Looking at Scott it looks like you are looking at the 1892 and 1894 issues. I have read others saying you can feel the design with your finger tips when a stamp has been recess printed. I suspect the engraved issue is clearer than the litho, but without having one of each to compare it is difficult. Interesting that Scott warns of counterfeits of the 1894 issue. I wish I could help more. Maybe another member can comment.
I do remember Labuan as being the preferred port call for marine survey crews working offshore Brunei as unlike Brunei next door you could go to a bar and get a beer.
Engraving is a recess printing method .. i.e. the coloured areas are recessed into the plate, the ink is applied and then wiped off the flat raised portions. The paper is then firmly pressed into the plate to absorb the ink.
Lithography and Typography are surface printing methods. Ink is applied to the raised portions of the plate .. think typeset and rubber stamps.
Engraving does not show large solid areas of colour (in your stamps the borders, letters and ornaments in the corners). These sorts of areas would not hold the ink securely when the surface was wiped clean. Instead, under magnification, you will see that these sorts of areas that appear "solid" will in fact be closely spaced lines , cross-hatch or dots.
Litho and typo will show these sorts of areas as solid colour (again, think of a rubber stamp). There may also be imperfections in the application of the ink (your blue 12c shows this clearly).
Your row across the top is too small to identify for sure, but I believe the first 2c rose is likely an engraved stamp. Show an enlargement similar to the other two for confirmation.
The two enlarged stamps shown are definitely the litho printing.
Roy
Apart from feeling the ridges with your finger (I use the back of my nail very lightly), if you angle the stamps to the light the engraved will show a sort of ribbed or raised surface.
It looks like you have a complete set of the litho issue of 1894 (Scott 42-48).
Note that Scott says "counterfeits exist".
I suspect that your 12c value is one such, based on the difference in level of detail in the Queen's hair and crown on the 12c versus the 2c and 40c.
Roy
The way I see it, litho. is old TV, Engrave is HDTV.
At one time most of the stamps produced were engrave stamps, there was a polish engraver with 100s of stamps engraved in a number of countries.
Here's an example of the same Austrian stamp.
re: Labuan N/W how to differentiate ?between engraved & Litho
Looking at Scott it looks like you are looking at the 1892 and 1894 issues. I have read others saying you can feel the design with your finger tips when a stamp has been recess printed. I suspect the engraved issue is clearer than the litho, but without having one of each to compare it is difficult. Interesting that Scott warns of counterfeits of the 1894 issue. I wish I could help more. Maybe another member can comment.
I do remember Labuan as being the preferred port call for marine survey crews working offshore Brunei as unlike Brunei next door you could go to a bar and get a beer.
re: Labuan N/W how to differentiate ?between engraved & Litho
Engraving is a recess printing method .. i.e. the coloured areas are recessed into the plate, the ink is applied and then wiped off the flat raised portions. The paper is then firmly pressed into the plate to absorb the ink.
Lithography and Typography are surface printing methods. Ink is applied to the raised portions of the plate .. think typeset and rubber stamps.
Engraving does not show large solid areas of colour (in your stamps the borders, letters and ornaments in the corners). These sorts of areas would not hold the ink securely when the surface was wiped clean. Instead, under magnification, you will see that these sorts of areas that appear "solid" will in fact be closely spaced lines , cross-hatch or dots.
Litho and typo will show these sorts of areas as solid colour (again, think of a rubber stamp). There may also be imperfections in the application of the ink (your blue 12c shows this clearly).
Your row across the top is too small to identify for sure, but I believe the first 2c rose is likely an engraved stamp. Show an enlargement similar to the other two for confirmation.
The two enlarged stamps shown are definitely the litho printing.
Roy
re: Labuan N/W how to differentiate ?between engraved & Litho
Apart from feeling the ridges with your finger (I use the back of my nail very lightly), if you angle the stamps to the light the engraved will show a sort of ribbed or raised surface.
re: Labuan N/W how to differentiate ?between engraved & Litho
It looks like you have a complete set of the litho issue of 1894 (Scott 42-48).
Note that Scott says "counterfeits exist".
I suspect that your 12c value is one such, based on the difference in level of detail in the Queen's hair and crown on the 12c versus the 2c and 40c.
Roy
re: Labuan N/W how to differentiate ?between engraved & Litho
The way I see it, litho. is old TV, Engrave is HDTV.
At one time most of the stamps produced were engrave stamps, there was a polish engraver with 100s of stamps engraved in a number of countries.
Here's an example of the same Austrian stamp.