US Rotary Press Dry Printing, Dry Or Not?

The newer intaglio rotary printing press such as the Huck- Cottrell printing press that were made to supplement and to replace the older Stickney rotary press starting in the mid 1950's by the BEP has been called a dry press by many. This newer press did use less water (5%-10%) to wet paper rolls than the old press did (15%-35%) so it was drier than the old wetter press. This new press also gummed the paper rolls after printing like the old press did. However, I do not consider this newer press to be a true dry rotary press at the time because it did not use pregummed paper rolls. However, I believe that their printed products (stamps) are referred to as dry (drier) printings in order to distinguish them from wet (wetter) printings, even though this press was not a true dry printing press until after it later started to only use pregummed paper.

@jogil

Thanks for that detailed explanation regarding differences
between dry (drier) and wet (wetter) printings.

My knowledge/interest about US stamp printing is limited to mainly
Giori presses and even there I still have a lot to learn.

The Giori Press was a dry printing sheet-fed rotary press.

Thanks jogil, I just took for granted that the BEP Giori press was a web - fed rotary press going by what other printers used and looking at this pic of the first Giori/Koenig & Bauer multicolour press from the early nineteen fifties which is probably very similar to the press BEP bought in the mid fifties.

You can see the stacked sheets of cut paper in the front of the printing press on the left. Do you have the "The Giori Press" booklet by George W. Brett (Bureau Issues Association, 1961)?

No I do not. Must be good reading.

Here is another pic of a BEP Giori press.



Image is from an article in Historical Corner.
150 Years of BEP History. The 1950's: Modernization.

The first U.S. web-fed rotary press (Cottrell) dry printed on pre-gummed paper postage stamps were issued on March 1, 1971 as Scott # 1278a booklet pane with dry/dull gum and Scott # 1393a booklet pane with dry/dull gum in Scott # BK119 booklet with dry/dull gum.

The first U.S. sheet-fed flat plate dry printed on pre-gummed paper postage stamp was issued on April 9, 1954 as Scott # 1041 sheet stamp.

The first U.S. sheet-fed rotary press dry printed on pre-gummed paper postage stamp was issued on April 9, 1954 as Scott # 1041B sheet stamp.

What is a "sheet-fed rotary"??? A reel-fed printing press using a flat-plate? Or a sheet-fed press using a cylinder [curved plate]???

I think it is highly confusing to use the term "rotary" when referring to cylinders instead of flat plates!

A bit more precise descriptions would be most welcome! Flat plate, curved plate or cylinder in combination with stamp paper being sheet-fed or reel-fed [web-fed]....

a sheet-fed press using a cylinder curved plate