Argentina 1935-51 Definitives

[Paolo Angelini (paoloang)]

Thanks a lot Rubiera. Sounds interesting.

[rubiera]

You are welcome! Thanks for looking at this material.

rubiera

[rubiera]

This one is on the first plate, and this specimen is on the 1E1, the first paper, of 1936.

[rubiera]

Here they are, from 1,400 used specimens. Scott has three types... Watch out for the 1L5, it is super rare!

1E1, issued January 1936.



1E2, from 1937



1E3, from 1939 to 1944



1E4, from 1940



1E5, from 1943/44, rare, small RA



NGR, from 1945



NOP, unwatermarked opaque from 1947/48



2C, Straight Rays from 1949



CL2, clay from 1952



1L1, from 1951, deep orange background



1L2, from 1952, pale red, medium to gigantic RA, poorly defined



1L3, from 1955/56, bright white paper and deep yellow background



1L4, similar to 1L2, with a partially visible watermark



1L5, similar to 1L2, white Zarate, rare




I have these in a Picasa web album here:

http://www.somestamps.com/domain-argent ... 069-4.html

[rubiera]

The ones mentioned here are for the plate used beginning in 1949. The variety with the V of CENTAVOS deformed is likely found more than once on the plate, judging by how common it is. The variety with the outer line upper left corner clipped is repetitive since I find more than one on the same block. This strip also shows the variety with a dot after MAR.



first stamp left to right



third stamp left to right



What makes me think that a new plate was introduced in 1949 is that the issues from that year, the 2C or Straight Rays, share plate varieties with the later issues, and the issues from 1948, on the unwatermarked opaque paper (NOP) and before do not.

Here is a 2C with the variety with the outer line upper left corner clipped



detail



Here is a variety I found several years ago as well as in the large lot I have been exmining lately. I only find it on the 1L3 from 1955, the printing with a bright yellow background.

[rubiera]

Returning to this topic, here are the three pages I currently have:

Buenos Aires

http://www.somestamps.com/domain-argentina/arg193551/postmarks/buenos-aires/argentina-1935-51-postmarks-Buenos-Aires-Numerals.html

Type I, the old format and mostly phased out during 1936

http://www.somestamps.com/domain-argentina/arg193551/postmarks/early/argentina-1935-51-postmarks-early.htm

Provincial Capitals

http://www.somestamps.com/domain-argentina/arg193551/postmarks/provincial-capitals/argentina-1935-51-postmarks-provinces-capitals.html

[rubiera]

After ignoring this topic for a very long time (try 15 years), and receiving a Stanley Gibbons transparent strip to measure watermarks, I have made some measurements of the 10c Rivadavia Red:

Small, slightly irregular holes:

Type I horizontal.



Type I vertical as if it was 13.5, which it isn't.



Type I vertical measured correctly, looks like 13.1, and not 13.



Type II horizontal



Type II vertical



Medium, regular holes:

Type II horizontal



Type II vertical



After these measurements, I now realize why I am unable to separate the two vertical perforations with the naked eye:

1. The 13 perforation is from the irregular grid with small holes, and the measurement is not exactly 13.5 or 13.
2. The difference between 13.1 and 13.4 is VERY small.

I wonder if the other stamps from the first batch (October 1, 1935) are also found with the 'almost 13' vertical perforation?

[rubiera]

I find the following after looking at some 5c lithograped:

The perforation comb used during the first printing, from October 1, 1935; with small and irregular holes, result in variables measurements of the vertical perforation between 13.1 and 13.4. I only find one vertical row with 13.1 perforation, and it is a row with a skipped perf hole. Here I show three illustrative blocks.

The first block is from the row with a perf skip, perforation 13.15, and it should be the same row as that for the 10c Rivadavia Red type I block shown previously.





The second block measures 13.3





The third block measures 13.4





Judging by the rare frequency with which I find the 13.1 perforation, I am guessing that it is only found in one column of the sheet. All of the 5c lithographed (5c1E1) look like they were perforated with this comb; and not with the later comb that measures exactly 13.5 by 13.5.

[rubiera]

Printing press used to print these definitives

The caption reads:

"Two color typographic rotary press 'Goebel' model B.P.M. used by the Mint (Casa de la Moneda) to print postal stamps. It was acquired in 1935, even if installed in its printing shop (taller) since November 1930 in test mode (a titulo de ensayo)."

[rubiera]

Measurement of the 1E1 grid


As explained by Rein (member of Stampboards), the direction along which the ellipses are longest in this paper is the direction in which the roll was made. Here are two examples. I find the grid aligned in the horizontal direction in reference to the RA. If the grid was found running along the perpendicular direction, that would constitute a separate watermark.

[rubiera]

A scan of the 1E2 paper

I do not find a clear grid for this paper.

[rubiera]

Measurement of the 1E3 grid

Here are two examples. I am not able to determine a direction for this roll based on the elongation of the dots.









The watermark can sometimes be somewhat unclear for the 1E3 paper.

[rubiera]

Measurement of the 1E4 grid

Here are several examples. I am not able to determine a direction for this roll based on the elongation of the dots.

[rubiera]

2C and 2D examples showing the watermark

These are 2C examples (diffuse, grayish paper).





There are 2D examples (clear, bright white paper).

[rubiera]

Picasa web albums of the 1E and Straight Rays papers

I have loaded these to somestamps at:

http://www.somestamps.com/domain-argentina/arg193551/reference-collection/foro/051-100/argentina-1935-51-foro-072-4.html

[rubiera]

Some comments on categorizing the papers

Following up on Rein's (member of Stampboards) comments, I have the following comments:

1. The assumption that there is a Wavy Rays watermark and a Straight Rays watermark is questionable. I use these two references only to simplify the subject. In reality, most of the watermarked papers have a unique watermark. The exception is the watermark shared by the 1E1, 1E3, and 1L1 papers.

2. Even though I originally labeled the 1E and 1L papers to mean that the 1 referred to Wavy Rays, it is more reasonable to use the 1 as a category number, and not as a reference to the type of watermark. By this I mean that the 1E papers are in a category of 5 papers with 4 distinctly different watermarks, and the 1L papers are in a category with 5 papers each with a unique watermark.

3. The paper has three characteristics: (a) the consistency and color of the pulp, be it opaque, white, gray; (2) the watermark as defined by its dimensions; (3) the grid, when discernible, and the relative angles of the rows of dots or ellipses, when discernible.

4. The vertical and horizontal versions of some of the watermarks should be from rolls of paper that were manufactured differently. It may be determined in the future that the two types are two separate watermarks.

[rubiera]

Deluca mentions some key information about the 20cJMG/20cMG and the 1pL/1P.

According to Deluca:

1. 10,000,000 of the 20cJMG were printed, and 2,495,551 were destroyed when the 20cMG was introduced November 21, 1936, the latter with an initial printing of 5,000,000.
3. 3,000,000 of the 1pL were printed, and 700,000 were destroyed when the 1p was issued February 1, 1937.
4. 407 specimens each of the 20cMG and the 1p were overprinted 'MUESTRA' and sent to the U.P.U.

Here are the quantities Deluca mentions were delivered for the DEPOF issues of the 20cJMG and the 1pL:



Here are the dates of issue mentioned by Deluca for the 20cMG and the 1p DEPOFs.



Also mentioned in Deluca is that a total of 60.030.317 DEPOF were delivered in 1936. Judging by the stamps I have, most of these were 5c, 10c, and 30c.

[rubiera]

1E1 'Servicio Oficial'

The stamps issued on this paper with the 'Servicio Oficial' overprint are all small format:

1. 3c San Martin Green



2. 5c Moreno typographed



3. 10c Rivadavia Red Type II



4. 15c Small Format Cattle Dark Blue

[rubiera]

1E2 'Servicio Oficial'

The stamps issued on this paper with the 'Servicio Oficial' overprint are all large format:

Here are two used specimens. I find these stamps used between 1938 and 1943. These stamps were used infrequently over a long period of time. This usage is in contrast to the regular issue 1E2 stamp, which was exhausted quickly in 1937.





Here is the back of a pair of the 25c.



Here is a mint block of the 50c1E2-SO. This stamp is very rare used.





Here is a single of the 1p1E2-SO, a rare stamp mint or used.

[rubiera]

The NGR 'Servicio Oficial' high values

This selection shows a mint block of six of the 5 pesos and an used single of the 10 pesos. These stamps are considerably more common mint than used. The mint specimens are remainders since, according to Deluca, it was illegal to allow the mint stamps out of Argentinean government control. Luckily, these stamps are not valuable enough to get forgers interested in forging the postmark.

This block has an interesting plate variety.



The first stamp in the first row has a scratch in the field near the palm.



This used specimen is considerably scarcer than a mint specimen.