Danube & Black Sea Railway (D.B.S.R.)
In 1857 in what is now Romania the Danube & Black Sea Railway was incorporated as a private railway to transfer passengers and mail from the Danube Steam Navigation Company's vessels at Cernavoda to the Black Sea port of Constanta, 46 miles to the East.
The D.B.S.R. was incorporated in 1857 and completed in 1860 by the English firm of J. Trevor Barkley and John Staniforth.
A Local Post was established on this railway in 1867 and a 20 paras stamp was printed by lithography in Vienna by M. Kaiser.
A Local Post was established on this railway in 1867 and a 20 paras stamp was printed by lithography in Vienna by M. Kaiser.
The die was engraved on copper by Jacob Boschan and Co. Vienna·.
These stamps, although locals appear in both the Yvert and Michel catalogues.
Covers are very rare but stamps are more plentiful.
Unfortunately, the majority are reprints or forgeries.
These stamps, although locals appear in both the Yvert and Michel catalogues.
Covers are very rare but stamps are more plentiful.
Unfortunately, the majority are reprints or forgeries.
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| D.B.S.R. |
All stamps are printed in black on coloured paper.
There appear to be variations in the size of the design, most probably caused by a shrinkage of the paper during wet printing.
The paper used was a good quality, thick soft wove, with easily discernible mesh.
The gum used was colourless and fairly thin. After time there was a tendency for the gum to crack.
The stamps were perforated with what appears to be a scalloped punch.
There are 8 scallops at the top and bottom , 12 on the left and 11 on the right or vice-versa if the punch was reversed.
The originals are in blue-green or green but the 3rd reprints and forgeries exist in four other colours.
The existence of so many reprints and forgeries probably accounts for the wide value fluctuations.
Used reprints or forgeries appear to be extremely rare and perhaps non-existent.
The existence of so many reprints and forgeries probably accounts for the wide value fluctuations.
Used reprints or forgeries appear to be extremely rare and perhaps non-existent.
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| Genuine Green & Blue-Green |
The characteristics common to every genuine stamp are as follows:
Punched perfs: 8 teeth at top and bottom , 12 at left , 11 on right ; vice-versa if the punch was reversed.
1. There is no extension to the bottom of the left leg of R in DBSR.
2. The water-line at the base of the cliffs on the left of the vignette is well defined , the top horizontal line being on the same level as the top of the mast of the small ship just visible in the water shading.
3. Faint vertical shading lines on engine wheels.
4. The shadow in the water below the small sailing vessel in the foreground above the second A of PARAS is formed by six delicate, but well defined vertical shading lines.
5. There are faint , but easily discernible rays emanating from the star above the crescent, about five are on the right side of the star and two or sometimes three on the left.
6. The right vertical and bottom horizontal lines of each corner square are thickened .
7. There are small corner guide lines about 1 mm from each corner of the design (not always visible)
8. There is a very faint , short extra ray, usually broken in the middle, emanating from the right end of the crescent.
9. The outline of the left white mountain in the upper range is not joined to that of the dark mountain to its left.
Reprints & Forgeries
Although not exactly known, it is estimated some 10-15,000 stamps were printed.
The stamp is somewhat expensive but given the low production it is not in the CV of a rare stamp.
This as in many other cases is probably due to the huge quantities of reprints and forgeries that make collectors wary of purchasing this stamp.
Although not exactly known, it is estimated some 10-15,000 stamps were printed.
The stamp is somewhat expensive but given the low production it is not in the CV of a rare stamp.
This as in many other cases is probably due to the huge quantities of reprints and forgeries that make collectors wary of purchasing this stamp.
In all, we have 3 reprints and as many as 5 forgery types. I have observed that in many cases the reprints that may come in different colors on auctions are generally listed as “proofs” and rarely are they listed as reprints.
The First Reprint
Note - after reviewing hundreds of these stamps I found that neither the First or Second reprint were common.
The Third reprint was by far the most predominant.
In all of these reprints the "perforating" was carried out with the same punch as was used for the originals.
As the original was only in green, other colors are automatically reprints (actually bogus) or forgeries
The reprints in the original colors tend to be listed as originals.
Note - after reviewing hundreds of these stamps I found that neither the First or Second reprint were common.
The Third reprint was by far the most predominant.
In all of these reprints the "perforating" was carried out with the same punch as was used for the originals.
As the original was only in green, other colors are automatically reprints (actually bogus) or forgeries
The reprints in the original colors tend to be listed as originals.
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| Reprint I |
Lithographed from transfers of retouched a die
Punched perf and exterior angles same as the genuine1. Vertical line from bottom of R in DBSR to inner frame. This may be weak in some instances but it is the key element.
2. Water line on left broken by mast
3. Shading on wheels vertical but very faint
4. Extra ray top right of crescent faint or absent
5. No rays visible below the star
6. Diagonal shading lines in the mountain are missing
7. Often there is a diagonal scar from above the L of Local and starting the left of the star. It may be faint
Other details same as genuine including faint guide lines in the corners
Seen in green, blue, yellow, orange, pink although the green was predominant
The Second Reprint
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| Reprint II |
Lithographed from transfers of a further retouched die
Punched perf and exterior corner angles same as the genuine
1. Vertical line from bottom of R in DBSR to inner frame
2. Top water line nearly absent, mast projects
3. No shading in the engine wheels, corner squares thicker
4. Extra ray at top right of crescent much thicker
5. Thick rays below star
6. On most samples a curved line between the 2 left star points
appears to be fairly consistent.
7. Strong diagonal shading lines in the mountain
8. Vertical lines as shadow of foreground boat blotchy
Other details as genuine
Seen only in blue-green, but it may exist in other colours
The Third Reprint
As noted, this was by far the most commonly found.
Lithographed from a new stone with 6 transfer types
1. Vertical line from R of DBSR faint or absent
2. Water line on left very blotchy.
3. Train wheels have no vertical shading and noticeably misshapen
4. No extra ray top right of crescent or rays below star
5. Vertical shading below foreground boat varies
6. Very little thickening of corner squares
7. No exterior corner guides
Lithographed from a new stone with 6 transfer types
1. Vertical line from R of DBSR faint or absent
2. Water line on left very blotchy.
3. Train wheels have no vertical shading and noticeably misshapen
4. No extra ray top right of crescent or rays below star
5. Vertical shading below foreground boat varies
6. Very little thickening of corner squares
7. No exterior corner guides
8. The corner squares have a thick bottom line
Punched perf and other details as genuine
Seen in green, blue, yellow, orange, pink
The 6 transfer types each have some specific traits that make this reprint very distinguishable.
Punched perf and other details as genuine
Seen in green, blue, yellow, orange, pink
The 6 transfer types each have some specific traits that make this reprint very distinguishable.
Right, a Type II with a dot at the right of the small boat
Right, Type IV 2 dots to the right of the lower right value
Right, Type VI a dot centrally located above the left bottom value figure between the frame lines
Forgeries
At least 5 types are known. One of the keys for most are the scallop perforations, in the genuine they are 12, 8, 11 , 8
Fournier Forgeries
This is probably the most common forgery
Perfs are 11, 8, 11, 8 and imperf
They may be found in green, blue, yellow, orange and pink
Characteristics
1. No line below R of DBSR2. Water line at left very thick and ragged.
3. No vertical shading in engine wheels
4. Very thick extra ray at top right of crescent and below star.
5. Foreground boat joined to lower frame by dark blob.
6. Top left white mountain joined on left to dark mountain
7. The lettering and Turkish numerals in the corners are all too large.
8. The train is too well defined and the hill shading too heavy.
9.No exterior guide marks
Found with fake double circle cancel.
Torres Forgery
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| Image from Torres 1896 Catalog |
catalog illustrator who created a multitude of forgeries.
Most are crude but some are decent imitations.
Torres had an early association with Usigli and later may have corroborated with Fournier, Senf brothers, Friedl and Goldner.
Torres had an early association with Usigli and later may have corroborated with Fournier, Senf brothers, Friedl and Goldner.
Many Spiro forgeries indicate they were actually of Torres origin.
These forgers and others worked together so defining who actually made some of the forgeries is difficult.
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| Known Torres Forgery Colors |
Forgery - Source unknown
1. Punched perfs are correct 12, 8, 11, 8
2. Seen only in blue green
3. No exterior corner angles
4. Star large and very irregular.
5. Rays below crescent thick and scanty.
6. Outline of mountains incorrect, no cross shading.
7. Engine wheels oval, no vertical shading
8. No rigging on large boat, sea poorly shaded.
9. No shading below foreground boat.
This is a very uncommon forgery
Forgery - Unknown Source 2
This is rare very crude forgery that does not resemble the original.
I do not have a sample.
1. The numerals and letters are malformed
2. The mountains are very heavily shaded
3. The ships are in different positions and size
4. There is no hyphen between LOCAL & POST
Cancels
Several fake cancels are known particularly on the Fournier forgeries.
The cancels below are the genuine ones
