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| Design Inspiration from a postcard |
They were first introduced during 1903 and were issued over a period of 35 years.
Louis-Oscar Roty’s design and Louis-Eugène Mouchon’s engraving were initially criticized in part due to their "peaceful" design when compared to the more military German issues. A sore point for France since losing the Franco-Prussian war of 1870-71.
Mouchon was asked to alter his die but his efforts failed to please the authorities.
Thus the initial red 10c with the "ground below the feet" was a short lived interim design.
The more acceptable design set the figure of the Sower against a totally plain background in what became known as a "Camee" (Cameo) design, with the first examples issued just three months later.
Some of these issues are in great demand like the wartime emergency printings on greyish "GC" (Grande Consommation) paper, the so-called "Millésimes" pairs which show the year of printing, coil stamps, booklets and postal stationery.
In short the many series along with the huge quantities of colonial issues can make for a lifetime collecting endeavor.
Booklet "Carnet Porte Timbres"
Plate Flaws
Additional artifacts and missing letters
Genuine Types
In the Type II, the tail of the Q is a dot separated from the O and the lines in the face are shorter
There are subtypes of the Type I
There is also a Type III & IV but I have no examples
The differences are in the shape of the C after 10
Forgeries
The 10c has 5 known forgeries and none can be considered as "dangerous". It appears the main objective was to create postal forgeries and not to fool collectors.
1909 Faux de Turin
In 1909, the sale of 10c stamps declined in Paris.
The administration discovered that some tobacco shops were selling counterfeit stamps. An Italian, owner of several tens of thousands of false stamps, was arrested with his accomplices.
They were sentenced to two and three years in prison. The stamps made in Turin had been sold for several months, in Paris and on the Côte d'Azur.
Subsequently, on several occasions stocks of this fake appeared on the market.
Over three hundred thousand counterfeit stamps were reportedly seized.
The stamp was printed in sheet of 150 stamps
Overall it would have fooled any buyers and postal clerks
- the perforations are linear
- the stamp is slightly larger
- the centimes letter C is narrower and more closed than the original
- the face of the Sower is less shaded
- letters and lines are irregular
- the feet are not at the same distance from the frame
- in the Mouchon signature, the legs of the M are vertical
- The shading lines in the skirt are shorter
1911 Faux de Paris
This stamp is also referred to as "Faux de Russe" , (Fake of Russians).
Russians were arrested in 1911 and sentenced to two years in prison for being the forgers or at least the sellers.
However, little else is known about the origins.
This forgery is not common
It is a reasonable forgery but not as good as the Turin
- Lined perf 13
- C of 10c is smaller and round
- The C in FRANCAISE appears large mainly due to the cedilla being indistinct
- The F of FRANCAISE has an outwards slash at the top left
- Many lines in the skirt are broken
- The seed bag is heavily shaded
- The left forearm and wrist appears thin
The Lorulot can also be found as an imperf
Genuine "Recto-Verso"
1912 Faux Lorulot
This crude forgery appeared in 1912 printed by the anarchist LORULOT.
He was arrested and 30,000 stamps were seized in his house along with the manufacturing equipment.
He was sentenced in February 1914 to six months in prison.
- Line perfed 11
- Overall rather crude
- In the FRENCH REPUBLIC inscription: the Q at the tail
- All the letters are too thick note the c after 10
- Sower lacks shading and has many white areas
I am not sure if the blotches that appear before the bottom names are consistent.
Genuine 25c in dark and light blue
1914 Faux de Toulon
Few copies are found, so nothing is known about the quantities made.
Counterfeiters were arrested and tried in Toulon for making false stamps not previously identified.
They are possibly the creators of this forgery and the forgery was named “Faux de Toulon”.
Overall this forgery is well made
- Perfed 14.25
- Larger dimensions (19 x 22 3/4)
- Shorter shadows on the right forearm
- Shadows of the feet thicker
- 1 of 10 is thinner and shorter
- C of centimes has a less marked and longer curve
- In REPUBLIQUE the tail of the Q is offset to the left
- in FRANCAISE the cedilla is offset to the left
- Roty's signature: TY touch each other and theleft side of the T bar is almost nonexistent
1917 Faux de St Etienne
This forgery is printed on authentic paper.
It was therefore probably printed on genuine sheet edges or remainder paper
It was used in Saint Etienne in 1917.
It is a false lithograph discovered by Grasset.
- Overall very crude
- Face lines and all other lines are very heavily shaded
- The hair is shorter and ends at the beginning of the C of FRANÇAISE
- Short right hand with a thin and very long short thumb
- In 10c the C has a notched top
- Serif of 1 very thin. I do not know if the breaks are consistent
- The bottom names have distorted letters
25 c
This value was issued March 6 1917 first in booklets of 40 and then on March 19 in sheets of 150
Genuine Types
Forgeries
Only 2 are recognized for this value
Faux de 1913
This forgery is scarce and is found in light and dark blue
So named as it was first discovered 11913
So named as it was first discovered 11913
- Very rare
- Line perfed 14.
- It is larger than the genuine
- The top letters are irregular
- S in POSTES leans backwards
- The shading is blotchy in many areas
- The chin is lacking
Faux de Marseilles (Nice)
The forgery was sold from 1921 and until April 1923 in the South-East of France especially in Nice and Marseille
Tobacco stores distributed considerable quantities of it (around 8 million).
Two sellers, mother and daughter, were arrested.
They sold the production of a Toulouse forger known under the name of Paul, famous for his imitations of Ceres stamps from 1849 and stamps from the Bordeaux issue.
The stamp can be found in blocks of 25 and is plentiful
- The "C" of centimes is rounder and closer to the dress of the Sower.
- Both feet have a clear white line all around them
- Shadows of the face are less well drawn.
- The last E of the Republique has a lower bar which continues downwards into the hair.
- The top of the cap is thicker
- The shadows on the cheek are too narrow
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