Wiggins Teape paper revisited ...

[Rein]

Argentina postage stamps had been printed since 1925 on stamp paper delivered by Wiggins Teape, Alex Pirie from Scotland.

It has a very peculiar touch with mostly a good impression of the symmetrical sieve always at the back of the stamp and visible from some distance at least for the period until the P&R series.

By scanning the stamps the symmetrical pattern of rhomboids is practically always present but how about a less complicated way of observation???

[Rein]

Most 1p Map with borders has at superficial close look all the rhomboids!






but in some the rhomboids have gone!

[Rein]

Gone as far as looking at the back with a magnifying glass, the 1200dpi scans will still see the symmetrical sieve!

Of the 58 1p mapa con limites I have, 45 have the clearly visible rhomboids, 13 have very rough, longish grooves dominating the surface...

In the following images the grooves are dominant! Even though a single rhomboid may be seen as well...

[Rein]

I will have to get back systematically to 1925/1926 in order to find whether the neat rhomboid surface structure had been there from the beginning OR that we have to reconsider our presumptions about this type of paper at all!

To give a small hint! What about the watermark being pressed in the paper from the back??? At the same side as the rhomboids????



No matter whether the Austrian paper exist or not! It probably does but I will love to meet someone who can sell me one for $ 4

The WT paper has a soft surface at the back with plenty of rhomboids BUT it also has a relief of the watermark!!!

At the front you cannot see a bit of relief should the watermark have been applied from there !?!?!

[Rein]

According to Gomez there is some difference in thickness which leads to using 19b instead of 19a?!

Anyhow, here too the rhomboids are galore ...

After 1929 the commemoratives will have NO Wiggins Teape paper any more up until the introduction of the P&R series in October 1935!

Then again - according to Gomez - 19b is present again????

[Rein]

This is NOT the same WT paper as we had in 1929!

At the front of stamp you can see the relief of the watermark, at the back plenty rhomboids but also quite some grooves!!

No relief at the back!