I have obtained several mint Iceland stamps that were held in place by the selvage. I'm not sure whether to keep the selvage attached. Some have wavy lines and what look like control numbers. The selvage is damaged from the sticking to the album page on an otherwise MNH stamp. While I don't collect mint stamps, specifically, I will build some pages around these beautiful stamps. I will post up some pics when I get home.
Any opinions on whether to keep or discard the selvage?
APS life member of 25+ years 31 Jan 2015 12:56:00pm
re: Iceland Mint singles with selvage
Selvage is not needed if it is blank paper. However, if there are any printed markings then keep it attached - you can fold it under if it fits in your album better. Keeping the selvage with printed markings helps authenticate the stamp as being real and not faked.
I'm new to collecting modern Iceland. And since I aquired this material, I think it worthy of writing up, then getting back to my pre 1945 stuff...
Here is an example of what I'm talking about:
It looks like the former owner of this collection decoratively trimmed the selvage. I could take it or leave it.
Now this page has control numbers (maybe date codes?) This is a little more interesting. I also have used copies of all these, but with cancel to favor cancels or soaked off FDCs. (not my doing)
It's up to you, of course what you do with that selvedge. I tear off the selvedge unless I need it to help ID a stamp. A plate number can be useful for similar looking stamps, if the plate was used for only one type of printing.
From what you have shown, I can tell you that I have, will and do tear off that type of selvedge so that the stamps fit nice and neat on my album pages.
I've got a decent Iceland collection, but almost none have control markings or selvage decorations. If someone did that to a collection of Iceland stamps... Grrrr...
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Just to get back on topic, I'm just curious, is it the trimming of the selvage with the corners
cut off that you didn't like?
I'm taking that trimmed up selvage off as I see no need for it. I haven't decided whether I'm removing the wavy line selvage or not. Facit shows a value for date codes in blocks of four but not singles. I'm going to see how my page layouts turn out.
To me, if the selvage has any details on it (panel, block #, charity notation, etc.), it needs to be treated the same as a stamp (Other than say folding it back behind the stamp for aesthetics sake).
Once you make those cuts that the first page have, you've pretty much destroyed the selvage and any purpose that went with it, and might as well take it off. Or at least I can't think of a reason you'd leave it on there any further.
Although I will say there is a possibility I hadn't considered until just now. The selvage actually hadn't been cut, and it naturally fit that way... where the selvage is in an "odd" shape to start with on a two-strip panel of stamps.. But I can't think of any stamps off the top of my head that do that
I just took another look too, after reading your last statement. I noticed that the angles
are different for almost every one of them, so they were done by a collector with scissors.
I am not a fan of selvage myself, but usually now when I receive a stamp with selvage that I know I am going to turn around and trade away, I will keep it on.
I have made exceptions regarding selvage--for example, there is a 2 stamp set from IOM which features musical composers and a piece of their musical score is in the selvage. It really enhances the stamp in that case.
Also, no food, drinks or tobacco in the picture either!
"I have made exceptions regarding selvage--for example, there is a 2 stamp set from IOM which features musical composers and a piece of their musical score is in the selvage. It really enhances the stamp in that case.
"
I do have plenty of stamps like that. I do make an exception with those.
That table is actually a hollow core door placed horizontally on two short bookshelves. My wife thought a craft table would be great for the basement, well it's my stamp table, currently...not sure she had that in mind! There is ALOT of room on there. I will make sure it is more cluttered and packed with stuff next time! haha
Don
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