GE 1902 2m


First published in Mekeel’s Weekly Stamp News Feb 25, 1911 Volume XXV, Number 8, Whole Issue Number 1052. Translated for Gibbons Weekly from Deutsche Briefmarken Zeitung.

In the Mittecilungen der Firma Paul Kohl, No. 1, December 1908, appeared the following account of a discovery :-

“An interesting stamp has just been shown us, the 2 mark stamp of 1902 with the sunset rays of Type 1 and the large figure ‘2’ in the upper corners betokening the first engraving, whilst the inscription ‘Deutsches Reich’ is in Roman type, denoting the re-engraving altered to accord with the Berne regulations. The stars before and after the word ‘Reich’ are also remarkable, being in the case of this stamp fairly large and clearly five-pointed, whereas in the case of the final type, with finer rays and altered ‘2,’ the stars are smaller and almost round. Whence can this stamp or, rather, the plate have come, of which no one has up till now heard or read? There are two possible explanations; first, that the intention was to make the best possible use of the first plate, and only to alter the inscription; and that after this had been done the plate was for some reason not accepted and was returned to stock; or, secondly, that the Roman plate was at once prepared, the first plate being at the same time altered and held in reserve. But how comes it that impressions should have been taken, or, rather, that such impressions could have found their way out into the light of day? It would be interesting to discover whether any further examples of this stamp are known, and to what extent and by what means they have found their way into the hands of their lucky possessor.”

We have only lately had a sight of copies of this intermediate type. Herr Philirm Kosack has submitted them to us with other examples of the “Reichspost” and “Deutches Reich” issues: In this little collection are set out the various shades which occur in both issues, but which are caused solely by soft, fine-lined or heavy coarse-lined printing. The finer lines of the original die can be distinguished only in the case of good clear prints. The colour of the issued stamps was always the same dark blue, and the light blue appearance of part of the picture (the angel and so on), compared with the deeper blue of the two warriors, is only to be found in the current issue. We shall have more to say on the subject of this shading later on.

The original die for the 1 mark stamp was prepared in the Engraving Department of the State Printing Office, whilst the dies for the higher values – 2, 3, and 5 marks – were entrusted to Herr Geheimen Regierungsrate Professor Wilhelm Rose, chief of the Copper Engraving Department. The result might have been foretold by any practical printer; the engraved 1 mark stamp, in spite of the unfavourable red colour, gave clearer impressions than the three etched dies of the 2, 3 and 5 mark stamps.

“Calcography” is a name of Greek derivation for copper engraving, and it might thus be supposed that the dies made by the chief of this department were copper-plate engravings. This presumption, however, is incorrect, for the three dies were prepared by a chemical process, a method of etching on copper, intended to take the place of copper engraving. As also in Paris, so in the German State Printing Works, attempts are being made to solve this problem, but the results have everywhere been disappointing, as the Danish portrait stamps of 1904, for example, have shown. The entire replacing of the graver by acid will probably remain a Utopian dream.

Special difficulty stood in the way of chemically engraving the 2 mark stamp, which had to show an angelic figure shedding rays of light, beside two strongly drawn old German warriors, and in the background of the picture, mountains with eternal snows. The chemical process did not succeed in satisfactorily reproducing this appearance, so an endeavor was made to produce the desired effect by means of the printing ink, to which end a quite light blue colour was chosen, which showed up the angel figure very well. Satisfied with this result, the orders to print in this colour had been given when the matter was laid before a certain philatelist, also experienced in matters appertaining to printing, with the request that he would give his opinion on the new 2 mark stamp. The verdict was an unexpected one. The light blue colour was condemned as altogether unsuitable, because it did not sufficiently bring out the figures of the two warriors, and also left the frame of the picture indistinct, and a dark blue ink was at once ordered for the printing. Of the light blue impressions, nothing more has been seen.

The intermediate type submitted to us recalled to our recollection this little story of jugglery with the 2 mark stamp.

As a result of the decision of Wurtemberg to abandon its own type of stamps and to make use in future of stamps of the “Reichspost” type, it was decided to altar the inscription “Reichspost” to “Deutsches Reich.” This alteration was accomplished without difficulty on all the stamps except the 2 marks. It seemed that some correction was called for in the picture of this stamp. At any rate the type of the inscription was altered, with the description of the country. To be in keeping with the picture the Roman letters were abandoned, and old German characters adopted. Since, however, the Postal Union regulations require that stamps destined for use throughout the world should bear Roman-lettered inscriptions, the old German lettering had to be again removed shortly after the issue was made. In the same way as the so-called Gothic inscriptions were inserted in the original dies, or more probably into a replica of the original die, so also the Roman letters were next substituted on the same die.

This was the origin of the intermediate type. These repeated corrections naturally damaged the design to some extent, and gave occasion for the decision (perhaps as early as the time of the first corrections) to make a perfectly new die. The chief reason for this re-engraving was found in the angel’s figure, together with the wish to improve the appearance of the water, mountains, and sky. The now current stamps show with what great success the preparation of this new die was carried out. Only in a few too heavily inked impressions does the figure of the angel stand out above the two warriors. As a rule it appears as a luminous apparition. The mountain ranges appear more distant, the shading on the cliff walls can be seen, the two heroes appear strong and lifelike, the frame is more clearly engraved. There are also a number of more or less noticeable departures from the drawing of the first original die.

The chief object, that of making the angel of peace stand back from the two warriors, has been well carried out by means of engraving the new die instead of etching it chemically as before.

All the lines are distinct, and even the finest lines of shading are clear. It is a matter for congratulation that the State Printing Office has recognized the impracticability of chemical copper etching, and, like Denmark, has reverted to the noble art of engraving. The intermediate type is unknown in a used condition. It exists certainly ready gunned and perforated 14 1/2 x 14, but must have fulfilled its mission in the essay stage. Its discovery, six years after its preparation, gives it naturally a higher value amongst collectors as a really interesting subject for any specialist’s collection. Common it can never become, and no collector need to be distressed that this stamp, which really never came into use, is likely to remain on the list of the unattainables.