Greece 1864 - King George I Essays

King George 1

 There is a great deal of confusion over these, particularly the first issue. 

The first mention of them is by Moens in  May 1864 and stating they were printed in Paris.

He also mentions the possibility that the designer came from Milan.

No certainty of the first issue's designer but  Luigi Ronchi made one of the 2nd type.

A portrait of King George shown right was the model for the first issue.

The Vlastov Greece catalog lists them as unissued stamps while others note the are nothing more than fantasy issues.

Original Type A

The stamp is considered to be the "original"

Traces of the top bar of the T in AETIT can be seen on the left of the upright

There are vertical extensions to the top and bottom horizontal strokes of the E in EAA. The middle stroke is just above the centre

There is a small vertical extension at the end of the top bar of the T in TPAMM.

The background of the portrait is made up of curly lines.

Forgeries of Type A

Crude lithographed forgery

There is no vertical extension at the end of the top bar of the T in TPAMM

These is no dot after TPAMM

The 0's in 20 are too large

The back ground id made up of straight diagonal lines

Another forgery of the type A

The background line are in the opposite direction.

The 2 has a shorter curl

These is a dot after TPAMM

Original ? Type B

Much better details than type A

The background line re straight

The E does not have vertical extensions

The top bar of the T in AETIT cannot be seen on the left of the upright

This stamp had the most forgeries as seen by the Fournier samples below

The is another forgery

The main feature is a large vertical extension at the end of the top bar of the T in TPAMM.

The colors are paler

The King George essays in 3 types

The three values, 5, 20 and 40 lepta, of these essays all use the same portrait of King George, enclosed in different frames. The three values were printed side by side in a variety of colours on a variety of papers.

Forgery

This is the only forgery I have seen

A very crude effort easily recognized

There is no dot after TPAMM

The 5 is a different shape

US Confederate- Memphis Tenn. 2c

 The Memphis, Tennessee provisional adhesive designs were engraved on wood and reproduced as stereotypes from which a plate of multiple subjects was prepared.

The printing of the adhesives and envelopes was done in the office of the Memphis Avalanche, owned by M. C. Galloway, who was also the Memphis postmaster.

These stamps are generally available but there are an abundance of forgeries. All an easily be identified.

Genuine 2c stamps

The key features are the shape of the stars, the position and completeness of the diamonds.

In particular the large diamond in the top D

2c forgeries

Moens forgery

Possibly the model for other forgeries

Lithographed catalog illustration from Moens "Postage Stamps Illustrated" of 1864

Type 1 Forgery characteristics:

a. no diamond in "D" of "PAID" 

b. two dots in open area of "P" of "PAID"

c. outer frame line

Derived from Moens catalog illustration. Maker unknown.

Type 2 Forgery characteristics:

a. no diamond in "D" of "PAID" 

b. two dots in open area of "P" of "PAID"

c. no outer frame line

colors

a. 2c blue

b. 2c olive brown

Type 3 Forgery characteristics:

a. no diamond in "D" of "PAID"

b. solid square below center stroke of "M"

color

a. 2c blue

Type 4 Forgery characteristics: :

a. no diamond in "D" of "PAID"

b. solid square to left of  "M"

color

a. 2c blue

Type 5 Forgery characteristics:

a. no diamond in "D" of "PAID"

b. top left edge of "2" is broken

colors

a. 2c blue (shades)

b. 2c ultramarine (shades)

c. 2c red violet (shades)

Cut from J.W. Scott catalog of 1886.

Type 6 Forgery characteristics:

a. no diamond in "D" of "PAID"

b. three diagonal lines in "P" of "PAID"

color

a. 2c black

Type 7 forgery characteristics

Facsimile written in lower left corner

Gauthier Freres et Cie 1856

 The Compagnie Franco-Americaine was formed in 1856 by Gauthier Freres & Compagnie of Paris and Lyons to operate a fleet of iron screw steamers between Havre and North & South America. 

The company's services proved to be very irregular, ships prone to breakdowns and passengers far fewer than expected. 

One of their ships the Lyonnais sank in 1856 after a collision with the American barque Adriatic, with a loss of 120 lives. 

The company closed in 1857.

These stamps were issued in 1856 both in red and blue for use on mail carried privately by the Gauthier Freres steamship company from Havre, France to New York or Rio de Janeiro, both colored stamps are very rare, as only seven copies of the red stamp are recorded and only two blue stamps known, one being on a cover front

Some of the certified reds have sold in the $3000-$4000 range. A wide range of forgeries exist with some current listings at fairly high values.

A certified copy with the following features;
1. A vermilion stamp with blue monogram “G.F. & C.” hand stamp
2. No border outside the main border. Forgeries all appear to have a thin outside border.
3. Thick smoke touches the frame
4. The background horizontal lines decrease proportionately in width from bottom to top.
5. A dot below the “Cie”. The bottom “i” in “Cie” has no dot above it
6. A dot at the end of the top letters

A certified Blue – sold for $3000 despite the rough shape

Genuine letter

Advertising for the company

Forgeries
The forgeries come in a wide range of colors and the first sign is the thin outside frame and the lack of smoke.
Most are probably typographed Taylor forgeries – Taylor was known for creating forgeries in various colors and paper types. There are at least 10 Bogus issue varieties from Taylor

The colours so far known are:

brown on white paper yellow on white paper bright purple on white paper red on white paper brown on orange paper

blue on white paper brown on chocolate pape r bright purple on yellow paper red on greyish paper black on buff paper

Some samples

-There is no dot after  Americaine

- Very thin outer frame

- Smoke is short horizontal lines

Spain 1864

 Engraved by José Pérez Vare.

Printed in typography at the National Stamp Factory.
Size 21 x 24 mm in sheets of 100 imperforated stamps
on colored paper.
Circulation: January 1, 1864 (4 cu.) And March 1, 1864
(the rest). Postal validity up to January 8, 1865.
Sold copies: (Ed = Edifil Catalog #)
Ed 63: 1,531,633
Ed 64: 49,504,787
Ed 65: 691,801
Ed 66: 24,699
Ed 67: 625,016
Ed 68: 527,962

Genuine Stamps

Barrados Issues

The barrado was used to cancel the sheets already issued and demonetized or invalid.

It consists of a coarse impression of five lines, the second and fourth of which are very thin and often it appears as only 3 thick lines

It was used to cancel complete sheets in the hands of the Factory, the Ministry or whoever was, but still to be sold.
The loose copies of a demonetized issue in the hands of individuals were "exchanged" for their equivalents of the new issue.

These issues are generally inexpensive but somewhat elusive. They are priced in specialized catalogs

Genuine Features

Note - some may be difficult to see and they may not all apply to
each value.
1. Curved line is broken
2. Space between 2 pearls under R
3. Although very close, no pearls touch
4. Break in joining line - not visible on all issues
5. White line space on back of neck
6. Circle and frame line do not touch
7. Odd shaped pearl
8. Break in line - not always visible
9. Break in line – not always visible
10. Flat top pearl
11. Lips visible
12. Short lines between long ones

A Note on Forgeries

For most collectors, they look at forgeries as being worthless and useless to keep.
Although it is true that the majority have little value, many others do and in some cases as much or more than the originals.
The 1864 Spanish Postal Forgeries are a very valuable series

Facsimiles of the Postal Forgeries

2 Cts Forgery

Genuine Ed 63

Forgery Type I - made by Torres
Printed by lithograph on thick yellowish paper. Crude design
1 It lacks the semicircles of the 4 stars of the corners.
2 The oval with the top stars are inside the first frame.
3 The oval ring of pearls is very crude and irregular
4 The top RE of CORREOS are too large
5 The eye has a sleepy look
6. The hair has very coarse lines

Forgery Type 2
Printed by lithography on very thick yellowish paper. Very crude design
1 CORREOS almost touches the bottom frame.
2 The star circles lack all definition
3 The pearls of the crown without point in its interior.
4 The oval ring of pearls lacks any definition
5 The "6" almost looks like a 0.
Although this forgery has a similarity with the previous one, it is probably by the same forger and perhaps a later printing with a worn and damaged die

Forgery Type III - this is the postal forgery previously shown
Printed by lithograph on medium yellowish paper. Overall very poorly designed
1 The balls that leave the bottom right star touch the circumference.
2 The Queen looks up.
3 Flat nose
4 Large "18" and "6" small.
5 The oval ring of pearls is very crude and irregular
6 The bottom C not inclined

4 Cts Forgeries

Ed 64 Genuine

Forgery Type I - Postal Forgery
Reasonable effort overall - probable a Segui forgery
1. CORREOS has thick letters
2. Pearls are uneven around the frame
3. Sad look on the face
4. Missing lines in the hair
5. Bottom letters and numerals are thicker

Forgery Type II - probable a Torres creation
Overall very crude
1. Facial features are all wrong
2. Pearls in the oval are solid and very uneven
3. Very large bottom letters and numerals
4. Tips of the crown are completely shaded
5. It lacks the semicircles of the 4 stars of the corners.

Forgery Type III
Crude and poorly designed
1. Large eye
2. Oval pearls missing and uneven
3. Many line breaks and artefacts in design
4. Right leg of second R in CORREOS extends and connects to the E

12 Cts  Forgeries

Ed 65 genuine stamp

Forgery Type I - Postal Forgery
1. All the letters and numerals are too thick
2. The oval pearls are broken, uneven and indistinct
3. The inner border is too thick

Forgery left compared to genuine right

Forgery Type II - probably a Segui forgery
1. Although reasonably well executed, there are many line breaks and artefacts
2. The oval pearls are missing and uneven
3. The outer frame is too thick on top
4. The 1864 numerals are distorted

19 Cts Forgeries

Ed 66 genuine stamp

Genuine Characteristics
1. Curved line is broken
2. Space between 2 pearls under R
3. Although very close, no pearls touch
4. Break in joining line
5. White line space on back of neck
6. Circle and frame line do not touch
7. Odd shaped pearl
8. Break in line
9. Break in line - not always visible
10. Flat top pearl
11. Lips visible
12. Short lines between long ones
As this is the most expensive of the series, the better quality forgers plied their craft. In particular Sperati who produced several excellent copies.

Fournier forgery
1. The right arm of the '4' of '1864' does not end vertically as in the genuine stamps.
2. Oval pearls are uneven and broken
3. Hair lines are broken or missing
4. The eye is more closed

Segui Forgery
An excellent and common dangerous forgery
Printed by typography on lilac paper.
1 Second "R" is large and the letters are thicker
2 The lower pearl of the upper right scroll is unshaded.
3 The eyebrow is formed by a line of the same thickness.
4 Neck and face is shaded heavier

Sperati Forgery
1. There is a white dot in the lower frameline below the 'O' of 'CTOS'.
2. There is also a break in the upper curved line above the first 'R' of 'CORREOS'.
Apparently two reproductions exists with the same distinguishing characteristics according to the handbook of the BPA. The cancels on these stamps are genuine (Sperati removed the design from a cheaper stamp, leaving the cancel intact). See below.

A signed proof of the Sperati forgery
The 2 distinguishing features are evident

Primitive forgery - possibly a Torres creation
It lacks all resemblance to the original

1 Rls Forgeries

Ed 67 genuine stamp

Type I - Postal forgery
1. The bottom of the E is not proportionate
2. Many oval pearls are broken and uneven
3. The eye brow does not thin out
4. Heavily shaded overall

2 used type I forgeries

Type II forgery - probably a Segui forgery
Generally well executed
1. Many oval pearls are broken
2. White space in the hair on top
3. The eyebrow is not solid

1. Very thick letters and numerals
2. The eye is heavily shaded
3. Oval pearls are broken are missing or broken
4. Heavy shading in the neck and hair

2 Rls Forgeries

Ed 68 genuine stamp

Type I Postal forgery
1. E missing bottom left serif
2. S of Rs is too large
3. Oval pearls are broken are missing or broken

Type II forgery
1. Large numeral 2
2. S of Rs is too large
3. Oval pearls are broken are missing or broken
4. Top letters are thicker

BARCELONA to NEW YORK cover with 3 stamps of type I and a stamp of type II.

Very crude forgery - probably a Torres creation
This forgery has no redeeming qualities
1. The head is completely different
2. The bottom letters and numerals
are very large and thick
3. Much of the frame is missing

References
-SPAIN FORGERIES 1850 to 1925 by De Haene
-FFE #7 FORGERIES SPAIN
-Timbrex – H. Schloss
-Forged Stamps of all Countries – Dorn
-HANDBUCH DER BRIEFMARKENKUNDE HEFT 6: CARLISTISCHE POST – H. NEUES
-Album Weeds – Earree
-Spain Specialized Vol.1 1850-1931 - Unificado
-Spain & Dependencies - Edifil 2009
-Tedesco Forgery Index
-Fournier Album - Geneva Phil. Soc.
-WW Torres Forgery Catalog - 1879
-Klaseboer Forgery CD Vol 2 2019
-Handbok Fer Filatelister – S. Tullberg
-Guia del coleccionista de sellos de Correos de España, 1850-54 – Tort
-Comparative Stamp Forgery Identification Site - Claghorn 2009
-Many of the common auction sites that provided ample material