Fall 1960
VoL 17 4
Whole rVo.. 68
The
.Proof Journal
J3evoted to the Historical IBackgronrid of Stamps and Paper Money
Letters fi’om a Bank Xote Engraver to His I*ai*tner. See Bage 155
Official Journal of the Essay^^Proof Society
Copyright 1961 by the Essay-Proof Society, Inc.
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Vol. 17, No. 4
Fall, i960
Whole No. 68
Copyright 1961 by the Essay-Proof Society, Inc.
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Letters from a Bank Note Engraver to His Partner, continued, by Julian Blanchard 155
U. S. Postal Card Essays and Proofs, continued, by George C. Slawson 163
Henry Cheffer, French Designer & Engraver, by George W. Caldwell 176
Patent Papers Relating to the Improvement and Protection of United States Bank-
Notes, Postage and Revenue Stamps, by Sol Altmann 177
India’s Provisional Essays, by Jal Cooper 186
U. S. XX Century Essay Designs, Models and Proofs, by Sol Glass 187
P'rance, the Bordeaux Issue of 1870-71, by George If. Caldwell 192
Reviews of Publications I93> I94) ^97
Report of Auction Sales of Proofs 195
The Essay-Proof Society
The Essay-Proof Society Catalog of Essays and Proofs 194
The Secretary’s Report, Kenneth Minuse I97
In Memoriam: Morris Portgang 200
154
The Essay-Proof Journal No. 68
The Essay^'Proof Society
Directors
F. Finkelburg, ’6o, Sol Glass, ’6o, J. G. Reinis, ’6o, Kenneth Minuse, ’6o J. Blanchard, 6i, A. R. Fernald, ’6i, V. G. Greene, ’6i, A. H. Higgins, ’6i R. D. Ehrenherg, ’62, H. Gates, ’62, J. F. Gros, ’62, Thos. F. Morris, ’62,
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Officers, 1959-60
President Henry Gates, 189-04 64 Ave., Fresh Meadows 65, N. Y.
First Vice President — Julian Blanchard, Ph.D., i Sheridan Square, New York 14, N. Y.
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Chapters: Mrs. Rae D. Ehrenherg, Chairman, 164 W. 79 St., New York 24, N. Y. ; C. M. Jephcott, L. L. Hechtlinger.
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The Kssay-Proof Journal No. 68
^55
Letters from a Bank Note Engraver
To His Partner
Oliver Peltoo to William E), Terry, 1834
liy Julian lilaiiohard, Ph.D.
(Continued from Journal No. 67, page iii)
Tlie Boston Bank Note Co,
Central portion of a Specimen Sheet of the Boston Bank Note Co.
In our introductory remarks to the first installment of these letters mention was made of the Boston Bank Note Co. and how and when it was supposedly organized. Since, according to Groce ^ IVallace, the firm w^as listed in the Boston business directories for only 1841 and 1842, it was supposed that this represented the span of its life. And since its address was the same as that of the engravers Oliver Felton and Ebenezer Tappan (as listed in the city directories), it was further supposed that they were the proprietors. This conclusion was supported by the fact that this address, 39 State Street, was the same as that of the former company that Felton had been associated with, namely, Terry, Felton & Co.
Since the publication of the last Journal we have been shown by our fellow collector Gordon W. Colket a copy of a printed letter of announcement of the Boston Bank Note Co. that proves the above conclusions to be partly incorrect. This letter is signed (the signatures being printed) by Oliver Felton and Joseph Andrews. It is printed on the inside of a double sheet, pen dated Boston, Nov. ij, i8jy, and addressed as a folded letter (stampless of course) to Thomas Hughes Esq., Wheeling, W. Va., though there is no postal marking or any indication of its having gone through the mails. The letter reads as follows :
Boston, Nov. 13, 1837.
Dear Sir,
The Subscribers have formed a Partnership under the name of the Boston Bank Note Company, for the purpose of Engraving and I’rinting Bank Notes, &c., and have taken the rooms and business of Messrs. Terry, Pelton and Co., at 39 State Street, corner of Congress Street. They respectfully solicit your interest in their behalf.
Your obedient servants
Oliver Pelton, Joseph Andrews.
156
The Essay-Proof Journal No. 68
This completely clarifies the matter of the formation of the Boston Bank Note Co. It shows that it followed upon the dissolution of Terry, Pelton & Co. in 1837, ^nd we see that Ebenezer Tappan was not involved. How long the organization lasted beyond its 1842 listing we do not know, but it is not unlikely that it soon folded up for lack of business. We have found very few notes with its imprint, but for the addition to our collection of a recently discovered rare and attractive Specimen Sheet of its vignettes we are gratefully indebted to our friend Joseph G. Reinis.
Felton’s partner in this second bank note engraving venture, Joseph Andrews, is the engraver referred to in the first of these letters (see Note 9), and in letters Nos. 5 and 10 that follow.
We w ill now resume with the remainder of the Pelton-to-Terry letters, adding some explanatory notes as before. The numbering of these notes continues from the preceding installment.
Dear Sir
(2)
Boston Feby i8th 1834
I have just reed, your letter of to day and am sorry you have not reed, the Die of Dr. Payson — I have just been to see about it — I gave it to the Driver Satturday morning at Brighams but I do not recollect the line but they say his name is Miller and he goes out at 1 1 O clock — I have again sent to the stage house and ascertained that I gave the die to the Driver of the Union Line & that he puts up at Johnes in North Main Street — It was done up in the form & sise of a letter and sealed and the driver took it & put in his pocket — I presume he forgot to deliver it though he promised so to do and men- tioned that he was acquainted with you &c — I have got the figures cut in the roll you sent me & will send it — I have a little plate with 2 small vignettes which I believe I will send, tho I was intending to do a little more to them — They are for tail pieces — CushmanU) has got his vignette nearly finished & I will send you a print with the die as soon as done — I think it would be just the thing for the Citisens Union Bank if they want another plate as it is an agricuteral subject and the scenery appropriate for a county Bank — I have a vignette about half finished which I am getting along with & Gallaudett(^) has his nearly complete — I will send the other die for the Rockvill plate as soon as finished — Mrs P wishes you to send her veil whenever you have an oppor- tunity — Please write me when you get the Die of Payson as I feel considerable anxiety about it — I hope the Scituate Bank will conclude to have another plate so as to give us an opportunity of redeeming our credit — I think we could give them something that would be sattisfactoryHO) — Smith^i) engraver is now at work for the N. E. Bank Note CompanyH) in their office — Annin & Smith have dissolved partnership —
Yours O Pelton
If these little dies require it I can touch them up when they come to be stamped upon plates — I shall get some others along of a similar character.
Mr Terry
(3)
Boston March 14th 1834
Dr Sir
I intended to have gone to Prov. to day but shall be obliged to defer it until next week — I will come down next week and stay a few days & after the first of April have no objection to staying several weeks —
I he Essay-Proof Journal No. 68
157
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Reproduction of one of Felton’s letters. (Reduced.)
I have got some valuable information from IVIr Bouton^^^) which I wish to communicate when I see you — Do make me 500 prints from the Rockville plate tomorrow without fail as I was in much trouble about them —
Yours in haste
O Pelton
(4)
Boston March 17 th 1834
iVlr Terry
I am detained from coming to Prov. on account of my being obliged to finish a head before I go — but shall finish it I think tomorrow — so that I shall probably be able to be there in a few days —
I send you a print of Gallaudetts vignette & Cushmans Washington & horse which is not quite finished — 1 have several others partly finished which 1 shall bring with me —
In haste
Y ours
O Pelton
(5)
Boston 28th April 1834
Dear Sir —
I have just reed, your letter about the cuts — FairchikP^“) has got them all nearly finished — 1 have agreed to pay him cash for those you sent last & he is to make a dis-
158
The Essay-Proof Journal No. 68
count — I will send what I can of them tomorrow — I have finished the little vignette for the end piece & Balch^^^) has already offered to buy it — But I shall keep it for the present — I found considerable work to cut over those vignettes upon the exchange plate — Balch says he has frequently had such accidents occur — Cushman has eng. a little vignette within the oval we stamped & is now engraving the rail road cars which I com- menced tracing — I have reed. Kelloggs^^^ vignette — It is so beautiful that I must send you a print of it — Mr. Andrews^^^ has offered to engrave some vignettes for me on account & he is now about to commence one — When I return which I hope will be in a few days we must try to do something — Since writing the above I have called in at Fair- childs Room and find that he has finished all the cuts except one which he can finish to night — I have likewise been to the Foundery they say they will do them for 50 ct [?] if you have a number or more than one but that it will take a day or two to do them — Now I am at a loss whether to [word omitted] them to you tomorrow without stero- tycing [stereotyping] or to waite & have them sterotyed — If they were mine I should not think it an object to have them done unless I had some particular use for them — For should you not have occasion to use them they would be a dead loss & if you should want similar cuts hereafter I presume sterotypes might be obtained from similar cuts at that price or very near — Those first 4 that Fairchild eng. went toward what he was owing me which was about ten dollars — The others he said he would do for 2 dollars a piece cash or 2.50 & waite for his pay — I finally told him I would pay him as soon as they were done & have accordingly paid him — I will decide in about 15 minutes whether to send them all to you tomorrow or not —
I have been talking with Fairchild with regard to the cuts & have finally concluded to send them to you & have just handed them to the Driver of the Union Line Miller who goes out tomorrow morning — If you wish any of them still sterotyped you can perhaps send them back to me again & I will have them done — The vignette of Kelloggs I put in the package — It is the best piece of engraving he has ever done — There cannot be better work than that obtained — If we do any thing we shall want him I think to do something more — I saw Miss B a few evenings since — She is certainly a fine girl — I expect Mrs P back in the course of the week — In haste Yours &c —
O Pelton
(6)
Boston May 5th 1834
Mr Terry
Dear Sir
I have just reed, your letter & would inform you that Cushman & myself are calculating to go to Prov. tomorrow in a chaise if it does not storm and as there seems at present to be a prospect of one, I have concluded to write to relieve your apprehen- sions — I am glad that you think there is a prospect of obtaining something from the Banks — I have several new dies which I shall bring along with me for you to harden or spoil as the case may be — I am going on from Prov. to Con. for my wife and will perhaps return by the way of Prov. if not will make some arrangement to your sattis- f action — You may have the plate in question if you wish it & I will take one of your presses [?], but shall want one that is useable — DearbornU2) has sold his to RussellU2) for 90 dollars Y2 cash and six months — If we do not come tomorrow expect us
the first fair day, as I am quite tired of going to Prov. in a storm — Yours &c
O Pelton
(7)
Boston May 31st 1834
Dr Sir
As Mr. Lincoln will walk back I cannot send those things by him but will send them some other way — I find the N. E. B. Note Co have set all the engravers at work
The Tssay-Proof Journal No. 68
159
in the city^^^ I was applied to this mornin^j for some Bank note specimens to send to Ohio but as we have none could not gratify the gentleman — I think it important that e have something that we can show if we ever intend to do any thing in the way of Bank Note engraving and I do not believe that we shall ever have an order for a plate untill we do have I will write you more particulars next week —
In haste
O Pelton
(8)
Boston Saturday Evening June 14th, 1834
Mr Terry
We have a k riend just arrived from Hartford and IVIr Pelton has just gone with him to shew him the order neatness and extent of the Market — as Saturday Eve- ning there is much display at the said place. This is by way of apology for my again resuming my last winters correspondance with Mr Terry —
Mr Pelton requested me to write for him, as before he returned he would not have time to write and have it go out in the tonights Mail — He says, he shall be in Providence on Monday, and wishes you to have every thing in readiness so far as possible to stamp in a Plate. I believe he does not expect to stay more than two days — as some differant arrangements have been made in our family — that it will not be convenient for him to stay as long as he first contemplated. He has just heard of that a couple of Banks were charterered in Conn — and he thinks a Specimen might be servicable — He will write to one of the gentlemen, who has taken a verry active part in the establishment of the one in Hartford, by Mr Phinny who leaves here on Monday. I think I have written what he told me — but am in much haste and hope you will excuse the matter and manner of writing —
Yours with respect
Mrs Oliver Pelton
(9)
Dear Sir
Boston 27th June 1834
Yours of the 25th came to hand to day — The Die that Jewett^^^^ engraved was sent last Friday the day before I left — I intended to have written you about it but it sliped my mind — I have been at the Stage Office & they say it was sent — I presume you will find it at the Office in Prov. — I have been very busy this week upon the Bank plate and other things — found more to do [on] it than I expected but shall about finish it tomorrow — Those little things that I took I will send the first of next week. I have bit out the Roll very well — The machine for IVIeddle ruling OrmsbyCo) a going to get it Pattented & then will sell us one — He is a doing something for me. He can rule with it as perfect as the Phil. Co. With regard to going to Hartford I do not know what
to think of it — I will decide the first of next week — There will be no use in sending
our specimens but if I go on I might stand some chance of getting the work but still I do not think it certain — Our specimens will not begin to compare with the others — We
want more dies now something in the modern style — I am arranging my vignettes upon
a sheet of Bristol board as they will show much better & the plate we have stamped will look toll lol — I do not know but family matters will prevent my going — But I will decide the first of the week — I have written to the Committee that I shall probably be in Hartford next week — Please write what the prospect is in N. Port and whether you have found the Die for if it is lost we must try to find it — I am getting along with two vignettes which are pretty — The N. E. Co say that they want that vignette that Cushman
The Essay-Proof Journal No. 68
1 6o
has engraved but I shall hold on to it for the present — Please excuse my haste — and write on the reed, of this.
Yours &c
O Pelton
I will send some box wood tomorrow or jVIonday — I have engaged a job of Printing and shall want the press soon —
(lo)
(No date line, but dated on the back of the page July, 1834)
Mr Terry
Dear Sir
I would inform you that I arrived here yesterday after noon, and I hope to have the pleasure of seeing you in the course of the week — If you have not hardened the small [?] die of the Boys gathering Grapes &c for the margin, bring it with you and I will touch it up a little more — I have shaded the figures on those ovels & sent the plate to get some prints & intend to make out the form of several bills — I have said nothing to Kimberly^^^^ yet as I thot I would waite untill you knew whether Mr Humphrysf^^) would come or not — If you have no objection I would like to have you roll in an impression from the Die that Mr SteelT^^ engraved with Washington in the center of a plate about the size of the square I have marked, the outside line — the out side line — I do not know as I shall use it but an ornamental painter wants a vignette engraved for a card & I told him that would make a good one as I have not time to engrave what he wants — Place it near the middle of the plate — Try to bring some of those Banks to decission if you can at any terms no matter what — If you have more wood engraving that you can do Fairchild will do any thing for you — Miss B. called upon us to day & she looks really charmingly & you must calculate upon seeing her without fail while you are here —
Please remember to be left at 57 Pinckney Street — Andrews has the vignette nearly done he is doing for me.
Yours &c
O Pelton
(ii)
East Hartford Thursday Eve Aug. 23 — 55
My dear Harriet
Your letter containing the afflictive intelligence of Mr Terrys death was reed this afternoon. How gladly I would come in to those familiar rooms & sympathise in your distress — for well I know the soul distracting sorrow that oppresses you in the first days of bereavment. I know I could say but little, words seem idle when the heart
is filled with grief — not now, dear Harriet could I comfort you but wfflen the storm has
•spent its force — then nature is tranquilized, & so peace and hope and resignation will flow into your heart. That firm adherence to duty, which long years of trial and afflic- tion you have so cheerfully illustrated, will again be your guide — Who is to watch over the temporal wants of those fatherless children? Who is to preside over the affections?
Whose hand to control & to form their principles, which are to direct them in the devious
w'ays of their future life — It is you, my friend, a mother only is qualifyed for this great work — For them, you must still labor, for their sakes, wipe away the falling tear, and strive to be calm. Your health, your life, is every thing to them — So let this conviction influence you, in not indulging in excessive grief. I have often thought of the last night I spent in B at your house — our conversation respecting Mr Terry — your anxiety and fears (so soon realized) lest in one of those turns, he might die — how you thought you could never hear to be alone, I sadly thought it would be so, & tried as well as 1 could, without rudeness, to prepare you for its probability. But Mr P has written that Mr T
rile l^ssay-Proof Journal No. 68
I 6 1
was better & I thought 1 might see him again «Sc was much shocked, when Oliver on his return from the City, told he was no more. I have much to ask respecting him, & when you feel as if you could tell me any thing about his last sickness, dear Harriet, I should e g ad to hear. I love to think you have one dear Sister whose heart can make your sorro\\ all her own, by her lively sympathy and active kindness. 1 am sorry JVIr P is not now in Boston I know' he would be glad to serve you — & w'ill be no less ready and sincere in his attentions at a future period — Your family has long been our reliance irt friendship & we feel as if w'e had lost one of our best friends.
A short time before IVIr P returned my niece was here, and I said to her I w'as going to write to you she said I must thank you for her — for your kindness in doing her the favor I received from you, in the selection of those articles. Dear Harriet, you have many friends, 1 hope there will be no occasion for you to think otherwise, in this time of affliction — What can I say to comfort you, as I close this letter — Ask Him who is the God of the w'idow' and the F atherless” to grant you “strength according to your day”. Give my love to the children & accept my love and cordial sympathy & be assured that I long to see you I am sorry that I cannot personally show’ my regard for yourself, and respect for our friend by being present at his funeral —
Yours truly
Julia L Pelton
(The above letter w'as w'ritten on a folded sheet wdth a black mourning border. On the third and fourth pages Mr. Pelton w’rote the following letter, the last in this series. )
(i2)
E. Hartford August 23rd 1855
My dear Mrs Terry
Little did I think w'hen I last saw’ you that I was having my last & final interview with Mr Terry w’hile here on earth — I w’as exceedingly shocked by the sad Intelligence that your dear husband is no more — It came unexpected and I w’as quite unprepared for the sad event & I felt like reproaching myself for being absent and aw’ay from my dear friend at his last trying hour — - I w’as to have passed the Sabbath w’ith you before I left but the rain prevented me from going over & I came aw’ay rather hastily or suddenly solely on account of my health — I know’ how’ it is w’ith you — Your heart is sorrow’ful and overflow’ing w’ith anguish — In seasons like the present w’e naturally look around us for some solace, for some relief, for something to mittigate our sorrow’ or assuage our grief, and next to resignation to the Divine w*ill perhaps the sympathy of kind friends, th ose w’ho are dear to us, w’ill do more than any thing else to enable us to bear up under the severe and somew’hat agonizing trials through w’hich w’e are so mysteriously called to pass in the rugged pathw’ay of human life — Be assured of my heartfelt sympathy & that a disposition to do any thing and all that I can to lessen your sorrow’ & promote your w’elfare shall never be w’anting — I cannot return to Boston before the first of next w’eek W’hen I shall immediately see you — Remember my dear friend that w’e have each and all of us a part assigned us to perform, that we have certain duties to discharge con- nected with our existence here in this world and that our happiness w’ill be promoted by the faithful discharge of those duties and acts — Do not give w’ay to imoderate grief but rather try to be resigned to the w’ill of that Being who will bring good out of evil, light out of darkness & order out of confusion — I have much to say to you when I see you. You must allow me ever to consider myself one of your sinsere friends — You know’ that T have been called to drink the bitter ’cup of sorrow & afliction — that I can sympathise with you in this your trying hour —
Your sympathising friend
Oliver Pelton
The Essay-Proof Journal No. 68
162
TRANSCRIBER’S NOTES
(10) This and the preceding sentence, as well as some remarks that follow, would seem to indicate that these engravers had already produced some bank notes and may possibly have formally organized as a bank note engraving company by this time. On the other hand, other expressions in the letters give the impression that they had been seeking such work, but in vain. Not until 1836 do we find Terry, Pelton & Co., 39 State Street, listed in the city directory. However, we know that the directories were not always complete and accurate.
(11) “Smith”. This was George Girdler Smith, who had been a partner in the firm of Annin Sc Smith and is listed in the 1836 directory as being with Terry, Pelton Sc Co. So this may have been the year that the latter firm was organized. In Stauffer it is said that when this firm dissolved. Smith joined two of his former pupils, Knight and Tappan. A brief biography is given in the former installment, in Journal No. 67.
(12) Unable to identify.
(13) “Balch”. Probably \’^istus Balch (1799-1884). “Engraver and portrait draftsman on stone.
Born February 18, 1799, at Williamstown, Alass. Balch was working at Albany in 1822 as senior partner in the engraving firm of Balch, Rawdon & Co. From 1826 to 1833 he headed a number of engraving firms with headquarters in New York City and a branch at Utica: Balch, Stiles & Co. (1828-30) ; Balch, Stiles, Wright & Co. (1831-32); Balch Sc Co. (1833). He died at Johnstown, N. Y., October 25, 1884.”
(From Groce & Wallace. It is not here recorded that he ever resided in Boston, but w^e know of no other
engraver by this name to whom Pelton may have alluded.
(14) The New England Bank Note Co. had just been organized the year before (or reo.ganized
from the old Jacob Perkins firm; see Note 4) and was apparently doing a good business right from the start. The probable reason they “set all the engravers at work in the city” was that they were changing from the old Perkins “stereotype steel plate” style of notes which used no vignettes to the more general style in vogue, using many vignettes, and these they urgently needed.
(15) “Ormsby”. This was “Waterman Lilly Ormsby (1809-1890), bank note and geng^al engraver. A native of Hampton, Conn., he was apprenticed to an engraver, studied for a year at the National Academy (1829), and worked for a number of years in Rochester and Albany and Lancaster, Alass. He settled in New York City in the early 1840’s and became a leading bank note engraver and inventor of engraving machines, proprietor of the New York Bank Note Company and a founder of the Continental Bank Note Co. [Not a founder but an early employee; an error repeated from an older biography.] He was the author of Cycloidal Configurations, or the Har-vest of Counterfeiters (n. d.) and A Description of the Present System of Bank Note Engraving (1852). He died in Brooklyn November i, 1883.’’ (From Groce & Wallace, who do not place Ormsby in Boston. For additional biography see Journal No. 53, January 1953. His second book mentioned was reprinted in Journals 53 to 58, inclusive, 1957-58.)
(Concluded)
Designers of Recent East German Stamps
Fritz Deutschendorf created the Leipzig Autumn Fair i960 stamp designs for East Germany. Rudolf Skribelka was responsible for the Sachsenhausen monument issue of September, Heinrich Ilgenfritz designed the XIV Chess Olympiad trio also issued in September. Axel Bengs was responsible for the Wilhelm Pieck memorial issue, as well as the i960 Day of the Stamp pair issued in October.
European Postal and Telecommnnications Conference
Harrison and Sons Ltd., 44-47 St. Martin’s Lane, London, W. C. 2, England, has distributed cards bearing the twm stamps that firm produced for Great Britain w'hich com- memorated the first anniversary of the establishment of the Conference of European Postal and Telecommunications Administration. The stamps were the first issued by the British Post Office in more than one color photogravure, and were produced at the Harrison High Wycombe factory.
Vittorio Bottego Design by V, Nicastro
Italy’s issue of July 23, i960, honoring Vittorio Bottego, an explorer of the Somalia area, was designed by V. Nicastro from a statue by Ettore Zimenes in the Piazza Stazione of Parma, according to Pierson Ostrow.
The lissay-l’roof Journal No. 68
163
U. S. POSTAL CARD ESSAYS AND PROOFS
A Historical Catalog of
U. S. STAMP ESSAYS & PROOFS
By GeoFRo C. Slavvsoii
(Essay and Broof Numbers are based on Scott’s U. S. Catalogue.)
(Continued from Journal No. 67, page 126.)
The letereatioeal Reply Card Issue of 1926 UY12
On October i, 1925, the international postal card rate to the majority of countries was increased to 3 cents. In order to meet this requirement the Bureau of Engraving and Printing during September and October, 1925, produced a die in this denomination, using a rejected die produced in 1906 by Marcus W. Baldwin, showing a portrait of McKinley, Miscellaneous Die number 6669. The frame, numerals and lettering were added to this new die, which was known as Post Office Die number 746, by Edward M. Weeks. This die, however, was never completed; or perhaps it would be more accurate to say that although the engraving was completed, the routing of the background ruined the die, since whoever did the work (and his name seems to be lost to posterity) was quite definitely no expert in the French language. Inserted into tlie top frame line of the die was a label bearing the customary wording of “POSTAL CARD WITH PAID REPLY
— CARTE POSTALE AVEC REPONSE PAYEE’’, but the individual doing the routing tidily eliminated these accent marks while doing his job. Since there was no way in which
FROM ORIGINAL PHOTOGRAPH G. C. SLAWSON
l"Y12iiiE-\ (Rojected Dio)
164
The Essay-Proof Journal No. 68
this metal could be returned to the die, it rendered the die useless for making subject plates. But even though the die itself could not be used, not all was lost. A transfer roll eliminating the top border of the stamp and also the label and portions of the other horizontal lines surrounding the vignette was used to produce Post Office Die num- ber 745 (previously reserved for the single international card — UX25), and another transfer roll covering everything on this defective die, but to which roll the necessary accent marks were then duly added, produced Post Office Die number 748. Thus this latter die (P. O. Die No. 74^)> made during October and November, 1925, became the accepted die for use in the message half of the new international paid reply card. Although the Bureau records no longer show exactly who did this later transfer roll, it is generally assumed that Air. Weeks undertook to do the work himself, the logic advanced being that he was somewhat perturbed over what had happened to his original work.
October, 11)25, Tliree Cents.
^ ^ ^^***J''"A* Essay of rejected die (P. O. Die number 746 ), rejected because of error in eliminating the accent marks from the printing in the label inserted in the top frame line. (Only known essay in the possession of the Bureau of En- graving and Printing).!
POSTAL CARD WITH PAID REPLY - CARTE POSTALE AVEC REPONSE PAYEE P
UNIVERSAL POSTAL UNION UNION POSTAGE UNIVEHSELLE
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
ETATS-UNSS D’AMERIQUe
THIS SIDE OF CARD iS FOR ADDRESS ONLY
,*•
FROM ORIGINAL PHOTOGRAPH G. C. SLAWSON
l Y12mP.
November 1925.
UY12MP. Proof of completed die (P. O. Die number 748) produced by transfer roll from P. O. Die number 74 6, and amended to include the necessary accent marks in the label inserted in the top frame line. (Only known proof in the possession of the Bureau of Engraving and Printing).!
Started in September 1925, and completed during November, the accompanying reply card was produced on Post Office Die number 747, using the transfer roll for producing UX25 from the rejected Post Office Die number 746. To the incomplete product was added a new' label and ornamentation in the top frame line, and a new label above the
! Illustration from only known photograph, made by cooperation of the Bureau of Engraving and Printing and with the consent of the Post Office Department, being intended primarily for use by the writer in this listing.
I'lic Mssay-Proof journal No. 68
165
vifinette of the stamp. Thh new lettering was partially the work of Edward M. Weeks, and partially that of Edward M. Hall.-
FROM ORIGINAL PHOTOGRAPH G. C. SLAWSON
ryi2rK-A.
rY12i*E-A. Essay of completed reply card die (P. O. Die number 74 7) produced in part by transfer roll from P. O. Die number 7 4 6, together with additional engraving. (Only known essay in the possession of the Bureau of Engraving and Printing).!
Issiaed Cards
Subject printing die plates, made from the above described master dies, were pro- duced by the Bureau of Engraving and Printing and turned over to the Government Printing Office during December 1925, and cards printed from these plates were made available to the public beginning on February i, 1926. On June 12, 1952 Post Office Die number 748 (the message card portion) was delivered by the Bureau of Engraving and Printing to the Government Printing Office, presumably for the purpose of making elec- trotypes.^ It was returned to the Bureau on October 13, 1952.
February 1 , 1 926.
FY12-A. On 17 f/2 dull faint o-yellow (cream), card .010" thick, 140 x 178 mm. overall, with roulette 6 (actually a fraction less) applied to the message card side.
3 -/I dim o-red
6 c/1 dim m. 0-0-red
7 b/1 dim light r-orange
2 The transfer rolls used to make this die were made prior to the discovery that the accent marks on P. O. Die number 746 had been routed away. (The crosshatchin^ on both dies was not done until after the transfer rolls had been made and used.)
.3 The necessity to replace some of the message card subject plates (always flat bed press plates) was caused more likely by corrosion than by e.vcessive weai.
The Essay-Proof Journal No. 68
1 66
UY12111.
CARTE POSTALE REPONSE
Universal Postal Union
UNION POSTAte UNIVERSELLE
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
ETATS-UNIS D'AMERlijUE
THIS SIDE OF CARD IS FOR ADDRESS ONLY
UY12r.
UY12-B. On 15 e/1 dim v. light y-orange (yellow huff) card, .010" thick, 140 x 178 mm. overall, with roulette 6 applied to the message card side.
3 i/0 deep o-red
3 i/0 deep o-red (with roulette 12 applied to both sides)
UY'12-C. On 17 e/2 dull v. pale o-yellow (slightly darker cream) card, .010" thick, 140 X 178 mm. overall, with printer’s roulette (colored) 9)4 applied to the message card side.
3 i/0 deep o-red
3 i/0 deep o-red (colored roulette applied to reply card side)
The Kssay-Ih-oof Journal No. 68
The Reply Card Issue of 1951 - 1952 - UY13
In anticipation of the increase in postage rates scheduled to become effective on January i, 1952, the Post Office Department ordered a new set of plates in the new denomination and asked to see sketches of designs. In the end, the design selected was extremely similar to that which had been in use for the past forty years, with only the denomination changed. This design had been modeled by William K. Schrage, and required little new engraving work. The portrait, ornaments and part of the lettering of the stamp for the message card were transferred by roll from Miscellaneous Die number 8730, which in turn had been made from Miscellaneous Die number 7703 as originally engraved by Marcus W. Baldwin. The numerals “2” and the lettering “TWO CENTS’" were engraved directly to the new die. Miscellaneous Die number 16671, by J. S, Edmondson. The inscription and its frame were also transferred by roll from Miscel- laneous Die number 873O) which in turn had been made from Miscellaneous Die numbers 7703 Jind 8399 which were the original dies, both of which had been engraved by Edward M. Hall. The portrait and ornaments of the stamp for the reply card were transferred by roll from Miscellaneous Die number 8731, which in turn had been made from Mis- cellaneous Die number 7702 as originally engraved by Marcus W. Baldwin. The num- erals “2” and the lettering “TWO CENTS” were engraved directly to the new die, Miscellaneous Die number 16672, by J, S. Edmondson. The inscription and its frame were also transferred by roll from Miscellaneous Die number 8731, which in turn had been made from Miscellaneous Die numbers 7702 and 8718 which were the original dies, both of which had been engraved by Edward M. Hall. No essays or proofs of either of these two dies have been reported, and only the issued cards are known.
The new denomination message and reply cards required large distribution with little time available for printing and distributing them. The first cards to be made available were printed with rotary press electrotypes, which were replaced as soon as convenient with steel plates. Because an electrotype can be curved with little or practically no stretch, when compared to steel plates, the two may be readily identified. In addition to single cards, sheets of 20 message and reply cards were made available.
UY13-A. On 17 f/2 dull faint o-yellow card, .010" thick, 140 x 166 mm. overall, with separation by roulette 6 applied from the message side. Printed by rotary presses using electrotype plates measuring 99 mm. from top left of inscription to right edge of stamp.
1 i/0 deep red
lY 13111.
The Essay-Proof Journal No. 68
1 68
lY13r.
UY13-B. Same as UY"13-A but printed by steel plates, measuring 99% mm. between the same points.
1 -/I dim red
1952 Issme of Mevalmed Cards “ UY14 & UY15
As was the case with the single cards, the change in rate from ic to 2c left millions of unused and unsold cards in the post offices and distribution centers throughout the country. The same Tickometers produced by Pitney-Bowers Co. that were usced to revalue the single cards were also used to revalue the paid reply cards, including using the same dies. However, due to the fact the cards were twice as large as the single cards, with the top portion of each half being merely the juncture with the other half, it was impossible to run them through the machines so that the surcharge would appear in horizontal format directly to the left of the stamp. The method of applying the revalue as usually adopted by the various offices doing the work consisted of having the surcharge box standing on its side, with the printing reading downward, usually below the stamp. Two offices, Vicks-
l Y14in.
(l"Y7 revaliKMl by Tiekometei)
The ITsay-Proof journul No. 68
I 69
burji, Miss., and Pittsburgh, Pa., managed to change the seating of the machines so it was possible to apply the surcharge situated to the left of the stamp, but still leading down- ward. 1 he Seattle, Wash., office successfully contrived to insert the die sideways in its frame, and by inserting the cards ^\•ith the left hand edge downward, instead of the right hand edge, managed to have the surcharge appear in the same horizontal position as used on the single cards, but moved a noticeable distance farther to the left of the stamp itself. Pittsburgh also experimented with this procedure very briefly, but through an error in calculation, the revaluation appeared with the printing inverted. All of these various attempts to copy the method used for the single cards, and which resulted in dif- ferent positions of the surcharge, produced a certain amount of confusion. This the Post Office Department resolved by ordering all offices to conform to the method of apply- ing the surcharge to read downward, and to be placed below the stamp. Since all cards had to be run through the machine twice, once to overprint the message card half and a second time to overprint the reply card half, there were numerous errors usually consisting of one-half or the other failing to receive a surcharge, or one-half being surcharged twice and the other not at all, or one-half or the other being surcharged twice with the opposite half being normally surcharged, etc.’^ Errors of these types were somewhat common, and occurred at numerous points, the sloppy workmanship being generally attributed to postal clerks attempting to hurry the work through during interludes in their regular duties. One of the more unusual mistakes occurred at the Chicago office, where by error black canceling ink was added to the regular green ink normally used by the Tickometer. This produced cards which show most of the overprint in black, but since the two inks did not mix readily, there are invariably traces of green showing at various points in the frame or lettering of the surcharge.
Full, uncut sheets, comprising twenty reply cards, were revalued by press printing, using the same dies used to press print the full sheets of single cards, although the set- tings had to be rearranged. No difficulties were encountered in the printing, which was
lYlor.
(l YT revalued by Tress Triutiiig)
performed in the same manner as on the single cards, with the result the overprints are horizontal, and placed to the left of the stamps. No errors are known.
4 A. in the cnse of the sinttle cords, printer's caste from the l>ittsburgh offee reached philatelic hands,
although attested os hoving been destroyed on the records of the Pittsburgh oflce. M.,n. freak multiples
and misploced surchorges (other than those listed above and which have heen authenticated) came from
1 • II fo.vsi.'.io- Tliptsp p\ist in considerable number in many dirierent forms and
this source, and have no proper standing. 1 liese e\isr in cousiuckiu
combinations.
The Essay-Proof Journal No. 68
I 70
The leternatiomal Meply Card Issae of 1956 — UY16
I'he change in rates effective in 1952 was not reflected in the issuance of a new paid reply card until 1956, at which time the international paid reply card was issued at the same time as the international single card, using the same design for the stamp, and with the balance of the printing modeled after that adopted for the single card, UX45. In fact, there was an overlapping of the photo positive and negative plates used in printing both of them, with the result no effort has been made to separate fully the positives and the negatives as shown for the single cards (see Journal No. 61, page 5). These cards are stocked by only a few oflflces in the country, and the sales are extremely slight, being maintained solely to comply with the requirements of the U. P. U. No essays or proofs of this card design, either message or reply card, are known and only the issued cards are listed.
UYHhn.
UYlGr.
Noveiiibei' 10, lOoO.
UYIO-A. Four (Vnts.
On 17 f/2 dull faint o-yellow card, .0085" to .0095" thick, 140 x 16b mm. overall, with roulette 91/2 normally applied to the message card side.
The Essay-Proof Journal No. 68
171
led (stamp frame, dividing line and inscription in upper left
v.' V-/ X XX C X /
(statue, motto, and the inscription both above and below
the dividing line)
U116-B. Same, but with separation roulettes applied to the reply card side.
errors are known, one having the message card printed on both halves, and the other having the reply card printed on both halves (neither is rare).
The Reply Card Issue of 1958 - UY17
Coincident with the general increase in rates effective August i, 1958, the rate of paid reply cards increased from 2c to 3c, and a new design showing the new rate became necessary. Although the Post Office Department still did not approve of reply cards in principle, primarily because of the difficulty of handling them in the mails, the thinking in connection with how they might best be issued had undergone a vast change in the approxi- mately two-thirds of a century during wffiich such cards had been issued. Back in 1892 serious consideration had been given to the plan to issue them in a different and distinctive color from that used in the single cards, and only considerations of cost had prevented such a course from being adopted. Instead, not only the basic printing on the halves of the card itself, but also each stamp, specifically stated whether it was the message card half or the reply card half. The emphasis wdth respect to the stamp had been later de- creased by the process of using a different, but complimentary, portrait on each of the halves. How^ever, in spite of these somewhat elaborate precautions the two halves were being constantly misused from the original intent. Largely through mistakes by printers, it was sometimes necessary to fold the cards incorrectly, so that the reply card did service as the message card, and vice-versa. Also, on many occasions the twm halves of a reply card wmuld be separated and each half used as a single card. In actual practise it had proved almost impossible to prevent such usages, and rarely umuld a postal clerk even notice the uses to be contrary to the original intent. Beginning with the 3c paid reply cards, as necessitated under the rate change of 1958, no effort was made to distinguish betw^een the message and reply halves of the full card, thus combining production savings in the costs of new dies with the elimination of practices by the public that the Depart- ment could not overcome, all by the simple process of making both halves of the card identical. And not only w^ere the message and reply halves of the paid reply card identical, but each was identical with the regular domestic single card, and it no longer mattered which half was used first, or whether the two halves were severed and used as single cards.
Since the same dies were used to produce the paid reply cards as were used to produce the single cards, it meant that there were available electrotypes for both flat bed and rotary presses as made by the Government Printing Office from the master die. Miscel- laneous Die number 17164, but also, at a somewhat later date, curved steel subject dies as made by the Bureau of Engraving and Printing from the second master die. Miscellane- ous Die number 17273. Since the country’s requirements of paid reply cards is small when compared to the number of single cards used, the one large rotary press that can be readily changed to produce paid reply cards instead of single cards was in all prob- ability used to produce the entire requirements. And even though the records do not specifically so state, it is most unlikely that flat bed press equipment would be used for this wmrk due to its more cumbersome and slo\ver handling. Thus, even though it is almost wholly impossible to distinguish between printings from flat or curved electro- types, it is almost a certainty that only curved electrotypes were used to produce paid reply cards prior to the installation of the curved steel subject plates. No essays or proofs of this card are known, and only the issued cards are listed.
rY17-A. On 17 f/2 dull faint o-yellow card, .0085" to .0095" thick, 140 x 166 mm. overall, with separation by roulette 91/2. Printing extending from extreme left to extreme right amounts to 98 mm. (electrotype subject plates). 59 i/1 dim deep violet
172
The Essay-Proof Journal No. 68
UY17 (m & 1)
^Y17-B. Similar to UY17-A but with printing from extreme left to extreme right being 99 mm. (steel subject plates for rotary presses),
59 i/1 dim deep violet
YY17-C. Similar, but one side printed as in YY’'17-A (electrotype subject plate) and the other printed as in UAA7-B (steel subject plate).
5 9 i/1 dim deep violet (very scarce)
Money Order Cards
On August 28, 1883, Letters Patent number 283,841 w^ere granted to John J. Wil- liamson of Boston, Mass., on his application filed March ii, 1882, covering a money order postal card for use in transmitting small sums by mail. The original idea was to have a stamp of some fixed denomination in the upper left corner of the card, which could be cut off and redeemed at the recipient’s post office. This proved unfeasible on more mature consideration since it would involve the maintaining of cards bearing stamps in the sum of 5c, lOc, 25c, 50c, and $1. (as originally conceived) and would be wholly inflexible for any intermediate odd values. Therefore, after receiving the Patent, Mr. Williamson caused a die to be made, extremely similar to the stamp and inscription of the current postal card, although the wmrds MONEY ORDER were arched above the in- scription, and the instructions as to the use of the address side were quite different from those on the regularly issued card. This card, however, incorporated a more flexible method of handling the sums to be paid upon its receipt, through use of a series of values listed at the left on a coupon that could be detached for presentation to his local post- master by the recipient of the whole card. The flexibility, between the sums of ic and 36c was obtained by the use of a punch to eliminate the the unneeded amounts. This idea was a vast improvement, although when submitted to the Post Office Department objections were made to i ) the use of the stamp and inscription as being an uninten- tional violation of the counterfeiting laws; 2) there was no way to make the card apply to sums between i6c and 20c inclusive; and 3) there was no method of bookkeeping check that could be used by the issuing office to account for funds thus received. Mr. William- son accordingly redesigned his card, changing the stamp portion and inscription to meet the Department’s objections, which was done by removing the frame from the vignette of the stamp, and adding simple lettering of FEE TWO / CENTS with a trivial amount of
173
I lie l^ssay- Proof Journal No. 68
changing the inscription by substituting MESSACjE CARD tor Ubl AE eARD. a second coupon, identical with the first, but which could be cut o anc retainec y tie issuing office, and the adding of a serial number to both coupons as well as the card itself, covered the other major complaint of the Department. At the same time, the amounts were revised, so the card could be made applicable for all sums from ic to This card, when submitted to the Post Office Department, received ^ry care ul consideration and in all probability would have been adopted had not the Departments legal advisers decided that to adopt this idea brought it under the Act of ' Yu ^‘^79. which expressly forbade the adoption of any patented postal card and prohibited the payment of royalties on any such patent. Whatever other purpose the proposed Item may have had, it certainly included a postal card with space for a message and was intended to be sent through the mails as an “open” or wholly readable item."^ It was apparendy with considerable regret the Department was forced to decline the only idea ever submitted calling for a practical and cheap method of transmitting small sums of money by mail.
G. C. SLAWSON COLLECTION
1883-1884 (circa).
MO-1. On 13 e/2 dull v. pale o-y-orange card, .013" thick, 126 x 76 mm. in size, with a stamp almost exactly like that of the then current card, and a monogram and label inscription also extremely like that of the current card, but with MONEY ORDER in solid letters arched above it, and the wording below the monogram reading REDEEMABLE AT ANY POST OFFICE AFTER USE ONLY. WRITE ADDRESS ONLY ON THIS SIDE. At the left is the figure 21 in an ornamental frame under the word CENTS, and in column below, sepa- rated by horizontal lines, are the hollow figures 8, 4, 2, and 1. To the left of the figures, reading up, are the words COUPON GOOD FOR SUMS NOT PUNCHED., while on the right, also reading up are two lines of print, sepa- rated by a double vertical line, COUPON VALUELESS IF DETACHED. / DO NOT WRITE ON REVERSE OF THIS SECTION. There is no printing on the message side.
69 0/5 black (very rare)
5 The Act of March 3, 1879 said nothing about letter sheets, and from 1886 to 1894 these were issued under a patent requiring the payment of a royalty.
174
The Essay-Proof Journal No. 68
G. C. SLAWSON COLLECTION
>10-2.
MO-2 On white wove paper, .005 5" thick, 184 x 77 mm. in size, with a vignette very similar to that used on the current postal card, but with FEE TWO above and CENTS below in arched block letters, together with a slight amount of ornamentation on the sides and bottom corners. The inscription consists of a monogram US and label very much like the regularly issued card, but the label bears the words MESSAGE CARD. Abo':e are the words MONEY ORDER in solid arched letters, and below this device are three lines of print, reading REDEEMABLE AT ANY POST OFFICE WHERE ADDRESSED. / WRITE YOUR MESSAGE ON THE OTHER SIDE. / WRITE ADDRESS OF PERSON TO WHOM THE MONEY IS PAYABLE ON THIS SIDE. At the very top of the card, to the left of the inscription is “No.” and to the right “18 5”. 6 At the left edge of the card aie two identical vertical columns of figures, each headed by “No. 185” below which is CENTS and the following hollow figures, each separated by a horizontal dash, 50, 25, 10, 8, 4, 2, and 1. Between the left hand column of figures and the outer edge of the card, reading up, and to the right of the figures, also reading up. are the instruc- tions POST MASTERS MUST RETURN THIS/STUB WITH SALES ACCOUNT. Immediately below the right hand line of print shown is a vertical line, then a row of dots representing a printers roulette and anoiher vertical line. The second column of figures has three vertical rows of print, reading up, one at the left and two at the right, COUPON GOOD FOR SUMS NOT PUNCHED. / COUPON VALUELESS IF DETACHED. / COUPON VOID UN- LESS OFFICIALLY STAMPED AND DATED. A double vertical line sepa- rates the coupon from the rest of the card. On the reverse or message side of the coupon portion (not the stub) are two vertical ovals, each containing three lines of print, reading down. The upper oval reads HAND STAMP / OF / ISSUING OFFICE., and the lower oval reads HAND STAMP / OF / PAYING OFFICE. Opposite the double line dividing the coupon from the rest of the card is a heavy vertical line, on the coupon side of which, reading down, are instructions in black face gothic type DO NOT WRITE BELOW THIS LINE. At the opposite end of the card is a date line.
69 o/5 black (scarce)
Official Postal Card
In 1913 an official postal card was issued for use in connection with the making of monthly summaries of business by such offices as maintained postal savings accounts. These cards, being for official use only, had no ornamental stamp, hut merely a double circle of black with the inner one wide enough to have uncolored letters reading U. S. POSTAL SAVINGS / OFFICIAL MAIL, the two sets of wording being separated at each end by colorless dots. Inside these circles was scroll wmrk in which, in colorless form.
6 All copies are “No. 185.”
I he ]^ssay-Pr()of Journal No. 68
175
CENT. There was no inscription except POST
third assistant postmaster
GENERAL / I)I\ ISION Oh POSTAL SAVINGS, / WASHINGTON, D. C. and in die lower lett a orm number, 5-5527. I'hese cards were printed completely with stamp, inscription and address on a single press run, so no full mint cards can exist. No essays or proofs of this card are known, and the only recorded minor variety is a plate flaw showing a round colorless dot near the outer border between the O and S of POSTAL (as illustrated). These cards were never issued to the public for use and the only known unused cards were those presented to collectors upon request, usually from the residue left a ter t e use of these cards was discontinued. Used copies were released by Wash- ington upon request by collectors, also after their use had been discontiued.
0-1.
POST CARD
.. THIRD ASSISTANT POSTMASTER GENERAL,
L'
DIVISION OF POSTAL SAVINGS,
WASHINGTON. D. C.
0-1. On white card. .010" thick, 127 x 77 mm. in size, printed as described above. 6 9 0/5 black
Form PS
Post Office State.-.
Sir: The following is a statistical report of postal savings transactions for 191
< Month.)
|
THIS MONTH, |
FROM jytY ! TO D.aTE. |
Balance to credit of depositors frevious |
■ |
: j |
.0:0 |
||||
|
Ro. of accounts |
Vaitte oi certif- |
'T|"' |
.o|o .o'o |
i i |
i ” |
||||
|
Ro. of accounfs closed |
tliis month — Value of cerltf- itales paid thw month -- |
"’f”’ |
.. p ... |
1 i i |
; 1 |
||||
|
No. of deposits - Ho. -of with- |
|||||||||
|
; ; |
■ |
.0 0 |
|||||||
|
Total number of accourtfs remaining open to date — |
Balance to credit of depositors at close of month |
1 |
.0 0' i— |
IMPORTANT. Respectfully,
This report must ie completed and maiJed on the last business day of each
monlL (S« scUioo 5$, Instructions
to Postmasters.) .s— sr.cT Postmaster.
0-1 (Message Side).
The reverse, or message, side of the card had a printed form applicable to postal savings accounts as illustrated above.
(To 15e Ooneliided.)
T The word POSTAL was reserved for cards with imprinted stamps sold to the public for use in the mails. These cards, although with imprinted stamps, were not purchasable by the public, and did not qualify as “POSTAL CARDS.”
176
The Essay-Proof Journal No. 68
Henry Cheffer
Fremcli Designer Sc Engraver
By George W. Caldwell
The late Henry Cheffer — he died on May 3, 1957, at his home in Paris — was both a renowned artist-painter and an engraver. Early in his career he seemed to have leaned more toward the latter art form for which he was awarded the Grand Prix de Rome in 1906. Philatelists remember him for the very fine stamps of France and other govern- ments which he engraved.
Cheffer played an important role in breaking the traditional use of typography in pro- ducing France’s adhesive postage stamps. This tradition began in 1849 and continued through 1925 without interruption except for the emergency Bordeaux lithographs of 1870 and the lithographed postage dues. The die for that first issue was engraved in relief by Anatole A. Hulot, one of the few world’s foremost relief engravers. One suspects Hulot had much to do with that typograph tradition.
Although a single value line engraved stamp (Scott’s SPio) was issued in 1928, the major break in the tradition was the 1929-33 issues (Scott’s A37-40) using four designs of which two were engraved by Cheffer: Port of Rochelle and Pont du Gard (Scott’s A39-40).
During succeeding years Cheffer engraved the following French stamps: Auguste Rodin (Scott’s SP21), famous sculptor and Cheffer’s cousin; Eiffel Tower (Scott’s SP44) ; Port of St. Malo (Scott’s A87) ; Point du Raz, also known as Razor Point (Scott’s A162) ; a composite including Nicolas Rolin, Guigone de Slins and the hospital at Beaune (Scott’s A129) ; Antoine-Augustin Parmentier (Scott’s A285) who it is claimed popularized the potato; and Port of Brest (Scott’s A296). This last was issued July 6, 1957, two months after this artist’s death.
Cheffer engraved three dies for the 1939 issue of the French Offices in Morocco: Gazelles (Scott’s A31); Valley of Draa (Scott’s A32) ; and Storks (Scott’s AP4). He also engraved the original die for Belgium’s 1919 issue depicting King Albert in a trench helmet (Scott’s A55).
In these listings we make no pretense to completeness. Undoubtedly he engraved cithers.
Waterway Packetmarks Wanted for Revision
of Klein Book
In preparation is a revision of United States Waterway Packetmarks, 1832-1899 by the late Eugene Klein of Philadelphia. The original work was published in 1940. A sup- plement followed early in 1942, with a further presentation in the eighth American Phila- telic Congress Book later that same year. Those preparing the new book wish to hear from anyone with hitherto unlisted packetmarks. Collectors are asked to send such infor- mation to Mrs. Dolores Klein Hertz, 429 East 85th Street, New York 28, N. Y., or to Mr. Henry A. Meyer, 516 Read Street, Evansville, Ind. Since publication of the original work and the supplements, several hundred new markings have been discovered, and the compilers are most desirous of presenting as complete a study as possible.
A. Medina Medina Designed U, N. Bank Stamps
The design of the United Nations issue scheduled for Dec. 9, i960, commemorating the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development is the work of A. Medina Medina of Uruguay, who also designed the 1955 stamp honoring the International Civil Aviation Organization. The bank stamps will be multicolored and printed by the Govern- ment Printing Bureau, Tokyo, Japan.
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Pintciit Papers Melatiog to tlie Improvenient and Protection of iL'nited States IBank^^Notes, Postage and Meveniie Stamps
Hy Sol Altinann
(Continued from Journal No. 67, page 135)
J. C. (iaston, of Cincinnali, Oliio
1 rnprovernent in Stamp-Cancelling Device. Patent No. 8g,2ij, dated April 20, i86g.
Be it known that I, J. C. Gaston have invented certain new and useful improvement in Stamp Cancellers; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making part of the specification, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, like letters indicating like parts wherever they occur,
T o enable others skilled in the art to construct and use my invention, I will proceed to describe it.
My invention relates to devices for cancelling stamps; and
It consists in a blade, or similar device, having a series of points for perforating the stamp, and having an adjustable guard for regulating the depth of the perforations, as hereinafter more fully explained.
(Hand Stamp is illustrated , but not the end product.)
In cancelling postage and similar stamps, it is desirable to accomplish the object by cutting, perforating, or scarifying the stamp, so as to prevent it from being used a second time, but hitherto it has been difficult or impossible to accomplish this object, without, at the same time, cutting through the letter, and injuring its contents.
It is obvious that the perforating points may be arranged to represent letters, as for instance, “U. S.f’ when used for government purposes, or with the initials of the owner, if a private individual.
J. C. Gaston
Spencer M. Clark, of Washington. D. C.
Assignor to Adolphus S. Solomons
Self-Cancelling Postal and Revenue Stamp, Patent No. g8,Oji dated Dec. 2I, i86g.
(Note: Spencer M. Clark was in charge of the first division of the currency bureau and in DecetJiber 1864 was given the title of Chief of the Bureau of Engraving Printing.)
Be it known that I, Spencer M. Clark, have invented a new and useful Self-Cancelling Postal and Revenue Stamp;
The nature of my invention consists in the production of a postal or Revenue stamp, composed of tzvo layers, one of which is perf or at ed , the two being united and printed on the perf orated side and gummed on the imperforate, so that when the stamp thus made is affixed to paper or otlier material the two layers shall separate, or the imperforate layer break in the part thereof uncovered by the perforate layer in any attempt at removing the stamp from the surface to wffiich it is attached.
In manufacturing my improved stamps / first punch one or more holes in the sheet of paper which shall constitute the outer layer of the stamp. 1 then cover this perforated
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paper with a second imperforate sheet, and unite the two by means of a suitable adhesive gum or cement in the usual manner. The sheet thus prepared is then ready to receive the proper design, which is imprinted upon the perforated side thereof in such manner as to extend over and include therein some portion of the inner or imperforate layer dis- closed by the perforations in the outer layer. When the stamp has been duly printed the imperforate layer or under side thereof is coated with gum in the ordinary manner, so that it may be made to adhere to any desired surface.
A number of subjects may be imprinted as usual upon one large sheet prepared for the purpose, as herein set forth, and the finished stamps be afterward separated in the customary manner.
I claim as my invention —
A Postal or Revenue stamp composed of two layers, one of which is perforated, the two being united and printed on the perforate side, and gummed on the imperforate side, substantially in the manner and for the purpose herein set forth.
S. M. Clark.
Note :
A. C, Fletcher Patent No. 101,604 dated April 1870. Improvement in Adhesive Postal and Revenue Stamps. (Note: This patent is similar to Clark patent No. gSjOJi.)
This invention consists in constructing the stamps with a hole or holes through the body of them, and covering or backing the same with thin tissue or other bibulous paper, made to firmly adhere to the stamp, and the rear surface of the stamp, with its bibulous paper covering to the hole, coated or backed with mucilage or other adhesive substance, which the front surface or face of the stamp, together with the bibulous paper seen through the opening therein, has any suitable figure or vignette printed thereon.
Addison C. Fletcher.
C. D. Seropyan
Alethod of Presenting Bank Note Etc., from Being Counterfeited. Patent No. 14,069. Patented Jan. 8, 1856.
Note: See Essay-Proof Journal No. 19 — page 137 for illustration of Proof note of the City Bank of New Haven with the imprint of N. & S. S. Jocelyn, N. York & N. Haven, and Draper, Underwood, Bald & Spencer, “The Jocelyn Engravers,” by Foster W. Rice, E. P. S. 555-
No. 17,473. Patented Jan. 2, 1857.
(This patent by C. D. Seropyan was assigned to W m. Cousland and J. D. Bald.)
These patents have to do with photographic processes. Patent No. 14,069. The nature of my invention consists in using oil-colored paper for bank-notes, drafts, and all other papers representing value, and printing them with indigo ink, or an ink which would equally reflect or transmit the chemical rays of light, and which is equally or more fugitive than the color of the paper itself, so that when an attempt is made to copy the bank-note by photographic process there will not be produced a distinct copy of the said bank-note.
In order therefore, to copy the same the color of the said bank-note must be removed by some bleaching reagent. This cannot be done without destroying the vignettes and the lettering of the said bank-note so that there will be nothing to copy. Again, banknotes and drafts printed on oil-colored paper cannot be transferred upon a lithographic stone, for when the ink of the bank-note is loosened by potash or some other alkali the color
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of the paper will also be loosened and transferred upon the lithographic stone, and thus the vignettes and the lettering of the bank-note will be effaced, so that there will be left nothing to copy.
Patent No. 17,473
'J he nature of my invention consists in using tinted or colored paper for bank-notes, drafts, and all other papers representing value, which absorb or do not reflect or transmit the chemical rays of light, and printing the other parts of them — i.e., the obligatory and the ornamental parts with an ink which is equally or more fugitive than the tint or the color of the paper, and which will absorb or not transmit or reflect the chemical rays of light. Bank-notes, drafts, and all other papers representing value prepared by the combi- nation of the aforesaid principles cannot be counterfeited by the aforesaid process, for as long as the tint or the color of the paper (or of the material on which bank-notes, drafts, and all other papers representing value may be printed) and the vignettes and the lettering remain together a distinct copy of the same cannot be obtained, for both the color of the paper and the ink will absorb or will not transmit or reflect the chemical rays of light, and therefore the result will be an indistinct and blurred copy.
T. o enable others skilled in the art to make use of my invention, I will proceed to describe my mode of manufacturing according to my invention bank-notes, drafts, and all other papers representing value.
I use red, orange, and yellow tinted or colored paper and the various shades of the said colors or tints. The colored paper may be prepared by printing on the color or staining or in any other known way. An ink which I have used, and which I have found to answer a good purpose in printing those parts of the bank notes, drafts, and all other papers representing value other than the tint or color of the paper, is made by taking common black writing-ink and slowly evaporating it to dryness, and then grinding it till fine in printer’s varnish or boiled linseed-oil, and if the ink be not sufficiently black it is well to add a little blue ink to make it blacker; or any other organic or metallic sub- stance which will not reflect or transmit the chemical rays of light, or will absorb the same as well as the color or the tint of the paper, and that is equally or more fugitive than the color of the paper itself, may be employed for such printing.
I am aware that bank-notes and drafts have been printed on tinted papers with a black ink, both of which absorb the chemical rays of light, and as long as these two colors remain together no photographic copy can be made; but in such cases the ink has been less fugitive than the color of the paper, therefore can be removed without destroying the other parts, and then photographed.
I am also aware that an ink equally or more fugitive than the color of the paper has been used before. Such is described in my Letters Patent dated January 8, 1856; but in this case the ink transmits or reflects the chemical rays of light; but in no case to my knowledge has there been a bank-note, draft, or any other paper representing value made combining the advantages of having both the color of the paper and the color of the other parts such as to absorb and not to reflect or transmit the chemical rays of light, and at the same time the color of the paper less fugitive than the other parts; nor has there ever before been made, so far as 1 know or believe, a bank-note, draft, or any other paper representing value combining so much security against counterfeiting with so much dis- tinctness and beauty as those made according to this invention of mine.
C. D. Seropyan.
Witnesses
Geo. Gifford.
Geo. D. Baldwin.
(Note assignment to C ousland ^ Bald and witnessed by B aldwin.)
John W. Foster, of Washington, D. C.
Canceling-Stamp (illustrated) Patent No. 45,708 dated January 3, 1865. (extract)
This invention relates to a canceling-stamp which is chiefly designed to constitute a medium whereby postage and other stamps may be effectually defaced by being cut or
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punched in such a way that an attempt to detach the stamp from the envelope to which it is applied will invariably produce the separation or detachment from said stamp of the portion which has been cut out by the knife, or leave an ineffaceable mark therein. This cutting or punching of a stamp, if the latter be the object to be so cut or punched, may be effected after it has been applied to the envelope, without the latter being penetrated or its contents injured.
By regulating the retraction of the gage B by the adjustment of the set-screw E the punch may be made to cut through one, two, or three or more thicknesses of paper, as. desired, with the greatest accuracy, or even to produce an ineffaceable mark on the paper without penetrating a single thickness. It is therefore of great value on its application as a postage stamp canceler, as with a proper adjustment of the gage the punch may be made to effectually destroy the postage stamp without a possibility of injuring the con- tents of the envelope or even penetrating the envelope itself.
Any suitable lettering or device may be engraved on the face, and movable type may be set in an annular cavity within the face, said type being encircled by the engraved lettering,
I do not limit myself to any prescribed form of knife or gage, or any specific means, for adjusting the one in relation to the other.
Jno. W. Foster.
Albert H. Jocelyn, of New York, N. Y.
Alethod of Backing Electrotype Plates.
Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 17)74^ dated July 7) 1857*
Be it known that I, Albert H. Jocelyn, have invented a new and useful Mode of Backing Electrotype or other Plates for Printing and other purposes; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof:
No. I is the shell ready for backing;
No. 2 the pan;
No. 3 the platen;
Nos. 4, 5, 6, weights of various forms for holding down the shells;
No. 7 a scraper;
No. 8 the pan and platen together.
My method of backing is for the purpose of forming a solid, even, and clean metal back and straightening the face of the electrotype shell, so as to present a perfect and straight face for printing. Heretofore great difficulty has arisen in keeping the thin elec- trotype shells straight while backing, as they are so thin and delicate and require so much handling that they almost invariably become untrue during the process of trimming and separating from the matrix.
For this purpose I proceed as follow’s:
I form the shell by any of the ordinary ways and tin it, as is usual with electrotype VFG shells. I then take a heated plate or pan having a flat face on the upper side and wfith a rising ledge all around — say an inch, more or less, high- onto which I lay the face of the electrotype shell. 1 then place upon it certain wire-gauze or weights, consisting
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of lead or other metal eights, from which thin wire legs project downward and rest upon the shell.
By these weights, any sufficient number of wffiich may be used, the shell is pressed down upon the plate and prevented from rising during the next process. I then take properly heated type-metal in a fluid state and pour it over the shell to a sufficient thick- ness. I then remove the weights and pass a scraper over the top of the metal, and thus remove all the dross and acid that have arisen from the shell, etc. I then by means of a crane or other convenient apparatus, bring a metal plate or platen over the melted metal before it sets, and press it down to tbe proper point to make the plate of the right thickness.
By the pressure of the metal down upon the thin shell while it is plastic, I insure a perfect levelling of the shell in all its parts and make it true on its face, how^ever uneven it may before have been. T he pressure also consolidates the backing, prevents hollow shrinkages, and frees it from air-holes generally found in cast-metal backs. The platen, not being heated, chills and cools the metal more rapidly than can be done in the pouring process alone, and the bearers, if arranged close around the shell, wdll cut off the super- fluous metal wffien the platen is brought upon them.
IVIy claim for invention is backing shells for printing, embossing, and like purposes by pressing type or other suitable metal down upon the shell wffiile in a fluid or plastic state.
Albert H. Jocelyn.
Albert H. Jocelyn w^as born in 1827, the second son of S. S. Jocelyn. In 1853 Albert became associated with Elias J. Whitney, a wood engraver. They engraved many w’ood- cuts, some of Indians, one being Red Jacket, published, as tbe frontispiece in “Tbe Iroquois or the Bright Side of Indian Character.”^ A Nesbitt essay for stamped envelope and New’spaper wrapper w^as engraved by Albert H. Jocelyn.
Henry Loewenberg, of N. Y.
Letters Patent No. 40,489^ dated Nov. i86j. Process for Transf erring Prints, etc.
This invention consists in the application to paper or other material of a solution to render it transparent, so that designs or characters printed or otherwise produced on one side of the paper may be distinctly visible from the other side, and by the application of an adhesive substance over the printed characters the latter can be transferred to paper, glass, w^ood, or any other desirable surface simply by gluing the paper dowm on said sur- face by means of the adhesive substance, wffien the design, together with the adhesive substance, will adhere to the surface on which said design is to be transferred, and the transparent paper on which it was first printed or produced may be removed or not, as preferred.
Henry Loewenberg, of N. Y .
Letters Patent No. 42,207, dated April 5, 1864. Improvement in Postage and Revenue Stamps.
This object I effect by so preparing the paper or other substance on which the print is to be produced as to prevent the penetration of ink, printing on this prepared surface, and applying to the opposite side of the adhesive material by which the stamp is to be secured to the letter or other document.
A postage, revenue, or other stamp produced by printing on size applied to paper or other material to prevent the penetration of the ink, so that when the said stamp has been attached to a letter or other document and canceled by over-printing in the usual w ay the cancellation marks cannot be removed without destroying or effacing the print.
Henry Loewenberg , of New York.
Letters Patent No. 45,057, dated Nov. 15, 1864. Improvement in Adhesive Postage and Revenue Stamps.
1 “The Jocelyn Engravers, E. P. J. 20, page 213, by F. W. Rice
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The nature of my said invention consists in applying an adhesive substance to trans- parent paper or other material producing any desired picture, characters, or design upon the surface of said adhesive substance, so that the said characters or designs will be dis- tinctly visible through the paper or other material without coming in contact therewith^ and so that the stamp or other article thus produced, when it has been once applied tO' any surface, cannot be removed therefrom without being destroyed.
(Above patent seems to be an improvement on patent 40,489.)
Henry Loewenberg, of New York.
Letters Patent N o, ^^,o8i , dated March 6,1866. Improved Paper for Postage Stamps..
The nature of my invention consists of a new and useful Mode of Preparing Paper for the purpose of preventing alterations of any figures, letters, writing, characters or designs which may be traced or written or printed upon said prepared paper.
Preparation of the paper, either in the process of manufacture, or subsequently, with prussiate of potash, and with oxalic acid or other mordant, as will combine with any writing or printing ink subsequently used on the paper, so that when any such chemical agents as would remove writing or printing ink from ordinary paper, they would instantly discolor the paper, and instead of removing will affix such writing or printing ink to the paper more firmly. This discoloration of the paper will be permanent, and may be made of so deep a tint as to detect at once the attempted fraud. (See Francis- patent No. 48,389 dated June 27, 1865.)
Samuel Ward Francis, of New York, N. Y.
Improvement in Postage and Revenue Stamps. Letters Patent No. 48,38g, dated June 2J , 1863.
My invention consists in incorporating with or applying onto the stamp two or more ingredients, such as will chemically combine to produce a dark color or stain under the action of the moisture. For revenue stamps both or all ingredients may be embodied in or combined with the stamps before delivered for sale, so that when moistened for the purpose of sticking the same onto paper it may be defaced at once and become unsaleable and unfit to be used again. For postage stamps but one of the ingredients is used, so that no chemical combination or stain will be effected by merely moistening it, the other ingredient being used at the receiving-office and applied to the stamp in the manner herein- after described, for the purpose of producing the combination which effects the cancellation..
Abram J. Gibson of Worcester, Mass.
Improvement in Postage and other Stamps. Letters Patent No. 41,118, dated January- 5, 1864.
The plan which I at present deem in most respects the best is first to print the stamps- in the manner commonly practiced from an engraved plate, in which the characters are sunk in intaglio, the ink used being of the same indelible character now commonly used for the purpose, and afterward to produce an impression upon it in fugitive ink from a:
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\\ ooc en or electrotype-block by the process, known as “letter-press printing”, or from a stone or ()ther surface printing the color of such fugitive ink differing more or less from tiat of indelible ink used for the first impression, and the characters of which it is com- posed covering only such parts of the paper as are not covered by the first impression, or forming a light net-work, which will not obliterate that impression.
W illiam C. Wyckoff, of Brooklyn. Mew York
I Jiiprovetnent in P ostage and Revenue Stamps.
(Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 53,723, dated Apr. 3, 1866.)
The object of my invention is to prepare the paper on which the stamp is to be printed in such manner that a stamp cannot be removed from an envelope or whatever it has been attached to by the process of wetting, steaming or soaking; and to this end my Invention consists in coating the side of the paper on which the printing is to be done with a surface of water-color pigment or paint, or some sufficiently opaque surface to receive a good impression, and be at the same time quickly soluble in tvater or other fluid.
As one means of carrying out my invention, I prepare sheets of paper, which it is not essential to have as thick as the ordinary paper used for stamps, and spread over or paint the surface of the paper on the side which is to receive the impression of the plate an opaque water-color pigment or paint. This can be done by very simple machinery or by hand, such pigment or paint being prepared by the method usual and long known in what are called ‘water-colors,’ and consisting of the admixture with the coloring-matter of some adhesive substance to hold it together. The color I propose to use as the surface to receive the design may be made in various ways — for instance, oxide of zinc, which, when it is in the condition of water-color, is known in the market as “Chinese White” — or indeed pipe-clay (alumina) may be used with good effect, as it can be spread evenly for the purpose and furnishes a smooth surface and receives the impression well.
The stamp thus prepared can be used as any ordinary stamp, and it is to be used in the same way, and it accomplishes the end sought, as it can under no circumstance be removed from whatever it has been attached to by soaking or wetting, for the moment the surface comes in contact with water or other fluid the stamp becomes defaced and is consequently destroyed. Hence in using such stamps there could be no necessity of can- celling the same. Therefore it is not only applicable to postage-stamps, but also to revenue- stamps, many of which latter are used without being canceled-as proprietary stamps, for instance ; and if such stamps are properly “stuck” to the article it wmuld be impossible to remove them, and indeed it is believed that many revenue-stamps are removed by soaking or wetting the checks, notes, or other articles on which they are placed, and used again, and the fact of their previous cancellation is not noticed.
I am aware of the existence of a patent granted to Henry Loewenberg for self- cancelling stamps; and I wish here to remark that my invention differs from his in very important particulars. It will be understood that I do not require or wish transparency of paper or material on which to print, but, on the contrary, I leave the paper in its natural opaque condition and add to it some opaque soluble substance, for the reason that it is very difficult to obtain a good impression upon a glazed surface, or indeed upon any glutin- ous surface. Stamps made thereby are impracticable for ordinary use, aside from the above disadvantage in printing, for the reason that they are either sticky or too brittle, the latter being a great fault.
Hence, to make such stamps on an extensive scale, as does the Government, is im- practical. The preparation of the material in a state ready for the impression is exceed- ingly expensive, the material receives the impression poorly, the sheets of stamps when printed are apt to stick together or break in pieces, and indeed much time would be con- sumed in the mere matter of handling and counting sheets of such stamps, and there would be some difficulty in counting them accurately; and these are no inconsiderable items, as it is w'ell known to those who do engraving and printing for the Government.
1 therefore wish it distinctly understood that T lay no claim to Mr. Loewenberg’s invention.
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Loewenberg Patent No. 40,489 dated November 3, 1863 Loewenberg Patent No. 42,207 dated April 5, 1864 Loewenberg Patent No. 45,057 dated November 15, 1864 Loewenberg Patent No. 53,081 dated March 6, 1866
John M. Sturgeon, of New York, N. Y.
Letters Patent No. 79,iS7, dated June 27^, 1868. Improvement in Postage-Stamps,
The nature of my invention consists —
First, in attaching the stamp to a paper or other surface, by means of a cement or mucilage, so insoluble in water that any application of water or steam, for the purpose of facilitating the removal of the stamp, will destroy the integrity of the paper before dissolving or materially diminishing the adhesive of the cement.
Second — in printing upon the face or back of the stamp, with perfectly colorless and invisible ink, the word “cancelled” or any other cancelling-device, said ink having the property of becoming dark-colored and visible whenever dampened.
Third — in the preparation of a new colored vegetable ink, peculiarly adapted to the printing of stamps, bills, bonds, and other like instruments, in which said colorless and invisible ink is to be applied, as aforesaid, the first part of my invention I carry into in effect as follows* I make a cement or mucilage by mixing together animal glue, saccharine matter, either honey or molasses, and acetic acid. The proportions will depend in some degree upon the density of the glue, as well as of the saccharine matter, but a sufficiency of the latter must be used to form a mucilage of a proper consistency. These ingredients are to be well ground together, and will form a cement so far insoluble in water that it cannot be softened and its tenacity destroyed, by the application of water or steam, without destroying the integrity of the paper.
The second part of my invention I carry into effect as follows: I make a preparation of four parts tannic acid, one part sulphate of iron, one part gallic acid, two parts of starch, and two parts halsam Riga, reduced to impalpable powder and well ground together, forming a paste of about the consistency of printer’s ink. I do not however, limit myself to these proportions, as they may be considerably varied. With this prepara- tion I print words, figures, or devices on the face or back of the stamp, which are colorless and invisible until dampened, when they will turn a dark color and become perfectly distinct. The whole face or back of the stamp may be coated with this preparation in any suitable way, in which case the whole face of the stamp will turn a very dark color on being dampened. When this preparation is applied to the back of the stamp, the color will be brought out by wetting the mucilage for the purpose of attaching the stamp, and will show through the paper, so as to become apparent on the face of the stamp, which will thus become cancelled in the very act of attaching it, but when applied to the face, the cancelling-device will only become apparent on an attempt to remove the stamp by wetting it.
The third part of my invention I carry into effect as follows: 1 take scarlet, crimson, or other lakes, sap-green, indigo, or other suitable vegetable coloring-matter, and add
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flour, starch, and balsam copaiba, in such proportions as will produce a proper consistency, the coloring-matter to be applied in sufficient quantity to produce the desired tint, all to be pulverized and well ground together.
(ieorge Sinlllie, of New York, N. Y.
Improved Green Ink.
(Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 37,984, dated March 24, 1863.)
I'o all whom it may concern:
Be it known that I, George SmtUie, have invented a new and Improved Green Ink for Printing; AND I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact state- ment of the component parts of and mode of manufacturing the same.
T he basis of green ink commonly used in steel-plate and other printing is composed of anhydrous oxide of chromium. This, by reason of the hard and sharp character of its particles, wears aw’ay the plates or other printing surfaces very rapidly, and when used for bank-note printing rapidly wears away the points of the pens used in signing the notes if the signatures happen to come on the printed impression.
The object of my invention is to obtain a green ink which is not liable to the above objection, and which at the same time is indestructible ; and to this end it consists in the employment, and the basis of an ink, of a compound of chromium and asbestus or analogous material.
My mode of preparing the ingredients is as follows: Take the hydrated oxide of chromium, dissolve it in muriatic acid, and evaporate the solution. The resulting com- pound of chromium thus obtained is washed and dried and reduced to an impalpable powder by trituration. The asbestos, having been also reduced to the same condition by trituration, is incorporated with the chromium by mixing, stirring, and triturating them together in a dry state. This compound forms the basis of the ink w’hich is made by mix- ing it with oil in the manner commonly practiced with other bases employed in the manu- facture of printing ink.
The proportions of the chromium compound and asbestus may be varied according to the desired color of the ink. As the chromium constitutes the coloring matter, the ink will be paler or darker as a greater or less portion of asbestus is used. I generally use about one part, by weight, of asbestus to tivo parts of the chromium.
The ink, having its basis composed of two entirely indestructible elements, is unas- sailable by any or all of the known reagents, as iodine, chlorine, alkalies, and acids, while, owing to the extreme smoothness to which the chromium compound and asbestus can be brought by trituration, it neither wears the plate or other printing-surface nor the pen employed in writing over its impression in the same manner as the ink made of the anhydrous oxide of chromium as already used. The asbestus gives the ink a more unctuous character, which renders it capable of being easily worked in printing.
What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is
A printing-ink having for its basis a compound of chromium and asbestus or other
analogous and suitable material, substantially as herein described.
George Smillie.
(Note: George Smillie was the father of G. F. C. Smillie.)
Other patents for I mprovetneTit in Green Inks for Bank-Notes: George IMatthews,. of Montreal, Canada East. Letters Patent No. 17,688, dated June 30, 1857-
A Sahel K. Eaton, of New York, N. Y. Letters Patent No. 38,298, dated April 28,^
1863.
Thomas S terry Hunt, of Montreal, Canada East. Patent No. 40,839, dated Dec. 8, 1863.
Eileen M!sivo Designed A-iistrsilisi s
91 Civ
Eileen iVIayo was the artist for Australia s 8d Tiger third in the series of new fauna stamps.
^Tiger Cat’ Stamp
Cat stamp issued May ii, i960,.
i86
The Essay-Proof Journal No. 68
.[ndia’s Provisional Essays
By Jal Cooper, F.R.G.S.
Though stamps of King Edward VII were issued in India in 1902, several values, particularly the high values were issued as late as 1909 and even 1911, the year of his death. Thus, there had remained very large quantities of the three high values of the official stamps of King Edward VII, viz., Rs. 10, Rs.15 and Rs.25. It was therefore decided in 1925 to surcharge these stamps with “one rupee” and “two rupees” to use them up quickly, as these low denominations could be used up quickly. At the same time, it was decided to similarly overprint the King George V official high values of Rs. 15 and Rs. 25 to reduce the stock of these values also.
Before the final types for “surcharge” were selected, the Government Printing Office in Calcutta, had submitted thirty-two different types of essays, printed in a pane of twelve stamps each. Five of the types were adopted and twenty-seven remained as essays. As only twelve exist of each of these essays, they are nowadays very difficult to be obtained. Illustrated are the five accepted surcharges and four of the twenty-seven essays, but those who want to see more of these essays, can do so by referring to the second edition of my handbook. Stamps of India, as twenty-one of these essays, (twelve of King Edward VII and nine of King George V) are illustrated on pages 154 and 156 of this book.
EDesigmers of IRecemt Folisli Issues
A. Balcerzak was responsible for the design of Poland’s “Polska 60” issue, featuring a reproduction of an i860 design, with a target cancel of the period. The stamp marked the Centenary of Poland’s postage stamps. The 6ogr issued in September i960 in honor of Ignacy Zukasiewicz, chemist-pharmacist (1822-1882), was the design of Jerzy Dessel- berger, who was also responsible for another issue that month, a 2.50ZI marking the centenary of the birth of Ignacy Paderewski, pianist and composer. (1860-1941).
‘St, Beritiward and St, Godeliard’ by Ege and Braband
Eduard Ege created the design, and Harald Braband was the engraver of the 20pfg red issued by Germany in September i960 commemorating the i, 000th anniversary of the births of Bishops St. Bernward (960-1022) and St. Godehard (960-1038).
Tlie lissay-l’roof Journal No. 68
187
U» S» XX CciitiLiry
.Essay Designs, Models and Proofs
By Sol Glass
(Continued from Journal 67, page 143)
Cliampiom of Lilberty Issue ^ Simon IBolivar
Four Cents— Eight Cents— Issued July 24, 1958
FOUR CENTS
UNITED STATES POSTAGE
CHAMPION OF LIBERTY
UNrrtD STATES POSTAGE
CHAMPION pF LIBERTY
UNITED STATES POSTAGE
1110 E-A. Rejected Essay 1110 E-B. Rejected Essay 1110 E-C. Approved Model Simon Bolivar Simon Bolivar Simon Bolivar
Two Rejected Designs.
Designer — See under Source of Design.
Modeler — William K. Schrage.
Engravers — Portrait, Torch, Sprays of leaves and ribbon, Charles A. Brooks. Lettering and Numerals on Medallion, John S. Edmondson. Other lettering and numeral “4c”, Howard F. Sharpless.
Design Submitted May 28, 1958 to Post Office Department.
Model Approved May 28, 1958 by Arthur E. Summerfield, P. M. G.
Die Proof Approved June ii, 1958, by Arthur E. Summerfield, P. M. G.
EIGHT CENTS
UNITED STATES POSTAGE
UNITED STATES POSTAGEUNITED STATES POSTAGE
1111 E-A. Rejected Essay Simon Bolivar
1111 E-B. Rejected Essay 1111 Simon Bolivar
E-C. Approved Mo<lel Simon liolivar
i88
The Essay-Proof Journal No. 68
Two Rejected Designs.
Designer — See Under Source of Design.
Modeler — William K. Schrage.
Engravers — Portrait, Torch, Sprays of Leaves and Red & Blue strips in the ribbon, Charles A. Brooks.
Lettering and Numerals, John S. Edmondson.
Design Submitted March ii, 1958 to Post Office Department.
Model Approved March ii, 1958 by Arthur E. Summerfield, P. M. G.
Die Approved June ii, 1958 by Arthur E. Summerfield, P. M. G.
Source ot“ Desi^i
A postal card showing a portrait of Simon Bolivar, furnished by the Venezuelan Infor- mation Service, 2437 California Street, N. W., Washington 8, D. C., and a rough pencil sketch showing lettering, etc. The design of these stamps is in the Famous American size, but it was based on the 8c Champion of Liberty, Ramon Magsaysay Stamp, Series 1957; which was a drawing of a stamp design presented by Arthur Copeland, a member of the Post Office Department’s Citizen’s Stamp Advisory Committee. Other members of the Committee, Messrs. William H. Buckley, and Ervine Metzl, collaborated on the ■design, with illustrated work being done by Mr. Metzl and the production supervised by Mr. Buckley.
Three Cents — Issued August 15, 1958
Five Rejected Designs.
Designer — George Giusti.
Modeler — William K. Schrage.
Engravers — Vignette, Charles A. Brooks.
Lettering and Numerals, George A. Payne.
Design Submitted May 8, 1958 to Post Office Department.
Model Approved May 9, 1958 by Arthur E. Summerfield, P. M. G.
Die Proof Approved June 16, 1958 by Arthur E. Summerfield, P. M. G.
Source of Design
An original drawing by George Giusti, New York City.
Back Numbers of
The Essay^Proof Journal
are available upon application to
the Secretary
KENNETH MINUSE
1236 Grand Concourse, New York 56, N. Y.
I he I^ssay-Proot Journal No. 68
1 89
III*- Kssay
ll(‘iuispIi(‘io aiKl ( able
1112 K-|{. |{e Essay (iloix* an<I Essay
THE
ATLAMTIC
CABLE
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UKlfTfcP
StAm$
RDSTAfeE
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rMs;' JirrL-A.>^-nc:
ATLANTIC CABLE CENTENARY 1858 ■ 1958
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(Center Illustration)
1112 E-C. Rejected Essay Globe and Cable
(Center Illustration)
1112 E-D. Rejected Essay Globe and Fish
1112 E-F. Approved Model Neptune, Globe and Mermaid
1112 E-E. Rejected Essay Eagle, Globe and Neptune
Limcolii Sesquicemteiimial Series
Four Cent — Issued May 30, 1959
IIK) E-A. Apinoved >lodel IJncoln by Daniel Chester French
190
The Essay-Proof Journal No. 68
No rejected Designs.
Designer — Ervine Metzl.
Modeler — Charles R. Chickering.
Engravers — Vignette, Charles A. Brooks.
Signature, Lettering and Numeral, George L. Huber.
Design Submitted October 24, 1958 to Post Office Department.
Model Approved October 31, 1958 by E. O. Sessions, Acting P. M. G.
Die Proof Approved January 26, 1959 by Arthur E. Summerfield, P. M. G.
Source of Design
A photograph of a stamp design, a sheet of lettering, a sheet of numerals and the signature of A. Lincoln by Ervine Metzl, New York City, and an etching by the German Artist, Fritz Busse, featuring a part of the famed statue in the Lincoln Memorial, Wash- ington, D. C.
Lincoln Sesqnicentennial Series
Four Cent — Issued August 27, 1958
1115 E-A. Rejected Essay 1115 E-B. Rejected Essay
Abraham Lincoln and Stephen A. Douglas Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas
debating debating
1115 E-C. Approved Model Abraham Lincoln and Stephen A. Douglas
debating
Two Rejected Designs.
Designer — Ervine Metzl.
Modeler — William K. Schrage.
Engravers — Vignette, Matthew D. Fenton.
Lettering, Numerals, and Frame, Reuben K. Barrick. Design Submitted June 17, 1958 to Post Office Department.
Model Approved June 18, 1958 by Arthur E. Summerfield, P. M. G. Die Proof Approved July 21, 1958 by E. O. Sessions, Acting P. M. G.
Source of Design
A stamp design, a sheet of lettering and a frame (ribbon) by Ervine Metzl, and a photograph by Brown Brothers, New York City.
The Tssay-Proof Journal No. 68
Liecole Sesqiuiiceeteeeial Issue
Three Cent Issued February 27, 1959
1114 E-A. Approved Model Lincoln by Gutzon Ilorgliini
No Rejected Designs.
Designer — Ervine Metzl.
Engravers — Portrait, Arthur W. Dintaman.
Lettering and Numeral, Howard F, Sharpless.
Design Submitted October 24, 1958 to Post Office Department.
Model Approved October 31, 1958 by E. O. Sessions, Acting P. M. G.
Die Proof Approved December 31, 1958 by E. O. Sessions, Acting P. M. G.
Source of Design
A drawing by Ervine Metzl, New York City, using as source material a photograph picturing the sculptured head of Lincoln by Gutzon Borglum, done in marble in 1906 and now in the rotunda of the Capitol in Washington, D. C.
To be Continued
Oesiguers and Engravers of Recent Japanese Stamps
Hitoshi Otsuka and Saburo Watanabe were the designers, respectively, of the two 5 yen Japanese stamps issued Oct. 23, i960, to mark the fifteenth National Athletic ATeeting. Mr. Otsuka designed the “Kendo” — Japanese fencing — stamp and Mr. Watanabe the design showing a gymnast leaping to the long horse. Shokichi Nakada (Kendo) and Katsuzo Oshikiri were the engravers. Masaru Kimura was the designer and Tsuneo Kasano the engraver of the 10 yen stamp issued Oct. 19, i960, commemorat- ing the opening of the Okayama Astrophysical Observatory of the Tokyo Astronomical Observatory. For International Letter Writing Week, i960, the multicolored 30 yen design issued Oct. 9, i960, was adapted by Saburo Watanabe from the block print “Kambara” from the “Fifty-three stages of Tokaido” series by Hiroshige Ando.
192
The Essay-Proof Journal No. 68
France
By George W. Caldwell
This issue (Scott’s A7-11) was brought about by the precarious situation in which France found itself during the late months of the Franco-Prussian War of 1870-71. Hence, we set down a few cryptic notes by way of background to give the reader a better understanding of this matter.
On July 19, 1870, France formally declared war on Prussia and on August 2 — so it has been said — the first shot was fired. Despite some French successes, the Prussians continued to advance toward Paris, their ultimate goal.
On September i, 1870, a considerable portion of the French army was defeated at Sedan and Emperor Napoleon III was taken prisoner. News of this defeat set off a rebellion in Paris; and Leon Gambetta, head of the Government of National Safety, declared the establishment of the Third Republic. On September 13 the Government of National Defense escaped to Tours and six days later, Paris was completely in the hands of the Prussians.
Aware of the impossibility of obtaining supplies of postage stamps from Paris, the Provisional Government in Tours initiated plans to have stamps manufactured in Bor- deaux. Accordingly, a deputy of the Finance Ministry in Tours dispatched a letter dated September 30 to Delebecque, head of the mint in Bordeaux directing him to have such stamps manufactured. The latter contacted Ange Delile, an engraver in Bordeaux. Delile prepared a design which with minor changes was approved by the Provisional Govern- ment. This model, it would seem, duplicated generally the Barre design used for the 1849 issue. It has been stated that such a stamp had been flown out of Paris by a piloted balloon, and forwarded to Bordeaux.
A contract with Ange Delile was then approved by the Postmaster of the Gironde. This document provided for nine denominations: i, 2, 4, 5, 10, 20, 30, 40 and 80 centimes to be printed in sheets of 300 subjects arranged in groups of 150 separated by a vertical gutter. Output was to average 4000 sheets per day. It has been stated that printing started October 31, 1870; and that the 20 centimes value was placed in service November 13. This value was printed first because its use was far greater than any of the other values.
Now let’s go back and pick up some of tbe details in producing this stamp.
When Delile found himself faced with the job of manufacturing this postage stamp issue he seems to have been at a loss as to how to proceed. Apparently he was not ex- perienced with this type of work. First he had Dambourgez (probably an associate or an employe) make a pen and ink drawing with which by some photographic process the design could be transferred to a lithograph stone. This idea resulted in a miserable failure. Next he came up with the idea of engraving the design on a wood block and using this in the production of an electrotype plate. This idea was quickly discarded.
H is third and final idea was successful and was used — possibly with a few refinements — throughout the contract. He had Dambourgez draw the complete frame of the 20 cen- times value directly on stone using lithograph ink. From this a 15-subject (5 wide) trans- fer matrix was pulled which in turn was transferred to another stone. The Ceres vignette was drawn on a separate stone and bv transfer added one subject at a time to this 15-subject frame stone thereby creating the master stone. This master then was transferred twenty times to the printing stone of 300 subjects in two panels separated by a vertical gutter.
This basic plan was used in producing all the values of this Bordeaux issue. How- ever, there is the possibility of some minor deviations. It is possible, and in the writer s opinion probable, that at some stage in production a master single stone without expression of the denomination may have been used.
In the information we have, Leopold You, a pupil of Dambourgez engraved (sic), two subsequent stones of the 20 centimes value. We are not informed as to whether
(Continued on l^ag'e lOJ)
The Kssiiy-Proof Journal No. 68
‘93
l;59E-A
St. Pierre Fishing Boat.
l;?7E-A
Polar Bear.
141E-A
Dying Flurry of Blue Whale.
Reviews of Publicatioes
Further Information on the Stamps of Newfoundland, 1911-1928, by Arnold M. Strange, in The London Philatelist, October-N ovember and December, 1958.
H ere is an excellent and detailed set of articles running some thirteen pages, giving at last the answers to some questions that have puzzled philatelists for years. Mr. Strange is to be congratulated for having persuaded Messrs. Walter & Whitehead (successors to Whitehead, Alorris Ltd., who had the contract during this period to provide the stamps for Newfoundland) to permit DeLaRue to put their records at his disposal.
The story opens with the Coronation Issue of 1911, ending with the First Publicity Issue of 1928. The articles deal with the correspondence between Whitehead, Morris Ltd. and DeLaRue concerning essays, proofs, paper to be used, etc., and many more details of the preparation and printing of these stamps. One of the most revealing items con- cerns the 6, 8, 9, 12 and 15 cent values of the Coronation Issue of 1911, which tells of a copy of instructions in the archives containing a pencilled note, “Mr. Morris will see to these”. As part of the original request for quotations covering the cost of preparing and printing this issue, it was specified that DeLaRue be responsible for the selection of the paper to be used. Mr. Strange’s very fine detail research shows that hundreds of sheets
140E-A
Off Newfoundland.
of this paper were delivered to W^hitehead, Morris Ltd. Mr. Strange states. This could lead to the impression that Whitehead, Morris did actually print these denominations, particularly as there is no evidence that DeLaRue received any orders for them. How- ever, I have the most reliable authority for stating that this was not the case and that, furthermore, Whitehead, Morris never did print stamps on their own premises as they had no plant suitable for this type of wmrk. I have not been able to trace the identity of the other sub-contractors, or contractors, but it may well have been IMessrs. Perkins, aeon
and Company.” . , , ...
These articles will, in this reviewer’s opinion, identify the essays wTich we here illus- trate as being among the essays submitted by DeLaRue and described on page 173 of the October 1958 issue of The London Philatelist. These illustrations are reproduced from pap 218 of the Essay-Proof Journal, Vol. 12, Whole No. 48 (October .955), as part of the Newfoundland Catalog of Essays and Proofs, but not fully identified. There is also
194
The Essay-Proof Journal No. 68
some evidence that some of the ideas submitted among the essays of 1911 were incor- porated in the 1928 stamps.
This series of articles by Mr. Strange is a must for all serious collectors of the essays, proofs and stamps of Newfoundland, and this reviewer suggests that they be ob- tained from the Royal Philatelic Society, London, England, if still available.
Again our congratulations to Mr. Strange for his contribution to our increasing knowledge of the philatelic items we all love to collect. — K. m.
Mueller Catalog of Switeerlaud & Liecliteaistem
A Review
The 30th edition (1961) of this ever popular specialized catalog is now available. Its content is what one expects to find in a specialized catalog, except it fails to give the names of the designers, engravers and printers. Nevertheless it is a very comprehensive work, copiously illustrated and excellently arranged for ease of reference. Altho printed in German, its index, symbols and terms of sale are in English and in French. The language feature should present no serious problem to the English speaker whose interest lies within its scope, whether that interest is in stamps or in essays and proofs. Your reviewer makes frequent use of this handy volume.
Obtainable from the publisher, Ernst Mueller, Aeschenvorstadt 21, Basel, Switzer- land. Price $1.00 post free, payable in U. S. Currency.
— G. W. C.
The E<^P Society Catalog of Essays and Proofs
Kenneth Minuse, Chairman.
The attention of the Catalog Committee has been called to an article by Ed.. Richardson in the June i960 issue of Topics, the Journal of the British North America Philatelic Society, regarding the sometimes called “Diamond Jubilee Essays of Canada”. These were fully described, illustrated and included in our Catalog of Canada Essays and Proofs on pages 53 and 54 of the Essay-Proof Journal for January 1956 (WTole No.^ 49). There were seven values in this set, two of which are reproduced here.
This article in Topics makes it quite clear that these are neither essays nor Canadian, but simply labels printed and sold at the time of the Diamond Jubilee. We are there- fore deleting the following numbers from our catalog.
51 E-B >^p.; 52 E-B ip; 53 E-B ij^p.; 53a E-B 2p.; 55 E-B 3p; 56 E-B 4p.j 57a E-B 6p.
The Essay-Proof Journal No. 68
^95
Report of Auction Sales of Proofs
Auctioneers desiring their sales reported should send prices realized to the Editor, or for sales of British North America essays and proofs to Kenneth Minuse 1236 Grand Concourse, New York 56, N. Y.; for sales of U. S. essays and proofs to Sol. Altmann, 65-20 Parsons Blvd,, Flushing 65, N. Y.
When sales are not reported, no prices realized were received or items were imperfect or unimportant.
Auction catalogs should illustrate all essays not illustrated in standard catalogs Our essay and proof numbers are Scott’s stamp numbers with E. P. S. catalog abbreviations. See E. P. S. catalog definitions in every Journal Catalog.
U. S. essay numbers are from Brazer’s Catalog of Essays for U. S. stamps and its addenda.
ALL DESCRIPTIONS ARE FROM THE AUCTIONEER’S CATALOGS.
H. K. Harmei* Inc., N. YL Sale of June 13-15, 1960
1851-55
12p.
Canada
black, plate proof on India, overpr. “Specimen” in carmine, v. f.
3P3S $60.00
Harnier, Rooke & Co., Inc., N. Y. Sale of Sept. 28-29-30, 1960
1865
N ew foundland
1911
1868
1880
1861
1870
1872
2c black, finished trial color plate proof on thick gummed paper, perf.
12 V. F 24TC6a 13.00
5c Deep orange brown, trial color plate proof on India with imprint
at bottom, v. f 25TC3 6.00
5c a similar lot, but in deep orange, v. f 25TC3 5.75
5c a similar lot, but in rose carmine 25TC3 5.75
13c green, finished trial color plate proof on bond paper, yellow gum,
perf 12, V. f 30TC6a 17.00
lc-15c complete set, trial color plate proofs on thick glazed paper, some
on card in horiz. pairs, v. f 104-114TC 67.50
Ic purple, trial color plate proof on India, block of 4, v. f 32TC3 15.00
Ic a similar lot, but in dusky green, v. f 32TC3 16.00
3c slate black, trial color plate proof on India, block of 4, v. f. . .33TC3 18.00
3c a similar lot, but in orange-red, v. f 33TC3 20.00
Ic black, large trial color die proof on India, v. f 41TC1 25.00
Prince Edward Island
2p rose, small die proof on wove paper, v. f 1P2 26.00
4 p dark green, trial color large die proof on wove paper, stain in
margin lOTCl 34.00
Ic rose, small trial color die proof on wove paper, v. f 11TC2 28.00
3c rose, small die proof on wove paper, v. f 13P2 30.00
J. N. Sissons Ltd., Toronto, Ca., Sales of Sept. 28-29,
1960
Uaiiada
Id brown, Bradbury, Wilkinson essay, Colony of Canada, sheet margin
at right, v. IbE-A 72.50
1852-57
1/2 d rose, plate proof on India, with vert. “Specimen” in green, v. f. 8P3S 17.00
1868-75
12y2C deep blue, small die proof on India, unlisted and rare, cut close,
but very good 28P2 10.50
1870-93
2c black, essay on yellow gummed paper small crease 22E-A 9.00
1897
3c red, die essay on greenish wove paper, v. f
3c orange, small trial color die proof, fine
5c purple, large trial color die proof on greenish-blue wove paper, wit die No. and imprint, slight crease but very fine 70iCi
196
The Essay-i^roof Journal No. 68
1898-1902
3c dark red, large trial color die proof on wove paper with die No.
and imprint, v. f 78TC1
3c same as above, but in dark carmine 78P1
1903-08
Ic red, Perkins Bacon essay with colorless numerals, horiz. pair fine
89E-A
Ic same as above, but in gray-black 89E-A
1912-25
2c rose, large die proof with imprint 106TC1
1879
brown. Officially Sealed, plate proof on card, v. f OS1P4
New Brunswick
1860-63
5c brown, Connell, plate proof on India with vert. “Specimen” in red,
V. f 5P3S
5c another lot as above 5P3S
17c black, plate proof on India, block of 4 11P3
Prince Edward Island
4d gray, plate proof very fine pair 9P
4 14d brown, plate proof on card, v. f 10P4
H. It. Harnier, Inc., New York, September 12, 1960
United States
1894 Ic to 5.00 large die proofs on India, mounted on card, complete set in issued colors, except 15c in deep violet (possibly unique) The 2c is triangle 1 and the 3c is triangle 2. (F. D. R. sale realized 800.
247P1-263P1-259TC1
1925 17c black, large die proof on India, (45x47mm) 623P1
Newspaper Stamps
1865 10c black, trial color plate proof on thick cream wove paper, pane of
10, with imp. at top PR2TC5
same as above but in lake, blue, each
5c same as above, black, lake, blue-green each
1851 Ic Franklin Carrier stamp, in green, plate proof on India, blk. of 4
LOITC
25.00 green, center design “Coat of Arms of Maryland” plate essay with card backing R130E
Cuba
189 9 Ic to 10c, inc. Special delivery, complete set of small die proofs on grey card 227P-31P2,E32
John A. Fox, New Y^ork, October 10, 1960 1861
1881-88
1893
1873
90c “August”, Trial color in green 62TC5
Ic to 90c “Atlanta” in Scarlet 102-lllTC
Ic to 90c 11 diff. plate proofs on card 205-9, 213-218P4
Ic to 5.00, Columbians, complete on card 230P-245P4
Atlanta Tidal Colors, Departments
Ic to 30c Agriculture, each color from 9. to 15.
Ic to 10c Executive, each color from 5.50 to 12.50 Ic to 90c Interior, each color from 8. to 12.50
Ic to 9 0c Justice, each color complete
Ic to 90c Navy, each color, complete
Ic to 90c P. O. each color, complete
Ic to 90c State, each color, complete
Ic to 9 0c Treasury, each color, complete
Ic to 9 0c War, each color, complete
Revenue
1862-71 Ic Proprietary, T. C. in blue, blk. of 4, perf. & Gummed . . . .R3Tc 2c Playing card, blue, blk. of 4 on card R11P4
C<)ntinue<l on I*age 199
31.00
26.00
30.00
32.00
42.00
26.00
11.50
11.25
14.00
8.00
15.00
210.00
28.00
15.00
15.00
15.00
15.00
5.00
17.00
12.50 62.00
8.50
62.50
60.00
85.00
44.00 51.50 51.75
52.00
10.00
8.00
The Essay-Proof Journal No. 68
197
Secretary’s Report
By Kf.nneth IVIinuse, Secretary 1236 Grand Concourse, New York 56, N. Y.
Members Admitted
962 Greene, H. C. 30 Sherman Terrace, Madison 4, Wise.
963 Stevens, Clark H. 1386 Lakeside, Birmingham, Mich.
Applications Received
964 Check, Francis J. 2116 Bayard Park Drive, Evansville 14, Ind.
(U. S. Postal Cards), former member re-joining
965 Cummings, Marston 2018 Allston Way, Berkeley 4, California
(U, S. Essays and Proofs), By Kenneth Minuse
Change of Address
|
C49 |
Turner, George T. |
to 408 “A” Street S. E., Washington 3, D, C. |
|
|
I4I |
Little, Philip, Jr. |
to 490 Highcroft Road, Wavzata, Minn. |
|
|
664 |
Gurney, Kent W. |
to 348 Ross Road, Paramus, |
New Jersey. |
|
744 |
Rochlin, Phillip |
to 83 Boulevard, Passaic, New Jersey. |
|
|
920 |
Mishler, Clifford |
to P. 0. Box 187, Vandalia, |
Mich. |
|
662 |
Fernald, Alan R. |
to 2415 Woodward Way N. |
W., Atlanta 5, Georgi |
|
Correction of Name |
|||
|
541 |
Dale, Mrs. John Denny to Dale, Mrs. Louise Boyd |
||
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Deceased |
|||
|
733 |
Fortgang, Morris |
||
|
Resignations |
|||
|
C47 |
Barkhausen, L. H. |
818 |
Poole, Ernest E. |
|
240 |
Brill, Edward |
870 |
Oster, Harold F. |
|
350 |
Wasko, Frank |
879 |
Sutherland, Harry |
|
568 |
Roth, Douglas |
886 |
Sprinkle, Frank F, |
|
793 |
Smythe, Donald D. |
916 |
Penar, Frank J. |
|
Droijped for Non-Payment of Dues |
|||
|
C22 |
Colby, Sylvester |
776 |
Shorney, Clifford |
|
158 |
Bolaffi, Dante S. |
824 |
Scott, W. J. |
Elmmeration of Membership
Number reported in Journal No. 67
Gains
Losses
Error corrected
Net membership in this Journal No. 68
Non-Member Subscribers
288
2
15
I
274
9
Back IViamlbers of Tlie Essay^^Proof Joarmal
Complete sets of the Journal are no longer available.
Quite a few of the individual numbers are now in short supply.
It is advisable for those needing any back numbers, to apply for them now, while they are still available.
Kenneth Minuse, Secretary,
1236 Grand Concourse, New York 56, N. Y.
Canadian Coins, Paper Currency and Tokens, by H. C. Taylor and Somer James. Second Edition. International Coin Company, 157 Rupert St., Winnipeg 2, Canada. 232 (5x8) pages. Spiral bound. $i.75*
This catalogue will be of interest because of an extensive section devoted to Dominion of Canada notes — fractional currency. Province as well as Dominion notes, those of the Bank of Canada, Newfoundland, chartered banks, etc. It is completely illustrated, in- cluding the section devoted to broken bank notes.
198
The Essay-Proof Journal No. 68
COMPLIMENTS
IRWIN HEIMAN, lec. Philatelic Auctioneers
2 W. 46th St.
New York City, N. Y.
.Essays and Proofs
are offered regularly in our
MONTHLY AUCTIONS
★
Catalogue Free on Request.
64-page Price List of LIST of PHILATELIC LITERATURE
(50c deductible from first order)
★
Billig & Rich, Inc.
55 WEST 42nd STREET NEW YORK 36, N. Y.
WANTED
United States
LARGE AND SMALL SIZE
Paper Money
Proof and Essay Notes in All Series.
Fractional Currency. Confederate Paper Money and Bonds.
Broken Bank Notes, etc. Encased Postage Stamps.
L. S. WERNER
1270 Broadway, Cor. 33rd St., Room 514 (LA 4-5669) New York 1, N. Y.
Member Professional Numismatic Guild
WANTED TO BUY
Proof bank notes — books — En- gravings — vignettes of any bank note company.
Bureau of engraving books, vi- gnettes etc.
Counterfeit detectors — Heath, Ormsby, etc.
Documents pertaining to banknote companies, engravers, etc.
Please forward your material, to- gether with price.
If accepted we will promptly air mail check.
James Incorporated
James Building
105 West Main St., Louisville 2, Kentucky JUniper 3-4851-2-3
The Essay-IVoof Journal No. 68
199
Fraecej Tlie Bordeaux Issue of 1870 71
Continued from Pa^e 11>2
these were completely redrawn, or on the contrary, a patching method was used in order to avoid redrawing those parts of the design which he didn’t consider necessary to change. It is of interest to note that Leopold You is credited with preparing all the stones except the first 20 centimes stone.
The design concept of the i, 2 and 4 centimes differed from the other six in that they were copied from the Empire issues of similar values, except the use of the Ceres head in place of the Napoleon profile. The production process of these, including the 15-subject matrices was the same as used for the other values.
A total of sixteen printing stones were used in printing the Bordeaux issue. These consisted of two each for the 2, 4 and 10 centimes; three each for the i and 20 centimes; and one each for the other four values.
Late in January 1871, after four months of siege, Paris was compelled by hunger to open negotiations for surrender at Versailles. The First Assembly of the French Repub- lic met in Bordeaux in February, and on March i, ratified the preliminaries of peace. The Director of Posts three days later — March 4, 1871 — instructed the mint at Bordeaux to terminate the printing of this provisional issue within ten days.
Of the stamp stock remaining at this time, some values were sent to several of the larger towns and the remainder forwarded to Paris where they were stored in the T reasury. These were destroyed in 1876.
It has been stated that on March 18, 1871, all the lithograph stones, the designs having been erased; ten retouched matrices; and the 20 centimes wooden block which as we mentioned had not been used, were turned over to the Bordeaux Mint. These were then destroyed.
Such in brief is the story of a stamp issue that resulted from a colossal blunder made by Emperor Napoleon III (Louis Napoleon, nephew of Bonaparte), one of several poorly conceived plans in this monarch’s foreign policy.
Continued from Page 196
4c Proprietary, black, T. C. blk. of 4 on India R22TC3 6.00
10c Proprietary, blue, blk. of 4, on India R38P3 16.00
50c Entry of Goods, blue, blk. of 4, on card R55P4 15.00
1.60 Foreign Exch. green, blk. of 4 on card R79P4 21.00
1871-72 1.50 Horizontal strip of 4 with Imp. & plate No. 27 at bottom
R120P4 12.00
1.60 horizontal strip of 3 on India, with Imp. and plate No. 24 at
bottom R121P3 11.00
1.90 horiz. strip of 4 with Imp. & plate No. 31 at bottom on card
R122P4 21.00
Harmer, Rooke & Co., Inc., New York, October 18, 1960
1869 Ic to 90c COMPLETE SET ON India 112P-122P3 28.00
1894 2c claret. Postage due, blk. of 8, (4x2) on card J32P4 10.00
1875 2c to 60. Newspapers in black, T. C PR9-32TC 8.50
Vatican City’s St, Ignatius Loyola Issue of 1956
Vatican City commemorated the 4th Centenary of the Death of St. Ignatius Loyola, founder of the Society of Jesus, by its July 31, 195^ 2-denomination issue (Scott s A72) designed by Miss Casimira Dabrow'ska. The die was engraved by Mazzini Canfarini, and the stamps intaglio printed in the State Printing Plant under Ordinance No. 104 dated July 31, 1956.
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The Essay-Proof Journal No. 68
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Copy of Essay-Proof Journal, Whole No. 56, also copy of original W. L. Ormsby’s book “Bank Note Engraving” and any Ormsby engraved Notes or Proofs, or articles, let- ters and literature dealing with Ormsby. |
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In Mentioriamti
Morris Fortgang^ student of the One Cent 1851-1857 issues, died Aug. 5, i960, of a heart attack. Born in New York City in 1899, Mr. Fortgang attended the High School of Commerce and the College of the City of New York where he specialized in journalism. Upon graduation, he became a reporter for the New York Daily Mail, covering political events. After some years in this field, he left to enter the paper and twine business, retiring in 1955. He devoted a considerable part of his time to his philatelic activities.
Mr. Fortgang formed his first stamp collection at the age of nine. He was an avid collector for the rest of his life, forming an extensive collection of United States stamps. In 1946 he turned to the early issues, concentrating on the One Cent stamps of 1851- 1857. His work plates 3 and 5 added greatly to the available knowledge.
A scholarly person and a capable writer, he possessed a photographic memory which proved of great value in his studies. He memorized hundreds of plate positions of the One Cent stamp and could identify them with a certainty that was the admiration of his many colleagues. He wrote numerous articles including an introduction to the study of the One Cent 1851-1857, which appeared in the Centennial Book of the National Phila- telic Museum. He was long a collaborator with the late Stanley B. Ashbrook in studies of the 1851-1860 issues. More recently, he cooperated with Mortimer Neinken in pre- paring material for the publication of an additional volume on the One Cent 1851-1857 stamps as a supplement to the books written by Mr. Ashbrook.
A modest and unassuming man, Mr. Fortgang made many contributions, both in time and money in assisting worthwhile philatelic activities, exhibitions and publications. He was treasurer of the United States 1851-1860 Unit of The American Philatelic Society and helped in placing this group in a strong financial position. He was a member of the Collectors Club of New York and many other philatelic organizations.
H is survivors are his wife, Anne Fortgang, a daughter, Madelyn Kestenbaum, a son, Joe Franklin, well known TV and radio personality, and two grandchildren.
fine quality
For The
U. S. BANKNOTE ISSUE SPECIALIST
A Unique Opportunif-y
To Acquire the Following Very Rare “Experimentally Can- celled“ BANKNOTES. All Were Enclosed in a Small White Envelope With Corner Card of “POST OFFICE DE- PARTMENT, OFFICE OF THE THIRD ASSISTANT P. M. GENERAL, OFFICIAL BUSI- NESS” on Which Is Inscribed in Ink: ^^Stamps Cancelled with Ink No. 2 Submitted for Test May 14, ’75.”
All Fresh ^ 1 ?n maculate Jf it h Full O. G.
#156. Ic BLUE, Block of 6 (3x2),
Top Sheet Margin with Plate “No.
147”, Each stamp cancelled by 4 Ring Black Target, st. ed. at left,
fine centering. Net $35.00
#157, 2c BROWN, Identical Block of 6, with Plate “No. 163”, Top 3 stamps cancelled by same 4 ring Target, B.T. 3 by 4 Bar Grid, V.F.
centering, Net 35.00
#158, 3c GREEN, Block of 6 (3x2),
Left sheet margin, cancelled by same 4 Ring Black Target, F-VF
centering. Net 25.00
#161, 10c BROWN, Hor. strip of 3, Top sheet Margin with part of Imprint, cancelled by Circular 4 wedge grid, superb centering. Net 25.00
All 4 Pieces as a Lot, Net 100.00
(Including original envelope in which enclosed)
Photocopy of Envelope Accompany Individual Orders
Other Interesting BANK NOTE Material in Stock, Including 2c, 3c, & 5c Continental Grilles In Blocks.
Satisfaction or Immediate Refund.
Gladly Sent on Approval with References Installment Payment Terms if Desired (No Interest or Carrying Charges)
JACK E. MOLESWORTH, INC.
APS
SPA
(SA
166 Beacon Street BOSTON 16, MASS. Phone: Copley 7-4682
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RDBSDN LDWE LTD.
5D PALL MALL LONDON, 5. W. T.
Cables: ''Stamps, London’
If you would like to know more about our busi- ness and terms of sale please send for our cur- rent “Review” which also includes several won- derful illustrations of stamps in colour.
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Col4»iiial Collection
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