France Sperati

Sperati's reproductions of French stamps appear to have been made some time after 1940.
The paper is very similar to the genuine in many instances as it appears he did not erase low value originals to access the original paper.

His cancels are well documented and offer a key to spotting his used forgeries.

These reproductions were probably in considerable demand, judging by the number of different cliches made and the ensuing "types".

All the reproductions of this issue made by Sperati were produced by photo lithography, the genuine stamps were printed by typography

The gum used by Sperati is yellowish with a faint crackly appearance and is generally thicker than the original.

NOTE in the following images, the genuine stamp is on the LEFT

The Sperati forgery may not match the original in color. The originals had many shades so it is possible the forgery imitated one of these other shades.

10C Ceres

10C Reproduction D

1. There are marks in the space between the background above REPUB and the top outer frame line

2. In the circle of pearls about seven o'clock there is a deformed pearl

3. The inner frame line is broken immediately over the last C in the lower panel

4. There is a white spot just above the center dot of the bottom right corner ornament

5. The outer frame line has been retouched in the top right corner

The 1792 cancel is a typical fake.

15C

15C Reproduction D
1. There is a spot in the foot of the E and the top of the P of REPUB
2. There is a constant break in the right outer frame line opposite the foot of the top corner ornament
3. There are signs of retouching of the lower frame line which are very noticeable below the first 5 and POSTES
4. The left bottom corner ornament has a green flaw extending towards the right.
5. There is a spot of colour i n the left upright of the R
6. There is an additional white spot below the dot following the first C of 15C and before the T
7. There is a flaw in the foot of the E o f POSTES  

20C

20C Reproduction B Found as a used pair

Left stamp:

1. There is a white spot between the E and P of REPUB

2. There is a small white spot between the A and N of FRANC and a black spot in the C

3. there is a white scratch running through the E towards the T of POSTES

4. There is a white spot left of the top right ornament

5 There is a spot in the top of the T of POSTES

Right stamp:

1. There are black spots in the head of the E" of REPUB

2. There is a white spot in the head of the R and the N has an ingrown serif in FRANC

3. The outer frame line in the bottom left corner is weak and broken

4. There is a white indentation in the background between the P and O of POSTES

40C

40C Reproduction C
1. The frame line is weak along the right side and has some breaks at the bottom
2. The second 0 of 40 is attached to the white space below
3. The coloured background between the RE extends into the white space below
4. The bottom right leg of the right bottom star extends to the white space 

1Fr

1Fr Reproduction A

This forgery is extremely deceptive. Tete-beche pairs of type A exist

It exists in several colors and with different cancels

1. There is a white dot in the internal left part of the O of POSTES.

2. A break can be sometimes be found in the extreme left of the lower frameline.

3. Pairs of these reproductions can also be found (often referred to as Sperati type B)

Sperati Cancels

The used forgeries can be identified by the cancels. The following list does not include all of them.

Town cancels:

'BLETTERANS 1 MARS 1849 38'

'BOYNES 21 OCT. 1850 (43)'

'CREPY 10 JANV. 1849 (58)''CHARTRES 5 JANV. 1849'

'EPINAL 29 DEC 49 (82)'

'LA LOUPE 5 JANV. 1849 (27)'

'LE DORAT 20 AOUT 1849'

'ORLEANS 2 JANV 1849 (23)'

Grill Cancel

Mute Paris Star Cancel

Continuous grill cancel

'OR' cancel in a small circle

Various Numeral Cancels: '166', '481', '805', '854', '1675', '1730', '1792', '1818', '1896', '2199', '2250', '2273', '2642', '2733', '2962', '3317', '3273', '3383', '3472'.

10C Napoleon

10C Reproduction A
Sperati made three reproductions of this stamp and die proofs in black and in colour.
They are found in unused and used with the typical star cancel shown
When used, reproduction they can be immediately recognized by the constant cancellations.
1. There is a white spot between the R and A of FRANC and the central line of shading immediately above the circle below the top panel is missing (hidden by cancel)
2. There is a spot of colour outside the right hand frame line in the center
3. In the lower panel the word POSTES has been retouched with some minute dots in the top right portion of the P and in the bottom left portion of the O and in the top of the last S
4. In the bottom panel there is a horizontal scratch running from the last O through the head of the C up to the corner square

1Fr

1Fr Reproduction C

Reproduction C is extremely deceptive.

1. There is a small scratch through the lower part of the first S of POSTES

2. Sometimes there is a white spot at the upper right part of the right 1

3. The F of Frank has a thickening of the top branch

There are about 12 varieties of this forgery

2C Bordeaux

2C Bordeaux Reproduction

1. The C of FRANC has too long a head

2. There is a white spot in the background just right of the pearls opposite the chin

3. There are two white spots behind the head

The following cancels were used by Sperati: 'LE HAVRE 5E 29 SEPT. 71 (74)', 'MARSEILLES 7E 18 JANV. 71,

The following numeral dot cancels: 359, 807, 2660 and 3151.

20C

20C Bordeaux Reproduction B
Left stamp:
1. There is a white spot between the E and P of REPUB
2. There is a small white spot between the A and N of FRANC and a black spot in the C
3. there is a white scratch running through the E towards the T of POSTES
Right stamp:
1. There are black spots in the head of the E" of REPUB
2. There is a white spot in the head of the R and the N has an outgrown serif in FRANC
3. The outer frame line in the bottom left corner is weak and broken
4. There is a white indentation in the background between the P and O of POSTES

30C

30C Bordeaux Reproduction A
1. In the top left corner square there is a weakness in the background above the cross.
2. There is a white spot between the bottom of the R and E of REPUB and a weak spot in the shading below the RA of FRANC.
3. The pearls at the extreme right in the centre are joined.
4. There is a white mark on the upper right arm of the cross in the lower left corner.
5. There is an extra white spot between the bottom of the right O and C in the lower panel. 

40c Postage Due

40c Sperati Postage Due

Sperati made used and unused reproductions of this stamp

1. This forgery has a white spot in the right bottom corner of the "0" of "40"

2. The cross-bar of the 'A' of 'TAXE' is almost broken.