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Preview of Stamps Catalogue: VOLUME 1

GREAT BRITAIN Watermarks

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The first stamps of Great Britain already had a watermark (small crown). In 1855 this was replaced by the watermark 'large crown'.


(Small crown and large crown watermark)

Later, other watermarks were used on stamps of Great Britain, examples:


(Chain, 1855, and rose watermark, 1867)


(Anchor watermark on a 10 Sh stamp)


(Globe with cross, 1876, and crown watermark, 1880)


Watermarks of the British Colonies


(Crown CC watermark)


(Crown CA watermark)


(Multiple CA Crown watermark on stamps of Transvaal of 1902, seen from the backside)

From 1865 most colonies used the watermark 'CC Crown' (CC meaning Crown Colonies). From 1880 onwards this was replaced by 'CA Crown' (Crown Agents). In 1904 paper was introduced with watermark 'Multiple CA Crown' (this watermark appears several times on a stamp). In 1921 this watermark was changed to 'Multiple Crown Script CA' (the letters 'CA' are written in script), however this falls outside the scope of this catalogue.


Forged watermarks of the British Colonies by Oneglia/Panelli

The forgers Oneglia and later Panelli offered many forgeries with either oil watermarks or impressed watermarks.


Forgeres of Tobago, British Guiana and Lagos with forged oil watermarks


The watermarks that are impressed are done so very strongly such that they can often be seen from the front already, such as on this Dominica and Malta forgery.


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