Spud Papers – Completed!
The last of the Spud Papers describing the forgeries made by the Spiro Brothers in the 19th Century have been added to the resources section.
Spud Papers – Parma
1852. 25 Centisimi, Black on Color.
Genuine
Lithographed. The point of the fleur-de-lis does not touch the top of the containing circle; indeed, there are two lines of shading to be seen above the point. There is a single line of shading in each of the bottom tails of the said figure. The little cross on the top of the crown touches the border exactly between the two words, STATI PARM. There is only one stop after PARM., and that is level with the center of the M. The groundwork, behind the fleur-de-lis, is composed of extremely fine lines, very close together; and the groundwork behind the crown, consists of small, square dots of black. The Etruscan pattern down each side of the stamp is very broad, much broader than any of the lettering.
Forged
Lithographed. The point of the fleur-de-lis touches the top of the containing circle. The right bottom tail of the said ornament has no line of shading in it, though the others have. The little cross on the top of the crown comes under the 1 of STATI. There is a colon after PARM. The ground, behind the fleur-de-lis, consists of coarse lines, wide apart; and the groundwork behind the crown is formed by coarse crossed black lines of shading, not in the least like the genuine; indeed, I think this will form the easiest test. The Etruscan pattern, down each side of the stamp, is not so broad as the lettering. This forgery is not nearly so successful as those described above; and I think our readers need not be very much alarmed at it. The forged postmark is very peculiar, consisting of a large rectangle, containing crossed oblique lines, forming a sort of lattice work. I have not yet seen this postmark on any of the genuine; but I expect that it is to be found, as the forgers would not go out of their way to invent such a remarkable one. My own used copies are postmarked with an undecipherable blotch only.
From “The Spud Papers” by Atless, Pemberton & Earée, 1871-1881.
See also –> Fournier Forged Cancellations – Parma
Spud Papers – St. Helena
1864. 1 Shilling, Green.
Genuine
Engraved in taille-douce on white wove paper, watermarked with cc. and crown; perf. 13. It is sometimes impossible to see the watermark, so this test is not always available. The general background of the stamp is formed of a very distinct engine-turned pattern of fine white lines, and the background of the central medallion is an engine-turned pattern of coloured lines. This central medallion is bounded by a very fine line; and the convex portion of each outer scallop of the central engine-turning touches this line, leaving a row of white half-diamonds all round the inside of the fine circular line.
Forged
Lithographed, on thinnish white wove paper, unwatermarked; pin-perf. 12 1/2. The white engine-turning of the background is very indistinct and blotched. The coloured engine-turning of the central medallion is better done, but the little white half-diamonds round the outside of the medallion are not visible, and the fine line which surrounds the medallion seems to be only a part of the engine-turning. As the originals are taille-douce engravings, the ink stands out well in all the dark parts; but the forgeries, being lithographs, do not exhibit this peculiarity.
Postmarks
The originals are generally postmarked with four V’s, placed point to point at some little distance from each other. I have also seen four very wide bars, and sometimes a pen-stroke.
The forgeries are cancelled with dots, or with short blotches hardly long enough to be called bars.
I am sorry to have to give such a poor description of this forgery; but if our readers will take the trouble to place the forgery here given, side by side with a genuine stamp, they will see that there really is no very marked difference between them which would serve to detect the genuineness or otherwise of a single copy. My object, in these Spud Papers, is to give, if possible, such tests as will enable the possessor of a copy of any stamp to say at once whether that copy is genuine or forged; but, as our readers will see, this is a difficult matter with the stamp in question.
From “The Spud Papers” by Atless, Pemberton & Earée, 1871-1881.
Spud Papers – Danish West Indies
1874. 7 Cents, Lilac and Yellow.
I think this stamp need not detain us very long, as the absence of the crown watermark and of the hyphen in the word DANSK-VESTINDISKE will serve as ready tests for the forgeries; though I ought to do the forgers the justice of acknowledging that, in other respects, they have turned out a very decent imitation of the genuine.
Genuine
Engraved in épargne on thickish white wove paper, watermarked with a crown; perf. 13 1/2. (Moens gives it as 14.) The middle of the horizontal stroke of the figure 7 in the centre of the stamp is bowed upwards. The small 7 of 7 CENTS is an exact copy, in miniature, of the large central figure. If a rule or straight-edge be laid along the down-stroke of the small 7, it will pass through the O of OER. There is a very distinct hyphen between DANSK and VESTINDISKE. Round the central figure is a wreath of barley.
Forged
Lithographed, on thinnish white wove paper, unwatermarked; pin-perf. 13. The middle of the horizontal stroke of the central 7 is bowed downwards. The small 7 at the bottom of the stamp is not at all like the central one, and resembles a schoolboy’s first attempt at a 7. The down-stroke of this small 7 is so much sloped that, if a straight-edge be laid along it, it will pass altogether to the right of OER. There is no hyphen between DANSK and VESTINDISKE, and the wreath of barley round the central figure looks more like a wreath of thistle buds than anything else.
Postmarks
The genuine stamps are postmarked with five concentric circles; the forged bear an imitation of late 19th century British postmarks, without the central figures.
The genuine are backed with a white crystal gum; the forgeries are ungummed. In the genuine, the central figure and other parts are slightly embossed, as is the case with all the blank parts of an épargne engraving; the forgeries, being lithographs, do not show any trace of this embossing.
From “The Spud Papers” by Atless, Pemberton & Earée, 1871-1881.
See also –> Album Weeds – Danish West Indies
Spud Papers – Mauritius
1857. Voilet & Blue.
This stamp (which is a good deal more common now than it was a few years ago) is a fair specimen of taille-douce engraving; and, though the forgers have been wonderfully careful, the counterfeit is very far from equalling the beauty of the original, so that there is no very great probability of our young friends being taken in, if they will only use a little ordinary caution.
Genuine
Well engraved in taille-douce, imperf. The corner-rays of the eight-pointed stars in the angles point accurately to the four corners of the little squares which contain them. There is a tiny white dot in the center of each star. The border of the stamp is formed of little half-moons interlaced, with all the cusps pointing inwards. The background consists of vertical strips of engine-turning; some of the strips looking like fine lace. The tassel or knob of the cap of liberty is of the same colour as the rest of the cap. The union jack is just visible upon the shield, which is shaded all over. The merchandise in the foreground consists of a bale and a chest, and the bale seems to be tied or fastened with a broad band. The lines of shading on the bale are wavy. The bowsprit and jib of the vessel are plainly visible, and the sea is darkly shaded. The foot of the figure is well shaped, and the half of the spear-head, which is nearest to the figure is shaded. The fingers of the hand which rests on the shield are not shaded. The M and s of MAURITIUS are exactly the same distance from their respective ends of the name label.
Forged
Lithographed, on very white paper; imperf. Only one or two of the corner rays of the stars in the angles point to the corners of the containing squares; and in most copies of the forgeries, the dots in the center of the stars are almost invisible, notably the one in the left lower corner. The border of the stamp is a sort of clumsy lace-work. The background is composed of simple shading, without any defined pattern. The tassel of the cap of liberty is a round white dot. The front rim of the shield is white, and there is no union jack. The merchandise in the foreground consists of two bales, the larger one being fastened with a rope. The lines of shading on both bales are straight. The bowsprit of the vessel is not visible, and the jib looks like part of the foresail. The sea has the appearance of soap-suds, and is not much shaded. The foot of the figure is dreadfully “splay”. There is a dark line down the center of the spear-head, but the rest of it is white. The fingers of the left hand are so very darkly shaded that they ate scarcely visible, except upon close inspection. The M of MAURITIUS is much nearer to the end of the name label than the s is.
Postmarks
The forgeries are postmarked with four concentric circles.
From “The Spud Papers” by Atless, Pemberton & Earée, 1871-1881.
Spud Papers – Angola
1870. 100 Reis, Lilac.
Genuine
Engraved in epargne; perf. 13. The crown in center is very well done, and all the pearls on the arches of the crown can be easily counted. Beginning with the right-hand branch, the numbers are 9, 10, 5, 10, 9. The cross on the top is not so wide as the ball or orb on which it rests. There are 121 oval white dots round the central circle, and they are perfectly uniform all the way round. The framework down the two sides is formed of two lines, a very thick outer one and a very thin inner one, placed very close together. The thick line above 100 Reis cuts into the thick outer line of the outline, as well as the thin inner one, on both sides.
Forged
Lithographed; perf. 13. The crown is not at all well done, and looks larger than the genuine. The pearls on the arches of the crown cannot be counted with any certainty. The cross on the top is wider than the orb or ball on which it rests. There are 125 white dots round the central circle. They are of all shapes, and are very much smeared on the left side. The framework down the sides is formed of two lines, as in the genuine, but both lines are of equal thickness, and they are far apart. The thick line above 100 Reis only comes as far as the inner line of the frame, on the right side. The rest of the stamp is a pretty close copy of the genuine. The perforation is better than usual, and is the same as the genuine.
Postmarks
The genuine I have never seen postmarked, but the forgeries have a postmark like our own, but with a blank in the center. The forgeries are ungummed; but the genuine are also to be met with ungummed occasionally.
From “The Spud Papers” by Atless, Pemberton & Earée, 1871-1881.
See also —> Album Weeds – Angola
Spud Papers – Bahamas
1862. 1S., Green.
Genuine
Typographed, on slightly glace paper; perf. 14, watermarked CC and crown. This stamp, though not particularly striking, is very carefully engraved. The face is shaded almost all over; there being but a small white spot at the corner of the nose, and a small blank space at the top of the forehead. The ear is all shaded except the tip, which hangs down a little. Just under the middle A of BAHAMAS there is a small ring, or circle, with another circle in the center of it. The conch-shell (I think it is meant for a conch-shell), in the right lower corner, has a sharp spike projecting from the right-hand side about the center, and another from the left-hand side at the bottom. There are five leaves at the base of the pine-apple, and five more in the bunch at the top. If a straight line were drawn down through the center of the pine-apple, it would cut into the O of ONE, considerably to the right of the center. The white space round the inside of the central medallion is equally broad all round, and the outline of the portrait does not trespass upon this white space anywhere. There is a tiny full stop after the Etruscan bordering to the right, above the G of SHILLING; and the upper horizontal stroke of the last “key” in the pattern is wanting (the border cuts it off).
Forged
Lithographed, on ordinary white wove paper; perf. 13; no watermark, ungummed. The front of the face, from the forehead to the chin, has hardly any shading upon it. The rim of the ear is white, and the lobe inclines forward instead of downward. The letters of name are clumsily copied, and the circle under the middle A has a dot in the center of it. The spikes on the conch-shell are absent. There are only four leaves at the base of the pine-apple, and the leaves on the top cannot be counted. A line drawn down through the center of the pine-apple would cut exactly through the center of the o of ONE. The white space round the inside of the central medallion is much broader at some parts than others; notably, under the MA of name, and below the base of the neck. The chignon and the pointed front of the neck project slightly into this white space. There is no stop at the right-hand end of the key-pattern, and the last “key” (over the G of SHILLING) is only a straight line. The base of the defective “key” over the S of SHILLING is much longer than the bases of the others, whereas, in the genuine, it is the same size as the others.
Postmarks
The forgeries are cancelled with a stamp something like our own, but without the central figures. I think this stamp will not have a very extended sale, though it copies the original very closely.
From “The Spud Papers” by Atless, Pemberton & Earée, 1871-1881.
See also —> Album Weeds – Bahamas
Spud Papers – Ecuador
1873. 1 Peso, Rose.
This is not a bad-looking stamp although it is lithographed, and it is certainly far superior to the older issues, which look so much like forgeries. The forgers have copied it pretty well, but there are a few discrepancies between the genuine and the forged which will enable the reader to settle very speedily which is which.
Genuine
Lithographed, in rose, on rather stout white wove paper; perf. 8. The perforations are rather small, and set very far apart. Moens gives the perforation as 11, but the only specimen I have is perf. 8. However, both perforations may very possibly exist. There is a good space of white between the rays of the sun and the border of the shield; the mountain-peaks have a sort of oblique snow-line marked upon them, and their points are somewhat higher than the smoke from the steamer. The front flags are shaded all over, except a very small portion near the outer edge. The axe, in the lictor’s badge below the shield, has its head properly shaped. There are 83 square white dots round the circle. The inside of the U in UN is square at the bottom, and the inside of the O in PESO is nearly square. The point of the condor’s right wing does not touch the outline of the circle.
Forged
Lithographed, in carmine, on white wove paper, which shows very plainly the meshes of the wire-gauze upon which it was made; perf. 12 and 13. The upper rays of the sun almost touch the top of the shield. There is no snow-line upon the mountain-peaks, and their summits are slightly lower than the smoke of the steamer. A large portion of the front flags is altogether unshaded. The head of the axe in the lictor’s fasces appears to be cleft in two. There are only 68 of the square white dots in the circle. The inside of the U is rounded, and the inside of the 0 is nearly round.
The point of the condor’s right wing touches the circle, below the E of ECUADOR.
Postmarks
The forgeries are postmarked with a rectangle of square dots. They are ungummed, like the majority of the productions of Messrs. Spiro.
From “The Spud Papers” by Atless, Pemberton & Earée, 1871-1881.
See also
Spud Papers – Iceland
1873. 2, 3, 4, 8 & 16 Skilling. Officials: 4 & 8 Skilling.
Genuine
Engraved in épargne, watermarked with a crown; perf. 12 1/2 for the 3, 4, and 16 sk., and 13 1/2 for the others. I don’t know the reason for the two perforations. The 4 skill., unofficial, looks exceedingly like a lithograph. The corners are formed of lines of different length, making triangles. In the left top corner there are 24, in the right top 26, in the left bottom corner 28, and in the right bottom 24. The o of POST and that of KJON have a small dot or accent over them. The letters of value are nearly as large as those of the name. The strawberry-leaves on the crown are very distinct; and, with a microscope, the continuation of the lines of the background may be seen through the crown, between the cap and the arches. The top of the A in ISLAND is very square. Gum decidedly brownish.
Forged
Lithographed, no watermark; perf. 12 1/2. The numbers of the lines forming the corner triangles are as follows: left top, 26; right top, 28; left bottom, 27; right bottom, 26. There is no dot over either the o of POST or that of KJON. The letters of value are very irregular in height, and considerably smaller than those of the name. The strawberry-leaves on the crown are represented by three indistinct white blotches. The spaces between the top of the cap and the arches are quite blank. The top of the A in ISLAND is nearly pointed. The stamps are ungummed, printed in sheets of 70, 10 x 7, and postmarked with four concentric circles, like the genuine Denmark. There is a blurred, indistinct look about the forgeries which cannot be mistaken. The genuine stamps are generally very clear and distinct, though the specimens of genuine 4 sk. now lying before me, are not so clear as the rest, probably from deterioration of the die.
From “The Spud Papers” by Atless, Pemberton & Earée, 1871-1881.
Spud Papers – Zürich
1843. 6 Rappen.
Of this stamp there are no fewer than six types, all very puzzling to the unlearned. These types differ from each other in the position of the lines forming the oblique black network, and in the size and spacing of the letters of ZURICH. The forgers have chosen Type II. for imitation. Until E. Fohl’s forgeries appeared upon the scene, a couple of years ago, there was not much difficulty in telling the genuine stamps, as there was no tréma (¨) over the u of ZURICH; but Mr Fohl kindly remedied this little mistake, and so deprived us of one sure test. I need not trouble our readers with the different types, though I have five of them before me as I write; but will simply show the differences which exist between the genuine stamps and the forgeries, choosing, as far as possible, only those features which are common to all types of the genuine.
Genuine
Lithographed in a greasy-looking black ink, on greyish-white paper. A number of faint pink lines cross the stamp below the impression; in some cases vertically, and in others horizontally. These lines are placed in a peculiar way—two and one—that is to say, first two lines close together, then one line a little apart, then two lines close together again, &c. This peculiarity in the burelé is a good test. The five square dots which form the cross in the left upper corner are quite distinct from each other. There are eight fine black lines running the top of the stamp, behind the word ZURICH, not counting the two thick lines above and below the word. In some copies the eighth line is very difficult to see, as it almost touches the thick line under ZURICH; but it is there nevertheless. There are also eight lines on the lower label, containing the words CANTONAL-TAXE, and these are easier to count than the others. The inner curl of the body of the 6 does not stop short when it reaches the inside of the curve, but runs down by the side of the upstroke halfway to the bottom again. This is another good test. The next test, which is a very trustworthy one, is rather difficult to explain without diagrams, but I will do my best to put it clearly. The groundwork of the stamp is formed by thin black lines, in sets of four, crossing each other obliquely. The arrangement of these lines differs in each of the types, but fortunately the forgeries do not agree with any type.
Postmarks
The usual postmark is a very pretty cross, somewhat like the cross-pattee on our black penny stamp, but rather more ornamented. It is struck in either red or black; the red being the commoner of the two.
Gum
The gum is brown, but most of the specimens I have seen have had the gum removed before coming into my hands.
Burelé
Our readers will please remember that besides the stamps with vertical and those with horizontal burelé, there are others which have no burelé at all. However, the other tests here given will be sufficient to ensure the detection of any forgeries which may exist without burelé, though all the forgeries which I have ever come across possess the burelé.
Forged
Lithographed in jet-black on very white paper. The burelé is composed of single lines, at equal distances apart. The five dots in the top left-hand corner almost always run into each other, forming a solid cross; and in the lightly-printed copies, where they do not happen to run together, they are too near the center of the little square which contains them. The dots touch the boundary lines of the square in the genuine stamps. The name-label contains only six fine horizontal lines inside the thick boundary lines. There are seven lines in the bottom label. The tail of the 6 stops short where it meets the body of the figure. For the groundwork, beginning to count from the right-hand top corner, the figures are 0. 16. 2. It will be seen that these figures do not agree with any type.
Besides the forgery just described, I have before me four others from Mr. Philbrick’s collection of forgeries, all different. The oblique lines of the groundwork in these forgeries are as follows:
- No. I: 2. 18. 2; 2.18.2.
- No. II: 3. 14. 1; 0. 15. 0.
- No. III: 0. 16. 3; 0. 16. 3.
- No. IV: 0. 16. 2; 2. 15. 2.
It will be observed that none of these forgeries correspond with any type of the genuine.
All Zurich stamps having 1843 in the angles, either one figure in each, or in any pair a combination, are false, and may be condemned at a glance.
Postmarks
Five thick parallel bars ornament the forgeries. I have never seen such a postmark on the genuine stamps.
Gum, etc. The forgeries are ungummed, and printed in sheets of 20, 4×5.
From “The Spud Papers” by Atless, Pemberton & Earée, 1871-1881.