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2010 Chase Cup awarded to George Sayers
The Dr. Carroll Chase Cup is awarded to authors of
articles, books, or other studies concerning United States stamps
issued prior to 1894. This year it is presented to George G. Sayers
for his article, “Constant Plate Varieties of the 1873 Official
Stamps” serialized in The Chronicle from 2008 through 2010.
The steel engraving printing technology, which
transferred images from hardened dies onto softened printing plates,
“left the plate vulnerable to surface damages which retain ink and
print extraneous marks” thus, producing the constant plate
varieties, which are the subjects of this study. In his series of
articles, each one devoted to the plate varieties on the stamps
issued for use by a particular department, Sayers has drawn upon
published information as well as studies and high-resolution scans
privately circulated among specialist collectors of this material.
Several of the varieties, particularly from the Justice, State, and
Treasury Departments are illustrated in the philatelic literature
for the first time. A number of long-standing errors in the
philatelic literature regarding the Navy Department issues have been
corrected. Many of the Post Office Department varieties discussed
are not currently listed in standard philatelic catalogs. Of
particular importance is his November 2009 article, “Production
Plate Varieties and the Nature of Opaque Inks, with Notes on the
Post Office ‘Scummy’ Printings and the Steam-Press Printings of the
2¢ Post Office Stamp.” Here George applies his knowledge of
chemistry, physics, and 19th century printing technology to examine
the varieties found among the Post Office officials. However, his
research conclusions have implications for all students of the bank
note era stamps for understanding the printing technology of that
era. Sayers’ articles not only add substantially to his privately
printed Departmentals Plate Varieties (2005) and summarize
the state of knowledge with regard to plate varieties for the 1873
Official stamps; he has also pointed the way forward suggesting
areas in which other collectors might continue this work.
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