Graham's Mixed Lot Treasure Hunt | The Stamp Forum (TSF)

darkormex
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Swinging through Switzerland and getting tied up in Thailand

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What I collect: The World...just printing and mounting as I go...call me crazy!
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Graham's Mixed Lot Treasure Hunt Sept 24, 2021 0:51:50 GMT Philatarium, renden, and 2 more like this

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Post by darkormex on Sept 24, 2021 0:51:50 GMT

radiocruncher, in the top row of Japanese stamps, the 2nd stamp from the right, the 2 sen is likely Sc. 73 issued in 1883. It is fairly common and only gets a minimum value in my Scott catalogue but to me it is interesting because it has a telegraph cancel on it. These are pretty easy to identify because it they are the concentric circle design.

I explored some Japanese postmarks with Philatarium and khj on this thread: thestampforum.boards.net/thread/5131/japanese-postmarks

Also, starting here: thestampforum.boards.net/post/98942/thread, there is more information regarding Japanese telegraph cancels.

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radiocruncher
Member

Posts: 317
What I collect: GB especially Wildings and Machins. Early Germany to 1945

Graham's Mixed Lot Treasure Hunt Sept 25, 2021 12:12:24 GMT

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Post by radiocruncher on Sept 25, 2021 12:12:24 GMT

Sept 23, 2021 22:51:30 GMT biglavalamp said:

The first Stamp the Japanese Empire blue Ten sen (SG JP 86) is part of the Old Koban series a series of 13 stamps (1876-79),just noticed for the first time the four horse-shoes and what I think is a fishing rod in each corner on the inner frame.
Its also got a interesting cancel called a 'bota'.
I am just learning about them and have collected a few,the cancel looks like the large 'bota' it was usually used with a double circular stamp on the letter or card which states where and when it was posted.
Hopefully somebody else may know more.

Thanks for the info on that 1st stamp. Another really nice old one. I wonder what the red mark is on it. The cancel certainly is interesting and thanks for identifying it. I will have to soak it off the paper as long as that doesn’t damage it in any way

radiocruncher
Member

Posts: 317
What I collect: GB especially Wildings and Machins. Early Germany to 1945

Graham's Mixed Lot Treasure Hunt Sept 25, 2021 12:26:46 GMT renden likes this

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Post by radiocruncher on Sept 25, 2021 12:26:46 GMT

Sept 24, 2021 0:51:50 GMT darkormex said:

radiocruncher , in the top row of Japanese stamps, the 2nd stamp from the right, the 2 sen is likely Sc. 73 issued in 1883. It is fairly common and only gets a minimum value in my Scott catalogue but to me it is interesting because it has a telegraph cancel on it. These are pretty easy to identify because it they are the concentric circle design.

I explored some Japanese postmarks with Philatarium and khj on this thread: thestampforum.boards.net/thread/5131/japanese-postmarks

Also, starting here: thestampforum.boards.net/post/98942/thread, there is more information regarding Japanese telegraph cancels.

Thanks very much for the info and links. I’ve had a look through that thread and there’s loads of info to digest. There’s some very knowledgeable people on here which is great.

radiocruncher
Member

Posts: 317
What I collect: GB especially Wildings and Machins. Early Germany to 1945

Graham's Mixed Lot Treasure Hunt Sept 27, 2021 14:22:49 GMT renden, stainlessb, and 5 more like this

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Post by radiocruncher on Sept 27, 2021 14:22:49 GMT

I’ve got some great news. I’ve been working on the mystery postcard that I discovered in this lot which was written in shorthand. I’ve attached the images again of the front and back for those that may have missed it but if you look back through this thread you should find all the info. I posted it in a shorthand feed on Twitter but had no replies. I decided to join a shorthand group on Facebook to see if someone there could help. To my amazement a very nice lady has sent me a message with the translation. So here it is:

Hi Graham

Here is the transcription of your card:

77 ?Leyland Road, Wavetree
January 31th 1901

Dear Will.

Arthur has written me today saying they are //
having a holiday at Crewe on Saturday so he is //
going to Buxton over the week end. //
I cannot say yet what arrangement we shall come to //
as the notices have not yet arrived, if they are //
going to make Saturday like Sunday they //
have not much time to spare. I shall come //
to Buxton if I can. If I do not //
get on Saturday Feb 2nd I shall go on Feb 9th. //
I hope you will make this out as my shorthand //
is getting rather rusty. //
I can/could (?scribble) sure about ?qu-k-n OR qu-n OR Kl-n //

The “what” has been written back to front, and the shorthand has a slight forward slope to it. The last line is a bit of guesswork, as I can’t get any sense of what it means. Sometimes Qu-N is used as a shorter outline for “question”. In the date, they have written “31th” instead of 31st, but 2nd and 9th correctly further down. Apparently there is a “Wavertree” in Liverpool.

I am a contributor at the Shorthand sub-Reddit (https://www.reddit.com/r/shorthand/) where we often get items to translate, as there are many folks there who are interested and skilled in a wide variety of different shorthand systems. This shorthand will be one of the versions of the late 1800’s, going by the date of the card and the fact that the writer says their shorthand is rusty. All the editions of Pitman’s are slightly different as the system was gradually revised over time.

Best wishes

Beryl Pratt

So thanks to Beryl we now have most of the text translated. That was a very interesting hunt. I will now do a bit more research and see if I can find the sender from the address given in the translation.

Regards

Graham

radiocruncher
Member

Posts: 317
What I collect: GB especially Wildings and Machins. Early Germany to 1945

Graham's Mixed Lot Treasure Hunt Sept 27, 2021 17:01:29 GMT renden and daniel like this

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Post by radiocruncher on Sept 27, 2021 17:01:29 GMT

After a bit of digging and queries I’ve got some further info from Beryl as follows:

I think the last line says "I could swear about the queen" as it was written only 10 days after Queen Victoria's death. This also bears out with the scribbled outline, which looks like a first attempt at "swear" using a different method, the writer must have learned the system before 1887 when our present way to write SW was introduced, and even before 1857 because they have written queen above the line, using an older vowel arrangement system. Leyland could be any number of things, as the second stroke and hook/circle/loop on it are not clear, try Lawrence or Lilys in your search, using any vowels that seem to fit. Obviously the recipient knew exactly who it was sending him shorthand, hence no signature name.

Last Edit: Sept 27, 2021 17:01:56 GMT by radiocruncher

radiocruncher
Member

Posts: 317
What I collect: GB especially Wildings and Machins. Early Germany to 1945

Graham's Mixed Lot Treasure Hunt Sept 27, 2021 23:24:38 GMT renden, darkormex, and 1 more like this

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Post by radiocruncher on Sept 27, 2021 23:24:38 GMT

After a lot of research through the 1901 census, I’ve finally found the sender. Henry Walker 24. A boarder at 77 Lawrence Road in Wavertree so Beryl got the address in the end. The recipient was William Walker and further investigation shows them both as being born in Cromford, Derbyshire. So they were brothers. That’s been a lot of work but a great outcome.