Laying down of early plates

The output of Perkins, Bacon from 1840 to 1880.
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Seahorse
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Joined: Mon Sep 08, 2008 6:00 pm

Laying down of early plates

Post by Seahorse »

In Stanley Gibbons GB Vol 1 Queen Victoria, on p34 of the ninth edition, we are given details of how plates are laid down. I quote

"order of laying down was not always the same but generally speaking was in vertical columns ....numerous exceptions, such as plates 2,7 and 8, which as is shown by the presence or absence of certain roller flaws, were laid down in horizontal rows"

My question is - how much can be deduced about how a particular plate was laid down - for example in plate 20, (where roller flaws result in the complete E row having open NE tops) can this feature be taken as evidence that this plate was laid down horizontally ?
ie if it were horizontal, then the fault occurs in twelve consecutive impressions, whereas if this plate were laid vertically, it stretches credulity that the fault occurred every twelfth impression.

I'm sure this matter has already been explored in depth and documented - perhaps by Dr Statham, but I don't have that work, only Fisher/Brown, which does not mention this aspect.

As a relative newcomer to serious philately, I would much appreciate enlightenment - thanks.
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