Wire structures in stamp paper!

[Rein]

For machine-made paper we can only find two types of paper before 1970:

Linen-binding [tafetan]:



Twill-binding [sarga]:






to be continued ...

[Rein]

Linen-binding:



the blue lines connect the "hills"!



Twill-binding:



the blue lines connect the "hills"!



to be continued ...

[Rein]

While the "simple" wires were in use before 1970, since around 1970 the paper mills started to use more complex wires, multilayer wires like the Maastricht Paper Mill, the Netherlands, did in 1988 on their machine nr. 5

Observed from one side:









to be continued ...

[Rein]

While the "simple" wires were in use before 1970, since around 1970 the paper mills started to use more complex wires, multilayer wires like the Maastricht Paper Mill, the Netherlands, did in 1988 on their machine nr. 5

Observed from the opposite side:









to be continued ...

[Otin]

Rein,
Thanks. It´s the first time I hear about multilayer wires. That would explain rhe absence of noticeable wire patterns in present stamps. Saludos,
José

[Rein]

Examples of the linen-binding on Argentina stamps observed form the back of the stamps! The direction of paper is vertical.



When you connect the "hills" by the blue lines you can see the black rhombs in one line; even better when you turn your head a bit!





The wire structure of the linen-binding is ALWAYS symmetrical!

to be continued ....

[Rein]

Not only in Argentina but also elsewhere we can see stamps that have both a symmetrical wire and an asymmetrical wire!

Symmetrical wire (Linenbinding, Tafetan):





Asymmetrical wire (Twill-binding, sarga):





In the latter stamps, the paper feels a bit thicker or more stiff...

to be continued ....

[Rein]

Some examples of early Swiss stamps where before 1908 the paper was gummed after printing and later on the paper was supplied already gummed!

The pre-1908 paper has the coloured fibers in a predominantly horizontal position - parallel to the direction of paper!
After 1908 we see the turn of 90 degrees!









The result was that the watermark Swiss Cross changed from vertical into horizontal [the watermark being an orthogonal watermark] and this had not been noticed by the Swiss philatelists until 2002!

I was familiar with this change already in 1975 but did only publish it in our national philatelic magazine in 1993! Still light years ahead of the Swiss!

As these stamps had been issued way before 1938 the wire structure is symmetrical!

to be continued ...

[Rein]

Although the Swiss philatelists became aware of the two watermark orientations, they did not spot the change - somewhat later though - in the airmail definitives of the 1930-ies!


Crosses aligned horizontally!







Crosses aligned vertically!










to be continued ....

[Rein]

The Swiss 1973 Landscape series printed in a combination of photogravure and recess can be found in both the old twill-binding wire structure [asymmetrical] and the new multilayer structure that is more or less symmetrical!

Twill-binding [sarga]:







to be continued ....

[Rein]

The Swiss 1973 Landscape series printed in a combination of photogravure and recess can be found in both the old twill-binding wire structure [asymmetrical] and the new multilayer structure that is more or less symmetrical!

Multilayer:







to be continued ....

[Rein]

The Swiss 1973 Landscape series printed in a combination of photogravure and recess can be found in both the old twill-binding wire structure [asymmetrical] and the new multilayer structure that is more or less symmetrical!

Twill-binding [sarga]:







to be continued ....

[Rein]

The Swiss 1973 Landscape series printed in a combination of photogravure and recess can be found in both the old twill-binding wire structure [asymmetrical] and the new multilayer structure that is more or less symmetrical!

Multilayer:







to be continued ....

[Rein]

Several Swiss definitives series have a variety of types of paper but also of their orientations! In the Swiss context this has to do with use of the two different recess printing presses! The 1936 Goebel press [SSR I] or the 1950 WIFAg press [SSR II].

Printed on the Goebel:





Symmetrical paper wire and a vertical direction of paper!

to be continued ...

[Rein]

Several Swiss definitives series have a variety of types of paper but also of their orientations! In the Swiss context this has to do with use of the two different recess printing presses! The 1936 Goebel press [SSR I] or the 1950 WIFAg press [SSR II].

Printed on the WIFAG:





Symmetrical paper wire and a horizontal direction of paper!

to be continued ...