The perforated ½ Schilling stamp went through
eight issues
from 1869 through 1873 and and any remainders were withdrawn in 1875 when the
denomination was switched from schillings to farthings.
It is very exacting work to classify these eight different stamps because to
the unpracticed eye, they all look pretty much alike. To compound the
difficulty, they were
reprinted
rather often for private gain over a period of twenty years from 1875 to 1895.
Here are the Michel varieties, shown very large so that the
printing differences can be plainly seen. As a learned friend has shown me,
more can be told by the image characteristics than can be told by the colors
which can be deceiving. It is not unheard of for the leading experts to
misclassify the varieties. I have worked to make these as accurate as possible
[October 25th, 2004], with a lot of help from my learned friend.
Some of
the printings, depending on ink application and the condition of the plates
themselves (
"galvanos"
auf Deutsch
) resulted in sometimes sharp and sometimes smeary images.
Lemberger discussed each of them in some detail and what follows is my
translation. The Lemberger color terms can be converted to Michel where
necessary by going to the
color terms page.
Many more examples can be seen in
my collection.
Just click on the Mi 6 thumbnail.
Mi 6a (Aug 1869)
Colors: blaugrün/dunkelkarmin
The frame lines and inscriptions are finely detailed. The inner and outer
framelines are sharp and clearly separated from one another. The color around
the medallion is smooth and even.
The carmine cornices or spandrels are rather dark, their impression is solid
but smeared at the points. The points appear as though excess ink bled onto the
surrounding paper.
Mi 6b (Aug 1870)
Colors: hellblaugrün/karmin
The green is less blue and flatter than in 6a. The Framelines and inscriptions
are less fine. The medallion is busier, more sprinkled with white than 6a.
The carmine cornice is somewhat flat and rather lighter than 6a. The
cornice edges are mostly fuzzy and the cornices overlap the green. Although
the
colors here are close to 6a, the framelines flow together repeatedly so that
these two printings are easily distinguished.
Mi 6c (July 1871)
Colors: bronzegrün (sharp)/
karminrot (strike porous)
The green here is darker than in 6a or 6b. The frame is clear and quite sharp,
but not fine. The medallion is porous, showing numerous white dots and flecks.
The carmine of the cornice is closer to red than to rose. It has a markedly
porous appearance.
Mi 6d (Jan 1872)
Colors: trübhellgelbgrün (unclear)/
mattrosa
The green is a markedly dirty, dull, almost bright yellowish green. The entire
green strike is unsharp and fuzzy. The medallion is porous and sometimes
incomplete.
The cornice is dull rose. The cornice edges are frequently fuzzy and
sometimes the cornice points appear to have bled onto the
surrounding paper.
Mi 6e (Sept 1872)
Colors: hell(oliv)grün (sharp)/
karmin
The paper used here was harder so that the green printing is markedly sharp and
the image can be seen clearly from the back. The green has a slight olive
cast, but it is substantially brighter than the bronze green of 6c. The green
appears in several degrees of brightness, some bright enough to be confused
with 6f.
The cornice is normally not porous but is fuzzy and overlapped. The carmine
appears duller than with the earlier printings.
Mi 6f (Sept 1872)
Colors: lichtgrün/ karmin
The green is a remarkably light, delicate shade but with a light yellow cast.
The green in the medallion area is obviously porous.
The cornice resembles the earlier printings.
Mi 6g (July 1873)
Colors: mattbläulichgrün (unclear)/
dunkelkarmin (solid)
Quadrilled Paper
The green is flat and lightly bluish. The impression seems to be rather sharp,
but
in spite of that it ranges from unclear to smeary. Both inner and outer
framelines are sometimes entirely flowed together. The medallion is frequently
unevenly embossed.
The cornice color is markedly dark, strong and usually overlaps. The
cornice
borders
are mosly quite fuzzy.
Mi 6h (Sept 1873)
Colors: lebhaftbläulichgrün (sharp)/
karmin
Quadrilled Paper
The green is lively and pure, with a light bluish cast. The impression is
remarkably sharp and well done.
The medallion area is smooth and evenly covered.
The carmine of the cornice is less dark and less solid than in 6g. The edge
contures are basically even.
