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ONEGLIA FORGERIES, 1906 catalogue, "Abyssinie" to "Bulgarie du Sud"

Return To Catalogue - Oneglia forgeries, introduction, part 1 - Oneglia forgeries, introduction, part 2 - Panelli - Spiotti - Venturini

Note: on my website many of the pictures can not be seen! They are of course present in the catalogue;
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Erasmo Oneglia was an Italian forger in the late 19th century from Turin. He is famous for his engraved forgeries, but he also made photo-lithographed forgeries. Many of his forgeries were previously attributed to the forger Angelo Panelli. The engraved Oneglia forgeries are usually 'overinked'. When Oneglia applied a watermark on his forgeries, it is very clearly visible. His watermarks are impressed instead of being real watermarks. Oneglia also collaborated closely with A.Venturini and E.Spiotti. The exact relationships that these forgers had is not clear up to this day.


Title page of the Oneglia catalogue from 1897-98. Next to it the 1897 Spiotti catalogue, which looks remarkably similar.

Oneglia writes with regards to who made the forgeries he is offering in his 1906 pricelist:
"Les imitations distingués avec un * sont plus parfaites des autres et plus recommandées ; - et celles signés avec un N ne sont pas de ma édition, par conséquence elles sont pas bien faites comme les autres."
Translation: the forgeries marked with "*" are more perfect than the other and are more recommended. Those marked "N" are not made by me, and consequently are not as well done as the others.

 

Le présent Catalogue est rédigé presque tout d’après YVERT et TELLIER

 

Abyssinie.
Number Year Description Price in Fr.

1 1894 - La série de 7 diff. Timbre . .......................................................................................................... Fr. 0.60

Timbres Taxe
2 1896 La série de 7 diff. Taxe . Fr. 1.--
3 1900 Surcharge violette  
    La série de 7 diff. Timbre . . Fr. 3.--

Ethiopie
4 1901 Même surcharge bleu  
    La série de 7 diff. Timbre . . . Fr. 1.20
5 1902 Surcharge violet noir.  

Postes
    en caractères amhariques.  
    La série de 7 difi'. Timbre . Fr. 2.--
6 1903 Surcharge violet noir.  

Message
    en caractères amhariques  
    La série de 7 diff.. Timbre . Fr. 2.--
7 Id. Surcharge bleu et plus grande.  
    La série de 7 diff. Timbre . . Fr. 3.--
8 1905 - Grand T en surcharge bleu ou violet.  
    La série de 7 diff. Timbre . . . Fr. 3.--
9 1905 - Autres diff. surcharge amhariques.  
    La série do 7 diff'. Timbre . . Fr. 3.--

There are a number of forgery types known of these stamps of Ethiopia. The well documented ones are the Fournier forgeries and the Kamigata forgeries (with "IMITATION") cancel. The other forgeries usually have a square with lines as cancel. I presume it is these last ones that are the Oneglia forgeries.

 

Açores. *
Number Year Description Price in Fr.
1868 Timbres du Portugal de 1866 surchargés
1   5 reis, noir...................................................................................................................................... Fr. 5.--
2   10 reis, jaune Fr. 5.--
3   25 reis, bistre Fr. 1.50
4   50 reis, vert Fr. 1.50
5   80 reis, orange Fr. 1.50
6   100 reis, lilac Fr. 1.50
1868 - Timbres de Portugal de 1867 avec la même surcharge dent.
7   5 reis, noir (sur carmin) Fr. 1.--
8   10 reis, jaune Fr. 1.--
9   20 reis, bistre Fr. 1.--
10   25 reis, rose Fr. 0.30
11   50 reis, vert Fr. 1.50
12   80 reis, orange Fr. 1.50
13   100 reis, lilac Fr. 2.--
14   120 reis, blue Fr. 1.--
15   240 reis, violet Fr. 2.50
    Série de 15 pièces Fr. 22.--

I presume that Oneglia used his Portugal forgeries for these Acores overprints. I have not been able yet to obtain an image.

 

Afrique Orientale. *
Number Year Description Price in Fr.

(British East Africa Company).

1890 - Timbre de Grande Bretagne, vrais en cours avec, sur 3 lignes, en surcharge imitations:


This would be the kind of forged overprint Oneglia would have used.

1 1890 1/2 anna sur 1 penny, lilas................................................................................................................ Fr. 2.--
2   1 anna sur 2 pence, rouge et vert Fr. 3.--
3   4 anna sur 5 pence, violet et blue Fr. 3.--

1897 - Timbre de Zanzibar de 1897 vrais avec (British East Africa) en surcharge imitations:

4 1897 1/2 anna vert et rouge Fr. 3.--
5   1 anna indigo et rouge Fr. 3.--
6   2 anna brun et rouge Fr. 3.--

 

Argentine (République). N.
Number Year Description Price in Fr.
1 1862 Armes en légende, série de 3 timbres.............................................................................................. Fr. 1.--

Since these Argentina forgeries are marked "N", they were not made by Oneglia, but by another forger (as mentioned in the foreword of his catalogue).

 

Africa du Sud Anglaise. *
Number Year Description Price in Fr.

1896 - Timbres du Cap. de B. E., surchargés.
1 1896 1/2 noir.......................................................................................................................................... Fr. 0.25
2   1 rose Fr. 0.25
3   2 brun Fr. 0.50
4   3 lieu de vin Fr. 0.80
5   4 blue Fr. 0.60
6   6 violet Fr. 0.80

 

Annam et Tonkin. *
Number Year Description Price in Fr.

1886 - T.P. des Col. Franç, 1881 surch. renversée.

1 1886 1 sur 2 - 1 sur 4 - 5 sur 10 - Serie .................................................................................................. Fr. 0.50
2   Id,............. id............ id. surcharge renversée, serie Fr. 4.50

The same forgeries as those of the forged French Colonies were used for this Annam and Tonkin overprints. I'm not 100% sure, but I think this forgery has a bar with "G" cancel, which often occurs on Oneglia forgeries, which would be further proof that these French Colonies forgeries were indeed made by Oneglia.

 

Afganistan. N
Number Year Description Price in Fr.
1 1893-98 Série de 9 pièces...................................................................................................................... Fr. 10.--
2 1881-84 Série de 8 pièces Fr. 15.--

Since these Afghanistan forgeries are marked "N", they were not made by Oneglia, but by another forger (as mentioned in the foreword of his catalogue).
The above forgery was offered in a collection with many other Oneglia forgeries. I presume it is one of the forgeries he offered.

 

Bundi. N
Number Year Description Price in Fr.
1 1896 1 a vert........................................................................................................................................... Fr. 0.30

Since these Bundi forgeries are marked "N", they were not made by Oneglia, but by another forger (as mentioned in the foreword of his catalogue).

 

Bahamas. *
Number Year Description Price in Fr.


The 1 p stamps were obtained thanks to Gerhard Lang.

1859 - Gravure en cuire - Effige de Victoria

1 1859 1 penny, carmin ............................................................................................................................... Fr. 2.50

1861. Dent. 14.

2 1861 1 penny, carmin Fr. 1.--
3   4 pence, rose Fr. 1.50
4   6 pence, violet Fr. 1.--

Dent. 11 1/2
5   1 penny, carmin Fr. 1.--
6   4 pence, rose Fr. 1.50
7   6 pence, violet Fr. 1.50

1862 - Fil. C. C. dent. 12 1/2.

8 1862 1 penny, carmin Fr. 0.60
9   4 pence, rose Fr. 0.60
10   6 pence, violet Fr. 0.60

1862 - Timbre du 1862 surchargé
FOUR PENCE.
11 1862 Sur 6 pence violet Fr. 2.--
    La série de 11 pièces Fr. 12.--

 

Bamra. N
Number Year Description Price in Fr.
1 1889 Série de 4 pièces ............................................................................................................................ Fr. 0.50
2 1889 Série de 10 pièces Fr. 2.--

Since these Bamra forgeries are marked "N", they were not made by Oneglia, but by another forger (as mentioned in the foreword of his catalogue).

 

Bikanir. N
Number Year Description Price in Fr.



Bogus fiscal stamps of Bikanir, could that be the ones that Oneglia sold? They also appear in the Moens catalogue
1   Timbres fiscaux, série de 6 pièces ................................................................................................... Fr. 5.--

Since these Bikanir forgeries are marked "N", they were not made by Oneglia, but by another forger (as mentioned in the foreword of his catalogue).
Two of these stamps were still listed in the Barbarin catalogue "Nouveau Catalogue Complet de Timbre-Poste" (1900?) as genuine.

 

Bhore. N
Number Year Description Price in Fr.
1 1880 Série de 4 pièces............................................................................................................................ Fr. 1.50

Since these Bhor forgeries are marked "N", they were not made by Oneglia, but by another forger (as mentioned in the foreword of his catalogue).

 

Bade. *
Number Year Description Price in Fr.
1 1862 -Timbres Taxe, série de 3 timbres Fr. 2.--
2   18 Kr. vert...................................................................................................................................... Fr. 1.50
3   30 Kr. orange Fr. 1.50

The postage due set was already listed in the 1899 catalogue (but for Fr.1.--), the 18 Kr and 30 Kr were added in later pricelists.

 

Belgique. *
Number Year Description Price in Fr.

1 1869 5 F. rouge brun pale....................................................................................................................... Fr. 0.50
2 1869 5 F. rouge brun vif Fr. 0.50

1865-66 - Timbres pour imprimes non dentelés:

3   1 cent. gris Fr. 0.70
4   2 c blue Fr. 0.30
5   2 c blue ciel Fr. 0.30
6   5 c brun Fr. 0.30

Dent. 14 au lieu de 15.
1869   5 F. rouge brun Fr. 4.--

The two 5 F forgeries (no.1 and 2) were already liste in the 1898 Oneglia pricelist (but with year '1875' and for Fr. 1.-- each).
V.E.Tyler says that Oneglia "remade to perfection" the 5 Fr Belgium stamp.Tyler apparently got this information from the 1900-1901 pricelist (which I haven't seen).
All above forgeries appear to have a "BRUXELLES 24 JANV 7S 1876" cancel.
I had to guess here is these are indeed Oneglia forgeries, but I believe they are since they have rather wide margins and primitive perforation.

 

Bangkok. *
Number Year Description Price in Fr.

1882 - Timbres de Malacca vraie avec B en surcharge imitation.

0 1882 2 cent. rose................................................................................................................................... Fr. 3.50
1   2 cent. brun Fr. 10.--
2   5 cent. violet Fr. 1.50
3   8 cent. orange Fr. 2.50
4   10 cent. ardesia Fr. 3.--
5   12 cent. blue Fr. 4.--
6   32 cent. carmin Fr.7.--
7   16 cent. blue Fr. 2.50

1882 - Timbres de Malacca c.c. imité gravure en cuivre surchargé B.



Oneglia forgeries, forged stamps and forged overprints. Oneglia even forged watermarks.
8 1882 1 cent. sur 32 rouge Fr. 3.--
9   2 cent. brun Fr. 5.--
10   1 cent. rose Fr. 5.--
11   5 cent. violet-brun Fr. 1.--
12   6 cent. violet Fr. 0.50
13   8 cent. orange Fr. 1.--
14   10 cent. ardoise Fr. 1.20
15   12 cent. blue Fr. 2.--
16   24 cent. vert Fr. -.50
17   30 cent. carmine Fr. 2.50
18   96 cent. gris Fr. 3.--

1883 Id. id. C. A.

19   2 cent. brun Fr. 1.--
20   4 cent. rose Fr. 1.50
21   4 cent. brun Fr. -.30
22   5 cent. bleu Fr. 1.--
23   6 cent. violet Fr. 1.--
24   8 cent. orange Fr. -.50
25   10 cent. ardesia Fr. -.50
26   12 cent. violet-brun Fr. -.80

1885 Id. id.

27   32 cent. orange Fr. 5.--
    Les derniers 20 pièces Fr. 33.--

The cancels on these Bangkok forgeries appears to be the bars with "1" cancel. Oneglia's 1898 pricelist does not list these forgeries. In the 1899 pricelist there is only written: "Bangkok, Timbres de Malacca avec surharge B, imitation, prix a convenir". I presume these are the genuine Straits Settlements stamps, with a forged "B" overprint.

 

Barbade. *
Number Year Description Price in Fr.

1852 - Déesse assise < Barbados > dans le bas, azur (gravure en cuivre)


1 1852 Sans valeur, vert .......................................................................................................................... Fr. 0.30
2   Sans valeur, blue Fr. 0.30
3   Sans valeur, rouge brun Fr. 0.30
4   Sans valeur, vert sur blanc Fr. 0.30
5   Sans valeur, blue sur blanc Fr. 0.30
6   Sans valeur, rouge sur blanc Fr. 0.30

These Barbados forgeries have the typical bars with "1" cancel or the bars with "G" cancel as often on other Oneglia forgeries.


Blue forgery with an engravement error on the top right.

 

Bergedorf. N
Number Year Description Price in Fr.
1 1861 Série de 4 timbres ............................................................................................................................. Fr. 1.50

Since these Bergedorf forgeries are marked "N", they were not made by Oneglia, but by another forger (as mentioned in the foreword of his catalogue).
I have no idea which of the many forgery sets was sold here....
Also the Bergedorf set consists of 5 stamps, here only 4 stamps are offered.

 

Benin. *
Number Year Description Price in Fr.

1892 - Timbres des Colonies Françaises de 1881 - vrais avec BENIN
en surcharge imitation et timbre de obliteration


Genuine French Colonies stamps with forged "BENIN" overprint and forged cancel.

1 1892 1 cent. noir sur azuré ............................................................................................ Fr. 2.--
2   2 cent. brun Fr. 2.--
3   4 cent. violet brun Fr. 2.80
4   5 cent. vert (surcharge bleu) Fr. 2.--
5   5 cent vert Fr. 0.50
6   10 cent. noir sur lilas Fr. 1.50
7   15 cent. bleu Fr. 0.50
8   15 cent. bleu (surcharge rouge) Fr. 1.--
9   20 cent. brique sur vert Fr. 5.--
10   25 cent. noir sur rose Fr. 0.50
11   30 cent. brun Fr. 4.50
12   35 cent. noir sur jaune Fr. 6.--
13   50 cent. rouge Fr. 5.--
14   75 cent. carmin Fr. 5.--
15   1 fr. olive Fr. 5.--
16   5 cent. vert (surch. renversée) Fr. 2.90

Timbres-taxe.
17   5 cent. noir Fr. 2.50
18   10 cent. noir Fr. 2.--
19   20 cent. noir Fr. 3.--
20   30 cent. noir Fr. 2.--

Idem, tout imitations.


21 1892 1 cent. noir sur azuré Fr. 0.80
22   2 cent. brun Fr. 0.80
23   4 cent. violet brun Fr. 0.80
24   5 cent. vert (surcharge bleu) Fr. 0.80
25   5 cent. vert Fr. 0.20
26   10 cent. noir sur lilas Fr. 0.30
27   15 cent. bleu Fr. 0.20
28   15 cent. bleu (surcharge rouge) Fr. 0.40
29   20 cent. brique Fr. 0.80
30   25 cent. noir sur rose Fr. 0.20
31   30 cent. brun Fr. 0.80
32   35 cent. noir sur jaune Fr. 0.80
33   40 cent. rouge Fr.0.80
34   75 cent. carmin Fr. 0.80
35   1 fr. olive Fr. 0.80
36   5 cent. vert. (surch. renversée) Fr. 0.80
Timbres-Taxe.
(Idem, tout imitations).


37   5 cent. noir Fr. 0.30
38   10 cent. noir Fr. 0.30
39   20 cent. noir Fr. 0.30
40   30 cent. noir Fr. 0.30
    Les derniers 24 Fr. 18.--

The cancel "COTONOU 17 NOV. 92 BENIN" was used on these forgeries of Benin (the year is sometimes "94" as well). Even on the genuine stamps with forged "BENIN" overprint, the same forged cancel was applied.

 

Bresil. *
Number Year Description Price in Fr.

1843 - Grands chiffres (grav. en cuivre):

1 1843 30 reis, noir ................................................................................................................................ Fr. -.50
2   60 reis, noir Fr. -.40
3   90 reis, noir Fr.1.--
1844-46 - Chiffres italiques:

4 1844-46 10 reis, noir Fr. -.10
5   30 reis, noir Fr. -.10
6   60 reis, noir Fr. -.10
7   90 reis, noir Fr. -.10
8   180 reis, noir Fr. -.50
9   300 reis, noir Fr. 1.--
10   600 reis, noir Fr. 1.--
1850 - Petits chiffres droits:


11 1850 10 reis, noir Fr. -.10
12   20 reis, noir Fr. -.20
13   30 reis, noir Fr. -.10
15   60 reis, noir Fr. -.10
15   90 reis, noir Fr. -.10
16   180 reis, noir Fr. -.20
17   300 reis, noir Fr. -.20
18   600 reis, noir Fr. -.20
1854-61 - Idem:
19 1854-61 10 reis, bleu Fr. -.10
20   30 reis, bleu Fr. -.10
21   280 reis, rouge Fr. -.40
22   439 reis, jaune Fr. -.40
1866 - Idem, dentelés
23 1866 10 reis, noir Fr. -.50
24   10 reis, bleu Fr. -.50
25   20 reis, noir Fr. -.50
26   20 reis, bleu (this should have been 30 reis bleu) Fr. -.20
27   30 reis, noir Fr. -.20
28   60 reis, noir Fr. -.10
29   90 reis, noir Fr. -.80
30   180 reis, noir Fr. -.80
31   280 reis, rouge Fr. 1.--
32   300 reis, noir Fr. -.50
33   430 reis, jaune Fr. 1.--
34   600 reis, noir Fr. -.50
1843 - Idem grands chiffres dans un ovale:
35 1843 30 reis, noir Fr. 1.--
36   60 reis, noir Fr. 1.--
1854 - Chiffres droits:
37 1854 430 reis, jaune Fr. 1.--
    Les 1er 34 pieces Fr. 12.--
1866 - Meme type denteles : N
38 1866 430 reis, jaune Fr. 1.50
1898 - Timbres pour journaux de 1889-93 avec milléseme 1898 et valeur en surcharge oblique.



Oneglia forgeries, images obtained from Bill Claghorn's forgery site: http://members.tripod.com/claghorn1p/Brazil/Brz125x.htm.
However, there they are identified as Mercier forgeries

39 1898 700 sur 500 reis, orange (vert) Fr. -.30
40   700 sur 500 reis, vert Fr. -.30
41   1000 sur 700 reis, orange (vert) Fr. -.30
42   1000 sur 700 reis, bleu (c) Fr. -.30
43   2000 sur 1000 reis, orange (vert) Fr. -.30
44   2000 sur 1000 reis, brun (vert) Fr. -.30
ERREUR
45   700 sur 700 reis, orange surcharge orizontal Fr. 2.--
TIMBRES POUR JOURNAUX :
1889 - Perchês en lig.
46 1889 500 reis, orange Fr. -.40
47   700 reis, orange Fr. -.80
48   1000 reis, orange Fr. 1.--
1889 - Idem, idem.
49   500 reis, vert Fr. -.40
50   700 reis, bleu Fr. -.80
51   1000 reis, brun Fr. 1.--
    Les dernier 13 Fr. 8.--


These forgeries were printed in strips of three containing all three values (taken from a document entitled 'BRAZIL - EARLY FORGERIES, FACSIMILES & POSTAL COUNTERFEITS', see: https://classic.stamps.org/userfiles/file/MyAPS/Exhibits/Brazil.pdf, where by the way this forgery type is indicated as made by the forger Mercier from Geneva.

The Oneglia newpaper stamp forgeries of Brazil also appear to have the same blur "GERALDACORTE" cancel as often on the earlier issues. In some cases this cancel is clearly visible though: "CORREIO GERALDACORTE 12 16-8 14". In the book 'The Oneglia Engraved Forgeries' by Robson Lowe & Carl Walske (1996), another cancel "REGISTRADO" in a box is shown on a 90 c inclined letters stamp.


This 300 r forgery has a cancel consisting of small squares forming a circle (similar to similar mute cancels of Brazil). This cancel someties also appears on other Oneglia forgeries.

 

Bécuanaland Britannique. N
Number Year Description Price in Fr.
1886-89 - Timbres du Cap de B.E. surcharge
1   6 p. violet.......................................................................................................................................... Fr. 0.60
2   1/2 p. noir Fr. 0.40

Since these British Bechuanaland forgeries are marked "N", they were not made by Oneglia, but by another forger (as mentioned in the foreword of his catalogue).

 

Bulgarie. N

Number Year Description Price in Fr.
1 1879 Les 6 premier................................................................................................................................... Fr. 1.--
2 1882 ERREUR. 5 sur carmin et rose Fr. 5.--
1884 - Timbre de 1879-82 surchargé
3 1884 50 sur 1 fr., noir et rouge Fr. 1.--

Since these Bulgaria forgeries are marked "N", they were not made by Oneglia, but by another forger (as mentioned in the foreword of his catalogue).

 

Bulgarie du Sud. N

Number Year Description Price in Fr.
1   T. P. vraie de Roumélie O. de 5 paras avec lion en surcharge noir imitation........................................ Fr. 1.--
2   Id. lion bleu
3   Id. lion noir dans octagon Fr. 1.--

Since these South Bulgaria forgeries are marked "N", they were not made by Oneglia, but by another forger (as mentioned in the foreword of his catalogue).

 

Oneglia forgeries, 1906 catalogue, "Canada" to "Cap Vert"

Copyright by Evert Klaseboer