Preview of Stamps Catalogue: VOLUME 1

CAPE OF GOOD HOPE, triangular issues, forgeries

Return To Catalogue - Cape of Good Hope (South Africa), triangular issues - Cape of Good Hope, triangular issues, forgeries of the woodblock issue - South Africa

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Genuine stamps:

Forgeries:

In the genuine stamps the background lines form a cross-like structure before the "P" of "POSTAGE" (except for the woodblocks).

Many forgeries exist, examples:

First forgery

In the above forgeries, the background behind the woman is formed of small squares. There is no cross before the "P". There are guidelines around the stamp. I've only seen this forgery cancelled with parallel bars.

A whole sheet of these forgeries, consisting of 30 one penny forgeries. Note the guidelines between the forgeries, which genuine stamps don't have.

The same forgery with a Spanish(!) spider cancel.

I believe this is the fourth forgery described in Album Weeds.

Second forgery (Spiro):

Forgery! Note the strange cancel!
(Reduced size)

The above forgeries do not have any watermark. They also don't have the cross before the "P" of "POSTAGE". The pattern of lines behind the side labels is very prominent. I believe they are made by Spiro. They also have dividing lines between the stamps, which the genuine stamps don't have. I think this is the third forgery described in Album Weeds. In the 1 Sh value, the "G" of 'SHILLING" enters the bottom right lozenge.

4 p forgery of the Spiro set. The "U" of "FOUR" is very squarish at the bottom. Note the bogus "909" and "905" numerical cancels. For more forgeries with a "909" cancel, click here and for more forgeries with "905" cancel click here.

Very similar forgery type, but now with the frame extended at the top by two lines.

Third forgery

There is no cross in front of the "P" of "POSTAGE". The "C" of "CAPE" is very thin, especially at the top left side. These forgeries are most likey the engraved forgeries made by Panelli or Oneglia. These forgeries exist with an impressed watermark. The toes are very well visible in this forgery type. I've only seen them cancelled with the above diamond of parallel lines (with empty center). Oneglia list these forgeries in his 1898, 1899 and 1906 pricelists as 'gravure en cuivre'.

This 4 p Oneglia forgery has a forged oil(?) watermark.

This is most likely the second forgery mentioned in Album Weeds. It appeared around 1902.

Even 'errors' exist of these forgeries, here a "ONE PENCE" error.

I've been told that this is also an Oneglia forgery, possibly a lithographed version of the above forgeries? Note the white pearl-like object in the lower right corner ornament and the long top part of the "C" of "CAPE". The cancel is the same as on the above Oneglia forgeries.

Fourth forgery

Note the very prominent background lines especially in front of the "P" and behind the "E" of the word "POSTAGE".

Fifth forgery (Fournier):

Other Fournier forgeries from the Fournier Album. The 1 c forgery has a dot in the 'C' of 'CAPE'.

Fournier forgeries with a "21" numeral cancel (as mentioned in the Serrane Guide).

Fournier forged cancel

The bottom left ornament in the Fournier forgeries touches the white space above it. Also the line pointing to the left bottom corner of the stamp is not long enough. Fournier forgeries were printed in blocks of four.

Sixth forgery:

Seventh forgery (Taylor?):

Eight forgery:

Ninth forgery

Forgery in the wrong colour (black or very dark violet?):

The "P" and "E" of "HOPE" are very badly done (the "P" looks more like an inverted "J"). I think this might be the same forgery as a 6 p violet forgery that exists with various bogus cancels.

The same forgery in red with a bogus "..ANDRETTI" and "SPEC..." cancels. Also a 4 p with a seal cancel.

London Exhibition sheet:

(London Exhibition Sheet)

In 1950 a souvenir sheet was issued in London for 'The London International Stamp Exhibition'; On this souvenir sheet there is a 1 Sh Nova Scotia 1852 violet stamp, a Penny Black, a New South Wales 1 p red 1850, a Ceylon 4 p 1859 and a 4 p Cape triangle of 1853, it was reproduced by the collotype process and printed by Waterlow & Sons. I have seen all the cuts from this sheet offered as forgeries.

A cut from this London sheet, the top of the letters "1853" can still be seen.

Highly dubious items from the same source?...

Weird 1 Sh item printed on thick paper, almost no background pattern.

Another strange 4 p item.

Black 1 p with the head of the woman more upwards.