The France "Sower" series

Thank you stainlessb
Do any other colors appear in the rotary prints?
As far as I can remember, you have an older edition of the Michel Color Guide, which I don't think includes all the shades.
Tomorrow in natural light I will try to reproduce what appears in the color blue.
I will try to wash the stamps in peroxide 3%.

Mine is 38 edition.
A color is represented in 5 shades (on the left more white and on the right more black)



The shade "bleu pale" is a bit lighter than "hellblau" in the catalog (11 shades are mentioned but only 5 are represented)
I cleaned the stamp according to your methodology and compared it with the lightest blue(hellblau).
The result is not conclusive, but I think that the stamp is still "bleu pale" color.

The Michel catalog tries to standardize the names of the colors (it only uses the names of the colors), but it seems that the names of the shades and their translation cannot be standardized either.
The French translations are taken from the Michel Color Guide.
Below is the English translation (also from the catalog)

Yvert # 139 Type IV double impression Issued 3/24/1924 until 12/1925, so the date is correct . The image frame is 22.5 mm and if you look ainside the circke- the crude arrow points at the area which determines Type IV. In all other types there is additional pleat above the almost horizontal short pleat extending left from the longer more vertical pleat.However, as seems the case, there is not agreement between the various references. The above noted trait is agreed upon by most all sources. Yvert & Tellier, and MC&D both mention the 22.5 mm image height. Thus far in Storch & Francon I have not found mentionof the dimensional difference (The Type I is 22 mm, The Types III and IV 22.5mm(  And then tyheres the added mystique of Storch and Francon  calling out a Type 2A and 2B, 

The double impressionis noticeable on the bottom frame and all lettering and numbers. Doubling of the body image is harder to see, but it is there


The stamp below... could be a Type I, 2 or III depending on who'scriteria is followed, but it is nOT a Type IV


I'm still working through  an initial sorting of these. 

Hi stainlessb
It would be interesting if in the 400 Semeuse 25c stamps you would also find the forge (faux de Nice)
The number of teeth horizontally is 13 instead of 14 like the genuine one.

290 s25 c blue tamps examine for perforation . Listed is 14 x 13-1/2 and the majority of the stamps are spot on. The horizontal perforation varies from 14 - 14.3, although most that vary are closer to 14.  The Vertical perforation varied little and was most always 13.5

Below are two stamps that are 14.25 x 13.25.  Although I found stamps with a 14.25 perforation, these are the only two I have found  like this. If you look at them carefully, you will see fidderences. Are they of signifigance? Not sure. For now I will set aside and get through the remainder of the 25 c blue (tomorrow)

Good work Stan !!!!

René

Stan (stainlessb), your mention of Charlotte Ragot as the model for "La Semeuse" (The Sower), inspired me to search for info about her.  In the end, I didn't find much about her specifically, but I did come across this article in French, which suggests that the model may not have definitively been Charlotte Ragot, but an Italian woman named Rosalinda Pesch.

Just thought you might be interested!


Lohyn, Christian.  Charlotte Ragot ou Rosalinda Pesch?  

stainlessb , Your pic is not at all offensive, but historically fascinating as to how it relates to the design. Other than royalty, this is the only major definitive SERIES that I know of where the figure pictured is a regular person. Very cool!

While going through the 25 c blue #140, what TYpe is questionable- it shows traits of a Type 2, but a bit darker than a 'light blue'. back hand is correct as is the ball of the '2', but a trait in the dress isn't quite right, and the cap.... obliteration in the way....

but what caught my eye is the anneau-lune above the '2', Thre is also some issues with the lmarque lettering. but looks to be possible over-inking




this, the highlight of my afternoon......

Slowly making headway, with great emophasis on 'slowly"//  #140 25 c Blue m Type (might as well work backwards. As seems typical there always seems to be some outliers with the Types.  The Type 4 was on printed stationary, postcards,  and booklets (with and without advertisement selvedge). There are some traits attributed to the ball of the "2" (in 25), but the illustrations in Storch and Francon somewhat disagree (and it does not mention either/or). The Tpye 4 was only printed in light blue and blue, so this rules out the dark blue issues (which are virtually all Type 1A/ 1B). The is one trait that is attributed solely to the Type 4. In the robe/dress adjacent to the bely sash on the left side, the Type  4 has an un-interupted 'margin" which is not seen in the other Types. After having gone through over 450+ stamps- the majority of which either have obliterations obscure areas where traits are found or the plates are worn/poor quality print. I have a handful that I feel fairly confident about the Type. The Type 4?  a total of 4 stamps with the distinct clothing trait*.

If you look below within the fuscia framed elipse, starting 12:00 oclock The white margin on the dress is unbroken and on the left side there is a narrow  margin which flows down unbroken to the tip of the belt/sash.

Below is what all other types look like-  you will notice the almost horizontal fold from the right that be=reaks the continuous margin, annd the absence of the narrow margin on the lft (on the belt/sash)


These two examples match very closely to the illustration sin Storch and Francon

Below is stationary- dress side margin looks good, sash/belt margin weak- the ball of the "2" is somewhat smaller than most


and there is this*... color looks to be too dark. Dress/robe side trait is as it should be for Type 4, but the belt/sash side is "weak". The ball of the "2" is smallish... , and  again the color seems too dark. 


*This is the 3rd of the 3 stamps I have found (not counting stationary)

Maury Ceres  & Dallay pretty much follow Storch & Francon, but the detail is not as clear. Yvert & Tellier also list the same Types but provide only a textual description .
Below is th eillustration from Storch & Francon. You can see the 2 examples of the "2" are not in complete agreement.  I will let you draw your own conclusions.

and now a look at the Type 3B, which was actually the last printing from the Type 3 plate and  shows (perhaps the lowest quality printed stamps). Storch & Poincon write that the break in the "R" on the 3C  'disappeared by over cleaning" by the time  the Type 3A's were issues (prior to the 3B).

Below is an example of a Type 3B

Only printed in light blue in sheets of 100 by rotary press from 1924-1927.  From looking at the 9   I found from the study lot, it seems the over-cleaning made some of the more distinct traits muted, and most of the stamps I pulled out as having most (if not all the traits) had a very 'noisy" background. and some of the edge lines were not real clear.  The hatch marks in the face on the 3B differ from the  3A in that there are only 5 down the jaw, and the very bottom most hatch mark is on the lower edge of the jaw giving a heavy shadowed appearance (the 3A has 6 lines)


Next, we look at the lower portionof the robe/dress about shin height above the front (left) leg. In the somewhat "V" shaped pleat there is ... for lack of a better description, a 'blob between the lowwerr line and the next one up. On some stamps the V is very noticeable. The 'blob' only seems to appear on this type


Last, is the inside frame on the left side slightly higher than the top of the "2". It is fairly uniform (on the 3A it widens a bit... this to attributed to over-cleaning. Here you can see the ball of the "2" is a bit fuller than in the 'general characteristics.


Below is the illustration from Storch & Francon. As can be seen, even their example of the 25  has the ball a bit fuller. The shading on the face is a bit heavier than most and they do note that this trait is inconsistent.  The inclusion of the FR is somewhat a mystery as there is nothing mentioned about it, except (perhaps) to show that the break in the "R" is now gone.


The Type 3B (and also 3A) were both used for the pre-oblitre isuue, which I'll show these later 

With luck I'll get the 3A posted today to complete the Type 3's

And now  Type 3A- keep in mind  that the alphabetical chronology of the Type 3 are not exactly 'in synch" 3C was printed first (1922), then 3A and a year  later 3B (1924). The trait of the hand is common to all 3 and differs only from the Type 2 in that hatch marks 2,3 and 5 (counting in from right of the right hand) are relatively even (Type 2 - 2 , 3 and 4 are quite uneven). The face lacks the heavy shadowing of the lower jaw and "most often" has 6 hatch marks. The "blob" mentioned previously for the 3B is absent. The last upside down "Y" in the belt/sash has the same longer outer leg.  Unlike the 3B, the inner frame to the left of the "2" is uneven and much thicker. This is attributed to over cleaning.  The ball of the "2" is somewhat olive shaped (and here, their illustrations show variation), but the base of the "2" does roll a bit more.  The border and the jaw seem to be the main trait. I have found a number of stamps with the hand trait, jaw trait, no "blob", but the print quality is such that the inner frame on the left side is not clear at all, on many stamps it is not discernible from the outer frame.  Below is my best example, and only example. The year date is 1924 so that seems omewhat supportive, although I wish I could see the monthy. The 3B was not issued until September of 1925 (Maury, Ceres & Dallay)

Below is detail of ther left inner margin, along with the belt/sash upside down "Y" )

I have procrastinated long enough... the more difficult (for me)  part of layout pages) is the explantion of Types and variants (with the exception of colors... i follow satalogue numbering).  Part of my logic for printing my own pages was to greatly reduce (if not eliminate) the need to consult a catalogue, any catalogue, regarding what is being shown.  One of my peeves about most all commercially printed albums is the fact that once a stamp is mounted, one must lift or remove the stamp to see if that stamp does indeed belong where it was placed.

Here, I adapted illustrations by de Lizeray, Storch and Francon. Adaptation meaning some details which were not at all clear were edited out. A few traits , after looking at over 500 of this particular stamp, seemed very occasional and even being noted as 'inconsistent".  This page (still in draft form) will face the mounted stamps showing the Types (assuming they all fit on one page. Perhaps I'll start that tomorrow.  If you see any galring error, please do not hesitate to mention it!

(I do see the typo across/right from  IIIC)