Forged stamps of Ceylon

Sri Lanka

1857. Queen Victoria. Chalon. One Penny

Genuine vs. Forgeries

Ceylon_1857_QV_1p_Genuine

Genuine

Ceylon_1857_QV_1p_Forgery2

Forgery

Ceylon_1857_QV_1p_Forgery3

Forgery

Ceylon_1857_QV_1p_Forgery

Forgery

1857-1861. Queen Victoria. Chalon. Two Pence

Genuine vs. Forgeries

Ceylon_1857_2d_Genuine

Genuine

Ceylon_1857_2d_Oneglia_Forgery

Oneglia forgery

Ceylon_1857_QV_2p_Forgery

Forgery

Ceylon_1861_QV_2p_Forgery

Forgery

Ceylon_1861_QV_2p_Torres_Illustration

Illustration by Plácido Ramón de Torres: Album ilustrado de sellos de correo, Barcelona 1879. Torres sold illustrations to various dealers/forgers from 1864 onwards, as well as made forgeries himself.

1857. Queen Victoria. Chalon. Five Pence

Genuine vs. Forgeries

Ceylon_1857_QV_5p_Genuine

Genuine

Ceylon_1857_QV_5p_Forgery

Forgery

Ceylon_1857_QV_5p_Forgery2

Forgery

1857-1863. Queen Victoria. Chalon. Six Pence

Genuine vs. Forgery

Ceylon_1857_QV_6p_Genuine

Genuine

Ceylon_1863_QV_6p_Genuine

Genuine

Ceylon_1863_QV_6p_Forgery

Forgery

1857. Queen Victoria. Chalon. Ten Pence

Genuine vs. Forgery

Ceylon_1857_10d_Genuine

Genuine

Ceylon_1857_10d_Forgery

Forgery

1857. Queen Victoria. Chalon. One Shilling

Genuine vs. Forgeries

Ceylon_1857_QV_1s_Genuine

Genuine

Ceylon_1857_QV_1s_Forgery

Forgery

Ceylon_1857_QV_1s_Forgery2

Forgery

1857-1862. Queen Victoria. One Half Penny

Genuine vs. Forgery

Ceylon_1858_QV_halfd_Genuine

Genuine

Ceylon_1862_QV_halfd_Forgery

Forgery

Ceylon_1858_QV_halfd_Torres_Illustration

Illustration by Plácido Ramón de Torres: Album ilustrado de sellos de correo, Barcelona 1879. Torres sold illustrations to various dealers/forgers from 1864 onwards, as well as made forgeries himself.

1859. Queen Victoria. Four Pence

Genuine vs. Forgeries

Ceylon_1859_QV_4p_Genuine

Genuine

Ceylon_1859_QV_4p_Forgery

Forgery

Ceylon_1859_QV_4p_Forgery2

Forgery

Ceylon_1859_QV_4p_Forgery3

Forgery

Ceylon_1859_QV_4p_Forgery4

Forgery

Ceylon_QV_4pence_reperforated

Reperforated at the bottom

1859. Queen Victoria. Eight Pence

Genuine vs. Forgeries

Ceylon_1859_QV_8p_Genuine

Genuine

Ceylon_1859_QV_8p_Margins_added

Margins added

Details marked with red

Ceylon_1859_QV_8p_Forgery

Forgery

1859. Queen Victoria. Nine Pence

Genuine vs. Forgeries

Ceylon_1859_QV_9p_Genuine

Genuine

Ceylon_1859_QV_9p_Forgery

Forgery

Ceylon_1859_QV_9p_Forgery2

Forgery

Ceylon_1859_QV_9p_Margins_added

Margins added

Details marked with red

Ceylon_1859_QV_9p_Forgery3

Forgery

1859. Queen Victoria. One Shilling & Nine Pence

Genuine vs. Forgeries

Ceylon_1859_QV_1s9p_Genuine

Genuine

Ceylon_1859_QV_1s9p_Forgery1

Forgery

Ceylon_1859_QV_1s9p_Forgery2

Forgery

Ceylon_1859_QV_1s9p_Torres_Illustration

Illustration by Plácido Ramón de Torres: Album ilustrado de sellos de correo, Barcelona 1879. Torres sold illustrations to various dealers/forgers from 1864 onwards, as well as made forgeries himself.

1859. Queen Victoria. Two Shillings

Genuine vs. Forgery

Ceylon_1859_QV_2s_Genuine

Genuine

Ceylon_1859_QV_2s_Margins_added

Margins added

Details marked with red

Ceylon_1859_QV_2s_Forgery

Forgery

1866. Queen Victoria. Three Pence

Forgery

Ceylon_1866_Queen_Victoria_3p_Forgery

Forgery

Ceylon_1866_Queen_Victoria_3p_Torres_Illustration

Illustration by Plácido Ramón de Torres: Album ilustrado de sellos de correo, Barcelona 1879. Torres sold illustrations to various dealers/forgers from 1864 onwards, as well as made forgeries himself.

1872. Queen Victoria. 48 Cents

Genuine vs. Forgery

Ceylon_1872_48c_Genuine

Genuine

Ceylon_1872_48c_Forgery

Forgery

Ceylon_1872_48c_Torres_Illustration

Illustration by Plácido Ramón de Torres: Album ilustrado de sellos de correo, Barcelona 1879. Torres sold illustrations to various dealers/forgers from 1864 onwards, as well as made forgeries himself.

1872. Queen Victoria. 96 Cents

Genuine vs. Forgery

Ceylon_1872_96c_Genuine

Genuine

Ceylon_1872_96c_Spiro_Forgery

Spiro forgery

Ceylon_1872_96c_Forgery

Spiro forgery

Ceylon_1872_96c_Torres_Illustration

Illustration by Plácido Ramón de Torres: Album ilustrado de sellos de correo, Barcelona 1879. Torres sold illustrations to various dealers/forgers from 1864 onwards, as well as made forgeries himself.

1880. Queen Victoria. Two Rupees Fifty Cents

Forgery

Ceylon_1880_QV_2r50c_Forgery

Forgery

1883-1899. Queen Victoria. Two Cents

Forgery

Ceylon_1883_Queen_Victoria_2c_Forgery

Forgery

Ceylon_1883_Queen_Victoria_2c_Torres_Illustration

Illustration by Plácido Ramón de Torres: Album ilustrado de sellos de correo, Barcelona 1879. Torres sold illustrations to various dealers/forgers from 1864 onwards, as well as made forgeries himself.

1885. Queen Victoria surcharged ‘TEN CENTS’

Genuine vs. Forgery

Ceylon_SG162_Ten-Cents_Genuine

Genuine SG#162

Ceylon_SG162_Ten-Cents_Forgery

Forgery

1885. Queen Victoria surcharged ‘Postage & Revenue’

Forgeries

Ceylon_1885_24c_Sperati_Fogery

Sperati forgery

Characteristics marked with red

Ceylon_1885_5c-on-4c_Fogery

Forged overprint on genuine stamp

Ceylon_1885_5c-on-4c_Inverted_Fogery

Forged inverted overprint on genuine stamp

1888. Queen Victoria surcharged ‘2 Cents’

Genuine vs. Forgery

Ceylon_1888_QV_2c-on-4c-Genuine

Genuine SG#206

Ceylon_1888_QV_2c-on-4c-Forgery

Forged overprint on genuine stamp

1888. Queen Victoria surcharged ‘Two Cents’

Genuine vs. Forgeries

Ceylon_1888_QV_Two_Cents-on-4c-Genuine

Genuine SG#208a

Ceylon_1888_QV_Two_Cents-on-4c-Forgery1

Forged inverted overprint on genuine stamp

Ceylon_1888_QV_Two_Cents-on-4c-Forgery2

Forged overprint on genuine stamp

Ceylon_1888_QV_Two_Cents-on-4c-Forgery3

Forged tete-beche overprint on genuine stamp

1892. Queen Victoria surcharged ‘3 Cents’

Genuine vs. Forgery

Ceylon_SG241_3-Cents_Genuine

Genuine SG#241

Ceylon_SG241_3-Cents_Forgery

Forgery

1895. Official Stamp. 3 Cents

Genuine vs. Forgery

Ceylon_QV_Official_Stamp_3c_Genuine

Genuine SG#O12

Ceylon_QV_Official_Stamp_3c_Forgery

Forged overprint on genuine stamp

1918. War Stamp. 3 Cents

Forgery

Ceylon_1918_War_Stamp_3c_Forgery

Forged overprint on genuine stamp

1921. King George V. Surcharged 5 Cents

Genuine vs. Forgeries

Ceylon_KGV_6c_SG362_Genuine

Genuine SG#362

Ceylon_KGV_6c_SG362_Forgeries

Forged overprint on genuine stamps

Bogus

Ceylon_Bogus_LTTE_EELAM_Print

Bogus LTTE EELAM overprint

Experts

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Recommended resources

Literature

For further research

  • Repairs and fakes: W.H.S. Cheavin, “Philately and X-Rays: Repairs and Fakes: Part 3 – Ceylon”, Philately (B.P.A.), Vol. 2 (July-August, 1948): 7,8, continued at (September-October 1948: 28-39.
  • Design type A1. Rectangular Design, 1857-67. Chris Harman, Patrick Pearson, Carl Walske, “The Engraved Forgeries Of Ceylon Revisited”, Fakes Forgeries Experts journal, No.5 (2002): 133-40 (clarifies attribution of forgeries as between Oneglia and Jeffryes). Spiro Brothers, Jeffryes and Panelli (Oneglia?) forgeries: The Encyclopedia of British Empire Postage Stamps 1661-1947, Vol. III, p.129. Jeffryes forgery, engraved and lithographed forgeries: A.R. Cowman, “The Forgeries of Ceylon”, The Stamp Lover, Vol. 26 (February 1934): 259-63. The Serrane Guide/ Stamp Forgeries of the World to 1926, pp.38,39. Characteristics of the genuine stamps: J. Dorn (Publisher), The Forged Stamps of all Countries, p.88. Forgery and fraudulent postmark: The Robson Lowe and Carl Walske, Oneglia Engraved Forgeries, pp.49,50 (also see Harman, et. al. cited above and Carl Walske, “Engraved Forgeries-Identifying The Forger”, Fakes Forgeries Experts journal, No. 4 (May 2001): 6-8 for correction). Forgery, genuine and fraudulent postmarks of the 1p,2p,5p,6p,10p values of the issues of 1857, 1857-59: Reverend R.B. Earée, Album Weeds/ How to Detect Forged Stamps (Third Edition), Vol. 1, pp.219-22. Fakes of Scott 1 made by removing perforations from Scott 25b: Scott Classic Specialized Catalog. London International Stamp Exhibition, 1950 unwatermarked reproduction of Scott 5: Scott Classic Specialized Catalog. See “3-13”, et. seq. for more citations.
  • Design type A2. Queen in octagon issues, 1857-67. Jeffryes forgeries of 4p, 8p, 9p, 1sh9p, 2sh, 1859: Alfred J. Branston, “The Forgeries of George Kirk Jeffryes”, The Philatelist and PJGB, Vol. 6 (July-August 1986): 174-77, continued from (March-April 1986): 65, and continued at (July-August 1986): 174-77, at (September-October 1986): 205-8, at (November-December 1986): 272,73, at pp.205-8. Spiro Brothers, Jeffryes and Panelli (Oneglia?) forgeries: The Encyclopedia of British Empire Postage Stamps 1661-1947, Vol. III, p.129. Jeffryes forgery, engraved and lithographed forgeries: A.R. Cowman, “The Forgeries of Ceylon”, The Stamp Lover, Vol. 26 (February 1934): 259-63. The Serrane Guide/ Stamp Forgeries of the World to 1926, pp.38,39. Forgery and fraudulent postmark: Robson Lowe and Carl Walske, The Oneglia Engraved Forgeries, pp.49,50; note: the picture on p.49 of 12 (the 1sh9d) is a Jeffryes forgery, not one by Oneglia: see Carl Walske, “Engraved Forgeries-Identifying The Forger”, Fakes Forgeries Experts journal, No. 4 (May 2001): 6-8; Chris Harman, Patrick Pearson, Carl Walske, “The Engraved Forgeries Of Ceylon Revisited”, Fakes Forgeries Experts journal, No.5 (2002): 133-40 (clarifies attribution of forgeries as between Oneglia and Jeffryes). Forgery, genuine and fraudulent postmark on the 4p, 9p and 1sh9p stamps of 1859,1861, and 1863-67: Reverend R.B. Earée, Album Weeds/ How to Detect Forged Stamps (Third Edition), Vol. 1, pp.221-25. Collotype Reproduction of 5: Robert P. Oldenweller, “Traps For The Unwary — The 1950 London Exhibition Reproductions”, Opinions III: Philatelic Expertizing – An Inside View, (The Philatelic Foundation, N.Y., N.Y., 1985): 147-52. 1950; Scott Classic Specialized Catalog. See below for more citations.
  • 3-13. Engraved issue on white paper, 1857-59. Cancellation of specimens: The Encyclopedia of British Empire Postage Stamps 1661-1947, Vol. III, p.99.
  • 14,15. Typographed ½p lilac stamps, 1857-58. Forgeries of the 1858 stamp (14) and fraudulent postmark: A.R. Cowman, “The Forgeries of Ceylon”, The Stamp Lover, Vol. 26 (February 1934): 259-63. Forgery, genuine and fraudulent postmark: Reverend R.B. Earée, Album Weeds/ How to Detect Forged Stamps (Third Edition), Vol. 1, pp.225,26.
  • 17-36 and 45-58, 46d-58a. Engraved issues of 1861 and 1863-67 (Scott 45 is typographed). Cancellation of specimens and distinguishing characteristics of watermark 1b: The Encyclopedia of British Empire Postage Stamps 1661-1947, Vol. III, pp.103,4.
  • 59,62. 3p stamps, 1866 and 1868. The Serrane Guide/ Stamp Forgeries of the World to 1926, p.39 (Yvert 46). The stamp perforated 14: A.R. Cowman, “The Forgeries of Ceylon”, The Stamp Lover, Vol. 26 (February 1934): 259-63. Forgeries and genuine and fraudulent postmarks: Reverend R.B. Earée, Album Weeds/ How to Detect Forged Stamps (Third Edition), Vol. 1, p.226. Unwatermarked forgeries: J. Dorn (Publisher), The Forged Stamps of all Countries, pp.88,79.
  • 61-73. Perforated 14 issues of 1868 and 1872-80. Cancellation of specimens: The Encyclopedia of British Empire Postage Stamps 1661-1947, Vol. III, pp.105,6. Forgeries of the 48c and 96c stamps of 1872-80: A.R. Cowman, “The Forgeries of Ceylon”, The Stamp Lover, Vol. 26 (February 1934): 259-63; forgeries, genuine and fraudulent postmarks: Reverend R.B. Earée, Album Weeds/ How to Detect Forged Stamps (Third Edition), Vol. 1, pp.226-28.
  • 79. 8c, perforated 14×12½, 1879. Faked perforations: Reverend R.B. Earée, Album Weeds/ How to Detect Forged Stamps (Third Edition), Vol. 1, p.229.
  • 82. 2r50c stamp, 1879. A.R. Cowman, “The Forgeries of Ceylon”, The Stamp Lover, Vol. 26 (February 1934): 259-63. Alden C. Johnson, Forgeries Old and New, Vol. 2, p.8.
  • 93,94. 16c and 24c, 1883. Sperati forgeries and fraudulent postmarks: British Philatelic Association (Publisher), The Work Of Jean De Sperati, pp.38,39 and Plate 4; Robson Lowe, “Sperati and His Craft – X”, The Philatelist, Vol. 20 (February 1954): 118-21.
  • 94A-152. 1885-90 Provisional issues. Forged surcharges: A.R. Cowman, “The Forgeries of Ceylon”, The Stamp Lover, Vol. 26 (February 1934): 259-63. Measurements of surcharge of the 1885 issue (94A-123): The Encyclopedia of British Empire Postage Stamps 1661-1947, Vol. III, p.108. Sperati forged surcharge on the 5c stamps, 1885 (94A-99): British Philatelic Association (Publisher), The Work Of Jean De Sperati, p.39 and Plate 4; Robson Lowe, “Sperati and His Craft – X”, The Philatelist, Vol. 20 (February 1954): 118-21. See “147,48,51,51D” below for more citations.
  • 147,48,51,51D. “2 Cents” Provisional stamps, 1888-90. Sperati forgeries of basic stamp and surcharge: British Philatelic Association (Publisher), The Work Of Jean De Sperati, pp.38,39 and Plate 4. Robson Lowe, “Sperati and His Craft – X”, The Philatelist, Vol. 20 (February 1954): 118-21.
  • 176,77,93. High values of the issue of 1903-05 and 2r25c value of the issue of 1904-10. The 1r50c and 2r25c stamps: A.R. Cowman, “The Forgeries of Ceylon”, The Stamp Lover, Vol. 26 (February 1934): 259-63. Unwatermarked forgeries of the 1r50c, 1904 and 2r, 1910: The Serrane Guide/ Stamp Forgeries of the World to 1926, p.39. (Yvert 153,176). J. Dorn (Publisher), The Forged Stamps of all Countries, p.88.
  • 290. The 3c on 20c “War provisional”, 1940. Forged surcharge. Anon. Note, The Stamp Lover, Vol. 34 (October 1941): 73. Alden C. Johnson, Forgeries Old and New, Vol. 2, p.8.
  • 302. Ceylon’s independence, 1949. Size: Scott Classic Specialized Catalog.
  • Four Madame Joseph fraudulent postmarks, 1909, 1910, 1916,1943. Derek Worboys and Roger B. West, Madame Joseph Forged Postmarks, p.43.
  • O1-O7. Unissued Official Stamps, 1869. Measurements of genuine overprint: A.R. Cowman, “The Forgeries of Ceylon”, The Stamp Lover, Vol. 26 (February 1934): 259-63. Cancellation of specimens of the 1p and 3p: The Encyclopedia of British Empire Postage Stamps 1661-1947, Vol. III, p.105. Measurement of overprint on the 1p and 3p stamps: Scott Classic Specialized Catalog.
  • O10. 3c Official Stamp, 1895-1900. A.R. Cowman, “The Forgeries of Ceylon”, The Stamp Lover, Vol. 26 (February 1934): 259-63.
    Envelope, 1857. Reverend R.B. Earée, Album Weeds/ How to Detect Forged Stamps (Third Edition), Vol. 1, pp.229-31.

Source: The Tedesco Index

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