opinion on a postcard possibly a repro

[Viewfinder]

2 Reverse of above color card.

[Viewfinder]

3

Detail of above card.

[Viewfinder]

4

Black and White version.

[Viewfinder]

5

Reverse of above Black and White version.

[Zeller]

Hello Viewfinder, thanks for posting your postcards. I noticed that your colour postcard shows the same printing fault as mine on the rear. Is that correct?

[ramon]

Hello Viewfinder, thanks for posting your postcards. I noticed that your colour postcard shows the same printing fault as mine on the rear. Is that correct?

Please understand that these cards were printed in tremendous quantities in numerous runs.

The quality of printing will vary from run to run within the same card design. What you see on the reverse is often what you'll see in the HDK cards. This will especially prevail with print runs during the early war years until finally, printing stops altogether.

Ramon


Good to have you back Jerry.

[Albrecht]

I dont think it is pixelated but rather the method of mass production printing.

Agreed. What is shown enlarged in this thread is certainly not pixelation in a digital sense. Someone with experience in offset printing might be able to clarify the technical details better than I, but the appearance of a dot-like matrix is typical of half-tone CMYK printing, and was most certainly used in the 1930s & 40s.

The cards depicted all look authentic and period to me, including the backs.

[Albrecht]

Heimkehr

Really enjoy this card by the way. A poignant painting by Bühler.

[Zeller]

i like this card too Albrecht! that is why i posted it here before returning it. The messages posted here are helping me to clear my doubts. However, that printing technique must be still in use, since you can see the very same detail on a modern repro i posted for comparison.

[Albrecht]

you can see the very same detail on a modern repro i posted for comparison.

Yes, it would be possible to replicate this dot appearance on a digital print if the source scan was of very high resolution. Nevertheless, digital prints have a particular look, and would be ultimately identifiable.

I'm doubtful that a modern off-set printing of this card would successfully replicate the look of the original, since the source plates are most likely unavailable, but of course anything is possible. I agree its best to have a critical eye.

Also, the Heimkehr card on ebay.de does look like a reproduction, but the photo is so blurry it's impossible to say.

Anyhow, yes, great image!

[johninhb]

Yes on the "border" issue...it's the darker image from the obverse side showing through
The 'border' is the exact outline of the obverse design. Both yours and Viewfinders card have the same thing when exposed to the bright scanner light.