Issue of 1850. 2 kr., black.

This is the only value of which I possess forgeries, though I have seen a coarse imitation of the 9 kr., of which I did not take any notes at the time.

 

Genuine

Engraved in épargne, on hand-made, grayish-white wove paper, thin or thick. There is a hyphen after K K POST, and the word to the right of the crown is STEMPEL. The little cross on the top of the crown can be seen between the two outlines of the top of the stamp. The tail of the eagle ends in a very distinct black trefoil, which points down a little to the right of the center of the first E of KREUZER. In each wing there are seven distinct black feathers, with a thin hair-line between every two feathers. The seventh feather on the left side of the stamp does not show beyond the sword. The dark vertical band in the center of the small shield on the eagle’s breast reaches quite down to the bottom of the shield. The 2 goes very close to the outline above it, but does not actually touch, except in very heavily-printed copies. The little point projecting down from the said outline is before the 2.

First Forgery

Poorly lithographed, on thin card. There is no hyphen after POST , and the next word is TEMPEL. The absence of the S is, of course, a very easy test. The orb on the top of the crown can be made out, but not the cross above it. There is no black trefoil at the end of the eagle’s tail, and the tail points almost to the center of the U of KREUZER. The feathers in the wings are very indistinct, and cannot be counted with any certainty. The dark vertical band in the little shield does not reach either the top or bottom of the shield. The 2 is placed just under the projecting point in the outline of the label above it, and touches the said point.

Second Forgery

Lithographed, on medium, white wove paper. My single specimen is printed in apple-green, but I have no doubt it also exists in the proper color. The two wedge-shaped openings in the top of the crown are absent in this counterfeit, and the top of the crown seems to bear two orbs, instead of an orb and a cross. There are five broad feathers in the wing on the left side of the stamp, and six on the right side. The easiest test for this forgery is that the large shield is in plain white, whereas, in the genuine, and in the first forgery, it is covered all over with dots. The 2 is closely jammed against the outline above it.

Postmarks

Genuine.—I, 29; also one something like 81, and one composed of large letters and figures in two lines, without any outline.

First Forgery.—52, much smaller, with a single row of dots in the centre of the oblong.

Second Forgery.—29. The only part of the inscription that shows in my specimen is ” Vienne, 13.” I do not know whether this points to a French origin for this forgery. Of course, the Austrians spell the name ” Wien.”

Journal Stamps.

Issue of 1851-6. No value indicated.
Blue (1 kr.), yellow (10 kr.), rose (50 kr.), red (10 kr.).

I give the values on Mr. Westoby’s authority, not knowing any- thing about the matter myself; but Mr. Bacon’s book on Reprints gives them as—blue, o.6 kr.; yellow, 6 kr.; rose, 30 kr.; red, 6 kr. The difference is chiefly a nominal one, as the blue stamp was issued at the nominal price of 1 kr. when the florin was worth 60 kr., but really sold at 100 to the florin. Thus it was actually worth 0.6 kr. until the florin was divided into 100 kr. There are three types of the blue stamps. Type I. has an ordinary, well-shaped s in the word STAMPEL, and the G of ZEITUNGS is a G, i.e., it has a cross-bar. In Type II., which also has a cross-bar to the G, the s has a long head, and the top of the letter looks like the head and neck of a swan. In Type III. the s has no terminating point and looks like a worm,

while the G of ZEITUNGS is like a c, i.e., it has no cross-bar.

Genuine

Engraved in épargne, on grayish-white wove paper, thick to thin, and also on ribbed paper (1 kr.). There is a most peculiar long curly line attached to the base of the P of POST, pointing to the left, and a similar line attached to the first K, on the opposite side of the stamp. In Type I. these curly lines are strong and broad; in Type II. they are not quite so strong ; and in Type III. they are mere hair-lines. There is a hyphen after ZEITUNGS, just about 1 mm. distant from the S, and level with the centers of the letters. The corner-ornaments are like heraldic roses, with four large petals, and four small ones peeping out from behind them, but this is not always very clear. The lips stick out a good deal, and the upper one projects beyond the lower. There is a very strong line of shading at the corner of the nose. The shading of the central square is very much closer and darker at the bottom than at the top. The diaeresis over the Ä of STÄMPEL does not touch the white line above it. In Types I. and III. it is exactly above the center of the A, but in Type II. it is very slightly too much to the left. The nose has a slightly Roman outline. From the brooch on the shoulder some oblique dark lines of shading radiate to right and left on the tunic. One line ends exactly above the S of STAMPEL, another between TA, the third between AM, and the fourth above the beginning of the M. The front (white) outline of the tunic reaches the bottom some distance before the s. The horizontal limb of the L is of normal length. The first dark line, running from the brooch to the right, ends exactly above the L. The letters K. K. in the left-hand label are placed to read upwards; i.e., with their feet towards the centre of the stamp. The lettering is all in Roman type.

First Forgery

Lithographed, on thin, hard, white wove paper. There is no curly line either to the P or the K, and many of the letters are in block type; notably the P of POST. There is a stop after the word ZEITUNGS, level with the bottom of the S. There is no cross-bar to the G, but it has a little lump, which seems to distinguish it from a C. The flowers in the four corners have four petals only, with a dark ring in the center of each flower, and four dark lines projecting from the dark ring towards the corners of the little containing-square (x). In the genuine, these lines point vertically and horizontally (+) instead of obliquely. The lips are somewhat pressed together, the upper one not projecting, and the line of the mouth points very slightly upwards towards the ear, instead of being level. The line of shading at the corner of the nose does not touch the curl of the nostril. The diaeresis over the Ä of STÄMPEL is placed too much to the right and too high, so that it very frequently merges into the line above it. The nose is decidedly hooked, with a sharp point; the shading at the front of the point is too heavy, making it look as though part of the point had been shaved off. The front outline of the tunic ends above the middle of the T of STÄMPEL; the first line ends between TA; the second line does not reach the boundary of the square at all, being much too short; the third line ends over the first stroke of the M ; and the fourth line ends over the last stroke of the M. The horizontal limb of the L is, if anything, a shade too long.

N.B.—The above description really covers two forgeries, but they are so very much alike that I have not deemed it necessary to separate them.

Second Forgery

Lithographed, on rather thick, hard, white wove paper. This counterfeit has the G with cross-bar, as in Type I. of the genuine, but the tail to the P of POST is that of Type III., i.e., very thin, and oblique, rather than bowed. The hyphen after ZEITUNGS is only about F mm. from the S, which is a sans-serif letter. In this counterfeit there is a hyphen before the first K, and often (though not always) a long dash after the second K, and another hyphen before ZEITUNGS. The upper corner ornaments are fairly like the genuine, but the lower ones are more like the first forgery. The lips are very like the genuine. The line of shading at the corner of the nose is, in most copies, very short and weak. The front outline of the tunic ends between the ST of STÄMPEL, the first line ends above the middle of the T, the second line ends above TA, the third line ends between AM, and the fourth line, when visible, ends above the M. The horizontal limb of the L is curiously short, enough so to serve as an easy test for this forgery. The first dark line running to the right from the brooch ends above the end of the E. The diaeresis is exactly above the center of the Ä.

Third Forgery

I think this is the least common of all the counterfeits. It is lithographed, on coarsely-wove, white paper. There is no curly line to the K or the P, and no hyphen after POST. The hyphen after ZEITUNGS is only just about 1/2 mm. from the S, and slightly above the centers of the letters. The G has a very small cross-bar. The corner-ornaments show only four petals, but the shading in them is like the genuine. The curve of the mouth runs down into a very decided sneer. The line at the corner of the nose is thin, and rarely seems to touch the nose. One of the easiest tests for this forgery is the shading of the central square, which is composed of uniform parallel wavy lines, of equal depth (or rather faintness) of colour all over, except just in the right bottom corner, where it is very slightly darker. In the genuine, and all the other forgeries, these lines are not only wavy but curly. There is no diaeresis over the Ä of STÄMPEL. The front outline of the tunic ends above the right-hand end of the S, the first line ends above the middle of the T, the second over the A, the third over AM, the fourth over the beginning of the M, and a fifth over the end of the M. The letters K.K. are placed to read downwards, i.e., their heads point towards the center of the square. The lines which ought to run obliquely backward from the brooch are absent.

Fourth Forgery

Lithographed, on thin wove paper. The specimens of this forgery are always very faint and blurred. I have it in yellowish-green, as well as in the normal colors. There is a curly line to the P of POST, but I have not been able to make out one to the K. The hyphen after ZEITUNGS is only j mm. from the S, and a shade lower than the centers of the letters. The corner-ornaments are four-leaved, but otherwise like the genuine. The upper lip goes in a little, so that the lower one projects. The line of the mouth is horizontal. The shading at the corner of the nose is not so strong as in the genuine. The diaeresis over the Ä, when visible, touches the white line above it. The front (dark) outline of the tunic ends before the s, the first line ends over the middle of the S, the second line over the end of the T, the third line over the A, as far as I can make out, and the fourth line over the beginning of the M. The G of ZEITUNGS has not only a large cross-stroke, but also a tail, like an ordinary Roman G.

Fifth Forgery

Lithographed, on rather thin, hard, white wove paper. The specimens are very much blurred, apparently not from bad printing, as in the fourth forgery, but from a weak and poor matrix. I have specimens in sage-green, olive-yellow, and salmon. The curly line at the base of the P of POST is almost invisible, and the one at the base of the K, when it can be seen at all, seems to be straight, like a hyphen. There is a dim blotch after the s of ZEITUNGS, to represent the hyphen. The flowers in the corners are very similar to those in the first forgery. The expression of the face is bad-tempered. The bottom part of the central square, both right and left, is solid dark colour. There is no diaeresis over the Ä of STÄMPEL. The nose is slightly hooked. The L of STÄMPEL generally lacks the lower limb, and thus looks like an I. The front (white) outline of the tunic ends above the middle of the S, the first line ends above the end of the S, the third line over the end of the T, the fourth over the beginning of the M. The letters K.K. read upwards, as in the genuine.

Sixth Forgery

An elaborate description of this is not necessary. Lithographed, on very thick, yellowish-white wove paper. The corner-flowers have only four petals ; there is no hyphen after ZEITUNGS, and the G is an ordinary Roman G. There is no curly line to the K or the P, and the word at the bottom is STEMPEL, instead of STÄMPEL; this, of course, being an easy instant test.

Seventh Forgery

Lithographed, on stout wove paper, colored yellow on the face, presumably to give “age.” The lettering of ZEITUNGS is very thin, and the hyphen is only 1/2 mm. from the S. The G is not like any of the genuine types, having an extremely short cross-stroke. The corner-flowers have four petals. The upper lip is nearly twice as long as the genuine; the outline of the nose is rather wavy; the outline of the forehead is almost perfectly vertical, though it is decidedly curved in the genuine and most of the other forgeries. There is no dieresis over the Ä of STÄMPEL. The first dark line of shading on the tunic ends above the beginning of the S of STÄMPEL, the second over the center of the T, the third over the center of the A, the fourth over the right side of the A. There are two blotchy stops after the L in my specimen. Perhaps the easiest tests for this counterfeit are the nearness of the hyphen to the S of ZEITUNGS, and the absence of the diaeresis over the A.

Eighth Forgery

Lithographed, on thick, grayish-white wove paper. There is only a very tiny curly line to the K, almost invisible, and the line to the P seems to be bent and broken, but it is very faint. The G and S of ZEITUNGS are like Type III. of the genuine. The corner-flowers are more like the genuine than in most of the forgeries hitherto described. There is a dark line of shading in the side of the upper lip, that looks almost like a cut. The nose is too large, and somewhat Jewish in type. The shading of the central square is more a sort of mottling than actual curly lines. The diaeresis to the A touches the outline above it, and the A itself, in my single specimen, has only very faint indications of a cross-bar. The front (white) outline of the tunic ends above the beginning of the s; the first dark line of shading ends above the middle of the S; the second line ends above the right side of the T, and the third line over AM. There is a blotch, intended for the fourth line, but it does not touch the outline of the square. The stop after STÄMPEL is a short hyphen, instead of a round dot.

Ninth Forgery

Lithographed, on stout, yellowish-white wove paper. An easy test for this counterfeit is that the curly lines are tiot attached to the K or the P, but look like curly hyphens before those letters. The said lines are thicker than in any type of the genuine. The hyphen after ZEITUNGS is much nearer to the side of the frame than it is to the S, though it ought to be equidistant between the two. The corner-flowers are fairly imitated. The upper lip has a straight outline, and is long. The nose is long and sharp, and the outline is slightly hollow between the bridge and the point, giving it a very unclassical appearance. The lines of shading in the central square are all too straight, except just in the right top corner. The serifs of the letters of STAMPEL are exaggerated; the feet of the TA and of the MP touch each other ; and the stop after the word is a good deal too large. In the upper inscription the G is like Type I., with a big cross-bar, but the s has a large serif to its foot, which is not in the genuine. The diaeresis to the A of STÄMPEL is placed rather obliquely. The front outline of the tunic is above the centre of the S of this word; the first dark line is above the centre of the left arm of the T; the second is above the very tip of the right arm of the T; the third is above the Ä; and the fourth above ÄM. Of the similar lines which run from the brooch to the back, the first is very short, not touching the bottom of the square, and ends above the beginning of the E, instead of above the L. The front outline of the neck is over the Ä, and almost vertical, while in the genuine it is over ÄM, and slants upwards to the left. I have this counterfeit in blue and in olive-yellow.

Tenth Forgery

Typographed, on very thick, hard, yellowish-white wove paper, usually with deep yellow gum. The curly tails to the K and P are thin, as in the genuine Type III. The G of ZEITUNGS is a clumsy G, not like any type of the genuine; the S is rather squeezed together,and has a distinct serif at the bottom, as well as at the top. The hyphen is short, and rather nearer to the s than to the end of the label. The flowers are fairly imitated. The upper lip is exceedingly short, and the mouth curves strongly down, with a very disagreeable expression. The nose is straight, with a very thick outline. The front outline of the tunic is above the beginning of the S of STÄMPEL ; the four dark lines of shading are too regular, and too thick; the first is over the middle of the S; the second above the middle of the right arm of the T; the third above the right side of the Ä, and the fourth above the beginning of the M. The first line running to the right ends above the middle of the E. The line of shading at the corner of the nostril is very strong, and turns up at the end, in a thin, upward curl. The stops after the K.K. are too large. The shading on the brooch in the genuine is a sort of hook; but in this forgery it is almost a ball. Perhaps the best test for this counterfeit is in the four thick, regular lines of shading on the front of the tunic.

Eleventh Forgery

I can only give a few meager details of this, as my single specimen is much damaged. The u of ZEITUNGS is very much squeezed together, and both limbs are of equal thickness, though the right limb is much thinner than the left in the genuine. The G has a lump instead of a cross-bar, and there is a serif to the foot of the S. The hyphen is only about ^ mm. from the S, and a long way from the end of the label. The nose is long, straight, and pointed, and there does not seem to be any line of shading at the corner of the nose. The front outline of the tunic is above the beginning of the S; the first dark line of shading gets broad at the bottom, and is above the middle of the S; the second is above the TÄ; the third is above the right side of the Ä, and the fourth is above the beginning of the M. There does not appear to be any stop after either K, but the postmark hides this part of the stamp, so that I cannot be certain.

Twelfth Forgery

I first met with this in 1902, and my single specimen is in grey-lavender. Lithographed, on stout, rather soft, white wove paper. The curly lines to the K and P are like Type III. of the genuine. The upright stroke of the E of ZEITUNGS is very thick—much broader than any of the other letters of that word; the G is an ordinary G, and the S has a serif both top and bottom. The corner-ornaments are not alike, the one in the right top corner differing most from the genuine, while the one in the right bottom corner is most like the genuine. The outline of the forehead is very much curved, instead of being nearly straight; and whereas, in the genuine, if the said outline were produced upwards, it would point somewhere about the right bottom corner of the z of ZEITUNGS; in this forgery it would point towards the E or I of that word. The front (white) outline of the tunic ends above the beginning of the s of STÄMPEL; the first dark line ends above the middle of the s; the second line ends over the right arm of the T; the third line over the right side of the Ä; and the fourth over the beginning of the M. The first dark line, running from the brooch to the right, ends above the E, instead of above the L. The chief test, however, for this particular forgery is in the cap, which differs from both genuine and all the rest of the counterfeits. In the genuine, the cap has no turned-up brim, but there is a thick crop of short curls, showing from the forehead to the ear, under the cap. In this forgery, the curls are hardly visible ; so that the dark shadow, intended to represent them, looks like part of the cap, and the original white outline of the bottom rim of the cap appears to be the edge of a broad, turned-up brim.

Postmarks

Genuine.—Usually two concentric circles, with lettering between the circles, and date in the center, like 96, but larger. Also a large single circle, with “Zeitungs-Expedition” following the curve, and date in the center.

First Forgery.—37, 41, 42, all without numerals.

Second Forgery.—I ; also some illegible letters ; also pen-and-ink cancellation.

Third Forgery.—22, 29.

Fourth Forgery.—1.

Fifth Forgery.—1.

Sixth Forgery.—A large rectangle, much too large for the stamp. In the first line I can read, in script letters,”… e Gazzett…,” and in the second line, in large capitals,…” ezia.”

Seventh Forgery. 1, with WIEN, in large capitals ; also 29.

Eighth Forgery.—Uncancelled.

Ninth Forgery.—Uncancelled; also a pen-stroke.

Tenth Forgery.—Uncancelled ; also 1, with “MILANO 12/2” in large capitals.

Eleventh Forgery.—I.
Twelfth Forgery.—Uncancelled.

Newspaper-Tax Stamps.

Issue of 1850. 2 Kreuzer, green.

Of this stamp I have as yet seen no forgery, but I have thought it better to mention it, should any counterfeits eventually turn up. It differs from the later type in having the corner-ornaments composed of four-petalled flowers, with trefoils issuing from them; and in having one outer line round the stamp instead of two, and a stop after ZEITUNGS, instead of a hyphen. For the rest, if forgeries should exist, they may be detected by means of the description now to be given of the next type, bearing in mind the differences which I have here noted.

Issues of March and November, 1858.

 

1 kr., blue; 1 kr., black; 2 kr., brown; 2 kr., red; 4 kr., brown; 4 kr., red.

The stamps in italics were issued for Austrian Italy and for the Austrian post-offices in foreign countries. A tax is levied on all foreign newspapers entering the country, and it was and is collected by means of these and similar stamps, which are simply fiscals, as the word STÄMPEL or STEMPEL denotes.

Genuine

Typographed, on rather stout, white wove paper, unperforated. The frame of the stamp is composed of a double line, the outer one not much thicker than the inner one. There is an upright oblong
stop after the words KAIS., KÖN., and STÄMPEL; a round stop after KREUZER, and a hyphen after ZEITUNGS, placed very close to the S. The ornaments in the corners are balls, with spear-heads pointing from them. Each ball is formed by two concentric circles, with a semicircular short line, by way of shading, in the center of all. The outer circle is thin all the way round; the inner circle is thick near the little semicircle, but thin all the rest of the way round. This is fairly shown in the ornament in the right top corner of our illustration. The points of the semicircles in the upper balls are turned downwards, while those of the semicircles in the lower balls are turned upwards. The spear-head, pointing down from the top corner of the left-hand ball, goes very close to the stop after KON, and if the point were a little longer, it would pass just to the left of the stop. All the spear-heads are of the same shape and length. The diaeresis over the ö of KöN. is set very slightly too much to the left of the center of the O. A line drawn vertically down through the second stroke of the u of ZEITUNGS would pass through the center of the cross on the top of the crown, between the eagles’ heads. The left head has the beak open, and the tongue projecting to fully the length of the upper mandible; the lower mandible is very much shorter. The eye in the left head is distinct; it is a colored dot in an outlined, oval white space, and the dot just touches the base of the crown. Each head is crowned, and each of the crowns has a small, but very distinct cross on the top of it, and a ribbon coming from the crown, and hanging over the beak. The left-hand ribbon has a fringed end, the right-hand one is cut off rather obliquely; the former seems to come from the left side of the top of the crown, the latter issues from the base of the right-hand crown. There is a distinct cross on the orb in the eagle’s claw. The diaeresis over the Ä of STÄMPEL is placed a very little too much to the right. The whole impression is distinctly sunk into the paper, so much so that, in an unused specimen, the frame-lines, stops, etc., can be seen as embossed marks on the back of the stamp. The oblique upper line of the K of KREUZER joins the vertical line, level with the center of the other letters of that word. The K is exactly 1 1/2 mm. high, and the other letters are exactly 1 mm. high. The eagle’s wing on the left side of the stamp contains five broad feathers, alternating with four very narrow ones, but the third broad feather is somewhat split up.

First Forgery

Lithographed, on hard, white wove paper and also on laid ; the whole impression has a greasy appearance. The set includes the 2 kreuzer, green, which was not issued in this type. The outer line of the frame of the stamp is much thicker than the inner one, and it is broken in the left top corner. There is no stop after KAIS. or KÖN.; and there is a shapeless, blotched stop, instead of a hyphen, after ZEITUNGS, which touches the S. The two concentric circles forming the balls in the corners are blotched together most of the way round. The spear-heads are of different shapes and sizes, the one near the N of KÖN. being especially defective, and the one near the S of STÄMPEL abnormally long at the point. The diaeresis over the o of KoN. is placed exactly centrally above the letter. There is no diaeresis over the Ä of STÄMPEL. The cross on the large crown is slightly to the left of the first stroke of the U of ZEITUNGS. Both the eagles’ beaks are closed, and of course there is no tongue issuing from the left beak. The eye in the left head is a long hyphen, and it does not go near the crown on the top of the head. The eye in the right head is very similar to the other, but shorter. The right eagle’s head has a ribbon coming from the base of the little crown, as in the genuine; but the left head has no ribbon at all. The cross on the orb in the eagle’s claw appears to have been driven in with a blow, so that only the top and side-arms are visible. The impression is not at all sunk into the paper. The oblique line of the K of KREUZER joins the vertical line, somewhat above the level of the center of the other letters. The K is very nearly 2 mm. high, and the rest of the letters are 3/4 mm. high. I consider this to be the poorest and worst of the forgeries.

Second Forgery

Lithographed, on rather thin, white wove paper. The outer frame of the stamp is very like that of the genuine. The hyphen after ZEITUNGS is too far from the S, and there is a hyphen instead of a stop after STAMPEL. The balls in the corners are slightly oval instead of circular; and all the four semicircles (i.e., one in each ball) have their concave parts upwards, The circles are thin all the way round in each ball. The spear-heads are simply diamond-shaped, instead of having one long sharp point and three short blunt ones ; the one pointing to KON. is not near the stop, and, if prolonged, it would pass far to the left of the stop. The left eagle’s beak seems to be closed, though there is a trace of a small tongue projecting beyond it ; the right beak is wide open, with a long tongue hanging out. This is just the reverse of the genuine. The eye in the left head is oblong; it does not touch the crown above it, and there is no outlined oval round it. The crosses on the crowns on the eagles’ heads are indistinct lumps. The ribbons both issue from the tops of the crowns; the fringe of the right-hand one having a nick in it and the left-hand one being cut off obliquely, without fringe. The cross on the orb in the eagle’s claw is the same as in the first forgery. The impression is not sunk into the paper. There is a hyphen before the z of ZEITUNGS, which does not exist in the genuine. The K of KREUZER is about the same height as the genuine, but the rest of the letters are slightly less than I mm. high. The eagle’s wing on the left side has seven broad feathers in it, and only about three of the alternating thin feathers can be made out. This is not a bad-looking forgery; I have only the i kr., blue, and 4 kr., brown, of this type.

Third Forgery

Lithographed, on very thin, white laid paper. The outer line of the frame is too thick, especially down the right side of the stamp. The stops after KAIS . and KÖN. are much too small, and oval instead of oblong. The corner-balls are fairly imitated, except that the crescents in the lower ones point rather to the left, instead of directly upwards. The spear-head in the right lower corner is simply a diamond. There is a colored dot over the S of KAIS, which does not exist in the genuine. The diaeresis over the ö of KÖN. is a good deal too much to the left. A line drawn vertically down through the last stroke of the U of ZEITUNGS would pass almost clear to the left of the cross on the large crown below it. The left eagle’s beak is nearly closed, and the right beak is open. There is no tongue to be seen in either beak. The eye in each head is in the center of a very narrow, sharply-pointed oval. The crosses on the crowns on the eagles’ heads are mere lumps, and the ribbon hanging from the right crown is broader than the other. Both ribbons seem to be cut off obliquely, but the left one has indications of a fringe. The cross on the orb in the eagle’s claw is a lump. The impression is not sunk into the paper. The oblique stroke of the K of KREUZER joins the vertical stroke too high up. The K is rather more than 1 3/4 mm. high, and the other letters are more than 1 mm. high. The wing on the left side of the stamp is so blotched that the feathers cannot be counted. I think the detached diamond, in place of a spear-head, in the right lower corner is the easiest test for this forgery, and I suppose I need hardly say that the genuine stamps are never found on laid paper.

Fourth Forgery

Lithographed, on thick, white wove paper. The outer line of the frame is too thick, and is broken at the left top corner. The stops after KAIS. and KoN. are small and round, and there is no stop after STAMPEL, and no hyphen after ZEITUNGS. The inner circles of the balls in the corners appear to be thick all the way round. The spear-heads are all blunt, like aces of diamonds. The one pointing to KöN. does not go anywhere near the stop after that word, and, if prolonged, it would pass far to the left of the stop. Both eagles’ beaks are open, with tongues sticking out; and both mandibles of each beak are of equal length. The crowns with their crosses are good, but the ribbon from each crown issues from the upper part, and each ribbon looks like a drooping plume instead of a ribbon. The end of the left-hand ribbon is cut off obliquely without fringe, and that of the right-hand ribbon is rounded. The impression is not sunk into the paper. The oblique line of the K of KREUZER joins the vertical line too high up. The K is only about 1 1/4 mm. high, and the other letters are decidedly more than I mm. high. Six large feathers can be made out, in the wing on the left side of the stamp, and there is no thin feather between the fifth and sixth. I think the absence of the hyphen after ZEITUNGS, and of the stop after STÄMPEL, are the easiest tests for this counterfeit.

Fifth Forgery

Lithographed, on thinnish, white wove paper. The outer line of the frame is a little too thick, and the inner line close to it is blotchy and also too thick. There is no hyphen after ZEITUNGS. The balls in the corners are very badly done, of different shapes (the one in the left lower corner is oval!), and the two concentric circles for the most part blotched into one ; while the little semicircle in the center of the left bottom ball has been made into a complete circle, thick and blotchy. The spear-head pointing to KoN. is, in some copies, merely a blunt v, and the others are diamonds of different shapes. The dieresis over the ö of KÖN. is sloping, and a good deal too much to the left. Both eagles’ beaks are open, with straight tongues sticking out; and the left beak seems to be deformed, as though the points of the mandibles had been broken off. The crosses on the little crowns are very indistinct, and both of the ribbons issue from the upper part of the crowns. The right-hand ribbon is an unmistakable plume; the left-hand one is bent at an angle, like a knee-joint. Both are rounded at the ends. The cross on the orb is very thin, though that of the genuine is rather fat and clumsy. The impression is not sunk into the paper, and looks rather weak and misty. The K of KREUZER is only about 1 1/4 mm. high, and the other letters are not equal in height, the z being the tallest. The stop after KAIS is somewhat diamond-shaped, and that after KöN. is circular. In my solitary specimen (2 kreuzer, red) the u of ZEITUNGS is an N. The eye in each head is placed very far back, and the feathers in the wing on the left side are too much blotched to be counted.

Sixth Forgery

Lithographed, on rather stout, yellowish-white wove paper. The outer line of the frame is very much thicker than the inner one, and they are blotched together in several places. The right-hand end of the hyphen after ZEITUNGS is pointed. The spear-heads mostly have their centers filled up with blotches of color, and the one in the left lower corner of my specimens has its point broken off. The balls in the corners are very smudgy, and it is almost impossible to make out the details, as the two concentric circles and the semicircular lines are generally all blotched together. The eagles’ heads are mutilated, so that there are no beaks visible. Both ribbons issue from the tops of the crowns. The stops after KAIS. and KÖN. are circular. The large feathers on the wing on the left side are difficult to distinguish from the alternate thin ones; but there are ten feathers in all, thick and thin. The stamp is, of course, not sunk into the paper, and the whole impression is very coarse, greasy-looking, and smudgy, so that it is not a dangerous forgery. I only possess the 4 kr., brown, in this type.

Seventh Forgery

Lithographed, on thin, rather hard, pinkish-white wove paper. There is an oval stop after ZEITUNGS, and a distinct hyphen after STÄMPEL. The balls in the right corners are more oval than circular, and the inner circles are thick almost all the way round; while the semicircles are all different in length, and the one in the right lower corner is very bad and blotchy. The spear-head pointing to the N of KÖN. is not at all close to the stop after the N; it is merely diamond-shaped, and if the point were prolonged, it would pass very decidedly to the left of the stop. No two of the spear-heads are of exactly the same shape. Both ribbons issue from the front of the top of the crowns, and they look just like little flags. The end of the left-hand ribbon has a nick in it. The bottom limb of the S of STÄMPEL is malformed, and the T is of a very bad shape, looking like a small c. There is too much white on the central shield. The eagles’ eyes are set far back, the one on the right side being placed in the center of a white triangle. The wing on the left side shows the points of about thirteen feathers, and the distinction between large and small feathers cannot be made out. The small letters of KREUZER are rather less than 1 mm. high. This forgery, though not particularly good, might deceive juvenile collectors.

Eighth Forgery

Typographed, on moderately stout, hard, white wove paper. The outer line of the frame of the stamp is, in some parts, not parallel with the inner one, notably towards the right top corner, where the two approach each other very closely. The stop after STÄMPEL is very faint, and there is also a very faint stop (instead of a hyphen) after ZEITUNGS. The inner circles of the balls on the right side are further from the outer circles than in the balls on the left side, and the semicircular lines in the right- hand balls are absent. The spear-head pointing to the N of KÖN. is very blunt, and almost all the other spear-heads touch the balls, though they do not do so in the genuine. The eagles’ beaks are very unlike the genuine; the left one is closed, and the right one has a sort of nick in it, not at all like a beak; there is no tongue to be seen in either beak. Both ribbons issue from the upper part of the crowns, and look like little flags. The left ribbon is cut off obliquely, and the right one is cut off horizontally. The diaeresis over the Ä of STÄMPEL is not level, one of the dots being higher than the other. Being typographed, the stamp is somewhat sunk into the paper, but not so deeply as in the genuine. I suppose that the impression is from an electrotype cliche. The oblique line of the K of KREUZER runs down too low into the vertical line, and it is barely 1 1/4 mm. high. The very faint stops after KAIS. and KÖN. appear to be circular, and much too small. I have only one specimen of this forgery, (2 kreuzer, green), but it has, as will be seen from the above description, the balls and spear-heads instead of the trefoils, etc., and it has evidently done service in several albums, and has become so indistinct that I have had difficulty in making out the above details. In a perfect condition, I should take this to be better than most of the forgeries hitherto described.

Ninth Forgery

Typographed, on rough, white wove paper. The outer frame is a good deal thicker than the inner one, and they are much farther apart down the left side than down the right. There are faint circular stops after KAIS. and KÖN., and a circular stop, rather larger, after STÄMPEL. There is no hyphen after ZEITUNGS, but in my single specimen (4 kreuzer, red) there is an indentation in the paper, as though there were a circular stop which had failed to print. The little semicircle in the right top ball is blotched into the ring round it, and the one in the right bottom ball is simply a dot. There is a wide space between the two circles of this latter ball. The semicircle in the left upper ball looks like a hyphen, and the one in the left lower ball is a dot. The spear-head pointing to KON. is simply a v, and, if prolonged, it would pass far to the left of the stop after that word. The spear-head in the left lower corner is merely a diamond, which touches the ball below it; and the three on the right side are all of different shapes, the one after ZEITUNGS being a diamond, and the one after STAMPEL looking like the flame of a candle. The diaeresis over the ö of KöN. is extremely faint, but as far as I can make out, it is centrally over the o. Both beaks are open; the tongue on the left side being very short, while that on the right side is longer than the beak. There is a circular white space in the left head, but there is no dot to represent an eye in it. The ribbons both issue from the tops of the crowns. They are without fringes; the left one is cut off obliquely, and the right one comes to a blunt point. The K of KREUZER is barely 1 1/4 mm. high, and some of the other letters are only about 3/4 mm. high. The wing on the left side shows five broad feathers, alternating with five narrow ones, and the third broad feather is not split. Being typographed, the impression is more or less sunk into the paper.

Tenth Forgery

Lithographed, on stout, white wove paper. Of this forgery I have only the 4 kr., brown. The two lines forming the frame down the right side are very nearly the same thickness, and the outer line is a good deal thicker than the inner line round the three sides. There are faint circular stops after KAIS. and KoN., and the stop after STÄMPEL looks like a tiny inverted v. The hyphen after ZEITUNGS is pointed on its left side, and the point very nearly touches the S. The letters UNG of this word all touch each other at the bottom, though they are quite separate in the genuine. The spear-heads are all joined to the balls. The inner circles of the balls are all incomplete; the semicircle in the left upper ball points obliquely towards the center of the top of the stamp. The semicircle in the left lower ball points towards the right top corner of the stamp; the one in the right upper ball is like a short, slightly-curved vertical hyphen; the one in the right lower ball is a shapeless dot. All the spear-heads are firmly joined to the balls. The left head has an enormous, hooked upper mandible, the lower one being short and straight, and there is no tongue. The right head has a drooping beak, which touches the wing. This is the only forgery in which the beak touches the wing. The ribbons both issue from the tops of the little crowns; they have dark fringes. The diaeresis over the Ä of STÄMPEL is above the center of the letter. The K of KREUZER is 1 3/4 mm. high. The feathers of the wing on the left side are all blotched together, so that only the two top ones can be seen; the upper one comes to an acute point, though the tip is very broad and rounded in the genuine.

Postmarks

Genuine.—A large, single-lined circle, like I, but much larger, with date in the center, and name inside the circle; also a small, double-lined circle, something like 96, with name between the lines, and date in the center; also 81 and 89.

First Forgery.—Uncancelled, also pen-strokes, also a set of five concentric circles.

Second Forgery.—All the genuine cancellations.

Third Forgery.—A blotchy circle, with unreadable letters.

Fourth Forgery.—The first genuine cancellation.

Fifth Forgery.—Ditto.

Sixth Forgery.—Lettering in an enormous circle.

Seventh Forgery.—The first genuine cancellation.

Eighth Forgery.—Like the second genuine cancellation, but too large.

Ninth Forgery.—Like the first genuine cancellation.

Tenth Forgery.—My specimen is uncancelled.

Issue of 1867. Foreign Offices. 3 Soldi, green.

The original of this stamp is so common that it is a wonder the forgers have thought it worth imitation. I am unable to say whether the whole set of this issue exists, as till now I have only seen the 3 soldi.

Genuine

Engraved in épargne, on thick, white wove paper, perf. 9 1/2. The hair upon the back of the head is perfectly distinct; and, in an unused copy, the whole of the colored portion of the stamp is plainly
sunk into the paper, so that the ornamental spandrels and some other parts seem to be slightly in relief. This does not show so much in those copies which have passed the post, as they get flattened by being wetted. There are 90 pearls in the circle round the head, and these pearls are all tolerably even, and of uniform size. The perforation is very cleanly cut, and it is so close to the stamp that it almost encroaches upon the border. Thus, if the sheet has not been made to “register” with the greatest exactness in the perforating-machine, the border on the one side or the other is frequently cut off altogether.

Forged

Lithographed, perf. 9. Being lithographed, there is, of course, not the slightest sign of the design being sunk into the paper. The perforation is applied in such a way as to leave a considerable margin round the stamp, so that the border of the design is never encroached upon. There is hardly any shading to be seen on the back of the head, which looks almost white. There are only So pearls, or thereabouts, round the head. These pearls, instead of being uniform, regular, and of good size, as in the originals, are very small and uneven, and a very superficial examination of them will be quite enough to enable the collector to detect this forgery without any other test.

Postmarks

Genuine.—1, 29, 71.
Forged.—My specimens are uncancelled.

Austrian Italy.

Issue of 1850. 45 centesimi, blue.

Genuine

The type is just the same as that of the corresponding issue for Austria, but with value in centesimi instead of kreuzer. Engraved in épargne, on hand-made, grayish-white wove paper. There is a hyphen after K.K.POST. The little cross on the top of the crown touches the outer line of the frame at the top. The tail of the eagle ends in a very distinct dark trefoil. In each wing there are seven broad feathers, with a thin hair-line between every two feathers. The seventh feather on the left side does not show beyond the sword. The leg holding the sword slants down a little to the left, at the same angle as the leg holding the orb slants down to the right. In the value-label there is a little reentering angle of the inner frame, which is exactly above the center of the 4, and the said 4 has an open top. There is a stop after CENTES. , and the S just touches the re-entering angle of the frame above it.

Forged

This is a miserable production, but would look better if printed in the proper color. Typographed in black, on rather thin, very coarsely-wove white paper, which has been colored 011 the face with a blue wash. There is no hyphen after K. K. POST. The cross on the top of the crown only reaches as far as the inner outline of the frame above it. The tail of the eagle is blotched and shapeless. In the wing on the right side there are only six broad feathers, and some of the hair-lines are absent. The other wing appears to have only five broad feathers, but the post- mark covers this part in my single specimen, so I cannot be sure. The leg holding the sword slants slightly upwards, instead of downwards. The re-entering angle of the frame of the value-label is some distance to the left of the top of the 4, and the said 4 has a closed top. There is no stop after CENTES., and the S does not touch the outline of the frame above it. I do not think this forgery is likely to deceive, and it is the only counterfeit of this issue that has ever come under my notice.

Postmarks

Genuine.—-I, 81 ; also large lettering in a frame, something like 71;

also a couple of straight lines of lettering and figures, in various types, without outline. I have them in script letters, in ordinary Roman capitals, 3 mm. high, and in very large Roman capitals, 8 mm. high. This latter cancellation is so large that five letters of the name would go right across the stamp.

Forged.—1.

Complementary Labels

These are a great puzzle to some of our youthful friends, so I had better mention them here. Those of the first issue of Austria and Austrian Italy have a colored St. Andrew’s Cross in relief, on a white ground; and those of the second issue have a white St. Andrew’s Cross, on a colored ground. There is a set of each, with the colors corresponding with those of the stamps. The type-metal blocks for printing the regular stamps were clamped together in a printer’s chase that would have held 64 of them, in eight rows of eight; but as the sheet only contained 60 stamps, there were four blanks in the lower row, and these four blanks were filled up by four blocks, each with a St. Andrew’s Cross cut in it. Thus, in every sheet of every value of both issues, there were four of these complementary labels, of the same color as the stamps.

Considering that, in the issues of which I have been speaking, the complementary labels comprised something like a sixteenth of the whole issue, it is rather surprising to find these labels so rarely; but I conclude that the public never got any of them, unless they purchased entire sheets; and, after all, they are only curiosities, with little more philatelic interest than the “Jubilee lines” round the panes of current English.

Official Stamps. (Bogus Essays.)
3 Kreuzer, carmine.

I have a pair of these, apparently an adhesive and an envelope, but I know nothing about them. They are slightly embossed, the one with brownish gum, on yellowish-white wove paper, and the other without gum, on pale drab wove paper, The design shows the Austrian eagle in an oval, on a dotted ground, the spandrels filled with arabesque ornaments; F. M. C. W. in the four corners in white; COM. FREI- in the left-hand frame, MARKE in the top frame, D. ST. WIEN in the right-hand frame, and 3 KR. at the bottom. The inscription in full is probably “Communal-Freimarke der Stadt Wien,” which would point to its intended use by the Burgomaster and officials of the capital.

Reprints.

The reprints of Austria and Austrian Italy are legion. I must refer my readers to Mr. Bacon’s book.

 

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

 

See also —> Spud Papers – Austria