Guiding dots in photogravure?????

[Rein]

The recess printed stamps in the 19th century often had guiding dots in the corners of the design. These dots were meant to guide the rocking in of the molette with the positive image sticking out.

In photogravure the step-and-repeat machines were supposed to have been adjusted automatically before duplicating the image so the stamp images would have their proper positions everywhere in the printing cylinder eventually without any extra corrections at all... That is what we are told by the printers and all persons dealing with stamp production so far!


But what if we repeatedly meet little dots in the corners of our stamps????

to be continued ....

[Rein]

[Rein]

[Rein]

the dots vary in position!!!!!

to be continued ....

[Rein]

The modified paper also has them although due to the unevenness of the surface the dots may not always be there....

[Rein]

Normal glossy paper: