Franklin trial color essay proof

Does anyone know if they added watermarks to these? I figured since they were never able for postal use, why would they need to. To there looks like a really prominent watermark bleeding through but I really don't know??

 

Scott Catalogue makes no mention that any of the die proofs or trial color printings are on watermarked paper. They do mention the paper varieties with some specificity and interestingly do mention this salient fact about this particular trial color: that is was printed on "various patent papers". This does leave the door open for a watermarked paper.

 

Interesting. Do you see what I'm speaking of? Its to the right center of stamp. If it is a watermark, I can't seem to make out what it is...

 

Yes, I see what you are referring to but I can't be sure of anything from the photo.

 

Its some sort of design. At first I thought it was a watermark. It doesn't seem to be the traditional USPS. Wonder since it is a trial stamp they were experimenting with different watermarks as well as color. Any idea of the paper or year? My catalog don't mention these either.

 

I see no indications of watermarks on any of these trial colors in any of the links I looked at. There was some experimentation with surface starched paper, but it appears most of the printings used soft wove paper that often times had an "irregular look". There is really no way to tell definitively without some specialized reference material on this particular trial color, perhaps at a philatelic research library.

 

I don't know if the stamps have a watermark or not I'm just a beginner. I'm not
an expert yet.