Printing plates of the 1st issue of Dutch postage stamps

The first postage stamps of the Netherlands were issued on January 1, 1852. The designs featured a portrait of King William III and were printed using engraved printing plates. Here is an overview of these early Dutch postage stamps and the printing process involved:

The First Issue of Dutch Postage Stamps (1852)

Design and Denominations:

  • The first Dutch postage stamps featured a profile portrait of King William III facing right.
  • Three denominations were issued:
    • 5 cents: Green color
    • 10 cents: Red color
    • 15 cents: Blue color

Engraving and Printing:

  • Engraver: Jacob Wiener, a renowned engraver, was responsible for creating the dies for these stamps.
  • Printing Process: The stamps were printed using the intaglio (engraved) printing method. This method involved engraving the design onto a metal plate, inking the plate, and then pressing paper onto the plate to transfer the ink from the engraved lines to the paper.

The Printing Plates:

  1. Engraving:
    • Jacob Wiener engraved the dies for each denomination. The die is a small, original engraved piece of metal that contains the stamp design.
    • From these dies, a transfer roller was created. The roller was used to transfer the design onto the printing plates.
  2. Printing Plates:
    • The printing plates were made of steel, chosen for its durability in the high-pressure intaglio printing process.
    • Each plate contained multiple impressions of the stamp design, arranged in rows and columns to form a sheet of stamps. For example, a plate might have had 100 impressions arranged in 10 rows of 10 stamps each.
  3. Plate Composition:
    • The plates for the 5 cents, 10 cents, and 15 cents denominations were created separately.
    • Each denomination had its own unique plate, tailored to the specific design and color required.
  4. Production:
    • The stamps were printed at the Dutch Government Printing Office.
    • The paper used for these early issues was unwatermarked and had varying thickness and texture.

Notable Features:

  • Perforation: The first Dutch stamps were imperforate, meaning they had to be cut from the sheet with scissors or torn along guidelines.
  • Design Details: The intricate engraving work by Wiener provided fine detail and depth to the portraits of King William III.

Collecting the First Issue:

  1. Rarity and Value:
    • The first issues of Dutch postage stamps are highly prized by collectors.
    • Condition is a significant factor in value, with mint condition stamps and those with clear, well-centered designs being particularly valuable.
  2. Plating:
    • Philatelists often study the minor variations and imperfections in the stamps to identify specific positions on the original printing plates.
    • This practice, known as “plating,” helps collectors reconstruct complete sheets and understand the production process.