La Guaira, Venezuela 1864-69

In November 1863 Captain Robert Todd acquired from the Venezuelan

government the right to carry mail between Caracas. La Guaira. Puerto Cabello. 75 miles to the west, and St. Thomas, in the Danish West Indies. The concession was sold to Blohm, Nolting & Co. of Curacao. which took over the steamer, the Robert Todd, and issued special postage stamps.

Robert Todd

At the beginning of 1866 the Curacao firm of J.A. Jesurun & Zoon bought the rights and continued the service, using first the issues of 1864 and, from 1868, stamps bearing their initials.

The Robert Todd, wrecked in 1868, was replaced by the Honfleur. and Curacao became the headquarters of the service. 

Genuine Issues

The stamps are divided into 3 types

Common Features

There is a specific way to tell if is a forgery. Every printing/stone has the same features not found on any forgeries. 

All the issues have the featuresnoted above

The types and varieties of each value

NOTE The varieties are indicated in red

1864 .05c

Type I :- Break in right hand outer frame line opposite RA of GUAIRA.

Type II :- Break in bottom outer frame line under right hand corner ornament.

Type III :- Deformed T in ST.

Type IV :- Break in top thin frame line between A and I of GUAIRA.

Varieties :-

Pos. 18: A small round white flaw on the hull of the ship under the funnel.

Pos. 20, 24: Scratched Plate; a white scratch extending vertically downwards through stamps Nos. 16, 20 and 24.

Pos. 24: R and A in GUAIRA joined.

1864 1c

Types are based on the position of the numeral slug. Check closely with genuine.

Varieties :-

Pos. 3 :- Bulge on upright of K in PACKET.

Pos. 5 :- Large flaw in front of P of P TO.

Pos . 9 :- Line through EL of CABELLO and line through bottom of KE in PACKET.

Pos. 11 :- Top stroke of T in THOMAS separated from upright.

Pos. 13 :- Flaw through PA of PACKET .

Pos. 16 :- Large flaw deforming E of CABELLO .

1864 2c

Type I :- The lines on the left of the numeral are on different levels and do not meet , leaving an irregular space between them; white flaw over H in THOMAS.

Type II -: The lines on the left of the numeral are more regular and almost meet , slight break in cap of t in Centavo.

Type III -: Lines on left of numeral almost regular; top of t in Centavo broken ; short diagonal line on right of bottom of numeral.

Type IV - : Lines on left of numeral almost on same level with small breaks ; the t in Centavo is well to the right of the cleft in the 2; no deformity on top of t in Centavo.

Variety :-

Pos. 14 :- Black spot on left of 2

1864 3c

Type I :- The horizontal line above the numeral is almost missing; there are

three horizontal lines across the C of Centavo .

Type II :- The horizontal lines on either side of the numeral do not join up , leaving narrow white vertical spaces; the spacing between the two horizontal lines above the numeral is not even; there are only two lines across the C of Centavo.

Type III :- There is only one line across the C of Centavo; the horizontal lines on both sides of the numeral almost joined and level.

Type IV :- There are no lines across the C of Centavo; the lines on either side of the numeral almost joined and level; the substituted numeral is narrower at the left than in the other types.

Varieties :-

Pos. 2: Flaw at bottom of I of GUAIRA.

Pos. 7: Coloured spot on right of numeral.

Pos. 10: Coloured flaw in top of I of GUAIRA.

Pos. 12: Flaw through top of GU of GUAIRA .

Pos. 15: Coloured flaw through top of S of THOMAS and outer frameline.

Pos. 23: Coloured flaw above C of PACKET

1864 4c

Type I :- Three lines across C of Centavo; lines of shading on right of cross-bar of 4 partially doubled ; horizontal and curved lines above "a" of Centavo broken; two horizontal lines between " tav" and the heavy shading of the numeral.

Type II :- No horizontal lines across C of Centavo; breaks in horizontal lines above numeral ; '' Pearl'' on top of numeral; dots on left of numeral and short curved dash on right.

Type Ill :- Break in foresail of ship below top sail; no lines across C of Centavo; large break in horizontal line above numeral.

Type IV :- Three lines across C of Centavo; one horizontal line between "tav" and heavy shading of numeral ; small sloping line joining A of GUAIRA and P of PTO.

Variety :-

Pos.12 :- Large flaw at bottom of last A of GUAIRA.

1868 .05c

Type I :- Coloured spot in white margin above second leg of U in GUAIRA ;

spot in cross bar of H in THOMAS.

Type II :- Coloured spot in upright of R in GUAIRA.

Type Ill :- Large white flaw in vignette below P of Pto.

Type IV :- Break in loop of P in PTO.

Type V :- Coloured nick in upright of L in LA.

Varieties :-

Pos. 11: Large flaw on hull of ship.

1868 1c

Type I :- Irregular horizontal lines below ship; first and second lines below numeral are wide apart; marked break in three lines on right of numeral.

Type II :- Two horizontal lines below ship regular; spot and curved line at right of numeral. Black spot left of serif of numeral.

Type III :- Horizontal lines on both sides of numeral regular; curved line on right of numeral. Small dot on left of prong of numeral.

Type IV :- A curved line on right of numeral has a hook at its upper end; small curved line to left of lower part of numeral.

Type V :- Lines on either side of numeral regular except for breaks on right indicating the substitution ; several spots on left of serif of numeral.

Varieties :-

Pos. 5 :- Scratch below first A of GUAIRA.

1869 2c

Type I :- T he horizontal lines on either side of the numeral are regular but show breaks where the transfer was made; large sloping line crossing the third and fourth horizontal lines o n right of numeral; curved lines on right opposite middle of numeral.

Type II :- The lines on either side of the numeral are on different levels; the two lines between the numeral and "Centavo" are near to each other ; two horizontal lines between ship and numeral. Large black flaw on right of top numeral.

Type III :- Two horizontal lines between ship and numeral; spot on right opposite middle of numeral.

Type IV :- The two lines between numeral and "Centavo" are evenly spaced; dot at right of top of numeral.

The last column shows types IV , I , II , III and III respectively

Varieties :-

Pos. 6 :- Prong on cross-bar of T in ST.

Pos. 10 :- A and C of PAC KET joined .

Pos. 18 :- Top of letters HOM in THOMAS joined together.

Pos. 20 :- Top of O in THOMAS damaged making it look like a U.

1869 3c

Type I :- Dot on right of figure of value; large black mark and curved line on right of bottom of 3; no horizontal lines between numeral and "Centavo"; white space under numeral.

Type II :- Has a "question mark" on right of numeral; horizontal line of numeral badly broken and almost absent; white spur on second leg of A in PACKET.

Type III :- Short curved mark on right of numeral; dot between lines on right of top of numeral.

Type IV :- Triangular projection to left of the shadow under the numeral; small curved line on right of numeral and "arrow head" pointing to the right. 

The last column shows the types IV, Ill, II, I and II respectively.

Varieties :-

Pos. 20 :- Large spot between L and A of LA.

Pos. 21 :- Upright of L in LA missing.

Forgeries

Type I

Attributed to Spiro Bros.in 1876 (sheets of 25)

Stops very small, almost invisible

The side and top inscriptions are deformed
Found with double frameb

The frame around Centavo is almost missing.

Type II

The shading is too thick and broken.
The numerals are un shaded

There are stops on all sides

Type III

There is no stop after either CABELLO or PACKET
The 2, 3, and 4c. have the word Centavos instead of Centavo

The word PACKET is placed on the left side

The word Centavo is completely outlined.

The t of Pto is spelled Pti typical of Torres "errors"

Type IV

Heavy uneven horizontal lines

The funnel of the ship is too tall. 

No stop after PACKET or CABELLO

Usually found with the fancy FRANCO cancel associated with Torres

Type V

One of the best of the forgeries and always has gum 

The t of Centavo is too small

There is no stop after Centavo

The base of O in CABELLO is flat

There are stops after all of the words

Unlisted

Similar to the Type III

With typical Torres cancels

Crude forgery
Very large ship
Odd 2 with large foot
The O in CABELLO is too round
Letters are very large

1976 facsimiles that appeatred in all the denominations

Bibliography

The private ship letter stamps of the world Part 1 The Caribbean' by S.Ringstrom and H.E. Tester

Almanach du Timbre-Poste of J.B.Moens (1886)

The Danish West Indies - E Corneiro 2011

The Stamp Collector's Magazine - 1869

Phantom Stamps - M. Williams

Forgery CD2 - Klaseboer 2019

Mostly Classics - T. Kendall 2010

The Early Stamps of Venezuela, c. Dull 1936

The Postage Stamps of Venezuela - Hall, T.W. and L. W. Fulcher, 1924.

Specialized Collection of La Guiara - T. Lera 2010

Images from personal collection, public auction sites and S.A. Forum members

Spain 1920 1c replacement issue

 1920. July. Crown and Cipher

Replacement of the 1-cent stamp.

Design and engraving by José Espinós Gisbert. Printed at the National Mint. Size: 21 x 25 millimeters. Sheets of 200 stamps in 10 horizontal rows of 20 stamps each. Header text: "Post Office - 200 one-cent stamps." White paper with a gum coating of varying thicknesses. Perforated.

Issued in July 1920. Valid until January 11, 1935.

Genuine stamp and features to look for

Forgeries

As with all Spanish stamps, many forgeries exist despite its low value.

These vary from quite good to very crude

Armenia 1921 First Yessayan

 Armenia First Yessayan

The first illustrated stamps of the Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic (ASSR) were printed in the Constantinople printing press owned by a Mr. Yessayan.

The artist Sarkis Khatchaturian was commissioned to design the stamps.

Yessayan’s printing house in Constantinople was commissioned for the printing of the stamps.

The first stamps reached Yerevan in the end of 1921.

To cover the cost of the printing, Yessayan kept 40% of the stamps and with the right to sell them.

The stamps all have so-called “secret markings”, but it is doubtful these were anti-forgery marks but rather they were probably guide marks or errors that were not removed.

Printing

These stamps were printed using lithograph technology on white or yellow paper with white or yellow glue.

The quality of the printing depended on the fineness of the engraving and the oil content of the paint. Normal paints produce fine engravings, whereas oily paints produced smudged engraved lines.

There are trial printings using black and blue prints, with or without glue, on plain paper. The primary stamps are printed on chalk paper.

All of the 16 stamps are printed in one color, except for the 25,000 ruble stamp which is printed in two colors.

All of them have very different color tones.

Originals, Reprints & Forgeries

Online auctions appear to be over 60% forgeries/reprints for singles but 90% plus for blocks or multiples.

There are at least 3 “family” groups of forged stamps but I do not have enough specific details on all of them. Each one has particular characteristics.

There is some speculation that one of the families and possibly the better quality one may have been a Soviet government production, circa 1935 (classified as a “Reprint”) to bring in extra revenues. I use the word reprint in this article but they probably should be considered as forgeries as no Armenian approval was given.

Overall, the forgeries and reprint are deceptive and due to printing and plate varieties, sometimes difficult to determine.

1 Ruble

- Hammer and sickle with stalks of grain. 21x26 mm
- 270 stamps per sheet divided into groups of 135 stamps (15 x 9)
- Secret marking: 5.9 mm down from the top right comer is a fine green
line measuring 0.3 mm.
- Olive green color.
- Perforated and lmperforated.

1. Small protrusion is a key “secret mark”. This may be hard to

see on later printings

2. Background lines are even mostly complete

3. The hammer & sickle are well defined with even lines

4.The grain is well outlined

5. The tip is darkened and there is the faint outline of a star above it

Forgeries/reprints

2 Rubles

2R Stylized creature. 32 x 22 mm
- 220 stamps per sheet divided into groups of 110 (11 x 10)
- Two colors: olive gray (perf and imperf)
- Black green (imperf only)
- The genuine has 2 “secret marks” small extensions of the top right and bottom left frame lines

Genuine perfed

Either late printing or reprint showing lots of artifacs

Forgeries

3 Rubles

3R Hammer and sickle under a shining star. 29 x 21.5 mm

- 220 stamps per sheet divided into groups of 110 (11 x 10)

- Two colors: carmine (perf and imperf) pink (perf and imperf)

- Secret markings: the frame lines extend at all corners

- some later prints may not be clear in all corners

- On the left side between the 2 inner frame lines there is a dash mark

- The horizontal background lines do not touch the star

rays on the right side

Perfed Genuine

Forgeries

5 Rubles

5R Panorama of Ani. 31 x 22.5 mm

- 220 stamps per sheet, divided into groups of 110 (11 x 10)

- Brown: perf and imperf.

- Secret markings: short bottom horizontal line runs

long on the left side

Genuine Imperf

Possible reprint

Forgery

25 Rubles

25R Image on the bas relief on the wall of the

Akhtamar Monastery 30 x 22.5 mm.

- 220 stamps per sheet, divided into groups of 110 (11 x 10)

- Greenish gray: perf and imperf.

- Secret markings: the left vertical line runs long on the

bottom, the internal horizontal line runs long on the right side

Some stamps are marked with either one of these two

variations, while others have both.

All the stamps have the bleeding of the bottom internal

ornament in 2 places

Genuine late printing or reprint

Forgeries

50 Rubles

50R Red Army soldier. 25.5 x 36.5 mm.

- 156 stamps per sheet, divided into 2 groups of 78 (13 x 6)

- Red: perf and imperf.

Secret marking: there is generally a break in the top right frame at 1

and a sight protrusion at 2

3. There are lines inside the hilt of the bayonet

4. The helmet has a well defined u shaped bill and a clear star - a

common issue with the forgeries

5. A sharp outline of the clouds is mentioned by some collectors as

a genuine but this is false as the forgeries typically have greater

definition in the cloud outlines

Genuine perfed

Forgeries

100 Rubles

100R Type A. 34.5 x 23 mm

1. The key feature of the genuine is the rounded top, it

is flat in forgeries

2. vertical and horizontal lines are broken, producing

blank spots.

3. In many of the stamps both internal and external

lines on the bottom run long.

4. The last is attached to the vertical frame, the fakes

leave a 0.3 - 0.4 mm space between the letter and frame.

5. In the original the is followed by a dot, which is not

found on the forgeries.

6. In the bottom writing the first letter touches the

external horizontal line because they have a tail on the

bottom (the forgeries do not have the tail).

- Brownish yellow: perf and imperf.

Type B. 34.5 x 23 mm

- vertical and horizontal lines are not broken.

- Traits are the same as Type A except the lines which run long do so by 0.3 - 0.4 mm.

- Dark orange/filled background: imperf only

Genuine perfed

Forgeries

250 rubles

250R Hammer and sickle in a five tipped star - 20.5 x 25 mm.

- 288 stamps per sheet, divided into 2 groups of 144 (16 x 9)

- Two primary colors:

Dark violet gray: imperf only - early rare printing

Dark blue: perf and imperf.- common variety

1. The top left frame corner is generally broken

2. The ornamental line above the letter is broken, as a result of

which there is a lighted spot.

3. The internal ornament on the left bottom extends to the

vertical line.

Violet gray early printing

Forgeries

500 Rubles

500R Peasant with sickle, background Mt. Aragats.
37.5 x 26 mm.
- 162 stamps per sheet, divided into 2 groups of 81
tetebeche (9 x 9).
- Two primary colors:
Purple brown: perf and imperf.- most common
Rose Lilac: imperf. - very scarce
1. Corner if often broken
2. the top left, white border around the 500 is closed
on the right side.
3. There is a 1.5 mm mark above the top right corner.
4. An appendage can often be found left bottom

Rare rose lilac

Forgery

1000 Rubles

1000R Fisherman with net on the shore of Lake Sevan. 22 x 37 mm.

- 180 stamps per sheet, divided into 2 groups of 90 tete-beche (15 x 6)

- Yellowish grey: perf and imperf.

- Secret markings: line above the value on the top right corner does not

touch the frame and is 0.1 - 0.2 mm away

Reprints?

Forgeries

2000 Rubles

2000R The Yerevan Post and Telegraph Office. 39.5 mm x 25 mm.

- 162 stamps per sheet, with 2 groups of 81 (9 x 9)

- Dark yellow: perf and imperf.

- Secret markings: the top right ornament extends beyond the frame. This may not always be clear and may appear in some forgeries.

A key to look for is windows and the details of the far right building

This value poses some problems

1. The color makes finding forgeries difficult

2. Some forgeries have some appearance of being genuine

Reprint?

Forgery

5000 Rubles

5000R The ruins of the Ani citadel. 27.5 x 37.5 mm.

- Approx. 144 stamps per sheet, divided into 2 groups of 72 (12 x 6).

- Brown: perf and imperf.

- Secret markings: the second line on the left frame runs long.

Forgeries

10,000 Rubles

10,000 ruble

- Mother spinning with child. 23 x 35.5 mm.

-Approx. 210 stamps per sheet, divided into 2 groups of 105 (15 x 7)

- Reddish brown: perf and imperf.

- Secret markings:

1. bottom right ornament loop is marked with a horizontal line.

2. Horizontal line between frames

3. Line extends to curved frame line

Genuine perfed

Forgeries

15,000 Rubles

Genuine var. A

Genuine var. B

15,000 ruble

- Arakelotz Church on Sevan Island, built in 874 AD.

- Two lithographic types: both have 128 stamps per sheet. 2 groups of 64 (8 x 8)

- Variation A: - Lines on the lake are unbroken, horizontal lines adorn the first hill on the left side and the soil is adorned with horizontal lines.

- sizes - 4 l.2 x 28.3 mm, 4 l.5 x 28 mm, 4 l.5 x 283. mm,

41.7 x 28.5 mm.

- Two colors:

Black-blue: perf and imperf

Indigo: perf and imperf

-Variation B: - Lines on the lake and left hand hill are broken and foreground soil has criss-cross lines.

- 41.2 x 28.5 mm.

- Black-blue: perf and imperf.

- Secret markings for both variations: 3.88 - 5 mm from the right comer is a slanted line measuring 1.2 mm. Right vertical line runs long on the top by 0.4 mm.

Reprint?

Forgery

20,000 Rubles

20000R Image of fantastic bird from a relief on the wall

of the Akhtamar Monastery.

- Sizes: 42.8 x 26.5 mm, 43 x 26.5 mm, 43.3 x 26.8

mm.

- 144 stamps per sheet, divided into 2 groups of 72 (8 x 9).

- Two colors:

Red lilac: perf and imperf, Brown lilac: perf and imperf.

Secret markings:

The bottom horizontal line does not meet the frame on the right side and there is a space of 0.1 - 0.2 mm.

The broken line above it is not a consistent factor

Frame extensions such as the top right do show up but again are not consistent

In most of the genuine samples there is a color dot in the last 0 of the 20000 but it is also found in reprints and one forgery type but not the other forgery type.

Genuine Perfed

Genuine with overprint

Forgeries

25,000 Rubles

25000R Peasant tilling the soil with Mt. Ararat in the

background.

- Sizes: 45.2 mm, 45.5 mm, 45.7 mm, height 27.5 mm.

- 128 stamps per sheet, divided into 2 groups of 64 (8 x 8)

- Two colors:

Blue: perf and imperf, Lilac brown: perf and imperf.

1. Secret markings: from the partially shown bull there is a line which extends to the right frame by 0.4 - 0.5 mm.

2. The curls turns in on itself slightly

3. The dash and dot show up on all clear specimens

Lilac Brown genuine

Reprints

Forgery