Postage Due Varieties

The 2015 Unitrade Canadian Stamp catalogue lists varieties for J1 and J4 in the First Postage Due Issue. Can someone explain to me, or direct me to somewhere that explains, what a "Pyramid Guide" and a "R-Gauge" variety are?

Thanks in advance

I could not find any definitions for pyramid guide or R-gauge in either Unitrade (2015 edition) or on Robin Harris' Adminware web site.

They are indicators in the margins of a pane of stamps for alignment purposes during the printing process.

Here are examples of the two in question.

The pyramid gauge is self-explanatory.



I have no idea what "R-gauge" stands for or relates to.

Thanks BlackJag. I couldn't find a reference to either. At least the pyramid quandary is solved. I'll keep searching for the R-Gauge.

R-Gauge is mentioned here: http://www.ottawaphilatelicsociety....late-blocks/

Just found this reference: http://www.rpsc.org/Library/admiral/formats.htm

I now assume the arrow that is shown above the printing "R_Gauge" on BlackJag's above example was used to show the correct line for perforations.

Thanks for the info.

The R-GAUGE inscription is discussed in George C. Marler's 1982 book, "The Admiral Issue of Canada" on pages 58-60. In particular, he says on page 59:



On the same pages, Marler discusses the guide arrows added to Admiral stamps in 1914 when the gutter between panes was eliminated. Most Admiral sheet stamps were printed in sheets of 400 stamps and guillotined into post office panes of 100. Vertical guide arrows were added in the top and bottom sheet margins between the left and right panes. Horizontal guide arrows were added in the left and right sheet margins between the top and bottom panes. The guide arrows indicated where the sheet had to be guillotined to produce the individual panes.

Thanks AdmCol. That clears away more of the fog.

"The Canadian Postage Due Stamps" booklet by Andrew Chung shows this.

Thanks jogil. Brampton library doesn't have a copy, but maybe Unitrade will have one at its stand at the next CDA show in the fall.