Discussion - Member to Member Sales - Research Center
Discussion - Member to Member Sales - Research Center
Let us say you found a dot somewhere on the stamp that is not supposed to be there. You lay the position finder over the stamp, write down the coordinates and you've accurately recorded the position of the variety.
It is a good size for measuring even large stamps.
It is a very useful tool for any collection.
Rob
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Quite interesting, Rob....
....I have never seen one!
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Hi Randy
Neither did I until a few months ago when I read about it in a catalogue emailed to me from Stanley Gibbons. I didn't want to buy one from England, so I asked my local dealer and he got one for me. It is a little gem. It cost me $10 (about US$7.94).
I thought at first it would be small but was surprised to see the actual size of the item.
Rob
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Well that's quite an interesting philatelic tool. Have never seen or heard of one before. Are they predominantly used outside the USA or just in very specialized areas?
Thanks for posting this. I will have to ask at our next club meeting if anyone has ever seen one.
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Just noticed that each box is 3 mm - wonder how they arrived at that....
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Hi Sally
They are well known in England, not so much here in Australia. They are not just used in a specialised area, anyone with stamps can use it.
Let me know if anyone in your club has heard of this item (If I can obtain two more, the other for Randy, I'll send it to you).
Rob
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"Just noticed that each box is 3 mm - wonder how they arrived at that...."
Hi Sally
I have no idea but it works.
Rob
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Hi Randy
I'll see if I can get another, if I can I will send it to you and you can give it a test; I'll be seeing the stamp dealer on Tuesday.
Rob
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Come on Rob! let's see it in action! It should be great for scanning as a dimensional reference. If you have time, could you post a scanned stamp with this overlaid?
Don
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They are also called "Stamp Position Finders" Unitrade and Associates sells then for $6.95 (Canadian dollars).
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10:46:09am
I bought one of those when I first got back into stamp collecting back in 1986. I thought "What a great idea. There is a standard grid that you can reference for positions on the stamp". Unfortunately, I have NEVER seen a reference to it in any literature. I still think it is a great tool. Just wish it was used more often. It would be a real benefit.
Bob
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"Come on Rob! let's see it in action! It should be great for scanning as a dimensional reference. If you have time, could you post a scanned stamp with this overlaid?"
Hi Don
My first challenge, I accept, will work on it tomorrow
Rob
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"They are also called "Stamp Position Finders" Unitrade and Associates sells them for $6.95 (Canadian dollars). "
Hi Alyn
The Aussie dollar is .99c to the Canadian dollar at the moment. Not a bad price for the position finder. What do you think of the item?
Rob
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Hi Bob
I didn't realise it went back that far. Neither have I seen it referenced in any mainstream literature or major website (SG an exception). Before the end of the year, I'll be creating my own website and I will be displaying all my stamps and what I use and the position finder will be there for everyone to see.
I agree with you, It is a great tool to use, especially when measuring specimen length and height. Any stamp collector can utilise it, and no stamp is out of reach.
Rob
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Glad to know I am not the only one who thinks it is a great tool but has never heard of it before. Seems to be a very simple idea that should see wider use.
Will be interested in seeing your website Rob.
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That would be a great tool for stamp dealers on OUR behalf -
would give potential buyers some useful info when describing flaws, etc....
Looking forward to your posting of a pic in action, Rob....!
Randy
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Hi Sally
I've been thinking about putting up a website for ages, now I believe it's time. It will be an interesting site of all the stamps I have, from Queen Victoria to Queen Elizabeth.
The stamp position finder is definitely an underrated tool, its use will be beneficial to stamp collectors.
Rob
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Hi Randy
The position finder is an underrated tool; I tested it on a few specimens, such as the 1996 Capt. Cook specimens (14.74 & 15.5mm, the latter being very scarce) and it gave me the measurements needed to identify one from the other, also I was able to record the length and height of the specimens and the size of the stamp.
Specimens are constantly forged, and to have one of these that can record the length and height of the stamp can be very useful to determine was is genuine and what is not, it also can help recording the thickness of the letters in the overprint.
It can give the position of flaws which will benefit everyone who has a flawed stamp etc. and other collectors who want to use it for other purposes with their collection.
I’ll be starting on the position finder in action today, and I’ll also attempt to make a short video of it (if that’s possible, I have a very good camcorder, but I am lousy at using it). I’ll need to relocate our 3 cats to another part of the house as they like the room temperature.
Rob
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Are any dealers using it? I have never seen it referenced in descriptions.
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"Are any dealers using it? I have never seen it referenced in descriptions."
Hi Al
I know of one, the dealer I bought mine from, he uses it often when a specimen or a variety turns up, he sells them as well, he was out of stock when I asked and had to reorder them, he bought them from another dealer he knows that uses it as well.
But they are not an easy item to find as they are not sold in most stamp shops in Australia and the majority of collectors here have no idea what one is, pity.
But that I hope will soon not to be.
Rob
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Subway Stamp Shop sells them!
Here's a link;
http://www.subwaystamp.com/THIRKELL-POSITION-FINDER/productinfo/AGKTPF/
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"Hi Alyn
The Aussie dollar is .99c to the Canadian dollar at the moment. Not a bad price for the position finder. What do you think of the item?"
Good morning Rob,
I think it is a good tool. I have looked at buying one for a while now. Next time I am at a show where Unitrade has a booth I might just bite and pick one up.
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I'm still working on the post showing how the position finder is used, will have it posted online by tomorrow night.
Rob
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It is particularly good for those "flyspeckers" who collect Great Britain using the Stanley Gibbons GB specialised catalogues. They ( Decimal issues one anyway) reference constant flaws using it.
Funnily enough the old "Elizabethan" Commonwealth catalogue ( now defunct ) which also mentions plate flaws did not reference using Thirkell, although only "major" flaws,( as decided by SG ) are mentioned while the GB Specialised mentions numerous minor flaws.
Malcolm
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Sorry about the delay, I've been having a little trouble with my diabetes, will have the instructions up in the next 24-48 hours.
Rob
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This is the first time I have heard about the Thirkell.
I went to the Subway link below and it was $14 plus an unknown P&H. Seems a bit steep.
Next I went to eBay and found a Canadian dealer selling a Thirkell look-a-like (seems exactly the same except for name) for $7.98, shipping included. Will it measure up?
Seems like a simple tool but the value aside from personal value is dependent upon other collectors having that measuring tool otherwise the coordinates posted for the stamp are meaningless to them.
Still, I think I will try the cheaper version and let you know.
Bruce
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My cheaper Thirkell look-a-like arrived and it's great.
Bruce
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A "Thirkell" is a philatelic position finder for indicating the position of flaws, retouches, re-entries, stamp sizes (width and length), overprint height and width (also perforated overprints).
Let us say you found a dot somewhere on the stamp that is not supposed to be there. You lay the position finder over the stamp, write down the coordinates and you've accurately recorded the position of the variety.
It is a good size for measuring even large stamps.
It is a very useful tool for any collection.
Rob
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re: I finally got my Thirkell
Quite interesting, Rob....
....I have never seen one!
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re: I finally got my Thirkell
Hi Randy
Neither did I until a few months ago when I read about it in a catalogue emailed to me from Stanley Gibbons. I didn't want to buy one from England, so I asked my local dealer and he got one for me. It is a little gem. It cost me $10 (about US$7.94).
I thought at first it would be small but was surprised to see the actual size of the item.
Rob
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re: I finally got my Thirkell
Well that's quite an interesting philatelic tool. Have never seen or heard of one before. Are they predominantly used outside the USA or just in very specialized areas?
Thanks for posting this. I will have to ask at our next club meeting if anyone has ever seen one.
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re: I finally got my Thirkell
Just noticed that each box is 3 mm - wonder how they arrived at that....
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re: I finally got my Thirkell
Hi Sally
They are well known in England, not so much here in Australia. They are not just used in a specialised area, anyone with stamps can use it.
Let me know if anyone in your club has heard of this item (If I can obtain two more, the other for Randy, I'll send it to you).
Rob
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re: I finally got my Thirkell
"Just noticed that each box is 3 mm - wonder how they arrived at that...."
Hi Sally
I have no idea but it works.
Rob
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re: I finally got my Thirkell
Hi Randy
I'll see if I can get another, if I can I will send it to you and you can give it a test; I'll be seeing the stamp dealer on Tuesday.
Rob
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re: I finally got my Thirkell
Come on Rob! let's see it in action! It should be great for scanning as a dimensional reference. If you have time, could you post a scanned stamp with this overlaid?
Don
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re: I finally got my Thirkell
They are also called "Stamp Position Finders" Unitrade and Associates sells then for $6.95 (Canadian dollars).
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Immediate Past President - West Essex Philatelic Society www.wepsonline.org
01 Sep 2017
10:46:09am
re: I finally got my Thirkell
I bought one of those when I first got back into stamp collecting back in 1986. I thought "What a great idea. There is a standard grid that you can reference for positions on the stamp". Unfortunately, I have NEVER seen a reference to it in any literature. I still think it is a great tool. Just wish it was used more often. It would be a real benefit.
Bob
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re: I finally got my Thirkell
"Come on Rob! let's see it in action! It should be great for scanning as a dimensional reference. If you have time, could you post a scanned stamp with this overlaid?"
Hi Don
My first challenge, I accept, will work on it tomorrow
Rob
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re: I finally got my Thirkell
"They are also called "Stamp Position Finders" Unitrade and Associates sells them for $6.95 (Canadian dollars). "
Hi Alyn
The Aussie dollar is .99c to the Canadian dollar at the moment. Not a bad price for the position finder. What do you think of the item?
Rob
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re: I finally got my Thirkell
Hi Bob
I didn't realise it went back that far. Neither have I seen it referenced in any mainstream literature or major website (SG an exception). Before the end of the year, I'll be creating my own website and I will be displaying all my stamps and what I use and the position finder will be there for everyone to see.
I agree with you, It is a great tool to use, especially when measuring specimen length and height. Any stamp collector can utilise it, and no stamp is out of reach.
Rob
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re: I finally got my Thirkell
Glad to know I am not the only one who thinks it is a great tool but has never heard of it before. Seems to be a very simple idea that should see wider use.
Will be interested in seeing your website Rob.
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re: I finally got my Thirkell
That would be a great tool for stamp dealers on OUR behalf -
would give potential buyers some useful info when describing flaws, etc....
Looking forward to your posting of a pic in action, Rob....!
Randy
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re: I finally got my Thirkell
Hi Sally
I've been thinking about putting up a website for ages, now I believe it's time. It will be an interesting site of all the stamps I have, from Queen Victoria to Queen Elizabeth.
The stamp position finder is definitely an underrated tool, its use will be beneficial to stamp collectors.
Rob
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this post
re: I finally got my Thirkell
Hi Randy
The position finder is an underrated tool; I tested it on a few specimens, such as the 1996 Capt. Cook specimens (14.74 & 15.5mm, the latter being very scarce) and it gave me the measurements needed to identify one from the other, also I was able to record the length and height of the specimens and the size of the stamp.
Specimens are constantly forged, and to have one of these that can record the length and height of the stamp can be very useful to determine was is genuine and what is not, it also can help recording the thickness of the letters in the overprint.
It can give the position of flaws which will benefit everyone who has a flawed stamp etc. and other collectors who want to use it for other purposes with their collection.
I’ll be starting on the position finder in action today, and I’ll also attempt to make a short video of it (if that’s possible, I have a very good camcorder, but I am lousy at using it). I’ll need to relocate our 3 cats to another part of the house as they like the room temperature.
Rob
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re: I finally got my Thirkell
Are any dealers using it? I have never seen it referenced in descriptions.
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re: I finally got my Thirkell
"Are any dealers using it? I have never seen it referenced in descriptions."
Hi Al
I know of one, the dealer I bought mine from, he uses it often when a specimen or a variety turns up, he sells them as well, he was out of stock when I asked and had to reorder them, he bought them from another dealer he knows that uses it as well.
But they are not an easy item to find as they are not sold in most stamp shops in Australia and the majority of collectors here have no idea what one is, pity.
But that I hope will soon not to be.
Rob
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re: I finally got my Thirkell
Subway Stamp Shop sells them!
Here's a link;
http://www.subwaystamp.com/THIRKELL-POSITION-FINDER/productinfo/AGKTPF/
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re: I finally got my Thirkell
"Hi Alyn
The Aussie dollar is .99c to the Canadian dollar at the moment. Not a bad price for the position finder. What do you think of the item?"
Good morning Rob,
I think it is a good tool. I have looked at buying one for a while now. Next time I am at a show where Unitrade has a booth I might just bite and pick one up.
Login to Like
this post
re: I finally got my Thirkell
I'm still working on the post showing how the position finder is used, will have it posted online by tomorrow night.
Rob
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04:42:36pm
re: I finally got my Thirkell
It is particularly good for those "flyspeckers" who collect Great Britain using the Stanley Gibbons GB specialised catalogues. They ( Decimal issues one anyway) reference constant flaws using it.
Funnily enough the old "Elizabethan" Commonwealth catalogue ( now defunct ) which also mentions plate flaws did not reference using Thirkell, although only "major" flaws,( as decided by SG ) are mentioned while the GB Specialised mentions numerous minor flaws.
Malcolm
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re: I finally got my Thirkell
Sorry about the delay, I've been having a little trouble with my diabetes, will have the instructions up in the next 24-48 hours.
Rob
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09:37:15am
re: I finally got my Thirkell
This is the first time I have heard about the Thirkell.
I went to the Subway link below and it was $14 plus an unknown P&H. Seems a bit steep.
Next I went to eBay and found a Canadian dealer selling a Thirkell look-a-like (seems exactly the same except for name) for $7.98, shipping included. Will it measure up?
Seems like a simple tool but the value aside from personal value is dependent upon other collectors having that measuring tool otherwise the coordinates posted for the stamp are meaningless to them.
Still, I think I will try the cheaper version and let you know.
Bruce
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04:18:08pm
re: I finally got my Thirkell
My cheaper Thirkell look-a-like arrived and it's great.
Bruce
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