Plate Varieties

Thank you all for a wonderful insight to this topic/thread.
David-DJD

What an interesting thread!

As it happens, I live in a home formerly occupied by a siderographer who worked on stamps at the Canadian Bank Note company here in Ottawa, Ontario. I didn't know that when I purchased the house, but only recently found out through a newsletter supplement of the Elizabethan Study Group of the British North America Philatelic Society (BNAPS). I wonder what the previous (now deceased) occupant would have thought, knowing that many of the results of his work were housed here?

It really is a small world.

Excellent Russ! So much information on SCF and the members have a wealth of knowledge. How come I did not find this site earlier.....

Petermac, that is a great story!
If the wallpaper could talk.

Here is another example of a short transfer, with the top of the upper label block missing above GE of POSTAGE, and the top of the upper right diamond block missing. This is #10A plate position 38L1i.

Not only can there be short transfers from the process being incomplete, but foreign entries can be caused by over-rocking the transfer roll. That is because there were usually multiple designs on a transfer roll. That is how the R116, R120, and R142 foreign entries were created.

Ahhh, finally an easily understadable explanation of the US early varieties. 15 years after the post have been made, this post is still extremely useful. Thank you really much for posting. Understanding how are plate varieties made is necessary for future platers like me.

FYI, depending on how deep you care to go, the book I have always used for reference on line engraving and siderography is: "Printing Postage Stamps by Line Engraving" by James Baxter, 1939.

Thanks for the reference! That's appreciated.