rrr...
Check the background on the type A14- #19 its a crosshatch pattern on the Type A15 #39 its straight lines of shading. I believe you have #39 used perfs trimmed off.
Ross
It cannot be a 19, because the design is completely different. This must be from the 1870-1876 series, or #39 to be precise. Proofs do exist, but in this particular case the colour appears to be wrong. According to the Afinsa catalogue the imperf proof for the 20 r. is "lilas claro" (pale purple in English), while this one is the normal bistre.
Perhaps Ross is right, or this is a cutout from a postcard or prestamped envelope? Does the paper look different than usual?
Jan-Simon
Hi Ross, Hi Jean Simon
Yes definitely #39. Goes to show how one can be careless, as I put it in my #19 slot, given it was imperforated, and the cancellation covered some of the details...so I looked no further.
Now the paper is definitely like the paper of the others in the series, although it definitely is more like the older paper of the first printing than the whiter paper of the reprints, and if it was cropped, they did a good job, given the size of the stamp. I overlayed it on perforated stamps of the same series, and if cropped, they did not have a milliliter to spare.
This stamp (from the look of the hinge remnants) has been in a someone's or another's collection for at least a 100 years! But from what Jean-Simon says about essay color, I must accept that it is probably a very neatly cropped nicely preserved #39. Aaah well, still deserves a spot to show it off!
Thanks for your expert eyes and knowledge.
rrr...
Hi Ralph,
Postal stationary envelopes with stamps in the design ‘A15’ are limited to a 25R blue and a 50R pink. There also exit postal cards with stamps in the ‘A15’ design, albeit again no 20R brown (there exist a number of postal cards with a 20R blue, however). But since the stamp is on regular paper, a cut-out from a postal card wouldn’t be a possible option anyways -- info according to the Michel Europe Postal Stationary Catalog (2003/04). In sum, it all looks like a clipped Scott #39.
Frequently, fakers cut off perforations to fabricate a more expensive imperforate variety, which is not a likely explanation here since there are no imperforated stamps in the A15 design (other than the proofs). Nevertheless, the same verification approach applies as with any suspected clipped perforation fabrication: hi-def scan on black background stamp facing down, blow up, search for dents:
Not sure if the above actually are dents, the scan quality is not sufficient to actually determine this, but the marked spots appear somewhat suspicious and might be remnants of perforation holes.
An interesting mystery stamp, Ralph, thanks for sharing!
Arno
All very interesting...and I would go with trimmed, but not because of remnants of perfs, or other indications...but just because it seems the most likely! (read my motto!)
By the way, that small spot up front top center...ink from the cancellation, not a hole.
I have a stamp microscope, but had not thought of using it to look at the trimming...
Imperfs being scisor cut, I was not sure what it would do for me.
But here are another two photos front and back with better focus, although still degraded to post here. Just for the curious....as I am satisfied with the verdict.
Rrr...
Reverse Side, (camera color is off )
Until recently I thought this, being imperf, was Portugal 19. But I just got a Portugal 19 and took a closer look at it...and I am now convinced this is Portugal 39 Imperf.
Problem is that Scott only reports Mint and no used Imperf 39, and states that they were proofs. But this stamp is clealy a used one.
Can anyone shed light on this mystery?
Thanks
rrr...
re: Portugal 39? Imperf
rrr...
Check the background on the type A14- #19 its a crosshatch pattern on the Type A15 #39 its straight lines of shading. I believe you have #39 used perfs trimmed off.
Ross
re: Portugal 39? Imperf
It cannot be a 19, because the design is completely different. This must be from the 1870-1876 series, or #39 to be precise. Proofs do exist, but in this particular case the colour appears to be wrong. According to the Afinsa catalogue the imperf proof for the 20 r. is "lilas claro" (pale purple in English), while this one is the normal bistre.
Perhaps Ross is right, or this is a cutout from a postcard or prestamped envelope? Does the paper look different than usual?
Jan-Simon
re: Portugal 39? Imperf
Hi Ross, Hi Jean Simon
Yes definitely #39. Goes to show how one can be careless, as I put it in my #19 slot, given it was imperforated, and the cancellation covered some of the details...so I looked no further.
Now the paper is definitely like the paper of the others in the series, although it definitely is more like the older paper of the first printing than the whiter paper of the reprints, and if it was cropped, they did a good job, given the size of the stamp. I overlayed it on perforated stamps of the same series, and if cropped, they did not have a milliliter to spare.
This stamp (from the look of the hinge remnants) has been in a someone's or another's collection for at least a 100 years! But from what Jean-Simon says about essay color, I must accept that it is probably a very neatly cropped nicely preserved #39. Aaah well, still deserves a spot to show it off!
Thanks for your expert eyes and knowledge.
rrr...
re: Portugal 39? Imperf
Hi Ralph,
Postal stationary envelopes with stamps in the design ‘A15’ are limited to a 25R blue and a 50R pink. There also exit postal cards with stamps in the ‘A15’ design, albeit again no 20R brown (there exist a number of postal cards with a 20R blue, however). But since the stamp is on regular paper, a cut-out from a postal card wouldn’t be a possible option anyways -- info according to the Michel Europe Postal Stationary Catalog (2003/04). In sum, it all looks like a clipped Scott #39.
Frequently, fakers cut off perforations to fabricate a more expensive imperforate variety, which is not a likely explanation here since there are no imperforated stamps in the A15 design (other than the proofs). Nevertheless, the same verification approach applies as with any suspected clipped perforation fabrication: hi-def scan on black background stamp facing down, blow up, search for dents:
Not sure if the above actually are dents, the scan quality is not sufficient to actually determine this, but the marked spots appear somewhat suspicious and might be remnants of perforation holes.
An interesting mystery stamp, Ralph, thanks for sharing!
Arno
re: Portugal 39? Imperf
All very interesting...and I would go with trimmed, but not because of remnants of perfs, or other indications...but just because it seems the most likely! (read my motto!)
By the way, that small spot up front top center...ink from the cancellation, not a hole.
I have a stamp microscope, but had not thought of using it to look at the trimming...
Imperfs being scisor cut, I was not sure what it would do for me.
But here are another two photos front and back with better focus, although still degraded to post here. Just for the curious....as I am satisfied with the verdict.
Rrr...
Reverse Side, (camera color is off )