Crete 1905 Issues

 Revolutionary Issues

The revolution began in the fall of 1905.

The revolutionary headquarters was situated in Therison inside the Italian zone
These "Revolutionary Assembly" stamps were issued by a rebel group in Crete who wanted union with Greece and were dissatisfied with their government and the actions of the High Commissioner, Prince George of Greece.
Some catalogs do not include them as they feel they had no postal value and were only issued for dealers and collectors. 

However, some experts have produced postal covers and postcards.
The first stamps were issued September 1 1905 and are rather crude hand-stamped stamps. The number printed is estimated at 5400 of each value.
Given such a small issue, it is no wonder that many forgeries exist.

Genuine Features

The first 2 letters are broken 

There are several breaks in the frame line

Genuine stamps

Genuine block

Forgeries

The forgeries have clear letters and few if any line breaks.

They are very common.

This forgery is from the Geneva Fournier collection.
The samples I have show a short first top letter and a short T in the TAX.

It also has more line breaks than the other forgeries and darker paper.

Unissued stamps

These can be found in great quantities and have no postal value. 

They were probably rejected as they did not have the Nike Goddess of Victory symbol of the adopted issue.

These stamps exist in several colors with missing maps, tete-beche, double prints, printed both sides.

The key feature is the poorly executed map

Left, a fake cancel

Right, a forgery, the features are all aligned and well defined

The forgeries do not appear to be common.

This forgery is from the Geneva Fournier collection.

It is on rough dark paper.

The map has different features than the previous forgery.

The short T indicates it is the same forger as the issued stamp forgery.

The Definitive Issue of 1905

These stamps were again printed in the printing office of Grundman & Stangel in Athens, on white paper perfed 11.5.

Of the lepta values, 50.000 were printed of each and of the drachmae values 10.000 each. 

Generally only 1 forgery is noted but I believe that  several forgeries exist as well as the "reprints".

Genuine stamps

NOTE - the guide lines in the sides near perfs are a key factor of originals vs. forgeries but are also present in reprints

Genuine imperf pair

The above based on the sharp details, perfs and dark green color are probably genuine.

However the double ring cancel on the right one may be fake as with any such cancel.

It is known that fake cancels were applied to genuine stamps.

Blank probably a reprint although the color appears right for a genuine pair

Proof

I have not seen reference to inverts on issued stamps but they are known on proofs although scarce.

The print quality and color appears right.

Reprints

The reprints were made by Grundman & Stangel in Athens using the original transfers but not the original stones and are not as clearly printed.

I cannot guarantee that all the following are reprints

Based on the colors and lack of details especially in the background, these appear to be reprints

Probable reprints

Reprints with fake double cancel?

Probably reprints

Forgeries

Fortunately the forgeries are much easier to detect

The key difference between genuine and forgeries of the lepta values is the horizontal line which is one solid line in the genuine but 2 thin lines in the forgery.

As well, in the genuine stamps the perforation is exactly 11.5 

In the forgeries they are 11, 11.25, 13, 14.5 and in combined perforations of 14.5X13 and 13X14.5

Perfs in the forgeries can also appear to be very rough

The originals are on white paper but many forgeries are on a yellowish/brown stock

The color differences between the genuine stamps and the forgeries is also noticeable

There are also major differences in the colours. 

5 L. is bright orange, forged 5 L. is dull yellowish orange. 

10 L. is pale grey, forgeries are deep to brownish grey. 

20 L. is lilac, forgeries deep to violet-lilac. 

50 L. is milky blue,  forgeries greyish blue. 

1 Dr. is pale red and violet, forgeries are orange-red and brownish violet. 

2 Dr. is deep green, forgeries are similar but the genuine King's head is brown, and deep brown in the forgeries.

Forgery set

Forgeries with dark colors, rough perfs and yellowish paper

Aside from perforation and lack of differences, there are differences in the numerals and letters as well ad the background

These forgeries have a lot of differences in details

Note the base of the 2's are very different

The key difference of the forgery on the right vs. the left genuine is the far right single frame line instead of a double one.

Forgeries with different perfs

NOTE the heavy rough background lines surrounding the body

Another set with a different left color