Typing of the clays

CL1A, Moscatelli Type A from 1939, mesh same as 1E1/1E3a





CL1B, Moscatelli Type B from 1943, mesh same as 1E4





CL2A, Moscatelli Type C from 1948-51, mesh same as 1E3b

I have previously miss-classified the 40cCL dark colors as 1B, but it is 2A, and miss-classified the 25c 'Servicio Oficial' as CL3, but it is 2A also.













CL2B, Moscatelli Type D from 1952, mesh same as 1L2

Bardi's table for the clay papers

This table confuses me!

The CL1A was used on the 5c and 10c Rivadavia in 1939.
If that is the 'granulado vertical' there should not be a 1c issue.

The CL1B was used in 1943 on the 30c, 1p, 2p, 20p.
This has to be the 'grueso.'
It looks like Bardi is correct and that the 40c early clay is not CL1B.

I will look closely at my 40c dark color clays. I have several on cover.

The CL1B was also used on the 1c, 5c, 10c Rivadavia in 1943.
If that is the 'Grueso' there should not be a 20c Toro, which was used in 1951+.

I need to study the 5c San Martin red on clay paper to better understand the 10c clays 'rayado vertical' and 'tela.'
These are the intermediate clay paper I need to study also for the 40c dark clay and the CL2A.

The 'delgado' is the CL2B, and I agree with 10c to 2p, but not the 1c and 5c.
The 1c and 5c Moreno clays went out of circulation in the mid 1940s.

In summary, the following papers do not make sense:

'granulado vertical' 1c
'grueso' 20c
'delgado' 1c and 5c

There may be a new clay paper and that is the one used on the 40c dark colors clay.

This table omits the CL3, the thick clay paper used in the 1950s for the 25c 'Servicio Oficial.'

1L2 reference scans

30c1L2





40c1L2





5p1L2

Discerning 1E1 from 1E3a

This is one of the hardest distinctions to make and mostly because the 1E3a is a rare paper on any issue. I have a single 5p1E3a and it is damaged! The 30c1E3a is the least rare, it is printed on bright colors. It is also helpful to know that the 1E3a paper is slightly thinner than the 1E1, but not by much.






For example, the 25c1E1 is a dark pink and very much unlike the 25c1E3a. The 1E1 is cream BEFORE discoloration. If you have a 1E3a that is discolored in such a way as to resemble the 1E1, then it is time to take a look at the color of the stamp. In some cases, you will be stuck with a 1E3a that just looks like a 1E1 or viceversa, but because most 1E3a are not discolored, most of the time there isn't a classification problem.

Reference description of the 1E1 paper

Paper with rectangular symmetrical grain.
Direction of the watermark is parallel to direction of paper roll and perpendicular to the 25c image. Rarely and only in some values, it is found perpendicular to he direction of the paper roll.
Procured from England.
First used October 1, 1935.



Here is a much rarer perpendicular specimen.