stanley64
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Post by stanley64 on Jan 18, 2020 9:41:54 GMT
The Ceres series of Portuguese postage stamps is a definitive series depicting the Roman goddess Ceres that was produced between 1912 and 1931 for Portugal and its colonies. These were the first stamps to be issued after the declaration of the Portuguese Republic and succeeded the previous issue figuring king Manuel II which had been overprinted with the word “República”.
The Ceres stamps were officially obsoleted on 30 September, 1945 which concluded one of the longest running series of a stamp issue both in terms of length of time, with its eight distinct issues, and the overall number of stamps produced. This thread is dedicated to that series and Ceres, the Roman goddess of agriculture, grain, and the love a mother bears for her child.
Collecting and studying the "Ceres" issues as it relates to the several issues, their paper types, perforations, colours, overprintings and not to forget postmarks or even aspects of postal history, this series can be fun! If others can share, please do so…
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stanley64
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Post by stanley64 on Jan 18, 2020 9:43:40 GMT
To begin with, the first series was issued in 1912 and consisted of fifteen values, ranging from ¼ C. - 1 E and were published in a distinct variety of colours, paper types and perforations.
The stamps are based on the drawing by Constantino de Sobral Fernandes and engraved by José Sérgio de Carvalho e Silva. The inscriptions along the base of the stamp read "REPUBLICA PORTUGUESA" and "CORREIO" (for Portuguese Republic and Post). It was printed, as with all but one of the issues, in typography by the Portuguese mint, Casa da Moeda.
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stanley64
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Post by stanley64 on Jan 18, 2020 9:46:56 GMT
This mailing from 1915, with a 1 C. green of the first issue (Afinsa No. 208), pays the single postcard rate,
Given the length of time that the typograph-printing plates were in service for the series, there is no wonder that cliches and errors would occur. This stamp, similar to the one affixed to the postcard above has one of those varieties.
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stanley64
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Post by stanley64 on Jan 23, 2020 11:00:58 GMT
As part of building up a reference library of paper types for the study of the series, I examined several 5c. denominated stamps from the fourth issue of 1923 and discovered this one with its sepia colour, smooth paper and 12 x 11 ½ perforations (Afinsa No. 252),
nothing special as more than 27 million were issued; but wait, if I am reading the date cancel correctly, “*9 Out 03” this is an oddity as the date mark ‘03 is not possible given the issuing period for this or any of the other series...
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blaamand
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Post by blaamand on Jan 23, 2020 12:38:06 GMT
I took the liberty of quoting your post from the "Watcha been stamping" thread into this fine Ceres thread. I love this issue and find all the combinations of papers, perfs, shades, star orientations etc fascinating, though identifying the papers can be rather frustrating! Your question about spotting the two from the eight issue made me curious. Which is the eight issue anyway? Can't remember and don't have my Afinsa available at this time. It seems the right side pair in your selection and the single below it has a more defined white outline around Ceres hair, has that anything to do with it? There are alos two obviously more reddish stamp at top centre. That's just a shoot in the dark I am curious to learn from the expert - can you elaborate please? Concerning the peculiar postmark seemingly made 1903: Could it be they've put the year slot in at first ('19') - and the '03' is referring to the day of the month? I've seen other countries postmarks where the sequence of the YY-MM-DD slots are not necessarily always consistent from one post office to another. btw - please keep this thread going - very interesting - and I love your custom Ceres pages
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stanley64
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Post by stanley64 on Jan 23, 2020 15:32:58 GMT
I appreciate the thoughts and compliments, but think of myself as a "curious amateur" rather than an expert ;-)
As for the stamps themselves, the eighth and final installment of the Ceres issue was in 1930 and based on my knowledge, these are the two stamps I was referencing when I asked the question in the original posting,
The series were printed on pontinhado paper, perforated 12 x 11 1/2 and consisted of sixteen values including the 10c. value shown. Unlike some of the other paper types, pontinhado paper is not too difficult to discern as it has no gloss and is almost perfect in texture. Building up a reference library of the different paper types definitely does help in reducing some of the frustration for this aspect of the issue and its identification.
With regards the date of the earlier 5c. stamp, hmmm. I have only seen DD - MM (Nos.) / MMM (Ltrs.) - YY | HR, but am open to other possibilities and will for now move this one from the oddity column to the mystery column pending further research :-)
All said and done, I have to agree, it is a fascinating issue and look forward to sharing other finds going forward; hopefully others can contribute as well...
Happy collecting!
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blaamand
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Post by blaamand on Jan 23, 2020 16:34:16 GMT
Brilliant, thanks for confirming. The two stamps you are showing are the two I described as being more reddish than the others. Even though shades are often a unreliable guide for different printings, they stood out quite significantly in your selection.
Building a reference collection of paper types is a good idea, need to pursuit that myself! I was confused by the mysterious 'pontinhado' paper when I first started using Afinsa cataloges. I have a re-collection that 'pontinhado' will show a distinct pattern of tiny upright diamonds on the reverse, visible if placed on a black background or looking at light source. However reading your description makes me believe I might have got it wrong? If so I have misidentified those stamps in my Angola and Macau collection... (those are the only Portuguese areas I have organised with reference to Afinsa so far)
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stanley64
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Post by stanley64 on Jan 23, 2020 16:40:31 GMT
You have it correct, 'pontinhado' paper does show a distinct pattern of tiny upright diamonds on the reverse either horizontally or vertically depending on which direction the paper was passed through the printing press.
Let me see if I cannot share an image...
Happy collecting!
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blaamand
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Post by blaamand on Jan 23, 2020 16:40:35 GMT
Haha, I like that This forum is a great place for curious minds to meet!
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blaamand
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Post by blaamand on Jan 23, 2020 16:42:25 GMT
Puuuh, thanks - that's a relief, I was getting worried for a second
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stanley64
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Post by stanley64 on Jan 25, 2020 7:55:31 GMT
Alas, I was unable to produce a reasonable image of 'pontinhado' paper that shows the distinct pattern of rhombi either in a vertical or horizontal-line pattern on the stamp. As blaamand points out though, it is distinct and easily spotted when the stamp is held up a light source and placed on a dark background; once seen, it is easily recognizable. In the meantime, the consensus for the earlier shared 5c. bistre Ceres is that it is a case of the dyslexic-postal worker as the '03' should read '30' as in this example,
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blaamand
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Post by blaamand on Jan 25, 2020 11:32:02 GMT
Good, misplaced year slugs is a very likely explanation. Quite interesting once one has discovered such oddities, but they are not easy to find unless one is rather focused. Nice find!
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stanley64
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Post by stanley64 on Jan 27, 2020 11:58:12 GMT
Here a reasonable image of the pontinhado or dotted paper with its visible rhombi which is quite discernible,
Other papers for Ceres issue include porcelain, glazed, smooth and card. Here is small collection of some of the paper varieties which do require a bit of time and education to master, Left - Right: Porcelain (medium), Pontinhado (vertical), Smooth & Glazed
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stanley64
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Post by stanley64 on Jan 27, 2020 12:12:23 GMT
Whilst examining copies of the 1/4c. issue of the Ceres (Afinsa No. 206), first released in April of 1912 and the lowest value of the series, I came across a few interesting items in terms of printing clichés,
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stanley64
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Post by stanley64 on Jan 28, 2020 10:03:42 GMT
"Seeds from Ceres", at least that is what I had been calling the cliché I had been seeing on the 10c issues from the lot shared earlier; these were not the normal plate-printing errors, but instead what appeared to be printing flaws. How fortuitous then to be following the France: Classic Stamps 1849-1940 thread and learn that the Sower, an issue of the same time period and using the same printing method, has similar errors.
Here are a couple of examples from the first Portuguese Ceres issue with similar moon rings, anneau lune or non-catalogued clichés as I have seen them documented,
Rather than a direct-plate error, I would agree with others that these are printing errors; perhaps like captured ink bubbles prior to the actual printing.
However, if these are the same printing errors as seen on other issues and even though they are ink/printing flaws, they may be consistent as this pair shows,
My curiosity has been piqued and I am intrigued to learn more...
Happy collecting!
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stanley64
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Post by stanley64 on Jan 30, 2020 8:41:13 GMT
The second issue of the Portuguese Ceres began in 1917 with some values being released through 1920. The set consisted on fourteen values from 1 C to 30 C of which the Green 1 1/2 C (Afinsa No.222) was one,
Portuguese Ceres Issue 1917, Green 1 1/2 C (Afinsa No.222)
perforated 15 x 14, paper type - pontinhado (vertical)
Portuguese Ceres Issue 1920, Green 1 1/2 C (Afinsa No.222) perforated 12 x 11 1/2, paper type - glazed
As this particular value from the series has only two paper types listed and they can easily be discerned from the perforations, it is a great way to begin building a reference library of the different papers used in the production of this issue...
Happy collecting!
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blaamand
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Post by blaamand on Jan 30, 2020 18:35:45 GMT
Great posts again stanley64. Interesting to see your Afinsa #222 - one can even see the diamond pattern particular to the pontinhado paper clearly from the front. I've seen indications of the pattern on the front before, but not as prominent as this. Your other #222 is interesting as well - quite peculiar printing freaks you've indicated at the bottom. Also want to appreciate your useful ideas on building a paper-type reference collection - always ideas to pick up on the great forum
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stanley64
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Post by stanley64 on Feb 4, 2020 10:41:59 GMT
Later issues of the series have less differences to wade through in terms of paper types, perforations, etc. and the sixth and seventh issues of 1926 are no exception,
The stamp on the left is from the sixth issue of the series which was printed on smooth paper and perforated 12 x 11 1/2; whilst the stamp on the right is from the seventh series and was produced on pontinhado (vertical) paper with perforations 13 1/2 x 14. Unlike the earlier printings that used typography, the seventh issue of the series was printed in London using lithography and produced a much sharper or clearer image.
The 4 C. orange stamp of the same design would be re-issued one last time in the final or eight series of 1930...
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stanley64
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Post by stanley64 on Feb 6, 2020 7:59:26 GMT
With the sheen gone from our lady Ceres due to the wear and tear on the plates, the seventh series was produced by Thomas De La Rue & Co. Ltd of London. Of the twenty-values produced, the lowest denominated issue was 2 C.
The 2 C. issue like the others in the series is perforated 13 1/2 x 14 and printed using the lithographic technique on pontinhado or lozenged paper.
However I only note one colour for the issue in any of the resources I have consulted, chocolate or dark brown, which does not explain the second stamp in this line-up and its "grey-brown" colouring.
If anyone has additional information or insights, please do share...
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stanley64
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Post by stanley64 on Feb 6, 2020 17:01:45 GMT
Indeed the 2 C. Ceres of 1926 from the "London" series is documented as being produced in only the one colour, chocolate or dark brown as seen in three of the stamps from the earlier posting. The second stamp may be a changeling and likely resulted from the stamp having been soaked in water for a long time and the chlorine in the same water, changed the colour. It is suggested, to avoid this type of alteration in the colour pigments of the stamps (mainly blue, brown and red), add a little fine salt to the tap water (2,5 grams to 1 liter of water). The salt will react with the chlorine in the water and minimize / cancel the effect of the chemical reaction between the chlorine and the color pigments. Just a suggestion for those soaking or bathing their stamps and using tap, not distilled water.
Still a bit of a niggle though, if the colour change is a result of long-time soaking, would it not have also affected the cancel on the stamp which is still dark and heavy, hmmm...
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stanley64
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Post by stanley64 on Feb 8, 2020 11:11:19 GMT
One cannot investigate the Portugal's Ceres issue without including the colonies. Of the fourteen colonies, if one was to include the Azores, all issued stamps or sets with the Ceres image between 1914 and 1945 with the Portuguese Congo being no exception.
The shorter-named colonies like Congo, Tete, India, etc. have five-pointed stars placed on either side of their name that fills out the blank region which holds the colony's name and the stars can be oriented with point up (position - I), down (position - II), tilted forty-five degrees to the right (position - III) or tilted forty-five degrees to the left (position - IV). Just to make things interesting, each of the two stars can have their own orientation as this block example shows,
At the same time, knowing the star configuration allows one to plate this block of four to its relative position within the sheet as follows: Sheet Nos. 48 (III - III), 49 (IV - I), 68 (I - II) and 69 (I - I) at least for this 1/4 C. Congo issue...
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stanley64
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Post by stanley64 on Feb 8, 2020 11:29:34 GMT
Continuing with Ceres issues from the colonies, here is another discovery; this one being on the 1914 10 C. issue of Guiné,
Portuguese Ceres Issue - Guiné 1914, porcelain (medium) paper, perforated 15 x 14 with cliché No. XXXV.
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stanley64
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Post by stanley64 on Feb 9, 2020 9:17:30 GMT
From a recent acquisition, here is a block of Portuguese Ceres from Guiné 1914 that has its share of clichés notably in the upper left-hand corner of each stamp,
This block of stamps issued on smooth paper, perforated 12 x 11 1/2 has the upper right-hand corner stamp containing cliché No. LXXVII (Sheet Position - 132), the upper left-hand corner stamp contains cliché No. IX (Sheet Position - 131) whilst the third one is currently unlisted although is related to cliché No. III
Happy Collecting!
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Beryllium Guy
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Post by Beryllium Guy on Feb 9, 2020 10:15:15 GMT
Vince ( stanley64), many thanks for a great thread, with excellent ongoing content. You are inspiring me now to pull out my Portugal and colonies Ceres issues and have a closer look at them, too. At the moment, most of my material from these areas is back in California, so no immediate access to it. As for your situation with the Portugal 2-cent unusual color, I apologize for being so late to comment. I had been meaning to say something sooner. I have no special expertise in this area, but in my opinion, your example is a most likely a changeling, as you stated in a later post. In my experience, I would not have expected the black CDS postmark to have been effected by excessive soaking in water. My guess is that this might have something to do with the idea that the authorities would have wanted the cancellations to be especially difficult to lighten, alter, or remove to prevent possible re-use of the stamps. So, I think that the fact that the postmark appears unchanged does not at all rule out the possibility of a color changeling for the stamp itself. Just my opinion, for what it's worth. As I have heard others say back in my home country: "Free advice is worth exactly what you paid for it." So, feel free to heed or disregard my comments as you wish! Bottom line, great thread.... please keep the posts coming!
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blaamand
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Post by blaamand on Feb 9, 2020 14:47:22 GMT
One cannot investigate the Portugal's Ceres issue without including the colonies. Of the fourteen colonies, if one was to include the Azores, all issued stamps or sets with the Ceres image between 1914 and 1945 with the Portuguese Congo being no exception.
The shorter-named colonies like Congo, Tete, India, etc. have five-pointed stars placed on either side of their name that fills out the blank region which holds the colony's name and the stars can be oriented with point up (position - I), down (position - II), tilted forty-five degrees to the right (position - III) or tilted forty-five degrees to the left (position - IV). Just to make things interesting, each of the two stars can have their own orientation as this block example shows,
At the same time, knowing the star configuration allows one to plate this block of four to its relative position within the sheet as follows: Sheet Nos. 48 (III - III), 49 (IV - I), 68 (I - II) and 69 (I - I) at least for this 1/4 C. Congo issue...
Happy collecting!
Wow - that block is amazing - essentially 4 different varieties in a block of 4 - very sweet! I'm collecting the different star orientations - and so far I have not even found a pair with different star orientations... so very inspiring to see your block. Its good to see other collectors are also interested in these !
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stanley64
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Post by stanley64 on Feb 10, 2020 11:12:58 GMT
My guess is that this might have something to do with the idea that the authorities would have wanted the cancellations to be especially difficult to lighten, alter, or remove to prevent possible re-use of the stamps. So, I think that the fact that the postmark appears unchanged does not at all rule out the possibility of a color changeling for the stamp itself. Indeed Beryllium Guy I think you are spot on with your thoughts and analysis and I appreciate the input! I had the opportunity to speak with a few others about this since posting and they all had come to the same conclusion. The inks of the postage stamp differ from those of the cancellation and the chlorine or other water impurities can affect the red, blue and brown inks of the stamp itself i.e. a changeling.
The bonus bit is, I do not have to update my pages for this particular issue...
Happy collecting!
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stanley64
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Post by stanley64 on Feb 10, 2020 11:26:17 GMT
The seventh release in the series was issued in 1926 and consisted of twenty-four values, ranging from 2 C. - 10$00 E and were published in a distinct variety of colours on pontinhado paper and perforated 13 1/2 x14.
The stamps, printed by Thomas De La Rue & Co. of London using the lithographic process and provide us with the third perforation variant for the series overall.
One of the key distinctions for the series is the absence of the designer and engraver imprint which appears on all of the other issues...
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stanley64
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Post by stanley64 on Feb 10, 2020 11:35:39 GMT
Absolutely blaamand! In addition to all the colonies represented, the different perforations, paper types, overprints, etc., those stars are yet another fascinating aspect of this series,
All of the above 2 1/2 C. are from the 1914 Guiné issue; the first two being perforated 15 x 14 and are printed on porcelain paper, the third one is printed on smooth paper and is perforated 12 x 11 1/2. Each one of them has their own star configuration...
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stanley64
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Post by stanley64 on Feb 13, 2020 8:51:13 GMT
Continuing with the exploration of the Portuguese Ceres and their Guiné issues, here are a few more examples I have discovered,
1922 4 Centavos (Afinsa no. 178), carmine, liso (smooth) paper, perforated 12 x 11 1/2 with cliché n.º CCX.
This block of six also from a sheet of 180 contains clichés n.º CCLXXXIX (position 124), cliché n.º CCCXL (position 125) on the first row and cliché n.º CCCV (position 133 in the sheet) in the second. All stamps shared have the normal star configuration and positions (I - I)...
Happy collecting!
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stanley64
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Post by stanley64 on Feb 15, 2020 8:07:08 GMT
As I have read somewhere else in one of the other TSF threads, "Joy is a completed page"; here are mine for the Portuguese colony of Angola,
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