Introduction

In this article, we will first explain the printing principle on a TD6 press and then the way sheets of stamps are printed on such a press. We will also present the notion of phosphor band and the four types of such bands known for the stamp 0,50F Marianne de Béquet. We will finally describe and illustrate all the known printings for the stamp 0,50F Marianne de Béquet on TD6 presses.

Printing principle on a TD6 press

A six-colour intaglio printing machine (TD6 press) is made of two printing blocks of three colours, various items for additional printings, a perforator and an output device, either in the form of sheets or in the form of booklets (cf. the article Preparation of booklets).

The first printing block is an indirect recess printing one. This first printing will have no relief (this block generally prints swaths of colour such as backgrounds). The form cylinder is engraved and the image is upright. After inking with cut touch rollers and wiping, the ink is deposited by pressure, with images back to front, on a transfer cylinder in soft plastic which, in turn, deposits ink by pressure in the face of the paper, as in offset. Printing is then dried in an infrared tunnel.

The second printing is direct line-engraving. The form cylinder is engraved, with the image upside down, to have a printing of the image upright. Inking is obtained by three hand cut touch rollers. A wiping roller removes excess ink to leave it only in the grooves of the engraving. After a second wetting of the paper, the form cylinder directly deposits ink by pressure of an impression cylinder, itself pressed by a counter-pressure cylinder. This printing is again dried and rapidly cooled on contact with hollow cylinders in which some cold water passes to create a thermal shock.

Stamps are then perforated by a comb. On a TD6 press, a comb is made of two horizontal rows of pins with the sheet of stamps width and of 11 side rows.
 

comb operation on a TD6 press

Phosphor bands (for printings with such bands) are then printed with some UV ink and immediately dried by an UV dryer. Several printing systems of these bands have been used, we shall return there farther.

Printer’s markings are printed in letterpress by a cylinder with the control number, the number of the plate used to print the sheet and the date.
 

basic diagram of a TD6 press

A rotating cutting cuts each sheet to let them overlap on a conveyor belt of reception where it only remains to stack them by packages of one thousand.

It is always possible to only use a single ink reservoir to produce a monochrome printing (which is the case for the stamp 0,50F Marianne de Béquet). In this case, the touch roller will not be cut.

The drying, to avoid mixtures of colours and spots, is a major concern throughout the run on a TD6 press. A TD6 press has an infrared dryer tunnel and paper passes four times in this tunnel:

• Before printing: the paper undergoes a preheating to lose the maximum moisture. This operation, which causes an important shrinking of paper, allows to limit its dimensional variations during the drying of the indirect recess printing;

• After indirect recess printing: the paper goes back in the dryer tunnel to dry ink and to avoid any maculation and mixture of colours during the direct line-engraving printing;

• After direct line-engraving printing: this new passage allows to dry ink of the direct line-engraving printing and, thus, to perform the latest operations of sheet numbering, perforation and cutting;

• After printing phosphor bands.

Finally, stamps, once printed, are sent as parcels of 1000 sheets, probably to one post office by department. For that purpose, the printing office of Boulazac printed labels which appeared on the sent parcels:
 

étiquette apparaissant sur le paquet contenant 1000 feuilles de timbres 0,50F Marianne de Béquet (avec des barres phospho)

Printing method of TD6 sheets

printing scheme for sheets on a TD6 press

Every tour of the gravure printing cylinder prints bottom up three 100 stamps sheets, numbered from 00000 (= 100 000) to 00001, separated by a stamp height gutter, in which the guillotining of sheets will be performed.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

The first sheet (sheet A on the figure on the left) has an electronic mark ( R.E. in French) on the left of stamp location 91 (it is worth noting that electronic marks are hand-engraved on the gravure printing cylinder to allow the electronic tracking of the second printing and of the perforation after optical character reading. Being hand-engraved, they have different shapes and are at different locations from each other with regard to stamps. This enables philatelists to describe and to study them). Sheet B has no mark and sheet C has two fine red lines under the stamp location 100 (for some printings, the two red lines are located in the left corner; for other editions, the two lines are not inked. This information will be given in the section about the description of printings).
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

On the following figure, we show the three dated plate blocks of 20 stamps printed by a single turn of a gravure printing cylinder (i.e. three sheets with consecutive control numbers). One can see the two red lines of the cylinder AG on the dated plate block numbered 10913 and the electronic mark of the same cylinder on the dated plate block numbered 10911.

trois bas de feuilles se suivant imprimés par le cylindre AG (26^ème tirage)

caractérisation d’un cylindre par ses deux traits

Philatelists (cf. SOCOCODAMI’s books for example) used to describe printings thanks to gravure printing cylinders and to characterize these cylinders by means of the two red lines appearing in the right corner of one in three sheets of stamps. We would like to recall here how these cylinders are characterized.
 

The two red lines are respectively called S (for Superior) and I (for Inferior). They are defined by the distances in millimetres between each of these lines and the bottom of the stamp situated just above (cf. the opposite image). For example, cylinder T is described on SOCOCODAMI’s book on Béquet by:

S = 4 3/4, I = 5 3/4, short lines to the right.
 
 

The control number is located under stamp location 91, the plate number TD6-x (x = 1 to 7) under stamp location 95, 96 or 97 and the printing date under stamp location 100.

A 100 stamps sheet measures approximately 285 mm high and 230 mm wide. Side margins are white and pinked, high and low margins white and vertically perforated.

Phosphor bands

Luminescence is the property that have certain substances to restore in the form of photons part of the energy absorbed during an excitement of a certain type (electric, chemical, mechanical, light energy,...). Fluorescence and phosphorescence are two different forms of luminescence: for fluorescence, the emission of photons is visible as long as the absorbed source of energy is active. For phosphorescence, the brilliance persists during a few seconds after the extinction of the source of energy, phenomenon which is called persistence.

Phosphor bands used for French stamps correspond to the above definition, ultraviolet light being used as source of energy of excitement, as shown by a note of the general management of the French Post authorities in 1973:

These bands are overprinted in letterpress or in flexography.

According to J.J. Rabineau’s work (see reference 20), four types of phosphor bands, denoted A, B, C and D, were defined for the first issues of stamps with phosphor bands (other types of phosphor bands will appear after the disappearance of the Marianne de Béquet and will not be described here). The characterization of each type of phosphor bands can be found below (the images come from the site LES BARRES PHOSPHORESCENTES ET LEURS VARIETES):

Type A bands

• Ink is viscous, thick and matt to the naked eye, hardly discernible in daylight ;

• Bands, which seem homogeneous under UV light, are printed in letterpress (by means of a metallic printing plate covered with bronze) and naturally dried.

barre phosphorescente au type A sous U.V. à gauche, grossie 60 fois à droite

Type B bands

• Ink is fluid (diluted with alcohol), matt, hardly discernible in daylight;

• Bands have a peripheral tide line and are more or less hollow and very heterogeneous under UV light; they are printed in letterpress (by means of a metallic printing plate covered with plastic) and infrared dried.

barre phosphorescente au type B sous U.V. à gauche, grossie 60 fois à droite

Type C bands

• Ink is viscous, thick and pasty in the naked eye, brilliant in glancing light;

• Bands are rather heterogeneous under UV light, with a more or less broad peripheral tide line; they are printed in letterpress by means of a rubber or plastic printing plate and UV dried.

barre phosphorescente au type C sous U.V. à gauche, grossie 60 fois à droite

Type D bands

• Ink is viscous, thick and slightly brilliant in the naked eye and in low-angled light, highly visible in daylight;

• Bands have a soft peripheral tide line under UV light with a more or less pronounced dotted aspect; they are printed in letterpress by means of a metallic printing plate and infrared dried.

barre phosphorescente au type D sous U.V. à gauche, grossie 60 fois à droite

The stamp 0,50F Marianne de Béquet is 20 mm wide and 26 mm tall: the figurine is 17 mm wide and 22,5 mm tall, which leaves a margin of 1,5 mm on each side. Phosphor bands are 3 mm wide and 22 mm tall.

The printings of the stamp 0,50F Marianne de Béquet on TD6 presses

During the manufacturing period of the stamp 0,50F Marianne de Béquet, TD6 presses printed

• Stamps without phosphor band, with normal gum (20 printings on the presses TD6-1, TD6-2, TD6-3, TD6-4, TD6-5 and TD6-7) or with tropical gum (2 printings on the presses TD6-2 and TD6-4);
   

  

  feuille de 100 timbres sans barre phosphorescente

   

• Stamps without phosphor band overprinted 25F CFA on a flatbed printing press with normal gum (2 printings on the press TD6-1) or with tropical gum (2 printings on the presses TD6-1 and TD6-4);
   

  

  feuille de 100 timbres du 0,50F Marianne de Béquet surchargé CFA

   

• Stamps with 3 phosphor bands, with normal gum: 18 printings

• • on the press TD6-1, with type A or type D phosphor bands;
  • on the press TD6-2, with type D phosphor bands;
  • on the press TD6-4, with type A or type D phosphor bands;
  • on the press TD6-5, with type D phosphor bands;
  • on the press TD6-6, with type B phosphor bands;
  • on the press TD6-7, with type B phosphor bands)

• Stamps with 3 phosphor bands, with tropical gum (1 printing on the press TD6-4, with type D phosphor bands and 1 printing on the press TD6-7, with type B phosphor bands).
   

  

  feuille témoin du 0,50F Marianne de Béquet avec barres phosphorescentes (Source : Copyright Coll. L’Adresse Musée de La Poste, Paris / La Poste)

   

Overall, there were 38 printings on TD6 presses, obtained using 36 gravure printing cylinders called A to AO. We will now illustrate all these printings, by showing, when possible, the electronic mark and the characteristic red lines of each gravure printing cylinder. But first, we will sum up all the printings in table format:

Note: In the following, we will write cylinder instead of gravure printing cylinder.

1^st printing, on the press TD6-1

• cylinder A, from 27.11.70 to 10.12.70, stamps without phosphor band
   

  

  CD12 du 1^er tirage avec le cylindre A, RE et 2 traits du cylindre A

   

  

  CD4 du 1^er jour de tirage du 0,50F Marianne de Béquet

   

• cylinder A, overprinted 25F C.F.A. on 11.12.70, metropolitan gum, stamps without phosphor band
   

  

  CD12 du 1^er tirage surchargé CFA

   

2^nd printing, on the press TD6-7

• cylinder B, from 1.12.70 to 26.1.71, stamps without phosphor band
   

  

  CD12 du 2^ème tirage avec le cylindre B, RE et 2 traits du cylindre B

   
  The two lines are inked only from 22.1.71.
   

  

  CD12 du 2^ème tirage cylindre B avec les 2 traits à sec

   

• cylinder D, from 1.2.71 to 10.2.71, stamps without phosphor band
   

  

  CD12 du 2^ème tirage avec le cylindre D, RE et 2 traits du cylindre D

   

• cylinder I, from 11.2.71 to 16.2.71, stamps without phosphor band
   

  

  CD12 du 2^ème tirage avec le cylindre I, RE et 2 traits du cylindre I

   

• cylinder J, from 17.2.71 to 27.2.71, stamps without phosphor band
   

  

  CD12 du 2^ème tirage avec le cylindre J, RE et 2 traits du cylindre J

   

• cylinder C, from 5.3.71 to 18.6.71, stamps without phosphor band
   

  

  CD12 du 2^ème tirage avec le cylindre C, RE et 2 traits du cylindre C

   

• cylinder A, from 21.6.71 to 25.6.71, stamps without phosphor band
   

  

  CD12 du 2^ème tirage avec le cylindre A

   

3^rd printing, on the press TD6-2

• cylinder C, from 5.12.70 to 1.2.71, stamps without phosphor band
   

  

  CD12 du 3^ème tirage avec le cylindre C, RE et 2 traits du cylindre C

   
  Lines are non inked from 23.12.70
   

  

  CD12 du 3^ème tirage cylindre C avec les 2 traits à sec

   

• cylinder H, from 10.2.71 to 17.4.71, stamps without phosphor band
   

  

  CD12 du 3^ème tirage avec le cylindre H, RE du cylindre H (il n’y a pas de trait dans le CD du cylindre H)

   

• cylinder I, from 22.4.71 to 31.8.71, stamps without phosphor band
   

  

  CD12 du 3^ème tirage avec le cylindre I

   

• cylinder G, from 3.9.71 to 13.9.71, stamps without phosphor band
   

  

  CD12 du 3^ème tirage avec le cylindre G, RE et 2 traits du cylindre G

   

• cylinder K, from 20.9.71 to 12.10.71, stamps without phosphor band
   

  

  CD12 du 3^ème tirage avec le cylindre K, RE et 2 traits du cylindre K

   

• cylinder L, from 13.10.71 to 5.11.71,stamps without phosphor band
   

  

  CD12 du 3^ème tirage avec le cylindre L, RE et 2 traits du cylindre L

   

4^th printing, on the press TD6-1

• cylinder A, from 15.12.70 to 23.12.70, stamps with 3 type A phosphor bands
   

  

  CD12 du 4^ème tirage avec le cylindre A, 1er jour de tirage avec barres phosphorescentes au type A

   

5^th printing, on the press TD6-3

• cylinder D, from 22.12.70 to 16.1.71, stamps without phosphor band
   

  

  CD12 du 5^ème tirage avec le cylindre D

   

6^th printing, on the press TD6-4

• cylindre G, du 9.1.71 au 18.1.71, stamps without phosphor band
   

  

  CD12 du 6^ème tirage avec le cylindre G

   

9^th printing, on the press TD6-1

• 1^st part
  • cylinder A, from 28.12.70 to 30.12.70, overprinted 25F C.F.A., metropolitan gum, stamps without phosphor band
     

    

    CD4 du 9^ème tirage avec le cylindre A surchargé 25F CFA

     

• 2^nd part
  • cylinder G, from 25.1.71 to 26.1.71, overprinted 25F C.F.A., metropolitan gum, on 25.1 et a part of 26.1, stamps without phosphor band
     

    

    CD12 du 9^ème tirage du 25.1.71 avec le cylindre G surchargé 25F CFA

     

    

    CD4 du 9^ème tirage du 26.1.71 avec le cylindre G surchargé 25F CFA à gauche et CD12 du 9^ème tirage du 26.1.71 avec le cylindre G non surchargé CFA

     

10^th printing, on the press TD6-4

• cylinder A, from 3.5.71 to 18.6.71, stamps without phosphor band
   

  

  CD12 du 10^ème tirage avec le cylindre A

   

• cylinder C, from 21.6.71 to 2.9.71, stamps without phosphor band
   

  

  CD12 du 10^ème tirage avec le cylindre C

   

11^th printing, on the press TD6-1

• cylinder H, from 26.8.71 to 9.9.71, stamps with 3 type A phosphor bands
   

  

  CD12 du 11^ème tirage avec le cylindre H

   

• cylinder A, from 17.9.71 to 11.10.71, stamps with 3 type A phosphor bands
   

  

  CD12 du 11^ème tirage avec le cylindre A

   
  Lines are often dry printed from 28.9.71.

• cylinder H, from 13.10.71 to 25.10.71, stamps with 3 type A phosphor bands
   

  

  CD12 du 11^ème tirage avec le cylindre H

   

• cylinder G, from 27.10.71 to 20.11.71, stamps with 3 type A phosphor bands
   

  

  CD12 du 11^ème tirage avec le cylindre G

   

12^th printing, on the press TD6-3

• cylinder C, on 9.9.71, stamps without phosphor band
   

  

  CD4 du 12^ème tirage avec le cylindre C

   

• cylinder J, from 14.9.71 to 17.9.71, stamps without phosphor band
   

  

  CD12 du 12^ème tirage avec le cylindre J

   

13^th printing, on the press TD6-4

• 1^st part
  • cylinder K, from 16.10.71 to 2.12.71, stamps without phosphor band
     

    

    CD12 du 13^ème tirage avec le cylindre K

     

  • cylinder N, from 4.12.71 to 22.12.71, stamps without phosphor band
     

    

    CD12 du 13^ème tirage avec le cylindre N, RE et 2 traits du cylindre N

     
    Lines are non inked.

• 2^nd part
  • cylinder O, from 21.1.72 to 22.2.72, stamps without phosphor band
     

    

    CD12 du 13^ème tirage avec le cylindre O, RE et 2 traits du cylindre O

     
    Lines are non inked until 14.2.71.
     

    

    CD12 du 13^ème tirage cylindre O avec les 2 traits à sec

     

  • cylinder C, from 24.2.72 to 13.4.72, stamps without phosphor band
     

    

    CD12 du 13^ème tirage avec le cylindre C

     
    Lines are non inked from 7 to 13.3.72.

  • cylinder Q, from 18.4.72 to 21.4.72, stamps without phosphor band
     

    

    CD12 du 13^ème tirage avec le cylindre Q, RE et 2 traits du cylindre Q (les 2 traits du cylindre Q sont situés à gauche de la feuille)

     

  • cylinder R, from 2.5.72 to 10.6.72, stamps without phosphor band
     

    

    CD12 du 13^ème tirage avec le cylindre R, RE et 2 traits du cylindre R

     

14^th printing, on the press TD6-5

• cylinder M, from 23.11.72 to 18.1.73, stamps without phosphor band
   

  

  CD20 du 14^ème tirage avec le cylindre M, RE et 2 traits du cylindre M (pour ce cylindre, les 2 traits sont dans le coin bas gauche de la feuille)

   
  Lines are non inked, in the left corner.

15^th printing, on the press TD6-3

• cylinder N, from 20.1.72 to 24.1.72, stamps without phosphor band
   

  

  CD12 du 15^ème tirage avec le cylindre N

   
  Two vertical lines can be found under the 100^th stamp, at the number 5 level.

• cylinder R, from 26.1.72 to 27.1.72, stamps without phosphor band
   

  

  CD12 du 15^ème tirage avec le cylindre R

   

• cylinder P, from 31.1.72 to 10.3.72, stamps without phosphor band
   

  

  CD12 du 15^ème tirage avec le cylindre P, RE et 2 traits du cylindre P

   

16^th printing, on the press TD6-7

• cylinder S, from 17.5.72 to 29.9.72, stamps without phosphor band
   

  

  CD10 du 16^ème tirage avec le cylindre S, RE et 2 traits du cylindre S

   

17^th printing, on the press TD6-4

• cylinder R, from 12.6.72 to 16.6.72, stamps with 3 type A phosphor bands
   

  

  CD12 du 17^ème tirage avec le cylindre R

   

• cylinder T, from 19.6.72 to 21.7.72, stamps with 3 type A phosphor bands
   

  

  CD12 du 17^ème tirage avec le cylindre T, RE et 2 traits du cylindre T

   
  Lines are well inked only from 29.6.72.

18^th printing, on the press TD6-4

• 1^st part
  • cylinder T, from 28.7.72 to 11.8.72, stamps without phosphor band
     

    

    CD12 du 18^ème tirage avec le cylindre T

     

• 2^nd part
  • cylinder Q, from 7.9.72 to 14.9.72, stamps without phosphor band
     

    

    CD20 du 18^ème tirage avec le cylindre Q

     

  • cylinder U, from 18.9.72 to 10.11.72, stamps without phosphor band
     

    

    CD12 du 18^ème tirage avec le cylindre U, RE et 2 traits du cylindre U

     
    The upper line is inked from 3.10.72
     

    

    CD12 du 18^ème tirage avec le cylindre U

     

  • cylinder S, from 13.11.72 to 4.12.72, stamps without phosphor band
     

    

    CD12 du 18^ème tirage avec le cylindre S

     

• 3^rd part
  • cylinder S, from 14.12.72 to 21.12.72, stamps without phosphor band
     

    

    CD12 du 18^ème tirage avec le cylindre S

     

19^th printing, on the press TD6-4

• cylinder T, on 28.8.72, stamps with 3 type A phosphor bands
   

  

  CD20 du 19^ème tirage avec le cylindre T

   

• cylinder Q, from 31.8.72 to 5.9.72, stamps with 3 type A phosphor bands
   

  

  CD20 du 19^ème tirage avec le cylindre Q

   

20^th printing, on the press TD6-1

• 1^st part
  • cylinder Q, from 11.10.72 to 27.11.72, stamps without phosphor band
     

    

    CD20 du 20^ème tirage avec le cylindre Q

     

• 2^nd part
  • cylinder Q , from 20.12.72 to 3.1.73, stamps without phosphor band
     

    

    CD20 du 20^ème tirage avec le cylindre Q

     

21^st printing, on the press TD6-4

• 1^st part
  • cylinder S, on 5.12.72, stamps with 3 type A phosphor bands
     

    

    CD12 du 21^ème tirage avec le cylindre S

     

• 2^nd partie
  • cylinder S, from 27.12.72 to 13.1.73, stamps with 3 type A phosphor bands
     

    

    CD12 du 21^ème tirage avec le cylindre S

     

  • cylinder V, from 16.1.73 to 6.2.73, stamps with 3 type D phosphor bands
     

    

    CD12 du 21^ème tirage avec le cylindre V, RE et 2 traits du cylindre V

     
    Lines hardly inked or non inked.

22^nd printing, on the press TD6-7

• cylinder Q, from 6.1.73 to 9.1.73, stamps without phosphor band
   

  

  CD20 du 21^ème tirage avec le cylindre Q

   

• cylinder W, from 16.1.73 to 23.1.73, stamps without phosphor band
   

  

  CD12 du 22^ème tirage avec le cylindre W

   

• cylinder X, from 25.1.73 to 2.2.73, stamps without phosphor band
   

  

  CD10 du 22^ème tirage avec le cylindre X, RE et 2 traits du cylindre X

   

• cylinder Y, on 6.2.73, stamps without phosphore band
   

  

  CD10 du 22^ème tirage avec le cylindre Y, RE et 2 traits du cylindre Y

   

• cylinder Z, from 8.2.73 to 14.2.73, stamps without phosphor band
   

  

  CD10 du 22^ème tirage avec le cylindre Z, RE du cylindre Z (le cylindre Z n’a pas de trait dans le coin droit de la feuille)

   

• cylinder AO, from 17.3.73 to 19.3.73, stamps without phosphor band
   

  

  CD4 du 22^ème tirage avec le cylindre AO, 2 traits du cylindre AO

   

• cylinder AA, from 22.3.73 to 27.4.73, stamps without phosphor band
   

  

  CD10 du 22^ème tirage avec le cylindre AA, RE et 2 traits du cylindre AA

   

• cylinder AD, from 3.5.73 to 12.5.73, stamps without phosphor band
   

  

  CD10 du 22^ème tirage avec le cylindre AD, RE et 2 traits du cylindre AD

   

• cylinder P, from 16.5.73 to 17.5.73, stamps without phosphor band
   

  

  CD10 du 22^ème tirage avec le cylindre P

   

23^rd printing, on the press TD6-6

• cylinder P, from 12.3.73 to 13.3.73, stamps with 3 type D phosphor bands
   

  

  CD10 du 23^ème tirage avec le cylindre P

   

24^th printing, on the press TD6-4

• cylinder P, from 16.373 to 16.5.73, stamps with 3 type D phosphor bands
   

  

  CD12 du 24^ème tirage avec le cylindre P

   

25^th printing, on the press TD6-1

• cylinder AB, from 5.4.73 to 14.4.73, stamps without phosphor band
   

  

  CD12 du 25^ème tirage avec le cylindre AB, RE et 2 traits du cylindre AB

   

• cylinder AC, from 16.4.73 to 3.5.73, stamps without phosphor band
   

  

  CD12 du 25^ème tirage avec le cylindre AC, RE et 2 traits du cylindre AC

   

• cylinder AB, from 5.5.73 to 15.5.73, stamps without phosphor band
   

  

  CD12 du 25^ème tirage avec le cylindre AB

   

  

  CD12 du 25^ème tirage avec le cylindre AB surchargé CFA

   

26^t printing, on the press TD6-4

• 1^st part
  • cylinder AB, from 18.6.73 to 3.7.73, stamps with 3 type D phosphor bands
     

    

    CD12 du 26^ème tirage avec le cylindre AB

     

  • cylinder P, from 6.7.73 to 31.7.73, stamps with 3 type D phosphor bands
     

    

    CD12 du 26^ème tirage avec le cylindre P

     

  • cylinder AB, from 1.8.73 to 12.9.73, stamps with 3 type D phosphor bands
     

    

    CD12 du 26^ème tirage avec le cylindre AB

     

  • cylinder AE, from 13.9.73 to 3.10.73, stamps with 3 type D phosphor bands
     

    

    CD20 du 26^ème tirage avec le cylindre AE, RE et 2 traits du cylindre AE

     

  • cylinder AB, from 5.10.73 to 8.10.73, stamps with 3 type D phosphor bands
     

    

    CD12 du 26^ème tirage avec le cylindre AB

     

  • cylinder AG, from 10.10.73 to 17.11.73, stamps with 3 type D phosphor bands
     

    

    CD12 du 26^ème tirage avec le cylindre AG, RE et 2 traits du cylindre AG

     

  • cylinder AH, from 20.11.73 to 30.11.73, stamps with 3 type D phosphor bands
     

    

    CD12 du 26^ème tirage avec le cylindre AH, RE et 2 traits du cylindre AH

     

  • cylinder AG, from 5.12.73 to 14.12.73, stamps with 3 type D phosphor bands
     

    

    CD12 du 26^ème tirage avec le cylindre AG

     

  • cylinder AK, from 17.12.73 to 1.2.74, stamps with 3 type D phosphor bands
     

    

    CD12 du 26^ème tirage avec le cylindre AK, RE et 2 traits du cylindre AK

     

  • cylinder AL, from 1.2.74 to 5.3.74, stamps with 3 type D phosphor bands
     

    

    CD12 du 26^ème tirage avec le cylindre AL, RE et 2 traits du cylindre AL

     
    Lines are dry printed but on 1 and 2.2.74.
     

    

    CD12 du 26^ème tirage cylindre AL avec les 2 traits à sec

     

• 2^nd part
  • cylinder AL, from 19.3.74 to 29.3.74, stamps with 3 type D phosphor bands
     

    

    CD12 du 26^ème tirage avec le cylindre AL

     
    Lines are non inked.

• 3^rd part
  • cylinder AL, from 10.4.74 to 22.4.74, stamps with 3 type D phosphor bands
     

    

    CD12 du 26^ème tirage avec le cylindre AL

     
    Lines are non inked.

• 4^th part
  • cylinder AL, from 6.5.74 to 10.5.74, stamps with 3 type D phosphor bands
     

    

    CD12 du 26^ème tirage avec le cylindre AL

     
    Lines are non inked.

27^th printing, on the press TD6-6

• cylinder AH, from 23.10.73 to 7.11.73, stamps with 3 type B phosphor bands
   

  

  CD12 du 27^ème tirage avec le cylindre AH

   
  The lower line is non inked on 23 and 24.10.73.

28^th printing, on the press TD6-7

• cylinder AI, from 17.12.73 to 7.1.74, stamps without phosphor band
   

  

  CD10 du 28^ème tirage avec le cylindre AI, RE et 2 traits du cylindre AI

   

29^th printing, on the press TD6-2

• 1^st part
  • cylinder AJ from 19.12.73 to 22.12.73, stamps without phosphor band
     

    

    CD10 du 29^ème tirage avec le cylindre AJ, RE et 2 traits du cylindre AJ

     
    Lines are dry printed.

• 2^nd part
  • cylinder AJ, from 2.1.74 to 11.1.74, stamps without phosphor band
     

    

    CD10 du 29^ème tirage avec le cylindre AJ

     
    Lines are non inked.

  • cylinder AI, from 14.1.74 to 26.1.74, stamps without phosphor band
     

    

    CD10 du 29^ème tirage avec le cylindre AI

     
    Lines are non inked.

• 3^rd part
  • cylinder AI, from 7.2.74 to 9.3.74, stamps without phosphor band
     

    

    CD10 du 29^ème tirage avec le cylindre AI

     
    Lines are non inked.
    On 22 and 23.2.74, the printing was made on tropical gum ; this printing has been sold in la Réunion.
     

    

    CD10 du 29^ème tirage avec le cylindre AI, gomme tropicale

     

30^th printing, on the press TD6-5

• 1^st part
  • cylinder AJ, from 30.1.74 to 18.2.74, stamps with 3 type D phosphor bands
     

    

    CD8 du 30^ème tirage avec le cylindre AJ

     
    The plate number is under the 97^th stamp.

• 2^nd part
  • cylinder AJ, from 7.3.74 to 22.3.74, stamps with 3 type D phosphor bands
     

    

    CD8 du 30^ème tirage avec le cylindre AJ

     
    The plate number is under the 97^th stamp.

  • cylinder AH , from 26.3.74 to 18.4.74, stamps with 3 type D phosphor bands
     

    

    CD10 du 30^ème tirage avec le cylindre AH

     
    The plate number is under the 96^th stamp.

• 3^rd part
  • cylinder AH, from 2.5.74 to 16.5.74, stamps with 3 type D phosphor bands
     

    

    CD10 du 30^ème tirage avec le cylindre AH

     

• 4^th part
  • cylinder AH, from 30.5.74 to 12.6.74, stamps with 3 type D phosphor bands
     

    

    CD10 du 30^ème tirage avec le cylindre AH

     

31^st printing, on the press TD6-4

• cylinder AL, from 8.4.74 to 9.4.74, overprinted CFA, tropical gum, stamps without phosphor band
   

  

  CD4 du 31^ème tirage avec le cylindre AL surchargé CFA

   

32^nd printing, on the press TD6-4

• cylinder AL, from 14.6.74 to 9.7.74, stamps with 3 type D phosphor bands
   

  

  CD12 du 32^ème tirage avec le cylindre AL

   
  Inked lines from 2.7.74.
   

  

  CD12 du 32^ème tirage cylindre AL avec les 2 traits à sec

   

• cylinder AI, from 11.7.74 to 9.8.74, stamps with 3 type D phosphor bands
   

  

  CD12 du 32^ème tirage avec le cylindre AI

   
  Lines non inked from 24.7.74.
   

  

  CD12 du 32^ème tirage avec le cylindre AI

   

33^rd printing, on the press TD6-6

• cylinder AL, from 13.7.74 to 26.7.74, stamps with 3 type B phosphor bands
   

  

  CD10 du 33^ème tirage avec le cylindre AL

   

34^th printing, on the press TD6-2

• cylinder AJ, from 18.7.74 to 25.7.74, stamps without phosphor band
   

  

  CD10 du 34^ème tirage avec le cylindre AJ, dernier jour d’impression des timbres sans barre phosphorescente

   

35^th printing, on the press TD6-1

• cylinder AJ, from 30.7.74 to 10.8.74, stamps with 3 type D phosphor bands
   

  

  CD12 du 35^ème tirage avec le cylindre AJ

   

36^th printing, on the press TD6-2

• cylinder AL, from 30.7.74 to 1.8.74, stamps with 3 type D phosphor bands
   

  

  CD10 du 36^ème tirage avec le cylindre AL

   

37^th printing, on the press TD6-7

• cylinder AM, from 15.10.75 to 17.10.75, stamps with 3 type B phosphor bands
   

  

  CD10 du 37^ème tirage avec le cylindre AM, RE et 2 traits du cylindre AM

   

  

  CD10 du 37^ème tirage avec le cylindre AM

   

  

  CD10 du 37^ème tirage avec le cylindre AM

   

38^th printing, on the press TD6-1

• cylinder AM, from 15.10.75 to 18.10.75, stamps with 3 type D phosphor bands
   

  

  CD10 du 38^ème tirage avec le cylindre AM

   

  

  CD10 du 38^ème tirage avec le cylindre AM

   

  

  CD10 du 38^ème tirage avec le cylindre AM

   

  

  CD10 du 38^ème tirage avec le cylindre AM

   
  The printings 37 and 38, for which I showed a dated plate corner for each printing day, raise a problem. They use the same form cylinder AM on two different presses on the days of 15, 16 and 17.10.75, which is physically impossible. There is thus a mistake somewhere in the dates. We may also note that the press TD6-1 printed stamps red 0,80F Marianne de Béquet from 23.9.75 to 5.11.75 with the form cylinder M, 3^rd printing, which is another contradiction for the use of the press TD6-1 at the above dates.

39^th printing, on the press TD6-6

• cylinder AN, from 24.5.76 to 8.6.76, stamps with 3 type B phosphor bands
   

  

  CD10 du 39^ème tirage avec le cylindre AN, RE et 2 traits du cylindre AN

   

40^th printing, on the press TD6-7

• cylinder AN, from 12.7.77 to 28.7.77, stamps with 3 type B phosphor bands
   

  

  recto-verso d’un CD10 du 40^ème tirage avec le cylindre AN, gomme métropolitaine

   

  

  CD4 du 40^ème tirage avec le cylindre AN, dernier jour de tirage du 0,50F Marianne de Béquet

   
  On 12.7.77, stamps are printed on tropical gum paper:
   

  

  recto-verso d’un CD10 du 40^ème tirage avec le cylindre AN, gomme tropicale

   
  We must note that on 11.7.77, the press TD6-7 printed stamps 1,00F Marianne de Béquet on paper with tropical gum, as shown on the two following pictures:
   

  

  CD20 du 11.7.77 du 7^ème tirage du 1,00F rouge avec gomme tropicale

   

  

  verso du CD20 ci-dessus montrant la gomme mate (tropicale)

   

Some statistics as a conclusion

Based on the number of printing days of the stamps 0,50F Marianne de Béquet from sheets (and by considering known worked Saturdays as normal days, what is not completely exact), it is possible to establish statistics on the editions realized for this stamp. So

• 2 % of the stamps from sheets result from TD3 presses and thus 98 % from TD6 presses;
   
• Among stamps produced on TD6 presses, 2/3 are without phosphorescent band and 1/3 with 3 phosphorescent bands;
   
• Among stamps with 3 phosphorescent bands
   
  • 70 % have phosphorescent bands of type D;
     
  • 20 % have phosphorescent bands of type A;
     
  • 10 % have phosphorescent bands of type B;
     

In a more anecdotal evidence
 

• Among stamps without phosphorescent band
   
  • 30 % were produced on the press TD6-7;
     
  • 27 % on the press TD6-4;
     
  • 25 % on the press TD6-2;
     
  • 8 % on the press TD6-1;
     
  • 5 % on the press TD6-3;
     
  • 4 % on the press TD6-5;
     
• Among stamps with 3 phosphorescent bands
   
  • 65 % were produced on the press TD6-4;
     
  • 14 % on the press TD6-1;
     
  • 12 % on the press TD6-5;
     
  • 7 % on the press TD6-6;
     
  • 3 % on the press TD6-7;
     
  • 1 % on the press TD6-2;
     

Finally, the press TD6-1 printed at first stamps with type A phosphorescent bands, then stamps with type D phosphorescent bands (from 30.7.74). The press TD6-2 only printed stamps with type D phosphorescent bands. The press TD6-4 printed at first type A phosphorescent bands, then type D phosphorescent bands (from 16.1.73). The press TD6-5 only printed stamps with type D phosphorescent bands, the press TD6-6 only stamps with type B phosphorescent bands and the press TD6-7 stamps with type B phosphorescent bands.