HOWTO, Stamp identification

This is a post related to the stamp collecting software development. Please read this first. 

I was asked if it is possible to implement something that will be able to identify stamp using it's image. This is useful when you have a stamp but no idea what it is. 

What we need is the implementation of image matching / comparison algorithm. But, much more difficult than the implementation itself is obtaining the complete collection of stamp images as source for comparisons. Unfortunately, I do not know about anything like that that would be publicly available.

I was wondering how good is Google's image search service for stamp identification, but let's try and get some answers...

1945 NDH Storm division, Soldiers red stamp, identified.

1945 Maribor provisional issue, Hindenburg with overprint "Slovenija". 

Base stamp identified without problem. Stamp with overprint was not found.

You can test it by yourself: http://images.google.com/

WWII NDH propaganda postcards

Once in a while I get WWII NDH propaganda postcards. Generally, I do not collect them, except if there is a link with philately. First and last postcards in the list below are such exceptions as they are related to 1941-12-05 "Borba" and 1942-03-25 "Hrvatska krila" stamps, respectively.

  

  

  

Jay T. Carrigan

If you are collecting WWII YU provisional issues, you should see this! A superior exhibition: The Liberation of Yugoslavia by Jay T. Carrigan.

August 22nd, 2015: Rest in peace.

WWII occupation of Yugoslavian territories

WWII occupation of Yugoslavian territories can be divided into two main periods: before and after Italian capitulation. On the maps you can see a variety of situations and occupied areas what had, among others, a strong impact on the postage stamps and postal system in whole.

1941-1943

1943-1945

From the philately point of view we have following areas:

Italian occupation                         

• Slovenia (1941-04-26)
• Fiume, Kupa (1941-05-16)
• Montenegro (1941-06-16)

German occupation

• Slovenia (1944-01-05)
• Dalmatia: Zadar, Brač (1943-10-09)
• Serbia (1941-06-05)
• Montenegro (1943-11-22)
• Boka Kotorska (1944-02-10)
• Macedonia (1944-10-28)

Independent state of Croatia (NDH)

• NDH regular issues (1941-04-12)
• Banja Luka (1941-04-19)
• Međumurje (1941-04)
• Šibenik (1943/1944)
• Split (1943)

Note: The dates are dates of first postage stamp issued within a specific area.

1944 SENTA, Second draft

Here is the second draft of my Senta document!

download (PDF 3.3 MB)

Currently I have exhausted all the knowledge that I had. I am going to continue with work whenever I will get some new information. You are welcome to contribute!

  Update:  Please see here!

1945 NDH, Storm Division Block

Due to the low print run and speculations during the collapse of the Independent State of Croatia (NDH) the Storm Division block became one of the key items of the Croatia's philately.

Storm Division block.

Lately, four types of blocks are identified! The type can be determined by analyzing small differences of handmade initials O.A.

Currently, I have block Type No. IV, so I need Type I, II and III. And, of course there is also the super rare imperforate version of the block on my wish list.

Imperforate version.

HOWTO, Optimal environment for my stamps

As novice, I was wondering what is the optimal environment for my collection? After a quick googling I have learned the following:

• temperature: 20C (68F) 
• relative humidity: 50%-60%
• pollution: none
• UV light: none

When I saw these numbers I remembered that we have similar environment in my company's server room. Plus, there is a big fireproof safe!

Looks like that I found the storage for my most valuable items...

Die Senta Ausgabe 1944, Echtes und Gefälschtes

Thanks to my colleague, Saša France, I had the opportunity to read a great article: Jugoslawien: Die Senta Ausgabe 1944, Echtes und Gefälschtes by Prof. Dr. Jovan Velićković. I learned a lot of new and useful stuff for the next version of my Senta document.

BTW: I cannot read German so I had to use some processing before I could understand the content: first scanning, than OCR processing and finally the automatic translation. After five minutes of work, I got a result that was good enough that I was able to read the article.