Transvaal 1869-1875

 A very complex country to study due to the many printings, variety of papers and perfs, forgeries and large amounts of "reprints" that outnumber originals

This blog can only provide a basic overview of the issues, reprints and forgeries.

You can get some idea of the task by the following printings. Each one has many varieties of paper and perfs

1869. Printing Typo by Adolph Otto, Gustrow, Mecklenburg Schwerin, Germany. 

Eagle with open wings

Imperf. and fine roulette 15½-16. No Wmk. 

Sheets of 80 - two panes (8 x 5)

The Otto stamps have very clear designs 

The genuine stamps have a few features

- There is a scratch in the oblique lines left of the wagon

- the "D" in the scroll is tall and touches the frame

- the tops of the poles do not touch the oval frame

1870 4 April - 4 July. Printing Typo M J Viljoen, Pretoria. 

lmperforate and various types of roulettes and various types of papers.

No Wmk. Panes of 40 (8 x 5). 

The 6d and 1s plate hold the tete-beche error 

NOTE -Many from this group have a coarse and defective printing

Viljoen was not an established printer and despite having new dies, his results were generally very poor.

1870 (Sept) . 1871. Printing Typo by J.P. Borrius, Potchefstroom. 

Imperf. and fine roulette. 15½ - 16.

No Wmk. Panes of 40 (8 x 5).

Borrius was an experienced printer.  He might not have had experience with printing stamps but he was the owner, publisher and printer of the “Potchefstoomer” newspaper.

He used six different papers and the stamps printed by Borrius are the most difficult to deal with.

Most stamps printed by Borrius were rouletted

1874 September. Printing Typo by P. Davis & Son, Pietermaritzburg.

Panes of 40 (8 x 5).

Davis was a professional printer situated in Pietermaritzburg, Natal

The Davis stamps are easily identifiable as the only perforated stamps.

He used two different qualities of thin paper: transparent and opaque. The stamps were printed in dark blue (with some light blue) and are generally poorly centered.   In contrast the perforated Goldner forgeries are always well centred, printed in a dull greyish blue, and they are perforated 12, not 12½.

1875 29 April-1877. Printing Typo by J F Cilliers on behalf of the Stamp Commission, Pretoria. 

No Wmk. Various papers

Sheets of 80 two panes of 40 (8 x 5). 

Most of his stamps are imperforate

The 3d value: Eagle with folded wings.

Reprints

Julius Goldner was a Hamburg stamp dealer active for four decades until 1898.

He obtained the original dies and with the assist of Otto flooded the market with "reprint/forgeries"
His stamps are far more plentiful than any of the originals
Fortunately they have very specific features.

- The eagle has more aggressive with the eye set higher than on the genuine stamps and the beak is more eagle-like. 

- The upper beak curves more than on the original stamps

Goldner on the right

Goldner reprints

- There are no diagonal scratches in the hatching lines left of the wagon

- The ‘D’ of EENDRAGT is of equal height to the other letters

- The flag pole at the lower right of the coat of arms touches the outline of the oval

Forgeries

These are not as plentiful as the Goldner "reprints"

Fournier Forgeries

He offered a few types of "used" forgeries but they appear to actually be Goldner reprints

From the Geneva Collection

Spiro Forgeries

- White odd looking bird head

- The word MAGT is spelled with a C instead of a G

- Letters are uneven

These appear to be the most common of the actual forgeries
Spiro may not be the creator of them.

Oneglia Forgeries

These are part of his 1906-07 supplement list
There are 14 on the list but there are probably more

- The wings touch the pole on both sides

- The left side tip of the pole is cut off

- The eagle head & body is very white

Other Forgeries

A primitive forgery from an unknown source

A Torres forgery matching his catalog entry