stamp printers by country

FRANCE 

    = Understood to be a current stamp printer.

First postage stamp issued: 1849.

M. Auge-Delile, Bordeaux.
First stamp(s) traced by compiler: 1870 for France.


H. Baguenier Desormeaux Cie, Paris.
First stamp(s) traced by compiler: 1949 for Belgium.

Known to have produced stock certificates, such as the one for "Soc. Agricole du Song-Ray" produced in 1927.


Bank of France, Paris.
First stamp(s) traced by compiler: 1876 for France.

The Bank of France produced all French stamps between 1876 and 1880, at which time the French government purchased the necessary plant and equipment to print its own postage stamps.


Cartor Security Printing S.A., L'Aigle and Paris.
Founded: 1974.
First stamp(s) traced by compiler:1975. The 15th anniversary of Independence pair for Mauretania.
Main printing process(es): Litho, embossing, gravure, holograms, thermography, aromatic inks, hot foil stamping.

Origins
Formed in 1974 by Monsieur Pierre Garrau and his partners Monsiuer Jean-Claude and Alain Guibert with a view to printing embossed metal-foil Camembert cheese labels, not stamps. Its name derives from Carte d'Or (gold card, an indication of quality). Cartor has specialised in the printing of high-quality stamps since its inception.

The reputation of Cartor has been based around the continual development and investment in new printing processes and endeavours to react rapidly to the needs and wishes of postal administrations.

Locations
It was originally based at L'Aigle (translating as the Eagle, hence the design of early dummy stamps) in Normandy and, since early 1999, at La Loupe (translating as the magnifying glass) situated some 100km south-west of Paris. The philatelic address connection does not end there, as it is located in the Avenue Rowland Hill, named by the then owner of Cartor, Gilles Le Baud, while it is in the Gutenberg industrial zone and your compiler doubts that there are any readers unfamiliar with the so-called father of printing.

New Owner
On 1 June 1995, Cartor was taken over by the aforementioned Gilles le Baud who provided the structure for future growth. It is said that at the time of purchase of the company it was in a sorry state and in need of much investment in the form of new equipment to make it competitive. Gilles saw a bright future for the company and convinced the majority of the highly skilled workforce to relocate to La Loupe.

ISP Group
In 2004 Cartor became a key constituent of the newly-formed ISP group, having been bought outright by Walsall Security Print of the UK.

Royal Mail Contract
Cartor started printing stamps for Royal Mail out of its French factory, possibly as early as 2004. However, the British Spring 2005 Stampex exhibition Rotary Smilers sheet is believed to be the first such item, although it is just possible that one or two Business Smilers sheets may have been generated before the Stampex one. The HELLO stamp used on the Rotary sheet is the first of this stamp from Cartor, that's for sure.

Special Techniques
The company is especially known for the additional features applied to its stamps, such as foils and the use of thermography and aromatic inks.

Automatic Inspection
The time-consuming and costly inspection by human eye was a process that Cartor had always thought in time could be automated. In 2006 this happened with the installation of an AVT sheet-fed automatic inspection system. The company states that AVTs consistent, high sensitivity and fast technology provides 100% fool-proof quality assurance.


Louis Chambon, Paris.


Maison Chassepot, Paris.
First stamp(s) traced by compiler: 1900 for French Congo.

A collector - Mr. Pezikian - brought to my attention the following: "In 1900, the French Government decides to replace the figurines type "Groups" of 1892 of French Congo by an illustrated series. It is drawn by Paul Merwart, painter of the Ministry for the Navy and the colonies, engraved in the soft face by Benjamin Damman; its impression is entrusted to a Parisian private company, the house CHASSEPOT which prints hydrographic charts of the Navy." So, we now know the prime activity of this company.


Chezaud, Aine & Tavernier, Paris.
First stamp(s) traced by compiler: 1868 for Suez Canal company.


Compagnie Francaise de Papiers-Monnaie, Paris.
First stamp(s) traced by compiler: 1891 for Haiti.


Helio Comoy, Paris.
First stamp(s) traced by compiler: 1960 for Niger Republic.


M. Cote, Paris.
First stamp(s) traced by compiler: 1904 for Haiti.


E. Defosses-Neogravure, Paris.
First stamp(s) traced by compiler: 1965 for Rwanda.


D.S.R. Holdings Limited, [Where?].
First stamp(s) traced by compiler: 1994 for one of the Russian breakaway states, it is believed.


Eudes & Chassepot, Paris.
First stamp(s) traced by compiler: 1895 for Bolivia.


Government Mint, Paris.
First stamp(s) traced by compiler: 1871 for Guatemala.


A. Hulot, Paris.
First stamp(s) traced by compiler: 1872 for Rumania.
 

Imperial Printing Office, Paris.
First stamp(s) traced by compiler: 1859 (Postage Dues) for France.


Imprimerie Centrale des Chemin de Fer, A. Chaix & Company, Paris.
First stamp(s) traced by compiler: 1878 for Guatemala.

This printer was more used to printing railway timetables, hence the poor quality of the printing on their stamps for Guatemala, commissioned by a Parisian postage stamp dealer.


Imprimerie Chaix, Paris
First stamp(s) traced by compiler: 1960 for Paraguay.

By the end of the 19th century the streets of most large cities were decorated with large colourful posters advertising every type of product. These seemingly everyday broadsheets were often designed by prominent artists and now have a considerable value.

One of the most famous printers of these posters was Imprimerie Chaix in Paris, and Jules Cheret [1836-1932] - the Father of the modern poster - was a director of this company. Realizing that the life of advertising posters pasted up in the streets was going to be very limited Cheret decided that some of the most famous examples of the art should be preserved for posterity by being printed in a much smaller format than the originals by the Chaix printing firm. This series of chromo-lithographs was issued between 1895 and 1900 printed on a standard size sheet measuring 11.25 inches by 15.5 inches with the publishers seal in the lower right hand corner of each.

By 1881, Jules Cheret, yielded his venture to Imprimerie Chaix, with the stipulation that the artistic direction be preserved. As part of the deal, he was appointed to the position of Chaix's Artistic Director. His workshop printed the works of some of the most notable poster artists of the time, including Rene Pean, Lucien Lefevre, Lucien Baylac, and George Meunier.


Imprimerie Delrieu, Paris.
First stamp(s) traced by compiler: 1957 for Paraguay.
The first stamp from Delrieu probably appeared circa 1955.
Main printing process(es): Photogravure,


Imprimerie de Timbres-Poste, Paris originally and currently Perigueux.
now trading as
Phil@Poste
English language translation of name: National Stamp Printing Works
Abbreviation known by: ITVF.
Founded: 1880.
First stamp(s) traced by compiler: [when?].
Main printing process(es): Litho, die-cut, gravure, recess, typography

In 1880, the French postal administration purchased from the Bank of France an intaglio printing press. From this humble beginning, the ITVF has produced billions of postage and revenue stamps for the home and world markets ever since.

ITVF moved to a new print works at Perigueux in June 1970. The French P.O. issued a 0,40f stamp with commemorative tab attached.


Institut de Gravure, Paris.
First stamp(s) traced by compiler: 1933 for Vatican City.


Francois-Charles Oberthur Fiduciaire SA, Paris.
First stamp(s) traced by compiler: 1990 for Costa Rica.
Graham & Whiteside's Business Description: Electronic data processing services including security printing, smart card production, instant lottery ticket printing, check printing and cash-in-transit.

Francois-Charles Oberthur was the son of a highly respected Strasbourg printer who decided to settle in Rennes.
 
In 1842, Francois-Charles Oberthur qualified as a master printer. He started his own printing business, which expanded rapidly. Shortly before the Second World War, the Banque de France awarded the Oberthur printing business a contract for printing banknotes, which is how its fiduciary operation began.


A. Maury, Paris.
First stamp(s) traced by compiler: 1896 (Postage Dues) for Ethiopia.


E. Meyer, Paris.
First stamp(s) traced by compiler: 1861 for Greece.


National Mint, Paris.
First stamp(s) traced by compiler: 1849 for France.


National Printing Office, Paris.
The new name for the Imperial Printing Office.


Poitevin, Paris.
First stamp(s) traced by compiler: 1865 for Turkey.


M. G. Richard, Paris.
First stamp(s) traced by compiler: 1881 for Haiti.


SOGEIM [SOciete GEnerale d'IMprimerie], [Where?].
English language translation of name: General Society of Printers.
Abbreviation known by: SOGEIM.
First stamp(s) traced by compiler: 1963 for Madagascar.



Helio Vaugirard, Paris.
First stamp(s) traced by compiler: 1921 for Saar.