Meet the "FIB'S"

By pointing out the variances in the structure of papers, I have tried to be as informative as possible in the hope that other collectors of multiple crown Wilding definitives can obtain further knowledge on the subject, and not to degrade previous ideas otherwise thought .

This type of paper ( as far as I am aware ) has only been noticed on a few of the printings of the multiple crown Wilding definitives and not listed in any catalogue to my knowledge .

It would appear that the fibrillous papers were actually observed as far back as 1979, as they are mentioned in a statement by Aubrey Walker ( a post office chemist ) in an article in the November Philatelic Bulletin of that year as accidental fluorescent flecks or fibres randomly distributed used during the Wilding series .

They have never been recognised as different by the philatelic fraternity . If something is different (flecks), then it is a variety, whether it be in the printing,watermark or in this case the type of paper .

Although Mr Chris Harman of the the RPSL did comment,that these "varieties" had been seen before , when I sent him a scan depicting them last year .

So why is there no reference to them in any of the catalogues if they were classified as accidental ?

Edited By Fred Sellars on 06/12/2019 16:20:10

I have been trying to discover when these luminous fibre/fleck types of paper (FIB'S) was first used .

I can now confirm that the use of this type of paper to print British stamps goes back to at least 1965, specimens have been found of this type of paper used to print the 4d Battle of Britain stamps, of which I enclose an attachment, these were first issued on the 13th September 1965 and withdrawn from sale on the 15th April 1966, therefore, these papers were in use for some time, as this type of paper was also used to print the 1967 6d 9½mm definitives plus other values previously been brought to your notice, it would appear that it was an ongoing thing that has never been mentioned to the philatelic fraternity UNTIL NOW, we've all been kept in the dark !

Here's wishing both viewers and contributors of this site a very happy, peaceful and prosperous New Year 💥🍾 Fred.

Earlier " FIB'S " have now been discovered prior to the ones previously show.

No doubt there will be others,yet to be found !

After further study of these papers incorporating fluorescent fibres, one can only come to the conclusion that the luminous fibres were a type of contamination that had gradually increased with the progression of time due to the use of detergents that contained the optical brightening agents

The cure would be to either remove the OBA'S chemically, or to add additional OBA'S to give a more fluorescent paper in which to mask or camouflage them .

The masking technique was probably accomplished with the addition of chalk whilst in the pulp stage, with limitations, so as not to mask the watermark, but significant amounts to camouflage the fluorescent fibres in question with the fluorescence of the chalk.

Rather than 3 types of paper a 4th one was born under what can only be described as a fluorescent paper in order to mask the offending fibres .

An "in-depth study" can be found in my thread "CREAM Vs WHITE" including some recent findings .

Thank you, Fred.

It's quite possible that from 1964 a change of supplier was made that may have contributed to the original contamination in the rag supplied, as it was around that time when the fluorescent particles became more noticeable in the embodiment of some of the stamp papers produced at the mill.

One can only surmise at this stage not being privy to any records that may have been held at the time, but it would appear that the contamination progressively got worse as time went by.