US Sperati Forgeries

Sperati at work

 Although not the most prolific, Jean de Sperati (or Giovanni De Sperati) can be considered as the most accomplished of the forgers.
His techniques were revolutionary and his creations fooled many “experts”
He first started making forgeries around 1909, when the Paris stamp dealer Jean Cividini asked him to make a reproduction of a rare Gold Coast stamp. 
His family was already known for their philatelic forgery skills.
He made his forgeries with selvage from genuine sheets to preserve the original paper and watermarks. He copied specific genuine stamps and incorporated all the flaws & plate variations spending months engraving them..
It would seem the art and accomplishments were more important than the financial rewards.
566 forged stamps from more than 100 countries are known to have been forged by Sperati.

1845 New York City 5c
Left to right: Original, Sperati Type A, Sperati Type B
Forgery Type A
1. top left serif of second "F" of "OFFICE" missing
2. no white flaw between "N" and "T" of "CENTS" as found in Type B
Forgery Type B
1. top left serif of second "F" of "OFFICE" missing
2. white oval flaw between "N" and "T" of "CENTS 

1846 Providence 5c

Left original, Right Sperati Forgery

1. In the forgery, the fleuron at top right extends beyond the frame line (above the "C" of "OFFICE")

2. the forgery is photo-lithography rather than engraved like the original

1847 10c

Above; Left Original, Right Forgery

Above Sperati with fake cancel

1. In the forgery there is a very small protrusion that extends downward from the left frameline opposite top

serif of the "X" denomination

2. There is a small dot in the white oval beneath the "O" of "POST"

1862 CSA 5 10¢ rose  

Left Original, Right, Forgery

1. In the forgery, the top right "10" has a short "1" that is aligned to top of "0" rather than to bottom

2. The "1" of lower left "10" has a flaw at foot and there is a white spot below and to the right of the "0

1863 CSA 10c

Genuine stamp

Left to Right, Forgery Type A.B,C

1. Type A: there is a white dot in center of the scroll ornament to the left of "POSTAGE"

2. there is a white spot to the right of "E" of "POSTAGE"

1. Type B: as Type A except missing white spot in scroll ornament

2. the "T" and "E" of "TEN" are not joined at the top

1. Type C: as Type B except the "T" and "E" of "TEN" are joined