Posts

Album Weeds – Fiji

1871. No surcharge; 1d., 3d. & 6d.

Album_Weeds_Fiji1One Penny. Genuine

Engraved in épargne, on thin, soft, white wove paper, badly perforated 125, watermarked FIJI POSTAGE through the middle row of stamps in the sheet. The dark shading at the bottom of the crown is in a perfectly straight line. The ends of all the white strokes, forming the letters C R, are tapered off until they are quite fine; but they get wider in the center, as they would in ordinary written capitals, made with pen-and-ink. The central circle is surrounded by sixty white pearls, all circular in shape, and of one uniform size. The bottom of the P of POSTAGE is a little sloped off, so as not to touch the outline of the frame to the left of it. The Y of PENNY has its arms splayed out far too much. The whole of this lower inscription is slightly sunk into the paper, almost as though it had been done with type. The outline of the circle, just inside the pearls, is formed by a very thin, colored line, between two thin, white ones.

One Penny. First Forgery

Lithographed, on very white paper, thicker than the genuine, pin-perforated what seems to be about 15, but so extremely badly done that it is impossible to say what is the proper gauge; no watermark. The dark shading at the bottom of the crown is considerably curved or rounded downwards in the center. The strokes forming the letters C R are, as nearly as possible, the same thickness, throughout their whole length. The central circle contains only fifty-five pearls, and they are oval instead of round, and some of them smaller than the others. The bottom of the P of POSTAGE is joined to the frame to the left of it. The Y of PENNY is of the normal shape; i.e., the arms are not unduly splayed out. As the stamp is a lithograph, I need hardly say that the lower inscription does not show any appearance of being sunk into the paper, but is perfectly flat. The outline of the circle, immediately inside the row of pearls, is composed of one broadish white line only.

One Penny. Second Forgery

This is not nearly so good an imitation as the last. Lithographed, on soft paper, very like that of the genuine; no watermark; perforated 14. The dark shading at the base of the crown is rounded downwards, instead of being in a straight line, and the crown itself is extremely blotchy and indistinct. The letters C R are tapered more like the genuine than the first forgery; but their outline is ragged. There are only fifty-two pearls in the circle, and they are very irregular, both in shape and size. The P of POSTAGE does not touch the side of the frame to the left of it, but the bottom of the letter is not sloped off at all. The T of the; same word is very tall and lanky; the O of ONE is very much smaller than the NE; and the E of PENNY has hardly any indication of a central tongue. This inscription is not sunk into the paper.

Album_Weeds_Fiji2Threepence. Genuine

Paper, watermark, perforation, etc., the same as in the genuine one penny. The design of this stamp is different from that of the penny, the circle having sixty-nine dark dice, alternating with sixty-nine light ones, instead of pearls. The crown and the letters C R are the same as in the genuine penny.

Threepence. Forged

Lithographed, on thin, white wove paper, rather harder than the genuine; no watermark; perforated 12 1/2. Except for the inscription— POSTAGE THREE PENCE—this stamp is an exact copy of the first forgery of the penny, having the fifty-five pearls, the rounded base to the crown, the C R in letters of uniform thickness, etc.

Album_Weeds_Fiji3Sixpence. Genuine

Paper, watermark, perforation, etc., the same as in the genuine one penny. This stamp again is different from either of the other values.

The outline of the central circle is composed, not of pearls, as in the one penny, nor of little white dice, or rectangles, as in the threepence; but of a pattern of thirty-nine dark zig-zags, on a lighter ground. The base of the crown is straight; the letters C R are tapered nicely at their ends, as before; the lower corners, above POS of POSTAGE, and above NCE of PENCE, contain large triangles, composed of white dots. The ends of the upper label, containing the name, are of peculiar, curly ornaments, in place of the crosses of the one penny and threepence values. The tail of the s of six is drawn considerably too long, as are also the lowest strokes of both the first and second E of PENCE. A hexagon of white lines is visible in the central circle.

Sixpence. First Forgery

Lithographed, on white wove paper, similar to that of the genuine, but harder; no watermark; perforated 12. The forgers have copied nearly the whole of this stamp from the forged one penny. The outline of the circle contains fifty-five pearls, instead of the zig-zag line of the genuine. The base of the crown is rounded downwards. The letters C R are of uniform thickness throughout, instead of being tapered at their ends. The triangles, above POS of POSTAGE;, and above ENCE of PENCE, are formed each of one broad, white line, instead of dots. This is very conspicuous. The ends of the upper label are copied from the genuine sixpence. Each E of PENCE is of the normal shape, as is also the S of Six, though they are very much out of shape in the genuine. There is no hexagon in the central circle.

Sixpence. Second Forgery

Electrotyped, in a sort of violet-carmine, on stout, green wove paper, no watermark, perf. 9 1/2! The central circle is bounded by zig-zags, as in the genuine, and four out of the six white lines of the hexagon in the said circle are visible. The bottom part of the crown is rounded, but not so much so as in the first forgery. After the paper and perforation, the easiest test for this counterfeit is the white band at the base of the crown. In the genuine (in all issues and values) this white band is ornamented with five ermine-spots or “tails”; each represented by a sort of small >, lying on its side, with the sharp point to the right. In the forgery, this band is plain white, without any ermine spots. I never saw this forgery until 1891.

Spud_Fiji11872. Same stamps surcharged 2, 6 & 12 Cents.

These are exactly the same as the genuine stamps described above, except that the one penny is surcharged in black TWO CENTS, the threepence is surcharged SIX CENTS, and the sixpence
is surcharged TWELVE CENTS.

First Forgery

These will easily be detected, as they are simply the first set of forgeries just described, with the surcharge added. Both the above-described forgeries of the one penny value are found with the TWO CENTS surcharge.

Second Forgery

These are very much more dangerous, being’ the genuine stamps of the 1871 set, with forged surcharge. I am sorry to say that they passed through my hands at a time when I had no opportunity of taking notes of the surcharge; but, as far as I remember, the types used to print the surcharge on the forgeries were well-nigh identical with those used for the genuine; so that collectors would do well to make quite sure of the source whence those offered to them for sale were procured.

Album_Weeds_Fiji51875. 2c., 6c„ 12c., with “V.R.”

There are two varieties of the “V.R.” surcharge; the one in Roman capitals, and the other in (so-called) “Gothic” letters. They are usually divided in the catalogs, as though they were distinct issues; but, as a matter of fact, both of them (together with many sub-varieties) are found on the same sheet.
Roman V.R.; 2c., 6c. & 12c.

Genuine

From the center of the V to the center of the R, there is a distance of 4 millimeters; and, from the center of the stop after the V to the center of the stop after the R, there is also a distance of 4 millimeters. The stops are large.

Forged

The letters are a great deal too far apart. From the center of the V to that of the R, the distance is very nearly 8 1/2 millimeters, and there is also a distance of 8 1/2 millimeters between the two stops. The said stops are very small, and the one after the V is placed rather below the level of the bottom of the letter.

“GoAlbum_Weeds_Fiji6thic” V.R.; 2c, 6c. & 12c.

Genuine

The center of the letters, V.R., are 4 1/2 millimeters apart, and the centers of the stops are 4 1/2 millimeters apart. The little cross-strokes in the sides of the V are level with each other; and the side-lines are broken to allow of the admission of the said cross-strokes. The vertical, first stroke of the R is similarly broken in the center, to allow the thick cross-stroke to pass through it. The top of this vertical stroke projects only very slightly to the left. The rounded part of the head of the R has a projection to the right. In normal copies, the stops are nicely-shaped diamonds, with concave sides; both being the same size and shape.

Forged

The centers of the letters, V.R., are very nearly 6 millimeters apart, and the centers of the stops are 5 1/2 millimeters apart. The cross-stroke in the left side of the V is decidedly higher than the other. The whole letter is in one piece, so that there is no break for the admission of the cross-strokes. (The same is the case with the R.) The top of the first, or vertical, stroke of the R projects considerably to the left, in the shape of a clumsy blotch. The rounded part of the head of the R is like that of an ordinary Roman R, without any projection. The stops are very shapeless, the one after the V being considerably larger than the other.

Album_Weeds_Fiji71882. Five Shillings, black and salmon-red.

Genuine

Engraved in épargne, on medium, white wove paper, perf. 10. There are eleven distinct pearls outside the curved white line above FIJI; the one to the extreme left touches the frame around the
5, and the corner of the white line runs into this pearl. The last pearl but one to the right is almost exactly above the last I of FIJI. The bottom of the F of the lower FIVE is cut off slantingly down, from left to right. The pearls on stalks in the Queen’s crown are large and round. The ornaments between the said pearls are a thistle, a shamrock, and a thistle; the shamrock being very much lower than the pearls each side of it. The profile is not outlined; being formed, as usual,
merely by the stoppage of the horizontal lines of the background. The chin projects somewhat. There is a tolerably long curl hanging from the chignon.

Forged

Electrotyped, on medium, white wove paper, ungummed. This has probably been made as an illustration to some cataloge, for the perforation is merely printed round the stamp. If pierced, it would gauge 11 1/2 x 11, etc. There are eleven pearls above FIJI, but the eleventh to the left is a mere abortion, which does not touch the frame round the 5, and is at the top of the line, instead of at the corner of it. The last pearl but one to the right is far to the right of the last I of FIJI. The bottom of the F of the lower FIVE is rounded. The pearls on stalks in the crown are very indistinct, and two of them seem to be diamond- shaped. The ornaments between the said pearls are a thistle (very badly shaped, and far too short), a very tall fleur-de-lys, and a shapeless object, to represent a thistle. The profile has a distinct, dark outline, and the chin is very retreating. There is a dark, projecting lump below the chignon, but it is not at all like a curl. The central medallion is pink, instead of salmon-red.

Postmarks

Genuine.—65, without numerals. The lines must have been highly embossed on the hand-stamp, and with sharp edges; for they cut through the stamp, and sometimes even through the paper of the envelopes to which the stamps are affixed. I suppose the Fiji postal authorities are resolved that the stamps shall never do duty a second time.

Forged.—10, 76, 100.

Private Stamps – “FIJI TIMES EXPRESS.”

Album_Weeds_Fiji81870. 1d., black on rose.

Genuine

Type-set; printed in black, on rose-coloured, quadrille paper, or on laid bâtonné, rouletted 20, on dotted lines. The numeral 1 is just 4 millimeters high at the highest point. A line drawn along the tops of the letters of PENNY would cut almost centrally through the last S of EXPRESS. T h e horizontal line above TIMES, and the similar one below PENNY, are a great deal thicker than any of the other lines. In my specimen, the line above TIMES is broken just before the T ; and the one below PENNY is broken in two places, below the centre of each N of that word.

Forged

Type-set, on stout, violet-rose wove paper, and also on very pale, rose laid paper rouletted 20, on dotted lines, or pin-perf. about 12. The 1 is 5 3/4 millimeters high at its highest point. A line drawn along the tops of the letters of PENNY would pass just clear below the last S of EXPRESS. All four lines of the frame are, as nearly as possible, the same thickness, and the top and bottom lines are not broken anywhere.

Album_Weeds_Fiji91870. 3d., black on rose.

Genuine

Paper, printing, etc., same as in the genuine one penny. The numeral is a plain 3.

Forged

The 3 is an ornamental numeral, with an outline all round it. The top line is broken above the S of TIMES, and the bottom line is broken under the P of PENCE. The other tests are the same as for the forged one penny.

1870. 6d., black on rose.

Genuine

Paper, printing, etc., the same as in the genuine one penny. The top line is broken, in my copy, above the E of TIMES; and the bottom line is broken in two places, below the beginning and end of the E of PENCE. The 6 is a plain numeral, nearly 7 millimeters high.

Forged

The top line is unbroken; the bottom line is broken below the end of the E of PENCE. The 6 is just five millimeters high; it is an ornamental numeral, with an outline all round it. The other tests are the same as for the forged one penny.

1870. 9d., black on rose.

Genuine

The numeral is plain, but I do not know the The top line is broken above the end of the S of TIMES, and the bottom line is broken under the P of PENCE. The 9 is a plain numeral this time, very nearly 6 millimeters high. The other tests are the same as in the forged one penny.

1870. 1s., black on rose.

Genuine

Paper, printing, etc., as in the genuine one penny. The top line, in my copy, is broken, above the E, and beyond the end of the S, of TIMES; and the bottom line is broken, below the end of the H, and below the beginning of the second L, of SHILLING. The I is an ornamental numeral (the only one of the set); it is 6 millimeters high, and has an outline all round it.

Forged

My specimen, on wove paper, has the top line unbroken. The bottom line is extremely thin, but it appears to be unbroken. The left-hand line is broken, opposite the first I of FIJI, and the right-hand line is broken, opposite the P of EXPRESS. In one specimen, on laid paper, the top line is unbroken, the bottom line is also unbroken, the left-hand line is broken, opposite to the first I of FIJI, and the right-hand line has a wide gap, opposite to the space between the R and second E of EXPRESS. In another specimen on the laid paper, the top line is broken, above the E of TIMES, the bottom line is broken, below the second L of SHILLING, the left-hand line is broken by the J of FIJI, and the right-hand line is broken, opposite to the R of EXPRESS.

Soi-disant “reprints” of the Times Express stamps

Bacon’s Reprints says that so-called “reprints” of all five values were made in 1876, on laid, bâtonné rose paper. The stamps are shorter (16 mm., instead of 18 1/2 mm.), and differ in type; and the 6d. has a small numeral of value, instead of a large one. They are unperforated, also pin-perf.
NOTE.—The “rouletting on colored lines” is done in these stamps (genuine and forged) by notched (brass ?) rule, which is rather higher than the type. The rule gets inked with the rest of the impression, and when the platen descends, the pressure which forces the paper down on the types, also forces the notches in the rule through the paper, making a row of cuts, while the sides of the notches ink the paper, making a row of dashes.

 

From: ‘Album Weeds’, 3rd edition by R. B. Eareé. 1906

 

LupSee also

 

Album Weeds – Egypt

Album_Weeds_Egypt11866. 5, 10, 20 Paras; 1, 2, 5, 10 Piastres.

Genuine

As the design varies for each separate value, I shall have to describe them one by one; but first I may take the tests common to all the values.

Typographed (?) in colour, on thin, greyish-white wove paper; watermarked (all but the 1 Piastre) with a ten-rayed star, or flower, whichever it may be, over a pyramid; perforated 12 1/2 all round, or sometimes perforated 12 1/2 top and bottom, and unperforated at the sides. The characters of the top surcharge are all joined together; the one like a magnified comma touching the oblique stroke to the left of it with its tail.

5 Paras. Genuine

The right-hand end of the middle surcharge is a very small, blunt, upward hook; and the left-hand end of it is a long, large, upward hook, whose upper point ends on a level with the right-hand hook. The bottom surcharge has one dot below the first character on the right-hand end, three clustering dots below the center of the said surcharge, and one dot over a short wavy line, above the surcharge, a little to the right of the center. The 5 in each corner is small and compact, with its head quite as large as its tail. The central flower has fourteen petals. The borders of the stamp are formed of diamond-shaped ornaments; but the point of a large diamond runs into the middle of each piece of bordering, at the top and bottom and sides. The top border has three entire diamonds to left of the large one, and almost three entire diamonds to the right; but the large diamond hides a small part of the inner diamond on the right. The bottom border contains three entire diamonds to the right, and also three entire ones to the left of the large one. The inner points of these large diamonds, at top and bottom, do not touch the frame, or rather the points of the frame, of the central flower.

5 Paras. Forged.

Lithographed, on stout, very white wove paper; no watermark; perforated 12, and sometimes 12 1/2. The character like a magnified comma, in the top surcharge, does not touch the oblique stroke to the left of it with its tail. The right-hand end of the middle surcharge is a small knob, which points downwards, obliquely, to the right. The left-hand side of the said surcharge ends merely in a curve, with a blunt end, a good deal lower than the level of the right-hand end. The bottom surcharge is quite different from the genuine, being a copy of the bottom one of the genuine 20 Paras, to be described hereafter. There is a stroke under the first character of this surcharge to the right, three clustering dots under the last character to left, and no dot at all above the surcharge. Each 5 is of a peculiar shape, with the tail very much larger than the head. The central flower has nineteen petals. In the top border, there are only two and a half entire, small diamonds, on each side of the point of the large diamond. In the bottom border, there are three to the left, and two and a half to the right of the large diamond. The inner points of the top and bottom large diamonds are joined to the points of the frame round the central flower.

10 Paras. Genuine

The paper, watermark, and perforation are the same as m the genuine 5 Paras; the central surcharge also is exactly the same. In the bottom surcharge, there is a short, upright stroke at the right-hand end, and a thing like a figure 8 with the top broken, at the left-hand end, with three clustering dots below it. There are twenty-eight circles round the central oval. The coloured line outside this oval is not blotched anywhere, and it is the same thickness all the way round. The 10 in the left-hand upper corner has the 1 without any oblique side-stroke; i.e., it is simply a straight line, and the o is very much thicker than the 1. The 10 in the lower left-hand corner has its I a simple straight stroke like the other, and the 1 and the o are of equal thinness.

10 Paras. Forged

Paper, perforation, etc., the same as in the forged 5 Paras. The large, central loop of the middle surcharge is broken at the top. In the bottom surcharge, there is a dot at the right-hand end, a large hook at the left-hand end, and three separate dots and a sort of a comma at various distances along the top of the inscription. (This is a copy of the bottom surcharge on the genuine 1 Piastre.) There are only twenty-seven circles round the central oval. The colored line surrounding this oval is blotched, to the left of the bottom of the oval, and too thick to the right of the bottom of the oval. There is a stop before the 1 of the 10 in the upper left-hand corner, and the 1 has an oblique side-stroke; the 1 and the o are of equal thickness. The 10 in the lower right-hand corner is like the other, but there is no stop before the 1.

20 Paras. Genuine

Paper, perforation, watermark, etc., the same as in the genuine 5 Paras. The right-hand end of the middle surcharge is a very small loop, with a white center. The right-hand end of the bottom surcharge is like a capital V, laid on its side, with its point to the left, and with a short, wavy stroke below it. There is a thick, small o, forming the top of the central letter of the inscription, and with three clustering dots below the left-hand end of it. The P of PARA in the upper, left-hand corner is of the same thickness as the rest of the letters of the word; and the top of each A is pointed. The P of PARA in the lower, right-hand corner is like the other one; but the top of each A is cut off square.

The bottom, heart-shaped point of the central cross or ornament inclines too much to the right of its proper position.

20 Paras. Forged

Paper, perforation, etc., the same as in the forged 5 Paras. The right-hand end of the middle surcharge is a black knob; and the center of the middle loop of it is round, instead of being oval, as the genuine is. The bottom surcharge is like that of the genuine 5 Paras, with a dot below the first letter at the right-hand end, a dot and a stroke above the middle of it, and three clustering dots below the middle. The P of PARA in the upper, left-hand corner is very thin, and squeezed up, compared with the rest of the letters of the word; the first A is pointed, and the second A is cut off square. The P of PARA in the lower, right-hand corner is very badly shaped; the first A is cut off square, and the second A is rounded at the top. The bottom point of the central cross or ornament inclines too much to the left of its proper position.

1 Piastre. Genuine

Paper, perforation, etc., the same as in the genuine 5 Paras. This value, as I said before, is not watermarked. The little loop at the right-hand end of the central surcharge is on a level with the line to the left of it. This surcharge exactly fills up the width of the central oval; that is to say, it is as long as the oval is wide. The semicircular portions of the arabesque oval, which project into the corner-labels containing the figures and letters, are all of exactly equal size and shape. There is a round, white stop between the letters P.E, in the left-hand, upper corner, and the E is taller than the P. There is also a round white stop between the letters P.E, in the lower, right-hand corner, and the E is very much taller than the P. There are ninety-seven equal-sized pearls round the frame. The outer line of the stamp is thicker at the top and bottom than at the sides.

1 Piastre. Forged

Paper, perforation, etc., the same as in the forged 5 Paras. The right-hand loop of the central surcharge is bent downwards, below the level of the line to the left of it. This surcharge is too short, and does not fill up the width of the central oval. The pieces of the arabesque oval, which project into the corner-labels, are of different sizes; and those which go into the corners, containing the figure 1, are very much larger and rounder than those which go into the other corners, containing the letters P.E. There is a square, white stop between the letters P.E, in the upper, left- hand corner, and both the said letters are of the same height. There is an almost invisible stop between the letters P.E, in the lower, right-hand corner, and both the letters are of the same size. There are eighty-four pearls round the frame, of all sizes and shapes. The outer line of the stamp is thinner at the top and at the bottom than at the sides.

2 Piastres. Genuine

The paper, watermark, perforation, etc., are the same as in the genuine 5 paras. The right-hand end of the middle surcharge is a small, round loop, which is level with the line to the left of it; the 
center of the large loop, in the middle of this surcharge, is an oval; the left-hand end of it is a large, upward hook, as before, with its tail pointing almost towards the large, central loop. The design or ornament in the central circle is not at all prominent, and has very little white about it; indeed, the colour of the stamp is usually so pale, that it is almost impossible to describe the shape of the central flower. The ring round this central circle is shaded all the way round, with crossed, vertical and horizontal lines. The octagonal frame, round the whole design, is filled with a double spiral pattern, difficult to describe, but almost exactly like the twined snakes to be seen on the stamps of the Dutch Indies, though, of course, smaller, and not in the least like a rope. There is a distinct, white stop after each of the letters P.E., in the left-hand upper corner; the letters are very thick and clumsy, and the middle tongue of the E projects as far as the upper and lower strokes. The same description exactly holds good for the letters P.E, in the lower, right-hand corner. The 2 in the upper, right-hand corner is compact in shape ; the tail is quite as thick as the rest of the figure. The other 2, in the lower, left-hand corner, is exactly the same. The ordinary color of this stamp is a pale, dull “ochreish” orange.

2 Piastres. Forged

Paper, perforation, etc., the same as in the forged 5 Paras. The small loop at the right-hand end of the middle surcharge is bent downwards, below the level of the line proceeding from it; the center of the large loop, in the middle of this surcharge, is triangular in shape; the left-hand end is a semicircle, whose end points directly upwards. The central design is very white and prominent, looking like four white ivy leaves, arranged in the form of a cross. The ring round this design is shaded with vertical lines only. The pattern filling the octagonal frame, round the whole design, is a rope, with rather loose strands, and not in the least like the double spirals of the genuine. There is a very small stop after the P, in the upper, left-hand corner, but only a sort of indication of a stop after the E; the letters are not too thick, and are properly made; and the central tongue of the E is shorter than the upper and lower ones. This description will hold good also for the letters in the lower right-hand corner, except that there is a small stop after both P and E. The 2 in the upper, right-hand corner is thin—thinner than the letters opposite to it— and the tail is thinner still. The 2 in the lower, left-hand corner is just the same, except that its tail, or part of it, is so thin as to be almost in- visible. The colour of the forgery is generally either a greenish-lemon, or greenish-orange; the latter, I think, is the more common.

5 Piastres. Genuine

Paper, watermark, perforation, etc., the same as in the genuine 5 Paras. The middle surcharge is exactly like that on the genuine 2 Piastres just described. In the lower surcharge, there is a dot below the first letter on the right-hand side; and above the surcharge, counting from the right-hand end, there is, first of all, a dot with a short vertical stroke below it, then a dot, a little to the left, then a comma, and then another dot, with a stroke beneath the dot. (It will be understood that these are all at various distances along the top of this surcharge.) The central design is a flower, with seven petals; and immediately round the flower there is a small ring, shaded with vertical lines. Just inside the largest oval there is a very narrow oval, filled with pearls; these pearls are very indistinct, and would hardly be noticed at a first glance. There are eleven of them in the top part of the oval, twelve in the bottom part, eleven on the right-hand side, and thirteen on the left-hand side. There is a stop after each of the letters P.E., in the upper, left-hand corner, and a stop after the P only, in the lower, right-hand corner. There is a stop after the 5, in the upper, right-hand corner, and the head and tail of the figure are both of the same thickness. There is no stop after the 5, in the lower, left-hand corner, and the head of the 5 is much thinner than the tail. Each of the corner-circles distinctly touches both sides of each corner; indeed, the upper, right-hand circle projects slightly beyond the right side of the stamp.

5 Piastres. First Forgery

Paper, etc., as in the forged 5 Paras. The large, central loop of the middle surcharge is broken at the top, and the left-hand hook has a blunt point, instead of a very sharp one. The lower surcharge is a passable imitation of the genuine. The central design is a flower, with six petals, and the little ring round it is perfectly white, without any shading at all. This is a very easy test. The pearls are much too distinct, and too far apart; there are ten of them in the top of the oval, ten in the bottom of it, twelve on the right-hand side, and ten on the left. In both the lettered circles, there is a stop only after the P. There is no stop after either 5: the upper one is a large, straggling figure, with the tail larger than the head; the lower one is more compact, with head and tail of equal thinness. The corner-circles do not really touch any of the boundary-lines, though there is a blotch to the left of each of those on the left side, which makes them look as though they touched the left-hand outline of the frame.

5 Piastres. Second Forgery

Paper, etc., the same as in the forged 5 Paras. The right-hand end of the middle surcharge is opened out into a semicircle, and the left-hand hook is blunt. The lower surcharge is not in the least like the genuine, being a copy of that upon the genuine 10 Piastres. There are only six petals to the central flower, and the ring round it is white, as in the first forgery of this value. The pearled oval has ten pearls at the top, ten at the bottom, thirteen on the right-hand side, and ten on the left-hand side. There is a stop after both P and E, in the upper, left-hand corner, and a stop after the P only, in the lower, right-hand corner. There is a stop after the upper 5, which figure has its head larger than its tail. There is no stop after the lower 5, which figure has its tail very much larger than its head. The head and tail of both these figures are of equal thickness; the corner-circles do not touch the outline of the frame.

5 Piastres. Third Forgery

Paper, etc., the same as in the last forgery. The right-hand end of the middle surcharge is opened out into a semicircle. The large loop, in the center of this surcharge, is broken at the top, and the tail of the left-hand hook is blunt. The central flower has six petals. The ring round it is white, instead of being shaded. There are ten pearls at the top of the pearled oval, nine at the bottom, about twelve on the right-hand side, and ten on the left-hand side. There is a stop after each of the letters P.E., in the upper, left-hand corner; but a stop after the E only, in the lower, right-hand corner. The upper 5 is altogether undecipherable, being blotched into the background. The lower 5 has its tail very sharply pointed, and larger than the head, and thinner. The circles do not touch the out- line of the frame. This is the worst forgery of the lot, and ought not to deceive anybody.

10 Piastres. Genuine

Paper, watermark, etc., the same as in the genuine 5 Paras; middle surcharge exactly the same as the last. The central oval is filled with an arabesque design, but so faint that the details cannot be described. The points of the large corner-triangles do not anything like touch each other, and there is a space of at least a quarter of an inch between them, on each side of the outer oval, and rather less at the top and bottom of it. There is a white stop after both P and E, in both corners, and one also after the upper 10. The letters do not touch the boundary of the little frames containing them. The colour of the stamp is slate.

10 Piastres. Forged

This appears to be from another set. The paper is thicker and smoother, and of a decidedly yellowish tint. The little loop at the right-hand end of the middle surcharge is broken at the top, and the hook at the left-hand end points directly upwards, instead of towards the large, central loop. The top surcharge is not all in one piece. The tail of the magnified comma does not touch the oblique line to the left of it. The central oval is the best test for this forgery, as it is filled simply with crossed, vertical, and horizontal lines, without any arabesque pattern in it at all. The points of the large corner-triangles come very close together; those on the right almost touch, those on the left are nearly as close, but those at the top and bottom are a little further from each other. There is a white stop after the p only, in the top corner, a stop after both p and E, in the lower corner, and the top E touches the outline of the little frame round it. There is no stop after either 10. At a first glance, this forgery looks rather better than the genuine; but the oval of crossed lines will at once betray it. The colour is a greenish neutral tint, not at all like the dull slate of the genuine.

Postmarks

Genuine.—1, 3, 12.
Forged.—1, 37 (no numerals), 52, 101.

 

1867. 5, 10, 20 Paras; 1, 2, 5 Piastres.

Spud_Egypt1 Spud_Egypt2 Spud_Egypt3 Spud_Egypt4 Spud_Egypt5 Spud_Egypt6

 

 

 

 

 

 

There are four types of each value in this issue, distinguished by the position of the pyramid in the central oval, and by the shape of the Arabic letters, but I have not been able to obtain entire sheets of the different values. Some of the forgeries are rather well done, and are considerably more deceptive than the counterfeits of the first issue.

Genuine

All the values are engraved in colour, on hard moderately thick, white wove paper, watermarked with a star over a crescent; perforated 15 x 12 1/2. I have called the design on the s back a “watermark”; but the fact is that this design is impressed after the paper is made, something after the manner of the oval design on the backs of the Swiss stamps of 1862-82; whereas a proper watermark is made in the paper, during the manufacture, before it is quite solidified.

5 Paras. Genuine

The head of the sphinx does not touch the two outlines of the front face of the pyramid, and there is a pretty good space between the head and the said outlines. There are twenty horizontal lines of shading in the left-hand half of the central oval, and only nineteen in the right-hand half. The
point of the pyramid projects very slightly above the topmost line of shading. The dark oval touches the frame to left, to right, and at the top; but not at the bottom. The left shoulder of the sphinx (i.e., to the right of the stamp) has two horizontal lines across it, separating it, as it were, into three divisions; but these divisions are not like steps. The point of the pyramid is rather blunt. The labels at the bottom, containing the figures of value, are very much wider than the width of the side-frames which contain the pillar and “needle”; indeed, they are nearly as wide as the two labels at the top, which contain the word PARA.

5 Paras. First Forgery

I have only one copy of this counterfeit. It is very good, and not common. The specimen is cut closely, so I am not able to say whether it has been perforated or not. Lithographed, on hard, white wove paper, very like that of the genuine, but without any watermark. The head of the sphinx almost touches the two outlines of the front face of the pyramid. There are twenty-one horizontal lines of shading on the left-hand side of the central oval, and the same number on the right-hand side. The pyramid ends in a tolerably sharp point, which only just comes up as far as the uppermost line of shading, and does not project beyond it. The dark oval touches the frame on the right side, and very nearly touches it on the left; but is at a considerable distance from the top and bottom of the frame. The left shoulder of the sphinx, on the right side of the stamp, is cut into three very distinct steps. The labels at the bottom, containing the figures of value, are as wide in this forgery as in the genuine.

5 Paras. Second Forgery

This is much less like the genuine than the one just described, but is very much more common; in fact, I continually find the whole set of this type in the collections sent to me for opinion.

Lithographed, in reddish-orange, instead of golden-yellow, on thick, rather soft, very white wove paper; no watermark; badly pin-perforated 12 1/2. The head of the sphinx almost touches the outlines of the front face of the pyramid, as in the first forgery. There are twenty-two horizontal lines of shading on the left-hand side of the oval, and twenty-one on the right-hand side. The pyramid is sharply pointed, and the point does not project beyond the topmost line of shading. The left shoulder of the sphinx, on the right-hand side of the stamp, is cut into three distinct steps, as in the first forgery. The great test, however, for this counterfeit is in the fact that the lower labels, which contain the figures of value, are only as wide as the width of the side-frames, which contain the “needle” and the pillar. The dark oval touches the frame on the right side only. The Egyptian inscription in the bottom label is that of the genuine 5 Piastres, to be described hereafter.

10 Paras. Genuine

Perforation, watermark, etc., exactly the same as in the genuine 5 Paras. Indeed, to save trouble and unnecessary repetition, I may say here that all the genuine are alike in these characteristics. The head of the sphinx does not touch the two outlines of the front face of the pyramid. In one type, there are twenty horizontal lines of shading on each side of the central oval, behind the pyramid; and in another type, there are twenty on the left-hand side, and nineteen on the right-hand side. In the former type, the point of the pyramid projects considerably beyond the topmost line of shading, and in the other type, it does not project at all—the dark oval touches only the right-hand side of the frame. The left shoulder of the sphinx looks somewhat as though it had been cut into steps, but not so markedly as in the forgery of the 5 Paras. The labels at the bottom are nearly as wide as the corresponding ones at the top. The 1 of 10 in the left-hand label has a distinct side-stroke, exactly like the 1 in the right-hand label. The last character at the left-hand end of the lower inscription does not touch the left-hand side of its containing-frame, but is at a considerable distance from it.

10 Paras. Forged

Lithographed; paper, perforation, etc., the same as in the second forgery of the 5 Paras. The head of the sphinx almost touches the two outlines of the front face of the pyramid. There are twenty-two horizontal lines of shading to the left of the pyramid in the central oval, and the same number on the right-hand side. The point of the pyramid is sharper than in the genuine, and projects very slightly beyond the top- most line of shading behind it. The dark oval touches the frame at the sides only, and not at the top or bottom. The left shoulder of the sphinx is cut into three unmistakable steps. The labels at the bottom are like the genuine. The 1 of the 10 in the left-hand label has no oblique side- stroke; the 1 in the right-hand label is like the genuine. The last character at the left-hand end of the lower inscription touches the left side of its containing-frame. The colour of the genuine stamps varies from lilac to mauve; the forgeries are more of a violet colour.

20 Paras. Genuine

Watermark, etc., the same as in the genuine 5 Paras. There is a distinct space between the head of the sphinx and the two outlines of the front face of the pyramid. There are twenty horizontal lines of shading in the central oval, to the left of the pyramid, and the same number to the right of it. The point of the pyramid is very blunt, and comes just up to the topmost line of shading. The dark oval touches the frame on the right-hand side, and very nearly touches it on the left-hand side; but the top and bottom are at a good distance from the frame. The hieroglyphics on Cleopatra’s needle are so very faint, that they are hardly visible; and the needle appears to be white at a first glance. Pompey’s pillar is very lightly shaded, and the main shaft of it is not put centrally on to the base, but far too much to the left. This is an easy test for the genuine. The white line of the frame, to the right of the pillar, if prolonged down- wards into the lower label, would cut exactly through the o of the 20 in the left-hand, lower label. The shoulder of the left-hand 2 does not project backwards further than just level with the end of the tail.

20 Paras. Forged

Paper, etc., the same as in the second forgery of the 5 Paras. The head of the sphinx almost touches the two outlines of the front face of the pyramid. There are twenty-two horizontal lines to the left of the pyramid, and the same number to the right. The point of the pyramid is very sharp, and the dark part of it comes right up to the very top of the central design, and touches the thin, colored line which runs round it. The dark oval outside this touches the frame to the right and to the left, and almost touches it at the top. The hieroglyphics on Cleopatra’s needle are very dark and heavy. The pillar is very heavily shaded, and it is put centrally on to the base, thus altering the mistake of the en- graver of the genuine. The white line of the frame, to the right of the pillar, if prolonged downwards, would only pass through the left side of the 0 of 20, instead of through the center of it. The shoulder of the left-hand 2 projects backwards, beyond the level of the end of the tail. The originals are in yellowish-green; these forgeries are much darker, and of almost a bluish-green.

1 Piastre. Genuine

There is a good space between the head of the sphinx and the two outlines of the front face of the pyramid. There are twenty horizontal lines of shading in the oval, on each side of the pyramid. The dark oval touches the frame only on the right-hand side. The hieroglyphics on the needle are very faint, and the shading on the pillar is light. One of the easiest tests of the genuine is that the white line, to the left of the E, in the right-hand, upper corner of the stamp, is an exact continuation of the line below it, which forms the left side of the frame of the needle. The figures in the bottom corners are very broad, even broader than the upright strokes of the P and E in the upper corners.

1 Piastre. Forged

Paper, etc., the same as.in the second forgery of the 5 Paras. This is a nice-looking stamp, and very likely to deceive. The head of the sphinx touches the two outlines of the front face of the pyramid. There are twenty-two lines of shading in the central oval, to the left of the pyramid, and the same number to the right of it. The dark oval touches the frame to right and left, and almost at the top. The hieroglyphics on the needle are dark and distinct, and the right side of the pillar is heavily shaded. The white line to the left of the E is far too much to the right, and does not form a continuation of the white line to the left of the needle. The figures in the bottom corners are very thin, and much thinner than the upright strokes of the P and E in the upper corners.

2 Piastres. Genuine

Paper, watermark, etc., the same as in the genuine 5 paras. The head of the sphinx does not touch the two outlines of the front face of the pyramid. There are twenty horizontal lines of shading on the left-hand side of the central oval, and nineteen on the right-hand side. The dark oval just touches the frame on the left-hand side, but not on any of the other sides. The white line to the left of the E, in the right-hand, upper corner, forms one continuous line, down to the bottom of the stamp; i.e., it is joined to the line which passes to the left of the needle, as in the genuine 1 Piastre, just described. The tail of each 2 is just about level with the rounded shoulder of the figure; i.e., it does not project further to the right than the shoulder of the letter does. All my copies of this value are rather blotchy, and more heavily printed than the other values. I fancy this may be on account of the blue colour being more difficult to work than the other tints.

2 Piastres. Forged

Paper, etc., the same as in the second forgery of the 5 Paras. The head of the sphinx almost touches the two outlines of the front face of the pyramid. There are twenty-two horizontal lines of shading in the oval, to the left of the pyramid, and the same number to the right of it. The dark oval touches the right side, and almost touches the left side of the frame. The white line to the left of the E is not continuous with the white line to the left of the needle, but a good deal too much to the right of where it ought to be, as in the forged 1 Piastre just described. The body of the right-hand 2 leans forward a little to the left, and the tail of the left-hand 2 projects further to the right than merely level with the rounded shoulder of the figure. The colour of this forgery is exactly the same as that of the genuine.

5 Piastres. Genuine

Paper, watermark, etc., the same as in the genuine 5 Paras. The head of the sphinx does not touch the two outlines of the front face of the pyramid. There are nineteen horizontal lines of shading on the left-hand side of the central oval, and the same number on the right-hand side of it. The dark oval touches the frame at the top only. The white line to the left of the E, in the right-hand upper corner, is continuous with the white line down the left of the needle. The needle and pillar are very lightly shaded, so as to appear almost white.

5 Piastres. First Forgery

This is printed on thick paper, like the first forgery of the 5 Paras. My only copy is cut close, so that I cannot tell the perforation. There is no watermark. The head of the sphinx almost touches the two out- lines of the front face of the pyramid. There are twenty-two horizontal lines of shading in the oval, on the left of the pyramid, and the same number to the right of it. The dark oval touches the frame on the right, and almost on the left. The white line forming the left side of the frame of the needle does not correspond either with the line to the left of the E, in the upper, right-hand corner, or with the similar line to the left of the 5, in the lower, right-hand corner, being too much to the left of both of them. This is an easy test for this forgery. The inscription in the lower label is the same as that on the genuine; the little frames in the bottom corners, containing the figures of value, are also about the same width as in the genuine.

5 Piastres. Second Forgery

Paper, etc., the same as in the second forgery of the 5 Paras. This is not nearly so good as the last, though much more common. The head of the sphinx almost touches the two outlines of the front face of the pyramid. There are twenty-two lines of shading in the central oval, on each side of the pyramid. The dark oval touches the frame to right and left, but not at the top or bottom. The white line down by the left-hand side of the needle is not continuous with the similar white line, to the left of the E, in the upper, right-hand corner; but is set too much to the left. The easiest test of this forgery is in the fact that the forgers have made the lower labels, which bear the figures of value, twice as wide as the upper labels, which bear the letters P, E. In fact, the lower labels in this stamp have been copied from the genuine 5 Paras value, which has them broad. There is also another error, not so obvious; for the inscription at the bottom is the same as that on the genuine 5 paras, instead of that on the 5 Piastres; and the second forgery of the 5 Paras, described above, has the inscription which ought to appear on this value, so that the forgers have evidently mixed up the two values. The proper inscription, in the lower label of the genuine 5 Paras, is in three separate words, or sets of characters; whilst the proper inscription, in the lower label of the genuine 5 Piastres, is in five separate words, or sets of characters; but the two, as I have said, are just reversed in these two forgeries.

Spud_Egypt71872. 5, 10, 20 Paras; 1, 2, 2 1/2, 5 Piastres.

The stamps of the 1867 issue are not what would be considered marvels of beauty; but they are very superior to the set now to be described. Some of the later copies of the 1872 issue are so extremely bad as to be almost undecipherable, and look as though they had been boiled for an hour or two, after being printed. Fortunately for me, the general differences between the genuine and forged are so well marked that I shall be able to describe the whole set at once, instead of having to take each value separately, as in the issues already dissected.

Genuine

Engraved in épargne, on thick, rough, rather hard, yellowish-white wove paper; watermarked—or rather impressed at the back—with a star over a crescent; and machine-perforated 12 1/2, 13 1/2, and compound. The 10 Paras, and the 1 and 5 Piastres, were also issued unperforated in 1873; these latter are rare. There are four white stripes in the hair on the head of the sphinx, three of them being particularly distinct. The ear is small, and the top of it is level with the eyebrow. There is a distinct white line, running almost across the stamp, near the top, forming the lower outline of the label containing the Egyptian inscription; and there is a similar, distinct white line, running almost across the stamp, near the bottom, forming the upper outline of the frame containing POSTE, etc. The right side of the top stroke of the T of POSTE is altogether wanting; the inscription thus reading POSTE KHEDEUIE EGIZIANE. The A of this latter word is a distinct A, and not an R. There is hardly any indication of a dark line round the broad, white outline of the central oval. The P of POSTE is almost invariably jammed against the side of the frame to left of it.

Forged

Lithographed, on paper very similar to the. genuine, but smoother and whiter; no watermark; pin-perforated 11. There are five white stripes in the hair on the head of the sphinx, four of them being particularly distinct. The top of the ear is placed much too low, being hardly level with the bottom of the eye. The whole ear is apparently like a large S, curling down into the back of the neck. There is the faintest possible indication of a white line, to form the lower outline of the upper label, which contains the Egyptian inscription; and there is no white line at all, to form the upper outline of the label at the bottom, containing POSTE, etc. The T of POSTE is shaped like an ordinary capital T, and the A of EGIZIANE is changed into an R; thus the whole inscription reads POSTE KHEDEUIE EGIZIRNE. There is a wide, dark line, surrounding the white outline of the central oval. There is a good space between the P of POSTE, and the upright line of the frame to the left of it.

 

From: ‘Album Weeds’, 3rd edition by R. B. Eareé. 1906

 

See alsoLup

 

Album Weeds – Dominica

Spud_Dominica1 Spud_Dominica2 Spud_Dominica31874 & 1877. 1d., 6d. & 1s

Genuine

Engraved in épargne, on thin, white wove paper, slightly surfaced; perforated 12 1/2 or 14, as above; watermarked with a Crown and CC. All the values are from the same die. The circle containing the name does not touch the value-label. The T of POSTAGE is very much dwarfed. The lower part of the tiara is divided into three compartments, with an oblong jewel in the first, over the forehead, a diamond-shaped one in the center, and another oblong one in the third, over the ear. The lobe of the ear is very round and fat. The last pearl of the tiara, over the ear, leans towards the left. The portrait is shaded all over, with very fine lines. The hair covers part of the eyebrow at the outer corner.

The colors of the genuine are:

  • 1d., bright mauve
  • 6d., emerald-green
  • 1s., rich rose, with a very slight tint of blue.

Forged

Lithographed, on soft, white wove paper, rather thick, and unsurfaced; imperforated, or pin-perf. 13, very badly; no watermark. All the values are from the same stone. The circle containing the name runs into the value-label, below the T of POSTAGE; and the said T is the same size as the other letters of that word. There is no jewel over the forehead; the center jewel is blotched; and the one over the ear is very indistinct. The lobe of the ear is quite thin, and does not hang down. The last pearl of the tiara, over the ear, is upright. The forehead is unshaded, and there is a white patch at the back of the neck. The hair does not touch the eyebrow.

The colors of these counterfeits are:

  • 1d., lilac
  • 6d., dark yellow-green
  • 1s., chalky rose

Postmarks

Genuine.—I have not yet seen any postmarked specimens of the genuine.

Forged.—The forgeries are cancelled with 62.

 

From: ‘Album Weeds’, 3rd edition by R. B. Eareé. 1906

 

LupSee also –> Spud Papers – Dominica

Album Weeds – Cyprus

Album_Weeds_Cyprus2English stamps with CYPRUS overprint

Genuine

The following is the complete set:

  • 
1/2d., rose, script watermark, “halfpenny”, plates 12, 15 & 19.
  • 1d., red, letters in all corners, Crown watermark, plates 174, 181, 184, 193, 196, 201, 205, 208, 215, 216, 217, 218 & 220.
  • 2 1/2d., pink, Orb watermark, plates 14 & 15.
  • 4d., pale green, Garter watermark, plate 16.
  • 6d., grey, Rose-spray watermark, plate 16.
  • 
1s., green, Rose-spray watermark, plate 13.
  • 
1d., brown, newsband.
30 paras, surcharged on the 1d., red, plates 201, 216, 217 & 220.
  • 1/2d., provisional, surcharged in three widths of type, on the 1d., red.

The CYPRUS surcharge is in block letters, millimeters from the outside of the C to the outside of the S, and a shade over millimeters in height. The open ends of the C are cut off perfectly horizontally; and the said C is no thicker than the other letters.

  • Surcharge 16 to 16 1/2 mm. on plates 201, 216 & 218.
  • Surcharge 18 mm. on plates 174, 181, 201, 205, 208, 215, 216, 217, 218 & 220.
  • Surcharge 13 mm. on plates 201, 205, 215, 217 & 218.

First Forgery

The CYPRUS surcharge is exactly the same height and width as the genuine; which makes this an exceedingly dangerous forgery. The C seems decidedly thicker than the rest of the letters, and its open ends are cut off slantingly, or sometimes rounded. I am sorry there are no better tests. Certainly the Y gives one the impression of being higher than the P, but this is more in appearance than in reality.

Second Forgery

This surcharge is much too small, being only 13 millimeters in length, and the letters 2 millimeters high.

Third Forgery

This surcharge is just as much too large; being 20 millimeters in length, and the letters 4 millimeters high, though the Y is decidedly taller than this.

It will, of course, be understood that the above forgeries are simply forged surcharges struck on genuine stamps. I have seen no unused ones, all being cancelled with (of course) English postmarks. Sometimes it is easy to see that the surcharge is struck on the top of the postmark, but this test is, as a rule, not to be depended on; as, when the postmark is faint, it is almost impossible to say whether it or the surcharge was struck first.

Postmarks

Genuine.—Many of the cancelled copies that I have come across were obliterated with a circle, containing LARNACA, with date, etc., and the circle made into a sort of square, by the addition of sets of short lines at four equally distant points outside the circle. These sets of lines each consist of three lines, of graduated length, parallel to the curve of the circle, with a little dark triangle outside of all to finish off. The same cancellation, or very nearly the same, is to be seen on the stamps of Jamaica. It is illustrated in 67. Others have 54, containing the numbers 942 or 969.

Forged.—These are simply ordinary English postmarks of various kinds.

 

From: ‘Album Weeds’, 3rd edition by R. B. Eareé. 1906

 

Album Weeds – Ceylon

Album_Weeds_Ceylon1 Album_Weeds_Ceylon2 Album_Weeds_Ceylon3 Album_Weeds_Ceylon4 Album_Weeds_Ceylon51855-59. 1d., 2d., 5d., 6d. and 10d.

Genuine

Engraved in taille-douce, varieties as above, watermarked with a star, which is usually very distinct. There is a square ornament in each corner of the stamp, and the lower corner of each of the upper ornaments touches the outline of the oval, opposite to the c and N of CEYLON, but neither of them encroaches across the outline. The coronet is composed of alternate crosses pattée and things which look like shamrocks, though the latter may be some leaf or flower emblematic of the island. The last cross and the last shamrock, towards the back of the head, are smaller than the rest, or rather placed on a lower level; and the coil of hair at the back of the head stands up high above these last two ornaments. The Queen’s forehead is distinctly convex or rounded, and the lower lip does not project so far as the upper one. There are two curls of hair, of almost equal length, hanging down from the back of the coronet; the outer one comes down almost to the level of the heavy shading of the base of the neck. Following the curve of the word CEYLON, there will be seen two lines of white dots, formed by spaces in the lathe-work of the background, but they are not very prominent; and inside these again there are two other lines of dots, a little less distinct. There are only eight jewels, of various shapes, to be seen in the lower band of the coronet. Inside each end of the POSTAGE label there is a small, eight-pointed star, and, from each corner of the label, two oblique lines run towards the star, so that each end of the said label looks like an incomplete miniature copy of the corner-ornaments of the old English black (and red) 1d. stamps.

Forged

Lithographed, the id. on yellowish-white or on blue, the others on yellowish-white wove paper, no watermark. One of my specimens of the 1d. is very badly perf. to represent the 1861 issue. I have not seen the 6d. on blue paper. The square ornament in the left top corner of the stamp encroaches right across the outline of the oval, above the C of CEYLON, but the corner of the other ornament does not even touch the outline of the oval, above the N of that word. The ornaments on the coronet appear, at first sight, to be all crosses pattée, but they are not exactly alike. The last two are quite as tall as the rest, and the coil of hair at the back of the head does not stand up so high as they do. The Queen’s forehead is, in some copies, slightly hollowed in the center, and the lower lip projects, if anything, slightly further than the top one. The two curls hanging down from the back of the coronet are very badly drawn; the inner one is barely half the length of the outer one, and the outer one only hangs down level with the chin, instead of nearly to the thick shading at the base of the neck. There are two very prominent lines of white dots following the curve of the word CEYLON, and there are two other lines of white dots inside these, and nearly as distinct. All these ovals can be seen at a glance. There are twelve jewels round the base of the coronet. There are small stars at the ends of the POSTAGE label, but eight points cannot be made out, and the oblique lines are absent. In these forgeries, Her Majesty has been favored with a very forbidding cast of countenance by the designer, though she looks very amiable on the genuine stamps.

Postmarks

Genuine.—One or two of my copies of these unperforated stamps bear some shapeless blotches by way of obliteration, but all the rest are postmarked with 76 and 101.

Forged.—22, 54, 62, 100, 101; also a pen-stroke.

I have taken all these stamps together, so as to avoid having to describe each value separately; but it will be understood that the lower part of each of the genuine differs from the others, according to the value. However, they are all alike in the parts taken for description, and the above tests will suffice for the detection of any of them. The engine-turning of the originals has been very well copied in these forgeries, and I cannot imagine how the forgers managed to prevent the fine lines from running together and making a solid background.

Album_Weeds_Ceylon61857 & 1863. Fourpence, rose.

Genuine

Engraved in taille-douce, on stout, white wove paper, varieties as above. The Queen’s head is on a ground of crossed, oblique lines, the said lines being wavy. The outline of this oval of crossed lines can be seen all the way round, even near the top of the chignon. The rest of this central compartment is filled in with fine, parallel, horizontal lines, all very regular; and nine of these lines can be counted above the top of the T of POSTAGE, including the top outline; and there are eight of these lines between the bottom of the oval and the bottom of the inner frame. The ornaments on the coronet are two crosses pattére, and two fleurs-de-lys, alternately one of each. The front cross pattée is in profile, and there is a colored line drawn down it, close to the front edge. If prolonged downwards, this colored line would cut the pearl below it almost exactly into two equal parts. There is a similar pearl below each of the other ornaments; they are slightly graduated in size, the front one being the largest, and the fourth and last one the smallest, being not much more than a half-pearl. The front pearl projects noticeably beyond the profile of the front cross pattée. There are 20 lines of shading down the back of the neck, and the whole of the rest of the face and neck is entirely covered with dots, except the lower lip. The face has a pleasing expression, the chin curves well forward, and there is a very distinct hollow between the chin and the lower lip. The white octagonal line, surrounding the central design, has all its angles and corners sharp, and not rounded at all.

Forged

These are remarkably good, and very likely to deceive. Engraved in taille-douce, on yellowish-white wove paper, unperforated, or nicely perf. 12. It is singular that the forgers should have chosen an impossible gauge of perforation, after going to so much trouble in other respects. Both the perforated and unperforated stamps are “watermarked” with a star, which is, I understand, made by considerable pressure with an oiled die. The watermark is very plain, looking at the back of the stamp, but hardly visible when looked at through the stamp. I have specimens in slightly brownish-rose, and in rose-red, inclining to orange-red. The crossed, oblique lines of the oval ground, on which the Queen’s head is placed, are straight, instead of wavy. The outline of this oval is not continuous, being broken for the upper part of the chignon, which projects beyond it. This is a noticeable test, but requires the microscope. The horizontal lines above and below this oval are not very well drawn; there are seven above the T of POSTAGE, and seven also below the bottom of the neck. There is no line down near the front of the front cross pattée, and the pearl below it does not project beyond the front of the coronet. The jewel under the first fleur-de-lys is badly shaped, and more like a diamond than a pearl. The last pearl to the right is as large as the others, and a complete round, instead of being a half-pearl. There are about 15 lines of shading down the back of the neck. The upper and lower lips, and part of the front of the neck, have no dots upon them. The face has a rather sulky expression, the chin is very retreating, and there is no hollow between the chin and the lower lip. The white, octagonal line, surrounding the central design, has some of its re-entering angles rather blunt, especially the one over the 0 of POSTAGE.

Postmarks

Genuine.—As before.

Forged.—Very like 76, but with the lines running the other way.

Album_Weeds_Ceylon71857, 1863 & 1881. Nine Pence, lilac-brown, bistre-brown, deep brown.

Genuine

Engraved in taille-douce, like the 4d. just described, varieties as above. The details are the same as in the genuine 4d.

First Forgery

This, like the forged 4d., is an excellent counterfeit. My specimens are all unperforated. Engraved in taille-douce on moderately stout, hard, white wove paper, watermarked with a crown as before.

The crossed, oblique lines, in the oval ground, behind the Queen’s head, are straight, as in the forged 4d. The outline of this oval can be traced all the way round in this counterfeit. There are 8 horizontal lines above the T of POSTAGE, and 7 below the bottom of the oval. The left- hand cross pattée on the coronet has a line on it like the genuine, but the line slopes too much, and is drawn only along the top arm of the cross, instead of right down to the pearl. The pearl itself, in all my specimens, happens to be covered by the postmark, but, as far as I can make out, it does not project. The other pearls are only partly outlined, and thus run into the ornaments above them. There seem to be only 19 lines of shading down the back of the neck, and they are very scratchy and irregular, whereas, in the genuine, they are the exact continuations of the rows of dots across the neck. There does not seem to be any shading on either lip. The eye is looking rather downward, instead of straight forward. The mouth, chin, the expression of the face, etc., are all very like those of the forged 4d.; but there is a strong, dark outline to the front of the profile, from the forehead to the chin, which does not exist, either in the genuine or the forged 4d. In the genuine 9d., the curl at the back of the head curves slightly outwards, so as to point directly towards the top corner of the last E of PENCE; in this forgery, the curl hangs almost straight downwards, so as to point distinctly towards the C of PENCE. The Queen’s chin is not quite so retreating as in the forged 4d., and there is some indication of a slight hollow between the lower lip and the chin.

Second Forgery

Compared with the one just described, this is a mere caricature. Poorly lithographed, in yellow-brown, on medium, very hard white wove paper, the face’ of which has been stained a brownish-yellow, to give age. It is roughly perf. 13, no watermark. The oval on which the Queen’s head is placed is almost perfectly solid at the bottom, though the upper part shows indications of crossed oblique lines, which appear to be straight instead of wavy. This oval is extremely dark, compared with the horizontal lines outside it, so that, when the stamp is held at arm’s length, the complete oval is visible, whereas, in the genuine, and in the first forgery, at that distance, the oval cannot be distinguished from the horizontal lines. Of these horizontal lines, there are only 6 above the T of POSTAGE, not reckoning the line under YL of CEYLON, which is the same thickness as the rest in this forgery, but very much thicker in the genuine. There are only 5 horizontal lines above the bottom of the oval. The front cross pattée on the coronet is not quite in profile, but what a photographer would call “three-quarter face,” showing part of a circle in the center. There is no vertical line drawn down the front to the pearl. The pearls are all the same size, and the front one does not project beyond the coronet. The dots on the neck are continued, as dots, to the back of the neck, instead of merging into lines. There seem to be about 16 or 17 rows, but they are very faint and indistinct. The whole of the face, except the lower part of the cheek and chin, is free from dots. The face has a sad look; the profile of the nose begins as though it were going to be Wellingtonian, but from the middle to the point it is straight. The mouth is tightly shut, and the outline of the upper lip is quite vertical, instead of curving outwards. In the genuine, the hair runs up to the very front of the coronet. In this forgery, there are two small patches, above and below the corner of the eyebrow, and no indication of any other hair till just above the ear. The chin is very retreating. The white octagonal line, separating the central design from the lettered frame, and which is such a conspicuous feature of the stamp in the genuine and in the first forgery, is hardly noticeable in this counterfeit, and badly drawn. In the word CEYLON, the two ends of the C are tapered, instead of being as thick as the rest of the letter; the bottom leg of the E is no longer than the top one, and ends in a sort of ball; the O touches the angle of the frame below it; indeed the horizontal line of the frame has been drawn slightly into the body of the O. In the word NINE, the letters NIN are all perfectly parallel with each other in the genuine, but in this forgery the top of each N slopes towards the top of the I between them, and the lower limb of the E is decidedly longer than the upper limb, whereas in the genuine the upper limb is rather the longer of the two.

Postmarks

Genuine.-As before

First Forgery.—A mark something like 76, but with the lines running the other way; also pen-marked.

Second Forgery.—Some shapeless blotches.

I fancy I have seen an 8d., similar to the first forgery of the 9d., but I am not quite sure, as it was some years ago.

Album_Weeds_Ceylon81857-61. One Shilling and Nine Pence, green.

Genuine

Engraved in taille-douce, on stout, rather hard, yellowish-white wove paper, watermarked with a star. The lines of the design stand out only very slightly from the paper. The Queen’s head is on an oval of crossed oblique lines, so closely set as to appear almost solid, unless looked at with the microscope; the lines are wavy. The oval is outlined on the left side, but on the right side it seems to melt almost imperceptibly into the next portion of the design, which is slightly lighter in color, and consists of horizontal lines, rather thick, perfectly regular and parallel, and placed very close together. In the portion above POSTAGE, there seem to be seven of these horizontal lines, and eight in the portion below the neck. The front point of the neck does not touch the edge of the oval. POSTAGE is on a solid label, but the label is hardly any darker than the rest of the background. The engine-turning in the frame which contains name and value-labels is not continuous, but is interrupted, each side, by a set of (about five) short, thick horizontal lines, serving to join the angles of the outer and inner frames together. Below this, on each side, but especially noticeable on the left side, the engine-turning, besides the usual fine lines, has a lattice-work of thick lines. This lattice-work on the left side reaches to the beginning of the value-label; there are two thick lines running down from right to left, and three from left to right. The right side is similar, but not so distinct. These broad lines appear to be laid over the fine lines of the engine-turning. The profile of the Queen is not outlined. The name and value-labels are also not outlined, being formed, apparently, by cutting away the engine-turning of the background. The stamps are set very close together horizontally, being barely three- quarters of a millimeter apart. (I do not know whether they are equally close together vertically.)

Forged

Like the engraved 4d. and 9d., this is an excellent counterfeit, and is likely to deceive any but a very old hand. Apparently engraved in taille-douce, on white wove paper, rather thinner, and much whiter than that of the genuine, though the face of the stamp has a faint greenish tint in my specimen, owing to imperfect wiping of the plate.

When it first came out there was no watermark, but I have lately had a specimen which bears a rather nice-looking watermark (as seen from the back). This has apparently been done by pressure with an oiled die. The outline of the watermark shows distinctly in pale yellow, on the back of the stamp, but is hardly visible when looked at through the stamp. The dark lines of the stamp have been so strongly forced into the lines of the plate, that they appear sunk at the back of the stamp. The said lines stand out from the paper very conspicuously in front. The oval containing the portrait is very dark, with a strong dark outline all round, and is composed of straight, crossed, oblique lines, much more distinct than those of the genuine, and the horizontal lines immediately outside the oval are thin, scratchy, and irregular. In the portion above POSTAGE, ten of these horizontal lines may be counted, but below the neck they are so irregular and blurred that I have not been able to count them; there seem to be about twelve of them. The front point of the neck touches the outline of the dark oval. The solid label containing POSTAGE is distinctly darker than the rest of the background. The lines joining the angles of the outer and inner frame together, between the name and value-labels differ much from the genuine. That on the left has seven thin, horizontal lines (exclusive of the outlines of the frames); and that on the right, instead of the horizontal lines, has some indistinct markings resembling “& D W.” There is no trace of the lattice-work below these two portions of the design. The profile of the face is out- lined with a fine line, and the name and value-labels are also very distinctly outlined. The stamps are set much further apart on the sheet than in the genuine, being exactly one millimeter from each other, both vertically and horizontally.

I do not know anything of the history of this forgery, but the measurements just given would seem to point to a continental origin for them.

Album_Weeds_Ceylon91857, 1858, 1862 & 1863-67. Half Penny, lilac.

Genuine

Engraved in épargne, on wove paper, varieties as above. The letters of CEYLON are a considerable distance apart (3/4 mm., or more), and the O of that word is circular, with a dark, circular center. The E of ONE has its central tongue much shorter than the upper and lower limbs. The Y of PENNY has its arms widely spread open; and the whole inscription, ONE HALF PENNY, is in very clearly-cut block lettering. The dark base of the neck, where it is cut away, extends from back to front, but it is, of course, of varying width, and, in the widest part, six dark horizontal lines can be
seen, counting both upper and lower outlines. The back outline of the neck, from the base to the hair, stands out prominently from the background. Of the horizontal lines in the background, seven may be counted, from the top of the central circle to the front point of the coronet. The easiest test is the curl of hair hanging from the chignon. This curl hangs down perfectly straight, so that, if it were lengthened, it would touch the right side of the G of POSTAGE. I am not able to give any further tests, as the only counterfeit that I possess is very faint, and partly covered by the post- mark, so that very little of the design is clear.

Forged

Poorly lithographed, in very pale grey-lilac, no watermark, perf. 11 1/2. The letters of CEYLON are much closer together than in the genuine; the I, and o almost touch, and the other letters are less than 1/2 mm. apart; the O is a transverse oval, with a rather shapeless, dark oval blotch in (lie center. The central tongue of the E of ONE is as long as the upper limb; the arms of the Y of PENNY are a good deal squeezed up, and the whole inscription, so far as I can make out, looks ragged. The dark base of the neck, where it is cut away, is of solid color; no lines of shading are to be seen in it, and the front part of it decreases to a mere outline. The back outline of the neck does not stand out at all from the background. From the top of the central circle, to the front point of the coronet, there seem to be only four horizontal lines of shading. The curl, at the back of the head, slopes to the right, instead of hanging straight down; and it points towards the end of the E of POSTAGE.

Postmarks

Genuine.—As before.

Forged.—10.

1867 & 1868. Three Pence, rose.

Genuine

Engraved in épargne, on rather stout, hard, and somewhat glacé wove paper; varieties as above. The diamond-shaped jewels along the base of the coronet seem to stand out well from it. The face is shaded all over, except the front of the forehead. The large pearls on the top of the coronet are shaded almost all over. The letters of the word CEYLON do not touch the outline of their containing-label anywhere, and both name and value are in beautifully clear and clean cut letters. The colour of the stamp is a bright rose, or rose-pink.

Forged

Poorly lithographed, in a very washed-out lilac-pink, on very white wove paper, very thin; pin-pricked 12 1/4; no watermark. The ornaments along the base of the coronet appear to be oval holes, instead of diamond- shaped jewels. The face is white, all round the mouth. The large pearls on the top of the coronet are only slightly shaded; at least three-fourths of each pearl are left white. The c of CEYLON touches the bottom of the containing-label, and the Y and L touch at the top. The whole stamp has a blurred and indistinct appearance, very different, from the genuine.

Postmarks

Genuine.—54.

Forged.—62, 100, 101; also one like 54, but very much smaller, and with the lines thinner.

Album_Weeds_Ceylon111872. 48 Cents, carmine.

Genuine

Engraved in épargne, on white wove paper, CC, perf. 13. This need not delay us very long, as the forgery is decidedly poor, compared with the very clear-cut original. The shading on the nose
does not reach to the front edge, leaving a narrow line of white all down the profile of it. The lower lip is of normal shape. A considerable portion of the ear is plainly visible. The ornaments on the coronet are: pearl, thistle, pearl, shamrock, pearl, thistle, pearl. The three diamond-shaped jewels in the lower part of the coronet are distinct. The band of the coronet at the back of the head contains 5 lines running along it, including the two outlines. The horizontal lines of shading on which the head is placed, are beautifully drawn and quite clear; they do not come to the edge of the containing-circle, but leave a ring of white between them and the circular outline, quite as broad as the next ring of white, which runs under CEYLON and above POSTAGE. There are 14 horizontal lines, from the top of the central circle to the top of the chignon, the uppermost curl of the chignon reaching to the top edge of the fifteenth line; and there are 43 similar lines from the bottom of the circle to the tip of the curl below the chignon, the curl touching the forty-fourth line. The front peak of the base of the neck comes to the very edge of the horizontal lines, and the lowest line of shading on the front of the neck, runs very nearly to the front of the peak. The letters of CEYLON are very clear, and so are those of POSTAGE. The R of FORTY is not much more than 1/4 mm. from the end of the label.

Forged
Poorly lithographed on fairly stout, white laid paper, no watermark, pin-perf. 11 1/2 x 12, irregularly, in oval holes. The paper, of course, is sufficient to condemn this production. The front of the nose is shaded by about 9 oblique lines, which seem to join the background. There is thus no line of white along the profile of the nose. The lower lip is twisted all out of shape, and has a most peculiar look. There is an indistinct blotch, to represent the ear. The ornaments on the coronet are very indistinct and blotchy; the one to the right looks like a cross pattée. The diamond-shaped jewels along the base of the coronet are also very indistinct. The band of the coronet at the back of the neck has only a single colored line along its center, beside the outlines. The horizontal lines of the central background are blotchy and broken, and they run together in several places. Part of the way, especially above the TAGE of POSTAGE, they are drawn right up to the colored lines surrounding them; and, even where they do not actually touch the circle, there is only the very tiniest space of white between the ends of the lines and the outline of the circle. Thus, above POSTAGE, there is only one white line, instead of two of equal breadth. There seem to be about 12 horizontal lines from the top of this central circle to the top of the chignon, and 40 from the bottom of the circle to the tip of the lower curl of the chignon. The white peak of the front of the base of the neck does not come to the edge of the horizontal lines, and the shading lines on the neck do not run into the peak, but leave it as a white patch. The letters of CEYLON are very ragged and thin; those of POSTAGE are somewhat better. The F of FORTY is more than 1/2 mm. from the end of the label.

Postmarks

Genuine.—1, 49, rather smaller; 64 (I have this with A, B, and 42 respectively, in the center).

Forged.—A portion of what appears to be 58. Also a small oval, about the size of 22, but with some unreadable letters in the center, instead of bars.

Album_Weeds_Ceylon121872. 96 Cents, drab.

Genuine

Engraved in épargne, on fairly stout, hard, white wove paper, watermark CC, perf. 14, as above.

The diamond-shaped jewels, along the base of the coronet, stand out well from it, as in the 3d. of the last issue. The front pearl on the coronet points to the right side of the O of CEYLON. The horizontal lines of the background do not show through either the first or second pearl. After the first pearl there is a thistle, after the second pearl a shamrock, and after the third pearl another thistle. The band at the back of the coronet, which passes from the top of the ear to the back of the head, under the chignon, shows three clear dark lines along it, in addition to its two outlines. The top curl of the chignon is a sort of arch, with a good deal of white showing on the left side ; the bottom curl hangs down very little lower than the level of the bottom of the band of the coronet behind the head ; indeed, it only reaches down far enough to touch the second horizontal line of the background, below the bottom corner of the said band. The face and bust are shaded all over, except the front of the forehead ; the eyebrow is formed by six strong, parallel curved lines. The horizontal lines of the central oval do not touch the dark line of the said oval anywhere, but stop short, leaving a narrow white space, of equal width all round. The bottom of the S of POSTAGE is no nearer to the outline below it than any of the other letters, and the vertical stroke of the T of that word is not carried beyond the cross-bar.

Forged

Lithographed, on very stout, very hard, yellowish-white wove paper, rather nicely perf. 12, no watermark. The jewels along the base of the coronet look like dark, oval holes. The pearls do not seem to be solidly joined to their stalks, like the genuine ones are, but are more or less separate. The front pearl points to the middle of the N of CEYLON, and the horizontal lines of the background can be distinctly seen, drawn through the first two pearls. The ornament after the first pearl bears only a very faint resemblance to a thistle; the ornament after the second pearl looks rather like a small pattée on a stalk; the ornament after the third pearl is something like a thistle, but is much too tall, reaching fully as high as the fourth pearl, whereas the genuine only comes up about the center of the said fourth pearl. The band of the coronet, at the back of the head, only shows two dark lines along it, besides the outlines, and these two lines are almost wedge-shaped. The top curl of the chignon is formed by three roughly-concentric circles, with a dot in the center, and the horizontal lines of the background can be partly traced through it, though this is not the case in the genuine. The bottom curl is too long, hanging down level with the fifth horizontal line below the bottom corner of the band of the coronet. The nose is almost perfectly white, and there is also a patch of white at the front point of the neck above the Y of NINETY. The eyebrow is formed by one heavy dark line. The horizontal lines of the background touch the dark outline of the oval most of the way round. The bottom of the s of POSTAGE very nearly touches the outline below it, and the tail of that letter has a serif, though head and tail are both alike in the genuine. The. vertical stroke of the T of this word is carried up above the cross-bar, and is joined to the upper outline of the oval. The colour of my single specimen is very much paler than the genuine, being pale grey, rather than greenish-drab.

Forged Perforations

I have lately seen the 8 cents of this issue with forged compound perforation, 14 x 12 1/2. The perforation at the top and bottom is, of course, genuine, but the side-perforations are forged. The fake is exceedingly well done, and the only test that I can give is that, in the genuine, a well-centered specimen shows a fair space of white on both sides, between the perforations and the side-outlines of the stamp, and, if the specimen is not well-centered, there will be a broad space of white between the perforations and the outline of the stamp, either on the right side or on the left. In this forgery there is no margin either side, but the perforations just touch the outline each side. Another peculiarity of my specimen of this fake is every alternate dent, down the left side, is cut in very slightly deeper than its neighbor, but of course I cannot say whether this is always the case.

Service Stamps

Issues of 1863-8, surcharged SERVICE in black or red. These stamps were prepared for use, and sent out to the Colony, but were never employed. I mention them here, because they are occasionally to be met with postmarked, and my readers will understand that the postmarks were either surreptitiously obtained, or are forgeries. I have a specimen of the 2s., CC, properly cancelled, and with the surcharge forged in red letters on the top of the postmark. As the genuine are only still-born stamps, it is not worth while to describe this forgery further.

 

From: ‘Album Weeds’, 3rd edition by R. B. Eareé. 1906

 

Album Weeds – Cape of Good Hope

Album_Weeds_CapeOfGoodHope_1 Album_Weeds_CapeOfGoodHope_2

Album_Weeds_CapeOfGoodHope_3 Album_Weeds_CapeOfGoodHope_4

 

 

 

1853-58. Blued & White paper. 1d., 4d., 6d. and 1s.

Genuine

Finely engraved, in taille-douce, on rather stout, rough wove paper, bleuté or white, according to the date of issue; watermarked with an anchor, which is, however, not always very easy to see. The stock, or crossbar, of this anchor is 2 mm. wide, and 7 1/2 mm. long. The ornament at the top of the stamp, above the head, is a sort of flower, of 8 petals—four large, pointed oval ones, with four small, pear-shaped ones between them. The center of this flower is a colored dot, surrounded by a circular ring, but the whole is frequently blotched into one large dot. There are no colored lines radiating from this central ring. The ornaments in the other two corners show a dot in the center, surrounded by a somewhat oval ring, and from the ring proceed four colored lines, one into each of the larger petals. In good specimens, these lines extend almost to the very tips of the two horizontal petals, though the vertical ones do not go to the tips of the upper and lower petals. The face has a fairly pleasing expression, but the chin is rather retreating. The profile shows an indentation, where the nose joins the forehead; i.e., the nose is not in the same line with the forehead. There is no projecting tuft, where the hair begins, on the forehead. The chignon is decidedly small and unobtrusive; it is generally shaded nearly all over, and does not touch the scalloped outline, under the value. A line, drawn centrally along the stem of the anchor, would just touch the bottom of the C of CAPE; and a similar line, drawn along the top of the outline of the right knee, would pass almost through the center of the S of POSTAGE. The tip of the left foot reaches to the center of the vertical stroke of the P of CAPE; i.e., if a line were drawn vertically upwards, through the center of this stroke, it would just touch the tip of the great toe. The hair and chignon stand out very little from the background. The left hand appears to be closed, except that one finger is slightly extended. In the right hand, the thumb and first finger are very distinct, but the other fingers are almost invisible, and are much shorter than the first finger. The end of the head of the anchor is slightly pointed, and the outline of the thick part of the fluke or barb of the upper arm of the said anchor is cut off obliquely, by a line that, if prolonged downwards, would cut through the center of the first O of GOOD. The point of the fluke of the lower arm of the anchor comes almost to the very edge of the rock on which it lies. T h e background, behind the figure, is composed of engine-turned lines, but set so very close together that, at a little distance, it looks perfectly solid, and there are no scratchy lines on the said background, between the value and the rock. The point of the great toe of the right foot is exactly above the center of the E of CAPE, and the foot itself is nicely shaped—the profile of the toes being of normal thickness. There is no flaw in the upper part of the frame round the flower, in the left lower corner of the stamp. In the scalloped line along I lie top of the name-label, one point of a scallop is above the center of (he C of CAPE, another above the right top corner of the A, and another above the right of the center of the P of that word.

First Forgery

I first saw this in 1891, and it was then the best counterfeit of this issue that had appeared up to that time. Very nicely engraved, in taille-douce, on very stout, rough, yellowish-white wove paper, brownish gum, no watermark. The only value which I possess is the One Shilling, which is printed in bright chestnut-brown, bluish-green, yellow-green, and a very yellowish, olive-green,—a most peculiar colour. The ornament at the top of the stamp, above the head, has a very tiny ring, not quite in the center, and round this is an oval ring, from which proceed four dark rays into the four large petals of the flower; these rays do not exist in the genuine. The ornaments in the lower corners of the stamp are fairly like the genuine; except that the dark rays are much too short, and do not extend to anywhere near the ends of the leaves. The rays in the left-hand ornament are not truly at right angles with each other. The face has a disagreeable expression, and the profile is almost a straight line from the top of the forehead to the tip of the nose, without any indentation. There is a ridiculous tuft or knob, in front of the forehead, just where the hair begins. This is an easy test. In the genuine, there is a tiny white spot in the engine-turning of the background, very near the forehead, and the forgers have mistaken this (very inconspicuous) dot for part of the hair. The chignon is too white, and too large, and consists of three large folds of hair; whereas, in the genuine, there seem to be only two folds, so far as I can make out. A line drawn centrally through the stem of the anchor would pass through the very middle of the C of CAPE, and a similar line, drawn along the top of the outline of the knee (which, however, in this forgery, is much more rounded and curved than in the genuine), would cut through the center of the O of POSTAGE. The tip of the left foot reaches about as far as the genuine, but the great toe is too big, and looks swollen. All five toes are quite distinct,—more so than in the genuine. The point of the toe of the right foot is thicker than the genuine, and has not the same slightly upward curve; it seems to lie very close to the little toe of the left foot, owing to the absence of the shading which separates them in the genuine. The hair and chignon stand out too prominently from the background. The left hand is open, and shows four fingers, but no thumb. The right hand is also open, and shows a thumb and three fingers, the second finger being distinctly longer than the first. The end of the head of the anchor is smoothly rounded. The flukes of the anchor are cut in, almost like the barb of a fish-hook, and the outline of the barb of the upper half of the anchor, if prolonged, would cut into the D of GOOD. The point of the lower fluke does not reach the bottom outline of the rock. The engine-turned lines of the background are far too distinct and separate; they are wavy, horizontal lines, crossed by oblique ones, which run down from left to right. In the genuine, no particular pattern can be discerned. A point of the scalloped line, above the name, touches the left top corner of the A of CAPE, and another touches the exact center of the P. All the lettering looks too large and prominent, being 1 3/4 mm. high, instead of 1 1/2 mm.

Second Forgery

This is quite new to me (1902), and decidedly dangerous, though hardly so finely executed as the one just described. Nicely engraved, in taille-douce, on thick, rather rough, very white wove paper, white gum, “watermarked” with an impressed anchor, the stock or cross-bar of which, when visible, is only about f mm. wide, by about 5 mm. long. There is a full set; but the background is not exactly the same in all; the One Penny is in deep carmine, almost lake; the Fourpence is in sky-blue, and in deep blue, inclining to indigo; the Sixpence is a cold purple; the One Shilling is a very deep yellow-green, and also emerald- green. Of the four, the Fourpence is the poorest. The lowest petal of the ornament at the top of the stamp has a tiny piece out of the middle of its left side, like a little, colored dot. The center of this ornament, in the 1d., seems to have two little rings, side by side, inside the central ring; in the 4d., the ring has a dark dot, to left of the center, inside the ring, and three dots outside the ring, at its upper part; in the 6d., it is an oval ring, inside a circular one ; and, in the is., it is something like the 6d., except that the outside ring is broken at the left side. The radiating lines in the ornaments in the lower corners of the stamp are much too short; one of the said lines, in the left-hand corner, is crooked, or bent; and there is a dark flaw, across the top outline of the diamond-shaped frame, round the ornament in the left-hand corner, where the engraver’s tool has slipped over the boundary. This flaw does not exist in the genuine, or in.any of the other forgeries. The face is fairly agreeable, but the nose is somewhat too fat and rounded, while the chin comes well forward. The forehead and nose, like the genuine, are not in one straight line. The chignon is too large and conspicuous in the 4d., though not so much so in the other values. In the 4d., it not only touches the scalloped outline of the frame behind it, but one of the scallops actually cuts into it. In the other values, the chignon does not touch the frame. In all the values, it seems to be one fold, or mass of hair, tied round, close to the head, with another band of hair. A line drawn up through the center of the vertical stroke of the P of CAPE would pass decidedly to the left of the point of the big toe of the left foot. The thumb and two fingers of the right hand are quite distinct; one of the fingers being shapeless and clumsy. There is a distinct point to the head of the anchor, and it is not in the very center of the bow or arch, but too low. One great test for the Fourpence is the background. In front of the seated figure, it is fairly like the genuine, though the lines are too plain; but, at the back of the figure, the lines are extremely scratchy and irregular. The other values are not so scratchy at this place; the is. is the best in this respect. The thick part of the upper fluke or barb of the anchor is cut off obliquely, by a line that, if prolonged downwards, would pass a little to the right of the center of the first O of GOOD. The right foot ends above the center of the E of CAPE, as in the genuine; but it is badly shaped, with the instep very thick, and the toe runs out to a long, slender point, not coming near to the little toe of the left foot. In the scalloped line, along the top of the name-label, there is one point of a scallop over the end of the C of CAPE, none over the A, and one over the end of the P of that word. Notwithstanding all these differences, the general appearance of this forgery is so good, that I must warn my readers to be careful.

Third Forgery

This is a very poor and coarse production, compared with the two just described. Coarsely lithographed, on thin, smooth, greenish, or very white wove paper, no watermark. The greenish paper is intended to represent the bleuté of the earliest Penny and Fourpence. The petals of the floral ornament at the top of the stamp are all very thin and ” scraggy.” The ornament in the left bottom corner shows a very oval ring, round which is another, from which the four dark lines radiate; the one running upwards goes almost to the very top of the leaf; though (his is usually the shortest of the four in the genuine. The face is not unlike the portraits of Mr. Balfour, and the shading on the cheek is exactly like a whisker. The chignon is very small and inconspicuous. The nose is too short, in proportion to the face; the chin comes forward, and is pointed. A line drawn centrally along the stem of the anchor would cut through the middle of the P of CAPE; and a similar line, drawn along the upper outline of the knee, would go through the upper part of the s of POSTAGE. The left foot is very badly shaped, having apparently had some operation performed to the little toe, which is more or less bent away from the rest. The great toe reaches to the middle of the p of CAPE, as though the artist was not quite sure whether it was a little toe, or a heel. A line drawn upwards, through the center of the vertical stroke of the P of CAPE, would just touch the point of the great toe, as in the genuine. The left hand is doubled up into a fist, and the right hand is open, showing two fingers and a thumb, the first finger being absurdly thick and swollen. The head and flukes of the anchor are like the genuine, though the head is slightly more pointed. The white spot in the engine-turning, just opposite to the place where the hair and forehead join, is very much too prominent, and is round. In the genuine, it is a tiny, white dash, higher up than the front of the hair. The lines in the background, to represent the fine engine-turning of the genuine, are clumsy and blotched together, presenting a more or less mottled appearance. This forgery is not dangerous.

Fourth Forgery

Very coarsely lithographed, on rather thick, fairly smooth, white wove paper, no watermark, ungummed. I do not know how the sheets of the genuine were arranged, but I have sheets of all the values of this counterfeit, and they are in three rows, of five pairs of stamps in each row,—30 stamps in all. The floral ornament in the top corner is very poor, as the petals or lobes are hardly separated from each other. The radiating lines in the ornaments in the lower corners are short and very faint; the lowest one in the right-hand ornament, being like a slit in the leaf, and running to the left, instead of vertically downwards. The face is quite that of an imbecile, with a long upper lip, a more or less open mouth, and a very retreating chin. The profile is almost a straight line, from the top of the forehead to the tip of the nose. The chignon is practically invisible; it is merely a small, white dot. A line drawn centrally along the stem of the anchor would cut into the foot of the P of CAPE. The tip of the left foot extends very little further than the space between PE; the said foot is badly shaped, and there are no toes visible; in fact, the foot is in profile, like the other, instead of showing five toes. The heel of the left foot is like a boot-heel. The right hand shows a thumb, and one finger; the left hand shows three fingers. The anchor is thin, and poorly drawn, and the bottom fluke comes to the very edge of the rock. The background is exceedingly coarse, being composed of slightly wavy, crossed lines. The engine-turning, behind the lettering, is represented by almost straight, colored lines, on a white background, and these, also, are very coarse. The letters have a ragged, unfinished look about them, and they are not all alike in height and thickness. In the 1d. and 4d., there is no separation between the words of value, and the O of FOUR is squeezed flat at the bottom. In the 6d., the words of value are smaller than the rest of the lettering; and, in the is., the letters of ONE are considerably larger than those of SHILLING, and the O very nearly touches the frame to left of it. The line along the top of the name-label is not scalloped, but is formed of pairs of short lines (= = =). I do not think this forgery ought to deceive any but a tyro, yet I constantly get specimens from amateurs to know whether they are genuine or not.

Postmarks

Genuine.—The most usual is something like 30 (only it is a triangle, instead of a diamond), with a blank center, and with large outlined letters, C, G, H, near the corners of the triangle. I have also seen the name of a town, in block lettering, arranged in an oval form, without outline. Also name of a town, in a large, outlined oval.

First Forgery.—Uncancelled.

Second Forgery.—A diamond, like 30, but much elongated, with blank center.

Third Forgery.—41, 62, 98.

Fourth Forgery.—98.

Bogus stamp

One Penny, blue.

I have a specimen of the one penny of this issue which, at a distance, resembles the fourpence. Knowing that the issue next to be described contained a 1d., blue, the fakers have dyed the whole stamp, paper and all, to a blue, very like that of the 4d. of this issue. Such a stamp, of course, never existed.

NOTE.—After the interregnum, which was filled up by the “block- printed” provisionals of 1861, described below, the printing of the stamps, from Messrs. Perkins, Bacon, and Co.’s plates of the issue just dissected, was continued by Messrs. De la Rue and Co., in slightly different colors; but it will be understood that the tests which I have given are the same for the stamps of both printings. The 1d., with watermark of Crown and C C, often cataloged, is only a proof.

Album_Weeds_CapeOfGoodHope_5 Album_Weeds_CapeOfGoodHope_61861. 1d., red, blue; 4d., blue, red.

These are what are commonly called the “block-printed” stamps. The 1d., blue, and the 4d., red, are errors, arising from a cliche of each getting into the sheet of the other value; so that there was a 4d. on each sheet of the id. value, and a 1d. on each sheet of the 4d. The stamps were engraved in the colony, pending the arrival of a new supply from England, and are very rough.

One Penny.

Genuine

Block-printed on yellowish-white laid paper, rather thin. In many copies, the laid lines are not at all conspicuous. At the top of the stamp, above the head of the figure, there is a sort of star, formed by five roughly-circular white dots, arranged in the form of a cross, with four thin, long white dots between the spaces of the four outer, large round ones. To put it clearer, there is a large round white dot in the center, surrounded by four large, round white dots, and four long, thin dots, placed alternately. A line drawn centrally along the stem of the anchor would cut through the middle of the E of CAPE, and a line drawn along Hp upper outline of the right knee would pass centrally through the S of POSTAGE. The tip of the left foot reaches just as far as the beginning of the P of CAPE. The right foot, which crosses over the left, reaches to the beginning of the E of CAPE. The chignon is round and distinct, though small; and it is placed just under the first stroke of the N of ONE. The projecting piece of ground, to the right of the anchor, is nicely shaped, and shaded. There is no white line round the outside of the stamp. The lettering, in all good and unflattened specimens, stands ti|i well from the paper, being slightly embossed in the press; and one edge of the stamp, generally the one outside the value-label, is quite deeply sunk into the paper. The O of ONE very nearly touches the. white line to the left of it. There are no white lines in any of the frames, and the white lines under POSTAGE and ONE PENNY, and above CAPE OF GOOD HOPE, are single, and straight. The figure of Hope is bald-headed, her eye is more or less round, and she is looking down, apparently contemplating her own right knee. The upper fluke of the anchor, if prolonged, would cut into her left arm, well below the elbow, but not near the hand. The lower fluke of the anchor is deeply buried in the ground, and quite invisible. It will be understood, of course, that the background of the stamp, both in the 1d. and the 4d., is solid, without any indication of engine-turned lines. The name and value-labels are also solid.

First Forgery

Lithographed, on very stout, yellowish-white wove paper. The ornament in the top corner of the stamp is a sort of asterisk, showing a very small, white dot in the center, surrounded by eight small dots, more or less round, and all of about equal size. A line drawn centrally along the stem of the anchor would cut centrally through the A of CAPE. A line drawn along the upper outline of the knee would just touch the foot of the P of POSTAGE. The tip of the left foot reaches to the middle of the P of CAPE, and the tip of the right foot reaches to the middle of the E of that word. The chignon is almost invisible, and it is too high up, so that the first stroke of the N of ONE, if prolonged, would almost pass below it without touching it. The projecting piece of ground, to the right of the anchor, is shaped almost like a heart, and is altogether unshaded, except for the thick line which outlines the curve of the anchor. There is a white line all round the outside of the stamp, inside the red edge. The lettering is not embossed, and no edge of the stamp is sunk into the paper. The O of ONE is more than half a millimeter distant from the white line to the left of it. The figure of Hope has a very skeleton-looking head; her eye is roughly triangular, with the point downwards, and she appears to be looking slightly downwards, towards the T of POSTAGE. The upper fluke of the anchor is not visible in my specimen, but if it were, it would, if prolonged, almost cut into the elbow. The lower part of the head or bow of anchor is visible, but it has no proper fluke.

Second Forgery

This is not in my possession, and I only took one or two hasty notes at a time when I had no genuine specimens to compare with it. The left foot of the figure is absurdly long and thin, and reaches to a little before the beginning of the P of CAPE. The words CAPE OF GOOD HOPE are very close together, so as almost to look like one single word. The stamp is lithographed, on white wove paper.

Third Forgery

I saw this some little time ago, and fear that it is dangerous. The impression is apparently in wood-block, like that of the genuine, and on both laid and wove paper. I have no tests, but trust that the description of the genuine given above may suffice for the detection of this counterfeit.

Fourth Forgery

Lithographed, in brick-red, ultramarine, and Prussian-blue, on stout, hard, very white wove paper. The star at the top of the stamp shows a small, white dot, surrounded by eight long, white dots, all about the same size; and the whole is much more distinct than in the genuine. The tip of the left foot hardly reaches to the middle of the P of CAPE. The other foot is not visible. By the way, in this forgery, the foot looks more as though it belonged to the right leg, which is crossed over the other. There is no chignon, but Hope wears a white wreath or tiara. All the lettering is very distinct, but it does not stand up from the paper. The C of CAPE is very badly shaped. None of the edges of the stamp are sunk into the paper. The O of ONE is even further from the end of the label than it is in the first forgery. The face of Hope is much better-looking than in the genuine, or any of the other counterfeits. There is dark hair under the wreath, and the eye is a transverse oblong, going nearly across the face. She holds her head straight up, and appears to be looking forwards at the G of POSTAGE. The upper fluke of the anchor, in this forgery, is an easy test, as it is an arrow-head, and points to the hand. The lower fluke is visible, and shows even slightly below the edge of the piece of ground.

Fifth Forgery

Lithographed, in a sort of rose-pink, on thick, yellowish-white wove paper. The ornament at the top of the stamp has a round, dark center, and shows eight rays, joined together at their bases, so as to make a sort of wheel, without a tyre. A line drawn along the center of the stem of the anchor would cut centrally through the O of OF. There seem to be only a few oblique lines of drapery, in place of the left foot, and the front of this drapery is just above the end of the P of CAPE. The right foot reaches nearly to the middle of the E of that word. The head is rather covered by the postmark, but it appears to be decidedly larger than the genuine, with hair and chignon heavily shaded. The face has a very sulky expression, and eye, nostril, and mouth are all visible. The ground, to right of the anchor, is shaded with horizontal, and, at the end, with vertical lines, though these are not shown in the genuine. The lettering does not stand up at all from the paper. The o of ONE is as far from the end of the label, as the E of that word is from the P of PENNY. There are horizontal white lines of shading at the ends of all three outer labels, before and after POSTAGE, ONE PENNY, and CAPE OF GOOD HOPE; and the inner lines of the frame, which form the central triangle, are double, and wavy, instead of single and straight. The head of the anchor shows a decided point, much more so than in the genuine, and the lower fluke is plainly visible. I do not think this forgery is very likely to deceive.

Sixth Forgery

Coarsely lithographed, on rather thin, yellowish-white wove paper. I only have this in pale blue (soi-disant error) but no doubt it also exists in red. The ornament in the top corner is a fairly large, round white dot, with four similar dots round it, making a cross, and very faint indications of four thin, longish dots between the arms. A line drawn along the center of the stem of the anchor would cut through the middle of the G of GOOD; and a line drawn along the outline of the knee would cut into the lower part of the S of POSTAGE. The tip of the left foot reaches to the center of the P of CAPE, and the right foot, which crosses over, reaches to the center of the E of that word. Hope seems to have a white cap, resting on dark hair; and the first stroke of the N of ONE, if prolonged downwards, would pass to the right of the cap. The projecting piece of ground, to the right of the anchor, ends in a sharp point. There is a white line round the outside edge of the stamp, and no edge is sunk into the paper. The lettering does not stand up. The O of ONE is a long way from the end of the label. Hope is very round-shouldered, her mouth is plainly visible, and she is looking straight forward, at the G of POSTAGE. The anchor has no flukes.

Postmarks

Genuine.—As in the first issue.

First Forgery.—80, 101 (with an extra ring).
Second Forgery.—I do not remember the cancellations.

Third Forgery.—I do not remember the cancellations.

Fourth Forgery.—Uncancelled. Also an imitation of the triangle of parallel lines, with outline letters, C, G, H, in the angles, but the lines are too thin, and the cancellation is lithographed.

Fifth Forgery.—54, larger, with blank center.

Sixth Forgery.—98, lines thicker and closer.

1861. Fourpence, blue, red.

Genuine

Engraving, paper, etc., as in the genuine one penny; ornament at the top of the stamp ditto. A line, drawn along the outline of the knee, would just graze the left lower corner of the s of POSTAGE. The tip of the left foot extends to the center of the P of CAPE, and the tip of the right foot to rather further than the center of the E of that word. The heel of the right foot is over the commencement of the O of OF. The chignon is decidedly larger than in the one penny, and is under the center of the O of FOUR. The projecting piece of ground, to the right of the anchor, is the same as in the one penny in shape, but has more shading on it. The left-hand vertical edge of the F of FOUR is rather more than 1/2 mm. from the end of the label. There is no white line round the outside of the stamp, and the slight embossing of the letters, and the one sunk edge of the stamp, are the same as in the one penny. The inscription, FOUR PENCE, is 19 1/2 mm. long, and the word POSTAGE is 19 mm. long, while the name is 29 1/2 mm. long. The dark mark, representing the eye, usually seems to run to the hair, and down to the nostril, thus forming two sides of a triangle. The head is bent down, as in the one penny. Both flukes of the anchor are visible, and the upper fluke, if prolonged, would cut into the arm, somewhat below the elbow, as in the one penny.

First Forgery

This is very like the first forgery of the one penny. It is lithographed, in dull ultramarine, on stout, very yellowish-white wove paper. The ornament at the top of the stamp is a very small white dot, surrounded by eight small dots, of about equal size. A line drawn along the outline of the knee would just graze the left side of the bottom of the O of POSTAGE. The tip of the left foot is above the center of the P of CAPE; that is to say, a line drawn up, along the right-hand edge of the vertical stroke of the P, would just about touch the tip of the foot. The other foot does not seem to be defined, but my specimens have a postmark just there, so I am unable to speak positively. However, what is intended for the heel of the right foot is decidedly to the left of the o of OF. The chignon is a very small white knob, and it is under the beginning of the 0 of FOUR. The projecting piece of ground, to the right of the anchor, is shaped something like a heart, without any shading, except the colored line that divides it from the anchor. The left-hand vertical edge of the F of FOUR is less than 1/2 mm. from the end of the label. There is a white line round the stamp, and no edge is sunk into the paper, neither is there any embossing of the lettering. The inscription, FOUR PENCE, is 19 mm. long; POSTAGE is 17 1/2 mm. long, and the name is 28 1/4 mm. long. The head is quite bald, and the blotch, representing the eye, runs down, so as almost to obliterate the nose. The head is very nearly upright, and the face seems to be looking almost in the direction of the A of POSTAGE. The anchor has no flukes, and the upper part, if prolonged, would very nearly touch the elbow.

Second Forgery

Lithographed, in deep blue, or in red, on stout, yellowish-white wove paper. The ornament in the top corner is rather like that in the first forgery of the one penny, but the central white dot is very large. A line drawn along the outline of the knee would pass just clear to the left of the S of POSTAGE. The tip of the left foot extends further than in the genuine, so that a line, drawn up through the center of the vertical stroke of the P of CAPE, would actually cut into it. The tip of the left foot ends just above the left-hand edge of the E of that word. The heel of this foot is almost centrally above the space between the two words, CAPE OF. The chignon is a small spike, which, if prolonged, would pass along the outer edge of the o of FOUR. The projecting piece of ground, to the right of the anchor, is covered by the postmark in my specimen, but it seems to have far less shading upon it than the genuine. The F of FOUR is even closer to the end of the label than the genuine is. The lettering is not embossed, and there is no sunk edge to the stamp. The inscription, FOUR PENCE, is 18 1/2 mm. long, measuring from the upright edge of the F to the end of the E. POSTAGE, measured the same way, is only 17 1/2 mm. long, and the name is 28 mm. long. The dark mark, representing the eye, is similar to that of the first forgery of the one penny. The anchor is covered by the postmark, in my specimen, so I am not sure whether it has flukes or not. There is no white line round the stamp in this counterfeit. The lettering is decidedly better than in the first forgery, and the head is slightly bent down, as though looking towards the T of POSTAGE. At a first glance, the figure seems almost the same as in the first forgery; but, in this counterfeit, the dark line, coming down from the ear, joins the oblique line that runs across the breast, whereas they are quite separate in the first forgery.

Third Forgery

This is new to me (1902), and is, in some respects, dangerous. Block-printed, in red (I have not got this in blue), on thick, hard, yellowish-white laid paper. The ornament at the top of the stamp is very like the genuine. The outline of the knee is covered by the postmark, but I fancy it slopes much more than the genuine. The tip of the left foot extends to above the center of the P of CAPE; the other foot is hidden by the postmark. The chignon and face are very like the genuine. The piece of ground, to the right of the anchor, appears to be in two steps at 1he end. The left-hand, vertical edge of the F of FOUR is less than 1/2 mm. from the end of the label. In my specimen, the POSTAGE edge of the stamp is sunk into the paper, and all the lettering is slightly embossed. The inscription, FOUR PENCE, is 19 mm. long; POSTAGE is 18 1/2 mm. long, and the name is 29 1/2 mm. long, this last measurement being the same as the genuine. The upper fluke of the anchor is too large and clumsy, while the lower fluke, as far as I can make out, is buried in the ground. In this forgery, the right limb of the T of POSTAGE hangs down very much more than the left; and, if this is always the case, it will be an easy test; as, in the genuine, the left limb hangs down very slightly more than the right,—just the opposite of the forgery.

Fourth Forgery

This is very much the same as the fourth forgery of the one penny, but is not nearly so nicely printed. It is lithographed, in rather deep blue, on yellowish-white wove paper. The ornament at the top of the stamp shows a very small, white dot, surrounded by eight longish, white dots, the alternate ones being small. The outline of the top of the knee is broken, so that the leg is entirely separate from the body, and the hand seems to be unsupported in the air, in the dark shading. The tip of the left foot does not nearly reach to the middle of the P of CAPE, and the other foot is absent. In this forgery, as in the fourth forgery of the one penny, the foot seems to belong to the right leg. There is no ehignon, but Hope wears a white tiara or wreath. There is a large, triangular patch of shading in the piece of ground, to right of the anchor. An easy test is, that the flukes of the anchor are arrow- shaped. The left-hand, vertical edge of the F of FOUR is F mm. from the end of the label. The lettering is not embossed, and none of the edges are sunk into the paper. FOUR PENCE is only 17 1/4 mm. long; POSTAGE is 16 mm. long, and the name is only 25 mm. long. The eye is long and horizontal, reaching to the front of the face. The head is held quite upright, looking towards the G of POSTAGE. The upper fluke of the anchor, if prolonged, would touch the hand. The c of CAPE is of the same shape as the malformed letter of the fourth forgery of the one penny.

Postmarks

Genuine.—The same as the genuine one penny.

First Forgery.—40, 41, 98, 101 (larger, with four circles).

Second. Forgery.—98. Also some red blotches Also some large black letters.

Third Forgery.—Like 41, but the lines are arranged as a triangle, instead of a diamond.

Fourth Forgery.—The triangle of bars, with outlined letters, C, G, H, in the angles, but thinner than the genuine.

 

Album_Weeds_CapeOfGoodHope_7 Album_Weeds_CapeOfGoodHope_81864-90. 1/2d., 1d., 2d., 3d., 4d., 6d., 1s. & 5s

The stamps with the outer line do not seem to have been imitated; at any rate, I have seen no forgeries of them. My younger readers will please remember that the stamps of 1864-77, marked in the catalogs as “with narrow outer frame,” show a thin, colored line, outside the top and bottom, while there are three colored lines down the sides—a thick line between two thin ones. In the later issues, there is no line at the top or bottom, and only two lines down the sides. The forgeries now to be described are not at all dangerous.

Genuine

Engraved, in épargne, on white wove paper, perf. 14, watermark varying, as above, according to the date of issue. A line drawn down through the center of the G of GOOD, would cut into the hair of the figure of Hope, but would not touch the face; and a line drawn down, through the first o of the said word, would pass through the middle of the face. The eye, mouth, and horn of the ram are very plain and distinct. Hope wears a tiara. Her dress is fastened with a distinct brooch on each shoulder. The lower fluke of the anchor is diamond- shaped. The hand on the stock of the anchor shows four fingers and a thumb, the thumb being separate from the fingers. The stock of the anchor is bound round, in four places, by what seem to be three coils of rope, and the three coils are easy to see, in each case. The letters of the name are 1 mm. high. The C of CAPE’ is not at all like a G.

Forged

There seems to be only one set, but the stamps are very common; and this is rather surprising, for the average collector ought to be able to detect them at a glance. Lithographed, on very white wove paper, no watermark, pin-perforated 13. All the stamps are of the 1871 type, i.e., without the colored, outer line. I have only seen the 1d., 4d., 6d., 1s., and 5s. A line drawn down, through the center of the G of GOOD, would cut almost through the center of the face; and a similar line, drawn down through the first o of this word, would cut into the hair on the left side of the face (right side of the stamp), and hardly touch the face itself. The mouth of the ram is not visible in the heavy shading, the eye is a large, dim blotch, and the horn is too white, and only curls down and up, with a slight turn to the right at the tip; whereas, in the genuine, it curls down, up, and down again, i.e., the spiral has an extra turn. There does not seem to be any tiara on the head of Hope, and there are no brooches on her shoulders. The lower fluke of the anchor is shaped like an arrow-head. The hand on the stock of the anchor shows four fingers and no thumb. The said stock is bound round in lour places, as in the genuine, but some of the coils appear to be only double, instead of triple. The lettering of the value is really almost as 1 all as the genuine, but looks much smaller, in consequence of the label being more than 2 mm. broad, instead of about 1 1/2 mm. The C of CAPE is usually a distinct G.

Postmarks

Genuine.—1, 55, 56, 59. Also one similar to 35.

Forged.—98.

Album_Weeds_CapeOfGoodHope_91868. Provisional Issue. Fourpence, surcharged on 6d., lilac.

In this stamp, the value is obliterated, by a broad bar of dull carmine, and the surcharge “Four Pence”, is printed near the top of the stamp, in the same colour as the bar, with a stop after the words. The stamp is, of course, the 6d. of 1864-77, with CC watermark.

Genuine

The surcharge is printed on the stamp, and the letters are sunk into the paper, more or less. From the left-hand edge of the upright stroke of the F, to the right-hand edge of the upright stroke of the R, the distance is exactly 6 mm. From the left-hand edge of the upright stroke of the P, to the right-hand edge of the final E, the distance is 8 mm. The lettering of the lower label can be seen through the colored bar.

Forged

The whole stamp is forged, and not merely the surcharge, so this counterfeit is not at all dangerous. The forgers, not being able to imitate properly the cancelling of the old value, have taken the forged 6d., already described, and removed the bottom part of the design altogether. In the blank space so left, they have lithographed a broad band of vermilion, with the words POSTAGE six PENCE, in white letters, the band, instead of being covered by it. The surcharged words, “Four Pence,” are in the same vermilion hue, being, of course, lithographed at the same time; they are not at all sunk into the paper. The distances, measured as before, are: F—r, 6 1/2 mm., instead of 6 mm.; P—e, 8 mm., the same as the genuine; but there is no stop after the surcharge. For the rest of the design, the tests are the same as in the forgeries of the issue just described.

Postmarks

Genuine.—As before.

Forged.—98.

Album_Weeds_CapeOfGoodHope_101880. Threepence, surcharged in black, on 4d., lilac-rose.

Genuine

The stamp is the type of the 4d. of 1871 (no outer line), but is printed in lilac-rose, instead of blue, watermark CC. The letters of the surcharge are very nearly 2 1/2 mm. high. From the left-hand end of the top of the T, to the right-hand end of the top of the last E, the surcharge is 15 1/2 mm. long; and from the bottom of the T to the bottom of the last E, it is 15 mm. long.

Forged

This is printed on the one penny, rose, of 1882, watermark CA, and is, therefore, bogus. The surcharge is about 2 3/4 mm. high, 17 mm. along the top, and about 16 1/2 mm. along the bottom, measured as before. It is in ragged, uneven letters, very badly printed. The CA watermark, and the original value of “one penny”, instead of “four pence”, are, of course, enough to condemn this stamp instantly.

Album_Weeds_CapeOfGoodHope_111879. Threepence, in red, on 4d., blue.

Genuine

The stamp is the blue 4d. of 1871, without outer line, watermark CC, and the surcharge is in red. The letters are nearly 1 1/2 mm. high; THREE is 7 mm. in length, measured along the top; PENCE is mm. long, and the whole surcharge is nearly 15 mm. along the top. The red bar through the old value is 1 1/2 mm. broad.

Forged

This is printed in black, on the one penny, rose, of 1882, watermark CA, and is, therefore, altogether bogus. The letters are a shade over 1 1/2 mm. high; THREE is nearly 10 mm. long, measured as before; PENCE is 7 mm. long, and the whole surcharge is 16 mm. along the top. The black bar through the old value is 2 mm. broad, with rather ragged edges.

Album_Weeds_CapeOfGoodHope_121888-89. Threepence, lilac-rose, surcharged “3”, in black.

Genuine

The balls to the ends of the 3 are of good size, the lower one Q measuring 1 1/4 mm. across, horizontally. The central tongue of the O numeral is cut off square. The numeral is sometimes found inverted, and the value of the stamp is then 16s., instead of 1s.

Forged

This has the numeral inverted. I suppose the forgers did not trouble to print the common variety. The numeral is capitally done, and exceedingly like the genuine. It is rather too thin, both balls are too small, and the lower one is only about 3/4 mm. across, while the central tongue is rather rounded, instead of being cut off square.

Postmarks

The forged surcharges, being on genuine stamps of the 1882 issue, show the proper postmarks of that issue, most frequently 67, also 1.

Album_Weeds_CapeOfGoodHope_131882. One Half-penny, in black, surcharged on 3d., claret.

Genuine

The O of ONE is very oval, and the outline is extremely thin at the top and bottom. A line drawn down along the left-hand edge of the N of this word would very nearly cut into the vertical stroke of the P below it, and a line drawn down along the right-hand edge of the right-hand limb of the said N would pass between the P and E below it, almost grazing the E. The bar at the bottom is very nearly 2 mm. wide.

Forged

This is exceedingly good. It is, as I have said, printed on the 3d., C C, like the genuine. The inside of the 0 looks too round, and the top and bottom of the letter are somewhat thicker than the genuine. A line drawn down along the left-hand edge of the N would pass well to the right of the vertical stroke of the P below it; and a line drawn down along the right-hand edge of the N would decidedly cut into the E below it. The bar at the bottom of the stamp is 1 1/2 mm. wide.

Postmarks

The stamps with forged surcharges bear genuine postmarks.

 

From: ‘Album Weeds’, 3rd edition by R. B. Eareé. 1906

 

LupSee also –> Spud Papers – Cape of Good Hope

 

Album Weeds – Canada

Album_Weeds_Canada11857. 3d., rose, perf. 12.

I have seen no forgery of the stamp itself; but, as the perforated issue is worth 12s., while the unperforated only fetches 1s. 6d., the forgers have supplied the genuine with various gauges of perforations.

Genuine Perforation

The perforation gauges 12, and is nicely done. From outside to outside of the perforations, the stamp measures 25 x 20 1/2 mm.

Forged Perforations

I have the stamps perf. 10, 12, 12 1/4, and 13. From outside to outside of the perforations, the following are the measurements of the stamps in my possession:

Gauge of Perforation / Size of Stamp:.

  • Perf. 10 / 24 x 19 1/2 mm.
  • Perf. 12 / 24 x 19 1/2 mm.
  • Perf. 12 / 24 x 19 mm.
  • Perf. 12 1/4 / 24 1/2 x 19 1/2 mm.
  • Perf. 13 / 24 x 19 3/4 mm.

As might be expected from these measurements, the perforations generally eat into the design, on one side, if not more. The stamps perf. 12 are, of course, dangerous.

My publishers’ Catalogue states that this value is known perf. 14, and also percé en scie 13, but that it is very doubtful whether these latter are genuine.

1857. 6d., grey-lilac, purple-brown, perf. 12.

Genuine Perforation

This is a clean-cut perf. 12, as before.

Forged Perforation

My only specimen is perf. 12, like the genuine, but it has a very poor and ragged appearance, and is extremely close to the design on three sides.

Postmarks

Genuine.—One of the most usual postmarks on the early Canadians is very like 68, but with the outside circle no thicker than the rest. I have also 6, with very large numerals in the center. There are, however, many others.

Forged.—These, of course, have genuine cancellations.

Bogus Official

I have lately (1902) come across the large cent of 1868 with the word OFFICIAL (measuring 20 x 2b mm., printed obliquely upwards, from left lower to right upper corner. No such stamp was ever issued.

 

From: ‘Album Weeds’, 3rd edition by R. B. Eareé. 1906

Album Weeds – British Honduras

1866-1884. 1d., 3d., 6d. & 1s.

Album_Weeds_BritishHonduras1 Album_Weeds_BritishHonduras2One Penny.

Genuine

Engraved in epargné, on somewhat glacé, white wove paper, rather soft, and of medium thickness; watermark and perforation as in the above list. There is an ornamental stop before and after the name; each stop is a sort of eight-petalled flower, with a large and a small petal alternately, and all perfectly distinct from each other. None of the lettering touches the boundary-lines of the garter anywhere. There are three lines of shading to the left of the buckle of the garter, with slight indications of a fourth line, and the tongue of the buckle does not touch any of these three lines. The point of the tongue is not outlined. The hole in the overhanging end of the strap is very close to the little leaf below it, but a good distance from the two curved lines of shading above it. There are eighteen vertical lines of shading’, counting from the bottom, on the part of the garter where the two holes are, between the overhanging end and the P of PENNY. The centers of the two holes are almost entirely white. There are fourteen very distinct pearls on the front arch of the crown, and also on the back arch, and three on the short central arch. The ear is tolerably distinct, with a lobe. The hair can be traced almost up to the very front of the forehead, under the crown. There are eighteen transverse lines of shading, going across the neck and front of the throat. There are nine clear lines of shading from the upper eyelid to the top of the forehead; the lowest three are thicker than the others. The center of the band at the base of the crown is not shaded. The top and bottom limbs of the E of ONE are exactly the same length.

Forged

Lithographed, on common, white wove paper; unwatermarked; perf. 12 1/2 very badly. The eight petals of the two flowers separating the name and value are, as nearly as possible, all alike, badly done, and jumbled together. The letters of the word PENNY all touch the boundary-line below them. There are three lines of shading to the left of the buckle, and the tongue of the buckle touches the inner line. The point of the tongue is outlined. The hole in the overhanging end of the strap touches the curved line above it, but it is not very close to the leaf below it. There are only ten vertical lines of shading on the part of the garter where the two holes are, and two of them are absurdly short. The center of the right-hand hole is entirely dark, and that of the left-hand one nearly all dark. The pearls on the back arch of the crown are so badly drawn as to be uncountable. There are four pearls on the short, central arch. There seem to be two ears, one behind the other, and without lobes. The hair does not go near the front of the forehead. There are only fifteen trans- verse lines of shading going across the neck and throat. There seem to be about six lines of shading from the upper eyelid to the top of the fore- head, but it is almost impossible to make them out; and one of them forms a distinct eyebrow, which is not the case with the genuine. The center of the band at the base of the crown has a line of shading all along it, from end to end. The lower limb of the E of ONE is much longer than the upper one.

Album_Weeds_BritishHonduras3Three Pence.

Genuine

Engraved in epargné; paper rather stouter and rougher than that of the one penny; perforation and watermark as above. The ornamental flowers before and after the name have four wedge-shaped petals, and four very fine lines separating them from each other, and with no colored dot in the center. None of the lettering touches the boundary-lines of the garter anywhere. There are ten graduated lines of shading to the left of the buckle of the garter, and there is a distinct tongue to the buckle, which touches the first of these lines of shading. The buckle itself is perfectly distinct, with a dark outline. The overhanging end of the garter is shaded by seven horizontal lines. To the right of this end, between it and the P of PENCE, there are nine vertical lines of shading, all touching, or very nearly touching, the outline below them. The hole in the strap has a white center, and it is about midway between the overhanging end and the P of PENCE. There are fourteen pearls on the back arch of the crown. The ear is as in the One Penny. There are three lines of shading on the forehead, above the eyebrow. There are eighteen lines of shading going across the neck and throat. The line of shading along the center of the band at the base of the crown can be distinctly traced the whole way across.

Forged

Lithographed, on stout, white wove paper; no watermark; perf. 12 1/2 and 13. The ornamental flowers, before and after the name, are the same as in the forged One Penny. The words THREE PENCE stand on the boundary-line of the garter. There are three lines of shading to the left of where the buckle ought to be, but the buckle itself is not there. The overhanging end of the garter is shaded with two vertical lines and a horizontal blotch. To the right of this end, between it and the P of PENCE, there are nine vertical lines of shading, but the last three to the right are high up, and do not go near the lower outline of the garter. The hole in the strap has a line of shading across it, and it is very much nearer to the overhanging end than to the P of PENCE. There seem to be about ten pearls on the back arch of the crown, but they are almost uncountable. There appear to be two ears, one behind the other, as in the forged One Penny. There are four lines of shading on the forehead above the eyebrow. There are fifteen lines of shading going across the neck and throat. The line of shading in the band at the base of the crown is blotched into the line above it for part of the way across. There is another or second “state” of this forgery, in which the forehead and front of the face are entirely white, the lines of shading having disappeared; it is, however, in other respects, exactly similar to the forgery just described.

Album_Weeds_BritishHonduras4Sixpence.

Genuine

Engraved in epargné, paper, watermark, and perforation as above. The ornamental flowers, before and after the name, are composed of six petals of equal size and shape, with a tiny ring in the middle, in the center of a white dot. None of the lettering touches the boundary-lines of the garter anywhere, but the top of the x of Six very nearly touches the outline above it. There are six lines of shading to the left of the buckle, and the tongue touches the sixth. The buckle is like a D in shape, two of the corners being rounded. The center of the buckle contains six oblique lines of shading. The overhanging end of the garter has two transverse lines of shading above the hole. There are seventeen lines of shading, of varying lengths, to the right of the overhanging end of the garter, and between it and the P of PENCE; the very short end-lines of this shading very nearly touch the P. The crown is exactly the same as in the One Penny. There are ten lines of shading on the forehead from the upper eyelid, and the lowest three are thicker than the rest. The ear is the same as in the One Penny. The hair can be traced up almost to the front of the forehead. There are, as in the One Penny, eighteen transverse lines of shading across the neck and throat. The center of the band, at the base of the crown, is not shaded, and this band is no wider at the back than in front.

First Forgery

Lithographed, on rather stout, unsurfaced, white wove paper; no watermark; perforated 12 1/2. The ornamental flowers, before and after the name, are exactly the same as in the forged One Penny. The letters of Six PENCE stand on the outline below them, and the x of Six is not near the outline above it. There are only three lines of shading to the left of the buckle, and the tongue of the buckle goes between the second and third. The upper corners of the buckle are very slightly rounded, though, in the genuine, it is the top and bottom right-hand corners which are rounded ; and in this forgery, the buckle is not in the least like a D. The center of the buckle contains five vertical lines of shading, instead of six very oblique ones. The overhanging end of the garter has two vertical lines of shading, and a transverse blotch at the top. There are about ten lines of shading on the garter, between the overhanging end and the P of PENCE; and the nearest of them is a very long way from the P. The crown is the same as in the forged One Penny. There are only four lines of shading on the forehead, above the eyebrow. The lines are all the same thickness. In some copies there seem to be two ears, one behind the other, as in the forged One Penny, but this is not always visible. The hair does not come near the front of the forehead. There are only fifteen lines across the throat and neck. There is a line of shading, part of the way along the band, at the base of the crown.

Second Forgery

This is much inferior to the counterfeit just described. Lithographed in pink, on moderately stout, white wove paper; no watermark; unperforated, or perf. 13, very badly. The ornamental flowers, before and after the name, are composed of seven equal-sized petals, with a dark dot in the center. The S of SIX just touches with its head the outline above it. There are four lines of shading to the left of the buckle, but the tongue of the buckle does not project over the rim. The top right corner of the buckle is very slightly rounded, but the other corners are square. There are seven oblique lines of shading inside the buckle, and they run down from left to right, instead of from right to left. The overhanging end of the garter has one short transverse line of shading at the top, and one line of shading down each side. The hole is very indistinct, and seems to be triple, like a trefoil. There are about sixteen lines of shading in the garter, between the overhanging end and the P of PENCE, and several of them touch the outline below them, though none of them do so in the genuine. There are nine pearls on the front arch of the crown, nine on the back arch, and none at all on the central one. The cross on the crown comes centrally under the N of HONDURAS, but in the genuine it comes exactly between the N and the D. The nose is absurdly hooked. There are only three lines of shading above the eyelid. There is no sign of an ear. The hair ends above the middle of the eyebrow. There are only fourteen lines of shading across the throat and neck. The band at the base of the crown widens out at the back, till it is three times as wide as the front.

Third Forgery

This is apparently a second and much worse state of the second forgery. Very badly lithographed, in brick-red, and also in green; on medium, very coarsely wove paper, varying from yellowish to absolutely yellow; no watermark; unperforated. Very few details can be made out, as the stamp is so blotched; but the pearls, etc., correspond to the second forgery. There is very little likelihood of anyone being deceived by this abomination.

Album_Weeds_BritishHonduras5One Shilling.

Genuine

 

Engraved in epargné; watermark, perforation, etc., as above. The ornamental flowers are composed of four petals, placed in the position of an upright cross, with four tiny lines appearing from the points of intersection.

None of the letters touch the boundary-line of the garter anywhere. The upper and lower limbs of the E of ONE are of exactly equal length. There are two lines of shading to the left of the buckle, but the tongue does not touch either of them. The corners of the buckle are perfectly square, and it contains four lines of shading. The overhanging end of the buckle slopes over very much to the left ; the slope is nearly as great as that of the N of ONE. The hole is dark, with no shading near it. There are about eight vertical lines of shading on the garter, between the overhanging end and the S of SHILLING, but they are very close together, and difficult to count. There are two holes in this shading. The crown is the same as in the genuine One Penny. There are eight or nine lines of shading on the forehead, from the upper eyelid, and the lowest three are thicker than the others. The ear is the same as in the genuine One Penny. The hair can be traced to the very front of the forehead, under the crown. There are eighteen lines across the front of the neck and throat, the lowest one being very fine. The center of the band at the base of the crown is not shaded.

First Forgery

Lithographed, on medium, white wove paper; no watermark; perf. 11 1/2, and also 12 1/2, very badly. The ornamental stops are the same as in the forged One Penny. The second I of BRITISH and the H of HONDURAS very nearly touch the boundary-line below them, and the lower limb of the E of ONE: is much longer than the upper one. There are three lines of shading to the left of the buckle, and the tongue of the buckle touches the innermost of the three. All four corners of the buckle are slightly rounded, or rather squared off, and it contains six lines of shading, not including the outlines. The overhanging end of the garter hangs almost straight clown, as in the genuine and forged One Penny. The hole in this end of the garter has a white center, and the shading and the leaf-ornament come close up to it. There are seven lines of shading in the garter, between the overhanging end and the S of SHILLING; there is only one hole to be seen in this shading. The crown is the same as in the forged One Penny. There are three lines of shading on the forehead, above the eyebrow, but those forming the eyebrows, etc., are blotched together into one mass of colour. There seem to be two ears, one behind the other. (By the way this second ear is really a curl of the hair, but it is exactly the same as the real ear.) The hair does not go near the front of the fore- head. There are fifteen lines of shading across the throat and neck. The center of the band at the base of the crown is shaded with a line all across the center, which is blotched into the upper outline, near the middle.

Second Forgery

Poorly lithographed, on medium, very yellowish-white wove paper; no watermark; perf. 13. The ornamental stops, before and after the name, are a fair imitation of the genuine, except that one of the little lines is missing in the left-hand flower. There is no shading to the left of the buckle, and the E of ONE comes close up to the buckle. The buckle contains five lines of shading, besides the outlines. The slope of the overhanging end is the same as in the genuine One Shilling. The hole in this overhanging end is light, with two lines of shading proceeding from it. There are about eleven lines of shading on the garter, between the overhanging end and the S of SHILLING, and there is only one hole in this shading. The arches on the crown are the same as in the second forgery of the Sixpence. The orb is too large and white; and the cross on the top of it is represented by a flat thing, with a three-cornered bit snipped out of it. There are two lines, and indications of a third, above the eyebrow; but the eyebrow and the shading to it are all one blotch of colour. There is no ear visible in this forgery. The hair does not go anywhere near the front of the forehead. There are eleven lines across the front of the throat and neck. The band at the base of the crown has a fine line, running from the front, half-way to the back, and another line, on a higher level, running from the back, a quarter of the way to the front. There is a strong outline to the front of the nose in this forgery. This second forgery of the One Shilling, like the second forgery of the Sixpence, shows a thin but distinct outline all round the shading of the central medallion, though the genuine, and all the other forgeries, show no outline. The outline of the garter, under the ISH of BRITISH, is very wavy and irregular.

Postmarks

Genuine.—54, but with the colony number “A 0 6” in the center.

Forged. — 1, 4, 5, 42 (the last three without numerals), 101; also a large single circle like 1, but larger; also 54, with blank center.

 

From: ‘Album Weeds’, 3rd edition by R. B. Eareé. 1906

 

 

 

Album Weeds – British Guiana

1850-1. Circular Stamps.

My readers will know from the catalogs (though very few from their own experience), that there are four values in this set: 2, 4, 8, and 12 Cents. In consequence of their rarity, I have only succeeded in getting hold of one specimen each of the 4 c. and 12 c. I have forgeries of the 4, 8, and 12 c., but have not seen the forged 2 c., though it probably exists. I do not know the age of the forgeries, though I have had some of them for about fourteen years. There are several types of each value, so my descriptions are necessarily imperfect, being taken from a single type of each value. The genuine stamps were all initialed by the postmaster or one of the clerks, before being issued.

Album_Weeds_British_Guiana14 cents, black on yellow.

Genuine

Type-set, in black, on medium, soft, dull yellow wove paper. The meshes of the.paper are coarse, irregular, and set in straight lines, so as to resemble laid paper somewhat; if one can imagine laid paper with lines less than a millimeter apart. The circle is evidently composed of two pieces of printer’s “lead-rule”, bent round, so that the two together form a circle. The separation between the two pieces of rule occurs between the letters GU, and after the last A of GUIANA; i.e., the circular outline is broken in the said places. The two ends of the line, in each of these places, are not exactly opposite to each other, but the long piece forms part of a larger circle than the short; and, consequently, the ends of the long piece stand out a little, while those of the short piece stand in slightly. The circle measures twenty-seven millimeters across at its very widest part, and twenty-five at its narrowest. The circular inscription, BRITISH GUIANA, is in ordinary Roman capital letters, just two millimeters high. The central inscription, 4 CENTS, is just eleven millimeters long, measuring from the left-hand point of the 4 to the center of the stop after the S. The 4 is a fat, closed figure; the vertical stroke being very nearly a millimeter wide, and the horizontal and oblique strokes are very fine hair-strokes. CENTS is in fat italics; the thickest stroke of each letter being fully half a millimeter wide. The final S does not lean over any more than the rest of the letters. Evans’s catalog says that there are initials in pen-and-ink in the center of the stamp; but my single specimen only shows some very slight traces of red; whether pencil or ink, I cannot say.

Forged

Lithographed, in black, on medium, hard, ochre-yellow wove paper. The meshes are very regular, and have much the appearance of the grain of the paper which was used for our own old green newspaper wrappers. There is no appearance of lines in the paper. The “circle” is one continuous, very irregular line, twenty-seven millimeters across at the widest part, and twenty-four at the narrowest. It comes almost to a point, just above the T of BRITISH. The inscriptions, being lithographed, do not look at all like printed type-letters; and the letters of the circular inscription vary in height, from less than two millimeters, to very nearly three. The central inscription is in letters representing ordinary Roman type, but the S is italic, and leans very much over to the right, quite away from the rest. The thick strokes of these letters are nowhere more than about a quarter of a millimeter wide. The 4 has an open top; the thick stroke being hardly three-quarters of a millimeter wide, and the oblique stroke far thicker than what is understood by a “hair-stroke”. From the point of the 4 to the center of the stop after CENTS, the width is over ten millimeters. The 4 is just two millimeters high in the genuine; but, in this forgery, it is over three millimeters in height. In the center of the stamp is lithographed, in written characters, the name, “E. Lew”, or what looks like it, with an oblique paraphe or flourish. Besides this, there is lithographed in the center of the stamp, by way of surcharge, a very large “4”, closed at the top, 11 1/2 millimeters high, and the thick stroke two millimeters wide.

Postmarks

Genuine.—My specimen bears 2, with the name DEMERARA round the curve.

Forged.—22.

Album_Weeds_British_Guiana28 Cents, black on green.

Forged

Lithographed, in black, on dull, yellow-green wove paper, thick and rather hard and smooth-faced. This is, in all respects, the same design as that of the forged 2 c., except that the numeral of value is altered.

Postmarks

My counterfeit bears REGISTERED in large block capitals, with an enormous R, half the height of the stamp, below it. These two marks, together with the signature, “E. Lew”, are all lithographed.

Album_Weeds_British_Guiana312 Cents, black on blue.

Genuine

Type-set, on dull, dark blue wove paper, the same thickness and texture as that of the genuine 4 cents. The lead-line, forming the outer circle, appears to be all in one piece, as I can only see one break in it, just at the beginning of the T of BRITISH. The size of the circle is the same as in the 4 cents. The central inscription is the same height and width as before; measuring the width from the left-hand edge of the thick stroke of the 1 of 12 to the
 center of the stop after CENTS; this stop, by the way, in my specimen, being placed upside down; i.e., level with the top, instead of the bottom, of the S. The 1 of 12 is barely 1 1/2 millimeter high. The written initials are “H. A. B.,” or “H. A. W.,” I am not sure which.

Forged

Lithographed, in black, on pale lavender-blue, or on dull, pale, greyish-blue wove paper, medium, hard, and of the same grain as that of the forged 4 c. The stamp is in all respects the same as the forged 4 c., except for the change of numeral of value; so that the same tests will apply. The width of the central inscription, from the left-hand edge of the 1 of 12, to the center of the stop after CENTS, is 12 1/2 millimeters. The said 1 is 2 1/2 millimeters high. There is a large lithographed “E. Lew,” in writing characters, by way of surcharge.

Postmarks

Genuine.—My specimen bears, as before, 2: with DEMERARA round the curve

Forged.—The lavender-blue is uncancelled; the other bears two postmarks; 78, with numerals in the center, and 1, with “Paid Liverpool Packet” in it, with date. These seem to be lithographed.

Note

The forgeries are on much smoother paper than that of the genuine, which is very rough on the face. Evans catalogs a 4 c. genuine on tissue-paper. I have not seen this; but I remember having a whole set of counterfeits sent to me once, done in pen-and-ink on colored tissue-paper. I have no notes of them.

There is, I believe, a far more dangerous forgery of the 12 c. going about, but I have no notes of it, except that, like the genuine, it is typographed, on rough blue paper. I suppose it is hardly necessary to say that the genuine stamps, being typographed, show all the black parts well sunk into the paper, which is not the case with the lithographed counterfeits.

Album_Weeds_British_Guiana41852. 1 c., Magenta.

Genuine

Lithographed, in black, on thick, magenta-faced, white wove paper, unperforated. The catalogs call the colour “magenta”; but I should rather name it “crimson”. The 1 of 1 CENT has no head-stroke; the C forms part of a circle ; both upper limbs of the E are almost exactly of equal length. The line, in the shield, forming the bottom of the sea, if prolonged right and left, would cut well into the B of BRITISH and the last A of GUIANA. The tail of the Q of QUE hangs straight downwards; and the vertical stroke of the P of PATIMUS, if prolonged downwards, would pass between the letters VI of VICISSIM. The M of this latter word stands exactly centrally under the U, and the stop after it stands centrally under the S of PATIMUS. The outer frame of the stamp is much thicker all round than even the thickest part of the outline of the shield. To the left of the ship are two forts, close together; the right hand one showing three battlements; the other displaying four, with three loop-holes for cannon. The masts of the large ship slope very much to the right, so that the central mast, if prolonged upwards, would pass almost clear to the right of the T of CENT above it. There is a very thin, light-coloured streak, along the center of the hull, so thin that it can hardly be traced the whole length of the vessel. To the right of the vessel, and apparently at a great distance in the offing, there is a three-masted ship, small, but perfectly distinct.

Forged

Lithographed, on thin, rather hard, smooth and shiny, magenta-faced white wove paper. (This is really magenta.) The i has evident traces of an oblique head-stroke; the C of CENT forms part of an oval, and shows a small head, which is not the case with the genuine; the central tongue of the E is considerably shorter than the upper limb. The line in the shield, representing the bottom outline of the sea, if prolonged right and left, would almost graze the R of BRITISH, and pass quite clear between the N and last A of GUIANA. The tail of the Q of QUE slopes obliquely down to the right. The vertical stroke of the P of PATIMUS, if prolonged downwards, would pass almost centrally through the v of VICISSIM. The M of this latter word stands centrally under the space between the letters us of PATIMUS; and the stop, which is very faint, is far to the right of the s of PATIMUS. The outer frame of the stamp is scarcely so thick as the thickest part of the outline of the shield. The point of the shield is above the space between the letters PA of PATIMUS. To the left of the ship there are two very faint buildings, the right-hand one looking like a light-house, and much higher, instead of lower, than the other. The masts of the ship are almost upright; so that the central mast, if prolonged upwards, would cut well into the N of CENT. There is a broad, and very distinct light-coloured streak along the hull. There is an extremely faint indication of a one-masted vessel to the right of the large one, but even in the microscope it is very indistinct.

Album_Weeds_British_Guiana51852. 4 Cents, black on blue.

Genuine

Lithographed, in black, on intense cobalt-blue-faced white wove paper, as thick as that of the I cent. The 4 has a closed top; the C and E of CENTS are the same as in the genuine 1 cent; and so is the line which forms the bottom outline of the sea in the shield. The Q of QUE, in this value, has its tail sloping very slightly to the right, and the letter itself is placed centrally under the A of DAMUS. The vertical stroke of the P of PATIMUS, if prolonged downwards, would pass along the first 1 of VICISSIM, which is exactly under it. The M of VICISSIM stands under the space between the letters MU of PATIMUS; and the stop after VICISSIM is under the space between the letters US of PATIMUS. The outer frame of the stamp is the same thickness as in the genuine 1 cent. The forts to the left of the large ship are also the same as in the genuine 1 cent. The masts of the said large ship slope very much over to the right; so that the central mast, if prolonged upwards, would pass almost through the center of the T of CENTS. The light-coloured streak along the hull of the vessel is broader than in the 1 cent, but not at all conspicuous. The little three-master to the right of the large vessel is the same as in the 1 cent.

Forged

Lithographed, in black, on dull, dead-blue-faced white wove paper, as thin as that of the forged 1 cent. The design, except the inscription, 4 CENTS, is exactly the same as that of the forged I cent. The 4 has an open top; the C of CENTS is part of an oval; the middle tongue of the E is very much shorter than the top limb. The Q of QUE stands centrally under the space between AM of DAMUS. The vertical stroke of the P of PATIMUS, if prolonged downwards, would cut right through the center of the v of VICISSIM, as in the last-described forgery. The M of VICISSIM stands under the space between the letters US of PATIMUS; and the stop after VICISSIM is far to the right of the s of PATIMUS. All the other tests, not repeated here, are exactly the same as those of the forged 1 cent.

Postmarks

Genuine.—My specimens are uncancelled.

Forged.—Ditto; also 22, together with a large 4, and the lithographed signature, “E. Lew”.

Reprints

These, as most collectors know, are perforated; the originals are imperforated.

Album_Weeds_British_Guiana61856. Provisional; 4 c., black on magenta.

Genuine

Type-set, printed in black, on rather coarsely-wove paper, colored a rosy magenta on the face, and showing pinkish white at the back. None of the letters of any of the inscriptions touch each other anywhere. The end of the tail of the R of BRITISH curls up. The G of GUIANA has a well-marked cross-bar, and the little tail below it hangs straight down. The head of the G comes down so that it almost meets the cross-bar. The R of FOUR is exactly like that of BRITISH, and the head and tail of the C of CENTS almost meet. The Q of QUE is a capital letter, the same height as the capital v of VICISSIM. The lines forming the oblong frame are not continuous, but consist of four separate pieces; the ends at the top corners are very wide apart, but the gap at the lower corners is not so wide. The word DAMUS is perfectly distinct and readable. The ship has only a single sail (topsail) high up on each mast, with no lower sails visible at all. In my single specimen, the right-hand, or fore-mast stands directly under the upright stroke of the P of PETIMUS, and the middle, or main-mast, under, and slightly to the right of the S of DAMUS; while the left-hand, or mizen-mast is under the U of the latter word. All the design is deeply sunk into the paper.

Forged

Lithographed, in black, on deep crimson-faced, stout, fine-grained, smooth white wove paper. The paper is perfectly white at the back. The bottom of the A of POSTAGE touches the letters each side of it; so does the first A of GUIANA; and each A of this latter word is considerably taller than the other letters. The end of the tail of the R of BRITISH goes off straight to the right, and touches the base of the 1, instead of curling up. The cross-bar of the G of GUIANA is not visible in some copies; in others it is even too long, so that it almost touches the V. In no case is there any hanging tail to the G; and the head is far away from the cross-bar. The end of the tail of the R of FOUR does not curl up, but points straight to the right. The head and tail of the C of CENTS are far apart. The easiest test is the Q of QUE, which is an ordinary small or lower-case “q”, instead of a large Q. The oblong frame is continuous all round, being joined at the corners. The word DAMUS is indistinct, as the M and the U are joined at the top; and the word reads like DANMS. Each of the masts carries two sails, instead of one. The foremast is under the end of the P of PETIMUS; the main-mast is under the space between the two words, but much nearer to the P; and the mizen-mast is also under the space between the two words, but near to the s of DAMUS. The design is not at all sunk into the paper.

1856. 4 c., black on blue.

Genuine

The paper is blue-faced; instead of red-faced. I have not been able to get this; but I conclude that the design is the same as that of the 4 c. magenta.

Forged

Lithographed, on thick, hard, blue-faced white wove paper, with a shiny surface. The design is exactly the same as that of the forgery of the 4 c. crimson.

Postmarks

Forged.—My blue 4 c. is uncancelled; the crimson one has 1, with “Paid” between two transverse lines in the center (lithographed), and a large “5” (hand-stamped) added separately, as a sort of surcharge, besides the postmark. Another copy bears 98, with REGISTERED, in large block capitals, obliquely across it, all lithographed.

Note: Both genuine and forged have the signature “E. Lew” upon them; the genuine has it written; it is lithographed in the forgeries.

1862. Provisionals, 1, 2 & 4 cents; Rouletted 6.

These stamps are of local manufacture, type-set, with initials of the Acting Receiver-General of the Colony written in the center, in red or black ink. Most of the specimens that I have handled were cut, but I believe they were all rouletted 6. There is not a full set of any one of the six types. The sheet contains four horizontal rows, of six stamps in a row, thus making twenty-four stamps on the sheet.

Album_Weeds_British_Guiana71 Cent, black on rose.

Genuine

Type-set, on rather thick, rough, rose wove paper, rouletted.

TYPE I.—The lines separating the pearl border from the lettering are not continuous. Each little ornament is evidently cast as a pearl with a dash below it, the dash being of about the same width as the pearl. Thus, when the pearls are arrayed side by side, the dashes appear, at a distance, to form one uninterrupted straight line; but, looked at closely, the line is broken below the space between every two pearls. This is the case with all the eight stamps of this type. In the fifth pearl from the top, on the left side of the stamp, there is only the usual crescent-shaped shading, with no round black spot, to the left of the shading, in the pearl. T h e perpendicular side-line, to the right of BRITISH, and the similar one to the left of POSTAGE, are both broken into at least four, and in one case into five, separate pieces, instead of each forming one continuous line.

VARIETIES OF TYPE I.—The thirteenth stamp on the sheet (i.e., the first of Type I.) has an upright dash near the left-hand end of the GUIANA label, and a shorter dash before the P of POSTAGE. The fourteenth stamp has an upright dash after the H of BRITISH. The fifteenth stamp has a curious scroll-ornament, instead of a pearl, over the first A of GUIANA, and the fourth pearl from the left, at the bottom of the stamp below the E of ONE, is turned on its side, so that the crescent points to the right, instead of downwards, and the short line which should be between the pearl and the E appears as an upright dash between this pearl and its left-hand neighbor. There is a sort of colon after BRITISH. The I of GUIANA is a 1. The seventeenth stamp has a stop at the left-hand end of the GUIANA label. The nineteenth stamp has an upright dash at the left-hand end of the GUIANA label, and a colon of square stops before the P of POSTAGE. In the twentieth stamp the head of the T of BRITISH is faint, and the right-hand end of the line above ONE CENT is bent downwards a good deal.

TYPE II. — In all the twelve stamps of this type, the sharp ends of the ovals in the bottom corners point towards the center of the stamp. The sharp ends of the ovals down the right side of the stamp point obliquely upwards to the left. (See varieties below, for a few exceptions.) The fifth oval down the right side is the same pattern as the rest.

VARIETIES OF TYPE II.—The first stamp on the sheet has a “hook and eye” ornament, instead of a crossed oval, to left of the TI of BRITISH. The second stamp has the top oval, and the bottom oval but one on the right-hand side, with their sharp ends pointing downwards, instead of upwards. The third and fourth stamps have the oval in the right top comer pointing downwards. The fifth stamp (like the second) has the top oval, and the bottom oval but one on the right side, pointing downwards. The sixth and seventh stamps have the oval in the right top corner pointing downwards. The eighth stamp has the same, and, in addition, the sixth oval from the top, on the right side, points downwards, and there is a colon before the P of POSTAGE. The ninth stamp has the oval in the right top corner pointing downwards. The eleventh stamp has the same, and, in addition, the fifth oval from the top down the right side has a large dot in it, and the seventh oval from the top, down the left side of the stamp, points upwards, and the top of the H of BRITISH is broken. In the twelfth stamp, the third oval down the right side is a curious pattern, quite different from the rest, and the seventh oval on the same side points upwards and outwards. The H of BRITISH is broken, and there is a large dash before the P of POSTAGE in this twelfth stamp.

TYPE III.—Each of the two perpendicular lines, to the right of BRITISH, and left of POSTAGE, is broken into four, five, and even six separate pieces. The one to the right of BRITISH, if prolonged downwards, would pass clear to the right (or, in the last stamp but one on the sheet, would just graze the side) of the o of ONE; and the line to the left of POSTAGE, if prolonged downwards, would pass through, or graze, the last stroke of the N of CENT. The inner stalk of the bunch of grapes at the top left corner of the stamp does not touch the stalk of the bunch immediately to the right of it. The A and N of GUIANA do not touch each other.

VARIETIES OF TYPE III.—The twenty-second stamp on the sheet (first stamp of Type III.) has the bunch of grapes in the left lower corner pointing downwards to the left; i.e., it belongs to the set down the left side. The twenty-third stamp has this same bunch of grapes pointing downwards to the right; i.e., it belongs to the bottom row, and the second and fifth ornaments in this bottom row are quite different in pattern, both from the grapes and from each other. The top of the O of POSTAGE is broken, and there is a semicolon after GUIANA in my specimen, though I am not sure whether this is always visible. The twenty-fourth stamp bears the legend POSTAGE. (It is not a broken O, but a properly-formed C.)

Forged

TYPE I.—Lithographed, on medium, smooth, granite wove paper, of a very disagreeable magenta tint, with a shade of blue in the red. Each of the four lines, separating the pearl borders from the rest of the stamp, is perfectly continuous, instead of broken; and, in the fifth pearl from the top on the left side, opposite the second I of BRITISH, there is a distinct black dot, besides the shading. The side-lines, to right of BRITISH, and to left of POSTAGE are continuous, instead of broken. The letters IA of GUIANA touch each other, though they are separate in the genuine.

TYPE II. First Forgery.—Type-set; paper very like the genuine, but thinner. The oval in the left bottom corner points downwards to the right, instead of upwards towards the center of the stamp, and all the ovals down the right side point downwards to the left. This is a very easy test.

TYPE II. Second Forgery.—Type-set, on rather thin, dull rose wove paper. The oval in the left bottom corner points upwards to the left, and the fifth oval clown the right side, by the ST of POSTAGE, is quite a different pattern from the rest.

TYPE II. Third Forgery.—Lithographed, on the magenta, granite’ wove paper before described. This is imitated from the seventh stamp on the sheet (first stamp in the second row) which has the second oval from the top, down the left side, pointing down to the left, instead of to the right. The upright lines to right of BRITISH and to left of POSTAGE are continuous, instead of broken; and the one to right of BRITISH, if prolonged downwards, would pass midway between the ON of ONE. instead of cutting deeply into the O, as it does in this particular type of the genuine. The O of POSTAGE is narrow and oval, instead of being wide and almost circular.

TYPE II. Fourth Forgery.—Typographed, on dull rose wove paper, rather thin, with coarse grain. The ovals at the top of the stamp are placed unevenly, and the two above the UIA of GUIANA are much closer together than those to the left of them. This forgery resembles the genuine, more than any of the others hitherto described.

TYPE III. Forged.—Lithographed, on the granite, magenta wove paper already mentioned. The lines to right of BRITISH and left of POSTAGE are continuous, instead of broken. The former, if prolonged downwards, would cut deeply into the O of ONE. The inner stalk of the bunch of grapes, at the top left corner of the stamp, is joined to the stalk of the bunch to right of it. The A and N of GUIANA are joined at the bottom. This forgery is imitated from the twenty-second stamp on the sheet, i.e., the first stamp of Type III.

Bogus.

(i.e., no genuine 1 cent of these types.)

TYPE IV.—Lithographed, on granite’, magenta wove paper.
TYPE V.—Lithographed, on granite, magenta wove paper.
TYPE VI .— Type-set, on fairly stout, rough, pale, dull rose paper. Lithographed, on granite, magenta wove paper.

Postmarks

Genuine.—54.

TYPE I. Forged.—Uncancelled. Also 22.

TYPE II. First Forgery.—Something like 30, with AO in the center.

Second Forgery.—Ditto.

Third Forgery.—Uncancelled.

Fourth Forgery.—Same as the first and second forgeries.

TYPE III. Forged.—Uncancelled.

Besides these I have notes of various forged cancellations, but do not remember which particular counterfeits bore them. They include 22, 54, 57 (but circular), 98, 100; also a very small oblong of oblique bars, that just fills up the width, and rather more than the length, of the central square. Also a pen-stroke. Also a large “4”, like a surcharge.

Album_Weeds_British_Guiana82 Cents, black on yellow.

It will be noted in the sketches of the three entire sheets, that the types of the 2c. are in the same order as in the 1 c. The fact is that the sheet is the same, only the value being altered. Thus all the peculiarities of the various stamps of 1 c. (except the value) will be found on the corresponding stamps of 2 c., as, for instance, the spelling POSTAGE of the last stamp on the sheet. Besides these, the 2 c. has its own special varieties: No. 13 has TWO; 16 has an italic T in CENTS; 18 has an italic T in TWO.

Genuine

Type-set; stamps exactly the same as the genuine 1 cent, with value altered; paper, rouletting, etc., as before. I need not repeat the tests, as, except for the alterations in value, the tests given for the 1 cent will suffice.

Forged

TYPE I.—Lithographed, on medium to thin, smooth, primrose-yellow wove paper, with a grain like that of our own old green id. news bands of 1870. The design is exactly like that of the forgery of Type I. of the 1 cent, with value altered.

TYPE II. First Forgery.—Type-set, on rather rough, somewhat orange-yellow, medium wove paper. The oval in the left bottom corner is like the genuine. My specimen is not very distinct, but, as far as I can make out, the two ovals above IA in GUIANA touch each other. All the ovals down the right side point downwards to the left, as in the first forgery of the 1 cent of this type.

TYPE II. Second Forgery.—Type-set, on fairly stout yellow wove paper. The oval in the left bottom corner points downwards to the right.

Type II. Third Forgery.—Type-set, paper rather harder than the last. This is almost exactly the same as the second forgery, but there is a stop after GUIANA.
TYPE II. Fourth Forgery.—Type-set, on yellow wove paper, with coarse graining. The oval in the left bottom corner points downwards to the right, and all the ovals down the right side point downwards to the left.

TYPE III. Forged.—Lithographed, on bright yellow wove paper. This is exactly the same as the forgery of Type III., of the 1 cent, with value altered.

Bogus.

TYPE IV.—Lithographed, on thin, primrose-yellow wove paper, grained as before. No interior lines.

TYPE V.—Lithographed; paper as above.

TYPE VI.—(1) Type-set, on pale yellow wove paper, very coarsely grained. The corner-ornaments are rosettes, of eight circles surrounding a central circle.

TYPE VI.—(2) Lithographed, on thin, yellow wove paper, grained as in our old green 1/2 d. news bands. There are no interior lines.

Bogus Types.—(1) Type-set, on medium, hard, very pale sulphur-yellow wove paper, with a mottled grain. There is no type at all like this. The border is composed of curly ornaments, and is surrounded by a frame of a thin, inner line and a very thick, outer line. The frame makes the stamp much larger than any of the originals, forgeries, or bogus stamps hitherto described.

(2) Lithographed, on yellow wove paper, like that of the forgery of Type I. of the 2 c. The pattern of the frame is peculiar, consisting of interlacing semicircles, with little hearts and little balls, alternately. This is, of course, quite an imaginary type, intended for the ” hook-and- eye” type of the 4 c.

Postmarks

Genuine.—As in the 1 cent.

TYPE I. Forged.—Uncancelled. Also pen-marked. Also a very large 4, like a surcharge.

TYPE II. First Forgery.—Similar to 30, with AO in center.

TYPE II. Second Forgery.—Ditto.

TYPE II. Third Forgery.—Ditto.

TYPE II. Fourth Forgery.—Ditto.

TYPE III. Forged.—Uncancelled.

Most of the forgeries have written in the center, in red pencil, or else some initials, generally unreadable.

Album_Weeds_British_Guiana9 4 Cents, black on blue.

Genuine

These arc type-set, like the genuine 1 and 2 cents, on blue wove paper, rouletted.

Forged

TYPE IV. Forged.—Lithographed, on thin, dull blue and greenish-blue wove paper, with a coarse and regular grain, like that of our old news bands. There are no interior lines. The top of the G of GUIANA does not go anywhere near the cross-bar. The tail of the R of BRITISH goes straight out to the right, and joins the foot-stroke to the 1; the S is distinctly taller than the letters each side of it. The letters AN of GUIANA touch each other at the bottom. The U of FOUR is no higher than the O; the S of CENTS is not too high; the U of GUIANA is not too high; and the I of that word is not like a “1”.

TYPE V. Forged.—Lithographed; paper and colour exactly the same as in the forgery of Type IV. Each of the side-lines is in one unbroken piece. If the right-hand one were prolonged downwards, it would pass a shade to the right of the perpendicular stroke of the T of CENTS. The tail of the R of FOUR hangs slightly lower than the perpendicular stroke, and does not curl up. The U of GUIANA is not too high; and the 1 does not look in the least like a “1”. The border, in this forgery, is very poorly imitated, and not at all like our illustration, which is a fair copy. It is the pattern (already mentioned among the bogus 2 cents) of interlacing semicircles, with alternate balls and hearts.

TYPE VI. First Forgery.—Lithographed, on dull blue, also dull green wove paper, with graining as before. The ornaments are really trefoils, with two balls out of each triplet dotted, and the corner-ones (1, 10, 18, and 27) made into clumsy quatrefoils, just like the illustration of this type, which is incorrect. The trefoils are all joined together by the curved lines issuing from each. The tail of the R of FOUR goes to the right, in a straight line. The ornaments are: 1, quatrefoil; 2 to 9, left; 10, quatrefoil; 11 to 17, down; 18, quatrefoil; 19 to 26, right; 27, quatrefoil; .28 to 34, up.

TYPE VI. Second Forgery.—Lithographed, on dull, grey-blue wove paper, grained as before. The trefoils are the same shape as in the first forgery, but larger, and without dots in them. They are separate from each other in this counterfeit. An easy test is that the stamps have the four interior lines, which are absent in this type of the genuine, and the corner-ornaments (1, 10, 18, and 27) resemble some of the old-fashioned circular brooches, which had a central circular stone, surrounded by eight smaller ones. The tail of the R of BRITISH does not curl up. The ornaments are: 1, brooch or rosette; 2 to 9, left; 10, brooch; 11 to 17, down; 18, brooch; 19 to 26, right; 27, brooch; 28 to 34, up. This description really covers two different forgeries, but will suffice to detect either of them.

TYPE VI. Third Forgery.—Typographed, on deep blue wove paper, grained as before. This also has the interior lines, which the genuine has not. The ornaments are separate, as in the genuine, but they are trefoils, as in the other forgeries, and have no dots. The corner-ornaments are brooches or rosettes, as in the second forgery, but not so large, and without the little rays or points which proceed from the brooch in that counterfeit. A further description is unnecessary. The plan of the ornaments is the same as in the second forgery.

Bogus

{i.e., no genuine 4 c. of these types.)

TYPE I.—(1) Lithographed, on pale greyish-blue, also on greenish wove paper, grained as before. This is merely the first forgery of the 1 cent, with altered value, and on different paper.

TYPE II.—(1) Type-set, on deep blue wove paper, grained as before. This is the second forgery of Type II. of the 1 cent, with altered value.

TYPE II.—(2) Type-set, on deep blue wove paper, similar to last. This is like the second forgery of Type II. of the 2 cents, with the necessary alteration of value.

TYPE II.—(3) Lithographed, on pale grey-blue wove paper. This is the third forgery of Type II. of the 1 cent, with altered value.

TYPE III.—Lithographed, on pale grey-blue wove paper. This is the forgery of Type III. of the 1 cent, with value altered.

Postmarks

Genuine.—As before.

TYPE IV. Forged.—Uncancelled. Also a pen-and-ink flourish.

TYPE V. Forged.—22. Also a large 4, like a surcharge.

TYPE VI. First Forgery.—Uncancelled. Also pen-stroke. Also 98.

TYPE VI. Second Forgery.—Uncancelled. Also 98.

TYPE VI. Third Forgery.—54.

1853. 1 c. & 4 c.

(With and without a white line above the value.)

I have seen no counterfeits of these stamps; but there are reprints of them (as of the 1851 issue), which are perforated, like the reprints of the 1851 issue. The genuine stamps of both issues are unperforated.

Spud_BritishGuiana2 Spud_BritishGuiana3 Spud_BritishGuiana4 Spud_BritishGuiana6Issues of 1860-75.

Genuine

Engraved, in épargne; paper, perforation, and type as above. The motto in the oval band is DAMUS PETIMUSQUE VICISSIM. The outer line of the whole stamp is very close to the frame. The O in the right bottom corner is cut off somewhat squarely at the top. The tail of the R of BRITISH turns up, so as to point distinctly above the foot of the following 1. The 1 in the left top corner of the stamp is exactly in the center of its containing-square. The whole length of the S of DAMUS is about equal in thickness. The v-shaped centre of the M of PETIMUSQUE is cut
off square at the bottom; and the tail of the Q shows quite as much inside as outside the body of the letter. At the bottom of the oval garter there is a small, shield-shaped piece, which folds over obliquely, just above the C of CENT or CENTS; in it there is an irregular, white, eight-pointed star, and inside this star there is a dark circle, with a dark dot in the center of it. The tops of the masts are extremely faint, so as to be almost invisible. The highest point of the left-hand (mizen) mast only reaches as high as the level of the center of the highest (main-top-mast) sail of the middle (main) mast; and the highest point of the right-hand (fore) mast is not nearly tall enough to touch the outline of the oval above it. The buckle of the garter is no wider than the garter itself.

First Forgery

I have only the 2 c., with value close to CENTS. This is a most excellent forgery, and might deceive anybody. Finely lithographed, in a very red shade of orange, on very thick, very hard, white wove paper, imperforated. The top of the 0 in the right bottom corner is not at all square. The tail of the R of BRITISH is quite flat at the bottom, and points directly level with the foot of the following I. The 1 in the left top corner is slightly to the left of the center of the containing-square. The top and bottom of the S of DAMUS are distinctly thinner than the main body of the letter. The V-shaped center of the M of PETIMUSQUE is sharp at the point; and the tail of the Q does not show at all in the hollow of the letter, though outside it is more prominent than in the genuine. The little dark ring, containing a dot, in the white star over the C of CENTS is oval, instead of circular. The tops of the masts are quite easy to see; the right-hand one (like the middle one) touches the top outline of the containing-oval; and the left-hand one reaches up almost to the level of the top of the highest sail on the middle mast. The buckle of the garter is wider than the garter itself, and trespasses over the outline of the garter, both outside and inside the oval. The complicated, spider’s-web lines in the spandrels are not exactly like those of the genuine; but there is no possibility of describing the differences without diagrams. The lack of perforation and the extremely stout paper are the readiest tests for this forgery.

Second Forgery

Lithographed, on medium to stout, white wove paper; pin-perf. 12 1/2. The inscription on the oval band is “DAMUS RETIMUSOUE VICISSIM!” This mistake of RETIMUSOUE instead of PETIMUSQUE renders this forgery easy of detection. The outer line round the stamp is at some distance from the frame; there being almost the width of the 1 in the left top corner between the line and the frame. The 0 in the right bottom corner is oval. The tail of the R of BRITISH points straight to the foot of the following 1. The 1 in the left top corner is a great deal too far to the right of its containing-square. The little dark ring in the shield-shaped part of the garter, over the C of CENT or CENTS, is irregular in shape, and thickest on the right side.

Third Forgery

Lithographed, on medium, white wove paper, badly pin-perf. to some uncountable gauge. The outer line of the stamp is too far from the frame. The 0 in the right bottom corner is rather irregular in outline. The tail of the R of BRITISH points straight to the foot of the following 1. The 1 in the left top corner is far to the left of the center of the containing-square. The tail of the Q of PETIMUSQUE is very oblique, pointing to the right, instead of almost straight down. The middle mast does not touch the top of the oval; and the other masts are even shorter than those of the genuine. The right-hand mast, if prolonged upwards, would pass clear between SQ of PETIMUSQUE; though, in the genuine, it would cut into the S. The pairs of wavy, parallel, vertical lines in the spandrels are much too prominent in this forgery; striking the eye at once. In the genuine, they have to be looked for.

Fourth Forgery

Of this I have only the 1 cent, in green. It is extremely poor, and not likely to deceive. Badly lithographed, in green, on thinnish, hard, yellowish-white wove paper, unperforated. The tail of the R of BRITISH seems to point downwards. The Q of PETIMUSQUE is a distinct O. The little colored ring in the star over the C of CENT is oval, and has no dot in its center. The top of the central mast does not touch the outline of the oval above it, and the tops of the other masts are invisible. The ship is very queerly rigged; the upper sail of the left-hand mast is put on obliquely, and the triangular sail (jib) near the SS of VICISSIM is shapeless, instead of being a neat, long triangle. The top of the G of POSTAGE is broken off, and the E is a mere blotch. I cannot give further details, as the stamp is so very badly printed.

Fifth Forgery

Very blotchily lithographed, on thinnish, very white wove paper, nicely perforated 124. The A of DAMUS has no cross-bar; the Q of PETIMUSQUE has only the very slightest indication of a tail, and the M of VICISSIM is much blotched. The bottom of the tail of the R of BRITISH points above the foot of the following 1, as in the genuine; but it is cut off obliquely, instead of being rounded off. The top and bottom of the S of DAMUS are much thinner than the body of the letter. In the shield- shaped part of the garter, over the C of CENT or CENTS, there are merely three small white dots, where the eight-pointed white star, containing a dark ring ought to be. The background of the central oval is solid (or nearly so); whereas, in the genuine, it is formed by horizontal lines. The tops of the masts are, of course, quite invisible on the solid background; and the hull of the vessel is also quite indistinguishable from the background. The lettering of the Latin motto is very ragged, compared with the neat block type of the genuine.

Postmarks

Genuine.—1, 2, 19, 29, 54, 57.

First Forgery.—57.

Second Forgery.—29.

Third Forgery.—98.

Fourth Forgery.—Uncancelled.

Fifth. Forgery.—29.

NOTE.—There is a 12 c. of the 1869 type, which is surcharged with a large “5 C” in red. This is figured and catalogued as ” 5d.”; but it is a “c.” not a “d.” I do not know anything about the reason for the surcharge, or whether it is genuine or bogus.

Issues of 1863-75. 6, 24 & 48 Cents.

Genuine

Engraved in épargne paper. In the central circle, the fine, horizontal lines of the sky give place to two small, white clouds, to left of the ship, near the P of PETIMUSQUE, one large white cloud above the ship, and one small one to right of it, near the V of VICISSIM. The boom of the lowest sail of the left-hand mast (mizen) extends horizontally, considerably to the
left of the ship, and, if prolonged, would cut off about one-third of the M of DAMUS. The left-hand mast, if prolonged upwards, would graze the left lop corner of the first U of PETIMUSQUE; the central mast, prolonged, would pass centrally between the U and S of that word; and the right-hand mast, prolonged, would cut through the Q, rather to the right of its center. The hull of the vessel has a light, horizontal streak near the gunwale. The sea is (roughly) divided into three horizontal portions; white near the vessel, then dark in the center, then white again, near the bottom of the circle. The dots, comprising the eight-pointed star-ornament at the base of the inscribed circle, are all more or less wedge-shaped, except the three central ones; and there is a distinct dot outside each of the long, horizontal arms. There is a stop after GUIANA, and one after CENTS, in all the values. There is an ornament just like a white V, in the left upper spandrel, below the 1; and a similar, but inverted v, in the right lower spandrel, just above the 3. There is a small round white dot in the solid part, above the first U, and a similar one above the Q of PETIMUSQUE.

First Forgery

Lithographed, on very thin, very white wove paper, badly pin-perf. 13 1/2. The horizontal lines of the sky are coarse, and not all at equal distances apart. There is no cloud near the v of VICISSIM. The mizen-boom seems to slope downwards to the left. The left-hand mast has no visible top; the middle mast, if prolonged, would pass through the first stroke of the U, and the right-hand mast, if prolonged, would cut almost through the center of the S of PETIMUSQUE. The sea is white near the ship, but the rest is almost all dark. The strokes forming the star-ornament, above the C of CENTS, are chiefly clumsy oblongs; and the two side ones are very strongly V-shaped. The stop after CENTS is very faint. The V in the spandrel in the left top corner is part of the floral scroll-work, and is not under the 1, but midway in the space between the 1 and the B. I have not been able to make out the inverted V above the 3 in the right lower corner; but my copy is postmarked there, so possibly there may be one. There is a very large white dot above the M of PETIMUS, and the other dot (which is above the S) is joined to the scroll-work to right of it. The last I of VICISSIM is a J. This latter fact points to a German origin for this first forgery; as the Germans have a way of putting J for I in Latin characters. In the sign-boards over the shops, for instance, one may commonly see such words as JSRAEL, DESTJLLATJON, etc.

Second Forgery

Nicely lithographed, on medium, very white wove paper, fairly pin-perf. 13 1/2. There are two very tiny clouds above the ship, instead of one large one. The boom of the lowest left-hand sail does not extend beyond the stern of the vessel. The tops of the masts are like the genuine. There is no light streak along the gunwale of the ship. The sea is uniformly composed of white, curly marks on a solid, dark background. The ornament above the C of CENTS is very different from the genuine. It is composed of three oval dots, placed in a perpendicular row, all touching, with a V on its side, each side of the center dot, and a colored flaw to left of the left-hand V. There is a V-shaped curl (but not an independent V) in the scroll, under the 1 in the left top corner, and no v above the 3 in the right bottom corner. There is a white dot above the Q of PETIMUSQUE, but none above the first U of that word.

Third Forgery

Lithographed, on thin, greyish-white wove paper, perf. 13. Though very blotchy, the details of this forgery are extremely correct. The whole of the sky is mottled all over with white clouds. The point of the left-hand mast is not visible; and that of the central mast, prolonged, would not pass centrally between the US of PETIMUSQUE, but near to the S. I cannot make out any stop after GUIANA, and the stop after CENTS is very faint.

Fourth Forgery

Very nicely lithographed, on medium, greyish-white wove paper, perf. 12. This is dangerous. The boom of the left lowest sail points above (instead of below) the middle of the M of DAMUS; and there is a white streak below the boom, and parallel with it, running to the edge of the circle, and caused by one of the lines of the background being omitted. The top of the left-hand mast, if prolonged, would cut deeply into the first U of PETIMUSQUE; and the central mast, if prolonged, would pass nearer to the U than to the S. There is a very strong white streak along the gunwale of the vessel, and the heads of the three sailors, visible in the genuine, near the bows, cannot be made out. There is a very tiny stop after GUIANA, and a large, shapeless one, after CENTS. The v under the 1 in the left top corner forms a part of the scroll-work; and there is no inverted V above the 3 in the right bottom corner. There is a large white dot above the beginning of the first U of PETIMUSQUE, and another above the beginning of the second U. There is no stop after VICISSIM.

Fifth Forgery

Coarsely lithographed, on thick, very rough, yellowish-white wove paper, badly perf. 12. The horizontal lines of the sky are coarse, and far apart, and there are no clouds at all. There is 110 boom to the left lowest sail, and the point of the sail curls rather downwards. The left-hand mast, prolonged, would pass almost centrally through the first U of PETIMUSQUE; the central mast would cut into the S; and the right-hand mast would pass centrally between the letters QU of that word. Nearly the whole of the sea is solid, dark colour, and there are no large waves. There are 110 dots to right and left of the horizontal parts of the ornament over the C of CENTS. There is no stop after GUIANA or CENTS. The curly ornaments in the spandrels are very thin, and there is no v below the 1 or above the 3. There is no white dot above the first U of PETIMUSQUE, and none above the Q, though there is a sort of comma, laid on its side, above the second U. The bowsprit, in this forgery, has no dolphin-striker. The date-figures in the corners are very thin.

Postmarks

Genuine.—1, 2, 54, 57, 64.

First Forgery.—51.

Second Forgery.—1.

Third Forgery.—57.

Fourth Forgery.—Uncancelled.

Fifth Forgery.—6 (without numerals).

Official Stamps

These are the ordinary stamps of 1867 and of 1876, surcharged OFFICIAL. In the measurements given below, I have taken the distance between the left-hand edge of the first F of OFFICIAL, and the right-hand end of the projecting, horizontal limb of the L. In this way, the measures can be taken very exactly, which would not be the case if I had tried to measure from the outside of the o.

Album_Weeds_British_Guiana_Official31875. 2, 8, 12 & 24 Cents.

These are the 1866-75 stamps, surcharged in black. There is a 1 cent, surcharged in a larger type in red, but I have seen no forgery of this.

Genuine

I only have the 2 c. from which to describe, and my specimens are all perf. 10. There appear to be two types of surcharge; Type 1 measures very nearly 12 mm. from F to L, and the bottom of the L is 1 1/4 mm. long. In Type II. it is fully 12 mm. from F to L, and the bottom of the L is 1 1/2 mm. long. The O in Type II. is slightly sloping to the left. The blank center of the O is I mm. across, in its widest part. The C opens almost 1 mm. wide. From the top of the A to the bottom of its cross-bar is 1 3/4 mm. If the said cross-bar were prolonged to the left, the upper edge of it could go into the opening of the C. The height of the surcharge is 2 1/4 mm.

First Forgery

Of this I have only the 4 cents, perf. 10. This, of course, is bogus, as there is no 4 c. official of this type; but I describe the surcharge, as it will probably be found on other values. It is nicely printed, and looks better than the genuine. The F—L measurement is the same as the first type of the genuine; i.e., very nearly 12 mm., and the bottom of the L is 1 1/4 mm. long, also like Type I. Almost the only difference is that the height of the surcharge is fully 2 1/2 mm., instead of 2 1/4 mm.

Second Forgery

Of this I have only the 12 cents, perf. 15. The distance F—L is 13 mm., and the bottom of the L is 1 1/2 mm. long. The blank center of the O is less than 1 mm. across, in the widest part; the ends of the C are cut off horizontally, instead of obliquely, and the opening is hardly 1 mm. wide. The A is crossed far too low down, so that the distance from the top of the A to the bottom edge of the cross-bar is slightly more than 2 mm., instead of if mm. If the said cross-bar were prolonged to the left, no part of it would go into the opening of the C. The height of the surcharge is fully 2 1/2 mm.

Third Forgery

Of this I have only the 8 cents, perf. 15. The distance F—-L is nearly 13 3/4 mm., and the bottom of the L is 1 3/4 mm. long. The O is very narrow, compared with the genuine, and the width of the blank center is about 3/4 mm. only. The two ends of the C are very close together, being scarcely 5 mm. apart; the top end is cut off obliquely, but the bottom end is cut off square. The distance from the top of the A to the bottom edge of its cross-bar is 2 1/4 mm., and the whole of the cross-bar, if prolonged to the left, would go below the opening in the C. The height of the surcharge is 2 3/4 mm.

1877. 1, 2, 4, 6 & 8 Cents.

These are the De la Rue stamps of 1876, wmk. CC; and any official stamps with CA watermark may be put aside as forged, without further examination.

Genuine

The watermark, as I have already said, is CC. The surcharge is better done than in the issue just described; it is 2 1/2 mm. high, and the distance F—L is 13 1/4 mm. The center of the O is nearly 1 mm. across. The ends of the C are cut off somewhat obliquely, and the opening between them is about 3/4 mm. From the top of the A to the bottom of its cross-bar, the distance is 2 mm. If prolonged to the left, the whole width of the cross-bar would be below the opening of the C. The bottom of the L is 1 1/2 mm. long.

First Forgery

Of this I have the 1 c. and 2 c., with CA watermark. The surcharge is not so clear as the genuine; it is 2 1/2 mm. high, like the genuine, but the distance F—L is only 12 mm., instead of 13 1/4. The top of the O is quite flat, as though a piece had been cut off it, and the blank center is slightly over 1 mm. across. From the top of the A to the bottom edge of its cross-bar, the distance is 2 1/4 mm. The bottom of the L is very little more than 1 mm. long.

Second Forgery

Of this I have only the 2 cents, CA. The surcharge is very clearly printed; it is, however, only 2 1/4 mm. high, and the distance F—H is 13 mm. The O is too round, and it is much thinner at the top and bottom than at the sides, though the genuine is a block letter, equally thick all round. The ends of the C are cut off square, and are extremely close together, hardly 1/2 mm. apart. It is hardly a block letter, as the back is thicker than the rest. From the top of the A to the bottom edge of its cross-bar the distance is only 1 3/4 mm. The bottom of the L is nearly 1 3/4 mm. long.

Third Forgery

Of this I have only the 2 cents, CA. The surcharge is nicely printed; it 2 1/2 mm. high, and the distance F—L is 13 1/4 mm., like the genuine The O is thicker at the sides than at the top and bottom, and the blank center is only 1/2 mm. across. The ends of the C are cut off square, and they are less than 1/2 mm. apart. From the top of the A to the bottom edge of its cross-bar, the distance is 1 3/4 mm. The bottom of the L is 1 1/2 mm. long, like the genuine. One peculiarity of this forgery is that the bottom ends of the FFI are slightly splayed out.

Fourth Forgery

Of this I have only the 4 cents, CA. The surcharge is badly done, the c being decidedly below the level of the other letters. It is 2 1/2 mm. high, and the distance F—L is 13 1/2 mm. The O is thin and narrow, and the blank center is only 1/2 mm. across. The bottom end of the C is cut off square, and the top end is slightly rounded; they are 1/2 mm. apart. From the top of the A to the bottom of the cross-bar, the distance is only 1 1/2 mm. If prolonged to the left, the whole width of the cross-bar would go into the opening of the C The bottom of the L is rather more than 1 1/2 mm. long. In this forgery, the central tongue of the second F is as long as the top limb of the letter, but the first F is like the genuine and the other forgeries. The first 1 is much thinner than the second.

Fifth Forgery

This is bogus. I have only the 1 cent, CA. A few words concerning this will be sufficient. The surcharge is very irregular, and is struck obliquely, from the left bottom to the right top corner. It is 3 mm. high, and the distance F—L is 16 1/2 mm. The C is high above the level of the other letters.

Bogus Official

I have the 24 cents, of the large, 1867 issue, perf. 10, with surcharge 2 1/2 mm. high, and distance F—L 16 1/2 mm. These large stamps were not employed as officials, so the surcharge is altogether bogus.

Chemical Changelings

Of the ordinary De la Rue issue of 1876, I have the 48 cents, changed from its normal red-brown to the exact drab shade of the 96 c. This will probably be offered as a genuine error. I have also the 2 cents, 1882, CA, changed to very nearly the drab of the 96 cents of 1876.

 

From: ‘Album Weeds’, 3rd edition by R. B. Eareé. 1906

 

LupSee also –> Spud papers – British Guiana

 

 

 

 

 

Album Weeds – British Columbia

1865. 3d., blue. CC. Perf. 14.

Genuine

Very nicely engraved, in épargne, on surfaced, white wove paper, watermarked with Crown and CC; machine-perforated 14. On each of the side-arches of the crown there are six small, white pearls, and four on the central arch. The ornaments on the upper part of the crown are crosses pattée and fleurs-de-lys alternately; the Central cross pattée, at the base of the central arch, is a good deal lower than the points of the fleurs-de-lys on each side of it. There are two good-sized asterisks in the oval band, which serve as stops, to separate the name and the value from each other; and these asterisks have eight points; i.e., four large ones, with four small ones between them. The groundwork of the outer corners of the stamp is a sort of lattice-work, and, at all the places where the lattice-work lines cross each other, there are small, white, four-pointed stars, at the points of intersection. The V-shaped, middle part of the M of COLUMBIA does not come down level with the feet of the two upright legs of the M. The G of POSTAGE is a distinct G. The middle cross fattée has a small outlined triangle in each of the three white, triangular arms, following the outline of each triangle, very near the edge; and each of these outlined triangles is perfect. The circlet at the base of the crown contains six jewels, connected, each to each, with two parallel lines; the left-hand jewel is nearly round, but all the others are diamond-shaped. The spray of shamrock, on the right side of the large V, runs up very nearly as high as the O of POSTAGE; and there is a small, but perfectly distinct shamrock-leaf between the S of POSTAGE and the side of the crown. The top of the highest thistle-leaf runs up level with the middle of the H of BRITISH; it is very sharply pointed, as are also the two side-lobes of this leaf; but these two side-lobes do not come up higher than level with the second I of BRITISH. The top petal of the central rose has three vertical lines of shading in it; the right and left petals have each three horizontal lines of shading, and the bottom petals have each four oblique lines. Both the engraving and printing of this stamp have been very carefully done; and, consequently, every little detail shows with almost photographic clearness, very different from a slip-shod lithograph.

First Forgery

Lithographed, on hard, rather thin, white wove paper.; slightly surfaced; no watermark; unperforated. On each of the side-arches of the crown there are five large white pearls, and three very small ones on the central arch. The top of the central cross pattée on the crown comes up level with the top point of the fleur-de-lys on each side of it. The asterisks in the oval band are six-pointed, and all the points are very nearly of the same size, though the right-hand asterisk is very badly shaped. There are no stars at the intersections of the lines of lattice- work. The V-shaped middle of the M of COLUMBIA very nearly touches the outline of the oval beneath it. There are seven jewels, all diamond-shaped, in the circlet of the crown; they are connected with each other by a single line. The part of the spray of shamrock above the large V has two curly tendrils, ending with knobs, but no leaf. The highest thistle-leaf shows four lobes above the left side of the large V, and the longest of these lobes does not come higher than level with the middle of the S of BRITISH. Each of the upper petals of the rose contains two lines of shading; the two lower ones have only one line in each. This forgery is not at all bad, as a whole, although there are so many differences between it and the genuine.

Second Forgery

This may possibly be a badly-done reprint from the worn stone of the first forgery. I do not think it is likely to deceive; it is generally in a whitish sky-blue, and has a washed-out appearance. It is lithographed, on rather hard, unsurfaced, white wove paper, no watermark, perf. 13 (the favorite gauge of the forgers). There are five large pearls in each side-arch of the crown, and three, very nearly as large, in the central arch. The top of the cross pattée is higher than the fleurs-de-lys, each side of it. The asterisks in the oval band have six points each; those in the left-hand one are rounder-looking than the others. There are no white stars at the intersections of the lattice-work, in the corners of the stamp. The three legs of the M of COLUMBIA are level with one another. There are seven diamond-shaped jewels at the base of it he crown, joined together by a single line; but the third jewel from the left has the line broken each side of it, so that it does not join the others. The portion of the shamrock-spray that comes above the right side of the large V is just like that of the first forgery. The thistle-leaf above the top of the left side of the V has four lobes, as in the first forgery; two of them are level with the I of BRITISH, and the other two are level with the middle of the S. There is a colored blotch or dot under the said S, which joins the base of it to the line below it; and there is a colored dot over the first limb of the U of COLUMBIA, in the white line above it. The shading of the petals of the rose consists of blotches, instead of lines.

Third Forgery

This is a much later production than the other two, and is likely to be dangerous, as it is nicely got up. Carefully lithographed, on stout, yellowish-white wove paper, unsurfaced, no watermark, well perforated 13 1/2. The asterisks are like the genuine, i.e., with four long thick arms, alternating with four short thin ones; but the left-hand asterisk is not so well shaped as the other, having one of the large arms too short, and another not coming accurately to the center. The stars at the inter- sections of the lines of lattice-work are clumsy, fat, and with the points indistinct The V-shaped middle of the M of COLUMBIA comes down exactly level with the legs of that letter. The G of POSTAGE is a very distinct C. The top arm of the middle cross pattée has the outlined triangle in it (though the figure is hardly to be called a triangle), with the top line broken in the middle, and each of the outlined triangles in the side-arms lacks the vertical line, making each figure look like a v laid on its side (> <). There is no shamrock-leaf in the spray of shamrock, above the top of the right-hand side of the large V. The top of the thistle-leaf above the top of the left side of the large V has three lobes; they are all very blunt, and the highest point does not reach up to the level even of the bottom of the H of BRITISH. The three top petals of the rose are unshaded; the right lower one seems to have three lines of shading in it, and the left lower one has only one line.

Postmarks

Genuine. My cancelled copies bear a very blotchy postmark, something like a Canadian one, also 54 and 85.

First Forgery.—5, with blank center; 10; 54, with blank center.

Second Forgery.—1, also a shapeless blotch.

Third Forgery.—Uncancelled.

The originals are not often found postmarked; for, as may be supposed, the amount of correspondence from this colony was never very extensive in the old days. The unused copies of the genuine, usually offered for sale are remainders, bought up by dealers and amateurs when British Columbia was incorporated into the Dominion of Canada, in 1868. Since then, of course, this colony has used the Dominion stamps.

Album_Weeds_BritishColombia2 Album_Weeds_BritishColombia31867-69. 2, 5, 10, 25, 50 C. & $1.

There are two different perforations, 14 and 12 1/2. It is said that the 10 C. and 1 dollar, perf. 14, were prepared, but never issued for use. A copy of the latter value, perf. 14, which I received from
a friend living in the colony, passed into the possession of Mr. Philbrick. My friend got it at the post office, so I suppose they must have been obtainable. I have never seen a copy of the 2 C. perf. 12 1/2, but all the others exist with this perforation.

Genuine

These stamps are of exactly the same type as the genuine Threepence described above. Probably from motives of economy, when the change of currency from £ s. d. to dollars and cents was effected, and new stamps were required, the die of the 3d. was utilized for the six new values, by merely surcharging with the said new values, and printing the stamps in different colors. It will be remembered, then, that all these new values, though in different colors, are from the die of the 3d., blue, and therefore need no description. The colors and surcharges are:

  • 2 c., brown and black
  • 5 c., red and black
  • 10 c., lake and blue
  • 25 c., yellow and violet
  • 50 c., violet and red
  • $1, green and green

The surcharge on the 2 C. is TWO CENTS, the rest have CENTS, with a numeral and stop each side, as, for instance, 5 . CENTS . 5.

First Forgery

This is the first forgery of the 3d., but has the blot under the S of BRITISH, and the dot above the first limb of the U of COLUMBIA. I have the FIVE CENTS (sic), in orange and black; the TEN CENTS (sic), in vermilion and dark blue; the TWENTY-FIVE CENTS (sic), in sulfur yellow and black; and the ONE DOLLAR (sic), in green and black.

Second Forgery

Like the second forgery of the 3d.; poorly lithographed; unperforated, or pin-perf. 13; no watermark. I have only the FIFTY CENTS (sic), in violet and vermilion.

Third Forgery

The same as the third forgery of the 3d. I have only the 50. CENTS . 50, in violet and carmine, and the 1 DOLLAR I, in green and blue. In the 50 C. the word FALSCH is printed at the top, in tiny block letters, the color of the surcharge; and in the the word FALSCH ! with a note of exclamation, is printed at the top in capitals, the color of the surcharge. These two therefore are evidently German productions, but I do not know where they were made.

Fourth Forgery

Of this I have the 10 CENTS (sic) in rose and black, and the 1 DOLLAR (sic) in dark yellow-green and violet. At a distance, these forgeries look very well, and the 10 c. is almost like a typograph. Lithographed, on somewhat surfaced, white wove paper, no watermark, perf. 14 (the 10 C.) and perf. 11 (the 1 dollar). Many of the tests described for the other forgeries are covered by the postmarks in my copies, but the following will be found amply sufficient. The cross-bar of the A of POSTAGE is an unconnected, circular dot, as is also the central tongue of the E of that word, and the G has a thick, square lump for a tail. The instant and easiest test is the shape of the asterisks each side of the value, in the oval label. Each of them is a St. Andrew’s cross, with dots between the arms (><) The top of the T of THREE is not joined to the stem; and the cross-bar to the H of that word is an unconnected dot.

Postmarks

Genuine.—As before.

First Forgery.—5, center blank ; 10, 54, center blank.

Second Forgery.—1, also an oblong, with rounded ends, also 10.

Third Forgery.—Shapeless blotches, but generally uncancelled.

Fourth Forgery.—54, with blank center; also 100.

 

From: ‘Album Weeds’, 3rd edition by R. B. Eareé. 1906