Monday, June 14, 2021

Bulgaria - 1901 Cherry Cannon

 Bulgaria - 1901 Cherry Tree Cannon 
Mi 48-49 / Sc 53-54
Issued to commemorate the 25
th anniversary of the April Uprising of 1876.
The Cherry Tree Cannon is a wooden cannon, first used by the Bulgarian anti-Ottoman revolutionaries in the April Uprising. 
Pieces of metal were used as ammunition for the cannon.
It unfortunately accounted for many victims by "friendly fire" due to its unstable construction.
It is a common symbol and a decorative furniture piece in Bulgaria


Genuine stamps

NOTE
- A simple method to check for most forgeries is the perforation method. 
Some printers used comb perforators but forgers generally used the simpler line perforators or a handheld device.


Another easy way to tell if the stamp is genuine is to check for the plate types.
The 5c has 5 types, the 15c also has 5 types but one has no specific traits
5c Types
Type I: Break of the outer frame over the 8 of 1876
Type II: point under the 8 of 1876
Type 111: break of the colored line left below the value
Type IV: additional thick white line left At the height of the wheel of the cherry cannon
Type V: Break of the outer frame on the upper right

Examples
Types 1, 2 & 3


15c Types
Type I: none of the characteristics of the other types
Type II: Large white spot left of 18
Type III: White line In the upper line of the value-valued to the right
Type IV: Large white spot attaches 18 to weave line
Type V: Break in line below facial feature


Examples
Types 2, 3, 4 & 5


Forgeries
1. There is a protrusion below the 18
2. The little hook on the left side extends further down


Varieties or other forgeries?
Although some mention more than 1 type it may be that several exist
The faces top left have different feature
2. The 76 is a different shape
3. The rays are different lengths
4. The left 5’s have different curves and opening
5. The CTOT on the right is larger, frame lines are thicker
6. The right stamp is heavily shaded
7. The cloud formation is different


A period postcard with the Cherry Cannon

References
- Billig's grosses Handbuch der Faelschungen 1937
- The Serrane Guide, APS 1998
- Handbuch Bulgarien, Postwertzeichen Teil 1, 1879-1944 - R. Weinbrecht
- Klaseboer Forgery CD 2 - 2020