New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-09-09
TIE NEW POSTAGE STAMPS.
FEATURES OF TIE Two-CENT AND FoUR-cENT
STAMPS.


FEATURES OF TIE Two-cENT AND roUR-crNr
STAMPS.
The 'philatelists, ty which polysylable are des-
ignated the collectors OF postage stamps. are all agoS
over the new twO-cent and ourcent stamps whcn are
TO be delivered to posnasters shortly and Will be cold 10
the public on October But the thoroughbred phate-
list proof If he can get one, aud is not satisfied
with an impression Proofs however not easy things
10 get and collectors OF this Tact some Oh
cas at Washington would be spared the nuisance Of sew
eral tons OF beseeching letters TRIBUNE reporter
recently visited the headquarters of the American
Bank Npte Con pany, and Vice President James Melon
ough explained the matter TO him. In the first place
die ia cut on steel In sunkeu lines. US gem Gu
gravers would express g. In intagio From this which
is hardened duplicated roll Of rans'ers which are
in cameo or raised like printing type. From these
again is Implicated plate containing 200 steel copies
in sunken line exactly similar 10 the original. The
stamps are printed from these plates In sheets Of 200
proof is impression from the original This Is
process peculiar the United States stamps for making
which the American Bank Note Company has n con-
tract In other countries the plates made directly
from the original de- that the stamps are printed
from raised blocks Ike type The process OF
duplicating IS similar that employed In France
for tie multiplication OF echiugs This sy lie OF lustra-
ton IL coming favor for books and periodicals but
ia obvious that an etching plate only give few
hundred impressions and Is then worn out The original
plate is therefore hardened aud uupucdlts III cdco o
made from it by compression with soft zinc plates which
are subsequently hardened much can be done with
zinc In this way etchings appear In periodicals. that
circulate by the thousand.
MIR. McDonOugh produced proofs OF the new stamps
The two-cent is head OF George Washington engraved
by Alfred Jones from a copy belonging To Mr. Powers
the bronze founder OF Houdn's from the life. IL
differs considerably from the head OF Washington on the
present stamp This is bury aud coarse with
bulgug cheek and heavy chin and iowl. The new one
ia much more refined, has less breadth OF cheek and
the chin is dcicatey Disseminated The hair more
artistcay drawn, and there is better arrangement
OF the cue. producing altogether younger sweeter
mower and clearly defined as characteristc OF
the of the Father of his Country IL bears eonsid
erable resemblance TO the Gilbert stuart mead. Tue
ne " head is oval medallion IKE the od ana
this placed shield OF the heradlc form Id ene
not nearly well defined as In tie new ana he out1he
is indstinct This has been greatly Improved oy Tue
ana this Is still further developed by fringe OF fhort
horizontal lines another great 81 t6e ton mon eos
a comparatively light ground. which does not give ehect
the white letters the ground ~ mnch asrSer anu . ,ne
POSTAGE" The leaf scroll WORK decoration on tnis
mas been dc Ioped below legend by artistic beading
Ina the lettering below the shield neIe has Decn the same
Improvement Of darkenng the lines 50 that the deno-
great distnctness The whites made 10 tell sanenty
5y deepening lines OF the ground whereas III former
yamns The lines were not dark and II left TO the
toorto bring out tho white letters by contrast whlch u
never did The used is ink prepared from va
rous ingredients in which an oxide OF IRON play PROM
inent part Else light purple or carmine req OF pale
tnne according to the phraseolOgy of the collector
The fonr-cent stamp, also engraved by Alfred Jones
intruscay better thought-ont FORM thal tDe Two
cent Being a new denomination the shackles OF Ola
forms have been thrown off, and the originator mas gone
to the ultimate purpose oil stamp VIII iosici %
ness which Is considered admirable. The head mat OF
Andrew jackson and taken from bust OF MN dlscoy
cred AT Nashville. IL is possibly good likeness, but
there is want OF artistic character ABOUT
IL tina not even Alfred Jones could overcome ana YET
,reser,e the likeness The head oval medallion
placed not upon a shield but panel Win Deveed
edges The legend around the top OF the medalon ls
r part the lines are closely and deeply drawn so That
when the color is applied II forms dark Dackgronha
,,non which the white denomin aonal lettering, Tour
cent? Is extremely distinct The color used Is gree
not unlike that OF the present hreecent stamp Inee
a. pay of light and shade the whole surface ana
even tie shading the edges Is not formal but artistic
being arranged according 70 definite point Oh view