Engraved in taille-douce, on very yellowish laid pelure paper; perf. 11. There are many differences between this stamp and its counterfeits, but it is a matter of very great difficulty to describe them,—as anyone may see for himself, who will take both, and lay them side by side and compare them. The ink stands out very well from the paper, and the different parts of the design are not blotched in any part, except that the outer line of the frame sometimes runs into the next line, forming one thick line instead of two thin ones. As this line is seldom blotched all the way round, it will be seen that there are three lines forming the outer border of the stamp. There are seven lozenge-shaped ornaments running across the stamp, both above and below the dragons, inside the Etruscan bordering, and parallel with it. The tongue of the left-hand dragon touches the lozenge immediately above it, but the tongue of the right-hand dragon does not.

Engraved in taille-douce; perf. 11 x 11 1/2. The perforations at top and bottom are large, clean-cut, and close together, whilst those at the sides are small, not very cleanly pierced, and far apart, like the British Guiana perforations. There are no fewer than forty types of this stamp, and our readers may suppose that it was no easy task to discover which of the forty was the type selected by the forgers for imitation. There are four value-labels, and the outlines of each are perfectly parallel with the outlines of the frames which contain the said labels. The figure 2 in the bottom label is somewhat shorter than the letters of the word SEN. There is a very small transverse open oval at the end of each of the spokes of the wheel-like flower at the top of the central portion of the stamp; and where the spokes converge, they do not run into each other. The flowers in the right-hand branch have nine petals, tolerably distinct, and the lower ends of the branches are on a level with the center of the small square label which is fastened just where they cross. (In some types this label is absent, but all the forgeries have it.) The flowers in the left-hand branch are bells.

Engraved in taille-douce, on thick, soft, yellowish-white wove paper, machine perforated 13. The forgery is imitated from the edition which bears the plate letter like our figure 1 in the little oval where the stems of the branches cross; and, therefore, I will describe from the genuine one which bears that letter or figure, or syllabic character. The oblique side-stroke of the said plate letter almost touches the left side of the oval which contains it. The top leaf of the right-hand wreath, and the top leaf but one of the left-hand wreath, just touch the chrysanthemum, or wheel-like flower at the top of the central rectangle. The lowest hieroglyphic of the column of Japanese words in the center of the stamp almost touches the top of the little oval which contains the plate letter. The central tongue of the 3 in the top label is quite blunt, and projects almost level with the top and bottom curls of the figure; the same is the case with the 3 in the lower label. The inscription, both at top and bottom, reads 30SEN; i.e., there is no proper division between the numerals and the word. The bottom of the stalk of the left-hand branch just touches the lower spiral of the bell ornament in the right-hand bottom corner on the inner rectangle; and the bottom of the stalk of the right-hand branch is at some little distance from the similar spiral of the bell ornament in the left-hand bottom corner of the inner rectangle. The dot outside each of the bell ornaments is placed exactly at the apex of the bell. The bell in the right-hand top corner has 14 lines of shading in the narrow part, and 17 lines, and a fringe of 16 dots, in the wide part. The bell in the left-hand top corner has 16 lines in the narrow part, and 17 lines and 16 dots in the wide part. The bell in the bottom right-hand corner has 15 lines in the narrow part, and 17 lines and 13 dots in the wide part. The bell in the bottom left- hand corner has 13 lines in the narrow part, and 13 lines and 15 dots in the wide part. The most usual postmarks are either a thing like a five-armed star-fish—which is, I believe, the Japanese for “Post”—or a large blotch, or a St. Andrew’s cross in red, apparently laid on with a brush.

Engraved on thickish white wove paper; perf. 13. How these stamps are engraved I am unable to say, but they have all the appearance of taille-douce impressions; so that they may be readily distinguished from the lithographed forgeries. Of all the set, this 12 sen is the most difficult to describe, as the chief differences consist of variations in the forms of the Japanese letters; and I cannot explain these verbally. The other tests are as follows; there are 16 rays to the chrysanthemum at the top of the stamp; the s of SEN is much smaller than the EN; the legs of the bird are not visible; and its beak points to the N of SEN.

Engraved, as above; perf. 13. There are 16 rays to the chrysanthemum at the top. The two left-hand roses do not touch the outer line of the circle. The bird’s tail has the feathers almost parallel, and four toes can be counted on the foot. At the bottom of the circle, between 15 and SEN, is a small figure 1, which is, I suppose, the plate-number.

Engraving, paper, and perforation, as above. It will be noticed there are sixteen rays in the chrysanthemum, which are even more distinct than in the other values. The roses in the top corners are the same size as those at the bottom. Below these roses, outside the circle, there are two fan-shaped ornaments; the right has ten rays, and the left one has eleven. The two leaves which point to the chrysanthemum do not touch it, though they come very near it. There are nine feathers in the tail of the bird; and it will be observed there is a large white patch under its throat. The eye is visible, though very small.