1895 1d Burelé band Ink Squeezes

The 1895 1d Burelé band issue, like most of the Sideface issues, has a number of additional lines or ink marks outside the frame. These are known as reglet flaws or ink squeeze. They appear to have developed when, in setting up the plate with the 30 moulds, damage occurred when levering them into the correct position. 

Because ink squeezes occurred when creating the plate, they are constant flaws and can be used to assist in plating this issue. To illustrate this I have analysed positions 1 and 10 at the top of the sheet. I have used a control stamp from two blocks in my possession for both positions and then compared them with 4 other examples from 4 sheets in my possession

Position 1

Position 1 on the sheet showing 4 instances of ink squeeze:

1. Protruding squeeze above the frame at top LH corner

2. Protruding squeeze below the frame at bottom LH corner

3. Line of ink across the entire length of the LHS of the frame progressively showing a white space in-between as it descends the frame

4. A triangle of ink above and to the right of the top RHS corner

Composite of 4 different copies of position 1 from sheets in my collection showing the same 4 ink squeezes. Note that depending on the positioning of the perforation holes some ink squeeze characteristics can be obscured

Position 10

Position 10 on the sheet showing 1 instance of ink squeeze:
1. A triangle of ink protruding diagonally from the right of the  top RHS corner

Composite of 4 different copies of position 10 from sheets in my collection showing the same ink squeeze

Major Ink Squeezes on the sheet

There are only a handful of prominent ink squeezes to be found on this sheet (positions 1, 2, 11 and 21) as well as some minor ones

L-R, position 1, 2, 11 and 21

This table shows the various positions where ink squeezes are found on the sheet

(LT = Left Top of the stamp, LB = Left Bottom, TL = Top Left, TR = Top Right, RT = Right Top, RB = Right Bottom, BL = Bottom left and BR = Bottom Right of the stamp)

Description of the Individual stamp characteristics (Italics indicates a significant identifying characteristic). Position no: 

1 - Extensive ink squeeze on left hand side of frame joined at the top and separating towards the bottom 

2 - Ink triangle above and to the left of the top left-hand corner

Ink squeeze at the top right-hand corner and separate from it

Ink squeeze in the upper quadrant of the right-hand side of the frame and separate from it 

3 - Faint Ink squeeze dot above top right-hand corner

4 - Irregular Ink squeeze thickening of top frame most noticeable at the beginning of the left and at the end of the right

6 - Small excrescence of Ink squeeze protruding from the frame on the top right-hand corner 

7 - Small thickening of the outer frame line due to Ink squeeze on the top right-hand side

8 - Slight thickening of the outer frame line due to Ink squeeze and most pronounced on the top right-hand side

10 - Faint Ink squeeze dot above top left-hand corner

Ink squeeze elongation extending from the top right-hand corner

11 - Extensive ink squeeze on left hand side of frame separated and extending above the frame at the top and joining towards the bottom but ending just before

21 - Prominent ink squeeze on left hand side of frame close at the top and separating and becoming irregular and dashed before petering out in line with the bottom of the ornament

31 - Very faint Ink squeeze line above top left-hand corner

61 - Thin dashed ink squeeze line on left hand side of frame petering out in line with the bottom of the ornament

80 - Vertical thin ink squeeze line on the outside of the left-hand side frame towards the bottom

81 - Thin dashed ink squeeze line on left hand side of frame petering out in line with the bottom of the spandrel

91 - Thin vertical short ink squeeze line to the left and above the top left-hand side of the spandrel

101 - Slight thickening of the outer frame line due to Ink squeeze on the upper left-hand side

120 - Ink squeeze dot below and to the right of the bottom right-hand corner 

Top row; Positions 1-4, 6-8. Middle row: Positions 10, 11, 21, 31, 61, 80, 81. Bottom row: Positions 91, 101, 120