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Toast Postes Artistamp Archive Terminology

Descriptors employed for image reference:


adhesive type - not attempted in this catalog

artist's proof - Usually indicated as AP or proof by the artist to designate the artistamps as part of a very limited basis testing process outside of normal production

cachet - marking or picture, normally on an envelope, usually to commemorate or to communicate a relationship with a stamp subject or issuing authority

cancel - stamp applied to envelope has been tied to or canceled by an official postal authority either by hand or machine

dada perf - perforating from an alternate universe

damage - a significant change in the appearance or integrity of the artistamp often caused by the postal system (usually the damned new generation sorting machines)

denomination - a number printed on the stamp that most often indicates some imaginary value

die cut - stamp has been cut with a die that simulates perforations

drawn perf - stamp sheet or stamp has been produced by any number of devices that simulate perforations, including hand drawn

drop perf - perforations surround the artistamps only, a technique seen often in souvenir sheets

error - an unintentional variety that can be caused by any part of the production process and is allowed to leave the artist's studio, considered highly collectable by some

forever denominated - artistamp has issuing authority but no printed denomination, similar to USPS forever stamps

franked - indicates that an artistamp adhered to an envelope has been marked by any number of artist hand or machine devices that alter the originally printed stamp design

gutter - the space between stamps on a sheet which usually is perforated

hand cancel - official postal system cancel by hand, normally through request of the artist

imperf - imperforate, stamp sheet is not perforated or stamp has been cut with straight edges using ordinary scissors, paper cutter, etc.

issuing authority - a printed identifier that most often leads back to the individual artist or participating group who produced the stamp

limited edition - stamp sheet or artwork usually indicated by a printing standard such as #6 of 20 or 6/20

overprint - deliberate alteration of the stamp design by the artist using any number of tools to indicate an issuing authority change in the original stamp, often a increase in denomination or a change in purpose or locale

paper type - not attempted in this catalog

perf - stamp has been perforated with a pin hole perforator that actually removes paper chads from the sheet.

perfin - perforations in the stamp design which alter some aspect of the artistamp or are used as an identifier

pierce perf - stamp sheet has been pierced with any number of devices that produce a hole but do not remove paper and includes sewing machines and other pointed hand tools

pre-print - artistamp design has been imprinted directly onto an envelope creating postal stationary

roulette - stamp sheet or stamp has been partially cut using any number of devices that have a rolling blade

scissor perf - stamp has edges that simulate perforation by using scissors designed to create that effect

selvage - the surrounding part of a stamp sheet that is commonly used for artist enhancement, documentation, artist's marks or left unused

se-tenant - two stamps that are tied together by function but perforated between

signed - artist signature or mark using any number of hand tools

souvenir sheet - stamps designed and printed to be collected as a sheet and not normally used in mailing

stamp block - partial stamp sheet, usually a rectangular group of stamps that may include selvage

stamp sheet - a set of artistamps printed using a variety of techniques whose individual artistamps are usually designed to be placed on envelopes in addition to or in conjunction with official postage and mailed through the postal system

stamp strip - partial stamp sheet, usually several stamps in a row

variety - a stamp design that is employed in different manners, size, color or has deliberate modifications, errors or imperfections

 

intro     preface     terminology     publications     post links     artist links     country links     postscript