Forged Stamps of the Danish West Indies
“The Spud Papers”
by Atlee, Pemberton & Earée
1874. Bicolored
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.
Country Index
Danish West Indies
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