Evening star., 1943-10-03
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Otanps
BY James Waldo Faucet.

taWa. 1t is the headquarters of the
Canadian Bank Note Co., an affiliate
of the American Bank Note Co. of
New York City.
Nearby, across beautiful lawns OF
green, are the meeting places of the
Dominion Legislature, the Parlia-
ment of 'the nearest neighbor" OF
the United States.
Visitors to the CBN establishment
must bear letters of introduction
from Post Office Department off,
GERS. They are received by P. J.
Wood, vice president of the firm.
a courteous gentleman who loves
the engraver's art and is proud of
its popularity among critics COM
potent to judge.
But more than the active genius
of the men at the top is required
for the making of worthy stamps.
In the organization of the CBN Co.,
the humblest employe has a solemn
duty to carry on" at the highest
peak of his skill There are no
amateurs in the Wellington street
plant. Each member of the pro-
duction personnel is an. expert
The task certainly is compelling.
Much of the labor is arduous and
tedious. BY the end of the day. the
staff is weary to the point of ex-
haustion. Everything, viewer.
must be in perfect order before the
urnrly lnoya =
ready" at 4:30.
An average day commences at 8
in the morning. 1t includes the en-
craving of currency and bonds as
we'll as stamps. On the walls of
Mr.. Woods office are frames of SAM
pies of securities of different kinds
commissioned by many foreign
countries, several Latin American
nations among the number One
glance sufices to indicate that. as
might be supposed. the rarest colors
are reserved for the highest values.
A penny adhesive. nevertheless. is
as carefully composed and cut as
any dollar label. Each stamp passes
through the same process of devel-
opnent and the history of each is
meticulously documented by the C.
B. N Co.
First in order in the file is the
correspondence with the Post Office
Department concerning the requisi-
ton, the specification the details
OF the Job" Then follow the
photographs submitted for the
guidance of the designers. Next the
preliminary sketches, the ESSAYS and
proofs in various colors. Finally the
approved copy.
Each step toward the ultimate
| operation is "clocked" and dated.
Thus 1t is feasible later to trace the
entire progression to the end.
The dies are stored in a conven-
/ lent vault, SCrupulously guarded at
all times. Plates Likewise are pre-
served with the care which is tho
regal tradition Of engravers everv-
where. The integrity of their craft
is involved in keeping the products
OF their labor secure.
EngraverS work at small. low
tables with natural north light.
They are shielded BY screens of
white or gray linen set up on three
sides Of their boards. Converse
ton is limited to strictly necessary
business. The best art is created in
silence.
Adjacent rooms contain the
presses, the plating equipment and
materials. the acid vats, ETC., which
the engravers need Some of the
men are noted for their proficiency
with vignettes, others for their ca
pacity to cut inscriptions attractive
/ ly. The names of the artists rearly
are disclosed. Engraving commonly
is an anonymous affair. Only with
IN the industry are its leading per-
sonalities known-and not ALWAYS
even there.
Visitors admitted to the CBN
pulldlng are conducted through its
mazes by Mr Wood himself. He
moves from room to room, corridor
TO corridor with the efficiency of one
VINO is acquainted with every nook
ana Granny of the place. All the
employees recognize him on sight.
He explains how the inks are
ground. he demonstrates the make
ready for actual printing. he shows
! now the stamps are separated into
/ sheets, booklet panes and coils. Each
! technical routine he has made his
own through long years of expe-
rience.
/ The answer to the problem of off
center stamps, Mr. Wood contends,
Is dry printing. Canada's postal
issues are not produced on wet
paper. II follows that they cannot
be manufactured at breakneck
speed. But it also is evident that
even while the greatest of wars is
gong on the G. B. N. Co. has lofty
standards to maintain. 1t is part
of the civilization for which the sons
OF Canada are fighting, and it will
not compromise the principles
! thereof.
| Back in his Office at the end Of
the tour of the building the accred-
tied stranger may be granted a
glimpse of the album of stamps in
Mr.. Woods custody. 1t is a treasure
beyond price
At the door, the visitor leaving the
building notices on the wall little
photograph of the silver plates
which the c. B. N. Co. made for
Queen Elizabeth and her daughters.
| These magnificent souvenirs are
adorned with impressions of the dies
OF the stamps upon which their
portraits appear.
Photographs of King George VI,
reproduced IN recent stamps of
! Canada, were taken in London and
represent his majesty's personal Sc
lection. They show him in Army.
Navy and Air Force uniforms.
The tank shown in the current IA.
cent stamp of Canada is structurallv
correct in its lines. 1t was drawn
from photograph of ram" ready
for action. The artist raised it on
one side and caused its gun to fire
and enemy shells to explode in its
vicinity.