Album Weeds – Bangkok

Issue of 1868-82, CC. Issue of 1883, CA.

These are the stamps of the Straits Settlements, surcharged with a large B. They ceased to be employed after Jan. 1st, 1886; and therefore, when possible, the postmark should always be looked at; for are not particular, and stamps which happen to have a dated postmark may sometimes show a date years after the issue ceased!

Genuine

The B, in all my specimens, is 6 mm. high, and the upright stroke from 3/4 mm. to 1 mm. broad. The serifs are quite horizontal. The upper one projects 3/4 mm. from the body of the letter, and the lower one 1 mm. (nearly).

First Forgery

The B is 5 3/4 mm. high, and the upright stroke rather less than 3/4 mm. broad. The serifs are not always horizontal; in some of my specimens the upper one is bent slightly upwards, and the lower one slightly down- wards, so that they splay out, but this is not always the case. I have this forgery on the 2 c., brown, CC, the 2 c., rose, CA, the 4 c., rose, CA, and the 4 c., brown, CA.

Second Forgery

The B is 5 1/2 mm. high, and the upright stroke barely 3/4 mm. high. The serifs are very short, projecting hardly 1/2 mm. I have this forgery only on the 32c., CA, which value does not exist in the genuine, so that this stamp is bogus.

Postmarks

Genuine.—1, 2, 29 ; also one something like 32, but octagonal, and with four concentric octagons.

Forged.—It will be understood that the forged surcharge is applied to genuine stamps, and therefore the forgeries bear genuine postmarks of the Straits Settlements. Some of my specimens are dated as late as 1891, five years after the Bangkok stamps ceased to be employed.

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