Diego-Suarez 1890

 One of the most sought after stamps both for their rarity and simplicity of design.

As the overprinted French stamps were completely exhausted it was decreed that provisionals be printed and exclusively used in Diego-Suarez. This need probably accounts for the simple design.

Lithographed on white paper.

The ink color is greyish not black and generally shows many white spots due to lack of coverage from the ink used.

Catalogs of the period note the following quantities initially produced, sold and destroyed.

Critics of the period did not give this issue favourable opinions

“Not content with the quartet of horribles inflicted upon us last year, the authorities have just issued a new provisional of local workmanship. "A very sad stamp" is a free translation of M. Moens' comment concerning it.

We think our readers will agree with him.

Overall, information on this issue is very limited and little more than a few blocks exist as multiples. I have not seen or heard of any plating efforts and generally catalogs have forgeries or facsimiles as examples.

These stamps appear to be readily available on both reliable and common online sites but the vast majority are forgeries. Even “signed” stamps need to be viewed with caution.

Genuine Stamps and Features

1. The G is higher than the other letters

2. The S has a larger lower section

3. The U is above the S and inclined slightly to the right

4. The A is tall and the right leg is longer

5. The is a larger space between the EZ

6. The top of the Z is shorter than the bottom

7. Note the shape of the clouds

8. The mast and rope are open

9. Note the thickness of this line, some forgeries have a much thicker line

10. Note the thickness of the 1 as well as the long serif which has a slight curve. The right side of the foot is thicker than the left side

11. The S in POSTES is the tallest letter and the top of the T is slightly inclined.

12. Note the thick wave under the ship

13. This wave connects with the ship

14. Note the shape, quantity and direction of the large and small waves.

15. The A is tilted to the left

16. There appears to be 1 or 2 passengers here

All these traits may not apply in every stamp

1. The top of the S is smaller
2. The right side of the U is taller
3.The Z is tall and the top is shorter than the bottom
4. The G has a pronounced serif
5. The middle bar of the A is inclined and the right leg is much more inclined
6. There are 4 thick bars here
7.There are 2 openings in the hair lines
8. The hair lines all touch the frame
9. Note the length of the tear drop
10. Note the relative thickness of the frame lines
11. Note the shape and size of the ball
12. Opening here
13. The P has an even serif
14. The O is thin at the top and bottom
15. The E has a larger lower serif
16. The tail of the Q is straight and does not touch the frame
17. Note the shape and size of the SE
18. The dot is close to the letter
19. Note the shape of the cedilla and in particular the right angle.
All these traits may not apply in every stamp

1. The top of the S is smaller
2. The middle bar is straight
3. The Z is not as tall as the E and is shorter on top
4. Note the shape of the hair lines
5. 10 lines here
6. Note the size and shape of this line
7. The 1 has a long slightly curved serif
8. Note the thickness of the frame lines
9. The right foot of the 1 is thicker than the left side
10. The O has a thin top and bottom with the top appearing flat
11. Note the shape & size of the SE
12. The dot is very close to the letter and the cedilla is not well defined
13. The top of the S is much smaller than the bottom
14. The tail of the Q is short and thick
All these traits may not apply in every stamp

1. The U is slightly longer on the right side
1a. The D has a the shape of a 0
2. The bottom leg of the E is longer
3. The O is taller than the other letters
4. Note the thick shading
5. The middle bar of the A is slightly inclined
6. Pointed helmet with blotchy shading lower right
7. 8 distinct lines
8. The tip of the 5 is rounded
9. This hair line does not touch the frame
10. The end of the 2 is flat
11. Note the thickness of the frame lines
12. The O is thin top and bottom
13. Prominent serifs on the S. Note also that the letters taper in height from left to right
14. The S is larger than the E
15. The cedilla in distinct and has a right angle, The dot is close to the letter and generally dash shaped
16. The L has a slight incline

Forgeries

Francois Fournier

There were 2 main forgers who account for the majority of offerings online and both executed very good examples.

The first is the well known François Fournier (shown right)  and the second is the less known Poirier

Mr. Poirier was superintendent of the post office in Diego Garcia.

He created many forgeries after the original stamps he had in his custody.

His stamps after a photo which he then reproduced on a lithographic stone like the originals.

Many were cancelled with the genuine cancel.

It was only some years later that philatelists in Paris discovered the existence of these Forgeries but then it was too late as the stamps were already found in collections everywhere.

Aside from these 2 forgers there are indications that several more were involved to a lesser extent.

Fournier Forgeries

I am only highlighting the main features. Differences exist in the waves and the ship

1. Thick frame line

2. Foot thicker on left side

3. T not taller than the E

4. S much larger than the E

5. Wave does not touch the ship

6. Waves have thick lines

1. The G has a rounded back
2. The top of the E is not inclined
3. No breaks in the hair
4. Too many lines
5. The shading lines have no breaks
6. No opening here
7. Several letters are shaped differently and some are too high
8. The dot is too close and the cedilla is poorly shaped  

1. G lacking serif

2. Middle bar is inclined

3. Top of the Z is too small

4. Dragon has a different shape

5. Lines are very different

6. The tear drop is inclined the wrong way

7. Too many small dashes

8. Short serif

9. Large C and dot in wrong place

1. D has more proper shape
2. The U has a wide opening
3. The top of the E is too long
4. No dark shading
5. Round tip instead of pointed
6. Too many lines
7. Hair strands different
8. End of 2 is pointed instead of flat
9. Small top on S
10. Tail touches frame
11. Cedilla wrong shape and touches the frame

A Fournier block - often found in auctions and rarely in line with the catalog value

From the original Fournier books in Geneva

Poirier Forgeries

1. G is wide

2. Middle bar is not inclined

3. Middle bar is too high

4. No opening here

5. Thin 1

6. Wave does not touch ship and the vertical line is a common trait

7. Line is similar to original

8. T has a wide top, also the S is much smaller than in the original

9. Waves have different shapes

10. Tail is too long

1. Only one break instead of 2

2. Probably a short 4th line hidden by cancel

3. Thick line and thin right frame

4. Letters different shape and the O is inclined

5. No opening here

6. E is poorly shaped

7. The dot is too small and many letters are crudely formed

1. Dragon is different

2. Dots have no white centers

3. Hairline is very different

4. Thick frame

5. Too many lines

6. Tear drop different

7. Both S are high

8. E has a high curl

9. Short hairline

1. Dragon is different

2. Dots have no white centers

3. Hairline is very different

4. Thick frame

5. Too many lines

6. Tear drop different

7. Both S are high

8. E has a high curl

9. Short hairline

Poirier Block of 4

Unknown Forgers

Does not match the other forgeries

1. Tall A in SUAREZ

2. The first bottom R is oddly shaped as is the second E

3. The tops of the EZ are bent downwards

4. The right side of the 1 foot is noticeably thicker

5. First bottom E is slightly inclined

6, The C is very tall

1. The G is very large
2. The lines do not touch the frame
3. Very long serif
4. The C is inclined
5. The E is tilted
6. The wave lines are different  

This one has a modern look

1. The letters are all very even and in a different font

2. Different clouds

3. Thick uniform frame line all around

4. The ship is very crude

5. No foot on the 1

6. Crude wave pattern

This might be a modern forgery also
1. Narrow O and the S is large
2. Normal frame line
3. Hairlines do not touch the frame
4. No opening
5. O is very high
6. Short R  

1. Large inclined top of the E
2. Dragon very different
3. Large dots in the wrong position
4. Frame line touches other lines
5. Long tear drop
6. Very thick frame
7. 5 is above the 1
8. Frame line curved
9. Tall T with missing foot
10. Large head on the P

This is most certainly a modern forgery

Letters and frames are all "perfect" and a different font

It might be a cutout of some type.

This block was described as Trial Color Proofs

This seems unlikely as they are obvious forgeries

Probably a bogus set.

They are similar to the Samuel Taylor bogus color issues

This is a VERY crude set with very little matching the originals.

I have some suspicions that this is a Torres production

His forgeries tend from good to very crude

This last set has a modern look

The letters are all very uniform

The fake cancel is very odd 

Cancels

Fake cancels abound in this issue especially the Fournier forgeries with cancel

"DIEGO SUAREZ MADAGASCAR 15 MARS 90"

"DIEGO-SUAREZ 15 MARS 90 MADAGASCAR"

"DIEGO SUAREZ 28 SEP 91 MADAGASCAR"

"DIEGO SUAREZ 27 SEP 90 MADAGASCAR"

"DIEGO-SUAREZ 1 SEPT 92 MADAGASCAR"

"DIEGO-SUAREZ 3 OCT 90 MADAGASCAR"

Others certainly exist.

Korea Kamigata

Kamigataya shop with postal box display

Korea’s First Issues and the Kamigata Forgeries

Aside from Wada, the next most prolific Japan producer of forgeries of the early series of Japanese postage stamps was the firm of Kamigataya. 

Consequently, up until recently, Kamigata has been identified as the producer of these forgeries in western literature.

There is no real evidence that a person named Kamigata even existed.

Kamigataya forgeries were actually made by Maeda Kihei, and Kamigataya was the publisher of Maeda's forgeries.

This new information has been primarily sourced from the inscriptions on the Kamigataya tourist sheets which are relatively rare.

It is noted that the first Maeda Korea tourist sheets contained genuine stamps but as the demand increased and genuine stocks depleted, facsimiles were added until finally all the stamps were forgeries.

It should be noted that Maeda/Kamigata produced forgeries from some other countries as well as the ones from Korea explored in this article.

Many forgeries from Kamigataya were attributed to Spiro, Mercier or Oneglia and merely sold by Kamigata but an obscure Japanese publication in 1954 the Kitte no Ie (House of Stamps) confirmed that Kamigataya was the originator of some 20 different country forgeries.

To date, at least 50 non Asian forgeries have been identified as being produced by Kamigataya

The 5 & 10 Mon were printed in sheets of 80 (8X10)
Printed by: Stamp Bureau, Japanese Finance Dept., Tokyo.
Designed and Engraved by: Saito Chuzo. 

Original designs by Hong Yong Sik, planned by a Mr. Hutchinson in Shanghai. 

Then revised in Japan, reportedly by one JeDeimg Chi.
Typographed on white, wove un-watermarked paper with a thick white or yellowish gum..
Size: 23 x 26 mm
Number printed:
5 Mon 490,000
10 Mon 995,000
25 Mon 497,500 - color variations are common but are changelings not printing varieties
50 Mon 498,000
100 Mon 299,000 The 100 Mon is listed a being blue and pink with a rare color error of only blue. 

It is noted that only the 5 & 10 Mon were used due to political events and that the first delivery in Seoul took place Dec. 4 1884 but ended 3 days later when riots broke out and the post office and the majority of stamp stocks were destroyed. 

Some authors point out that the stamps were only used on Dec 4. From that point on until 1895, mail was handled by the Japanese and Korean Customs Office.
In any event, genuine postally used 5 & 10 Mon are extremely rare and only a few with genuine cancels are known. It is thought that some that escaped being destroyed in the riots were stolen and made into fake covers.
The diagrams on the left show the genuine cancels used. 

Genuine Stamps

5 Mon perf 9 & 11.5. The 11.5 may be a Reprint

10 & 25 Mon

50 & 100 Mon

Forgeries

NOTE - there are many more forgeries than just the "Kamigataya" but these are the most common. There is also a rare Bogus 2 Mon .

The 2 main types of Kamigataya cancels are the 5 ring type and a double ring with the word IMITATION inside

5 Mon 

Left Type I 

The white center is too small and red side too large

The top of the 5 is too short

The top letters in the side circles are too large

All the ornaments are different

Right Type II 

A long slash besides right bottom M

The corner ornaments are different

The rolled ends of the side containers are incomplete

Left Type III 

5 short & thick and small extension on top left

The rolled ends of the side containers are incomplete

The center circles are uneven

Right Type IV very good forgery

5 top slopes up

Top corner letters are smaller

10Mon

Left Type I very crude

The 1 of the 10 is too long

Symbols in the ring do not match

Many broken frame lines and no clear outer frame

Right Type II very crude

Very tall 1

Letters are uneven and distorted

Odd ring symbols

Very thick outer border

Left Type III

The C almost closed

The man shaped symbol bottom right is attached to the frame 

Odd symbols in the ring

Right Type IV

Coarse lines inside the inner circle

The R of COREAN is higher

Oblique line below the bottom N is short & thick

25 Mon

Left Type I very crude

Very thick corner letters

Thin symbols in the ring

Thick outer border

Lack of white shading

Right Type IV 

COREAN spelled OOREAN

Overall a good forgery

Too much orange shading

Outer border attached to inner border in several places

50 Mon

Left Type I - very crude

Small N looks like a M

Yin-Yang symbol very crude

COREAN looks like COFEAN and all letters distorted

Top corner symbols are too large

Right Type II

Corner symbols and numerals are very thick

Yin Yang uneven

Small N is a M

Bottom letters are thin & uneven

Left Type III

Outer border is not separated from the inner one

Corner circles are smaller

Top & bottom letters are uneven and thinner

Side symbols are smaller

Right Type IV - the best of the series

Side letters are thinner as are the top & bottom letters

The background elements are lacking

The corner symbols and numerals are thicker

100 Mon

Left Type I - very crude

Yin yang very distorted 

Letters in circle do not match

Bottom letters are tall & distorted

Tall thin 100

Right Type II

Similar to Type I in the bottom section

The symbols in the ring have been improved but still different

The yin yang is too large and distoreted

Left Type III - fair forgery

The center of the yin yang has a left color spot

The word COREAN reds COAEN and letters are very thin

Bottom symbols in the ring are large and thick

The 100 has tall 0

Background elements are different

Right Type IV - fair forgery

100 is thin

Lower letters are thin

Outer and inner frame merge in many places

Above Type V - very good forgery

Bottom letters are uneven

The right top and left bottom of the N in MN are uneven

The 5 ring cancel is key

La Guaira Ship Mail

Robert Todd

 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.

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.

The stamps themselves are listed in different order and numbers in 6 catalogs/books I have.

All the colors, perfs and stamp sized are likewise varied. To simplify matters they are listed here in the order they appear.

Genuine Stamps

Features

The genuine stamps have many similar features

The left leg of the L has a shadow doubling.

The top right frame corner is broken.

Background lines on the right extend into the side letters.

There are several dashes and an end blob in the letters of CENTAVO.

Under the same letters there are several marks.

1864 1/2 Centavo

above - 1864 #1 Intense Black & 1a Greyish Black

There are 4 transfer types of the 1/2 stamp

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.

1868 1/2 Centavo - Black on yellowish paper

5 Transfer types

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 III - Large white flaw in vignette below P of PTo.

Type IV - Break in loop of Pin PTO.

Type V - Coloured nick in upright of L in LA.

Plate flaws

These are the most noticeable

Left, "GUMRA", middle large white spot, right, white line from U to E

Forgeries

A crude forgery.

The fraction is awkward with a wide 1

The background lines are thick and uneven

No dot after Centavo, PACKET or CABELLO

A very awkward fraction

The letters are smaller

The ornaments below Centavo are different.

NOTE - this may be a Torres forgery with a deliberate error - instead of Pto we have Pio

This is the previous forgery with a fake cancel

A decent forgery

Background lines are broken

Centavo has small letters is not inside a ribbon frame. There is no end dot

The fraction is shorter

A very crude forgery

Overall very indistinct heavy shading

The fraction is very large

The a in Centavo looks like a u

Letters are short and thin

Poor facsimile taken from a 1964 philatelic exhibition card

Very indistinct design and shading

Background lines are heavy and uneven

1864 1 Centavo

3 stones were made for this value with very specific features.

The lines in numeral feature of Stone I does not apply in one specific case of the position 19 (shown above) on the sheet where the stamp shows no lines in the numeral.

1C 1864, 1865, 1868-70 on different color paper

The type III stone has 4 sub-types (image above) with the following features

Type l - The lines on either side of the numeral are on different levels; the t in Centavo is to the left of the cleft in the numeral ; there are three short curved lines on the right of the numeral.

Type II - The lines on either side of the numeral are still uneven ; the t in Centavo is under the cleft in the numeral: no curved lines on right of numeral.

Type III - Bad breaks in lines on left of numeral ; the t in Centavo is to the left of the cleft in the numeral; one short line on right of numeral.

Type IV - The lines on either side of numeral almost even and on same level ; two short marks on right of numeral.

Forgeries

Poor forgery

Letters are thinner

The 1 is larger

Ship is indistinct

No period after Centavo

Thick background lines

Poor forgery
Letters are very thin
The 1 is larger
Ship is indistinct 

Lacking background lines

Centavo letters are spread out  

Decent forgery
Side letters are narrower
The 1 is higher on the left top
Large flag on fore mast
Ship is larger

1864 2 Centavo

There are no lines across the figure of value.

The earlier printings were in a more intense black than the later issues, and the paper varies in shade from green to bluish green which may be a chemical reaction of the ink used.

There are 4 transfer types.

Type I (shown above) - The lines on the left of the numeral are on different levels and do not meet  

The t in Centavo is to the left of the cleft in the bottom of the 2

White flaw over H inTHOMAS.

Type II - The lines on the left of the numeral are more regular and almost meet

The t in Centavo is to the right of the cleft in the 2

Slight break in cap of t in Centavo.

Type III - Lines on left of numeral almost regular

The t in Centavo is under the cleft in the 2 

Top of t in Centavo is 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 the t in Centavo

Forgeries

Very crude forgery

Letters are uneven in size and position

Letters are thin

Background lines are coarse and widely separated.

Very crude forgery

Letters vary in size

2 is oddly shaped and large

The ship is indistinct

A reasonable forgery

The top G looks more like a C

The 2 is wide and oddly shaped

The ship is larger

1868-70 2 Centavo on bluish paper with lines in the numeral

Forgeries

The forgeries match the Greenish-Blue but none of the numerals have lines.

Poor crude forgery

Very large ship

Odd 2 with large foot

The O in CABELLO is too round

Letters are large

Poor forgery

Letters are shaped unevenly

Tail on the 2 is too long

Background lines are uneven

Fair forgery

Letters are uneven

Background lines are uneven and broken

The ship lacks rigging

3 Centavo

1864 Deep Yellow and 1868-70 Brownish yellow with lines in the numeral
Some stamps on the sheet, the lines are faint.

4 transfer types

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

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 

Forgeries

Fair forgery
Uneven, broken background lines
Ship different shape
3 is wider
No ribbon around Centavo and smaller letters 

Good forgery
3 is slightly inclined to the left
Thick smoke
No dot after Centavo
Letters generally thinner 

Fair forgery
S in Centavos not in original
Thick smoke
3 is very high
Large letters in right frame 

Poor forgery
3 inclined
Coarse uneven background lines
No dot after Centavo
Letters different sizes and uneven 

Very crude forgery

Thin letters

Large 3

Few uneven background lines

Heavy shading
 

4 Centavo

1864 Type I Black on Blue & 1868-70 Type II Black on Green with lines in the numeral

4 transfer types

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 are 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 

A pearl on top of numeral 

Dots on left of numeral and short curved dash on right.

Type III - 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.

Forgeries

Poor forgery
Wide squat 4
Uneven thin letters
Heavy shading particularly in the ship 

Poor forgery

The 4 is similar to the previous forgery

The letters in Centavo are spread apart as is the St and the  T

The letters are generally thicker

Background lines are broken

Cancels

Genuine below

Fakes below

Addendum

Full Original Sheets

1864 5c Stone 1 24 types note flaws pos. 18 24

1864 1c Stone III 4 Types no lines in numerals flaws pos 5 16

1864 2c Stone 1 Types i-IV note flaws pos. 3, 4, 14

1864 3c Stone I Types I-IV note flaws 2, 7, 10, 12, 15, 23

1864 4 Centavos Types I-IV Note flaw Pos 12

1868-1869 5 C stone II V varieties Note flaws pos 11, 20, 23

1868-1869 1 C stone II varieties Note flaws pos 5, 21

1869 2 Centavo V Types Note flaws Pos 6, 10, 18, 20

1869 3 Centavo Note flaws Pos 20, 21