GMT
More on Iron Gall Ink.
Another example. A cover I got this week. It is not an area I collect (French 19th century covers) but I have a couple for various reasons. I bid on this just because it was very clean and the stamps well struck. The letter was written 30 August 1859 to Monsieur Carre Kerisouet (minus the accent marks) in Plimet from Augustin Latimier du Clesieux in St. Brieuc. Both towns (cities?) in Northwest France in a region previously known as the Cote-du-Nord (north coast).
But the reason I am posting this here is that this cover and letter on the other side of this FLS were written with Iron Gall Ink and you can see staining of the letter penetrating the cover a bit. But only slight deterioration in 160 or so years. Probably good for another 2 or 3 hundred more years! with no conservation needed other than to store it in a dark, cool dry place.
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