This variety is listed as P3b on cylinder 2 no dot on the stamp next to the control. I just discovered what I thought must be this variety on an FDC but am unsure as the b/w picture in the 4 Kings shows the strand of hair at a slightly different position. Can anyone confirm or otherwise?
Thanks
James

Hi Jim,
If you have been keeping the journals you will find a great article by Robin Restall
in Vol. 53 number 2 40.
If you cannot lay your hands on it you can download it from the home page listed as
The case of the curious coif under Restall Robin.
I think he covers just about everything there.
Hope it helps.
Regards
Ron

Ron, thanks your help; I had forgotten about that article but have just reread it and looked at the pictures on screen at high magnification. I see you were in there at the time too! Unfortunately my block has a margin of only 13mm so I cannot check th fascinating wildlife elements described. However it does show that the original flaw is as decribed in the catalogue and not like the shorter hair nearer the crown and growing backwards on my example. The mystery remains!

Hi Jim
I have sent your reply to Robin who is 'snowed under' at the moment.
When he has a bit more time I am sure he will be very interested in checking it out.
I would like to know the answer as well of course being a KE8 buff myself.
So I will advise you as soon as we learn anything.
Cheers
Ron

Hello again Jim,
I had the following from Robin this evening

Quote


I'm afraid your correspondent was mistaken in assuming the flaw was the SG4K-listed Pb3. That flaw is found on the fifth state of the cylinder slightly to the left. This one is closer to the crown (and the Crown).


The flaw illustrated in the message is, as far as I can tell, ephemeral. That is to say, it is not a constant flaw caused by some kind of damage to the cylinder but is caused by a temporary or momentary inking error. In some cases, such a flaw might have lasted a few turns of the cylinder but essentially, it would have very soon been removed by the Doctor Blade.

As the piece in question has a comparatively narrow margin it is not possible to tell the stage in the printing it came from.

Sorry to be a disappointment.

All the very best, Robin

Unquote

Hope this is of interest
Regards
Ron.

thanks Ron and Robin,
I got a similar response from Stephen Sayer. It must be an early print as used on FDC and I understand the flaw developed. You live and learn!
ATB
James