Collecting By Engraver

lithograving - Thanks for this impressive survey of Modern Art in Austria. Pity that the 1978-1981 stamps were not done in combination 1 colour engraving and multicolour photogravure as well.

I lost interest in it then, so I only knew the Reinhard Artberg stamp sent to me on a postcard by an Italian friend on a visit to Austria. As I now see it, what you have shown is a great collection indeed, well worth having a look around for.

Andrzej Szklarczyk (1934- ) was active at the Polish Stamp Printing Works during the early 1960s. Here are images of five examples of Szklarczyk's work on stamps designed by various Polish graphic artists and issued by Poland.

- nethryk

View of Plock, a city in central Poland, on the Vistula river, designed by Witold Chomicz (1910-1984), and issued on November 15, 1960, Scott No. 951.


Mieszko I (ca. 930-992), Duke of the Polans, Piast Dynasty, designed by A. Heidrich, combined engraved and photogravure, and issued on June 15, 1961, Scott No. 979.


Factory in Szczecinek, designed by Czeslaw Kaczmarczyk (1899-1971), and issued on July 21, 1962, Scott No. 1003.


Vladimir Ilyich Lenin, designed by Stefan Malecki, and issued on May 25, 1962, Scott No. 1057.


Phoenician merchant ship, designed by Stefan Malecki, and issued on January 25, 1965, Scott No. 1300.

Florian, I'm glad you liked the Modern Art ones even though
I have say most of them are not my cup of tea.

The one from Gottfried Kumpf I actually do like.
Kumpf designed a number of stamps for Austria and UN Vienna
some of which I have but haven't scanned yet.

For something completely different here are the high
value definitives issued by Brazil between 1974 - 75.

Scott 1257 - 1261

The 1cr & 2cr were printed 1 colour engraving, the 4cr two colour engraving and
the 5cr & 10cr two colour engraving with a litho/offset underprint.

I don't know which engraver(s) the Casa da Moeda do Brasil, Rio de Janeiro (Brazilian State Mint) employed.
Perhaps nethryk could come up with a name.

The design on the stamps is the Möbius strip.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M%C3%B6bius_strip

lithograving - Even if not everything is my cup of tea either, in my opinion the Modern Art in Austria collection does wonderfully recall the scene and express the spirit of the second half of the XXth century here in Europe. What particularly appeals to me is Robert Zeppel-Sperl's Herr des Regenbogens, Peter Pongratz' Clearance of Seawater, Paul Flora's Carnival Figures as well as Ida Szigeth's Turf Turkey but I comprehend such paintings as Rudolf Pointner's General, Wofgang Herzig's Caffee Girardi, Helmut Schickhofer's House in Wind, Adolf Frohner's European Landscape and the rest of the gallery, the least evocative for me being Max Weiler's Easter perhaps.

On the other hand, I, however, seem somewhat lacking in imagination, being unable to recognize the Möbius strip (which I played with as a child) on the Brasil stamps, mainly due to the darker cylindrical shape on the right, serving as the background to the value indication. The design, a very original and decorative one, is similar to that of certain stamps (which also look as if plotted by machine) issued in the Netherlands and showing M.C. Escher's impossible bodies. Yes, again: Variety is the spice of life ... Thanks.

lithograving - Re: The Brazil "Möbius strip" stamps posted above - "Perhaps nethryk could come up with a name." - R2-D2, or at least one of his kin, would be my guess.

- nethryk

Lithograving - I have two engraved Brazilian dummy stamps depicting a sailing ship, both with a production date of 1975. They are engraved by "J R SILVA" and what appears to be "NEVEE".

These are at least two possibilities for the name of the engraver who undertook the work on the high values that you depict. I am not aware of any other engravers working at the Mint at that time.

Incidentally, it is interesting to see how different the same design is when engraved by different people.

The third image is a photogravure equivalent image without engraving, although the stamp erroneously still has "GRAV." (Gravadores, or engraver, in Portuguese) in the margin, but without an engraver's name of course.

If anyone can identify "NEVEE" this would be appreciated.

GLENN MORGAN

While admitting to not understanding most modern art, I quite like the attached Austrian dummy stamp design by Adolf Tuma, as issued by the OSD (Austrian State Printers) in 1996. That said, I wouldn't want it on the wall of my study!

A similar design and photo of the artist is at http://renedesor.wordpress.com/2008...C2%B4s-land/

GLENN MORGAN

The A Tuma design is NOT engraved, simply photogravure, so is not relevant for this thread. Apologies, but my enthusiasm to share got the better of me! GLENN MORGAN

Thanks Glenn for the info regarding the Brazilian engravers,pity
there isn't more.

You certainly have a great collection of these dummy (test) stamps,
which I find so interesting since they are a part of stamp production
not too well known .
Thanks also for showing that Adolf Tuma dummy stamp but I find
it kind of disturbing. Never mind the study, having that thing hanging
on the bedroom wall would cause me nightmares.

Tuma (born 1956) actually designed well over 100 stamps including
the Austrian definitive series Stories & Legends one
of which is shown below, The Rat-catcher of Korneuburg
Engraved by Werner Pfeiler (born 1941)

It appears that even in 1975 the Brazilian Mint was still experimenting
to find out which is a better combination print, lithography & engraved
or photo & engraved.
All except one of the few combo print stamps issued were litho&engraved
The exception was Scott 1298 - 1299B, via photo & engraved.

The last Brazil litho & engraved were Scott 1379 - 1382 issued in 1975
so I suppose the Casa da Moeda after this time decided to stick
primarily with offset/litho at least with the commemoratives.

The lower value definitives were printed printed single colour
photogravure until about 2001 and most higher values single colour engraving.

From what I have read the reason being is that an litho/offset
print run is quicker and cheaper to set up especially
for low quantities ( lets say 3- 5 million) compared to photogravure
where it's only economical if the quantity needed is at least
50 - 100 million and above.

Yes I also enjoy looking for the differences and various
engraving techniques employed.

For instance Alfred Nefe (1923 - ) used very fine lines and dots,
like he was very light on the burin.

Some of Nefe's work was already shown on page 28....

https://goscf.com/t/9106&whichpage=28#154230

.... here are some more.


Scott 1316 1985

1000 years the market town Garsten.

Combination print : one colour engraving, multicolour photogravure


Even though the engraved part on these 2 stamps is minimal
it does sharpen the whole image, without which this would just
be a piece of paper with blobs of colour.




Notice the colour shift which I find rare in stamps printed
by the Austrian State Printers who usually pride themselves
in their precision quality work.



Much better registration on this one





Scott 1324 1985


1000 years of the founding of Königstetten.
The painting from 1870 shows the Frankish emperor Charlemagne
but since he died in 814 AD it would have been difficult for him to be
the Founder.

Three more Austrian stamps engraved by Alfred Nefe.

Scott 1331 1985

Quoted from Wikipedia





Notice the fine detail in the beard.



Scott 1332 1985


Vienna Aqueduct




Scott 1455 1989

From Wikipedia



Apparently Wittgenstein and Hitler went to the same school at
the same time but is not known if they met.

I'm glad we're on a Austian theme as I've been investigating the work of Georg Wimmer recently.
Here are a few.

Release Date: September 15 1961
Format: set of 5
Face value 1s, 1.50s, 1.80s, 3s, 5s
Color black, green, dark carmine-rose, bright lilac, blue
Perforation: 14x13.5
Printing Style: recess engraved
Design: A. Pilch
Engraver: Georg Wimmer
Printed by: Österreichische Staatsdruckerei

Michel: 1092-1096, Scott: 668-672, SG: 1370-1375

Release Date: 7 May 1968
Format: single
Face value 2s
Color Slate green
Perforation: 13.5
Printing Style: Recess engraved
Design: A. Pilch
Engraver: Georg Wimmer
Printed by: Österreichische Staatsdruckerei

Michel: 1260, Scott: 809, SG: 1518
Issued for Mother's day 1968

Release Date: July 15 1968
Format: single
Face value 2s
Color Black
Perforation: 14x13.5
Printing Style: Recess engraved
Design: Adalbert Pilch
Engraver: Georg Wimmer
Printed by: Österreichische Staatsdruckerei

Michel: 1269, Scott: 815, Yvert: 1298, SG: 1527

This stamp was issued to commerate the exhibiton of Algelica Kauffman's work which ran between July 28th 1968 and January 6th 1969 in Bregenz and Vienna.