Sunday, May 21, 2023

Labuan 1879-1894

Initially, Labuan used stamps of Straits Settlements, but in May, 1879, Labuan began issuing its own Postage Stamps. The first stamps of Labuan featured the bust of Queen Victoria with the denomination written in three languages – English, Jawi, and Chinese. For about 15 years, multiple issues were printed with various colors and watermarks.

1879 Original Issues (Sc 1-4 Engraved)



The red diamond cancel is typical of early Labuan stamps

1883-85 Issues (Engraved)
1885 Sc 17

1883 Sc 24

1892 Issues (Sc 33-37 Engraved)






1894 Issues (Sc 42-44 Lithographed)



Engraved VS Lithographed
The differences are quite visible
The lines in the neck and hair are much finer and detailed in the engraved.
Sc 36 vs Sc 45

Forgeries
The forgeries are somewhat difficult to differentiate.
There are 2 main forgers Fournier & Imperato (referred to as the "Italian" source)
As well Kamigata made forgeries.

Imperato Forgeries



Features
Heavy outline around the head
Coarse irregular neck shading
Thick lips with long crease
Short blunt lower corner arrows outside frame
Hair below the ear is one thick line

Fournier Forgeries





Very similar to the Imperato forgeries
Heavy shading in lips and crease less pronounced
Shading in hair clearer

Kamigata Forgeries
A decent forgery
Facial features and shading are the best of the 3
The corner arrows are almost nonexistent
The postmarks are in Japanese characters or will read "IMITATION" in a circular postmark

Others
A rather crude forgery from an unknown source
Corner floral elements are all wrong
Large openings in the corner features
Lacking facial shading

Torres taken from his 1896 catalog

Tuesday, May 16, 2023

Spain 1874

 Engravings by Eugenio Juliá Jover. 
Printed in letterpress at the National Stamp Factory. 
Size 20x25mm. Sheets of 100 stamps or 200 stamps. Perfed 14, comb.
Circulation: July 1, 1874. Validity until October 1, 1874 (10 c.) and July 31, 1875 (the rest).

Genuine Issues
Ed 141 & 142

Ed 143

Ed 144

Ed 145

Ed 146

Ed 147 & 147a

Ed  148

Ed 149

Ed 150

Ed 151

Ed 152

Forgeries

Ed 141
Type III
Bottom letters too thick – T tops not slanted
Brick like sections in the crown are very different
Shape in lower right of shield is awkward

Type VI
D in DE is slanted
C of CENT has large serif
Tower on shield is wrong


Ed 144
Segui Forgery
Printed by lithography on medium white paper. 
1 White spot in the "S" of SPAIN. 
2 Line perfed 14 1/4 instead of comb 14 

Segui Block

Ed 145
Type I
Thin left frame
Missing a lot of shading & details

Type II Segui forgery
Typical dot in S
Bottom numerals and letters are larger

Type III
Shape of the face and chin are wrong
Missing genuine traits


Type V
Well executed forgery
Left side of last A in ESPANA is curved
White dots in letters

Unknown forgery
4 is inclined
Missing many details

Ed 146
Segui Forgery
Printed by lithography on medium white paper. 
1 White spot in the "S" of SPAIN. 
2 Line perf 14 1/4 instead the genuine  comb 14

Segui Block

Unknown unique postal forgery
Lacks many finer details
4 left side not curved

Ed 148
Postal forgery
Very well done except for missing fine details

Ed 150
Segui forgery
Printed by lithography on medium white paper. 
1 White spot in the "S" of SPAIN. 
2 Line perf 14 1/4 instead the genuine  comb 14


Forgery Type I
Genuine elements missing
Face is very different
Large 1’s too thin


Type II – telegraph use
Shading lines missing
Major difference in letters especially UNAPESATA

Type III
Excellent forgery
Minor differences in letters and the face
Tilde over the N is thinner

Unknown forgery
Very good forgery
Much heavier shading
Wide tilde over the N
Dots along the outer frame are smaller and less prominent


Ed 151
Type I
Lacking genuine details
Thinner letters
Face is different
Large foot on the top 4

Type II
Lacking genuine details
Thinner letters
Face is different

Type III – crude forgery – telegraph use
Lacking genuine traits
Face very different
Corner elements are wrong

Unknown type
Large 4
Face is different
Side letters increase in size

Sperati forgery – excellent forgery
The second I of COMUNICACIONS is broken
The A of this same word has a bad right leg
Break in the S of PESATA


Ed 152
Type I
The 8 is malformed
Several letters are broken
Genuine traits are lacking

Type II
Large tilde
The face is wrong
Very dark shading


Segui forgery – as previous with dot in the S

Segui Barrados

Sperati forgery
The first N in COMUNICACIONES is broken
The second E of PESETA is broken at the top
The 1 of 1874 has a black spot on the left hand side.


References
Introduccion al estudio y relacion de los sellos falsos postales de Espana – Francisco Graus
Michel Europe West 2012
Spain & Dependencies – Edifil.2009
Focus on Forgeries – Varro Tyler
Spain Specialized Vol.1 1850-1931 Edifil Tome 1
Catalogo dos Sellos De Espana – Antonio Duro
Seranne Guide to Forgeries
Torres Catalog 1879
Las falsificaciones del Sello Espanol – A. Monne 1965
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
Tedesco Forgery Index
Handbok Fer Filatelister – S. Tullberg
Guia del coleccionista de sellos de Correos de España, 1850-54 – Tort
Members of Spanish forums
Forgeries of Europe - Bynof