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DIEGO SUAREZ

Return To Catalogue - Diego Suarez, forgeries of the 1890 issue - Diego Suarez, postage due stamps - Madagascar

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Diego Suarez is a city in the north of Madagascar.

Presumably Oneglia forgeries of the French Colonies with Diego Suarez cancels "DIEGO SUAREZ 2E/18 JANV 92".

1890 Stamps of the french colonies, surcharged by hand in violet

  "15" on 1 c black
  "15" on 5 c green
  "15" on 10 c black
  "15" on 20 c red on green
  "15" on 25 c black

This issue became necessary after the 15 c postage stamps became exhausted (due to a cancellation of free mail for military personel. Source: http://www.timbresmag.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/Classique-II.pdf). Reprints exist made for collectors. Originals were made with a watery ink, reprints with more clear ink. The Serrane guide says that genuine overprint measure 7 mm in height.

vc = very common
c  = common
*  = not so common
** = uncommon

*** = very uncommon
R   = rare
RR  = very rare
RRR = extremely rare

I've seen three different types of circular cancels, two with a rounded "O" in "DIEGO" and another with a very narrow "O" (see above).

At least the forger Fournier made forgeries of the "15" surcharge. According to the Serrane guide, the horizontal top of the "5" extends too far to the right.

Fournier forged overprints and surcharge as they can be found in the 'Fournier Album of Philatelic Forgeries'.

Forged overprints taken from a Fournier Album.

Fournier forgeries, the perforation does not match in the four corners. Also the cancel "DIEGO-SUAREZ 15 MARS 90 MADAGASCAR" was forged by him. Fournier also forged the cancels "DIEGO-SUAREZ 28 SEP 91 MADAGASCAR" and "DIEGO-SUAREZ 1 SEPT 92 MADAGASCAR" (second image above).

Page of a Fournier Album with forged cancels.

Another forgery type (Oneglia?), recognizable by the short bottom leg of the last leg of "FRANCAISE" (even on this bad scan) with a Diego Suarez cancel. Also with a forged "15" overprint. The cancel is "DIEGO SUAREZ 2E/18 JANV 92". The last one (30 c) is a genuine French Colonies stamp with a forged "DIEGO SUAREZ" overprint and the same forged cancel.

A genuine stamp used in St.Pierre Martinique (cancel) with a forged "15" overprint (sorry for the bad quality of the image)

1890 Provisional issue, various designs, large sizes, imperforate

I presume the above stamps are genuine, but I am not 100 % sure....

  1 c black (ship)
  5 c black (two persons)
  15 c black (two persons)
  25 c black (person with helmet)

Due to the fact that the stamps at Diego Suarez were finished (and no new stocks had arrived from France), this provisional issue became necessary. These stamps were printed in sheets of 56 (7x8 stamps).

vc = very common
c  = common
*  = not so common
** = uncommon

*** = very uncommon
R   = rare
RR  = very rare
RRR = extremely rare

Cancels: besides circular "DIEGO-SUAREZ MADAGASCAR" cancels with date in the center (almost all with September and October 1890 dates, of which many could be forged), I have also seen some "CORPS D'ARMEES DIEGO SUAREZ" in an octogonal shape.

Forgeries exist of these stamps. Many of them are rather deceptive (photo-lithographed?). The Serrane guide says that the color of the genuine stamps should be greyish instead of black. It also says that the genuine stamps have white spots in the black lines (due to thick ink or the quality of the paper). The site http://www.geocities.com/claghorn1p/DiegoSuarez/index.htm also provides useful information. For Diego Suarez, forgeries of the 1890 issue, click here

Similar fiscal stamp "OCTROI", issued in 1890. The values 5 c, 50 c and 1 F exists, all in black. They were printed in sheetlets with four 5 c stamps, two 50 c stamps and two 1 F stamps (see the above block of six stamps with four 5 c and two 50 c stamps).

1891 Mythical figure, inscription "POSTE 1891", imperforate

  5 c black

vc = very common
c  = common
*  = not so common
** = uncommon

*** = very uncommon
R   = rare
RR  = very rare
RRR = extremely rare

This provisional issue was issued in 18 September 1891, after a shortage of 5 c stamps appeared. 3000 stamps were printed.

I've been told that these are forgeries, I don't know the distinguishing characteristics

This might be the greyish forgery mentioned in the Serrane guide, it has the cancel "DIEGO SUAREZ 28 SEPT 91 MADAGASCAR" as mentioned there.

The forger Fournier offers forgeries of this stamp in his 1914 pricelist.

1891-1892 Stamps of the french colonies overprinted

Overprinted "1891 DIEGO-SUAREZ 5 c" diagonally

(Reduced size)

Inverted overprints

  5 c (red) on 10 c black
  5 c on 20 red on green

Overprinted "DIEGO-SUAREZ" diagonally

  1 c black (overprinted in red)
  2 c brown on yellow
  4 c brown
  5 c green
  10 c black
  15 c blue
  20 c red on green
  25 c black
  30 c brown (overprinted in red)
  35 c violet on yellow
  75 c red
  1 F green (overprinted in red)

vc = very common
c  = common
*  = not so common
** = uncommon

*** = very uncommon
R   = rare
RR  = very rare
RRR = extremely rare

The values 1 c, 2 c, 5 c, 10 c, 25 c, 30 c and 35 c also exist with inverted overprint. The following stamp is a fake inverted overprint:

The forger Fournier made forgeries of these stamps (both the stamps and overprint is forged). He often used the forged cancel "DIEGO SUAREZ 28 SEP 91 MADAGASCAR" on his forgeries. For a picture of such a cancel from a Fournier Album click here. See also under French colonies, forgeries for distinguishing characteristics of the basic French Colonies stamps.

Fournier forged overprints and surcharge as they can be found in the 'Fournier Album of Philatelic Forgeries'.

Forged overprints taken from a Fournier Album.

Fournier forgery, the stamp, the overprint and the cancels "DIEGO SUAREZ 28 SEP. 91 MADAGASCAR" or "DIEGO SUAREZ 1 SEPT 92" are forged.

This looks like a genuine basic stamp with a forged overprint to me.

A nicely cancelled stamp, however it is signed by Georges Carion, a stamp forger known to have been involved in fake French Colonies overprints... Next to it another cancelled stamp with exactly the same cancel "DIEGO - SUAREZ 25 NOV 92 MADAGASCAR". Also a postage due forgery of the French colonies made by Fournier with the same cancel.

Another forgery (Oneglia?); a genuine French Colonies stamp with a forged "DIEGO SUAREZ" overprint and the forged cancel "DIEGO SUAREZ 2E/18 JANV 92" that can also be found on the 1890 forgeries.

1892 French colonies type, inscription "DIEGO SUAREZ ET DEPENDANCES" in red or blue

  1 c black
  2 c brown on yellow
  4 c brown
  5 c green
  10 c black
  15 c blue
  20 c red on green
  25 c black
  30 c brown
  40 c orange
  50 c red
  75 c brown on yellow
  1 F green

These stamps have perforation 14 x 13 1/2. For stamps in the same Tablet design, but for other French colonies, click here.

vc = very common
c  = common
*  = not so common
** = uncommon

*** = very uncommon
R   = rare
RR  = very rare
RRR = extremely rare

In 1903 stamps of Madagascar and Diego Suarez exist bisected and cancelled with the inscription: "Affranchissement exceptionel (faute de timbres)" or "Affranchissement special faute de figurines.-" or "Affranchi ainsi Faute figurine" or "ffranch. except, faute de Timbres" or "Affranchi ainsi faute figurine" or "Affranch.t exceptionnel faute de Timbres" or "Affranch. except. faute de Timbres" or ":0,05 Affranchi ainsi faute de figurines".

("Affranchi ainsi Faute figurine" overprint on bisected stamp, reduced size)

"Affranchissement special faute de figurines"

"Affranchissement exceptionnel (faute de Timbres.)"

For a similar overprint on Madagascar click here.

Forgeries:

(Fournier forgeries)

Forgery with "DIEGO SUAREZ 2E/18 JANV 92" cancel.

Another more modern forgery.

Fournier has made forgeries of these stamps, for more information on these forgeries click here.

1893 French colonies type, inscription "DIEGO SUAREZ" in red or blue

  1 c black
  2 c brown on yellow
  4 c brown
  5 c green
  10 c black
  15 c blue
  20 c red on green
  25 c black
  30 c brown
  40 c orange
  50 c red
  75 c brown on yellow
  1 F green

These stamps have perforation 14 x 13 1/2. For stamps in the same Tablet design, but for other French colonies, click here.

vc = very common
c  = common
*  = not so common
** = uncommon

*** = very uncommon
R   = rare
RR  = very rare
RRR = extremely rare

Forgeries:

Fournier forgery

Some other Fournier forgeries

Forgery with "DIEGO SUAREZ 2E/18 JANV 93" cancel.

Fournier has made forgeries of these stamps, for more information on these forgeries click here.

From 1998 on the stamps of Madagascar were used.

In 1902 the remainders were surcharged with a "0,05" or "0,10" (actually an issue for Madagascar):

1902 Stamps of 1893 surcharged

  '0,05' on 30 c brown
  '0,10' on 50 c red

vc = very common
c  = common
*  = not so common
** = uncommon

*** = very uncommon
R   = rare
RR  = very rare
RRR = extremely rare

Forgery:

A forgery, probably made by Fournier.

For Diego Suarez, postage due stamps, click here.

Bogus issues

Arthur Maury (stamp dealer in Paris, who also issued a stamp catalogue) made bogus Diego Suarez stamps by overprinting the current French stamps with the initials D.S. and a line (see http://www.doig.net/Maury.html). I have never seen this bogus issue myself.

(Another bogus issue, stamp of French Colonies with overprint "D.SUAREZ")

Stamps of Diego Suarez were privately overprinted with a circular Ste. Marie de Madagascar in 1894 according to https://www.franceandcolonies.org/philatelist/118.pdf but I have not seen it.

Copyright by Evert Klaseboer