Cook Islands 1892

 These stamps were issued on toned and white paper. It appears the white paper is more common.

Genuine stamps

Features of the originals

1. Perf 12.8. 

2. Break in the bottom frame line approximately 1.3 mm wide at the left corner. 

3. Another break in the bottom frame line approximately 1 mm wide directly below the vertical stroke of "E" of one. 

Several smaller breaks of about .1 mm to .2 mm, 3 or 4 in the bottom frame line, and 3 or 4 in the right side frame line. 

4. There is an offset about half the width of the line in the right side frame line 4 mm up from the bottom. 

5. The letters in "POSTAGE" are about 2 mm high. 

6 The inner part of the frame is composed of short lines, each with a sort of tear drop at the end. There are 26 of these on top, 26 on the bottom, 32 on the right side, and 32 on the left.

Forgeries

These forgeries are attributed to Oneglia - I cannot confirm this.

This forgery is perf 12.8 as the genuine, and is printed on toned paper as the genuine. (

The outer frame line is thinner than the genuine, and does not have breaks  

There is no offset on the right side 4 mm up from the bottom of the stamp.

The letters in "POSTAGE" are thinner and only about 1.8 mm high.

There are 27 tear drops over "Postage" on this forgery. They are not as plump or uniform as the genuine.

"APIA" cancel is used (Apia is situated in Samoa!). 

Unknown Forger

Both have a thin outer frame line

Also AIPA cancel of Samoa

Fournier Forgery

These were sold by Fournier and are by far the most common forgery

Features of the Fournier Forgery

Short branch on Y

Short vertical line on P

Small dot in top left frame line

Large color spot bottom right

Short base on 2

Dot in front of top E

Common Fournier cancel "REGISTERED 2 SP 92 PALMERSTON"

NOTE - It appears Fournier has no 11/2P forgery

Unknown Forger

Well done forgery

The 1/2 is wrong

Several letters are wrong when compare to the original such as larger C in PENCE

Common Genuine Cancel

"COOK ISLANDS P.O. RAROTONGA" in a circle  common cancel

A rare postal card. Less than 8500 issued