THE 4d "Wilding" DEEP ULTRAMARINE PRINTED ON 3 TYPES OF PAPER !

Anything to do with the small format Wilding definitives of 1952-67.
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Wilding Mad
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THE 4d "Wilding" DEEP ULTRAMARINE PRINTED ON 3 TYPES OF PAPER !

Post by Wilding Mad »

IMG_20210723_222343.jpg

The 4d Wilding value is a stamp that has lasted throughout the complete Wilding series, and was first issued on the 2nd of November 1953 going through various changes over the years involving 3 types of watermark, the addition of graphite lines, phosphor graphites and a variation of colour change from ultramarine to deep ultramarine, and can be found with 4 types of applied phosphor tagging 3 X 8mm bands, green, blue and violet concluding with with the 9½mm violet broadband.
It is from the colour change period of the 28th of April 1965 whereby the shade was deliberately altered from ultramarine to deep ultramarine of which I am concerned with.
According to the SG specialised Vol.3, I quote: "This 'Shade' was brought about by making more deeply etched Cylinders from a new multipositive, resulting in apparent depth of colour, but there is no difference in the colour of the ink.The change was made deliberately and coincided with the change in the letter rate from 3d to 4d on 17.May 1965".( Ultramarine produced on white paper 18.Oct.1962; Deep ultramarine released 28.April 1965).

Therefore in accordance to the specialised catalogue the only specified type of paper that the 4d deep ultramarine stamp was printed on was a whiter paper (meaning whiter than the original cream papers).
My study of this particular stamp leads me to believe via the use of long wave ultra violet light that this was not the case, due to the fact that I have found at least 2 other papers excluding contaminated, that have been used in their production, namely oxidised creams (a paper that is more translucent than the original cream paper) and a fluorescent paper variety created by the additional use of optical brightening agents giving 3 in total.

In fact it's not just me that has found discrepancies in the SG specialised catalogue listings. Here's information relating to the 4d contaminated papers that was reported to have been issued as late as February 1968 in a 10/- booklet in a report made by Hanns Fasching of the Modern British Philatelic Circle in their "Bookmark" journal along with a statement over finding cream type papers also.........
Pages 148-149 from Journal 45-3.pdf
(1.15 MiB) Downloaded 276 times
This journal is normally reserved for members only, but Mr Fasching editor of "The Deegam handbook/catalogue" has kindly given his permission for me to show you the extract originally published in the BMJ in 2015 volume 45 no.3 pages 148/9. Thanks Hanns.
Here is a picture of those very same stamps that may also get included in the MBPC's catalogue as a variety one day perhaps >
IMG_20220809_103446.jpg
Why this type of paper has never been listed as a variety as with the cream and whiter ones goes beyond my understanding of what VARIETY means, if something is different it should be listed and classified as such ! After all, a stamp catalogue is not only about the price of stamps but is used as a source of reference. Don't you agree ?

So to begin with, my first exhibit is that of the plain 4d deep ultramarine, being printed on two different cylinders 13 + 16 no dot, and I am sure that you can see the difference in their reaction under long wave ultraviolet light as there are two totally distinct types of paper which have been used, the specialised catalogue only lists one.
IMG_20221031_110947_copy_740x726.jpg
This is followed by a selection of violet phosphors showing 3 distinct papers having been used in their manufacture, the more prominent one being the oxidized cream paper used for printing the 9½mm violet phosphor version as seen from the front and reverse in the following two attachments, this cream type paper being more translucent than the original cream papers prior to the changeover in 1962.
IMG_20210711_131513.jpg
IMG_20210711_131548.jpg
The difference in paper is not just confined to the sheet printings but can also be found in booklet format with variations of the watermark, this is a 4d plain watermark sideways with relevant captions.
IMG_20210711_131809.jpg
Along with the same stamps but as seen from the gummed side.
IMG_20210711_181104.jpg
With the next two showing the front and reverse of a 4d inverted watermark block compared to the upright stamps.
IMG_20210711_132917.jpg
IMG_20210711_132948.jpg
It's amazing what you can find when you take the effort to look.

Further coverage on other variations of paper on different values is to be followed up on separate threads concentrating on the unlisted ones.

Should there be anyone with something constructive to report on this subject then please give details, or does silence absolute still prevail ?
Thank you WM.
Last edited by Wilding Mad on Mon Oct 31, 2022 12:14 pm, edited 3 times in total.
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Wilding Mad
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Re: THE 4d DEEP ULTRAMARINE PRINTED ON 3 DIFFERENT TYPE PAPERS !

Post by Wilding Mad »

With such a large amount of 4d deep ultramarine values that have been printed on different papers I had run out of space for additional attachments as only 10 are allowed per separate posting, so here are further variations to be found, below you will find the 8mm violet phosphors from printed sheets, it can be seen that two distinct papers have been used to print them.
IMG_20210812_110524.jpg
This is then followed by a frontal and reverse view of the 4d plain stamps produced in booklet form with watermark inverted along with relevant captions, again printed on two different papers.
IMG_20210812_110811.jpg
IMG_20210812_110652.jpg
1962 marked a changeover in the use and production of British stamp papers, as the original cream paper was replaced by a whiter paper version in order to enhance the capabilities of the automatic letter-facing process (ALF) that had been developed by the post office as part of their overall letter sorting system.
Although only two varieties of paper have been listed in the specialised catalogue (cream and whiter) there are actually 5 distinct types of paper that the multiple crown Wilding stamps was printed on from 1958 and are as follows >
1) The original cream paper used prior to the change over in 1962.
2) The whiter paper version that replaced the cream paper, supposedly created by filtering the water supply to alleviate impurities.
3) The contaminated paper containing fluorescent fibres due to inferior rags being used from around 1964 onwards.
4) The fluorescent paper produced in order to mask or camouflage the offending contaminants with the aid of additional optical brightening agents (OBA's).
5) Oxidised cream translucent paper discovered used as an alternative in the removal of the fluorescent contaminants (degradation) via the use of chemicals.

They can all be found in my previous posting >
viewtopic.php?f=32&t=1685 on the subject of papers used to print the Wilding multiple crown watermarked stamps, with many of them being quite difficult to find in relation to quantities printed as against the listed ones, all of which can be clearly identified by the use of a long wave ultraviolet light.
These variations of paper may not appear in specialised catalogues but they certainly exist in reality !

According to specialised catalogues via information received from the GPO, 1962 marked the beginning of the production and issue of whiter papers to print the multiple crown Wilding stamps and according to this information only whiter paper stamps would be printed from then on.
On inspecting several hundred of the cancelled lighter shaded 4d (ultramarine) stamps I have discovered cream papers on stamps cancelled well after 1962 from many different areas of the country, in fact well into 1964, leading me to suspect that the original information given was incorrect.
Here are some examples relating to my findings.
The 4d ultramarine with cancellations made between 1963 and 1964 >
IMG_20211025_210629.jpg
With the same stamps under L/W ultraviolet >
IMG_20211025_210909.jpg
Followed by the same stamps reversed under UV >
IMG_20211025_211407.jpg
It can be seen that all stamps are not on a whiter paper even though some of them have been used 2 years after the changeover was made.
Note : the earlier cream papers are not as translucent as the later cream and whiter ones.
Other values that have also been cancelled and issued long after 1962 printed on cream paper can be found in another article of mine by the name of "Stamp paper variations" on the following site >
https://www.gbps.org.uk/boards/viewtopi ... =32&t=1779

Therefore, was the GPO information correct at the time ? WM.
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Wilding Mad
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Re: THE 4d DEEP ULTRAMARINE PRINTED ON 3 DIFFERENT TYPE PAPERS !

Post by Wilding Mad »

The 4d Guernsey (plain) printed on cream paper !
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Guernsey 4d (plain) apparently has also been printed on a cream paper.

This particular stamp was first issued on the 7th of February 1966 and according to the information given in the catalogue with reference to the types of paper used, this cream paper version should not exist and only whiter ones should be found as per SG's introductory notes .........
IMG_20220807_044520.jpg
Here are 2 unmounted marginal pairs as seen in the normal spectrum, the cream paper version being on the left..............
IMG_20220807_043551.jpg
Followed with the same stamps, as seen under longwave ultraviolet.
IMG_20220807_043731.jpg
According to the figures given there was a combined total sold of 4,415,040, just how many was printed on this cream paper is an unknown factor as it has never been listed and therefore according to the specialised catalogue the cream paper version does not exist.

Or does it ?

You decide ! WM
Winston W
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Re: THE 4d DEEP ULTRAMARINE PRINTED ON 3 DIFFERENT TYPE PAPERS !

Post by Winston W »

WM,

A notable difference in your L/W UV photo between what you label as watermarked cream and white paper.

Is that same difference seen in the Wilding (non regional) definitives with watermarked cream and white paper? If not, then is it the cream paper that shows differently, which might indicate a different paper has been used on your 4d Guernsey cream paper to the usual cream paper (or can you attribute it to one of the special cream papers)?
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Wilding Mad
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Re: THE 4d DEEP ULTRAMARINE PRINTED ON 3 DIFFERENT TYPE PAPERS !

Post by Wilding Mad »

Good morning Winston,
I have previously stated in this topic of discovering three basic papers being used to print the non-regional 4d deep ultramarine stamps both plain and violet phosphors.

The paper that was used in 1966 to print the 4d Guernsey (plain) was sourced from the same paper mill as with all the other lower value Wilding definitives printed by Harrison and sons of High Wycombe.

Therefore I am not sure what you mean with the phrase "special cream papers".

My previous attachments have been made to compare like with like in order to identify the differences in the papers discovered.

If you have some of these 4d plain Guernsey stamps or any of the other 4d deep ultramarine Wildings mentioned, :idea: I suggest you take a look under long wave UV for any of the main differences that I have described in order to satisfy yourself that these paper variations do exist.

Please let me know the outcome of your findings Winston!
Thank you WM.
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Wilding Mad
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Re: THE 4d DEEP ULTRAMARINE PRINTED ON 3 DIFFERENT TYPE PAPERS !

Post by Wilding Mad »

More paper variations.
<><><><><><><><><><


Here are some more 4d Wildling values for which to contemplate on Winston, they concern the 4d ultramarine issued for Jersey between 1966 (plain) and 1967 (phosphor).

Frontal view.
~~~~~~~~~
IMG_20220924_161552.jpg
It can be clearly seen that these stamps are printed on two different types of paper which do not appear to have been discriminated in the SG specialised catalogue, as with many other definitive values with the multiple crown watermark.

Reversed view.
~~~~~~~~~~
IMG_20220924_161517.jpg
The contaminated paper of the 4d Jersey plain as seen in the attachment above, but the one below has been converted to impact mode in order to enhance the fluorescent particles found within the papers structure.
IMG_20221001_165111.jpg
A similar situation also applies to the 4d Wales (plain), as can be seen from the following 3 attachments of the same stamps, firstly shown in the normal spectrum then under long wave ultraviolet light from the front and then the rear.
IMG_20221002_130131.jpg
IMG_20221002_130221.jpg
IMG_20221002_130345.jpg
Here is a close-up view of the contaminated block of the 4d plain Wales, as seen in impact mode which enhances the contaminating fluorescent particles within the paper.
IMG_20221004_115205.jpg
I am still awaiting your findings Winston regarding the 4d Guernsey stamps that you queried on the 7th of August !

I would also like to know what you think of the stamps printed on contaminated papers, would you classify them as a variety ? WM.
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