The French company that built the Suez Canal initially carried mail gratis between Port Said on the Canal’s north and Suez on the south. The volume of mail, over 6000 letters a month, was sufficient to convince the Company that a profit could be made by charging for the service.
To that end, four stamps in the denominations of 1, 5, 20 and 40 centimes were issued. All had the same design except for denomination and color. They were printed from four lithographic stones of 10 X 12. The stamps were imperforate.
The paper is watermarked LACROIX FRERES LA+-F, in one line, with outlined letters.
From the manufacturing point of view, it appears that this watermark was arranged in a very irregular manner and many sheets were produced without the watermark.
The real stamps exhibit a distinctive “crackling” of the gum. Many of the forgeries have smooth gum.
The Suez Canal Company intended for their stamps to be introduced on 1st July 1868. However, they only arrived on the 7th of this month, and as they ceased to be valid for postal use from midnight on the 15th August. They were in use for the relatively short period of about 40 days. The Company's use of postage stamps was considered to be an infringement on the state monopoly of the posts.
At present, only some 25 covers are known to be genuine. Any used issues should only be purchased certified by an expert on the subject.
Genuine Features
1. The appendage on each side of the upper circles containing the figures of value are well drawn and generally clear except for a dot or stroke which appears in the ball at the extremity.
1A. The tops of the A’s are pointed.
2. The flags (2) are pointed, relatively the same size and unshaded.
2A. On many stamps there are very few clouds in the sky but specimens exist on which the clouds are quite distinct.
3. The colors vary considerably and are NOT a means of identification but the ink used always presents a mat appearance.
The 1c varies from intense black to pale grey black.
The 5c varies from a yellowish green to pale green, almost a light emerald.
The 20c varies a great deal and can be found from almost Prussian blue to pale dull blue.
The 40c exists in carmine ranging to dull vermilion.
3 A. The top serifs of IME almost touch.
4. The ship clearly shows one passenger in the bow, two between the fore and main masts and one behind the mainmast.
4 A. Behind the funnel, just to the right of the point where the rigging joins the deck, there is a spot of colon that might represent a passenger. At the stern of the ship to the left of the rear mast there are two spots of colon that could again represent passengers.
5. The comma like ornaments in the lower right and lower left shoulders just below the center line of the frame are separated from the floral appendage. The right comma is smaller than that on the left and neither are shaded.
5 A. The stars have 12 rays.
6. The space between the plaque and the circle frame is composed of a cross hatching. If it doesn’t pass this, it’s a forgery.
7. The last S of POSTES is almost invariably somewhat flattened at the left side of the top bend.
8. The funnel of the ship is always heavily shaded, Inclined to the left, sometimes solid at the left with the right-hand portion made up of vertical lines of shading.
The only horizontal line appearing on the funnel is a band about half a millimeter extending from the top to the right. Occasionally the funnel is a solid mass of color.
9. The smoke from the funnel does not touch the frame line or approach within more than half a millimeter of it. In the majority of specimens the smoke ends one and a half millimeters or more away from the frame. Note also that it obscures the rear mast.
10. The background lines are thin and evenly spaced.
The value holders have the following characteristics;
C1. Left outline falls between first and second vertical lines of shading
C2. Touches the first vertical line of shading.
C3. Touches the first vertical line of shading.
C4. Just cuts through third vertical line of shading.
Note the angle of the numerals, many forgeries get this wrong
The gum varies in color and almost without exception is cracked.
As for the paper, a document states that;
The stamps were to be printed on "Coquille" of 7 kilograms Angouleme paper manufactured by the Saint-Cybard Mill run by 3 Lacroix brothers. Their specialty was the manufacture of writing paper called "Coquille". I leave further research to the reader.
The following were issued and remaindered
Denomination — Manufactured — Remaindered — Maximum Possible Used
1 centime, black -----6,020 ---------------3,214 -----------------2,806
5c, green -------------31,232 -------------28,524 ---------------- 2,708
20c, blue -----------105,644 -------------93,867 ---------------11,777
40c, red---------------10,863 -------------- 9,376 --------------- 1,487
Denomination — Manufactured — Remaindered — Maximum Possible Used
1 centime, black -----6,020 ---------------3,214 -----------------2,806
5c, green -------------31,232 -------------28,524 ---------------- 2,708
20c, blue -----------105,644 -------------93,867 ---------------11,777
40c, red---------------10,863 -------------- 9,376 --------------- 1,487
The low volume of stamps issued over 150 years ago is a clear indication that the number of forgeries online is far greater than any originals.
Some forgers have a tendency to produce very rough designs.
However, certain sections of the genuine 120 stamp sheets have these "flaws"
Case in point, the genuine positions
11, 12, 23 & 24 shown below
The Plate Characteristics of the 1c, 5c and 40c
These features can be very difficult to determine unless you have a decent specimen on hand and a good magnifier or scanning availability.
It is not hard to determine good forgeries for the 1c, 5c and 40c issues.
There are four types of plate expressions for each of these values. If the stamp does not meet one of the four types, then it can be considered a forgery.
When it comes to the 20c stamp, there are 120 plate varieties and access to a full sheet of the originals would be required or an extensive study that can be found in the reference section.
1c Types
NOTE due to printing ink variations and process not all traits show up on every sample
5c Types
40c Types
NOTE - The 20c is not included above doe to the previously mentioned 120 varieties
The Forgeries
These are obviously some of the most classic stamps.
Given the short validity period and the low production, the resulting demand produced a tremendous forgery opportunity.
These stamps should only be purchased from a trusted reliable source and any used ones should be CERTIFIED.
1. Englehardt Fohl Forgeries - very common forgeries
Fohl was, as early as 1871, offering as genuine his forgeries.
He moved to Gera in 1894 where he continued his forgery activities until 1898 when the printing firm who he had employed to do the actual printing went bankrupt.
A large quantity of his forgeries still in process were seized.
General characteristics common to all four values are:
- Funnel shaded with vertical and horizontal lines and it is wider and shorter than the original.
- The boat is much higher out of the water giving it a shorter appearance than the original. It also has very prominent horizontal lines on it.
- All of the A's have flat tops.
- The comma shapes on the sides are relatively the same size and touch the design below but are not joined to it.
- Top bar of Z in SUEZ is extended to the right.
- Small pennant on foremast , large on mainmast.
- Thick smoke that extends to the frame.
- Upper part of the border above figure of value is much thicker than the lower part in C3 and C4.
- There are 5 transfer types for each value with unique traits.
- Guide lines between the stamps are found between these stamps and not on the originals.
Note that there are minor differences such as there is a passenger in the bow of the 20C & 40c but not the 1c or 5c
2. Unknown Source
Printed in sheets of 6 (3X2) for all 4 values
- No crosshatching between DE SUEZ and POSTES
- No shading below POSTES label
- Very short blunt foredeck without passengers
- One passenger between the guy ropes on either side of the foremast
- Two passengers in the space between the guy ropes to the foremast.
- One passenger in front of the mainmast.
- Two passengers in front of the smokestack.
- Six passengers between the smokestack and the mizzenmast.
- Pennants on all three masts, right one is large and very wavy.
- The smoke plume is outlined with a series of small arcs, passes behind the mizzenmast and ends in a sharp point
- The stern of the ship is curved The left hand comma has a small head and a long thin tail which only touches but is not connected to the ornamentation surrounding the value circle.
- The right hand comma has a much shorter tail.
- The letters AN and AL of CANAL are joined at the base.
- The second IME of MARITIME and the EZ of SUEZ are shorter than the other letters.
- The rays of the right hand sunburst are evenly spaced
- Top value tablets oval shaped with double borders.
CANCELLATIONS
Numerals 322 , 335 , 527, 608 and 1916 struck in black.
3. Common forgery - unknown source
Sheets of 120 ( 12 x 10) stamps
- The stern of the ship is curved.
- Small C lower than the other letters
- The M is wide & large
- There is one passenger in the bow and one in front of the mizzenmast and a suggestion of three others, one in front of the foremast, one in front of the mainmast and one behind the mizzenmast.
- The smoke plume is heavy, and outlined with a series of short arcs. It just reaches the oval border but is not joined to the rim of the smokestack which is unshaded.
- The left comma is long and joined to the numeral ornament.
- The rays of the sunbursts are short and narrow and the central dot is much smaller than in the genuine stamp.
- Wavy pennants on foremast and mainmast.
- All the A’s have flat tops.
- Three dashes below left star, two below right star.
- There is a space between the E and Z of SUEZ
C1, Cut second line of vertical shading.
C2, C4, Touches first line of vertical shading.
C3 Touches second line of vertical shading.
Early impressions were very clear while later ones are somewhat blurred .
These are similar forgeries with an unusual cancel
4. Thin Letters Forgery - unknown source
- No cross hatching between DE SUEZ and POSTES
- Stern is nearly straight.
- Two passengers in the bow, one in the stern and two behind the foremast.
- Left hand comma has a long tail. It is attached but not integral with the ornamentation surrounding the value tablets.
- The right hand comma is small with a short tail. It is separate from the ornamentation surrounding the value tablets.
- The C of CANAL is very narrow and its top touches the frame of the oval above.
- The smokestack is wide and has vertical shading.
- The pennant on the foremast is long and thin.
- Smoke is heavy, low, passes behind mast and almost touches the oval.
- The feet of the R I of MARITIME are joined.
- The edge of the circles at the top of the stamp that contain the value numeral touch the first line of vertical shading, those at the bottom of the stamp touch the second line.
The smoke, flags, ship, water are similar
However the shading is lighter as are the colors
The letters appear slightly taller
The key difference is the value tablets - the values are noticeably different in shape and particularly inclination.
5. Unknown forger - very uncommon
- One passenger in bow and one in stern.
- Funnel is very slanted
- No dash below left star; three dashes below right star.
- First A in CANAL has flat top; the tops of the other A's are pointed.
- Supporting rope missing from top left of foremast.
- Z of SUEZ is tall and touches the frame line
- Very small pennant on mainmast
6. "Kamigata" Forgeries - very common
Aside from Wada, the next most prolific Japan producer of forgeries of the early series of Japanese postage stamps was the firm of Kamigataya.
Consequently, up until recently, Kamigata has been identified as the producer of these forgeries in western literature.
There is no real evidence that a person named Kamigata even existed.
Kamigataya forgeries were made by Maeda Kihei, and Kamigataya was the publisher of Maeda's forgeries.
This new information has been primarily sourced from the inscriptions on the Kamigataya tourist sheets which are relatively rare.
Many forgeries from Kamigataya were attributed to Spiro, Mercier or Oneglia and merely sold by Kamigata but an obscure Japanese publication in 1954 the Kitte no Ie (House of Stamps) confirmed that Kamigataya was the originator of some 20 country forgeries shown.
To date, at least 50 non Asian country forgeries have been identified as being produced by Kamigataya i.e. Maeda Kihei
Maeda tended to produce different variations of his forgeries some that were crude and others that were decent.
Fortunately, he tended to cancel most and his 2 main cancels were a concentric 5 ring cancel and another one with an outer double ring with the letters IMITATION. Shown below are these 2 cancels.
- There are no passengers
- The C is small and thick
- The commas are connected to the element below
- The smoke is very thick, is behind the mast and extends to the frame
- There is a large white space behind the stern
- The R often looks like a B
These forgeries have some resemblance to the "Kamigata" and forgery # 3.
Another double frame forgery with many of the above features
7. Unknown forger - uncommon
- There are no passengers
- There is no pennant on the foremast
- The S of SUEZ is inclined
- The top numerals are small
- The commas are attached.
8. Forger unknown - Double Frameline - very uncommon
- The key feature is the double frame line around the stamp
- The flags are forked
- No crosshatching between POSTES and DE-SUEZ.
- Rigging ropes to the foremast reach to the base of the bowsprit leaving no foredeck.
- There are wide forked pennants on all three masts.
- There are 14 rays round the left hand sunburst and 15 round the right; the central spot is very large.
- The first S in POSTES is larger
- The right hand comma is attached but not integral with the floral appendage, the left one is smaller and not attached.
- The smoke plume is very broad, slopes upward with pointed tip
- All letters A have flat tops instead of pointed.
- There are 4 passengers on the deck. One behind the foremast, two between the mizzenmast and its supporting rigging and one just aft of the smokestack.
A bogus 10c value is known in black
The images are cleaner and better detailed
The values in the 40c are very different
Another forger or different dies?
They match the originals in design almost perfectly.
- Numerals are large and inclined differently from originals
This bogus color generally appears to fit in with the others
9. Broadway Approvals - common
This miniature sheet was a gift to clients of the stamp dealer Broadway Approvals during the 1950s and 1960s.
It was suggested that the sheet could be mounted as such in the album or divided and the stamps mounted singly. Each stamp was marked ‘Facsimile’ on the back, but it can be removed quite easily while "aging" the paper.
It was suggested that the sheet could be mounted as such in the album or divided and the stamps mounted singly. Each stamp was marked ‘Facsimile’ on the back, but it can be removed quite easily while "aging" the paper.
I found a surprising number of singles on auction sites selling as originals
There are no variations in waves etc. they are are exactly identical
The telling feature aside from the fresh look is the visible dot after the DE
10. Forger unknown - uncommon
- Rigging attached directly to bow sprint
- Large forked pennants
- Forged cancel "PORT-SAID 12 II 83 T.1" and Arabic text at the bottom.
NOTE - the 10c is a bogus stamp
11. Art Paper Forgeries - common
Probably made in Germany around 1908.
- The paper usually shows very strong oxidation
- Large curved banner on front mast
- C small almost closed
- M right side curved
- Small Z
Auctions often show stamps that are barely recognizable and are probably in this category
12. Fournier Forgery
It would appear that Fournier sold these forgeries from several sources
and not from just one source.
13. Low Forgery - uncommon
- Apparently lithographed from an original
- The D of DE has a scratch as in the original
- The 0 of 40 is very narrow
- Thin main pennant
- These is a white line between the 2 S
- Overall very rough and blurred
NOTE - I have been advised that these may be Patroni forgeries
14. Open C Forgery - very common
- The C is wide open
A crude forgery overall
- Very thick top letters
14. Open C Forgery - very common
- The right comma is almost invisible
- The first S in POSTES is low
- The chimney has barely visible vertical lines
- The smoke is over the rear mast and ends there
- Overall heavily shaded
This set appeared in an auction very overpriced for a common forgery
15. Extra Lines - not common
- The C is small
- The right leg of the N is slanted
- The M is lopsided
- Thick smoke behind mast extending to the oval
- Thick smoke behind mast extending to the oval
- The key features are the extra lines in the value tablets
I have seen other values with the same flaws
16. Sinking Ship Forgery - very uncommon
- Thick blob of smoke
- Ship completely distorted
17. Thin Chimney Forgery - very uncommon
- Thin chimney
- Too many rigging lines
- No passengers
- Stars heavily shaded
- No dashes below the stars
The London source is probably Prahl who later conspired with the prolific forgery firm Behrman of Hamburg
"Spiro" 1c subtype
Type A
Type A
18. Spiro Forgeries - very common
Philip Spiro was the proprietor of the well-established printing firm of Spiro Brothers of Hamburg. By their own accord, they did not produce the forgeries but purchased them and were only dealers. The Spiro workshop closed prior to 1865 which brings into question the forgeries attributed to them after 1865.
These "Spiros" are probably the most plentiful to be found in any “Old Collection”
They were normally printed in sheets of 25 and with cancels that somewhat correspond to those used locally.
General Characteristics
Size, 25 x 20 mm
Sheets, 25 (5 x 5) stamps
Paper, Thin woven, white to yellowish
- No crosshatching between POSTES and DE SUEZ.
- One passenger in the bows, Two between foremast and mainmast and One between smokestack and mizzenmast.
- The bow has a slightly curved appearance.
- Square base to the U in Suez. The serifs of this letter form a continuous line across its top.
- Smoke plume passes behind mizzenmast.
- There are three petals under each sunburst.
- Smoke lightly outlined, almost touching oval.
- Right hand comma (bottom left of sunburst) short with long tail.
- Left comma is large and touches the ornament below
- Mizzen mast completely visible through smoke.
- Foot of R in MARITIME is flat and joined to I.
- Right flag is thin and straight.
- Lots of white space in the water.
The left 1c numeral is more inclined as is the top right one.
The bottom right numeral holder has a break in the inner line at 10 o'clock.
"Spiro" 1a perforated type
All the values perf 12 and wrongly attributed to Spiro because of the "cancel". Possibly of a private nature. The forgery guidelines are still visible.
NOTE - A crude perforated one from an unknown forger - printed in red and with a black fake cancel - perf 11.5X11 also exists
19. 3 Types Forgeries - Very common
These forgeries are almost identical to Spiros.
However they are found on sheets of 120 not 25
There are 3 types of each value printed on each sheet
1c
There are some artifacts in the top left numeral holder
Type B
The top right numeral is inclined
There is a scratch from the top of the D into the ocean
There is an extra dot in the bottom right numeral
Type C
There is a scratch in the bowsprit
Both flowery elements have protruding appendages
5c
There is a thick protrusion on the upper left frameline
The right comma is just a dot
The left bottom 5 has a dark spot below it and artifacts above
The top of the right bottom 5 curls up
Type B
The left bottom 5 has an extra dot
Type C
The left bottom 5 has a small dot on the left and is less inclined than the other 5's
The right bottom 5 has a dark spot below it
20c
Small dot in front of the bowsprit
Type B
Scratch from D into the ocean
Type C
Large blotch below the D
40c
There is a flattening and dent in the top right numeral holder
A Saatjian block from an online auction - originated in the bottom right section of the forgery.
Saatjian forgeries on rare brown paper
Type B
There are dark spots below both lower numerals
The top right numeral has a large dot below it
Note to the left there is a line or scratch extending from the T top to the outer frame. This feature is a key flaw in most of these issues.
Type C
There is a spot on top of the bottom right 40
There is a bulge in the 0 of the top right 40
20. Saatjian Forgeries - The most common and dangerous
Saatjian was an Armenian dealer in novelties living in Paris in the early 1900’s. He had first become interested
in stamps during a visit to Persia in 1903, where he acquired a large quantity of the 1894 issue of that country which, with the tacit approval of the authorities, he then proceeded to surcharge so as to produce a whole series of new stamps with most of them offered from his Paris office.
The financial success of this venture prompted him to bid for the 40 cent printing stone of the Suez Canal stamps, which he obtained for 80 Francs at the auction of the effects of Erard Leroy d’Etiolles in 1907.
The Parisian stamp dealer, Erard d’Etiolles acquired the stone in an unknown fashion although it is probably significant that he had an office near the headquarters of the Suez Canal Company.
Saatjian was able to modify transfers from this stone by erasing the 40 from the value circles in each corner of the stamp replacing these by 1,5,or 20 as appropriate and so build up a new set of stones from which to print his forgeries.
The Saatjian are by far the most dangerous of the forgeries and very abundant - even full sheets have been obtained. Any offer of blocks should be considered questionable.
The 40c was printed directly from the original printing stone, the 1, 5 and 20c. were printed from new stones made from transfers taken from the 40c.
So all the Saatjian forgeries have the 4 main characteristics of the original 40c die plus some features of their own.
This design was then laid down as 8 subjects on a transfer stone creating the 8 sub-types impressed 15 times to end up with a sheet of 120 stamps.
Those from the 40c are often described as unofficial reprints but since they were meant too defraud collectors, they are NOT “reprints” but forgeries.
NOTE - On Saatjian unused forgeries, the gum on the back of the stamps is smooth and transparent whereas on the genuine stamps is opaque and crackly.
Forgeries
Aside from the 40c, there are general features of each value as well as flaws specific to each of the 8 transfers
1c
 |
| Type 5 with fake cancel |
General characteristics
- C of CANAL has short broken tail.
- Break in left leg of A in CANAL.
- Break in left leg of first M in MARITIME above serif, and top right serif of this letter is missing.
- Top of funnel joined to rigging on right.
- Line across left lower appendage of NW value tablet.
8 transfer characteristics
Type 1, none
Type 2, Large dot after Z.
Type 3, C3, thick ragged inner oval over lc
Type 4, Spot lower left end of POSTES label.
Type 5, Spot over left star.
Type 6, Spur on diagonal rigging.
Type 7, Spot in top and bottom outer margins.
Type 8, C2, two faint spots to left of 1c
5c
General Characteristics
Pale green, green to olive green.
C of CANAL has tail missing.
Break in cross bar of N in CANAL.
Line across left lower appendage of NW value tablet.
Vertical rigging to right of funnel has break near top.
Inner line of SW value tablet has break opposite c.
The main issue with this value is actually being able to see the transfer traits on any single stamp. A block is
really needed
8 transfer characteristics
Type 1, White dash before P of POSTES.
Type 2, Spot over P of POSTES
Type 3, Faint nick in vertical outer frame immediately above lower right corner.
Type 4, White comma before P of POSTES.
Type 5, none
Type 6, Faint dash below C3 beyond frame
Type 7, Bump on outer oval between C and left star.
Type 8, none
20c
 |
| 20c Type 2
|
General Characteristics
The layout was different and only 4 subtypes were created instead of 8
However, more traits are present
Type 1
Line/break across vertical of T in POSTES
Break in top bar of E in SUEZ.
Break in diagonal rigging on right of rearmast.
Projection from left above 2 in C 1.
Type 2
Break in downstroke of 2 in Cl value tablet.
Second M or MARITIME has break in left leg above bottom serif.
Type 3
C of CANAL appears to have longer serif.
Dot below ball of 2 in C1 value tablet.
Breaks in inner frame above 20c in C4.
A in MARITIME blind (no opening on top)
Spot top right of T.
Left serif of second M touches frame.
Type 4
Left lower serif of N in CANAL detached
2 o'clock ray missing in right-hand star.
White patch in hull of ship.
Frame break below 2 and dot left of stop, C1.
40c
The Saatjian 40c is the most deceptive of the forgeries and almost impossible to tell from the original unless you have plating samples from the same location in the sheet of 120 stamps.
Obviously the 40c die was used when Saatjian acquired it so my personal observation indicates that there are differences due to minor faults and inking. Of course there is a difference in the gum as previously mentioned.
Most printed on white or tinted wove paper with some on brown paper as opposed to the special paper provided by the Lacroix brothers. Rarely, some stamps will have part of their watermark showing only on the 5, 20 & 40c sheets
I have seen information that these stamps were produced for a Belgium stamp dealer who applied the cancels.
Cancels
One of the more common cancels is the French Port Said 5129
 |
| Genuine stamp & 5129 cancel |
This cancel is often applied to forgeries
 |
| Left genuine others fakes |
The common fake & bogus cancels
References
Forgery & reprint guide 14. Suez Canal - Barefoot 1983
Suez Canal Company catalogue - Klaseboer Forgery CD 2018
Vade Mecum du Specialiste Expert - Serrane 1920
Kohl Briefmarken Handbuch 1926
Fakes Forgeries Experts; No 3 May 2000 by Paolo Vollmeier
Album Weeds - Rev. R. B. Earee 1906
Timbres d'Egypte et de la Compagnie du Canal Suez - Moens 1880
Details on the types of forgeries of the Suez Canal Stamps - Kehr, Mekeels Stamp News 1942
How to test the stamps of the Suez Canal -T. C. Stanbury, Philatelic Magazine 1938
Suez Canal Stamps. F. J. Melville, Philatelic Magazine: 1927
Forgeries of The Suez Canal Company's Stamps - Cowan, Stamp Collecting 1925
Genuine and Forged Stamps of the Suez Canal Co. J- . Beauland, Stamp Collecting 1921
Private Ship Letters Stamps, Part 3 - Bouland, Ringstrom, Tester
How to test the stamps of the Suez Canal - Stanbury, 1938 Philatelic Magazine
With thanks for the many forum Suez specialist members who assisted
