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John Appleton Nutter (Canadian Stamp Dealer and Forger)

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J.A.Nutter was a stamp dealer in Montreal. The famous stamp forger S.Allan Taylor lived in Canada (Montreal) where he got interested in stamps after a visit to J.A.Nutter. Taylor got into an argument with J.A.Nutter over bogus Canadian Bancroft locals. J.A.Nutter made an original design, but didn't like it and ordered a second design. Meanwhile Taylor produced forgeries of the first design. Probably a dealer label for J.A.Nutter:


Portrait of J.A.Nutter?

A bogus issue, created by J.A.Nutter: 'BANCROFT'S CITY EXPRESS 43 St. JAMES STRT MONTREAL':

Note the striking resemblance of the design of the first forgery (same person) with a USA Whitteley's bogus issue (see image next to it). This bogus issue was first made by J.A.Nutter in the design with the man facing to the right (see also the next bogus stamp). They were subsequently forged by the forger Taylor in the second design. By the way, J.A.Nutter closely worked with Taylor.

In the Stamp-Collector's Magazine of 1865 (page 80) one can read:
'A NEW CANADIAN LOCAL'
To the editor of the 'Stamp-Collector's Magazine.'
Dear Sir,- Mr.Bancroft, the proprietor of the City Express, is soon to issue a 5 cent stamp for his own use. He had a woodcut made, but as he was displeased with it he rejected it. Some person obtained an impression from the rejected block and counterfeited it, and has put the counterfeits in circulation. I understand that the genuine Bancroft stamp is to be engraved on copper and perforated.
Yours very truly,
Montreal
I.A.N
.'

I believe the initials 'I.A.N.' must have been from James A.Nutter (or John Appleton Nutter?). The 'person' referred to above was Taylor.

On page 89 of the same journal (Stamp-Collector's Magazine, June 1865) an image of the above stamp (with Bancroft facing to the right) can be found. The text reads:
'Our solitary engraving represents a local stamp for Montreal. It was alluded to in the correspondence of our number for April, and its genuine character is confirmed by a letter received direct from a trustworthy party in its native city. We confess we cannot understand why the price should be so comparatively high for a stamp apparently destined for mere local duty, but suppose Canada continues in the same state of destitution of local goverment post office, as was formerly the case in the United States.'


'COLLEGE STAMP. MONTREAL', another Taylor-Nutter product? The Stamp Collectors Monthly Gazette (Vol.1, no 1, p. 2) writes "The so-called College Stamp, B.S.& Co., blue rect, is ficitious. It was issued by an enterprising dealer in Montreal and made to sell only". This dealer was probably S.Allan Taylor or J.A.Nutter.


Copyright by Evert Klaseboer