T206 Cobb (Red) Polar Bear back inking question

[steve B]

I should clarify that I use "probably" in this case as more of a specific term. As far as what can be proven, it's maybe more than 90% certain. There's proof that some T206s were printed from stones. (A card where there's a recurring inked nail impression that can only have come from a nail embedded in one of the rollers of the right sort of press.)

BUT ALC worked closely with RS Hoe the press manufacturer and the years around 1910 saw a number of changes and developments including offset lithography from metal plates becoming more common, as were presses that printed multiple colors and ones that printed from a roll of stock rather than sheets. So it's not impossible that some were done by those other methods.

Steve B

[Jobu]

Thanks Steve - I am glad I added the "(I) might not be correct".

[Jantz]

Going by the OP's scan, it appears to have a slight WST along the bottom just above Cobb. These lines are common in the borders of Polar Bears, but this is interesting since the back line is so faint.

[steve B]

Originally Posted by Jobu

Thanks Steve - I am glad I added the "(I) might not be correct".

No problem, even an idea that's fairly close is pretty good.

In my other hobby I learn stuff all the time. I found a stamp I thought might be a really good one, printed on both sides. It happens, but rarely and almost never on modern ones. I showed it to a guy in our club who also knows printing, and he agreed that the alternate explanation was probably the right one. A double offset - Or, double WST. So a printed sheet, probably setup waste caused a WST on some other object, maybe a sheet put on whatever would hold the stack of sheets to protect them. Then the scrap was removed, and the first sheet in the stack got a WST from the inked protecting layer.

An interesting freak, but not an "error" which in this case probably is a difference of a bit over $1000 (The one I have is probably unique, but worth much less)

Just be glad that most cards were done by one general method of printing stamps are at least 5-6 different.

Steve B

[Sean]

I guess that would mean six times more freaks for Johnny to collect.