Identify "Varnish Ink" Stamp

Hi,

How to identify "Varnish ink" stamp?

Thank you!

CDNum.

If you are referring to Austrian stamps of the 1890s, varnish appears as shiny diagonal bars on the face of the stamp. Soaking does not remove them. Once you see a good example, you will not forget.

Hi Doug222,

It is interesting... this link refer to Austrian varnish bar exemple :

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...1904_72h.jpg

I saw some GB stamp with "Varnish ink" variety... I don't know what it is; maybe someone know how to identify it?

Thank you!

CDNum

This got pretty complicated. You can see examples of "varnish ink" by searching Google for that exact term, along with the words "great, britain, stamp."

Here is one listed on ebay:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1924-1-1-2d...0#vi-content

Now comes the surprise, no such stamp is listed in the Gibbons "4 Kings" so this item must be extremely specialized.

As you can see, the ebay example looks like it's printed in heavy, sticky, glossy ink, quite different from a normal copy. This is a new one on me. I get the uneasy feeling one could be manufactured with the right solvents and chemicals.

And of course you are right, no comparison to the varnish bars on early Austrian stamps.

The use of varnish as a reuse prevention in known in U.S. primarily between about 1858 and 1883.

About 1858, Toppan, Carpenter, Casilear & Co. printed a small quantity of 3 cent stamps using a varnish based ink. The design was the same as the regular stamp (Scott 26). The paper had a slightly "oily" appearance and the ink was shiny. This produced a semi-fugitive ink and application of fluids along with friction in attempts to remove the cancellation would damage the print.

Both the Gibson and the Macdonough fugitive ink processes of the early to mid 1860's used varnish as a drying agent for the glycerin in the inks. The Gibson process had a very shiny ink with very little oiling of the paper. The Macdonough process show slightly more of the oily paper but the ink was dull in appearance with very marked glycerin segregation on the print. Once again the application of fluids and friction would damage the print.

James Kirchner, about 1880, also used varnish with his fugitive ink but also added natural tree and shrub resins to increase the fugitive properties.

The Continental Bank Note Co produced essays using a varnish/glycerin fugitive ink on a surface tinted mechanically ribbed paper about 1875. The ink was very shiny with almost no oiling of the paper.

In 1880, James Macdonough patented a process applying a shellac/varnish grid on the paper prior to printing. The printing ink would not penetrate the paper on the areas treated. Attempts to remove the cancel would cause the printing ink to release from the treated pattern showing the attempt to remove the cancel.

The American Bank Note Co. printed essays on varnish coated paper. The ink was regular printers' ink but the paper had a very oily apperance. (1880).

The American Bank Note Co. printed a small quantity of regular design postage stamps with a very deep brown varnish base printers' ink about 1883. The paper was slightly oily and the ink was very shiny.

Hi,

Seem difficult to identify.

Thank you Doug222 and Russ!

CDNum.

Below is an example of the American Bank Note Co. varhish ink essay from about 1883. The scan does not do justice to the stamp. The ink is very shiny and the white area in the portrait oval in front of Ben's nose is the scanner light being reflected back. This ink is extremely shiny.

You can also see the slightly oily appearance of the paper.

Hi,

I have some stamps with a painting look like that. I dont think they are made with varnish ink but I understand what you say. Some very old stamps have something special. They are extremly shiny and very beautiful. They are like a good aging wine.

Thank you Russ!

CDNum.