The Significance of Paper and Gum Types on 1930-1934 Issues

In the previous posts, I touched on the fact that there are different paper and gum types that can be found in the stamps printed by the BABN during the 1930-1935 period. Oddly enough Unitrade completely ignores the significance of these, relegating them to nothing more than a footnote - if even that. In actual fact the paper and gum types found during this period can be used to assign specific stamps to different printings by year. Today's post will explain how. In this post, I am only discussing the gum found on issues printed by flat plates, as opposed to rotary plates.

Attributes of Paper and Gum

In studying the paper and gum used during this period, there are four basic attributes that are of significance:

• The visibility of the paper mesh to the naked eye, when the stamp is placed face-down on a surface and viewed. It will either be highly visible in the form of coarse mesh, slightly visible in the form of fine mesh, or not visible at all.
• The colour of the gum. The gum during this period varies from a deep coffee colour, to deep yellowish, to deep cream, to cream, to near white. 
• The sheen of the gum, which is the degree to which it reflects light when viewed. The early gums from 1930 and 1931 are very shiny, or have a satin-like sheen, the mid-period gum from 1932 and 1933 tends to have a duller satin-like sheen; and the late gum from 1934-1935 also has a satin-like sheen. 
• The evenness of application  of the gum. The early gums until 1932 are perfectly evenly applied, with an even colour, whereas there is a period between 1932-1933, where the gum colour is mottled, showing alternate light and dark spots. Then in the later period from 1934 to 1935, the gum goes back to being even again. 

Basic Approach

In attempting to de-code the significance of these differences in paper and gum, we are aided greatly by four things:

• Some of the stamps in the Arch issue were only issued in a very narrow window of time in 1930, which makes them important because it becomes possible to positively identify the characteristics of the paper and gum used in the 1930 printings. 
• The commemorative issues during this period all had a very short period of use, and generally are only found with one paper and gum type. Thus we can generally conclude that definitive stamps that share the same paper and gum type as the commemoratives will have been issued at more or less the same time. There are commemoratives from 1932, 1933 and 1934 so we can generally determine the characteristics of printings from 1932-1934. 
• The third postage due issue did not appear until very late 1933 (December) and was not replaced until mid-1935. So the characteristics of paper and gum from 1934-1935 can be much better understood by looking closely at these stamps. 
• The Medallion issue first appears in December 1932. The first printings of this issue will share the same characteristics as the last printings of the Arch issue stamps that were replaced by this issue. 

Paper and Gum Types on BABN Commemoratives

During the period from 1930-1935 there were seven commemorative issues:

• The Ottawa Conference Issue - issued July 12, 1932;
• The UPU meeting issue - issued May 18,1933;
• The Regina Grain Exhibition Issue - issued July 24, 1933;
• The Royal William Issue - issued August 17, 1933;
• The Jacques Cartier Issue - issued July 1, 1934;
• The United Empire Loyalists Issue - issued July 1, 1934;
• The Founding of New Brunswick Issue - issued August 16, 1934;

The Regina Grain Exhibition Issue

This issue appears to have been produced from leftover 20c stamps from the Arch issue, as well as freshly printed stamps. The paper and gum exhibits quite a bit of variation:

• Coffee coloured with coarse mesh;
• Deep yellowish cream with fine mesh and either a satin or glossy sheen;
• Deep cream with coarse mesh;

Jacques Cartier Issue 

The stamps of this issue are printed on horizontal wove paper with a mesh that is almost never visible on mint stamps. The gum is a cream colour tending towards white, with a satin sheen and even appearance.

United Empire Loyalists Issue

The gum on this issue is the same as that found on the Jacques Cartier Issue. The only difference is that instead of horizontal wove paper, the paper is vertical wove.

Founding of New Brunswick Issue

The paper is again horizontal wove, with the gum concealing the mesh on the mint stamps. On used stamps, very fine mesh can often be seen. The gum varies in colour from cream to light cream, but not white. It always has a satin sheen.

So from the above, the following generalizations can be made:

• The deep cream gum with satin sheen or glossy sheen and no visible mesh would appear to correspond to printings made in 1932 or late 1934. 
• The deep cream gum with a glossy sheen and paper with fine mesh is from printings made in 1933.
• The deep cream, mottled gum with satin sheen and no visible mesh is from printings made in the later half of 1933.
• The cream and white gum with no visible mesh is from printings made in 1934. 

Application of Findings to the Arch Issue, the Medallion Issue and the Postage Dues

The Arch Issue

There are two stamps whose period of use is confined to a very short period in 1930:

• The 5c deep dull purple printed from flat plates, which was issued June 18, 1930 and replaced November 13, 1930 by the 5c Prussian blue. 
• The 2c green booklet stamps printed by flat press, which were issued June 17, 1930 and replaced by the 2c scarlet booklet stamps on November 17, 1930.
• The 8c deep steel blue, which was issued August 13, 1930 and replaced November 5, 1930 by the 8c red orange.