Spud Papers – New Brunswick

1857. Three Pence.

Genuine

Crown large, well formed and showing two fleurs de lis, within a single linear octagon; flowers well drawn, as is also the rest of the stamp. The great test consists in the disposition of the numerals. Taking the top of the stamp from the attitude of crown, all the figures are placed upright in the diamonds containing them.

Forged

Crown, small, with three strawberry leaves visible within a double linear octagon; floral emblems badly drawn, the head of the thistle touching the side of star; background of scratches; numerals in each angle placed so that the bottom is just above the flower.

1860. 1 Cent.

Genuine

Scarcely any shading in front of engine; funnel considerably thicker above than below. Very fine background of horizontal lines, crossed by others going obliquely from right to left. The background is so fine, that the points we have stated can only be discerned through a microscope. The genuine stamps can always be told by their really beautiful execution.

Forged

Heavy shading in front of- locomotive, the funnel of which is almost the same thickness throughout. A coarse background of horizontal lines, crossed by oblique lines going from left to right.

2 Cents.

Genuine

Very finely done; face and neck shaded with dots throughout; hyphen between words of name, and period before TWO; numerals on lined ground.

Forged

A miserable production. Face and neck almost devoid of shading. Lettering very bad; no hyphen between NEW and BRUNSWICK. or period before TWO. Numerals on solid ground.

5 Cents.

Genuine

Face and neck shaded by dots; tiara of Queen at some little distance from the top of oval; hyphen between words of name; background very fine.

Forged

Face and neck very white; tiara of Queen rather near to ring of oval; no hyphen between NEW and BRUNSWICK; background coarse, and lettering poor.

10 Cents.

Genuine

Hyphen joining NEW and BRUNSWICK; X in double linear ovals; background as in 5 c.

Forged

Same center used as for the 5 cents; therefore, no hyphen between words of name; X in poorly-shaped single-lined ovals.

12 1/2 Cents.

Genuine

Engraved in taille-douce; perf. 12. Surface of the stamp slightly blued by the plate. The paper is wove, and rather thick. Hull of steamer very dark all over. Smoke from funnel seems to go in front of the masts, but behind the flag. There is no “dolphin-striker” on the bowsprit. There are two white lines forming the wake of the vessel. The whole stamp is very beautifully engraved.

Forged

Lithographed on very white wove paper, rather thin; perf. 13. There is a strongly-marked white line which runs the whole length of the hull, and which is not visible in the originals. The smoke seems to go behind both masts and flag, and the flag itself stands out much too prominently. There is a “dolphin-striker” on the bowsprit, rather small, but perfectly distinct. The perforation is tolerably good, but is 13 instead of 12. The wake of the vessel consists of three very white lines. One glance at this stamp is enough to condemn it; for, though carefully copied, it is impossible not to notice the vast difference of finish and
execution between the taille-douce original and the lithographed forgery. There are two postmarks, either of which is used indifferently for the forgeries. The one is an imitation of the old British Guiana postmark (without the numerals) and the other has four concentric circles, with short parallel lines in center. The forgeries are ungummed, whereas the originals generally have a good deal of thick yellowish-brown gum.

17 Cents.

Genuine

A brooch upon right shoulder of Prince, perpendicular lines of tartan above second E and first N of SEVENTEEN, the lines slightly sloping; all the numerals in double linear transverse ovals.

Forged

No brooch shown upon the Prince’s shoulder; portion of plaid of tartan shown by two perpendicular lines, one coming above the space between the first E and N, and the other above the T of SEVENTEEN; numerals in single linear oblong-ovals, except in the right lower-corner.

From “The Spud Papers” by Atless, Pemberton & Earée, 1871-1881.