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| Preview of Stamps Catalogue: VOLUME 1 |
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| Preview of Stamps Catalogue: VOLUME 1 |
Note: on my website many of the
pictures can not be seen! They are of course present in the catalogue;
contact me if you want to purchase it.
Most of the stamps of Bhopal exist in many types. Also spelling errors are quite common. Reprints were made in 1903-04. See also http://www.sspak.com/library/India/Bhopal%20Puzzle.pdf .
1/4 a with divided bottom part, central one with manual cancel.
Also a 1/2 a red
1/2 a red
1 a brown
2 a blue
4 a yellow
1/4 a black 1/2 a red 1/2 a black 1 a brown 2 a blue 4 a yellow
The inscription reads "H H" (for Her Highness) "NAWAB SHAHJAHAN BEGAM".
Cancels:
An early cancelling device consists of a square with rounded corners, which was subdivided in 16 smaller squares (usually very worn out). A large double circle datestamp was also used with text and numbers in Urdu language. Some other mute cancels exists (elliptically shaped?).
Cancelling device consisting of a square with rounded corners,
which was subdivided in 16 smaller squares
Large double circle datestamp with text and numbers in Urdu
language.
Genuine square cancels? Or other mute cancels?
Two other mute cancels.
Two special cancels were used as 'Cancelled to
Order' postmarks; they were never used on regular mail. Two types
exist (see also
http://www.sspak.com/library/India/Bhopal%20Puzzle.pdf):
1) A 29 mm wide, double rim 'eye' cancel, with two half circles
resembling eyelids. Text in the three subsections.
2) A 35 mm wide postmark with four sections, resembling rose
petals.
Type 1) Cancelled to order.
Forgeries exist, example (by the way, I 'm not 100% sure that the above stamps are genuine):
Reduced size
I've seen forgeries with the central part printed instead of embossed.
Forgeries with central part printed instead of embossed.
All embossing on these stamps should be in an octagonal (not circular, since this embossing was of the ruler that came into power in 1901). Any of the above stamps with circular embossing are forgeries.
Forgery or reprint with circular embossing (or remainder with
forged embossing).
I've been told that these are Brighton forgeries, I have no
further information.
(Reduced size)
1/4 a green 1/4 a black (1896) 1/2 a red
Forgery, reduced size:
1/4 a green 1/4 a black (1896)
The 1/4 a was issued in 1895 with double framelines all around
the stamp.
I think this is a modern forgery.
1/4 a green
2 a red
(Reduced sizes)
1/4 a green 1/4 a black 1/2 a black 1/2 a red
Forgeries, example (by the way, I'm not quite sure the above stamps are all genuine):
A sheet of forgeries made by the stamp dealer Senf;
the stamps in the sheetlet are 2/3 of the size of the genuine
stamps. This was added as a 'Gratisbeigabe' tot he Senf's
Illustriertem Briefmarken-Journal No.12 from 15 June 1889.
Modern forgery (1980's?). Click here for Indian States, modern forgeries, more
examples.
Here overprinted with a native 'S' sign (the overprint exists in
two types).
8 a greenish black or bluish black Surcharged with native "S" in two types (see images above) 8 a greenish black (1903)
Most likely modern forgeries.
1/4 a red 1/2 a black 1 a brown 2 a blue 4 a orange 8 a violet 1 R red
These stamps have a circular embossing.
Front and back of a sheetlet with stamps. Notice the circular
embossing.
Sheets of the 1/2 a stamp only contain 8 stamps (2 columns of 4 stamps), while, if my information is correct, the other values contain 16 stamps on a sheet.
Modern forgery
1 a green
Value of the stamps |
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vc = very common c = common * = not so common ** = uncommon |
*** = very uncommon R = rare RR = very rare RRR = extremely rare |
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| Value | Unused | Used | Remarks |
| 1 a | * | * | |
Similar stamps with overprint "SERVICE" are official stamps.
1/2 a green 1 a red 2 a blue 4 a brown
The "SERVICE" overprint exists in two types.
Value of the stamps |
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vc = very common c = common * = not so common ** = uncommon |
*** = very uncommon R = rare RR = very rare RRR = extremely rare |
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| Value | Unused | Used | Remarks |
| 1/2 a | * | c | |
| 1 a | * | c | |
| 2 a | ** | c | |
| 4 a | *** | * | |
1/2 a green 1 a red 2 a blue 4 a brown
1/4 a orange 1 a red (1936)
1/2 a green 1 a red 2 a blue 4 a brown Surcharged (1935) 1/4 a on 1/2 a green 1/4 a on 2 a blue 1/4 a on 4 a brown 3 p on 1/2 a green 3 p on 2 a blue 3 p on 4 a brown 1 a on 1/2 a green 1 a on 2 a blue 1 a on 4 a brown
Imperforate printers waste with inverted "SERVICE" overprint exist.
1 a 3 p blue and lilac (overprinted 'SERVICE') 1 a 3 p green (1941, inscription 'SERVICE') 1 a 6 p blue and lilac (overprinted 'SERVICE') 1 a 6 p lilac (overprinted 'SERVICE')
1/2 a lilac and green 1/2 a green (smaller size, 1944) 1 a brown and blue 2 a green and violet 2 a violet (smaller size, 1944) 4 a blue and brown 4 a brown (smaller size, 1944) 8 a lilac and blue 1 R blue and lilac
1/4 a blue (tiger) 1 a lilac
Official stamp of 1946; arms of Bhopal, inscription "BHOPAL
GOVT. SERVICE"
3 p blue 9 p brown 1 a lilac 1 a violet 1 1/2 a lilac 3 a orange 3 a brown 6 a red Surcharged 2 a on 1 1/2 a lilac (1949, two types, one type rare)
Bhopal, 1880 onwards, 1 a black, with embossing in the center.
With year inscribed at the bottom left in Arabic, here 1301 and
1303. Similar fiscal stamps exist with inscription 1297, 1300,
1301, 1303. Also with inscription "BHOPAL 1 ANNA" and
year 1311 and 1320. Issued from 1880 to 1901.
