Oh gosh.
I've been specializing in DWI for years, but only on the used side.
Determining if the gum is original, let alone a catalogued shade would seem to be a task for TRUE experts, given that the stamp is ~160 years old...and scarce.
But, let's PM on early DWI! I'm chasing down minor varieties myself, looking for combos.
-Paul
Yeah color identification does not work over the internet. It looks like 1b is super rare. It also looks like this stamp has a thin possibly as the design shows through on the back? If you felt it worth the cost you could always send it in for expertisation.
First I'd carefully erase the pencil marks, and see what effect that has on viewing the back of the stamp. The black pencil marking will work against your eyes and images by making the back of the stamp appear darker than it really is. Thus another reason to not write on the back of stamps.
Offhand, from what I can see, I would say that the gum is probably yellowish as the brown gum would make the back of the stamp appear to be toned. However, you'll still need to clean up the back of the stamp and probably get a certificate if you really need a definitive answer. However, the stamp is damaged, so any value will be severely affected.
I concur with Michael.
I was thinking about the condition of this stamp myself. It certainly has had a hard life for a mint OG stamp, don't you agree? If it had been cared for as the rarity it's purported to be, it wouldn't have the rounded corners or the gouges in the edges at the upper right. Also, think about how that thin occurred. Hinge removal? If the stamp had contact with the adhesive from a hinge (or, multiple hinges), that's going to contaminate what little OG that remains. The implication of my "160 years" statement is that it seems likely that this stamp passed through the hands of many owners, each with their own um, secrets.
I would be extremely leery of attempting to erase the pencil marks. The paper might not hold up to the friction necessary. That's a job for a paper restoration expert.
I have a number of stamps in my collection that *should* be expertized. However, their condition probably means that the cost of the expertization will not be recovered at (potential) sale.
Just my $0.02...
-Paul
PLEASE HELP this stamp has a yellowish paper and the difference between varieties is whether the GUM is white, yellow or brown. With a yellow background how do you tell? Any ideas? Thanks!
(Previous owner couldn't decide between 1a and 1b and penciled on back)
Karen in Arkansas
re: Danish West Indies #1, 1a, 1b depending on gum color HELP
Oh gosh.
I've been specializing in DWI for years, but only on the used side.
Determining if the gum is original, let alone a catalogued shade would seem to be a task for TRUE experts, given that the stamp is ~160 years old...and scarce.
But, let's PM on early DWI! I'm chasing down minor varieties myself, looking for combos.
-Paul
re: Danish West Indies #1, 1a, 1b depending on gum color HELP
Yeah color identification does not work over the internet. It looks like 1b is super rare. It also looks like this stamp has a thin possibly as the design shows through on the back? If you felt it worth the cost you could always send it in for expertisation.
re: Danish West Indies #1, 1a, 1b depending on gum color HELP
First I'd carefully erase the pencil marks, and see what effect that has on viewing the back of the stamp. The black pencil marking will work against your eyes and images by making the back of the stamp appear darker than it really is. Thus another reason to not write on the back of stamps.
Offhand, from what I can see, I would say that the gum is probably yellowish as the brown gum would make the back of the stamp appear to be toned. However, you'll still need to clean up the back of the stamp and probably get a certificate if you really need a definitive answer. However, the stamp is damaged, so any value will be severely affected.
re: Danish West Indies #1, 1a, 1b depending on gum color HELP
I concur with Michael.
I was thinking about the condition of this stamp myself. It certainly has had a hard life for a mint OG stamp, don't you agree? If it had been cared for as the rarity it's purported to be, it wouldn't have the rounded corners or the gouges in the edges at the upper right. Also, think about how that thin occurred. Hinge removal? If the stamp had contact with the adhesive from a hinge (or, multiple hinges), that's going to contaminate what little OG that remains. The implication of my "160 years" statement is that it seems likely that this stamp passed through the hands of many owners, each with their own um, secrets.
I would be extremely leery of attempting to erase the pencil marks. The paper might not hold up to the friction necessary. That's a job for a paper restoration expert.
I have a number of stamps in my collection that *should* be expertized. However, their condition probably means that the cost of the expertization will not be recovered at (potential) sale.
Just my $0.02...
-Paul