Printing

Because some stamps have been printed by two or moremethods and because specialists often collect variouskinds of printing flaws, the entire subject of printing isof interest to all collectors. In fact, an advanced collectorwill often have a knowledge of printing far surpassingthat of a great many commercial printers.

Basically, printing falls into two categories: recess orintaglio printing, and relief, sometimes called "letter-press" and more often called simply "printing." Thelatter is by far the most common method in use through-out the world and in principle has changed very littlesince the fifteenth century when Johann Gutenberg printedhis Bibles from cast movable type. Prior to that timeprinting was done from blocks upon which had beencut the entire message to be printed. Such printing wasan art well known to the Chinese who, indeed, evenhad movable type.