In November 1863 Captain Robert Todd acquired from the Venezuelan
government the right to carry mail between Caracas. La Guaira. Puerto Cabello. 75 miles to the west, and St. Thomas, in the Danish West Indies. The concession was sold to Blohm, Nolting & Co. of Curacao. which took over the steamer, the Robert Todd, and issued special postage stamps.
 |
| Robert Todd |
At the beginning of 1866 the Curacao firm of J.A. Jesurun & Zoon bought the rights and continued the service, using first the issues of 1864 and, from 1868, stamps bearing their initials.
The Robert Todd, wrecked in 1868, was replaced by the Honfleur. and Curacao became the headquarters of the service.
Genuine Issues
The stamps are divided into 3 types
Common Features
There is a specific way to tell if is a forgery. Every printing/stone has the same features not found on any forgeries.
The types and varieties of each value
NOTE The varieties are indicated in red
1864 .05c
Type I :- Break in right hand outer frame line opposite RA of GUAIRA.
Type II :- Break in bottom outer frame line under right hand corner ornament.
Type III :- Deformed T in ST.
Type IV :- Break in top thin frame line between A and I of GUAIRA.
Varieties :-
Pos. 18: A small round white flaw on the hull of the ship under the funnel.
Pos. 20, 24: Scratched Plate; a white scratch extending vertically downwards through stamps Nos. 16, 20 and 24.
Pos. 24: R and A in GUAIRA joined.
1864 1c
Types are based on the position of the numeral slug. Check closely with genuine.
Varieties :-
Pos. 3 :- Bulge on upright of K in PACKET.
Pos. 5 :- Large flaw in front of P of P TO.
Pos . 9 :- Line through EL of CABELLO and line through bottom of KE in PACKET.
Pos. 11 :- Top stroke of T in THOMAS separated from upright.
Pos. 13 :- Flaw through PA of PACKET .
Pos. 16 :- Large flaw deforming E of CABELLO .
1864 2c
Type I :- The lines on the left of the numeral are on different levels and do not meet , leaving an irregular space between them; white flaw over H in THOMAS.
Type II -: The lines on the left of the numeral are more regular and almost meet , slight break in cap of t in Centavo.
Type III -: Lines on left of numeral almost regular; top of t in Centavo broken ; short diagonal line on right of bottom of numeral.
Type IV - : Lines on left of numeral almost on same level with small breaks ; the t in Centavo is well to the right of the cleft in the 2; no deformity on top of t in Centavo.
Variety :-
Pos. 14 :- Black spot on left of 2
1864 3c
Type I :- The horizontal line above the numeral is almost missing; there are
three horizontal lines across the C of Centavo .
Type II :- The horizontal lines on either side of the numeral do not join up , leaving narrow white vertical spaces; the spacing between the two horizontal lines above the numeral is not even; there are only two lines across the C of Centavo.
Type III :- There is only one line across the C of Centavo; the horizontal lines on both sides of the numeral almost joined and level.
Type IV :- There are no lines across the C of Centavo; the lines on either side of the numeral almost joined and level; the substituted numeral is narrower at the left than in the other types.
Varieties :-
Pos. 2: Flaw at bottom of I of GUAIRA.
Pos. 7: Coloured spot on right of numeral.
Pos. 10: Coloured flaw in top of I of GUAIRA.
Pos. 12: Flaw through top of GU of GUAIRA .
Pos. 15: Coloured flaw through top of S of THOMAS and outer frameline.
Pos. 23: Coloured flaw above C of PACKET
1864 4c
Type I :- Three lines across C of Centavo; lines of shading on right of cross-bar of 4 partially doubled ; horizontal and curved lines above "a" of Centavo broken; two horizontal lines between " tav" and the heavy shading of the numeral.
Type II :- No horizontal lines across C of Centavo; breaks in horizontal lines above numeral ; '' Pearl'' on top of numeral; dots on left of numeral and short curved dash on right.
Type Ill :- Break in foresail of ship below top sail; no lines across C of Centavo; large break in horizontal line above numeral.
Type IV :- Three lines across C of Centavo; one horizontal line between "tav" and heavy shading of numeral ; small sloping line joining A of GUAIRA and P of PTO.
Variety :-
Pos.12 :- Large flaw at bottom of last A of GUAIRA.
1868 .05c
Type I :- Coloured spot in white margin above second leg of U in GUAIRA ;
spot in cross bar of H in THOMAS.
Type II :- Coloured spot in upright of R in GUAIRA.
Type Ill :- Large white flaw in vignette below P of Pto.
Type IV :- Break in loop of P in PTO.
Type V :- Coloured nick in upright of L in LA.
Varieties :-
Pos. 11: Large flaw on hull of ship.
1868 1c
Type I :- Irregular horizontal lines below ship; first and second lines below numeral are wide apart; marked break in three lines on right of numeral.
Type II :- Two horizontal lines below ship regular; spot and curved line at right of numeral. Black spot left of serif of numeral.
Type III :- Horizontal lines on both sides of numeral regular; curved line on right of numeral. Small dot on left of prong of numeral.
Type IV :- A curved line on right of numeral has a hook at its upper end; small curved line to left of lower part of numeral.
Type V :- Lines on either side of numeral regular except for breaks on right indicating the substitution ; several spots on left of serif of numeral.
Varieties :-
Pos. 5 :- Scratch below first A of GUAIRA.
1869 2c
Type I :- T he horizontal lines on either side of the numeral are regular but show breaks where the transfer was made; large sloping line crossing the third and fourth horizontal lines o n right of numeral; curved lines on right opposite middle of numeral.
Type II :- The lines on either side of the numeral are on different levels; the two lines between the numeral and "Centavo" are near to each other ; two horizontal lines between ship and numeral. Large black flaw on right of top numeral.
Type III :- Two horizontal lines between ship and numeral; spot on right opposite middle of numeral.
Type IV :- The two lines between numeral and "Centavo" are evenly spaced; dot at right of top of numeral.
The last column shows types IV , I , II , III and III respectively
Varieties :-
Pos. 6 :- Prong on cross-bar of T in ST.
Pos. 10 :- A and C of PAC KET joined .
Pos. 18 :- Top of letters HOM in THOMAS joined together.
Pos. 20 :- Top of O in THOMAS damaged making it look like a U.
1869 3c
Type I :- Dot on right of figure of value; large black mark and curved line on right of bottom of 3; no horizontal lines between numeral and "Centavo"; white space under numeral.
Type II :- Has a "question mark" on right of numeral; horizontal line of numeral badly broken and almost absent; white spur on second leg of A in PACKET.
Type III :- Short curved mark on right of numeral; dot between lines on right of top of numeral.
Type IV :- Triangular projection to left of the shadow under the numeral; small curved line on right of numeral and "arrow head" pointing to the right.
The last column shows the types IV, Ill, II, I and II respectively.
Varieties :-
Pos. 20 :- Large spot between L and A of LA.
Pos. 21 :- Upright of L in LA missing.
Forgeries
Attributed to Spiro Bros.in 1876 (sheets of 25)
Stops very small, almost invisible
The side and top inscriptions are deformed
Found with double frameb
Found with double frameb
The frame around Centavo is almost missing.
The shading is too thick and broken.
The numerals are un shaded
The numerals are un shaded
There are stops on all sides
There is no stop after either CABELLO or PACKET
The 2, 3, and 4c. have the word Centavos instead of Centavo
The 2, 3, and 4c. have the word Centavos instead of Centavo
The word PACKET is placed on the left side
The word Centavo is completely outlined.
The t of Pto is spelled Pti typical of Torres "errors"
Heavy uneven horizontal lines
The funnel of the ship is too tall.
No stop after PACKET or CABELLO
Usually found with the fancy FRANCO cancel associated with Torres
Type V
One of the best of the forgeries and always has gum
The t of Centavo is too small
There is no stop after Centavo
The base of O in CABELLO is flat
There are stops after all of the words
Unlisted
Similar to the Type III
With typical Torres cancels
Very large ship
Odd 2 with large foot
The O in CABELLO is too round
Letters are very large
Bibliography
The private ship letter stamps of the world Part 1 The Caribbean' by S.Ringstrom and H.E. Tester
Almanach du Timbre-Poste of J.B.Moens (1886)
The Danish West Indies - E Corneiro 2011
The Stamp Collector's Magazine - 1869
Phantom Stamps - M. Williams
Forgery CD2 - Klaseboer 2019
Mostly Classics - T. Kendall 2010
The Early Stamps of Venezuela, c. Dull 1936
The Postage Stamps of Venezuela - Hall, T.W. and L. W. Fulcher, 1924.
Specialized Collection of La Guiara - T. Lera 2010
Images from personal collection, public auction sites and S.A. Forum members
