Formation of a Die: Manufacturing Process Begins
Unveiling the Artistry Behind Stamp Creation: A Look at the Perkins Bacon Archive
Robert H. Pratt
The intricate and mesmerizing designs of the classic stamps were a product of the innovative engine turning lathe, employed by Perkins Bacon. Engine turning lathes produced intricate, feathery engravings, often serving as the base for these iconic stamps. By combining these lathe engravings with expert hand-engraving, Perkins Bacon was able to produce the masterful stamps of the era. This essay will walk you through the creation process, highlighting some steps and the final die and plate proofs.
The primary source for this story is a collection of Perkins Bacon die proofs in my possession. To recreate the development of the design, some images have been artfully manipulated, assembling various photos in a step-by-step fashion. The images have been enlarged to facilitate closer examination.
In June 1851, authorization was given to Perkins Bacon to begin work on a set of three stamps for New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. The dies for these two countries were developed concurrently, resulting in the Three Pence, Six Pence, and One Shilling stamps.
The creative process began by selecting an engine turning circular design as the foundation. The central design was a star, carefully chosen to fill the stamp’s centre. These two designs were combined by impressing roller die impressions of each in a new die block. A new roller was then crafted, shaped like a 22 1/2 degree pie segment. Another roller with an included angle of 45 degrees was also produced. Using a technique called geometric multiplication, eight 45-degree segments were "rolled in" to create a new design. After hardening the die, a new roller was shaped, trimmed down until only a central square remained. This design served as the background die for all New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland stamps of this type.
After impressing the design in a new die block, hand-engraving was employed to alter the outer ring of the design. This revised design, now known as Background Die A, remained the basis for the New Brunswick and Nova Scotia stamps. By removing the centre design and the four star corners from a soft roller impression of Die A, the primary roller for the first New Brunswick and Nova Scotia stamps (Background Die B) was created.
The design for New Brunswick included a shamrock, two roses, and a thistle hand-engraved in the positions of the removed stars. For Nova Scotia, a mayflower was added in place of one of the roses. The belief is that the crowns were also engraved separately.
With the individual dies ready to go, they were hardened. The E of New, the TA of Postage, and the A of Scotia can be easily identified as separately engraved during the examination of each tablet.
Figure 12: Three Pence New Brunswick DieFigure 13: One Shilling New Brunswick DieFigure 14: Sixpence Nova Scotia DieFigure 14A: Three Pence Nova Scotia DieFigure 15: One Shilling Nova Scotia
All original dies presented flaws in the corners, which were not addressed during the production of the stamp plate. These minor imperfections were later removed from the roller before it was hardened, for easier removal compared to working directly on the die.
In 1852, negotiations began for a One penny stamp for Nova Scotia. The design was based on background die A, with a central square removed. A new vignette of the Queen resembling the type used in 1855 for New Zealand was placed at the centre of the background die. Proper engraving of the tablets and numerals completed the design of the One penny stamp die.
Figure 16: Square removed from Background Die AFigure 17: New Queen vignetteFigure 18: Hand engraved tablets and numeralsFigure 19: Final design of the One penny stamp die
Subsequent Newfoundland stamps used a design derived from the Sixpence New Brunswick die, with the tablets and crown removed. A blank space was cleared for the inscription "POSTAGE", and a new crown was re-engraved in a fresh position. New tablets and values were then added, resulting in the One Pence Newfoundland die. By creating two new rollers, with the E of POSTAGE cleared for the One Pence plate and the value tablet and values cleared for the Fivepence die, the finishing touches were applied.
Figure 20: Design derived from the Sixpence New Brunswick dieFigure 21: Clear space for the word “POSTAGE”Figure 22: New crown in a fresh positionFigure 23: Added new values and value tablet to produce the One Pence Newfoundland dieFigure 24: Financial contributions to develop the Fivepence dieFigure 25: Final design of the Fivepence die
A plate proof of the One Penny and the Fivepence is demonstrated in Figures 26 and 27 respectively, concluding the evolution of the stamp dies that began with the star and circle.
Figure 26: Plate proof of the One Penny NewfoundlandFigure 27: Plate proof of the Fivepence Newfoundland
This essay now advances to another application of the design shown in Figure 3. By combining sixteen 22 1/2-degree segments through geometric multiplication, an intricate figure was formed (Figure 28).
Figure 28: Figure created through geometric multiplication
An additional circle, commonly used on banknotes, was chosen to fit the centre of the first circle, creating a unique pattern (Figure 29). By removing a large circle from the entire design with a suitably sized centre opening, the three circles were combined to produce a new pattern (Figure 29). It's fascinating to consider the various ways this design may have been utilized.
Figure 29: Combining the three circles to create a new design
An adaptation of the Figure 33 design can be seen in the engraving prepared for Aberdeen Bank of Scotland, circa 1907 (Figure 34). A merging of the two Figure 2 stars into a combination of four stars with an overlapping “5” was also created (Figure 36). Removing the design from within the “5” would result in a numeral device suitable for banknotes (Figure 37).
Figure 34: Adaptation of the Figure 33 designFigure 35: Combining Figure 2 starsFigure 36: Using four Figure 2 stars with an “5”Figure 37: Banknote-suitable numeral device
This essay should now showcase the boundless creativity and ingenuity of the designers during the classic stamp period. With just a few simple engine lathe engravings as a starting point, countless designs could be created with a dash of imagination and meticulous procedures.
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- The Perkins Bacon archive reveals the marriage of technology, as engine turning lathes created intricate patterns, and human ingenuity, as hand-engraving was applied to refine the designs, resulting in the production of masterful stamps.
- Modern-day data and cloud computing technology could potentially facilitate a similar exploration and examination of historical artifacts like the Perkins Bacon archive, enhancing our understanding of the creative processes behind iconic designs, and making these remarkable histories accessible to millions worldwide.
