USA 1857-61 Scott 24 1c blue "Franklin" Type V - A study group

 

1857-61 1c blue "Franklin"

Type V, Perf 15, Oval red grill cancel

Into the Deep Blue

I bid on a "study group" of perforated Type V 1857 1c blue "Franklin" stamps this past summer. 

Shall we see what we can find?

The perforated 1857-61 issue has the same designs as the unperforated 1851-57 issue. 

The 1c "Franklins" are rather complicated in Scott, as they come in Type I,II,III,IV, & V, and in additional subtypes. The types have to do with whether the scroll work around the outside of the stamp is cut away or not; if the curved lines outside the labels "U.S. Postage" & "One Cent" are complete or not, and in some cases if there are recut lines. 

This is definitely U.S. specialty territory, and can mean the difference between CV (used) of $37+ and $9000 for the 1857 perforated 1c blue "Franklin"!!

My "study group" is supposed to consist of "Type V", which is the most common and least expensive CV ($37+). Also, Type V is only found within the 1857 perforated issue, and not the unperforated 1851-57 issue. 

Why?

The Perf 15 (Actually up to  15 1/2)  perforations are very close to the stamp design. Consequently, the design was trimmed around the top, bottom, and sides to make the stamp design look intact ( better). 

According to Brookman (The 19th Century Postage Stamps of the United States), Type V 1c blue "Franklins" are found on plates 5,7,8,9, & 10. All, of them (except plate 5) have only Type V stamps. There is a Type Va found on plate 5, along with Type V. More about that later.

Earliest known use:

Plate 5 -Dec 2, 1857

Plate 7- Dec 31, 1857

Plate 8 - Nov 17, 1857

Plate 9 - Aug 2, 1859

Plate 10 - June 14, 1860

Let's take a look at our "study group"....

1857-61 Scott 24 Perf 1c blue "Franklin"

Type V, Example 1

"Scott: Type V - similar to Type III of 1851-57 but with side ornaments cut away. About one half of all positions have side scratches. Wide breaks in top and bottom framelines"

I will show some close-up examples of Type V below.

This Example 1 has a "1860" date cancellation, which adds $2.50 to the CV.

1857-61 Scott 24 Perf 1c blue "Franklin"

Type V, Example 2

"July" postmark. I wonder if the cancel  is from Lansing, Michigan?

Of interest, Brookman states the color blue for the 1c Type V can be blue, pale blue, dark blue & deep blue.

1857-61 Scott 24 Perf 1c blue "Franklin"

Type V, Example 3

Unknown city postmark.

If one looks carefully, one can see the side ornaments are cut away.

1857-61 Scott 24 Perf 1c blue "Franklin"

Type V, Example 4

City cancel.

I should mention that one should check the paper on any 1c blue, as "laid paper" is a possibility (CV $7,500!) - but not probability. ;-)

1857-61 Scott 24 Perf 1c blue "Franklin"

Type V, cover- Example 5

A "1861" date - a $2.50 CV increase. 

On cover - a $8 CV increase. 

The prior collector had labeled this postmark "Boston" - and perhaps it is, but "PA" makes me think of Pennsylvania.

1857-61 Scott 24 Perf 1c blue "Franklin"

Type V, Example 6

Oval grid.

1857-61 Scott 24 Perf 1c blue "Franklin"

Type V, Example 7

Grid cancel.

1857-61 Scott 24 Perf 1c blue "Franklin"

Type V, Example 8

Very interesting imprint: " (Bank Note) Engravers Phila New York Boston" on side

1857-61 Scott 24 Perf 1c blue "Franklin"

Type V, Example 8 (stamp turned)

This stamp came from the left edge of the sheet, as the engravers script is visible. If we had more of the edge, the plate number might be seen. Notice how cut away the side scroll work is.

The engravers were Toppan, Carpenter & Co. for the 1857 perforated issue, as well as the 1851 unperforated issue. 

1857-61 Scott 24 Perf 1c blue "Franklin"

Type V, Example 9

This stamp was labeled by the prior collector as a "magenta" color cancel. If so - a $150 CV increase. I think the evidence is not very good.

1857-61 Scott 24 Perf 1c blue "Franklin"

Type V, Example 10

"PAID" cancel.  - a $5 CV increase.

1857-61 Scott 24 Perf 1c blue "Franklin" pair

Type V, Example 11

Nice pair. - About a 10% CV increase ($ 98).

"1859" - a  $2.50 CV increase.

1857-61 Scott 24 Perf 1c blue "Franklin"

Type V, Example 12

A pen cancel - decreases CV by ~50%. 

1857-61 Scott 24 Perf 1c blue "Franklin"

Type V, Example 12 close-up

This Example 12 shows a good illustration of the of the curved frame line just below the "One Cent" tablet missing a large portion of the middle. This is characteristic for Type V: "Wide breaks in top and bottom framelines"

1857-61 Scott 24 Perf 1c blue "Franklin"

Type V, Example 13

Not sure what cancel - Philadelphia?

1857-61 Scott 24 Perf 1c blue "Franklin"

Type V, Example 14

Nice oval grid cancel. CV increase $15.

1857-61 Scott 24 Perf 1c blue "Franklin"

Type V, Example 15

Red "paid" city cancel. 

1857-61 Scott 24 Perf 1c blue "Franklin"

Type V, Example 16

Out of the Blue

I should mention that Type Va from plate 5* shows almost complete ornaments on the right side (CV $250). I don't think I have an example. 

*Plate 5 - Brookman thought that Type Va came from "plate 6", but subsequent research shows plate 5.

As one can imagine, this evaluation "study group" only scratches the surface of the catalogue possibilities for the Type V 1857 1c blue. 

Summer 2023 Acquisition Update

Confederate States of America

Scott 1 5c green (shades) "Jefferson Davis"

"Springfield Forgery"

 Into the Deep Blue

I picked up some additional stamp acquisitions over the summer, mostly through local stamp club auctions. The bid competition wasn't very vigorous, so this is what I got. ;-)

USA 1861 Scott 89 10c green "Washington"

E. Grill

This is  an "E" grill 10c green. CV is $325, although this example is way off center.

E. Grill Reverse Side (11 X 13 mm)

USA 1861 Scott 89 10c green "Washington"

If this was a "z" grill ( 11 X 14 mm) - CV $750,000. ;-)

1873 Official Stamps Post Office Scott O47-O50

I was missing O47 & O48, and didn't have an unused copy of O49. CV for the set was $95, and opening $7 bid took it.

USA Official Stamps Post Office 

1873 Scott O50 6c black

The "Post Office" officials are probably the least interesting design wise, but what the hey. ;-)

USA 1929 Scott 658-668 "Kansas" overprint

Rotary Press Printing, Perf 11 x 10 1/2,

On Scott 632-634, 635-642 Overprinted

The story of the Kansas/ Nebraska overprints is because of Post Office burglaries in the area. Yes, the wild west!

I have all the Nebraska overprints, but was missing the 6c red orange, the 7c black, & the 8c olive green for the Kansas overprints (CV $122). I therefore picked up this set, and gave the extras to a fellow collector.

1929 Scott 666 8c olive green ""Grant"

"Kansas" Overprint

The 8c olive green has the highest CV ($72) for the Nebraska set.

1861 Scott 1 5c green (shades) "Jefferson Davis"

Confederate States of America

"Springfield Forgery"

I thought I didn't have a CSA Scott 1, but it turns out I do. ;-) My other copy is much more "green" (CV $ 275), so could this be Scott 1c "olive green" (CV $400)? 

I doubt it. The CSA stamps were counterfeited a lot, especially in Europe.

Looks like this is the "Springfield" forgery as outlined by the Classic Stamp Forgeries website. 

I talked to the seller and will return it.

Cayman Islands 1900 Scott 1 1/2p pale green "Victoria"

Typo, Wmk 2, Perf 14

Didn't have - I got it. (CV $15).

Somaliland Protectorate 1921 Scott 64-75 "King George V"

Wmk 4

A good friend of mine in town offered to sell this Somaliland Protectorate set. I did not have any of these stamps. 

CV $ 118.

Left: Wmk 3 "Multiple Crown and C A"

Right: Wmk 4 "Multiple Crown and Script C A"

Be aware that the set comes in either Wmk 3 (1912-19) or Wmk 4 (1921). These stamps are Wmk 4.

1921 Scott 72 12a ocher & Black "George V"

Wmk 4

The lower denominations have this design.

1921 Scott 75 3r black & gray green "George V"

Wmk 4

The Rupee denominations are large format. One can see why collecting British Empire stamps is popular.

Out of the Blue

The stamps are now mounted (using Scott /Prinz mounts) in Deep Blue. :-)

Comments appreciated!

Quelimane, Tete, Zambezia - Bud's Big Blue

Map credit: Gerben van Gelder, Stamp World History

Bud's Big Blue

Bud's Observations

I’ll comment on the stamps of Zambezia (1894-1920) and its two districts – Quelimane and Tete – in a single post. Scans for all three are shown below. They’re straight forward Portuguese colonial stamps, but not well understood philatelically. At the turn of the 20^th century, social turmoil in the Mozambique part of Portugal’s empire makes anything said about its philately highly conjectural.

If you like research and are willing to risk not coming up with much, then the stamps of Zambezia, Quelimane and Tete might be the topic on which to build an internationally acclaimed reputation. Be forewarned, however, that existing literature is scant and often contradictory, analytical history almost nonexistent, and official documents scarce and inaccessible. A familiarity with the Portuguese language will help, though.

If you or anyone you know are interested in such a venture, here’s what I’d like to know about these stamps:

·       Why and when exactly was Zambezia split into two districts, Quelimane and Tete? Current philatelic literature posits three dates: 1902, 1907, and 1913. Or was it never really a split?

·       Was military action involved when the split occurred, perhaps in Tete?

Scott Tete #s 38 (brown on pink), 39, (orange on salmon) and 40 (green on blue)

·       If the earlier date is more accurate, why were Zambezia stamps continued in use and Quelimane and Tete stamps not issued until 1913-14? And why were overprinted Zambezia stamps issued in 1915?

  Scott Zambezia #s 86 (light green), 75 (yellow green, local overprint) and 87 (carmine)  

 Why was the Zambezia Company not a charter company that had control over postal services, such as was the case with the Nyasa Company and Mozambique Company?

·       In what ways did the prazo system of land tenure in Zambezia affect postal service? Through prazo, large feudal estates were controlled by Portuguese traders and soldiers in the Zambesi River basin. Prazo-holders’ loyalty to the Portuguese crown was minimal and they operated independently sometimes supported by their own armies.

·       Apart from the overprint “Republica” on the Vasco da Gama series, how did the coup d’état in Portugal (5 October 1910) affect colonial postal services? 

Scott Quelimane #s 23 and 7, bister brown

·       Why were the Vasco da Gama stamps recycled for use 20 years after they were first issued? Do the recycled stamps differ from the originals in ways other than the overprints? Was there a huge oversupply?

Scott Tete #10, red

Why are Quelimane and Tete stamps usually found in mint condition while Zambezia’s are commonly in used condition? Were the former issued mainly for sales to collectors and not so much for local use?

·       Why are Quelimane and Tete stamps exact duplicates, except for the key plates and overprints of the districts’ names? Inhambane has similar issues.

·       Why are covers from this area scarce and expensive? What can be learned from covers that do exist?

·       To what extent were stamps of the various Mozambique districts used interchangeably, say, Inhambane stamps cancelled at a Tete post office?

·       How scarce were stamps in Tete and Quelimane? Some covers exist that have only a small fraction of a stamp on them.

Ambitious researchers need not start from scratch. Three sources provide something of a head start: 1- Gerben van Gelder’s Stamps World History site has discussions about the stamps of all Mozambique districts. See for instance: https://stampworldhistory.com/country-profiles-2/africa/quelimane/. 2- See also relevant articles in the UK-based Portuguese Philatelic Society Bulletin. 3- Writing in Portuguese, Luís Brito Frazão focuses on general Portuguese philately and has a book titled Contribuição para a história postal do Baixo Zambeze (2008) Contribution to the Postal History of the Lower Zambezi.

Frazão’s book cover showing Scott Quelimane #27, olive brown. Currently out of print.

A final caution: Portuguese officials sometimes grossly overstate the quality of life in the African colonies. Franco Nogueira, Portuguese Foreign Minister (1961-69), boasted: “We alone, before anyone else, brought to Africa the notion of human rights and racial equality. We alone practiced the principle of multi-racialism, which all now consider to be the most perfect and daring expression of human brotherhood and sociological progress…. Our African provinces are more developed, more progressive in every respect than any recently independent territory in Africa south of the Sahara, without exception.”(1) Nogueira uttered these falsehoods during the Mozambiquan war for independence (1964-75) that cost one million lives, displace five million citizens, and created nearly two million international refugees.

Ordinary life in Tete, much as I saw it on my last visit. (2)

Census: Quelimane, 20 in BB spaces, 15 on supplement page. Tete, 21 in BB spaces, 19 on supplement page. Zambezia, 37 in BB spaces, 41 on supplement page.

(1) Cited by Gerald J. Bender, Angola Under the Portuguese: The Myth and the Reality, (1978) p xxi.

(2) Photo credit: Cgreenhaf. Accessed via https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Tete,_Mozambique.jpg. In public domain.

Jim's Observations

I haven't visited the area as Bud has, but my contribution is linked below...

Quelimane Post & BB Checklist

Tete Post & BB Checklist

Zambezia Post & BB Checklist

Quelimane

Page 1

1a

1b

Supplements

Page 1

Tete

Page 1

1a

1b

Supplements

Page 1

Zambezia

Page 1

1a

1b

1c

1d

Supplements

Page 1

Comments appreciated!