French Question
I'm really glad that I walk around with so much stamp stuff in my head. Otherwise my last 16c would bounce around as I walked and I couldn't hear a thing....
But here's a thing I don't know yet. Something I see often in photos of older French de Luxe proof sheets and in the margins of some French postage stamps is a set of odd punch holes. The center hole is a flat open C form, like a drawer pull, flanked by two square cut diamonds. Here's an example from a sheet margin.
What are they called and what did they do ? My first guess would be some sort of security device. Thanks in advance for informing me.
But here's a thing I don't know yet. Something I see often in photos of older French de Luxe proof sheets and in the margins of some French postage stamps is a set of odd punch holes. The center hole is a flat open C form, like a drawer pull, flanked by two square cut diamonds. Here's an example from a sheet margin.
What are they called and what did they do ? My first guess would be some sort of security device. Thanks in advance for informing me.
Comments
Comment s'appellent-ils et que font-ils ?
Ya know, after 20 years of watching foodie shows I really regret now that I took German instead of French in high school.
With some bonus German.
Francois
https://www.hipstamp.com/store/stampboutique
It is familiar, but I can't remember why... let me look into it.
The punching machine would count the quantity of Deluxe Sheets prepared.
Before 1967, the control punches are at the bottom of the sheet; from 1967 to date, there are not control punches on the sheet.
http://www.dieproofs.it/english/prove_lusso_eng.html
Nice find Ted.
http://blog-impressions-timbrees.blogspot.com/2016/
George, many thanks for that blog link. So, we call this punch "the bean." Wonderful. And the blog deserves much more attention. Thank you both very much.
I'm glad I asked my French question, ya'll have made me a lot smarter.