Iran 1897 - 1929

 As mentioned in other blogs, Iran is very difficult to collect with any confidence the stamps are original or not forgeries or mainly reprints and remainders.
The many overprint Provisionals, low stocks and currency revaluations produced a bonanza for forgers to fake.

Unfortunately unless you are very well informed, the early Iran stamps are bound to be forgeries or fakes.

We will cover some of the issues in limited scope but bear in mind that most of the early issues online are forgeries or fakes. As many are valuable buying from Iranian societies or accredited specialists is almost a necessity.

1899 Mozaffar-eddin Reprints

Reprints were made for collectors on thinner paper and with white gum. An important tell-tale to identify the reprints is that the print pattern can be seen embossed on the back of the stamp on the Kran values.

The paper on "Reprints" has a vertical  mesh but horizontal on the originals

“Used” reprints are usually cancelled LENGUEROUD 21/11, RESCHT 12/11 or TEHERAN 30/1 

Below Sc 117 & 119 genuine

1899 w/control marks - Sc 120-135

Although the control marks were to prevent forgery, fakes still abound.

It is difficult to specify features as there are so many.

I am posting genuine only stamps for comparison purposes.

1901 12c  surcharge on 1k

This issue is scarce and easily faked

The left is genuine, the right invert is a fake.

There is an easy tell-tale for forged overprints. In the genuine surcharge the foot of the 2 is very slightly curved, as can be seen here. There are three common forgeries, all of which have a straight foot.

The 1903 Sc, 366 has the same feature

Any used copies of the above are common CTO's

1902 Meshed Issue

The stamps are generally in a bad condition; the stamps were issued by the Belgian postmaster of Meshed, Victor Castaigne (that's where the initials V.C come from), during a lack of ordinary stamps.

1902 Inscription "POSTES PERSANES V.C", with red signature (except for 1 K, signature in violet)

Above genuine left and inverted forgery right

Note that the forgery is very crude, letters and crown do not match.

These stamps are scarce and forged in great numbers

This is a certified invert courtesy of an Iranian collector

To add to the confusion of this issue;

Castaigne took with him to Europe the original plates after leaving Iran. He arranged to have great numbers printed. 

Many will have the fake cancels shown above

Only certification can prove authenticity for this stamp.

1902 Provisional

Another issue with mainly fake overprints.

As shown above there are 2 types of the base stamp

Type I - "CHAHI" or "KRANS" are in capital letters.

Type II - Only "C" of "Chahi" or "K" of "Krans" is a capital

Therefore the right stamp is a fake as the 1902 overprint is only on a Type I so all Type II are fakes

1903 Provisional

Again we have a large quantity of fake overprints.

Generally the fakes are identified by a missing breaking in the upper right line.

The overprint itself is of poor quality and difficult to point out constant features.

A genuine invert and regular stamp with a clear break

Above, a group of fakes

Note that the fakes tend to have clear overprints.

1906 Overprint

Genuine stamps - note the smeared "gresy" looking overprint. It shows up on the reverse.

2 fakes Types

The fake overprints are on fake stamps

The left one shows a typical break in the outer corner frame and a curved end on the right inside frame line.

On the right fake the wording is more open, the letters are different and the last E is noticeably slanted right.

I have seen the fake with a almost solid inked outer frame 

1909 Issue

A scarce and frequently "reprint" issue

Left a not uncommon genuine invert. They are common with early Iran stamps.

The key to the forgery on the right is the dark outer frame that has ink bleeding on the inner edges.

A close inspection of the genuine shows that the inner frame lines are sharp and very uniform.

A block of "reprints" clearly showing the rough inner frame edges.

1918 Ovpt

Genuine unused examples are rare. 

Most unused stamps online are reprints

Left genuine Sc604B

Right a fake with the typical rough bleeding ink inner frame line

Genuine 1917 Sc 588 stamp with bleed through of the 1335 overprint

1919 Provisional Sc619-20

Above left, genuine, right forgery

This full forgery is relatively easy to determine.

In the left scroll above the word POSTES there is one line in the genuine but 2 in the forgery. The 2 lines are generally easier to distinguish.

Left genuine, right forgery

1926

Overprinted to commemorate the Pahlavi dynasty, dated 16 December 192S

above genuine Sc 703

I do not have much detail on the fake overprints.

This diagram describes the original (top) and 2 main fakes.

1927 Airmail

The 1909 stamps were overprinted and fakes abound especially in the higher values.

A diagram of the fake overprint features

Above genuine set

Above fake overprints

1929 Airmail

In 1928 the existing revenue stamps were overprinted "Poste aerienne" in sheets of 100. The forgeries of the five lowest values i.e. 1ch, 2ch, 3ch, 5ch, & 10ch were made during the same period apparently to supply the packet makers in Europe. 

The identifying characteristics of these forgeries beside the fact that the overprints are quite crude and weak, the ornamental petals on each corner above the values are very weak and crooked. Also the shade of these forgeries vary from the originals

Above genuine left, forgery right