US Help with Color ID Scott #

I have group of 2c Washingtons with type 3 triangle and a double line watermark. Scott specialized shows it comes 267 Carmine and Dark Carmine, 279B
Red, 279Bc Rose Carmine, 279Bd Orange Red, and 279Bf Deep Red. I do not see a listing for shades of Pink with Type 3 Dbl wtmk? What Scott number should this group that ranges from pink overtones to pure pink be placed under?

Thanks for your help

I've seen them for around $425 - $450 at online Used Book Stores.
That's the way to go... With a little searching you can still find them around this price.

I found 2 copies of "Color in Philately" for around $35. I've just purchased the "Encyclopedia". Is "Color in Philately" about U.S. or the
World? Do I need both? I also found some copies of "The Dictionary of
Stamps in Color: a Comprehensive History of Philately" which sounds more like a coffee table book. Anyone have any reviews of this one?

"Michael Meadowcroft said:

There really is none better than this guide. You stated 'pricey' and it sure as heck is. I've seen only 2 others of these previously on eBay. I foolishly attempted bidding on the first one and dropped out at $650. On the 2nd one I just sat and watched as it rose on the last day and then last twenty minutes to astronomical heights.

Michael Meadowcroft11/27/2003 11:20
The September 2003 issue of The American Philatelist has and article titled
"What Color is it? It Depends...." by Richard M. Morris. I finished reading it and said, "Holy Cow! Do catalogue color listings mean *anything*?

It seems that red, or green, or purple isn't necessarily red, or green, or purple. Since we can't use images here, I'll just quote a couple of cutlines used with illustrations in the article:

"The color chip that matches the Red of U.S. Scott 741 also matches stamps listed as Vermillion in the United States (Scott 279bh) and Rose Carmine in
Canada (Scott 41a and f1b...)."

"A variety of the 3-cent Queen Victoria from the 1868-76 issue (
Scott 25) listed is Scott as Dull Red does not match the shade of the 1872-
3-cent Quieen Victoria (Scott 37) also listed as Dull Red."

"Both U.S. Scott 11 (1857) and Canada Scott 116 (1912) are identified as
Plum, although the shades are distinctly different."

Anyone at all interested in this subject should read the article.

"Color in Philately" is a technical treatise and, in that sense, is not country specific. It deals with concepts of colour and the properties of different types of inks. It is useful for giving one a theoretical basis for colour classification but not for identifying particular stamps.

Michael Meadowcroft
Waterloo Lodge
72 Waterloo Lane
Leeds LS13 2JF
Tel: +44 (0)113 257 6232

Scratch that. I received an email today that the book is unavailable. Oh well, live in hope, die in despair.

Well, well well! I didn't know such a publication existed! Sounds exactly what a serious US collector needs. A bit pricey, but probably quite a rare item.

I have R H White's book "Color in Philately", published by The
Philatelic Foundation in 1979.

Michael Meadowcroft

Michael Meadowcroft
Waterloo Lodge
72 Waterloo Lane
Leeds LS13 2JF
Tel: +44 (0)113 257 6232

You need a colour guide for the classic American issues! We collectors of the equivalent French issues have the benefit of a colour guide tied to the relevant catalogue numbers. Here's a very specific campaign for US collectors that is eminently winnable - not least because it would also be a commercially profitable publication.

Montez aux barricades mes braves!

Michael Meadowcroft

Michael Meadowcroft
Waterloo Lodge
72 Waterloo Lane
Leeds LS13 2JF
Tel: +44 (0)113 257 6232

Here's a good US color guide. http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem& item=2966828136

"ENCYCLOPEDIA OF THE COLORS OF UNITED STATES POSTAGE STAMPS by RH White.

Is there any better? Or is there the best of all and any color guides?

Well, in terms of nineteenth century and early twentieth century stamps, the answer is "no", for the simple reason that "standard" colours only emerged relatively recently, with two or three international codifications endeavouring to provide standardisation.

Over, say, the past seventy years colour descriptions have been much more standard, but it is not feasible for the catalogues to go back and to amend all the earlier colour descriptions.

Hence the need for colour guides that have colour swaths annotated to actual catalogue numbers so that collectors have better "technical" help in identifying stamps.

And, of course, one can train one's eye for being on the look out for rare stamps at fairs and auctions etc!

Michael Meadowcroft
Waterloo Lodge
72 Waterloo Lane
Leeds LS13 2JF
Tel: +44 (0)113 257 6232

Thanks Steve and All, I've just ordered it on line for $400. Don't know if I will get it though, as it may already be gone, has happened before with other items.

I went back with a new search and the book is gone, so I probably got it.