Stamp Paper And Its Structure, Surface Etc...

I stopped earlier this year having shown just examples of the symmetrical wire structure [linen-binding] or the asymmetrical wire structure [twill binding].

It is about to get to the more complicated multi-layer wires that started to get used around 1972!

For some 15 years since then, I managed to get an idea of the wires structures but from a certain point in time it appeared that the paper mills got so advanced that the structure can hardly be seen reflected in stamp paper ;) What remains to be seen is the direction of paper represented by small grooves/recesses still visible!

While the "simple" wires were in use before 1972, since around 1972 the paper mills started to use more complex wires, multi=layer wires like the Maastricht Paper Mill, the Netherlands, did in 1988 on their machine nr. 5

Observed from one side:

Observed from the opposite side:

I started here showing some Argentina stamps with both symmetrical and asymmetrical structures. Not only in Argentina but also elsewhere we may find stamps that have both a symmetrical wire and an asymmetrical wire!

Symmetrical wire (Linenbinding, Tafetan):

Asymmetrical wire (Twill-binding, sarga):





In the latter stamps, the paper feels a bit thicker or more stiff...

Very interesting information. Were these same types of linen or twill structures used for paper production in the United States for paper used on the Banknote issues?

The same types of wires were used everywhere!

But certain paper mills could have used different versions as to the density of wire!

Quite common was 30/20 i.e. 30 vertical threads per horizontal cm and 20 horizontal threads per vertical cm.

In the UK examples of the 1940-150 period 28/20 as well as 24/22 were used. You can tell by the angles - represented here by lines - as they differ!

A similar thing for Argentina!

The Tela [24/22] has been found in all series that had the German paper delivered by Schadd&Körtelung from Hamburg:

The 1908 JSM en ovalo set had been printed on thin paper with watermark rayos ondulados for most values, but on paper with watermark rayos rectos [thicker paper] for the 1/2c, 1c ochre, 6c, 20c, 24c and 50c!

All these 6 values exist with Tela!!




Left 30/20, right 24/22: