Epsom & Ewell
Philatelic Society
Large Vermeil winner
Interested in stamp collecting, philately, postal history or other ephemera? Then why not join us?
We are a friendly, informal group ranging from near beginners to world-renowned experts.
We meet fortnightly in Epsom, Surrey, from September to June. Details are on the 2024-5 Meetings page.
GET IN TOUCH - You can email us at EandEPhilatelic@gmail.com
Gin and a neat watermark
THOSE who log on for our fortnightly Skype meetings would have heard Malcolm Cole speak about an unusual watermark device.
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It is not only its size which makes it stand out, but also the fact that it is housed at the Bombay Sapphire Gin distillery at Laverstoke Mill, Whitchurch, near Reading.
Originally the mill produced
corn before the site was bought
by Henry Portal in 1718 and
converted into a paper mill. In 1724
Portal won the contract to produce Bank of England notes and pioneered the use of the watermark in paper currency.
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As Malcolm says, the watermark (pictured left) is really is stunning.
"The amount of work undertaken to weave the picture onto the dandy roll is mind-blowing.
"As you know, the thickness of the wire used determines the light and shade of the final result and a picture of this complexity is truly breath-taking."
