Questions about Japanese stamps?

Thanks Dave

Today, I haven't collected very many Japanese stamps, but I have a category for Dead Empires. This includes the Ottoman, Austro-Hungarian, Russian, and I think the Japanese Empire qualifies.

So look forward to sharing with you and using your expertise. Oh, does this include Manchukuo? I have lots of those.

Michael

Interesting -- the board put that emoticon in my post. I didn't invoke it. Hmmm ....

Philatarium sometimes the board will automatically add an emoticon if we have one for certain things like you did above (crossed fingers), or laughing out loud, etc

Michael -- I'll see if I can start digging out my Manchukuo between now and then. But I do have reference books handy now.


To others:

It really doesn't have to be a sophisticated or advanced question. I'm just interested in knowing about the problems you may have had identifying Japanese stamps. Perhaps there were places where the Scott catalogue or your album pages were unclear?

-- Dave

Mr. Lee: Unless it's been chemically altered in some way (and it doesn't look like that to me), I think that's it! Oftentimes, one runs into a very light application of the carmine, but it looks completely absent here.

That's great!

-- Dave

Greetings Mr. Philatarium
.
I'm using a 2008 Scott Catalogue. I can figure out that this four-yen deep claret stamp is definitely the Ishiyama-dera Pagoda, but the pale rose background (clouds and shading on the pagoda) sure if faint on the scan, and almost non-existent to the nakid eye (at least my nakid eye). Also, I don't have any other 559s to use as a comparison.   I just wish there was a CV for the 559a.
.
Respectfully,

Gordon Lee

Greetings, Mr. Lee!

I had a few minutes earlier today to check in the Stanley Gibbons and Michel for Japan, and neither of them lists that error. I was particularly surprised that Michel didn't have it, as I can usually find variations they've identified (even with other Asian countries, and not just their home turf) that none but the country-specific specialized catalogs will list.

So, I'm afraid I'm going to have to confront my Japanese dictionary and my rapidly-slipping-away Japanese skills. Be forewarned: it probably won't be pretty.

Out of curiosity, and only if you feel comfortable answering, how did you happen to come across this elusive error?

Curiosityly,

-- Dave

Thanks for your reply, Mr. Lee!

I did just take a look at that image, and it does look pretty close, too. I think I see a hint of the carmine in it, but I'm not sure if that is the result of a little blurriness around the scan. Does your stamp look to you in person (or with a magnifying glass) the same way as the scan?

The flip side of this situation is that the error is so common that it's only noted but not priced. I have some Japan kiloware I need to look through and see what I see.

I've never focused on this error, because, honestly, I never focus on any listed error, because I always assume that I will never run into one, so I never really pay attention to them. (Plate flaws excepted.)

This is one of those times when I wish I felt spendy enough to spring for the full run of the ISJP's publication on CD (about $150). Then it would be easy to see what's been documented in English about the error. (International Society for Japanese Philately)

Thanks for sharing this story, and congratulations on what sounds like a great kiloware deal, even if this turns out to be ephemeral.


I'll report back what I find out.

Appreciatively,

-- Dave

And done!