Confederate Stamp Scott #2

CSA Scott #2 - Dark Blue on Cover

The Cover above is a CSA #2 Paterson print, tied by a Mobile, Ala. postmark dated 29 SEP. The stamp is a bright dark blue shade.

The Cover above is a Hoyer & Ludwig printing of CSA #2 also in a Dark Blue shade. The postmark is a Tudor Hall, VA dated 4 JAN. 1862.

The Hoyer & Ludwig Co. (Richmond, VA.)  printings began in 1861, but they were not able to keep up with the demand, so sometime in the first half of 1862, the J.T. Paterson company took over the printing of CSA #2.

The Paterson #2 is one of my favorite CSA stamps, it comes in many shades of blue, from a

Indigo Color - Siegel Sale 1071 Lot 4554

light milky blue, greenish blue, to the dark shades of blue.  The most rare and elusive shade is the scarce Indigo.  The true indigo is a very deep blue color shade on a #2 Paterson printing.  The example shown on the right is from Siegel Sale 1071 Lot 4554.

Scott catalog only lists CSA #2 as one type of stamp, but actually there are enough differences in the 2 printings to have two distinct types.  

The earlier printing of Hoyer & Ludwig as the first type. Earliest known use is Nov. 8, 1861.
  
The Paterson printing is the second type. Earliest known use is July 25, 1862.

1. To identify which printing you have in your collection there are some general differences that make it; not all that difficult to I.D.   First look at its' color and image clarity.  The Hoyer & Ludwig stamps tend to be darker shades and clearer and sharper in image quality.  The Paterson printings are generally lighter shades and somewhat murky in image quality.  The dark blue shade in the Paterson printing is richer and rarer, while the Hoyer & Ludwig dark blue has more black in the ink shade. (see example in the covers above)

   

   H&L printing no attaching
   slanted line from N
   to Frame Line above

2. Look at the Indigo stamp above, you will see a slanted line connecting the "N" in CONFEDERATE to the frame above - this is found on most Paterson printings, but it is weak or non existent on Hoyer & Ludwig printings.
3. The Paterson printing has a more complete crossbar in the "A" of STATES than the Hoyer & Ludwig printing. The frame line above ST in STATES has been corrected or

   

   H&L printing -weak or no crossbar
    in A of STATES and
   Weak frame line above

   recut on most of the Paterson printing. This line is broken or weak on the Hoyer & Ludwig printing.
4. There is a small dash of color on the Paterson Printing where the left side triangle point ends below the 10, which is not present on the Hoyer & Ludwig printing.

Dash at end of Triangle below 10
and left of CONFEDERATE
Paterson Printing

No Dash at end of Triangle below 10
and left of CONFEDERATE
Hoyer & Ludwig Printing

3 color variations of the CSA #2, Note the very light shade of the Milky Blue stamp on the left.  It has a distinctive stone flaw from the Y stone.  This stamp is a Paterson printing and there has been some debate as to why it is called the Y stone. I looked at this stamp under magnification and came to the conclusion that the Defect shapes the letter "Y" and thus the letter designation for this stone.

Plate flaw on CSA #2 stone Y - magnified

Thank You to Dr. John L. Kimbrough for helping me with his rapidscan I.D. on the two covers above.  His service and knowledge is very valuable to established and beginning collectors of Confederate stamps.  For more information on CSA certification and identification go to: 

http://www.csalliance.org/CSAAS.shtml   

Plate flaw on CSA #2 stone Y
Black and White and Enhanced

OK we have gone over how to I.D. a  CSA #2, so let's take a stamp out of the album and find out who printed it . . . 

Right away I notice the "N" in CONFEDERATE does not have the slanted line connecting it to the frame line above.  This is a Hoyer & Ludwig feature, but not all Paterson Printings have this line.  The "A" in STATES could go either way.  There is somewhat of a crossbar, which would lend itself to an early Hoyer & Ludwig printing or it could be a Paterson, but then the frame line above is weak, so again its' inconclusive.  The color and clarity tend towards the Hoyer & Ludwig printing, but its' not a slam dunk.  I'm leaning toward Hoyer & Ludwig, but it's not 100% at this point. Sounds like giving this stamp an I.D. is like listening to the genius "Vizinni" argue with the "Dread Pirate Roberts" in the "Princess Bride.

OK, let's move to the next step . . . ON the left side of the stamp below the 10 and left of CONFEDERATE there is no dash at the end of the triangle, so this is not a Paterson Printing.  This stamp is a Hoyer & Ludwig. "Whew" I'm glad we got through that, without having to drink Iocaine powder in our wine.