Collecting By Engraver

Two more of Knut Lokke-Sorensen's work hopefully not shown previously.

They are not exactly great engravings but then again Knut
was no Czeslaw.

NORWAY

Michel 722 - 723 1976


Combined printing: Recess engraving & offset

lithograving - Note: Sverre Morken engraved the 1.40 value in the above set. Also, both stamps were designed by Norwegian graphic artist and illustrator Hermann Bongard (1921-1998). - nethryk

By golly you're right Nethryk, didn't see the SM. Thanks.
It seems in many cases either two or even 3 of the Norwegian engravers shared the work in producing a series.

Here are couple by Henry Welde, I think.

Michel 751 - 752 1977

Combined printing : recess engraving & offset.

I wonder if the offset background is considered burelage?
Probably fifia or Rod would know.

Sverre Morken designed & engraved these two examples of stave churches for Norway's 1978 Europa pair.
Very nicely engraved, I like it.


See wikipedia




Michel 769 - 770

lithograving - Impressive stamps, and super images, too.

Here is an image of another stamp designed (after a photo by Roger Engvik) and engraved by Knut Løkke-Sørensen: King Olav V in front of the "King's birch" at Molde, issued by Norway on June 22, 1983 for the king's 80th birthday, Scott No. 827, Facit No. 924.

- nethryk

Nethryk, when you consider that Norway didn't start producing
engraved stamps locally until the early sixties one has to give
them credit for some excellent work.

The Norwegian Bank Printing Works didn't have the same quality
of engravers as did Sweden or Denmark in my opinion.
Also did they modernize (replace) their printing presses every 20 years or so as did the Swedes and Danes?
And was their printing staff as experienced as the others?
Many of my Norwegian stamps have ink residue smeared where it shouldn't be probably caused by improper wiping after the plates were inked indicating poor quality control.


Anyway here are a couple commemorating King Olaf V 75th Birthday.

Designed & Engraved by Knut Lokke-Sorensen

Michel 773 - 774

Staying with Norway one more time, here is a definitive set
portraying musical instruments.

Knut Lokke-Sorensen engraved the 1K and 7.50K

Sverre Morken engraved the 1.25K and 1.80K

Designer : Fredrik Matheson


Michel 783 - 786 1978

Georges-Léo Degorce (1894-?) was a French artist who designed and engraved postage stamps primarily for France and its colonies. Here are six examples of Degorce's work.

- nethryk

Victory Parade and Arc de Triomphe, semi-postal stamp issued on October 8, 1938 to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the Armistice, Scott No. B77, Y&T No. 403.


Hausa basket makers, issued for use in Guinea, French West Africa, in 1938, Scott No. 136.


Mandara woman, issued for use in Cameroun in 1939, Scott No. 225.


Picking grapes, semi-postal stamp issued by France on December 2, 1940, Scott No. B106, Y&T No. 468.


Obock and Djibouti, airmail stamp printed by the French Vichy Government on June 21, 1943, but never issued in Somali Coast, Scott No. C7B.


Feast at the Church of Sainte Dévote, semi-postal stamp issued by Monaco on January 27, 1944, Scott No. B79.

Edward R. Grove (1912- ), an award-winning American sculptor and artist, joined the U.S. Bureau of Engraving and Printing in 1936, where he engraved numerous postage stamps. In 1947, Grove moved on to the Security Bank Note Company, where he engraved over 200 postage stamps for various countries. Grove spent a few years at the U.S. Mint before retiring in 1965 to freelance. Here are images of six examples of Grove's vignette engraving work while at the BEP.

- nethryk

Coast Guard landing craft and supply ship, designed by combat artist Seaman First Class Kenneth Pauling Riley (USCG) (1919 - ), and issued on November 10, 1945 to honor the US Coast Guard's achievements in World War II, Scott No. 936. (Lettering: Charles Albert Smith)


Flags of the USA and Texas, designed by Texas-born artist James Buchanan "Buck" Winn (1905–1979), and issued on December 29, 1945 for the centenary of Texas statehood, Scott No. 938. (Lettering: Edward H. Helmuth)


Honorable Discharge Emblem, designed by Victor Stephen McCloskey, Jr., and issued on May 9, 1946 to honor US veterans of WW2, Scott No. 940. (Lettering: Axel W. Christiansen)


Smithsonian Institution, designed by William K. Schrage, and issued on August 10, 1946 for the centenary of its founding, Scott No. 943. (Lettering: C.A. Smith)


Airplane over the Oakland Bay Bridge, California, airmail stamp designed by W.K. Schrage, and issued on July 30, 1947, Scott No. C36. (Lettering: C.A. Smith)


George Washington Carver (1864-1943), American scientist, botanist, educator, and inventor, designed by William A. Roach and Robert L. Miller, Jr., and issued on January 5, 1948 for the 5th anniversary of Dr. Carver's death, Scott No. 953. (Lettering: James T. Vail and A.W. Christiansen)

Those last US ones you showed nethryk are a perfect example
of "wet" printing.

Notice how the the ink of each particular colour bled onto or
was soaked up by the moist paper causing this tinting.

I don't recall offhand any other printing works which produced
stamps which had this feature.
Was the Bureau of Engraving and Printing the only one using
this "wet" printing method?

lithograving - Based on the appearance of some of their issued stamps, I would hazard a guess that other countries (e.g., Cuba) may also have been using the wet printing method during the 1930s and 40s. - nethryk

Since Cuba was basically a US colony until the ouster of Batista,
I wonder if the BEP also printed Cuban stamps ?

How does that version of wet printing differ from the wet printing that Canada used prior to 1922? (The early admirals don't have the same degree of "bleed" that we see here.)

lithograving - That is possible, but I don't know of any stamps printed by the BEP for Cuba, except perhaps some printed for the provisional U.S. administration after the Spanish-American War, around the turn of the century. Also, I know the American Bank Note Co. printed some stamps for Cuba in the 1905-11 period. Here is a list of Cuban print shops, drawn primarily from the Stanley Gibbons catalogue, if you would care to investigate this question further. - nethryk

Cia Impresora de Cuba S.A.

Cia Nacional de Artes Gráficos de Cuba.

Cuban National State Printing Works.

Empresa de Correos, Prensa y Filatelia, Havana.

P. Fernández y Cia, Havana.

Los Talleres de Grabado en Acero y Timbre del Estado de La Habana, Havana.

National Printing Works, Havana.

J. L. Rodriguez, Havana.

Thanks for the list of Cuban Printers. So Stanley Gibbons lists
the Printers, how about designers and engravers ?