A different printing on many British stamps of the era used anniline inks. That ink type is very subject to fading and dissolving in water.
I have seen several British colonial definitive issues listed as a mono-color but appearing as separate shades on the used stamps. Typically these are green or violet. The ones I found were not listed in Scott or Stanley-Gibbons catalogs.
Hi Everyone;
Thanks for the replies. It occurred to me that Royal Post, may have used two different inks that start
out as grey green, on purpose. When soaked off the envelope, the center oval would turn yellow
green, thus making it harder to re-use. Postal clerks would spot the color difference easily.
Just thinkin'....
TuskenRaider
Known in the trade as 'fugitive color'. Cheers,
Hi Everyone;
I'm sorting some British Africa and came across a Scott's #17 which the catalog shows as grey green. SG also shows grey green.
However mine is grey green frame, but the oval portrait of Edward VII is definitely yellow green. I find it strange that they used two different inks to print this. If they used the same ink for the whole stamp, then the whole stamp would fade to a yellow green. Or they actually used two different colors to print this and I'm going blind and can't find where it is listed. A fake maybe?
Does anyone have a more specialized catalog, that may list this?
Just Wonderin'....
TuskenRaider
re: wierd color on East Africa and Uganda Protectorates
A different printing on many British stamps of the era used anniline inks. That ink type is very subject to fading and dissolving in water.
re: wierd color on East Africa and Uganda Protectorates
I have seen several British colonial definitive issues listed as a mono-color but appearing as separate shades on the used stamps. Typically these are green or violet. The ones I found were not listed in Scott or Stanley-Gibbons catalogs.
re: wierd color on East Africa and Uganda Protectorates
Hi Everyone;
Thanks for the replies. It occurred to me that Royal Post, may have used two different inks that start
out as grey green, on purpose. When soaked off the envelope, the center oval would turn yellow
green, thus making it harder to re-use. Postal clerks would spot the color difference easily.
Just thinkin'....
TuskenRaider
re: wierd color on East Africa and Uganda Protectorates
Known in the trade as 'fugitive color'. Cheers,