czechoslovakian postage stamps of the first … postage stamps of the first republic essays from the...

Czechoslovakian Postage Stamps of the First Republic

Essays from the Monografie Allegories I

The Dove (Holubice)

Ing. J. Karásek, A. Michele, MUDr B. Svoboda

Monografie Československých Známek Díl II

Pages 185 – 266

Translated for The Society for Czechoslovak Philately

by Vladimir J. Kralíček

KNIHTISK Winchester, Virginia

ii

Copyright © 2003 by the Society for Czechoslovak Philately. All rights reserved. Originally printed in The Czechoslovak Specialist in a series of articles between October 1987 and April 1989. This edition prepared by Mark Wilson. Knihtisk is the imprint of Lunasa LLC, of Winchester, Virginia. www.knihtisk.org. For the most part, the text in this edition follows that of The Specialist series. However, many textual omissions that occurred in the original series have been repaired, the illustrations re-scanned, and omitted tables and illustrations inserted. The whole presentation has been reorganized to reflect as accurately as possible the Monografie’s original pagination. Suggestions for corrections, clarifications, or additional information should be emailed to [email protected] or sent via ordinary mail to:

Knihtisk, 316 Devland Drive, Winchester, Virginia 22603. The Editor.

TRANSLATION OF THE ALLEGORY SECTION OF MONOGRAFIE II

Some months ago the membership was polled as to its interest in having the Dove and Chainbreaker chapters of Monografie 2 translated into English and run serially in The Czechoslovak Specialist. A very positive response was had. Consequently, since that time the matter of enlisting the aid of someone to take on that very large task was enjoined. Member Vladimir Kralíček of New Zealand answered our appeal, with the result that with this issue we begin a very close translation of the Dove (or Holubice) section, beginning with page 185 of Monografie 2. It goes without saying that the membership is extremely grateful to Vladimir Kralíček for the many and long hours he devoted to this project and also thankful for making the information contained in the original chapters available to those of the membership who are not fluent in Czech. We should add that Vladimir is now working on the Chainbreaker section, which eventually will also be featured in The Czechoslovak Specialist at the conclusion of the Dove section.

INTRODUCING VLADIMIR J. KRALÍČEK

I have been asked by the editor to give a brief outline of myself as an introduction to the translation of the Dove chapter from Monografie II. I am 57 years old, born in Hodonin, Czechoslovakia, the birthplace of T. G. Masaryk, 1st President of the 1st Czechoslovak Republic where my father was the town librarian. These two factors explain my love of reading and also my interest in collecting Masaryk cards. I went through a normal childhood, until the upheaval of the German occupation and all its consequences. As my parents divorced during that time I was left more or less to my own devices and after the end of the war I left Czechoslovakia, hoping to reach a branch of my mother’s family living in New York, U.S.A. That was at the end of 1946. For most of the following year I worked for the U.S. Army of Occupation in Vienna, Austria, from where I left for Great Britain, where I lived until the end of 1964. During that time I married a Scottish girl. We now have three grown children. I had several jobs, including a stint as a radio operator in the British Merchant Navy; I improved my education by part-time study at a technical college in Cambridge, England. In January 1965 we emigrated to New Zealand, where we now live in Auckland. My collecting interests have gone through several stages: first of all stamps and later Postal History. At present I am mainly interested in the Czechoslovak Army FPO of 1938 and also of the Czech Army FPO in Britain and France during the last war, as well as postcards with Masaryk theme and others; preferably circa WW I and before, also Prague cancellations from the pre-stamp era to the present time.

185

ALLEGORY

Stamps with the Allegory theme were to replace all previous stamp issues. They were issued progressively from July 1, 1920, through May 1, 1926. The Ministry of Posts had invited four prominent artists to draw and submit their designs, which they did in due course. The designs were as follows: Dove — author Jaroslav Benda, Liberated Republic — author Vratislav Hugo Brunner, Hussite — author Alfonsa Mucha, Agriculture and Science — author Jakub Obrovský.

THE DOVE

ORIGIN OF THIS STAMP

Jaroslav Benda submitted the stamp design under the slogan “Letter”. It consisted of a stylized dove with an envelope in its beak. This design represented for that time a significant modern and pioneering concept of stamp production. It represented one of the best symbolic drawings used at that time in design technique. However, favorable acceptance of the design by the public has not been altogether unanimous. By contrast, the French magazine L’ art et décoration gave Benda great recognition and used his design as an example for French stamp production. The Czech Academy of Arts and Sciences bestowed on the design the sculptor’s Jana Štursy annual prize for the author of the year in 1920.

Benda worked out the original design in white on a violet-black background, with dimensions of 11.6 x 12.9 cm and with 2 as the value denomination. The background had six large and fourteen small stars. The design was meant to be printed by the typographic technique.

186

Illus 301. Original design with 2 as value decoration.

However, the printers executed a number of prints using photogravure technique. For the final trials the photogravure technique was also used and an 18 X 21 mm size was decided upon. From this preparation stage were preserved numerous printing trials, which revealed a number of shortcomings of the original design. The author then worked out a new simplified design of 11.0 x 13.3 cm dimensions. In it he modified the stamp layout by removing the large and small stars. The lower part of the wings was tidied up with neat lines, including that part under the inscription POŠTA ČESKOSLOVENSKÁ. The envelope seal was inscribed with the letter B, the author’s initial. The design was assigned the value denomination 5. Together with the corrected design the author passed on to the printer drawings for the value numerals which were to be used with the stamps: 10, 15, 20 and 25h (Type I). At that time it was not known that a 30h value would also be required. He designed the numerals himself in order to retain his styling format. The design was similar for all values. Only with the 5h value, because of its single numeral, was the surplus space filled in by extending the vertical ribbon down along the sides. This design was finally accepted for printing with one slight modification, namely the removal of the monogram B in the envelope seal and placing the author’s name JAR. BENDA beneath the frame. The designer transmitted a separate sheet of paper relating to the corrected design with the letter B removed from the envelope seal and the name JAR. BENDA written in his own hand with these remarks: “If all the rest of the stamps are to bear the name of the author, use this text (with the paper placed close to the edge of the drawing) and put it in the center. Then of course you obliterate the B on the seal. 9/4/1920 — Benda.” (Exact quote from document in the Prague Postal Museum.) From the preparatory trials of the modified design, a considerable number of prints were preserved.

187

Illus. 302. Modified design with monogram B;

Value numeral 5 is pasted over with paper bearing value numeral 30 on it.

STAMP ISSUES

Stamps were issued in a total of eight values. Of these the 5h and l0h appeared in two color versions. They were released into circulation in stages together with the Allegory stamps and were eventually withdrawn in stages. The time of issue and withdrawal from circulation was announced through the following Ministry of Posts and Telegraph bulletins:

� Bulletin No. 25, Report No. 83 dated June 18, 1920, announces information regarding issue of the following values: 5h blue (first printing); l0h green; 15h brown.

� Bulletin No. 38, Report No. 45 dated August 7, 1920, announces information regarding issue of the following values: 5h violet; l0h olive; 20h orange; 25h green.

� Bulletin No. 20, Report No. 32 dated April 16, 1920, announces information pertaining to the withdrawal from circulation of the following values: 5h blue (first printing); l0h green.

188

� Bulletin No. 24, Report No. 45 dated April 22, 1925, announces information about issuance of the following values: 5h blue (second printing); 30h red violet.

� Bulletin No. 25, Report No. 58 dated July 4, 1928, announces information pertaining to the withdrawal from circulation of the following values: 5h violet; 30h red violet.

� Bulletin No. 8, Report No. 11169 dated February 20, 1932, announces information about withdrawal from circulation of the following values: 5h blue (second printing); l0h olive; 15h brown; 20h orange; 25h green

Table 37 shows particulars about the Dove issue including quantities of individual values, dates of issue and withdrawal from circulation.

Table 37. Summary of Dove Stamp Issues. Value Color Size Print Issued Released Withdrawn 5 Blue (1st printing) 49,500, 000 01 JUN 20 30 APR 21 5 Blue (2nd printing) 6,550,000 01 MAY 26 29 FEB 32 5 Violet 69,580,000* 03 JAN 21 31 JUL 28 10 Green 49,560,000 01 JUN 20 30 APR 21 10 Olive 641,220,000* 23 NOV 20 29 FEB 32 15 Brown 21,770,000 05 JUN 20 29 FEB 32 20 Orange (both types) 611,040,000* 03 JAN 21 29 FEB 32 25 Green (type I) 10,130,000 01 SEP 20 29 FEB 32 25 Green (type II) 27,230,000 08 FEB 21 29 FEB 32 30 Red violet

18 x

21.

5 m

m

Typo

grap

hy

52,110,000 20 MAY 25 31 JUL 28 *Inclusive of stamps for booklets (tête-bêche).

189

Illus. 303.

The largest printing of the stamps was of the most commonly used denominations: the l0h olive and the 20h orange. The 5h blue stamp was issued in two time periods. Individual printings (first and second) are not possible to distinguish. To the first printing belong stamps used in 1920—21 and stamps without the sheet margin “frame” or bars. To the second printing belong stamps with the sheet margin frame and, as the case may be, with plate numbers 1—26 and 2—26. The 20h stamps were issued in two types marked I and II, but the number that were printed for each type is not known. Only after the perusal of a large number of unused stamps was it possible to determine that the printing of Type I was substantially lower.

190

STAMP PRINTING

Stamps were printed typographically by the Czech Graphic Union in Prague, using etched plates. By photographically reducing the design, a printing block was produced, twice the size of the actual stamp. This process was repeated for all subsequent values as new denominations were added to the original design. From the printing block 100 blackprints were made on chalk paper and were then pasted in a 10 x 10 stamp formation. This produced the auxiliary groups. These groups were then reduced to half their size, producing a glass negative with whose help the drawing was then transferred to the sensitive surface of a metal plate. It was then etched to produce the final plate. The printing formations were either two or four plates comprising stamps of the same or different values, sometimes combined with stamps of different design (Hradcany, Liberated Republic). It is possible to divide the printing of the stamps into a number of production periods. Values 5, 15, 25, and 30h were usually printed in two-plate formations. The l0h green was also printed in two-plate formations, whereas the l0h olive was printed in the four-plate formation, with the most likelihood of being printed in that formation in the latter stages of production (since 1924). The 20h value was printed in both two-and four-plate formations. From preserved stamp material it is possible to estimate the number of printing plates used, including those used for the booklet issues (Table 38):

Table 38. Survey of Plates. Value Number of Plates Remarks

Blue 9 An actual count can only be estimated. Violet 8 An actual count can only be estimated.

5h

Violet 2 Tête-bêche Green 4

58 An actual count can only be estimated. 10h

Olive 2 Tête-bêche

15h 2 Type I 2 An actual count can only be estimated

65 An actual count can only be estimated 20h

Type II 2 Tête-bêche

Type I 2 25 Type II 6

30h 14

191

From the survey it is not altogether clear how many plate formations (not shown in above table) exist of the 5h blue and the 5h violet, the l0h olive (which had a printing of more than 640 million) and of the 20h value. Due to the lack of documentation in private collections and in the Postal Museum, it is not possible to ascertain accurately the sequence of individual plates and their arrangement in printing forms. Therefore, the printing plates are shown in accordance with their markings and in accordance with known theoretical assumptions.

PLATE MARKINGS

There were various plate markings. At first during the initial printing stages, the plates were without any markings at all and also without the sheet margin frame or bars. Later the plates were distinguishable by dashes in the row control numbers in the sheet selvedge, by engraved marks or numbers inside the sheet margin frame and by serial numbers indicating the year. If we are to carry out at least a partial differentiation of the plates according to a time period, it is possible to conclude that only chronology can determine the approximate period of use of corresponding plate markings.

1920/21 Plates without any visible markings. Individual sheets are with or without the sheet margin frame.

1921/22 Interrupted decimal line in the row control numbers in various places.

1923 Engravings of different shapes in the frame. Engraved vertical or horizontal numbers within the frame.

After 1924 Sequence numbers in the left bottom corner and corresponding year numbers in the right bottom corner.

The protective frames were used in order to remove flaws and faults on the printing blocks nearest the border due to the pressure of the roller. These etched bands were up to 3.7 mm in width and were first seen on the 5h blue. This protective measure was not sufficient and the printer took additional steps to prevent some unwanted occurrences (paper folding, etc.) by arranging the frame to leave a gap between it and the stamps. The width of that gap was approximately 2 mm. Here we cite a few interesting combinations of the printing plates which are preserved in whole sheets at the Postal Museum in Prague. We are always dealing with combinations of two plates of relevant value and issue:

� 5h blue + l0h green

� 20h Type I + 25h violet

� 15h + 25h Liberated Republic

� 20h Type I + 50h Liberated Republic

� 15h + 30h Hradcany

� 25h + 2h Newspaper

Of these the most interesting variety is possibly the two-plate combination of the 15h Dove with the 30h red violet Hradcany.

192

The horizontal space between plates of corresponding value was always the same for all printing formation (24.0 — 25.0 mm). This space was necessary due to the use of a new machine for comb perforations, which perforated both sheets at the same time.

PRINTING PLATES FOR THE BOOKLET ISSUES

The two plate printing form used for printing stamps for the scheduled issue of stamp booklets in a tête-bêche arrangement belongs under a separate heading. In this arrangement were printed the three Dove values, that is, 5h violet, l0h olive and 20h orange as well as three Liberated Republic or Chainbreaker values (40, 50 green and 60h). The entire production of the booklets was supposed to be financed by the advertising firm PIRAS, which was to use the clear pages of the booklet for advertising. But the plan failed due to the change in postal tariffs. The postal authorities then placed the already printed sheets into normal circulation, at first at the philatelic counter in the main post office in Prague and later at other post offices. The printing plates had 90 stamp positions and 10 blank positions in a sheet arranged in three opposite rows with one blank field. Only the 20h printing plate had a sheet of 60 stamp positions and 30 empty positions. Three vertical lines of stamps were reversed in the middle of the sheet, producing either a narrow or a wide tête-bêche arrangement. The blank field between them was marked with two parallel bands of the same color as the stamps.

Illus. 305. Examples of the tête-bêche pairs.

193

Illus. 304. Print of the whole 20h-printing format (before perforation).

194

Stamp booklets were to contain twelve l0h stamps, four 20h stamps and twelve 50h (Liberated Republic) stamps, making the total value of the booklet 8 Kč. But because postal rates were meanwhile increased twice, new values were prepared so that the revised combination of stamps in a booklet would be twelve 5h stamps, twelve 40h (Liberated Republic), and six 60h (Liberated Republic), the total value being 9 Kč. On January 1, 1922, postal rates were once again increased. For this reason, production of the booklets was abandoned, as announced by the Post and Telegraph management in Prague, edict No. 247107 - IXb/21. Stamps were then put into circulation as follows:

December 5, 1921 — 5 and l0h Dove (40 and 60h Liberated Republic) June 8, 1923 — 20h Dove (50h Liberated Republic)

From the general arrangement of the printing plates and from the incidence of plate faults in individual plates, it is evident that a printing plate was composed of three parts and the printing form of two plates. Stamps in this category enjoyed great collector interest, particularly the tête-bêche arrangement. The major portion of the stamps issued was postally used. Also, the stamps in this series were unusual in that the line perforation 133/4 was utilized as compared with the customary comb perforation 14 used on stamps issued in sheets of 100. The odd perforation was discovered much later, after most of the stamps were already postally used.

COIL ISSUE

Decree of the Ministry of Post and Telegraph, Bulletin No. 98 dated November 25, 1922, announced:

Postage stamps bearing value 20, 50 and 100h have also been issued in coils. Each coil contains 500 pieces per denomination. The selling price is therefore 100 Kč for the 20h coil, 250 Kč for the 50h coil, and 500 Kč for the l00h coil. The color of the sheet margin frame matches the color of the stamps (20h orange, 50h yellow-green, and l00h dark brown). Stamps in coils are available in vending machines and in machine FLO-KA for affixing stamps onto consignment documents. In view of the higher production costs of the stamps and its sole usage for the above mentioned machines, the production and availability of coils will be strictly controlled, so that in the event postal rates are changed the postal authorities’ finances will not be adversely affected due to unsold stocks of coils issued according to postal tariffs now in force. The post offices should order the coil stamps only if they are certain of demand by consumers.

It was intended that the issuance of coil stamps would be in denominations of l0h olive and 20h orange (besides the two Liberated Republic values). However, the l0h olive was inadvertently omitted. Coil stamps were not printed with different printing plates but were produced using the normal 100-stamp sheet cut into strips and pasted into bands that were then rolled up. Cuts followed the perforations, so that perforations on the vertical sides were damaged.

195

The stamp rolls were sold in cardboard boxes of 5.5 x 5.5 x 20 cm dimension. Collectors have not shown great interest in these stamps due to the damaged perforations caused by the cutting. Besides, there was no difference in the design compared to normal stamps. Vending machines for selling the coil stamps have not proven themselves especially reliable and the production of these stamps was therefore halted before their validity was due to expire.

SURVEY OF PLATES AND THEIR MARKINGS

Due to the lack of documentation in collections and in the Postal Museum, it was not possible to determine accurately the exact number and sequence of the plates and how they were assembled into printing formations. Therefore, the printing plates are described according to their markings based on known theoretical assumptions. In Tables 39-46, the printing plates and their markings are categorized by information thus far available.

Table 39. 5h (Blue) Printing Plates. Plate Markings Remarks

No marking, no sheet margin frame. No markings, no sheet margin frame.

Darker print; retouch VI/5 R-45 stamp; retouch I/5 R-56 stamp. Lighter print, with stronger plate etching; retouch VI/6 R-45 stamp. Both plates were used joined together with the two l0h green plates.

No markings, no sheet margin frame. No sheet margin frame, but interrupted decimal dash in row control number 5.—

Retouch VI/5 R-45 stamp; retouch I/5 R-56 stamp. No retouches.

Numeral 3 within the uninterrupted sheet margin frame at position 90; two white circles with a colored dot in the middle at position 60. Numeral 4 within the sheet margin frame at position 90; white circle with colored dot in the middle at position 60. Numeral 4 within the interrupted sheet margin frame at position 90; white circle with colored dot in the middle at position 60.

Narrow, interrupted sheet margin frame, marking 1-26.

Narrow, interrupted sheet margin frame, marking 2-26.

Plate 2-26 also exists with uninterrupted sheet margin frame.

196

Illus. 306

Illus. 307.

Illus. 308.

197

Table 40. 5h (Violet) Printing Plates Plate Markings Remarks No marking, no sheet margin frame. No marking, no sheet margin frame.

Two plates joined together with two 20h . Type I plates.

No markings. Two plates for stamp booklets; their differences are not known

No markings, narrow uninterrupted sheet margin frame. No markings, narrow uninterrupted sheet margin frame with circular notch.

No markings, wide uninterrupted sheet margin frame. Two colored dots between row control number 5.— No markings, wide uninterrupted sheet margin frame. Two notches.

First plate was subsequently marked with a notch in the sheet margin frame.

Numeral 3 within the uninterrupted sheet margin frame at position 90. Two white circles with colored dot in the middle at position 60. Numeral 4 within the uninterrupted sheet margin frame at position 90. White circle with colored dot in the middle at position 60.

Illus. 309.

198

Illus. 310.

Table 41. 10h (Green) Printing Plates Plate Markings RemarksNo markings, no sheet margin frame. No markings, no sheet margin frame. No markings, no sheet margin frame.

Both plates joined together with two 5h (Blue) plates.

1.— decimal dash once interrupted, no sheet margin frame. 1.— decimal dash twice interrupted, no sheet margin frame.

Illus. 311.

199

Table 42. 10h (Olive) Printing Plates. Plate Markings

Remarks

No markings and no sheet margin frame. No markings, with sheet margin frame. No markings, with sheet margin frame; without row control numbers.

Two plates for stamp booklets.

1.— decimal dash once interrupted, with sheet margin frame. l.—decimal dash once interrupted; between row control numbers 1.— and 2.— is number 41. No sheet margin frame. 1. — decimal dash twice interrupted, with sheet margin frame. 5.— decimal dash once interrupted and no sheet margin frame. 10.— decimal dash once interrupted; no sheet margin frame. 10. — decimal dash twice interrupted, with sheet margin frame.

One notch in the sheet margin frame at position 100. Two notches...position 100; row control number 10.— with uninterrupted decimal dash. Two notches...position 100; row control number 10. — decimal dash twice interrupted. Three notches in the sheet margin frame at position 100; row control number 10.—decimal dash uninterrupted. Three notches in the sheet margin frame at position 100; row control number 10. — thrice interrupted.

Three notches in the sheet margin frame at position 71. Four notches in the right sheet margin frame.

Numeral 5 in the sheet margin frame at position 100. Numeral 6 in the sheet margin frame at position 100.

1-2 In the row control numbers the decimal dash is once 2-2 interrupted; no sheet margin frames. * 3-2 4-2

Since 1924 the printing plates were marked with serial number and with year of issue.

5-24 6-24 7-24 8-24

All subsequent printing plates have the sheet margin frame on one or both sides, interrupted or uninterrupted.

200

Table 42 (cont). 9-24 10-24 11-24 12-24 13-24 14-24 15-24 16-24

1-25 2-25 3-25 4-25

5-26 6-26 7-26 (Type I of 7) (Type II of 7) 8-26 (Type I of 8) (Type II of 8) 11-26 12-26 13-26 14-26

[Ed. note: These refer to the two shapes of the 7 and 8 in Illustration 318, following this chart.] Plates 9 and 10 are presently not known to exist.

1-28 (Type I of 1-28) 1-28 (Type II of 1-28) 2-28 (Type I of 2-28) 2-28 (Type II of 2-28) 1-29 2-29 3-29 4-29

[Ed. Note: Please refer to Illustration 319 for these types.]

*In the first four printing plates since 1924, the left half of the metal block containing the plate serial number and the right half of the block showing the year are cut off.

201

Illus. 312.

Illus. 313.

202

Illus. 314.

Illus. 315. Illus. 317.

Illus. 316. Illus 318.

203


Table 43. 15h Printing Plates Plate Markings Remarks 3.— decimal dash once interrupted; no sheet margin frame.

Was printed jointly with the 25h Liberated Republic in the first printing format.

3. — decimal dash twice interrupted; no sheet margin frame.

Part of issue was printed jointly with the two 30h red violet Hradcany plates.

Illus. 321.

204

Table 44. 20h Printing Plates. Type Printing Plate Remarks

I No markings; no sheet margin frame No markings; no sheet margin frame

The 20h Type I stamp was printed with two plates joined with either two plates of 5h (violet) Dove or two plates of the 5 Oh Liberated Republic.

No markings; with sheet margin frame No markings; with sheet margin frame

Printing of the 20h Type II was started with two plates (printing form). Both plates can only be distinguished from one another by the format of the sheet margin frame.

4.— decimal dash once interrupted; with sheet margin frame

One of the plates with which the printing Type II commenced.

No markings; no row control numbers; with sheet margin frame

Two plates for the stamp booklets.

Two notches in the sheet margin frame at position 100. Three notches in the sheet margin frame at position 100. Four notches in the sheet margin frame at position 100. Three strong wedge-shaped notches in the sheet margin frame at position 21

Further printing forms were composed of four printing plates.

5

in horizontal position in the sheet margin frame at position 100

Interrupted or uninterrupted sheet margin frame.

6

in horizontal position in the sheet margin frame at position 100

Sheet margin frame is continuous.

7 in the frame at position 100 Sheet margin frame continuous.

8 in the frame at position 100 Sheet margin frame continuous. 1-24 2-24 3-24 4-24

II

1-26 2-26 3-26 4-26 5-26 6-26 7-26 9-26 10-26 11-26 12-26

All prints of plates marked with serial numbers and year date have sheet margin frames of different types on both sides. Sheet margin frames are continuous or interrupted and are composed of thick or thin lines or of small oblong shapes. Plate 8-26 is not known

205

Table 44. 20h Printing Plates. (cont) Type

Printing Plate

Remarks

1-27 2-27 5-27 6-27 7-27 8-27 9-27 10-27 11-27 12-27 13-27 14-27

Plates 3-27 and 4-27 are not known. Further markings not known.

II

1-28 2-28 3-28 4-28 6-28 7-28 9-28 10-28 11-28 12-28 13-28 14-28 15-28 16-28 19-28 20-28

Plate 5-28 not known. Plate 8-28 net known. Plates 17-28 and 18-28 are not known.

Illus. 322.

206

Illus. 323.

Illus. 324.

207

Illus. 325.

Illus. 326.

Illus. 327.

208

Illus. 327a.

Illus. 328.

209

Illus. 329.

210

Table 45. 25h Printing Plates Type

Type Plate Markings Remarks

I No markings; no sheet margin frame. No markings; no sheet margin frame.

The entire issue of the 25h (Type I) stamps was printed in one formation composed of two printing plates.

No markings; sheet margin frame is continuous. No markings; sheet margin frame is continuous.

II

Single notch in sheet margin frame at position 100 Two notches in sheet margin frame at position 100 Three notches in sheet margin frame at position 100 Four notches in sheet margin frame at position 100

Sheet margin frame not interrupted. Frame interrupted on left side of plate.

Illus. 331.

211

Illus. 330.

Table 46. 30h Printing Plates. Plate Markings

Remarks

l-25 2-25 3-25 4-25 (Left hand drawing in Illustration 332 is Type I.) 4-25 (Right hand drawing is Type II.)

All printing plates of the 30h have continuous or interrupted sheet margin frames.

1-26 2-26 * -26 *-26 [Ed. See remarks] 5-26 6-26 7-26 8-26

The third and fourth plates of 1926 have different markings — inside the right colored field are the numerals 3 and 4; the left field is a solid block without numerals.


212

STAMP TYPES

With the 20h and 25h we find two types that were produced during the preparation of value numerals. Printing of the 20h value began with two plates of Type I together with two plates of the 5h violet. Types I and II stamps are distinguished by the differences in the shape of the 0 in the value numeral 20.

Type I - has the inside part of the 0 cut at top and bottom (rhomboid upwards); Type II - has the inside of the 0 rounded in the shape of an ellipse.

Illus. 334a. Type I. Illus. 334b. Type II. With the 25h the origin of Type II was somewhat different. The first drawing of the value numeral 2 was not distinct enough, and the design was therefore subsequently corrected. The numeral "2" was altered, thus producing Type II. Thus there are again Type I and Type II differences in the value number 2.

Type I - The top of numeral 2 is only slightly rounded, so that the number is similar to the letter L. Type II - The top of numeral 2 is fully rounded, making it entirely different from the original design.

Illus 335a. Type I. Illus 335b. Type II.

213

COLOR OF STAMPS

As with other stamps typographically printed in quantities numbering in the millions, we find that the Dove issue has a number of color shades. The most important are:

5h - light blue, dark blue, light and dark ultramarine 5h - light and dark violet, dark reddish violet, blackish violet 10h - light and dark green, bluish green, deep and olive green 10h - light and dark olive, olive brown, yellowish olive 15h - light and dark brown, reddish brown, brown 20h - light and dark orange, reddish orange, rose red 25h - light and dark blue green, olive green (only with Type I) 30h - light reddish violet, dark reddish violet

In all of these shades there exist greater or smaller differences in color richness.

PAPER

In the majority of issued stamps, the paper used is white to slightly yellow. In a few minor instances, stamps were printed on brownish yellow (beige) paper. Stamps in all denominations exist on thin paper with the print showing through, as well as on thicker paper and on exceptionally thick paper as in the case of the 5h blue. The gum used was white, yellowish to yellow.

PERFORATIONS

All values were provided with comb perforation 14 vertically advanced. A substantial number of stamps have shifted perforations, thus producing the so-called extended and shortened comb perforations. The 5h violet, the 10h olive, and the 20h are known to have some line perforations 13¾. They exist in sheets intended for use in booklet form. Also available with this line perforation were the normal sheets of 100 bearing values 5h violet and 10h olive. Unofficially, stamps of the 5h blue, the 10h green, and the 15h values were line perforated 13¾. An unknown quantity fell into the hands of collectors. The above three denominations in those perforations are known to exist mint only.

214

HORIZONTAL COMB PERFORATION

Noteworthy is the comb perforation 14 progressing horizontally — the so-called horizontal comb perforation. Many articles in specialized magazines and journals have been written about this perforation oddity. We introduce only the main characteristic signs that are typical of this type of perforation for identification purposes. Horizontal comb perforations of the Dove issue are found in two denominations — the 5h violet and the 10h olive. Because the perforating machine employed in 1921 was used only for a very short period and because the early collectors have not paid much attention to the different types of perforations, stamps of the 14-perf variety were discovered much later. That is why the used 5h violet and the 10h olive are more common. With time, these stamps were in greater demand not only mint, but also even in used condition. In order to recognize the horizontal comb perforation, it is necessary to know how the normal comb perforation was produced. These perforations were made from top to bottom (sometimes from bottom to top) and always in eleven strikes. Horizontal perforation lines always extend into the left or right margins of the sheet with one perforation hole. In this way there are three margins of the printed sheet without perforations except for the bottom one which is perforated with the last or eleventh strike of the perforating machine up to, the margin between the individual row control numbers. At the same time the length of the perforating comb is exactly 21.4 mm across a single stamp (from the center of a perforation hole on one stamp to the center of the equivalent perforation hole on the next stamp). With the horizontal comb perforation, the perforating action moved from left to right (or from right to left), the first strike of the perforating comb began at the left (or the right) margin of the sheet and the last or eleventh strike ended at the right (or left) margin. It is therefore obvious that the stamps in the margins are the ones that correctly identify the perforations used.1 It is somewhat more difficult to determine the perforations of stamps that are located on the inner part of the sheet. Here to a large extent we have help from frequent inaccuracies in the comb perforations. In the regular course of operation of the comb-perforating machine, the perforation lines always meet in a precise position and produce square corners at the center of which is always a single perforation hole. In the event the perforating machine is incorrectly set, the regularity of subsequent perforations is disturbed. This may happen if the moving table of the perforating machine shifts slightly away, causing the perforations to be further apart from each other (regular extended comb perfs) or if the moving table shifts slightly closer, causing smaller gaps between perforations (shortened comb perfs). It may also happen if the perforating machine shifts slightly to the left or slightly to the right with no other discernible movement or in combination with the above two mentioned movements (the origin of considerable perforation distortion).

1 In distinguishing individual stamps with horizontal comb perforations where the regularity of the perforations seems to be precise from those whose perforations are not so exact, it is possible to carry out accurate measurements and comparisons of individual perforations using a method developed in 1964 by František Šrámek. Subsequently a number of retouches were discovered of the 5h violet, namely the 45th stamp on sheet VI/5R and the 100th stamp on sheet VII/1R, with the horizontal comb perforation. Also known to exist in that perforation is an unused bottom strip of the 5h violet with row control, numbers where the 100th stamp is retouched

215

Illus. 336.

Note: Detailed elaboration and analysis of the horizontal comb perforation was carried out by František Šrámek in MERKUR magazine, number 11/1970.

216

Illus. 336.2

From these illustrated examples, it is clear that the distance between the vertical perforation lines is always slightly greater or slightly less than 21.4 mm.

Illus. 337a. Horizontal Comb Perforation

Illus. 337b. Horizontal Comb Perforation

2 This number is repeated in the original – Ed.

217

Illus. 337c. A sheet of 100 stamps with horizontal comb perforations

218

PRODUCTION FAULTS

PRINTING FAULTS

During the production stages of the typography, a number of printing faults came into existence. The origins of these faults are caused by printing plates and by accidental production errors.

FAULTS IN THE PRINTING PLATES

The sensitive surface of the glass negative was often damaged. Scratches and interrupted or missed sketching on the glass negative appeared on the metal printing plate as un-etched parts which were printed during the usage of that plate. Conversely, any undesirable deposits on the glass negative by way of scratches, spots, dots, etc. were etched on the metal plate and during usage of that plate were not printed. The drawing or the glass negative could have been damaged during processing or development and before the emulsion dried. These faults are repeated on all plates produced that used that negative. Faults in the printing plates were also due to damage to the sensitive layer of the metal plate before etching, defects during etching or mechanical damage to that plate. They occurred in that phase of printing that was done with defective or damaged plates.

ACCIDENTAL PRODUCTION FAULTS

These kinds of faults occurred during the latter stages of printing and were due to wear of the printing plates, their contamination and the introduction of foreign bodies between the paper and the plates themselves.

RETOUCHES

Faults on the glass negative and the printing plate had a disturbing and telling effect on the appearance of the finished stamps. They were removed at the beginning of and during the printing run. Depending upon the stage of production and the way in which repairs were carried out, primary and secondary retouches can be identified.

219

PRIMARY RETOUCHES

Before the printing was begun, corrections were made on the proof, the design on the glass neg-ative and, if necessary, the sensitive layer of the metal plate before etching. Intervention by the retoucher occasionally left marks in the corrected parts that subsequently appeared on the metal plates. To the primary retouch also belongs the removal of protrusions on the metal plate that were not supposed to be printed. Occasionally during making of the printing plates, parts that were to be printed were etched, or sometimes a part of metal was broken. Repairs to these faults were difficult and they were usually carried out by filling them with molten metal, by drawing metal from surrounding areas or by hammering the metal from underneath. Because the primary retouches were done before the stamp printing commenced, the original fault features are not known.

SECONDARY RETOUCHES

Even though the most prominent faults were usually removed with primary retouching, a substantial number of additional faults in the printing plates were not repaired. As the printing pro-gressed through its run, some of the faults were discovered and promptly repaired. With the secondary retouches, the fault on the printing plate and its retouches on the stamps is always recognizable.

DESIGNATION OF FAULTS AND RETOUCHES

Numerous faults occur with all values of the Dove stamps issue in the printing plates, in retouches and in occasional production errors. We introduce the description of the most interesting faults and retouches of the individual values.3

3 During description of faults and retouches, a designation is used for left wing, right number, left margin of stamp, etc. in the sense of viewing the stamp. With values 5h and 10h, the printing plate faults and their retouches are described for both colors because the same plates or glass negatives were sometimes used for printing them

220

For purposes of clarity, the faults and retouches are individually indicated (independently with each value) in this fashion:

I, II..............................VII position mark of deviations in stamp. 1,2,3..............................… serial number of fault and retouch. a, b, c,................................ after serial number - deviations of that fault. R........................................ after serial number – retouch. RA,RB,RC...................…. after serial number - different retouches of that fault

Position indications refer to this part of the stamp surface:

I Upper margin and horizontal decorative sketching.

II Upper part of wing with adjacent decorative sketching.

III Tail of dove.

IV Inscription Pošta Československá.

V Lower part of wings and body of dove.

VI Numeral with adjacent decorative sketching.

VII Letter envelope, head of dove, name of designer.

Illus. 338.

THE 5 H (BLUE AND VIOLET)

Position Marks Description

Position of stamp

Plate Blue = B Violet = V

Printing Plate Faults

I/1 Notch in top margin above dove's tail 37 V

I/2 Colored dot & horizontal line above top right corner

21 Not marked & without sheet margin frame

B

I/3 Colored spiral in top right corner & colored dot in left wing


B

221


Position of stamp


I/4 Strongly marked top left corner & vertical colored line

18 B

II/1 Right margin arching 10 V

IV/1 Colored horizontal below letters SLOV 30 V

VI/1a Thin colored line across dove tail, colored line in lower left wing, arching line in vertical sketching at left a 5 & horizontal line at left bottom corns of letter envelope

21 With numeral 3 inside sheet margin frame

B,V

VI/lb Horizontal line in envelope & markings in colored line at dove's tail

21 B,V

VI/2 Colored dot in right 5, lower part of right "5" tapering off, colored line & dot in hook under right 5


B,V

VI/3 Colored lines in right hook & in numeral 5 suffused letters NSK & deformed wing under letters SKA

20 V

VI/4 Colored dot in envelope's right corner & in hook below right numeral 5


B,V

VII/1 Interrupted line in envelope & break in sketching of left wing


B

VII/2 Colored arched line from letter a in Benda to letters SLOVENSKA


B,V

VII/3a Large blot in envelope, break in sketching below letter Č, color blot in wings

70 2-26 B

222


Position of stamp


VII/3b As in VII/3a, except blot is smaller 70 2-26 B

VII/4 Colored dot in left part of envelope 48 B,V

VII/5 Six colored lines & line after author's name


B,V

VII/6a Three lines in envelope & line in lower part of left wing

6 V

Illus. 339. I/1. Illus. 340. I/2.

Illus. 343. II/1. Illus. 341. I/3. Illus. 342. I/4.

223

Illus. 344. IV/1. Illus 345. VI/1a. Illus 346. VI1b.

Illus. 347. VI/2. Illus. 348. VI/3. Illus. 349. VI/4.

Illus. 350. VII/1.

224

Illus. 351. VII/2. Illus. 354. VII/4 (top). Illus. 356. VII/6a. Illus, 355. VII/4 (bottom).

Illus. 352. VII/3a.

Illus. 353. VII/3b.

225


Position of stamp


Primary retouches

I/5 RA Retouch between horizontal white sketching in upper left corner

56 No markings without sheet margin frame

B

I/5 RB Retouches between horizontal white sketching; difference (A & B) is in form & in margins

56 V

II/2 R Retouch of letters KA; right wing & nearby sketching; original fault IV/1 under letters SLOV remains intact

(73?) V

IV/2 R Upper part of letter P tapered; white line in front of lower part of letter P; letters OŠT thickened with irregular shading *

1 With narrow sheet margin frame

V

IV/3 R Letters P0Š are irregular; white line in front of letter T


V

IV/4 R Letter P tapered; letters OST repaired in lower part; vertical white line center of letter A


V

IV/5 R All letters in POSTA repaired; shading of letters is joined with margin *


V

IV/6 R Letters PO repaired; left arm of letter A is doubled & joined with letter T *


V

IV/7 R Left part of letter O is thicker; letters TAwholly repaired *


V

IV/8 R Letter P inclines toward O; letter O is smaller *


V

* With 5 h (violet), plate with narrow sheet margin frame Implemented with repairs of letters POŠTA in left vertical border row (stamps 1, 11, 21, 31, 41, 51, 61, 71, 81, 91).

226


Position of stamp


IV/9R Entire inscription POŠTA is stronger; letter O irregular*


V

IV/10R Letter P thicker in lower part; letters TA elongated downward; letter A thicker on right


V

IV/11R Letter O thicker on right side; T elongated downward; two colored vertical lines inside; A joined with T*


V

VI/5R Retouch of left & right 5; bolder print under both 5's; corrected sketch of envelope: line at left of dove's beak & author's name: repaired pos. 56; retouch of I/5 a & b

45 Blue-colored stamp without markings or sheet margin frame

B,V

VI/6R Left & right number 5 retouched; (seen as a disfiguration)

45 Without marking or sheet margin frame; white spaces brighter

B

VII/1R Retouch of line under envelope; author's name, right wing, letters NSK & whole right portion of stamp; interrupted line in envelope remained intact-fault VII/1 at 100th stamp

100 V

Illus. 360.

* With 5 h (violet), plate with narrow sheet margin frame Implemented with repairs of letters POŠTA in left vertical border row (stamps 1, 11, 21, 31, 41, 51, 61, 71, 81, 91).

227

Illus. 357. I/5 RA

Illus. 358. I/5 RB

Illus. 359. IV/1 R Illus. 359a. II/2 R

228

Illus. 360. IV/2 R. IV/5 R. IV/8 R. IV/3 R. IV/6 R. IV/9 R. IV/4 R. IV/7 R. IV/10 R. IV/11 R.

229

Illus. 361. VI/5 R.

Illus. 362. VI/6 R.

Illus. 363. VII/1 R.

230

Position Marks

Description Position of stamp

Plate Blue - B Violet - V

Secondary Retouches

VII/2 RA Retouch of printed plate fault, VII/2 - colored arching line

24 V

VII/2 RB Additional retouch of printed plate fault, VII/2

24 V

VII/2 RC Retouch of printed plate fault, VII/2 24 B

Illus. 364. VII/2 RA. Illus. 365. VII/2 RB.

Illus. 366. VII/2 RC.

231

10H (GREEN AND OLIVE)

Position Marks

Description Position of Stamp

Plate Green - G Olive - O

Printing plate faults

II/l1 Colored oval spot in right wing 62 O

III/3 Colored arch in tail 24 O

III/4 Notch in middle of tail & colored dot in right corner

76 O

VI/1 Colored dot in left number 73 G,O

VII/1a Colored line across letters OS in Ceskoslovenska; 5 colored lines in envelope

37 O

VII/1b Colored line across letters OS; only 4 lines in envelope.

37 Deeper etching (white parts brighter)

O

VII/2a Colored oblique line at the letter a in Benda; two colored spots in decorative design above right number.

21 O

VII/2b Same as in fault VII/2a, but oblique line at the letter a in Benda is broken.

21 O

VII/3 Colored dot in right corner of envelope 13 G,0

VII/4 Colored dot in lower part of envelope 79 G,O

VII/5 Left part of envelope damaged; broken lines from seal; design shift under envelope; difference in letters JAR.

86 G,0

VII/6a Notch in lower margin of stamp 68 G,0

VII/6b Notch in lower margin of stamp; broken lower margin of envelope.

68 G,0

Illus. 367a. III/3 Illus. 367b. III/4

232

Illus. 367. II/1. Illus. 368. VI/1.

Illus. 369. VII/1a. Illus. 370. VII/1b.

Illus. 371. VII/2a. Illus. 372. VII/2b.

233

Illus. 373. VII/3. Illus. 374. VII/4. Illus. 376. VII/6a.

Illus. 375. VII/5. Illus. 377. VII/6b.

Position Marks

Description Stamp Position

Plate Green - G Olive - O

Primary Retouches

III/1 R Tail of dove repaired as well as adjoining design above & in upper margin of stamp; besides the retouch, there is a printing plate fault at VII/2a.

21 O

III/2R Design of whole tail repaired; besides the retouch, there are printing plate faults in envelope & in left wing.

10 O

VI/2 R Retouch of right number & adjoining parts; besides the retouch, there is a printing plate fault at II/1.

62 O

VII/7 R Retouch extending from letter P in Pošta across left wing & diagonally across envelope.

45 O

234

Secondary Retouches

VII/1 RA Retouch of line in envelope; thickness removed, single thin line remaining; colored line across OS untouched; original fault at VII/la

37 O

VII/1 RB Retouch of line in envelope; thickness removed, one thin & one thicker line remaining; colored line across OS untouched.

37 O

VII/1 RC All lines removed, design in repaired parts weakened; line across OS untouched.

37 O

Illus. 378. III/1 R.

Illus. 379. III/2 R.

235

Illus. 380. VI/2 R.

Illus. 381. VII/7 R. Illus. 382. VII/1 RA.

Illus. 383. VII/1 RB. Illus. 384. VII/1 RC.

236

15H BROWN

Position Marks

Description Printing of Plate Faults Position of Stamp Plate

I /I Broken colored line above tail 20 2 VI/1 Arching notch in right lower corner of stamp 10 2

VII/1 Colored dot in lower part of envelope 60 1,2

VII/2 Colored dot in left part of envelope 63 1

Illus. 385. I/1. Illus. 386. VI/1.

Illus. 387. VII/1. Illus. 388. VII/2.

237

20H (TYPE II) ORANGE

Position Marks


Printing Plate Faults

III/la Colored oval spot in dove's tail 43 III/lb Colored oval spot in dove's tail & oblique line in front of beak 43

III/2 Colored feather in dove's tail joined with border 89

VII/1 Colored spot in lower part of envelope & two thin oblique lines across white horizontal design in upper left corner; this fault was removed on a number of plates (retouch VII/1 RA - RG).

33

VII/2a Colored line in dove's beak & white spots in lower part of left wing. 51

VII/2b As in fault VH/a, but with addition of white spot in left wing under the letter Š in POŠTA.

51

VII/2c As in fault VII/2a, but with addition of white notch in lower margin of stamp

51

VII/2d As in fault VII/2a, but the colored line next to dove's beak is missing; possibility of a retoucher's intervention cannot be excluded.

51

VII/3 Tinted lines extend from seal to envelope's right corners 46

VII/4a Large colored spot to left of envelope seal & stronger colored line from seal to left upper corner of envelope.

4

VII/4b As in fault VII/4a, but the spot is smaller. 4

VII/4c As in fault VII/4a, but in place of spot are a number of smaller spots.

4

VII/4d As in fault VII/4c, but with addition of broken line from seal to left bottom corner of envelope.

4

VII/5a Vertical colored line in envelope left of dove's beak 3

VII/5b As in fault VII/5a, but with addition of strengthened line left of envelope seal & with colored spots between them.

3

238

Position Marks


VII/5c As in fault VII/5b, but spots are smaller. 3

VII/6 Colored lines extend from dove's head across envelope seal down to stamp's left margin.

32

VII/7 Short oblique colored line above envelope's seal 48

VII/8 White spot after 0 in left value numeral 20. 83

Note: A search for the origin and involvement of the printing plate fault VII/4 - 4 stamp and VI1/5 - 3 stamp is not over. Nor can it be discounted that repairs or retouches were done in the same phase of plate production.

Illus. 389. III/1a. Illus. 390. III/1b. Illus. 391. III/2.

Illus. 392. VII/1.

239

Illus. 393. VII/2a.

Illus. 394. VII/2b. Illus. 395. VII/2c. Illus. 396. VII/2d.

Illus. 397. VII/3.

240

Illus. 398. VII/4a. Illus. 399. VII/4b. Illus. 400. VII/4c.

Illus. 401. VII/4d. Illus. 402. VII/5a. Illus. 403. VII/5b.

Illus. 404. VII/5c. Illus. 405. VII/6. Illus. 406. VII/7.

Illus. 407. VII/8.

241

Position Marks


Production faults (Incidental)

VI/1 Numeral 2 damaged in lower right-hand corner and loop of 2 partly filled in.

VI/2 Numeral 2 damaged in lower left-hand corner

VI/3 Numeral 2 damaged in lower left-hand corner; lower part extends deep into stamp's left corner.

VI/2 Suffused wing

VI/4 Spot above right-hand numeral.

Illus. 407a. II/2. Illus. 407b. VI/4.

Illus. 408. VI/1.

242

Illus. 409. VI/2.

Illus. 410. VI/3.

In comparison with the other values, 20h stamps have a characteristic difference in the design sketch of the dove's left wing. The sheets of that denomination, both type I and II, have small notches in the lower part of the wing in all 100 positions. It is a relatively small fault that originated on the printing block from which the auxiliary arrangement was constructed with the 100 positions necessary to produce the printing plate. The above-mentioned fault (difference) also appears on the tête-bêche stamps (see Fig. 410a).

Illus. 410a.

243

Position Marks


Primary Retouches

I/1R Upper margin repaired; whole margin weakened 2

I/2 R Upper margin repaired; margin gradually weakened from left to right.

23

I/3 R Upper margin repaired; whole upper margin strengthened; strengthening proceeds for a short distance downward in the upper right corner.

II/1 RA Repairs to stamp's left side; horizontal white sketching repaired; ends weakened; whole of left wing repaired as well as letter TA in POŠTA; end of numeral 2 touches numeral 0

21

II/1 RB As in retouch II/1 RA; however, vertical decorative sketching touches left numeral 2.

21

Illus. 411. I/1 R.

Illus. 412. I/2 R. Illus. 413. I/3 R.

244

Illus. 414. II/1 RA Illus. 415. II/1

RB

Position Marks


Secondary Retouches

VII/1 RA Retouch of spot in envelope (fault VII/1); traces remain in envelope's lower margin and on horizontal line in envelope.

33.

VII/1 RB Retouch of spot in envelope; traces remain in envelope; horizontal line only.

33.

VII/1 RC Retouch of spot in envelope; lower margin of envelope shows substantial arching to left of original fault and on horizontal line in envelope are remains of original fault.

33.

VII/1 RD Retouch of spot in envelope; traces of repair in lower margin of envelope partly to left of original fault.

33.

VII/1 RE Retouch of spot in envelope; envelope's margin arching left from original fault and traces of spot on horizontal line in envelope.

33.

VII/1 RF Retouch of spot in envelope; two vertical lines in the horizontal decorative sketching; in the envelope traces to the left and right sides of the original fault.

33

VII/1 RG Retouch of spot in envelope; only slight faults remain of the original fault on the lower edge of the envelope.

33

245

Illus. 416. VII/1 RA. Illus. 417. VII/1 RB. Illus. 418. VII/1 RC.

Illus. 419. VII/1 RD. Illus. 410. VII/1 RE.

Illus. 421. VII/1 RF. Illus. 422. VII/1 RG.

246

25 H (TYPE II) GREEN

Position Mark:


Plate

Primary Retouches VII/1 R Retouch of envelope & author's name; envelope

seal has oval shape; lines in envelope thinner; letters JAR repaired; border above them damaged; letters BENDA irregular & without dot after them.

20 With sheet margin frame

Illus. 423. Detail of Retouched Part.

Illus. 424. VII/1 R.

247

30H RED VIOLET

Position Mark Description Stamp Position

Printing Plate Faults I/1 Rounded notch in left upper margin with a colored dot

inside. 42

II/1 White oval spot in right margin above the letters SKA 18

IV/1 Upper part of letter S in SKA is white 13

IV/2 Letters VE in CESKOSLOVENSKA joined together and partly white.

29

IV/3 White spot across lower part of letter N; feathers below letters SLOV damaged; white spot to left of dove's head; right upper corner of envelope sketch not complete.

31

IV/4 Letters in SKOSLOV are irregular. 46

V/1 Large white notch at left wing; adjoining part of sketch damaged

90

V/2 White incision in lower part of left wing 6

V/3 Small circle under letter 0 in SLOVENSKA; one half is colored, the other half is white.

96

VI/1 Short vertical sketch above left denomination 30 appears as two lines.

VI/2 White spot in vertical sketching above left denomination 30; white vertical line in left bottom corner; horizontal line in envelope is broken below the seal.

100

VI/3 White spot above right denomination 30. 25

Illus. 425. I/1. Illus 426. II/1.

248

Illus. 427. IV/1. Illus. 428. IV/2. Illus. 429. IV/3.

Illus. 430. IV/4. Illus. 431. V/1.

Illus. 432. V/2. Illus. 433. V/3

249

Illus. 434. VI/1

Illus. 435. VI/2. Illus. 436. VI/3.

Position Marks


Primary retouches VII/1 RA Stronger line in right part of envelope; right number 3 and

decorative sketching beneath it is repaired; with some stamps having this retouch, a colored dot appears in lower margin or a colored line & dot in dove's tail appears with white spots in upper part of left wing.

72

VII/1 RA As in retouch VII/1 RA; however there are additional retouches to dove's tail, right wing and upper margin of stamp.

72

VII/2 R Retouches of upper right part of envelope and adjacent parts of numeral 3; part of right wing repaired

92

250

Illus. 436a. VII/1 RA

Illus. 436b. VII/1 RB.

Illus. 436c. VII/2 R.

251

The last mentioned printing faults and retouches (primary and secondary) are found extensively on cancelled stamps. Some faults, particularly on mint stamps, occur only sporadically. For example, VI/6R (5h blue), VII/1R (5h violet), VI/2R (10h olive), VII/1R (25h) and VII/1RB (30h). Also known to exist are some imperforates of the 5h blue - retouch 45, stamps VI/5R. Imperforates with retouch 56, stamps I/5R have not yet been verified. Below left -Retouch 45, VI/5R (5h blue imperforate - see fig. 437). Below right - Retouch 45, (5h violet -Horizontal comb - see Fig. 437a).

Illus. 437. Retouch of 5h Blue, Stamp 45 – VI/5 R – Imperforate.

Illus. 437a. Retouch of 5h Violet, Stamp 45 – Comb Perforation.

Despite the lapse of more than sixty years since the Dove stamps were issued, the study of the printing plate faults and their retouches continues and is made more difficult through the scarcity of documented material. Among the printing plate faults, a number of cases have come to light indicating a further study might show that they are retouches. Expert opinions are not uniform. A number of very interesting plate faults and their retouches exist in the Dove Issue. Descriptions and illustrations, especially of known printing plates, deserve their own greatly expanded research publication.

252

OFFSETS

We are familiar with a whole line of machine offsets on stamps of almost all values; some as total machine offsets (in the majority of cases), some as partial machine offsets (in isolated cases). Printing sheet offsets, either total or partial, are found with almost all stamp values. With the 30h stamp, offsets appear only occasionally. Machine and printing sheet offsets appear somewhat less frequently with the 5h violet and the 25h stamps than with the other values.

Illus. 438. Illus. 439. Total Machine Offset. Partial Machine Offset.

Illus. 440. Printing Sheet Offset.

253

OTHER FAULTS

PERFORATION FAULTS

As with the preceding issues, a number of perforation imperfections appear with the Dove issue in addition to those referred to on page 214. These are mainly stamps with one or two perforations missing due to the rupture of the machine-perforating needle. Missing horizontal or vertical perforations occur comparatively seldom. Far more stamps have been discovered with double or triple perforations or with double oblique perforations and also stamps with normal perforations but with a significant shift against the printed picture, mostly with comb perforation 14. They appear more commonly on stamp values l0h (green and olive) and 20h.


Illus. 443.

Illus. 445.

254

Illus. 444.

REMAINDER OF PRINTING AND PAPER FAULTS

This category includes all imperfect, smudged, double and slightly shifted print that occurs with all values except the 30h. Smudged and double print also occurs on the 10h olive and the 15h imperforated stamps. Occasionally prints occur on the gummed side. This is known to exist on both the 5h violet and blue, 10h green and the 20h stamp, as well as the 5h blue and the 15h imperforate. In this category also belong miscellaneous incomplete and missed prints caused by paper folds, both small and large, and small paper shifts. Of particular interest are incomplete prints caused by paper that became torn during production and then was pasted together before printing. Sometimes it happened that the paper was torn and pasted together during the printing run. This resulted in some interesting imperfections, especially with stamp values 5h (blue) and 10h (olive). However, the above-mentioned faults occur only occasionally.

Illus. 446.

255


Illus. 448.

Illus. 450.

256

UNISSUED PRINTS

Under this heading belong the imperforate stamps, the 15h stamp with the 13 3/4 perforation, trial prints of the original and final designs, black prints and printers' waste on variously colored paper.

UNISSUED STAMPS

IMPERFORATE STAMPS

Small quantities of sheets of all values reached collectors' hands consisting of both types (20h and 25h) without perforations (except for the 30h stamp). It is necessary to consider them as stamps that were not officially issued. But since they are popular with collectors, we are mentioning them independently in this section. In the case of imperforates, it is noteworthy that the 20h type II stamp can be found only occasionally and is therefore more highly priced than the type I stamp. In the case of perforates, the opposite is true. Imperforated stamps are not found used, though the occurrence of philatelicly cancelled stamps is always a possibility. It should also be mentioned that the 20h stamps from the printed sheet for booklets (60-piece sheet) comprise what are known as the tête-bêche imperforated combinations. With the imperforates, machine and printing sheet offsets may be found in some smaller quantities.

Illus. 451.

Imperforate Corner Block of Four.

15H STAMP PERFORATED 13¾

This stamp was originally classified in catalogs as officially issued, just like the 5h, l0h and 20h. Later it was discovered that it left the print shop in an unofficial manner and was, in time, clas-sified with other unissued stamps (not mentioned in catalogs).

257

PREPARATORY AND CONTROL PRINTS

TRIAL PRINTS

A quantity of trial prints executed either by recess printing or by typography has been preserved. Over the course of years, most of it fell into the hands of collectors. We know of prints made at the outset from the original design with the numeral 2 and with its appropriate stars on a stamp picture measuring 22.8 X 26.3 mm. recess printed usually on paper without gum (rarely with gum) and in a variety of colors. This trial printing is also known to exist on a strip of paper together with two other designs of un-issued stamps. This preparatory period also gave us a trio of stamp values (5 plus 15 plus 10) in essay size, black prints from an unfinished plate measuring 38 x 44 mm. on chalk or brownish paper.

Illus. 452.

Illus. 453.

258

Illus. 454.

259

In addition, there is a series of trial prints of the original design that are recess printed in dimensions of 18.2 x 21.7 mm. They bear numerals 5, 10 and 15 and were provided by the print shop itself. Individual samples of these three values were preserved as a unit on a strip of gummed paper in many colors [15 + 10 + 5], occasionally on white un-gummed paper and even on cardboard paper or slightly brownish paper. Trial prints were also line perforated 11½, the majority of which were preserved as single stamps. The same trial prints produced typographically belong to still another group. Individual units with values of 5h, 10h, and 15h are known to have been placed together on a strip of paper in a 10 + 5 + 15 arrangements. However there is a longer space between these stamps than those on the recess printed strip. They exist in several colors (through not as many colors) and are always on gummed paper. Also preserved are trial prints perforated 11½ (single stamps). There is yet another group consisting of prints of a definitive design which was preserved in a larger quantity. These were produced typographically in several varieties and in all values except 30h. On the basis of these trials, suitable colors were selected for anticipated production.



260

Paper strips bearing values of 10 plus 20 plus 25 plus 5 are known to exist as unfinished dies, partly as complete and individual examples of stamps, caused by cutting. They are found in many colors and always on white chalky paper or on gummed paper. Other prints include the values 5 plus 10 plus 15 on paper strips with smaller spaces between the stamps (9.5mm.) produced in many colors and only on gummed paper. Singular examples are known with the perforation 11½. The three values (5 plus 10 plus 15) shown below were also produced as trial prints on a printed sheet combined with Masaryk, the Dove, the Liberated Republic and Science and Agriculture in many colors (approximately 17) on gummed paper and occasionally on white chalky paper. On the whole, there were very few of these combined sheets preserved. In the majority of cases, the sheets were cut up into blocks or singles.

Illus. 459.

Illus. 460.

261

Illus. 461.

Illus. 462.

To the conceding portion of the trial period belong trial prints 100-unit sheets. Tried in this way was the 10h value in olive green, orange red and violet colors, all on gummed paper. Also tried was the 5h dark blue and the 15h reddish brown on white chalky paper. The 30h stamp is the only one that has not gone through the trial stages and no trial prints are known of this value. In summary, Table 47 shows all the different kinds of trial prints and known colors, including all varieties.

262

Table 47. Trial prints for the Dove issues (Overview). Type Dimensions Print Value Description Colors Paper Trial perfs

With combined designs on a large strip of paper

22.

8 x

2

6.3

mm

R

eces

s pr

int

(neo

type

) 2

Single

Yellow Reddish orange Reddish brown Dark brown Violet Light blue Blue Light green Dark green Grey

Un-gummed Rarely gummed

11½

15+10 +5

Small paper strips

Rec

ess

prin

t (n

eoty

pe)

5 10 15

Single

Orange Red (carmine) Reddish violet Violet Brown Olive Blue Blue green Light green

Gummed Rarely on white gummed paper or cardboard

11½

10+5 +15

Paper strips Greater spacing between printing dies

O

rigin

al d

esig

n - t

rial p

rints

(six

sta

rs)

18

.2x2

1.7

mm

.

Typo

grap

hy

5 10 15

Single

Rose red Blue green Light green Yellow green and others

Gummed 11½

10+20 +25 +5

Paper strips unfinished or finished printing dies

Tria

l prin

ts

of d

efin

itive

des

ign

18.

2 x2

1.7

mm

.

Typ

ogra

phy

5,10 20,25

Single

Carmine red Grey violet Light blue Blue Dark blue Dark brown Light green Dark green (15 colors)

Chalky or gummed

263

Table 47 (cont.) Type Dimensions Print Value Description Colors Paper Trial perfs

5+10 +15

Paper strips Smaller spacing between printing dies

5 10 15

Single

Gummed

11½

5+10 +15

Trial print on combined printed sheet (Masaryk, Liberated Republic, Age. & Science,

Orange yellow Rose red Carmine red Reddish violet Grey violet Dark violet Olive Grey brown Dark brown Green (17 colors)

Gummed Rarely chalky

Tria

l prin

ts o

f def

initi

ve d

esig

n

18.

2 x

21.7

mm

.

Typ

ogra

phy

10 From a 100-units sheet

Dark olive Dark vermilion Violet

Gummed

BLACK PRINTS

Black prints are known to exist in all values and types (except the 30h), partly on chalk paper and partly on ordinary yellowish paper. Some of these are preserved as unfinished printing dies, though only certain values. Also known to exist is a blackprint of the 20h value with the wide 0 in the numeral block. After the trial prints were viewed, this design was rejected and was replaced just before production with a new type of 0 (Type I). The original design of numeral 20 also exists on white chalk paper in the finished and unfinished printing die as well as on brownish paper. (See Table 48 for overview.)

264

Illus. 463.


Illus. 466.

Illustrations 464 through 466 show the original 20 (wide 0).

265

Table 48 - Overview of Blackprints of the Dove Issue Size of stamp 38 X 44 mm. Unfinished printing die (Six stars)

Chalk paper Brownish paper

Triple 5+15+10

Normal stamp size (Six stars)

Chalky, cardboard 5, 10, 15

Finished printing die

5, 10, 15, 20 (I & II) 25 I 20 - wide 0

Unfinished printing die

5 20 - wide 0

Gummed 20 I

Chalk paper

Back side brownish ordinary paper

5, 10, 20 I

Finished printing die

5, 10, 15, 20 II, 25 I, 20 – wide 0

Unfinished printing die

25 I, 20 – wide 0

Thick 25 I

Brownish paper

Gummed on front side 25 (I

PRINTER'S WASTE ON COLORED PAPER

In this group we classify printers' waste on colored paper (yellowish, brownish, light green, yellow-green, gray, rose-violet, blue-green violet-blue, etc). They are known to exist in all values. Small quantities exist in some values with trial comb perf 14. Parts of sheets have been preserved by col-lectors as se-tenants of two different values on white or brownish waste paper. They comprise evidence of individual printing formats and their plates as well as some whole sheets deposited in the Prague Postal Museum

266

Illus. 467.

Overview of Individual Values Found on Various Papers: White to brownish (yellowish) 5h blue, 10h green, olive, 15, 20 25h Yellow 25h Rose violet 5h blue, violet, 10h green, olive, 20h Dark reddish violet 5h blue, violet, 10h green, olive, 15h Orange 10h olive, 20h Violet blue 10h olive Blue green 5h blue, violet, l0h green, olive Light gray 5h violet, 10h olive Blue 20, 25h Yellowish green 10h olive Grayish green 10h olive

Printers' waste on colored paper is always referred to as se-tenant tête-bêche.

FORGERIES

Forgeries exist to deceive postal authorities and to defraud collectors. For details, see PADELKY CESKOSLOVENSKYCH ZNAMEK, published in 1963.

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