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Telegraph stamps of the World Click here for a site-map.

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I have brought these prices up to date and added currency selection.     I have made some additions in places, to avoid confusion, I have given   these RH numbers (Revised Hiscocks). 'RH' numbers are the same as 'H' numbers otherwise  CheckList         Setup

Contributors: John Barefoot Les Bottomley Humberto Brumatti Guillermo Jalil   RL - Rolf Lamprecht. Marcelo Trejo - Corpmet Bill Glover - Atlantic-Cable.com Jeff Turnbull Felipe Pisano Walter - on eBay

 

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National	Punch Cancels	Regional	Railway	Correos y Telegrafos	Stationery

 

Argentina.

Steve Hiscocks wrote:

Argentinian telegraph stamps are of three types: national, regional and railway. The early national stamps are best known because they were also
used for postage from the end of 1888 to 1892. Postally used copies bear the usual small circular date stamp in black while telegraphically used
copies may be pen cancelled but are more often cancelled with black, purple or blue rectangular or oval hand stamps. It is not known for how long
the first issue remained in telegraphic use. In 1930 two further sets appeared, one of which was not apparently used. Both show vertical two-part
designs and were apparently intended to be used across the message/receipt division and to be cut in half as were those of India, Uganda, Ceylon,
Sudan, etc. It is not known for how long these stamps remained in use.

The regional and railway issues show a strong family resemblance and were all produced by the same printers at about the same time. Most were
on Spicer Brothers paper bearing a sheet watermark and show part of this watermark in a minority of cases. Sources differ on the list of private
railway companies issuing stamps. Morley quotes the 'Telegrafo Rio Uruguay et Ferrocarril Central Argentino' which is not mentioned in later
listings while the 'Ferrocarril Oeste Santafecino' is not mentioned in early sources. The use of railway telegraph stamps apparently ceased at
the end of 1894. Further information is needed.

---

My notes:
The first 1930 issue was actually issued for a short space of time.   I have only seen one used example, on a receipt of 24 October 1930.
I have now added an image of a proof of this.   Argentina was linked to Europe by cable in 1910.

---

There is a useful Wiki that gives the history of telegraphs in Argentina from the optical attempts of 1815. Also see: 'La conquista del desierto' about 3/4 the way down. This was inspired by the May Revolution of 1810, but when peace broke out the incentive was lost, despite successful demonstrations of a French electric telegraphy system in 1855. A decree of 1853 provided for a National railway system, in combination with telegraphs. On Saturday, August 27, 1857, the Western Railway of Buenos Aires opened its services, the first telegraph network in the country was also operational, for the purpose of helping the railway service. The railroad gradually spread, Ferrocarril del Oeste, then Sarmiento Railroad. In 1857 Jacinto Febrés de Rovira tried unsuccessfully to convince the authorities of the Argentine Confederation to subsidize the implementation of "electrical telegraphs from Paraná to Santa Fe, Rosario, Córdoba, Tucumán and Mendoza" and another line linking Paraná with Concepción del Uruguay, but the central administration was not interested in funding it. From 1864 to 1866, Buenos Aires was linked to Punta Lara and then by submarine cable across to Colonia del Sacramento and hence to Montevideo. This was carried out by the River Plate Telegraph Company, predecessor of the Western Telegraph Company, that was formed for the purpose. This was probably hastened by the Paraguayan War (with Argentina and Brazil, 1864-70). In 1890 the link was made duplex. On 1st May 1869 a line between Buenos Aires and Rosario began operating, shortly after the signing of a contract for a line linking Santa Fe with Corrientes (near the Paraguay border) and in October a contract was signed with the Transandine Telegraph Company to connect Valparaiso, Chile via Santa Rosa (de Los Andes) and Las Cuevas to Mendoza, Argentina, across the Andes. Mendoza connected to San Juan to the north via Los Patos pass, and also went east through San Luis, Villa del Río Cuarto and Villa María where it would connect with the Rosario-Córdoba line. Argentina first gained contact with Europe on 5, August 1874. The coast to coast railway was finally completed in 1911, the same year that a direct submarine cable was laid linking Argentina with Europe. A list of 1906 for wireless-Telegraph stations lists three Telefunken Stations in operation at Buenos Aires (Government Building), Rio de Santiago and Recalda at the mouth of La Plata, as well as two projected for Cabo Virgines in the South and Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego. A similar list for 1910 shows two more Government installations at Buenos Aires (Naval School and Campo de Mayo) as well as Bahia Blanca, Bernal and San Martin. A detailed map (14.8MB) of 1914 showing Submarine cables, Telegraph routes and railways for Argentina and Chile can be found at Wiki Commons. This is here to get consistent results on different browsers.

National Telegraph Stamps.

1887 (8 December) Lithographed by Juan H. Kidd y Cia, Buenos Aires. White wove paper.
No watermark or papermakers' watermark (W1) in sheet. Line-perf. 11½

I find these rather puzzling. Supposedly they were both printed by the same printer and are dated about the same,     but they are a different design and printed on different paper. Taking the information from Kneitschel Vol.2, Pg 525:   Type-I is on hard paper with the paper manufacturer's sheet watermark visible on some stamps (shown below). Type-II is on ordinary paper. Note Steve Hiscocks' warning about the red ink running if soaked too much. The hard paper of Type-I gives better quality printing. Why have two slightly different designs being printed concurrently, but studiously sticking to different paper for each ? The only reason I can think of is that they may have been printed in different places, one with access to Spicer paper, and the other not. Why different designs? No idea unless they wanted to be able to distinguish between them. There is a similar situation with the stamps of Ferrocarril Santa Fè A Las Colonias where again there are two designs and two paper types, though here there is only a small difference in types, with a difference of red shade It is possible that other stamps were done the same way, but with no difference of design. These were also used for postage from the end of 1888 to 1892. Postage stamps inscribed 'CORREOS Y TELEGRAFOS' were also issued from 1888 to 1890 (3 sets).

 

(Hiscocks Type 1) - H1	(Hiscocks Type 3) - H3	(Hiscocks Type 2) - H2	(Hiscocks Type 4) - H4
Type-II   -   Ordinary paper, no watermark.		Type-I   -   Hard paper, sometimes watermark.

Image taken from Hiscocks page 2.

 

Hisc.	Type.	Description	Mint	Used
H1	II	10c dull scarlet	2.20	1.00
H2	I	10c dull scarlet	2.20	1.00
H2a		showing part of sheet watermark	3.50	1.50
H3	II	40c deep blue	3.50	1.50
H3a		indigo	3.50	1.50
H4	I	40c deep blue	4.00	2.00
H4a		showing part of sheet watermark	5.00	3.00
H4b		indigo	4.00	2.00
H4c		indigo, showing part of sheet watermark	5.00	3.00
H4d		imperf. between horizontal pair	-	-

Hiscocks added the following 3 notes:

Note 1. The red ink used for Nos. 1 and 2 is not fully water-fast and soaking leads to diffusion of colour.                 It seems probable that the "on tinted paper" variety listed by Morley is due to this and I have                 not therefore listed it myself.

Note 2. The use of these stamps apparently ceased in 1896.

Note 3. Telegraphically used copies are cancelled with a rectangular or oval stamp in black or purple or                 occasionally by pen. Postally used copies are more common and are usually cancelled with a                 small circular date stamp.

My Note: Type I has a centre that varies in vertical position with respect to the frame.

H2 - a     1.8mm frame to sun	H2 - b     1.8mm frame to sun + frame break	H2 - c     2.1mm frame to sun + frame break

The frame break indicated is on 5 out of 11 examples of H2, including on 2 out of a strip of 3 stamps.
The spots at the bottom is on 2 out of the 5 with frame breaks and on only that one (H2-a) of the 6 without the frame break.
I only have 2 examples of H4, one measures 1.35mm, the other 1.7mm. Neither has the frame break or spots.

 

1930 Lithographed by Casa de Moneda of Buenos Aires. White wove paper.
Watermark Sun (W2) Sideways. Hiscocks and Kneitschel give these as Perf. 13 x 12½. However Guillermo Jalil gives these as Perf. 12¾ x 12¼
My pair of 10c + Selvedge shown below shows it is variable within the sheet depending on where measured. Horizontally gauging from 12.7 to 13.0, vertically about 12¼

This is a combination of Hiscocks page 3 and part of a proof shown below.

1c Specimen	2c Specimen	3c Specimen	4c Specimen	6c Specimen

7c Specimen	9c Specimen	10c Specimen	20c Specimen	40c Specimen

50c Specimen	60c Specimen	70c Specimen - double impression	80c Specimen	90c Specimen

1p Specimen	2p Specimen	3p Specimen	4p Specimen	5p Specimen

6p Specimen	7p Specimen	8p Specimen	9p Specimen	10p Specimen

20p Specimen	30p Specimen	40p Specimen	50p Specimen

With so many different values in slightly different shades, it is difficult to name the colours precisely. That is not helped by the fact that they are found on different colour papers, white to buff, making them appear different. Some of these imperforate ones are punched or stamped "C. de M. / Taller de Litografía / Muestra" ('Muestra' = Specimen) in violet. John Barefoot states that these were never used, however I have seen a 10c on a telegram receipt (auction closing 22/3/2018), together with stamps of the next series, dated 24 October 1930. The date is a little strange, since although I do not know the date of issue of the next series, I do have some clearly dated in July 1930, 3 months before this. The other stamps with it were 2 x $1, a 30c and a 2c to give the stated $2.42 cost. If there was a shortage of current 10c stamps, use of it could have been avoided by using a 40c on place of the 30c. If there were no 10c or 40c, then 2 x 20c would do. It's use appears to be entirely philatelic. It raises the question as to whether the stamps were affixed by the clerk or the customer. This was used in [Val]encia (PPAL 5). On the right is an example of the next series that has been perfinned with "BNA" of "Banco de la Nacion Argentina", Buenos Aires, so those stamps were available for customers to buy. Image courtesy of Jeff Turnbull. Anyone else have perfin examples of telegraph stamps ? Felipe Pisano, a collector from Argentina, tells me "These stamps were issued in mid-1930, but were removed from circulation after the coup of September 6, 1930 against Hipólito Irigoyen, for this reason there are very few used copies. I have registered two copies: one of the 5 Centavos with a special postmark of the CYTRA Exhibition of October 2; and another of 10 Centavos with a telegraphic office postmark of October 13."

Here are the first five of the set. Many of these appear to suffer from surface rubbing.

H5 - 3c from RL.	H6 - 4c one of mine.	H7 - 5c from RL.

H8 - 10c one of mine.	H9 - 30c courtesy of Paul & Les Bottomley.

 

Hisc.	Type.	Description	Mint	Used
H5	5	3c blue	7.00	-
H6	5	4c yellow-green	7.30	-
H7	5	5c lilac	7.50	-
H8	5	10c orange	8.00	-
H9	5	30c ochre	8.50	-
H10	5	40c bistre	8.80	-
H11	5	50c blue-green	9.00	-
H12	5	80c reddish lilac	9.50	-
H13	5	90c brown	10.00	-

 

Additional values I have seen as imperf. proofs/colour trials. Kneitschel also lists a 50P light chestnut which I have not seen.

Hisc. Type. Description - 5 1c brown - 5 2c red - 5 3c blue - 5 4c yellow-green - 5 6c dark blue - 5 7c claret - 5 9c slate - 5 10c orange - 5 20c grey - 5 40c bistre - 5 50c blue-green - 5 60c dark blue - 5 70c brown - 5 70c brown (double impression) - 5 80c lilac-brown

Hisc. Type. Description - 5 90c dark brown - 5 1P red-orange - 5 2P purple-brown - 5 3P deep bluish green - 5 4P pale claret - 5 5P indigo - 5 6P olive grey - 5 7P dark blue - 5 8P light brown - 5 9P blue green - 5 10P yellow-orange - 5 20P light blue - 5 30P lilac-chestnut - 5 40P lilac - 5 50P light chestnut (not seen by me)

 

 

1930 Different design. As above. White wove paper. Hiscocks and Kneitschel give these as Perf. 12½ x 13½ or perf. 13½.
However Guillermo Jalil gives these as Perf. 11¼ x 13¼,   12½ x 11¼,   12½ x 13¼,   13¼ x 11¼   or   13¼
My own examples show that the perforations are rather uneven so that the measurement on a single stamp may depend on where you measure it.
Also some of the perforations are very ragged, leading to guesswork.

It is uncertain what these are, Essays? Proofs? They appear to be in the issued colours of type 6. With the large number of values, some are very similar shades.
Image courtesy of Marcelo Trejo of Corpmet on Delcampe.

 

These were meant to be used in such a way that the top part was left on the receipt and the bottom was on the telegram with the message, to be later pulped.
They each have in red across the top-left corner the words "Este recibo no tiene valor si no lleva adherido en timbres telegraficos el importe abonado"
meaning "This receipt has no value if the amount paid has not been attached in telegraph stamps".

 

This is in green (Form 144/3006) with the additional words "Por el excedente" meaning (I think) "For the excess", with only 6c to cover some extra charge.
Dated 1st August 1930. Half-sized image from RL.

This (half-size) image dated 22 September 1930 ("Fórm. 3004/143 / 20.000 B-930"), shows a receipt with 1P34c in stamps.
This shows a marked area for the top halves, and presumably there was a larger area for the bottom halves.
From this, you would expect used halves to be only from the top halves. However, a batch of used halves that I bought contained a lot of bottom halves.
Since then I have found further examples. Several used bottom halves with clear dates are dated July 1930.
This suggests that they came from used telegraph forms. Here is a table of the used halves:

Denomination	Top	Bottom	Total
4c	13	16	29
10c	2	18	20
1P	12	14	26

The 10c is the odd one out, the used bottom halves also included three pairs.
There were no pairs among the rest. Bottom halves, being about twice the size and 'liberated', would seem to be more desirable.
I have added pricing for them in the listing.

Another receipt dated 3/10/30. Half-sized image from RL. With the range of face-value stamps issued, it should be possible to pay any charge with only 4 stamps. The space provided only accommodates about 5 of these stamps, and was probably intended to take 4 of the previous issue. However, for whatever reason, more stamps were used.

There is another version of the overprint with the lines more widely spaced and the left edge vertically aligned. An example seen had a form number of "Fórm. 3004/143 / 5.000 B·930" and was used 28 September 1933 in Rosario S.F.

 

Perf 12½ x 13.

Hisc. Type. Description Mint Used-Top Used-Bottom H14 6 1c olive-brown 2.50 1.00 2.00 H15 6 2c carmine 2.50 1.00 2.00 H16 6 3c blue 2.50 1.00 2.00 H17 6 4c green 2.50 0.50 1.00 H18 6 5c violet 2.50 1.00 2.00 H19 6 6c deep blue 5.00 2.00 4.00 H20 6 7c lilac 5.00 2.00 4.00 H21 6 8c yellow-green 5.00 2.00 4.00 H22 6 9c grey-olive 5.00 2.00 4.00 H23 6 10c orange 3.00 1.00 1.00 H24 6 20c grey-brown 4.50 1.50 3.00 H25 6 30c brownish orange 4.50 1.50 3.00 H26 6 40c bistre 4.50 1.50 3.00 H27 6 50c bluish green 4.50 1.00 2.00 H28 6 60c slate blue 5.50 1.20 2.40 H29 6 70c lilac-brown 5.50 1.50 3.00

Hisc. Type. Description Mint Used-Top Used-Bottom H30 6 80c lilac 5.50 1.20 2.40 H31 6 90c deep brown 5.50 1.50 3.00 H32 6 1P bright orange 5.00 0.70 1.40 H33 6 2P lilac brown 6.00 1.50 3.00 H34 6 3P deep green 6.00 1.80 3.60 H35 6 4P lilac rose 8.00 2.50 5.00 H36 6 5P violet-grey 8.00 3.00 6.00 H37 6 6P dark olive 10.00 - - H38 6 7P dark blue 12.00 - - H39 6 8P light brown 12.00 - - H40 6 9P deep green 16.00 - - H41 6 10P yellow-bistre 12.00 - - H42 6 20P light blue 16.00 - - H43 6 30P violet 20.00 - - H44 6 40P lilac 20.00 - - H45 6 50P bistre 18.00 - -

Hiscocks added the following note:

Note. I have been able to find little information on these stamps. Specifically it is not clear whether they                 were all issued in both perforations or whether some were one and some the other.                 I would also like to know how long they remained in use.

John Barefoot does not list the 6c or 7c of the above. I have used 6c examples but not 7c, 8c or 9c. It is possibly a mistake or oversight.
I understand that these are #14-45 in some other (unspecified) catalogue. I will continue to list them as Hiscocks did until I know otherwise.

Used bottom-half examples:

1c H14.   Perf 13 x 13½	2c H15.   Perf 12½ x 13¼	3c H16.   Perf 12½ x 13½	4c H17.   Perf 12½ x 13¼	5c H18.   Perf 12½ x 13

 

6c H19.   Perf 12½ x 13¼	10c H23.   Perf 13½	20c H24.   Perf 12½ x 13½	30c H25.   Perf 12½ x 13¼	40c H26.   Perf 12½ x 13¼

 

50c H27.   Perf 13¼ x 11½	60c H28.   Perf 12½ x 13¼	80c H30.   Perf 12½ x 13½	1p H32.   Perf 12½ x 11½	2p H33.   Perf 13½ ?

 

 

Punch Cancels

Victor Kneitschel in Volume II of his catalogue (Edition 6, page 548) listed 7 different typos.

		Kneitschel Type I, 10mm high "T", without postmark. Correos y Telégrafos (in stencil letters) thought to have been used in Buenos Aires, 1892 - 1899. Possibly primarily on high values. Images courtesy of Jeff Turnbull.
		Kneitschel Type II, 5-pointed star, 12mm diameter without postmark.
		Kneitschel Type III, 2-rows of horizontal perforation, Perf.10½, with or without postmark.
		Kneitschel Type IV, 4½mm hole, generally without postmark.
		Kneitschel Type V, "INUTILIZADO" horizontal, vertical or diagonal, simple, inverted or double, usually about 4 letters per stamp. Letters 14½mm high. With or without postmark. Kneitschel Type Va, as above but with a pen or coloured pencil stroke as an additional control.
		Kneitschel Type VI, "CHANCELADO", horizontal or diagonal, height 9½mm. Generally with boxed postmark.
		Kneitschel Type VII, 9mm high numbers representing the date. Generally with boxed postmark..

 

 

Regional Telegraph Stamps.

1. Buenos Aires.

1888-1890 Lithographed by Juan H. Kidd y Cia, Buenos Aires. White wove paper.
No watermark or papermakers' watermark (W1). Line-perf. 11½

Type 7 - H46, courtesy of Guillermo Jalil	Type 7 - H47	Type 7 - H48, courtesy of Guillermo Jalil	Type 7 - H49

 

RH #	Hisc.	Type.	Description	Mint	Used
RH46	H46	7	1c dull blue (1 July 1890)	12.00	12.00
*RH46a	-		showing part of sheet watermark	20.00	20.00
RH47	H47	7	2c rose (shades) (1 July 1890)	12.00	12.00
*RH47a	-		showing part of sheet watermark	20.00	20.00
RH48	H48	7	10c yellowish brown (1888)	15.00	15.00
RH48a	H48a		showing part of sheet watermark	20.00	20.00
RH49	H49	7	40c orange (1888)	16.00	16.00
RH49a	H49a		showing part of sheet watermark	20.00	20.00

* I have added these as they are reported by Guillermo Jalil

Hiscocks added the following note:

Note. The use of these stamps was apparently discontinued in 1890.

 

This had me puzzled a value of 1 Peso, dated 1881 with symbolism suggesting something to do with
radio communication or telegraphy to or between ships.
Ernesto Lopez tells me it is a revenue stamp of 1879, and that there were similar Bolivian stamps.

 

 

2. Cordoba.

1891 Lithographed by Juan H. Kidd y Cia, Buenos Aires. White wove paper.
Sheet watermark (W1). Line-perf. 11½

Type 8, courtesy of Guillermo Jalil

 

Hisc.	Type.	Description	Mint	Used
H50	8	10c blue	75.00	60.00
H50a		with circular violet control on reverse	300.00	300.00
H50b		showing part of sheet watermark	90.00	75.00
H51	8	40c greenish blue	75.00	60.00
H51a		with circular violet control on reverse	300.00	300.00
H51b		showing part of sheet watermark	90.00	75.00

 

3. Entre Rios.

1888 Lithographed by Juan H. Kidd y Cia, Buenos Aires. White wove paper.
No watermark. Perf. 11½

Hiscocks Type 9, H52 A used example, courtesy of Humberto Brumatti	40c Proof.
Hisc. Type. Description Mint Used H52 9 10c chocolate 7.50 7.50

This used price should be considered as being for no-gum or pen-cancelled only.
It is thought that the illustrated example was probably cancelled "by favour".

An article by Humberto Brumatti (F.A.E.F. No.127 Jan-Mar 2010) includes (translated from Spanish) :
Walter Bose, citing as a source "La Revista Postal" Nº 4, year 1898, published in Buenos Aires, from the Entre Ríos Province Telegraph, refers:

"It issued two values: 10 cents, brown, and 40 cents, light blue; printed in lithography by the Kraft house, from Buenos Aires, in 1888. They bear the provincial "shield" as their emblem.
"The stamps were never put into operation, because when they arrived in Entre Ríos, the (Provincial) Government, for unknown reasons, did not release them to the public,
and a short time later they were destroyed by fire. Only a few sheets could be saved of the voracious element which, either out of curiosity or novelty, ended up in the hands
of some high-ranking employees of the branch offices. Of the value of 40 cents, no copy is known; only the 10-cent one still exists."
A proof of the 40c survived, last known to be in the possession of Nestor Paván. Current whereabouts unknown.

In view of this, it is perhaps surprising that used examples exist at all. Perhaps they are under-valued. Does anyone reading this have a 40c light blue ?

There may actually be a good reason why the stamps were not released to the public.
The 10c and 40c values reflect a convention established on August 5, 1887 of 40c for the first ten words of text or fraction and 10c for each group or fraction of five subsequent words.
However, the National Postal and Telegraphic Rates Law approved on November 7, 1889, to be in force during 1890, provided:
"Art. 3) The telegraphic offices that are issued by the national lines, will pay the following rate:
A fixed right of 30 cents for each dispatch, whatever its length, and two cents for each word of text."
Fore-knowledge of the impending change may have been the problem.

 

 

Railway Telegraph Stamps.

Shortcuts to different sections
Andino	Argentino del Este	Buenos Aires al Pacifico	Buenos Aires y Puerto de La Ensenada	Central Norte	Gran Oeste Argentino	Oeste Santafecino

Santa Fè A Las Colonias

Telegráfica del Rio de la Plata

Telegrafo Rio Uruguay et Ferrocarril Central Argentino

Telegrafo Trasandino

 

1. Ferrocarril Andino.

1887 Typographed & Lithographed by Juan H. Kidd y Cia, Buenos Aires. White wove paper.
No watermark or papermakers' watermark (W1). Line-perf. 11½

Type 10, courtesy of Guillermo Jalil

 

Hisc.	Type.	Description	Mint	Used
H53	10	10c grey-black	80.00	-
H53a		showing part of sheet watermark	100.00	-
H54	10	40c light blue	80.00	-
H54a		showing part of sheet watermark	100.00	-

Hiscocks added the following note:

Note. Different sources quote different colours for No. 53 — green or grey — but the majority give grey.

 

2. Ferrocarril Argentino del Este.

1887 As above. Line-perf. 11½

Type 11, courtesy of Guillermo Jalil

 

Hisc.	Type.	Description	Mint	Used
H55	11	10c blue-green	90.00	-
H55a		showing part of sheet watermark	112.00	-
H56	11	40c red-brown	90.00	-
H56a		showing part of sheet watermark	112.00	-

Hiscocks added the following note:

Note. Different sources again quote different colours for No. 55 — black or blue-green. One assumes the black copy reported was a proof.

 

3. Ferrocarril Buenos Aires al Pacifico.

1887 As above. Line-perf. 11½

Type 12 - H57	Type 12 - H58

 

Hisc.	Type.	Description	Mint	Used
H57	12	10c light brown	6.00	-
H57a		showing part of sheet watermark	7.50	-
H58	12	40c blue	6.00	-
H58a		showing part of sheet watermark	7.50	-

 

4. Ferrocarril Buenos Aires y Puerto de La Ensenada.

1887 As above. Line-perf. 11½

Type 13, courtesy of Guillermo Jalil

 

Hisc.	Type.	Description	Mint	Used
H59	13	10c carmine	90.00	-
H59a		showing part of sheet watermark	110.00	-
H60	13	40c yellow-brown	90.00	-
H60a		showing part of sheet watermark	110.00	-

Hiscocks added the following note:

Note. Morley mistakenly quotes the name as Euscuada.

 

5. Ferrocarril Central Norte.

1887 As above. Line-perf. 11½

Type 14 - H61	Type 14 - H62

 

Hisc.	Type.	Description	Mint	Used
H61	14	10c blue	6.00	-
H61a		showing part of sheet watermark	7.50	-
H62	14	40c violet	6.00	-
H62a		showing part of sheet watermark	7.50	-

Juan H. Kidd & Co., imprint reconstruction from two pieces. Image courtesy of treasurings-jewelry.

 

6. Ferrocarril Gran Oeste Argentino.

1887 As above. Line-perf. 11½

Type 15, courtesy of Guillermo Jalil.

 

Hisc.	Type.	Description	Mint	Used
H63	15	10c red-brown	105.00	-
H63a		showing part of sheet watermark	130.00	-
H64	15	40c orange-red	105.00	-
H64a		showing part of sheet watermark	130.00	-

 

7. Ferrocarril Oeste Santafecino.

1887 As above. No watermark. Line-perf. 11½

Type 16, courtesy of Guillermo Jalil.

 

Hisc.	Type.	Description	Mint	Used
H65	16	40c vermilion	120.00	-
H65a		imperf. between horizontal pair	400.00	-

 

8. Ferrocarril Santa Fè A Las Colonias.

1887 As above. Perf. 11½. Of two types — with and without an accent over the 'A' — 18 & 17 respectively.

H66 Type 17 10c without accent	H67 Type (18) 10c with accent	H68 Type (17) 40c without accent	H69 Type 18 40c with accent

Strangely the stamps with the accents are slightly larger (measuring the design portion) than the others.
The difference is quite small, from 0.013 to 0.016 inches (0.34 to 0.4 mm). These sizes are averaged over a number of stamps and
there is a similar variation within groups, but the differences are consistent.

This may be because they were on different paper, having different wetting/drying (gumming, stamp removal) characteristics.
The first issue was on (more expensive ?) Spicer Brothers paper, then the accents were added and subsequent printings done on (cheaper ?) unwatermarked paper.
I am assuming that the accent should have been there and was added as a correction. If this is the case, then the same sequence would follow for the first National stamps.

 

Hisc. Type. Description Mint Used H66 17 10c blue-black - without accent 3.00 12.00 H66a           showing part of sheet watermark 4.50 18.00 H66b           imperf. between horizontal pair 30.00 - H67 (18) 10c slate blue - with accent 10.00 20.00 H68 (17) 40c carmine - without accent 3.00 12.00 H68a           showing part of sheet watermark 4.50 18.00 H68b           imperf. between horizontal pair 30.00 - H69 18 40c red - with accent 10.00 40.00

Hiscocks added the following note:

Note. Nos. 67 and 69 do not exhibit a sheet watermark.

My note: Hiscocks seems to have got H68 and H69 reversed. I corrected.
See my notes about H1-H4 at the beginning.

 

9. Telegráfica del Rio de la Plata.

1887 As above. Line-perf. 11½

Type 19, courtesy of Guillermo Jalil.

 

Hisc.	Type.	Description	Mint	Used
H70	19	10c orange (shades)	105.00	-
H70a		showing part of sheet watermark	125.00	-
H71	19	40c grey	105.00	-
H71a		showing part of sheet watermark	125.00	-

 

10. Telegrafo Rio Uruguay et Ferrocarril Central Argentino.

1887 As above? Perf. 11½?

H73 Proof, courtesy of John Barefoot.

Hisc.	Type.	Description	Mint	Used
H72		10c	-	-
H73		40c	-	-

Hiscocks added the following note:

Note. These stamps are listed by Morley but their existence needs confirmation and no further details are known.

 

 

11. Telegrafo Trasandino.

1887 As above. Line-perf. 11½. Sheets of 100 stamps.

Type 20, courtesy of Guillermo Jalil.

 

Hisc.	Type.	Description	Mint	Used
H74	20	10c carmine	100.00	-
H74a		showing part of sheet watermark	120.00	-
H74b		with control stamp on reverse	250.00	-
H75	20	40c orange	100.00	-
H75a		with circular violet control on reverse	120.00	-
H75b		with control stamp on reverse	250.00	-

Hiscocks added the following 2 notes:

Note 1. The name Trasandino means "across the Andes" and the stamps were used for.                 international telegraphs between Argentina and Chile.

Note 2. The control stamps on Nos. 74b and 75b consist of the words.                 "TELEGRAFO TRASANDINO / INSPECCION / REPUBCA ARGENTINA"                 in an oval.

This is wide enough to cover 2 stamps.

 

Correos y Telegrafos.

From 1888 to 1892 stamps inscribed "Correos y Telegrafos" were use to pre-pay charges for both postage and telegraph use.
These were not listed by Steve Hiscocks, but I will list them since people have shown an interest in them.
Generally though it is not possible to know which of the two possibilities the used stamps had.
All images in this section are courtesy of Rolf Lamprecht.

 

1888/9 Perf. 11½ or 11½ x 12.

RH-PT1.	RH-PT1a.	RH-PT2.

RH-PT3.	RH-PT4.	RH-PT5.

 

RH #	Type.	Description	Mint	Used
RH PT1		½c ultramarine	0.60	0.40
RH PT1a		slate blue	0.60	0.40
RH PT2		1c brown	1.20	0.60
RH PT2a		sepia	1.20	0.60
RH PT3		5c red	3.60	0.60
RH PT4		6c blue-black	2.50	0.70
RH PT4a		Perf. 11½ x 12	10.00	3.60
RH PT5		12c blue	7.50	2.50
RH PT5a		Perf. 11½	12.00	5.40

 

1890 Perf. 11½ or 11½ x 12.

RH-PT6.	RH-PT7. - Redrawn design, mouth, hair and '1' numerals.	RH-PT8.	RH-PT9.	RH-PT10.

RH-PT11. Smaller head than PT3.	RH-PT12.	RH-PT13.	RH-PT14.	RH-PT15.

 

RH #	Type.	Description	Mint	Used
RH PT6		¼c dark green	0.60	0.40
RH PT7		1c brown	1.20	0.60
RH PT7a		sepia	1.20	0.60
RH PT8		2c violet	1.20	0.60
RH PT9		2c purple	1.20	0.60
RH PT10		2c slate	1.50	0.40
RH PT10a		Perf. 11½ x 12	5.00	0.60
RH PT11		5c red	3.20	0.40
RH PT11a		Perf. 11½ x 12	5.00	0.40
RH PT12		10c brown	3.60	0.60
RH PT13		40c olive-brown	7.50	1.20
RH PT14		50c orange-yellow	7.50	1.20
RH PT15		60c black	18.00	3.60

 

1890/1 Perf. 11½ or 11½ x 12.

RH-PT16.	RH-PT17.	RH-PT18.

 

RH #	Type.	Description	Mint	Used
RH PT16		¼c in black on 12c blue Perf. 11½ x 12	0.60	0.60
RH PT17		¼c in red on 12c blue Perf. 11½ x 12	0.60	0.60
RH PT18		8c carmine-rose Perf. 11½	1.50	0.60

 

1891 Perf. 11½

RH-PT19.	RH-PT20. The Scott catalogue also shows a Specimen.	RH-PT21.

 

RH #	Type.	Description	Mint	Used
RH PT19		1p deep blue	65.00	12.00
RH PT20		5p ultramarine	320.00	75.00
RH PT21		20p green	500.00	200.00

 

Prepared for use but not issued

Unissued 10 Pesos courtesy of Guillermo Jalil. Unissued 50 Pesos - colour proof
RH # Type. Description Mint Used RH UI1   10p brown 1900.00 - RH UI2   50p red 1200.00 -
	Unissued 50 Pesos. Courtesy of Guillermo Jalil. Colour proofs are in many different colors: blue, green, brown, red, orange, black, etc.

 

I also have these curious items:

 

Victor Kneitschel lists post cards in Volume 2, Part 2, under "CARTAS POSTALES" (Page 794), but I don't see these.
The 10c could be an imperforate example of RH-PT12, or perhaps a cut-out from some kind of stationery.
The 1c is on slightly thicker paper with a postmark in 1892. I cannot find a perforated issue matching it in the Scott Catalog,
So I presume that this must be a cut-out from some kind of stationery. It looks like part of the bottom image on Kneitschel page 895.

 

 

Stationery.

Shortcuts to different sections
National Receiving	Other National	Provincial	Railway	Private Telegraphs	Seals

Sending Forms:

1888 This is a cut-out from a pre-paid Telegraph Form printed by Juan H. Kidd y Cia of Buenos Aires.
I'm not sure of the date range.
Victor Kneitschel lists this in Volume 2, Part 2, under "TELEGRAMAS VALUADOS" (Page 877) .
He says it's on thick white paper size 174 x 242 mm, Lithographed 1888.
He lists 3 types: Type I. without watermark,
Type II. watermarked "TELÉGRAFO NACIONAL - REPÚBLICA ARGENTINA".
Type III. watermark as Type II, but with additional "IMP. KIDD & Co.".


Miguel Juárez Celman.

 

Here are a couple of examples at a quarter of my normal scale.
Click the images for half scale images.

	.
A Specimen form from Les Bottomley. The form number "N. 17." is at top-left. Below the box for the words, it gives the printer as J. M. Kidd y Ca. Buenos Aires.	An unused form from RL. At the bottom it gives the hours of despath as in summer 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. and in winter 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.	An example used as a receipt for 12 Pesos in 1888. The charge appears to have been for P12.5, so perhaps it was 10c for blank forms. Image courtesy of  Walter on eBay.

There are differences between those above. The top trimming is variable and the last has the stamp at the left, while the others have the line for the destination printed across it. There are no different revision numbers or dates though. More used, dated examples would be interesting. According to Victor Kneitschel, in 1943 the Impresas por la Casa fe Moneda de Buenos Aires printed a series of three values on thin white paper 169 x 239mm. This first series had watermarking of vertical and horizontal stripes. The 3 values were : $1 Chocolate (for 25 words) $1.50 light blue (for 50 words $2 yellow-green (for 100 words). In 1945 they were again printed but without watermark. On the right is a 1930's form like the ones producing the receipts shown above. This one though is in brown with the form number "Fórm. 3005/.143 / 2.000 B·930" It has a Printers imprint that is hard to read. Someting like : "T. GRAFICOA DE C Y T."

 

Victor Kneitschel did not list Telegraph Forms without impressed stamps, so I will make a start by listing what I have.

 

National Receiving Forms (Fórm No. 3009):

This has "Fórmula 147 / 75.000-1919" at the top-left and was used in June 1919.

This has "Fórm No 3009" at the top-right and "266 - T. Gráf. C. y T. - 2/934" at the bottom-left and was used in March 1934. This is on very flimsy paper.

This has "Fórm No 3009" at the top-right and "266 - T. Gráf. C. y T. - 3/934" at the bottom-left and was also used in March 1934. This is also on very flimsy paper.

This is virtually identical to the last, but probably from a printing a month later.

This has "Fórm No 3009" at the top-right and "978 - T. Gráf. C. y T. - 5/939" at the bottom-left and was used in August 1939. This is on normal paper.

This has "Fórm No 3009" at the top-right and "1516 - T. Gráf. C. y T. - 9/939" at the bottom-left and was used in November 1939.

This has "Fórm No 3009" at the top-right and "273 - T. Gráf. C. y T. - 4/1943" at the bottom-left and was used in September 1943.
It now has "MINISTERIO DEL INTERIOR" at the top and the year is in full at the bottom.

This has "Fórm No 3009" at the top-right and "57 - T. Gráf. C. y T. - 1/1944" at the bottom-left and was used in April 1944.
It has "MINISTERIO DEL INTERIOR" at the top and the year is in full.

This has "Fórm No 3009" at the top-right and "654-T.Graf.CyT-3-949 - 100.000 B." at the bottom-left and was used in July 1949.
It has an additional "TELECOMUNICACIONES" at the top and the year is back to 3 digits at the bottom.

This has "Fórm No 3009" at the top-right and "1153-T.Graf.CyT-6-950 - 100.000 B." at the bottom-left and was used in September 1950.
This particular year has an additional "1950 - AÑO DEL LIBERTADOR GENERAL SAN MARTIN" at the top, the centenary of his death.
Under that is "MINISTERIO DE COMUNICACIONES"

This has "Fórm No 3009" at the top-right and "44-T.Graf.CyT-1-952 - 100.000 B." at the bottom-left and was used in March 1952.

This has "Fórm No 3009" at the top-right and "428-T.Graf.CyT-2-960 - 25.000 B." at the bottom-left and was used in May 1960.
This now has "SECRETARIA DE COMUNICACIONES". White paper.

 

Other National Forms:

 

This has the heading "MINISTERIO DE MARINA / SERVICIO RADIOTELEGRAFICO".
The top-left has "RADIO AL DESTINARIO", and the top-right has "IMPRESO 1402 1.000.000 / VIII 1930". It was used 15 September 1931.

 

This has the heading "RADIOTELEGRAMA" and below-left "MINISTERIO DE GUERRA", "Dirección General de Gendarmería Nacional",
and below "SERVICIO DE COMUNICACIONES". The bottom-left has "F. U1-001-800.000- 10/45-Russo Hnos." It was used 9 July 1947.

This has the heading "RADIOTELEGRAMA" and the same list of authorities, but the "Transmitido a las" suggests that it's a sending form
The message is in code, following a statement of the length. The bottom-left has "Fórm. U1-002-600.000- 8/45" It was used 8 July 1947.

Ref #	Form #	Imprint	Comment	Used
Arg-N-1919	147	75.000-1919	Telégrafo de la Nación	14/6/1919
Arg-N-1934-2	3009	266 - T. Gráf. C. y T. - 2/934	Telégrafo de la Nación	24/3/1934
Arg-N-1934-3	3009	266 - T. Gráf. C. y T. - 3/934	Telégrafo de la Nación	24/3/1934
Arg-N-1939-5	3009	978 - T. Gráf. C. y T. - 5/939	Telégrafo de la Nación	14/8/1939
Arg-N-1939-9	3009	1516 - T. Gráf. C. y T. - 9/939	Telégrafo de la Nación	29/11/1939, 30/11/1939
Arg-N-1943-4	3009	273 - T. Gráf. C. y T. - 4/1943	Ministerio del Interior	4/9/1943
Arg-N-1944-1	3009	57 - T. Gráf. C. y T. - 1/1944	Ministerio del Interior	9/4/1944
Arg-NT-1949-3	3009	654 - T. Gráf. C. y T. - 3/949 - 100.000 B	Telecomunicaciones, MdI	14/7/1949
Arg-NT-1950-3	3009	1153 - T. Gráf. C. y T. - 6/950 - 100.000 B	Telecomunicaciones, MdC	5/9.1950
Arg-NT-1952-1	3009	44 - T. Gráf. C. y T. - 1/952 - 100.000 B	Telecomunicaciones, MdC	15/3/1952
Arg-NT-1960-2	3009	428 - T. Gráf. C. y T. - 2/960 - 25.000 B	Telecomunicaciones, SdC	12/5/1960
Arg-M-1930-8	1402	1.000.000 / VIII 1930	Ministerio de Marina	10/4/1931, 15/9/1931
Arg-W-1-10/45	U1-001	800.000- 10/45-Russo Hnos.	Ministerio de Guerra	9/7/1947, 10/7/1947
Arg-W-2-8/45	U1-002	600.000- 8/45	Ministerio de Guerra	6/7/1947, 8/7/1947

 

 

Provincial Forms:

This has the heading "TELÉGRAFO DE LA PROVINCIA DE BUENOS AIRES" at the top, and "Fórm. No 3"
The date has a very confusing year. I believe this seal was used from 1921 to 1936, so I would guess the date is meant to be 18 April 1929.
There are notes at the bottom, but no imprints.

This has larger wording at the top with a smaller form and no notes or imprint. Still "Fórm. No 3"
Dated 29 November 1939.

Almost identical to the last, except printed in red. Still "Fórm. No 3"
Dated 6 October 1945.

 

For Entre Rios
Dated 27 December 1950.

This image is courtesy of Humberto_Brumatti.

 

Ref #	Form #	Imprint	Comment	Used
Arg-BA-1	3	-	Large black with notes.	18/4/1929 ?
Arg-BA-2	3	-	Small black no notes.	29/11/1939
Arg-BA-3	3	-	Small red no notes.	6/10/1945
Arg-ER-1	?	-	In black, no notes.	27/12/1950

 

Railway Telegraph Forms:

Ferrocarril Nacional General Roca

The top-left has "T. E. 527 / EMPRESA NACIONAL DE TRANSPORTES / F. NACIONAL GRAL ROCA"
The top-right has "TELEGRAMA PUBLICO RECIBIDO" and the imprint "52030—100.000—9—59"
Dated 17 October 1959.

 

Ferrocarril General Belgrano

The top-right has "C. E. 44 - 16 x 21" which is presumably a form number.
It is dated 27 March 1961.

This is courtesy of Les Bottomly, as is the receipt below that was for sending this telegram.


The telegram was sent from Fortin Acha, a province of Buenos Aires to Vedia in the northwestern part of Buenos Aires.
It cost 108 Pesos to sed 80 words in total.

 

 

Private Telegraph Forms:

Western Telegraph Co. Receiving Forms:

This Western Telegraph Co. telegram has the same address in Buenos Aires as the River Plate Co. of Uruguay that it gained control of.
It is dated July 1914 (no day or number) and marked "VIA ASCENSIÓN".
 
Images courtesy of Bill Glover at Atlantic-Cable.com

This Western Telegraph Co. receipt has the same address in Buenos Aires and is dated 17 July 1914, so since it is associated and lack of evidence to the contrary,
It might be thought to belong with the telegram above. However this marked "VIA MADEIRA".

Images courtesy of Bill Glover at Atlantic-Cable.com

 

This Western Telegraph Co. telegram is very similar to earlier River Plate telegrams of Uruguay that it gained control of.
It is dated 19 May 1928.
   
The back lists the routes used for various telegram destinations.  I don't see any via Ascensión.
Images courtesy of Bill Glover at Atlantic-Cable.com

 

This Western Telegraph Co. telegram of 6 September 1945 is clearly marked "Associated with Cable & Wireless Ltd." and "in connection with Western Union Telegraph Co" for North America,
as well as the "West Coast of America Telegraph Co. Ltd." for Chile, Peru and Bolivia.

Below the map is "Comunicaciones Mundiale Via Imperial y Via Western Union ". The bottom left is marked 240.000-3-45
Image courtesy of Bill Glover at Atlantic-Cable.com

 

This Western Telegraph Co. telegram of 19 November 1952 has the same associations as the last, but without the map.
 
The back (sideways) has a list of station abbreviations. Image courtesy of Bill Glover at Atlantic-Cable.com

 

This Western Telegraph Co. telegram of 24 December 1962 has simplified the wording and added a bit of colour.


Image courtesy of Bill Glover at Atlantic-Cable.com

 

 

 

Telegraph Seals.

A half-size image of a selection of seals used on telegrams of Argentina.

 

Steve Hiscocks made a start on cataloguing seals of the world in a book he published in 2007.
It was his hope to update it later, but unfortunately that was not to be.
His original book can be viewed at Telegraph Seals: A World Catalogue. There are links from the pages to my updates.

Alternatively you can view the latest page for Argentina which now lists over 60 seals.

 

If anyone can provide scans to help with this, I am happy to give appropriate credit.