Argentina 1935-51 Definitives

[rubiera]

This plate variety appears to have a single position on the plate. Both specimens are 1E1.





In the second one, I find a second small flaw, and it seems also to be found on the specimen above.







tony

[rubiera]

These tiny ink dots are similar to the ones I found earlier on a 1 peso without map boundaries.



The dots can be seen along the top edge on the left and the right corners of the stamp.





This stamp has a small plate flaw.



tony

[rubiera]

Does anyone know which city and for which reason was this postmark used?





tony

[rubiera]

I only find a few of the 1E1 paper issue. This paper is thick and cream colored. It seems that this first printing was a small run, and that the 1E2 printing of 1937 was much larger, especially since all of the ministry officials I have for this value are 1E2.





tony

[rubiera]

There apparently were several distinct printings of this stamp in 1943, showing a wide range of color variations, and all printed mostly on the 1E3 paper.

Dark colors and worn plate:





Light rose and worn plate:





Very light, almost invisible background color:





Dark rose background, plate with light wear:





I also find this latter stamp on the 1E4 paper.



tony

[rubiera]

This stamp has a complex mix of combinations of color and watermarks. I find the following:

Rose on 1E1 paper



Rose on 1E2 paper



Rose on 1E3 paper, used in 1941/42





Neat, bright colors, from 1939, on 1E3 paper.



Neat, bright colors, slight plate wear, from 1945/46, on 1E3 paper.





I also find this latter stamp on the 1E4 paper.



tony

[rubiera]

The 1E3 printings, between 1939 and 1946, show a wide range of plate varieties. Here is a small selection.











tony

[rubiera]

I have just received a small lot of blocks of four and some singles of these stamps. The blocks of four are of the 10c Rivadavia Brown and 15c San Martin.

From the ones I have examined previous to receiving this lot I am postulating that there are several overprint plates on the small format, and probably also several overprint plates on the large format.

I have the following scheme in mind:

1. First range of printings, perhaps with unique overprint plate, from 1938 to the early 1940s.



2. Second range of printings, with overprint varieties unique to this plate that if found on the first printing would prove that the same plate was used for the overprints. Here is an example of a plate variety unique to this range of issues. There are several easy-to-find varieties like this one with peculiar L's.



3. Third range of printings, with unique overprint varieties and unique font.



In reference to the large format stamps, there may be only one plate for the wide overprint and another for the narrow overprint.

There are four placings for the horizontal (40c/2p) format with wide overprint:





and two placings of the 1p/5p format with wide overprint:





and two placings (2p, no scan, horizontal, and 25c/50c vertical format) with narrow overprint:



Its only a curiosity to determine that there are different plates if each issue only has one plate, but it would be interesting if there was more than one plate for some of these issues.

tony

[rubiera]

After examining a large number of these stamps, my assessment is that there are at least three overprint plates over the small format stamps. The scarcest is the 10c Rivadavia Red, which seems to have seen postal use mostly in October and November of 1938. These two overprint varieties are unique to this plate.

"S" of "Servicio" with ink blot.





Ink blots along top edge of "Servicio."

[rubiera]

I find a few 15c Martin Guemes overprinted with this plate, but the majority are 5c 1E1 and second watermark. I only find the two varieties illustrated here on the 5c.

Small L (1L paper of 1952)





L pointed as a triangle (straight rays paper 2D)

[rubiera]

The third plate saw use in 1952, and I do not find any of these varieties on the 5c. I find all of these on the 10c Rivadavia Brown and the 15c Martin Guemes, both on three papers: 1L (ondulating rays of 1951), 2D (straight rays diffused from 1943), and NGR (unwatermarked grid from 1945).

I think that there are two possibilities:

1: Printed stamps from when these papers were first issued were in stock and overprinted in 1952.

2: Made to order batches of the base stamp were overprinted with rolls of these papers in stock in 1952, and subsequently overprinted.

Here are the varieties;

Deformed S



Rounded L in the form of a boot



L with lengthened leg



L with shortened leg



L deformed and thin



Larger blocks would answer lots of questions. Unfortunately, all I have are blocks of four.

[rubiera]

This variety is peculiar and interesting. I use these two blocks to show that there are at least two of these in the thrid plate. In both blocks, the upper right stamp is a deformed S variety.

For the first block, the lower left stamp is a rounded L variety.







For the second block, the lower right stamp is a small S variety.







Again, larger blocks would help...

[rubiera]

I have taken a quick look at a sample of these stamps. Here are the images. All are with the 12 mm, or wider overprint, with the exception of the 1L, which has the 11 mm, or narrower overprint.

1E2, thin, very porous, white.



1E3, white to cream, medium thickness.



1E4, white, thin, porous.



1L1, looks a lot like 1E3, used for the 11 mm overprints of the 1950s



Here is a comparison on the 1E3 with the 1L1



I also find a few with the A in the watermark partially missing the legs. Stamp is 1E3.



The unwatermarked grid, NGR, is the top two rows of the scan below, and the unwatermarked opaque NOP, is the bottom two rows.



Here is a comparison scan. The NGR is grayish, and the NOP is white, but this deifference is not obvious in the scan.



With higher contrast ('equalize' in Photoshop')



I hope you find use for these reference scans.

[rubiera]

I have taken a day to look at the papers/watermarks of the'cents' values-all small format excluding the most common ones (5c, 10c, 15c, and 20c). This table shows the ones I find.



Abbreviations:

05c: 1/2c
1ct: 1 c typographed
2p5c: 2 1/2c
Gr: Green
Gy: Gray
12cBR: 12c Brown
12cR: 12c Red

Y: Yes, I find it
O: Only found overprinted 'Servicio Oficial'

SD: side-to-side, that is, horizontal
UD: up-down, that is, vertical

The 1L5 is the 'Zarate' paper which can sometimes seem not to have a watermark and is very thin.

[rubiera]

Here I show several blocks. The watermarks are clear for the 1E3 of 1939, the 1E1 of 1935, and the rare Straight Rays diffused (2D) of 1943. These colors are the result of applying the 'equalize' function in Photoshop.

[rubiera]

This is one of the most difficult values to type on account of how little the colors varied through the years. The least common printing is the typographed stamp on 1E1 paper.



Here I show a sample of these stamps showing the watermark. Notice las middle stamp is short, maybe from a perforation error sheet.



Here I show a few blocks of four on several papers. The colors are filtered by the Photoshop 'equalize' function. The 1E1's after this filter look golden, and the 1E3's look darkened, even though the latter paper is white.



The 1c 1E4 is bright white and thin, and is usually perfed comb. This perforation format is found on the other 1E4 values.



I show here a mint selection. First image is front, second is back filtered for watermarks, and third is back showing the gum, all stamps matching their relative positions.







The cream paper of 1936 has darkened gum, although it is unclear to me how much of the color is the gum, and how much the paper. The later gums are shiny and white.

[rubiera]

This is a relatively easy stamp to type. I find 1E1 and 1E3, and straight rays clear (2C), latter commonly found mint.



I show a few wavy rays specimens for reference.

[rubiera]

These stamps saw very little postal use. I show a few specimens for future reference.

2 1/2c 1E3 and 1E4 (it is curious that such a seldom-used stamp was printed on two papers)



3c San Martin Green



4c Gray (a rare stamp, and scarcer still on the 1E4 paper)



4c Green



6c Wavy Rays



8c



12c Brown



12c Red wavy and straight rays

[rubiera]

I find both unwatermarked papers, grid (NGR) and white opaque (NOP). The top pair in this image is a comparison NGR pair, and the five specimens below it are NOP, very rare.



With more time, I would like to study the Straight Rays printings. I wonder if this stamp was printed on the diffused paper of 1943. I find it used in the 50s, when the clear printing (2C) took place. This image is in true colors.




And this one shows the watermark more clearly thanks to the Photoshop 'equalize' filter. I only find one stamp on 1E4 paper.

[rubiera]

I am surprised by how complex this stamp is. In addition to unwatermarked grid (NGR) I find it on three other papers:

the 1E3 of 1939:



the 1E4 of 1940, thin and bright white:



and the diffused straight rays of 1943 (2D)