stamp printers by country

INDIA AND STATES 

    = Understood to be a current stamp printer.

 First postage stamp issued: 1852 (For INDIA (SCINDE)). 
Many locally applied overprints and surcharges exist, but the name(s) of the printer(s) have not been recorded.

Alizah Printing Press, Gwalior.
First stamp(s) traced by compiler: 1949 (Overprints) for Gwalior, Indian Convention State.


The Associated Printers, Madras.
First stamp(s) traced by compiler: 1943 for Cochin, Indian Feudatory State.


Barwani State Printing Press, Barwani.
First stamp(s) traced by compiler: 1921 for Barwani, Indian Feudatory State.


Batliboi Litho Works, Bombay.
First stamp(s) traced by compiler: 1931 for Charkhari, Indian Feudatory State.


Bhopal Government Printing Works, Bhopal.
First stamp(s) traced by compiler: 1935 for Bhopal, Indian Feudatory State.


Bussahir Press by Maulvi Karam Bakhsh, Rampur.
First stamp(s) traced by compiler: 1895 for Bussahir, Indian Feudatory State.


Calcutta Mint, Calcutta.
First stamp(s) traced by compiler: 1854 for India.


Calcutta Security Printers Ltd., Kanpur.
First stamp(s) traced by compiler: 1998 for India.
Main printing process(es): Litho, ellipses, blind-embossing.

Manufacturer of Postage Stamps, Postal Stationery, Cheques, Drafts, Bonds, etc.


Cochin Government, Ernakulam.
First stamp(s) traced by compiler: 1892 for Cochin, Indian Feudatory State.


Diamond Soap Works, Kishangarh.
First stamp(s) traced by compiler: 1913 for Kishangarh, Indian Feudatory State.


Durbar Press, Jaipur.
First stamp(s) traced by compiler: 1904 for India.

Stamp catalogues record that Indian postage stamps had been printed by the State Press in 1904. This should, according to Mr Harchandani, be changed to Durbar Press.
(See also Jail Press entry.) 


Eagle Press (PVT) Limited, [where?]
First stamp(s) traced by compiler: 2001 for India.
Main printing process(es): Litho.


Government of India Central Printing Press, Calcutta.
First stamp(s) traced by compiler: 1885 (Overprints), 1891 (Surcharges) for India.


Government Press, Jaipur.
(See Jail Press entry.).


H. M. Security Press, Nasik.
Subsequently
Security Printing, India
then
India Security Press [ISP],
then
 Security Printing & Minting Corporation of India Ltd.
appears to be the "new" name for India Security Press, although ISP is still usaed as well.
First stamp(s) traced by compiler: 1925 for India. 
Founded: 1925. 
Main printing process(es): Litho, gravure, photogravure.

Up until 1862, Indian postage stamps were printed by the Survey of India from plates made at the Calcutta Mint. In 1862, De La Rue obtained a postage stamp printing contract that lasted until 1924.

In 1922, the Master of the Mint at Bombay (Lt. Col. G H Willis, CIE, MVO, RE) went to England with Mr F D Ascoli, ICS, Controller of Printing, Stationery and Stamps to ascertain the feasibility of stamps being printed in India. Because of a successful report and a subsequent practical demonstration in Calcutta in 1923, the government decided to proceed with the establishment of opening a security press.

Nasik is a bustling township that is an interesting blend of the ancient and the modern. Scattered across Nasik are numerous forts and majestic temples that make it a heaven for tourists. Nasik is much more - it is a home to many industries. The Security Printing Press of the Government, which prints the nation's currency and postage and revenue stamps, is located there.

Nasik Road was chosen for its climatic conditions (so important when printing on gummed sheets), and the main reason why stamps had not hitherto been printed in India. Communication links to all parts of India were also considered important and Nasik was favoured for this reason as well. Printing started in November 1925 following the completion of the plant the year before.

After World War II, around 1952, three single-colour Timson photogravure reel-fed presses were ordered from England. One was lost en-route in a storm at sea and a replacement two-colour press was sent in its place. In 1973, a four-colour Rembrandt sheet-fed photogravure press became operational, avoiding the need to re-feed stamps printed in two colours through the press a second time. Some stamps are now also printed by lithography, although press type is unknown.

To this day Security Press, Nasik (or Nashik as it is now spelt), is still a major producer of stamps for the Indian postal administration, but they no longer exclusively print Indian stamps following the establishment of Madras Security Printers and Calcutta Security Printers. ISP is also responsible for the production of items such as currency, forms, passports and other official documents. 


 Hyderabad Press India, [Hyderabad?].
First stamp(s) traced by compiler: 2009 for India.


L. V. Indap & Co., Bombay.
First stamp(s) traced by compiler: 1932 for Dungarpur, Indian Feudatory State.


Jagannata Ballabh Press, Deogarh.
First stamp(s) traced by compiler: 1888 for Bamra, Indian Feudatory State.


Jaipur State Press, Jaipur.
(See Jail Press entry.)


Jail Press, Jaipur.
First stamp(s) traced by compiler: 1911 for Jaipur, Indian Feudatory State.

The Jail Press was operated under separate control of the superintendent of the jail in 1916. By 1926, a manager who reported to the superintendent was in place, so the jail press operated independently of the operation of the actual jail.

Its name, therefore, was never really the Jail Press at all. It was a common way of referring to it due to its location within the jail complex. Officially, it went through several name changes, namely:
Up to 1908: Durbar Press
1908-1930:State Press
1930-c1943:Jaipur State Press
c1943-1948:Government Press
Subsequently:Rajya Mudmalaya  


Jind State Rajah's Press, Sungroor.
First stamp(s) traced by compiler: 1874 for Jind, Indian Feudatory State.


Junagadh Sarkari Saurashtra Nitiprakash Printing Press, Soruth.
First stamp(s) traced by compiler: 1868 for Soruth, Indian Feudatory State.


Kankekar & Sons, Bombay.
First stamp(s) traced by compiler: (Revenues) for India and the states.

This company submitted tenders to print postage stamps to probably more than one of the feudatory states, without success.

However, they did successfully produce items of philatelic interest, describing themselves as "Colour art printers, makers of general stamp, court fee tickets and receipt stamps, printers and suppliers". 


M. N. Kothari & Sons, Bombay.
First stamp(s) traced by compiler: 1939 for Idar, Indian Feudatory State.


Lakshmi Art Printing Works, Bombay.
First stamp(s) traced by compiler: 1935 for Orchha, Indian Feudatory State.


Madras Security Printers Ltd, Chennai.
Abbreviation known by: MSP.
Founded: 1956.
First stamp(s) traced by compiler: [when?] for India.
Main printing process(es): Litho.

In 1956, Mr M J Prathap Singh established the Eagle Press Group with a vision  "To produce quality diaries and all types of print-related products".

The business flourished and in the late 1990s, the security printing division started postage stamp production. Madras Security Printers now produce postal stationery and stamps for the Government of India and other countries.

MSP is also one of the first approved printers of the Reserve Bank of India for producing international standard bank security stationery like MICR security forms - cheques, demand drafts, travellers cheques, gift cheques, deposit receipts and more. .


Military Orphanage Press, Calcutta.
First stamp(s) traced by compiler: 1866 (officials) for India.


Mint, Hyderabad.
First stamp(s) traced by compiler: 1869 for Hyderabad, Indian Feudatory State.


Morvi Press, Morvi.
First stamp(s)traced by compiler: 1935 for Morvi, Indian Feudatory State.


Public Assistance, Goa.
First stamp(s) traced by compiler: 1948 for Portuguese India.


Purshottum Ghellaji Mehta & Co., Himmatnagar.
First stamp(s) traced by compiler: 1944 for Hyderabad, Indian Feudatory State.


Rajya Mudmalaya, Jaipur.
(See Jail Press entry.)


Security Printing Press, Nasik.
(See H M Security Press entry.)


Security Printing & Minting Corporation of India Ltd, Nasik.
Appears to be the "new" name for India Security Press.


Shri Lakshman Bijaya Printing Press, Dungarpur.
First stamp(s) traced by compiler: 1933 for Dungarpur, Indian Feudatory State.


Shri Paratap Prabhakar, Orchha.
First stamp(s) traced by compiler: 1913 for Orchha, Indian Feudatory State.


Stamp Manufactory, Trivandrum.
First stamp(s) traced by compiler: 1888 for Travancore, Indian Feudatory State.


Stamp Office, [Where?].
First stamp(s) traced by compiler: 1854 for India.


Stamps Office, Hyderabad.
First stamp(s) traced by compiler: 1931 for Hyderabad, Indian Feudatory State.


State Press, Jaipur.
(See Jail Press entry.)


State Printing Press, Charkhari.
First stamp(s) traced by compiler: 1930 for Charkhari, Indian Feudatory State.


The Survey of India, Calcutta.
Abbreviation known by: SOI.
First stamp(s) traced by compiler: 1854-1862 for India.

The Survey of India established over 225 years ago, is one of the premier survey organisations of the world. SOI undertakes all types of surveys and preparation of precision maps with the most sophisticated equipment, knowledge and experience gathered over the years.

Up to 1862, Indian postage stamps were produced by the Survey of India, with plates produced by the Calcutta Mint. 


Surveyor-General's Office, Calcutta.
(See The Survey of India entry.)


Thaker & Co., Bombay.
First stamp(s) traced by compiler: 1897 for Las Bela, Indian Feudatory State.


Times of India Press, Bombay.
First stamp(s) traced by compiler: c1930 for Barwani, Indian Feudatory State.