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Machin Definitives – Design, Technology & Production

Introduction

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Exhibit provided by
Scott Kibby
First introduced in 1967, the Machin design was in continuous use as Great Britain's primary definitive design for more than 50 years. Arguably the most reproduced image ever produced worldwide, it is a design classic, one that also echoes the world's very first postage stamp, the Penny Black of 1840.

The line engraved period of British stamps ran for 39 years and covered a multitude of changes in technology, including the introduction and development of perforation, together with changes to watermarks, inks, printing dies and the engraved alphabet types.

Similarly, the Machin design has encompassed a period where the need to improve the efficiency of the mail handling system has been ever more pressing, in tandem with a societal advance in the use of technology. Together these have led to a multitude of developments in the production of, and technology built into, the Machin stamps.

This includes a multitude of printers, colours, papers, gums, perforations, phosphors, fluors, and security features as well as the occasional celebratory issue.

This exhibit aims to provide an overview of:
  • The genesis and ongoing development of the Machin design.
  • The technology built into the stamps.
  • The production of the stamps and the challenges encountered.
The exhibit includes many rare and oftentimes unique examples of proofs and trials, as well as issued stamps, together with some items that should not have made it over a Post Office counter.

Whilst the Machins can be a bewildering series to the uninitiated, the reality is that they are a fantastic record of the ongoing affects of mechanisation, automation, technological advance and societal change.

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Frame 1

1. INTRODUCTION
  1. Introduction
  2. The Machin Definitives – Their Design, Technology and Production
  3. The Design Competition
  4. The Coinage Head
  5. The Hedgecoe Photograph
  6. Arnold Machin, the first issued Machin design stamps 5th June 1967
  7. Presentation folder of the new Machin series (1967)
  8. See sheet 7
  9. 1970 Stamp Design Seminar
  10. Souvenir Sheets
  11. Paper Types
  12. Sheet Markings & Layout
  13. Misplaced Sheet Number and Harrison Cylinders
  14. Mis‑guillotined Sheets
  15. Rare Cylinders
  16. Rare Cylinders
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Frame 2

1. INTRODUCTION (cont)
  1. Phosphor Under the Ink (PUI)
  2. Phosphor Number Displacements
  3. Waddington Plates
  4. Questa Plates
  5. Booklet Pane Sheets
  6. Booklet Pane Sheets
  7. Non‑adhered Booklet Panes
  8. Mis‑guillotined Booklets
  9. Coils or Rolls
  10. Coils or Rolls
  11. Silicone Coated Paper
  12. Perforation Types
  13. Perforation Types
  14. Elliptical Perforation Types
  15. 2012 De La Rue Counter Sheets
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Frame 3

2. PRE‑PRODUCTION
  1. Pre‑Production
  2. Machins Behind the Scenes
  3. 7th February 1967 – Second 4d Essay
  4. 1967 – High Value Essays
  5. 1970 Pre‑decimal Ink Resistance Tests
  6. See sheet 37
  7. Spectrophotometer Graphs ('scans') of the Tested Stamps
  8. See sheet 39
  9. Gum Types
  10. Tëte‑bëche
  11. Tëte‑bëche
  12. Production Setup Tests, Undenominated Small Machin Heads
  13. Undenominated Giant Machin Heads
  14. Giant Machin Head in Ochre‑Brown of 4p
  15. Giant Machin Head with Ink Grading Chart
  16. See sheet 47
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Frame 4

2. PRE‑PRODUCTION (cont)
  1. Giant Machin Head with Ink Grading Chart
  2. See sheet 49
  3. Giant Machin Head with Ink Grading Chart
  4. See sheet 51
  5. 1970/1 Harrison Regional Essays
  6. 1971 Decimal Phosphor Removal Tests
  7. 1971 Decimal Phosphor Removal Tests
  8. 1971 Decimal Phosphor Removal Tests
  9. 1971 Decimal Phosphor Removal Tests
  10. 1973 'Jumelle Press' Proofs
  11. Lasergravure – A Failed Alternative
  12. Lasergravure – A Failed Alternative
  13. 1985 – Harrison Colour Proofing Sheets
  14. 1989 Colour Trial – 150th Anniversary of the ld Black
  15. £10 House of Questa Essay
  16. 1996 House of Questa Gold Lithography Trial
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Frame 5

2. PRE‑PRODUCTION (cont)
  1. Zero Value Stamps: 1st Printing – Perforated
  2. Zero Value Stamps: 1st Printing – Perforated
  3. Zero Value Stamps: 2nd Printing – Imperforate with Phosphor Bands
  4. Zero Value Stamps: 3rd Printing – Imperforate without Phosphor Bands
  5. 1997 Courvoisier Trials
  6. £3 House of Questa Trials
  7. £3 House of Questa Trials
  8. 1999 Millennium Trials
  9. The Curious £5 Brown – The Trial That's Not a Trial
  10. 2008 High Value Colour Trials
  11. 2011 Colour Palette Trials
  12. Phosphor Trials: 1968 De La Rue
  13. Phosphor Trials: 1969 Harrison 1s 6d and 1970 Bradbury Wilkinson 10p
  14. Phosphor Trials: 1972 3p Phosphor Coated Paper + Two Phosphor Bands
  15. Phosphor Trials: 1974 4½p Phosphor Coated Paper + Two Phosphor Bands and Harrison PCP Test Sheet
  16. Phosphor Trials: 1978 Harrison Phosphor Disc Trial
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Frame 6

2. PRE‑PRODUCTION (cont)
  1. Phosphor Trials: 1976 8½p Phosphor Coated Paper, 1979 Weak Phosphor Coated Paper, 1981 14p Zinc Sulphide Experiment
  2. Phosphor Trials: 1984 Harrison Phosphor Pattern Trial
  3. Phosphor Contamination & Use of Incorrect Phosphors
  4. 1979/80 – Introduction of Questa as a Printer of Definitives
  5. 1979/80 – Introduction of Questa as a Printer of Definitives
  6. 1979 – Harrison & Sons Lithography Colour Proofs
  7. 1979 – Harrison & Sons Lithography Colour Proofs
  8. Questa Contract
  9. 5p Colour Proof 14th November 1981
  10. See sheet 89
  11. 1979/80 – Questa Colour Proofs for 2p & 5p
  12. 1981 Regionals – Developing New Face Values, Early Colour Essays for 18p Value
  13. Early Colour Essays for 22p Value
  14. House of Questa – Wales Colour & Composite Proofs
  15. House of Questa – Wales Colour & Composite Proofs
  16. House of Questa – Wales Colour & Composite Proofs
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Frame 7

2. PRE‑PRODUCTION (cont)
  1. Proofing Work Progresses – 18p & 22p
  2. Proofing Work Progresses – ll½p & 14p
  3. 11½p Final Proof Wales & Northern Ireland
  4. See sheet 99
  5. 12½p First Proof Wales & Northern Ireland
  6. See sheet 101
  7. 12½p Second Proof Wales & Northern Ireland
  8. See sheet 103
  9. 12½p Final Proof Wales & Northern Ireland
  10. See sheet 105
  11. l5½p Second Proof Wales & Northern Ireland
  12. See sheet 107
  13. 19½p First Proof Wales & Northern Ireland
  14. See sheet 109
  15. 19½p Second Proof Wales & Northern Ireland
  16. See sheet 111
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Frame 8

2. PRE‑PRODUCTION (cont)
  1. 26p First Proof Wales & Northern Ireland
  2. See sheet 113
  3. 26p Second Proof Wales & Northern Ireland
  4. See sheet 115
  5. Disability Trials
  6. Disability Trials
  7. Disability Trials
  8. Disability Trials
  9. Pricing in Proportion
  10. Used Pair of 2nd Large Proof, Small Format 1st Yellowish Proof
  11. 2010 Special Delivery Proofs
  12. Booklet Proofs
  13. 1970 £1 Stamps for Cooks Booklet – Specimen Overprint
  14. Promotion of Prestige Booklets
  15. Testing Booklets
  16. Sample Booklets
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Frame 9

3. ERRORS
  1. Errors
  2. Design Errors
  3. Inking Failures
  4. Inking Failures
  5. Inking Failures
  6. Inking Failures
  7. 1970 – ex. £1 Cook booklet
  8. Ink Splashes
  9. Excess Ink
  10. Excess Ink
  11. Excess Ink
  12. Shortage of Ink
  13. Shortage of Ink
  14. Shortage of Ink
  15. Excess Ink – Thin Red Line, Doctor Blade Problems
  16. Colour Errors
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Frame 10

3. ERRORS (cont)
  1. Missing Colours
  2. 2012 Diamond Jubilee Imperforate – Missing Yellow
  3. Double Printing
  4. Paper Joins
  5. Paper Joins
  6. Paper Repairs During Sheet Production
  7. Paper Repairs During Booklet Production
  8. Paper Folds
  9. Sheet Folds
  10. Sheet Folds
  11. Massive Mis‑guillotine
  12. Use of the Wrong Paper
  13. Use of the Wrong Paper
  14. Uncoated Paper
  15. Uncoated Paper
  16. Fluorescent Brightener Omitted (FBO)
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Frame 11

3. ERRORS (cont)
  1. Fluorescent Brightener Omitted (FBO)
  2. Perforation Shifts
  3. 2001 House of Questa Vertical Perforation Shift
  4. Smaller Shifts
  5. Rouletting Shifts
  6. Perforation Damage, Perforation Repair – Standard Perforations
  7. Perforation Repair – Elliptical Perforations
  8. The 17 Pin Variety
  9. The 17 Pin Variety
  10. Perforation Errors
  11. Perforation Errors
  12. Perforation Errors
  13. Perforation Failure – Pert 'Run Out'
  14. Perforation Failure – Pert 'Run Out'
  15. Perforation Failure – Pert 'Run Out'
  16. Regional Imperforates
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Frame 12

3. ERRORS (cont)
  1. Perforation Failure – Comb Failure
  2. Perforation Failure – Comb Failure
  3. Perforation Failure – Comb Failure
  4. Printer's Waste
  5. Extra Unrelated Perforations
  6. Phosphor Errors: Phosphor Printed on Both Sides
  7. Phosphor Errors: Extra Phosphor – Doctor Blade Problems
  8. Phosphor Errors: Extra Phosphor – Doctor Blade Problems
  9. Phosphor Errors: Extra Phosphor – Doctor Blade Problems
  10. Phosphor Errors: Double Printed Phosphor
  11. Phosphor Errors: 1979 10p Phosphor Pre‑printed Paper & AOP
  12. Phosphor Errors: Bands + AOP
  13. Phosphor Errors: Missing Phosphor
  14. Phosphor Errors: Missing Phosphor
  15. Phosphor Errors: Missing Phosphor
  16. Phosphor Errors: Major Phosphor Error
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Frame 13

3. ERRORS (cont)
  1. Phosphor Errors: 1992 ex £6 Wales booklet
  2. Phosphor Errors: Phosphor Positional Change
  3. Phosphor Errors: Phosphor Positional Change
  4. Phosphor Errors: Phosphor Positional Change
  5. Phosphor Errors: Phosphor Positional Change
  6. Phosphor Errors: Phosphor Positional Change
  7. Phosphor Errors: 1970 ex. £1 Cook booklet
  8. Phosphor Errors: 1972 ex. £1 Wedgewood booklet
  9. Phosphor Errors: 1972 ex. £1 Wedgewood booklet
  10. Phosphor Errors: 1980 ex. £3 Story of Wedgewood booklet
  11. Phosphor Errors: 1980 ex. £3 Story of Wedgewood booklet
  12. Phosphor Errors: 1984 ex. £4 Christian Heritage booklet
  13. Phosphor Errors: 1986 ex. £5 British Rail booklet, Missing Phosphor ... or Is It?
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Frame 14

4. USAGES AND EPHEMERA
  1. Usages and Ephemera
  2. Post Office Training
  3. Training School Overprints
  4. 2002 Self Adhesive Sheet Training
  5. Bridging Decimalisation
  6. Modern Postal History
  7. Modern Postal History
  8. Modern Postal History
  9. Modern Postal History
  10. Customer Printed Stamps
  11. Damaged in The Post
  12. Damaged in The Post
  13. High Value Packet (HVP) & Bankers Special Packets (BSP) Mailbag Tags
  14. Mailbag Tags
  15. Counter Service Receipting
  16. Certificate of Posting
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Frame 15

4. USAGES AND EPHEMERA (cont)
  1. Inland Telegram Service
  2. Point of Sale Stamp Advertising
  3. Retail Outlet Checkout Scanning
  4. Retail Outlet Checkout Scanning
  5. Retail Outlet Checkout Scanning
  6. Retail Outlet Checkout Scanning
  7. Retail Outlet Checkout Scanning
  8. Retail Outlet Checkout Scanning
  9. Retail Outlet Checkout Scanning
  10. Machins as Marketing
  11. Reader's Digest Cards
  12. Reader's Digest Cards
  13. Reader's Digest Cards
  14. Reader's Digest Covers
  15. Autographs
  16. Forgeries