US CSA #1

US - Confederate Stamps Part 1

5c Green Lithograph 1861 - CSA 1

Confederate Postmaster General J. Reagan of Texas wanted the use of high quality engraved
stamps in 1861 like the stamps currently being used by the United States and the major European countries.

However skilled engravers were not available and it would not be until 1863 that higher quality stamps were produced.

It was designed and engraved by Charles Ludwig and printed by the Hoyer & Ludwig firm of Richmond. Virginia using the stone lithography process. Four different stones were used, Stone A and B, Stone 1, and Stone 2. from mid-October 1861 and was in print for only a few months.

Jefferson Davis was a plantation owner from Mississippi. A graduate of West Point Military Academy who served in the Mexican War. He was the Secretary of War and a United States Senator from Mississippi. His popularity with the gentry and politicians allowed him to secure the Confederate presidency.

Qty Issued: 9,250,000

Earliest Use: Oct 16,1861

Forgeries

Few stamps were forged as much as the Confederate issues
Given the historical significance of the period, these stamps were in great demand in Europe

Most catalogs identify 5-6 forgeries but I have noted several more.

Many may seem very crude but period collectors especially in Europe did not have much information on how to check for forgeries so the stamps proliferated there.

1. Birmingham Forgery

The most “dangerous” one would be the “Birmingham” forgery named after the apparent
town of origin in England some time in the later 19th century.

1. The lines are much sharper

2. The right top ornament is larger

3. The bottom right scroll is different

4. The pupils are very distinct

5. There is a small diagonal line through the frame line besides the 2nd A of AMERICA

This forgery may appear in early catalogs

It appears in Green, Blue, Red and Black

Birmingham Forgeries

2. Springfield Forgeries

A deceptive forgery produced in 1934 by the Tatham Stamp & Coin Company from unauthorized use of Dietz facsimile dies.

There are also blocks produced in 1941 by H.E. MacIntosh

They are printed in pale pastel colors on sulfured paper.

Finer details are missing

Tatham produced "educational' booklets that contained their reproductions often in blocks.

Comparison of Genuine, Springfield and Birminghah

3. Upham Forgeries

Produced by S.C. Upham in sheets of six

When the Civil War ended in 1865, a Philadelphia shopkeeper named Samuel Curtis Upham boasted that he had helped defeat the Confederacy.

His claim to fame was based on the large number of forged confederate stamps and bills he sold for the Union cause.

He also is credited with having created the bogus “Confederate Blockade” fantasy issues of 1864.

Although rather crude, his stamps are found in many older collections and catalog images

4. J.W. Scott Forgeries?

This forgery is attributed to Scott of the catalog fame.

However it is more likely the woodcut to produce the catalog image fell into private hands and all the confederate stamps were forged as per the catalog image.

A good cover since the stamps matched the images in the most popular catalog of the period.

5. Unknown Forger

A very crude forgery
These is a solid background

The top line is almost square

Davis appears to have a long beard

6. Unknown Forger

This one probably fooled a lot of foreign collectors who lacked information.
The obvious issue is the face being so different from the original.

7. Unknown Forger

At first glance this forgery right appears to be an Upham left

The facial features are slightly different

The top letters are thicker

The letters around the head are larger and extend further

Minor differences in the frame

A forgery of a forgery?

8. Unknown Forger

Another Upham look alike

In this case the top letters are smaller and distorted

The letters around the head are much smaller

The bottom letters are smaller

Minor differences in the frame


9. Moens?

This is an exact copy of the illustration in the 1864 Moens catalog

I have seen notations that it was never used to create forgeries. The above appears to contradict this.

Further this exact same reproduction showed up in an auction as a proof or essay.

10. Unknown Forger

A very crude forgery

Many letters around the head are cut off

The facial features bear no resemblance to the original

11. Unknown Forger

Probably the crudest forgery I have encountered

12. Unknown Forger

Another very crude forgery

Many letters are distorted

13. Unknown Forger 

A reasonable effort but there is no facial resemblance
Large spaces between the words surrounding the head.

14. Unknown Forger 

This forgery has some resemblance to the Springfield but the details are finer

The heavy mark over the cheek is noteworthy

The letters are cleaner than the Springfield

This is probably what is known as a "Swiss" 1950's reproduction

15. Unknown Forger 

This forgery is one of the better ones

The design is well detailed

The letters are very uniform but larger than the original

The bottom scrolls resemble the original but do not match

The eyebrows are thicker

16. Unknown Source

Extremely crude and primitive forgery

Image from a early 1900 article