Czeslaw Slania Master Engraver

Re: http://goscf.com/t/61455#531053 http://goscf.com/t/61455#531060

Don't let's forget that while working from a photograph, engravers are free to display their artistic talents for drawing at their best, the only limit being their artwork's suitability to be engraved to best advantage in view of the size of the postage stamp.

On the other hand, when working from an artist's design such as that of Ms. Ingalill Axelsson's (1933-), the master engraver of Czeslaw Slania's repute is bound to remain faithful to the designer's project.

It clearly says I. AXELSSON del. 1997 SLANIA sc. on the stamp.

Thank you lithograving, graphis, and YeaPolska for your great scans.

Cheers,

Florián

Sweden 1970

Engraver:Czeslaw Slania

Scott 861 - 867

Swedish Trade and Industry








Booklet scott 867a

Slania makes masterful use of line direction on these "Trade and Industry" booklet stamps. The ship's propeller looks as if it is ready to spin, and the strong horizontal lines on the coal train and log truck create an implied movement.

Yes Bob he knew exactly how to use lines, dots and dashes and
how deep to cut them to get the effect he wanted to achieve.

Czeslaw Slania was a truly amazing artist.

Sweden 1977

Engraver:Czeslaw Slania

Scott 1214

Gotland Ponies



This is one of my favourite Slania engravings.
Over the years I've looked at thousands of engraved stamps
by dozens of engravers but not too many if any produced
work like this.
Although the Swedish Post Office Stamp Printing Works
also deserves credit for the high quality of the printing.

Sweden 1971

Engraver: Czeslaw Slania

Scott 751A

Mail Coach from a painting by Eigil Schwab



Even though the coach looks heavily laden and cumbersome,
the horses are galloping.
The one horse's hind legs and the coach wheels merge
with the ground.
No fine details here just a jumble of rough lines but
very effective.

I really like the train stamp.
It is very impressive!

The third country Slania engraved for after Poland and Sweden
was Denmark starting in 1962 when he engraved four.

Denmark 1962

Engraver: Czeslaw Slania

Scott 402

Centenary of the abolition of Mill Monopolies



Scott B29

Surcharge was for aid to under-developed countries



Scott 403

50th anniversary of the launching of the motor ship "Selandia".




Scott 405

Preservation of nature.

Sweden issued this set in 1978 to commemorate
the birth centenaries of three artists.

Czeslaw Slania, engraved the 1.15kr and 4.50kr
the engraver for the 90 ore is not known.

Scott 1254



Scott 1255




Scott 1256

The Kylberg stamp is just incredible. Slania, or whoever did the artwork has very successfully given the impression that he or she used a mezzotint engraver to do the linear parts of the painting...or, maybe the artist did use such a tool?

Bob, I had to google mezzotint engraver but from what I read
there I can't see how it applies to the stamp.

The production of the stamps is interesting though since it's
another one those cases where there are differences of opinion.

It was printed by the Bank of Finland Security Printing House.
The Swedish Post Info sheet states the printing process
was done via recess/photogravure, Scott states engraved ,
Facit claims comb.offset and recess for the 90ore and comb.offset and steel engraving recess for the two Slania.

In this case I think Scott is right, they appear to be
printed solely by the engraving method.
Darker colours direct recess and lighter colours indirect recess
using two passes through the press.

Lithograving, the strokes made with a mezzotint tool have a very characteristic look, owing to the configuration of the cutting point. Parallel lines are cut which can be sweeping, short and deep, or irregular. Also, I think the offset printing/color work has been very well done to accentuate the effect.

Perhaps the Finnish printers refer to all of their etching processes (chemically prepared plates) as photogravure. Or, maybe translation is imprecise on one side or the other.

Czeslaw Slania engraved this souvenir sheet and sheet stamp
based on a painting by Otto Bache.
A String of horses outside an Inn

Issued for HAFNIA 76 International stamp Exhibition


Scott 590 Sheet stamp



The detail below shows that it was printed purely via
steel engraving, not combined with photogravure or offset.





Scott 591 souvenir Sheet

lithograving - Thank you very much for the fine close-up of the sheet stamp, which appears to be a combination of direct recess in one colour and indirect recess = offset-recess in three colours as in
http://goscf.com/t/9106&whichpage=116#275135 .

Do you think you could show similar close-ups of details of the S/S to see the colouring, which seems a little different in parts, e.g. in the area to the left of the face of the man waving a letter ? Thanks.


Just compare the style used by Czech engravers in interpreting paintings on stamps engraved in direct recess and printed in up to five passes on die stamping presses:
http://goscf.com/t/9106&whichpage=111#272930

I didn't realize the extreme color shift in this Souvenir Sheet until I scanned it to get a better look at the engraving.Fortunately I was able to get a replacement copy from the dealer...also not perfect but way better.

SS #1


SS#1


SS#2


SS#1


SS#2