Thanks to member Robert Brew, here is an article about embossed stamps and how they are cut out. It’s not something new cinderella collectors think about, even though we see it often.
If you go to the Image of the Week Archive Gallery, you can find other combined embossing & die-cut examples; for example November 3, 2023, September 29, 2023 or December 16, 2022.
Die Cuts 2023NovAs Bob notes, this set of stamps is listed in the CSC Event Stamps catalog for 1911, under Paris. There are four colors (red, blue, violet, and green), and 2 colors of a smaller size (violet blue & yellow green). A second design type has similar content in a more horizontal rectangle, and is slightly more difficult, but all are rated Scarce in the catalog.
Dear Bob,
A very nice article and much appreciated.
I have an additional possibility that comes from not being able to see the physical examples in either figure 1 or 2. That is a printing technique we refer to as a litho-perf. This is a print process in offset lithography where the perforation is mounted on the blanket (rubber these days) that also receives the image to be printed. As a result the perforation cutting edges pick up ink at the same time the blanket picks up ink for the printed image thereby depositing ink along the edge of the perforations. This technique produces a smooth edge just like die-cutting in the methods you describe.
It is clear in some of the other images that you provided that those stamps are embossed/debossed and printed from an engravers plate so the die-cutting or perforating was created exactly as you describe.
Offset lithography was invented in 1875 by Robert Barclay in England. So, by 1911 it would have been more widely available in Europe. If the stamps in Figures 1&2 are smooth to the touch then the litho-perf technique might be the method they used. If you feel a texture to the stamp then the engraved method is obviously the correct conclusion. One other thing, the litho-perf would produce a product that is not as neat and clean as the engraved images making the crooked position of the green stamp more understandable.
Thank you for the article.
Sincerely,
Howard Hoke