Collector 4 stamps - 55 years of printing -Small size

In 1970, the stamp printing plant was set up in Périgueux (24). Since then, a host of specific printing techniques and historic and modern machines have been put to work for philately and secure products. To mark the Imprimerie's 55th anniversary, a series of 4 collectors illustrate the historic and modern machines and 4 printing techniques in use at the Boulazac (24) stamp printing works. The first fully illustrates the know-how of the printers, known as taille-douciers. A printing technique renowned for being forgery-proof, this "intaglio" process combines artistic and security aspects. An intaglio printing process that combines artistic aspects with security. In fact, it is reputed to be forgery-proof. Today, it is used to print postage stamps in the philatelic program, the commonly used Marianne stamp, certain pages of the French passport... The hand-engraved hallmark is digitized into a 3D image in order to duplicate the visual on a printing form (engraved cylinder called a ferrule). On the machine, the cylinder is inked, and printing can begin. The ink nestled in the engraved hollows is removed from the mould, creating a relief, depending on the engraving depth, which can be felt by running your finger over the stamp. Stamps - Old intaglio rotary press installed in Brune's workshops in 1936. - Laser engraving bench. It retranscribes the image of the digitized punch onto a ferrule.

Conception Sylvie Patte et Tanguy Besset (c) La Poste