VARIANTS - WHAT IS THIS?

Variants of stamps - the important and integral part of any collection. Separate ("classical") variants can be found already in most earliest catalogues of many countries, including the USSR, Germany, Switzerland, England. The major difference of a variant - in comparison with usual stamp it meets much less often. What is the variants?
Let's address behind the information to the authors of last from the published stamp catalogues of Russia and the USSR.
V.J.Solovjev\1, published his catalogue for the last five years twice (in 1998 and 2002) - a significant part of the introduction in both editions, devotes to a statement of his sight at this theme. In the second edition he specifies: " the description of the big number of variants is included In the specialized catalogue - directory, however, it is necessary to note, that criteria of their inclusion in the present edition, accepted by the author, as well as in the previous edition provide the certain restrictions. So, passings variants of punching, shifts, overprint inverted or double, variants by cancellations etc are not marked, etc."
From the subsequent subheadings, it is possible to assume, that speaking about variants, the author means all the common information about the stamps - about watermarks, unperforated issues, about different perforations, types of a print, postal issues (additional releases of stamps in 40-50õ mean), the sizes of stamp-picture, a paper, glue, rasters, shades of color, post blocks, cuttings from blocks, small sheets and sheets of the special format, control signs, tet-beches, overprints inverted, centres inverted, background inverted, abklatsches(offsets), strips with different marks between the stamps, variants and defects of a cliche, proofs, the stamps which have not arrived in the post. It is uneasy to notice, that "variants" are interpreted here in the widest value - as all information about the stamps, the contents of the catalogue - is author's attempt of ordering of "variants". Not always such mixture of the information is represented logical and justified, (in particular with blocks, the sheets, stamps, which have not arrived - here the author is completely "original"). As strange looks his superficial - contemptious designation of variants on a cliche (he calls them "slurs") - although, for example, in Germany or Switzerland series of monographies are devoted to this type of stamp variants. Not clearly from his text - which variants are "proofs", " control signs " and "blocks".
Other opinion of authors of the Catalogue of RSFSR stamps\2 which divide variants mentioned by them on the following groups.
Variants on a paper:
- The ordinary paper distinguished on thickness,
- A paper of other color (shade),
- A paper with a watermark on edge of a sheet,
- A paper without a lozenge grid or with a lozenge grid.
Variants by details of picture or overprint because of:
- Mistakes at engraving,
- wear of a cliche,
- Mechanical damage of a cliche.
Variants on a print:
- Repeated prints of picture (an element of picture) or overprint (a double, threefold),
- Two prints of pictures of different stamps,
- Absence of an element of figure or a background of stamp,
- Turn of picture (an element of picture) or overprint,
- Shift of an element of picture or overprint (not less than on 1/4 elements),
- A print of picture or overprint on the glutinous side of stamp,
- "abklatsche" - the mirror image of picture (an element of picture) or overprint on the glutinous side}, completely conterminous to a print on a face sheet of stamp,
- A mirror print of picture (an element of picture) or overprint on the glutinous side, not conterminous to a print on a face sheet of mark (as a rule, grows out a print from other sheet of stamps), - a mirror print of other mark on a face sheet.
Variants by punching:
- Stamps without perforation, not stipulated by the order,
- The passing of punching (or its parts) between stamps or from one of the sides of stamp,
- Shift of punching (punching passes on picture of stamp),
- The increased size of stamp because of shift punching.
It is available - considerably more strict approach to ordering variants.
And, at last, we shall quote authors of the catalogue under V.Ljapin redaction\3: in their opinion, a variants of stamps it is possible to divide conditionally on "general", "special" and " mistakes of a print".
"To general variants" the issues of stamps distinguished from the conditional standard of issue (i.e. basic number of the catalogue) on some general characteristics, released and got to collectors at a level of circulations (sometimes small) concern.
In the catalogue the following " general variants " are resulted:
• on a way of a print (in the event that they are not independent issues of stamps);
• on presence or absence of punching (in the event that they are not independent issues); in the sizes and type of punching; on an arrangement of elements of a watermark; on color and the texture of a paper; on color; on glue (the texture, color).
Fine features or details of the cliche concern to "special versions", inherent in individual copies of stamps of a quire which at the same time regularly repeat in all circulation or in its part.
The concept of " mistakes of a print " is somewhat conditional. Strictly speaking, any deviation from the authorized sample is a mistake of a print. In the present catalogue the following definition of "mistakes of a print" is accepted: phil. material concerns to a category of "mistakes of a print" in the event that its occurrence is caused by certain infringements of technological process and this phil. material cannot be attributed to a category of "general" or "special" versions.
In turn division of "mistakes of a print" on " a polygraphic spoilage" and "maculature" is accepted.
"Polygraphic spoilage" is " mistakes of a print", casually got in the post reference.
"Maculature" - the rejection arising during adjustment of the polygraphic equipment which is liable to destruction and in conditions of technological process for limits of polygraphic factories do not act ".
Speaking about variants of overprints, authors allocate the following versions:
" Overprint turned (a turn on 180 °);
Overprint double;
Overprint repeated (threefold, etc.);
Overprint diagonal (a turn 45 °);
Overprint turned diagonal (a turn 225 °);
Overprint "blind" (i.e. a colorless printing on stamp), marking, that " there are features of separate elements of overprints (fonts, details of the image, etc.), and also variants common for all stamps (on color, the texture, etc.) ".
Such regular approach to definition of "versions" looks most strictly and sustained, including and consequently, that it it is possible to compare with it for a long time accepted and widely used in the German-speaking philatelic literature (Germany and Switzerland) concepts Abarten (concept " mistakes of a seal " of V.Lyapin a little already) and Plattenfehlers (" Special variants").
We also shall examine them within the framework of the present resource. NEXT

1. V.Y. SOLOVYEV Stamps of Russia and the USSR (1857-1991) M. 1998 (the second edition), M. 2002 (the third edition). Back
2. I.S.BRUN, M.A. DOBIN, V.B. ZAGORSKIY, N.F. MANDROVSKIY, RSFSR 1918-23, the Specialized catalogue of stamps. Spb.1997. back
3. The CATALOGUE of STAMPS of the USSR 1918-1991 under red. of V.Ljapin, v 1-2, M. 2000-2001 - back