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Preview of Stamps Catalogue: VOLUME 1

ONEGLIA FORGERIES, 1906 catalogue, "Canada" to "Cap Vert"

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

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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.

Oneglia forgeries, 1906 catalogue, "Abyssinie" to "Bulgarie du Sud"

Canadà. *
Number	Year	Description	Price in Fr.
1851 - Papier vergé, gravure en cuivre
1	1851	3 p. rouge...................................................................................................................................	Fr. 1.--
2		6 p. violet noir	Fr. 1.50
3		12 p. noir	Fr. 25.--
1852 - Papier uni.
4	1852	1/2 p. rose	Fr. 1.--
5		3 p. rouge	Fr. -.30
6		6 p. violet foncé	Fr. 1.50
7		7 1/2 p. vert	Fr. 3.--
8		10 p. bleu	Fr. 2.--
1857 - Dent. 12
9	1857	1/2 cent. rose	Fr. 1.50
10		3 cent. rouge	Fr. 0.80
11		6 cent. violet foncé	Fr. 4.--
12		10 cent. lilas	Fr. -.50
13		10 cent. violet foncé	Fr. -.50
14		12 1/2 cent. vert	Fr. -.20
15		17 cent. bleu	Fr. -.50
NON DENTELES (RARE).
16		1 cent. rose	Fr. 8.--
17		5 cent. rouge	Fr. 5.--
18		10 cent. lilas	Fr. 10.--
		Serie de 17 pieces	Fr. 60.--

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

These are genuine Suez Canal stamps, with forged "5105" and "5129" numeral cancels added by Oneglia and subsequently sold by the stamp forger Venturini.

Cap de Bonne-Espérance. *
Number	Year	Description	Price in Fr.
(Timbres triangulaires, gravure en cuivre) 1853-58 - Filigr. <<ancre>>:
1		1 penny, rouge brun	Fr. 0.40
2		1 penny, carmin	Fr. 0.40
3		4 pence, bleu	Fr. 0.40
4		4 pence, bleu foncé	Fr. 0.40
5		4 pence, bleu ardese, très foncé	Fr. 0.40
6		6 pence, lilas claire	Fr. 0.60
7		6 pence, violet	Fr. 0.60
8		6 pence, gris lilas	Fr. 0.60
9		1 shilling, vert	Fr. 1.--
10		1shilling, vert jaune	Fr. 1.--
11		1 shilling, vert émeraude	Fr. 1.--
1861 - Même type, gravure grossiere:
12		1 penny, carmin	Fr. 0.40
13		1 penny, rouge	Fr. 0.40
14		4 pence, bleu pâle	Fr. 0.40
15		4 pence, bleu foncé	Fr. 0.40
ERREURS:
16		1 penny, bleu	Fr. 0.40
17		4 pence, rouge	Fr. 0.40
18		Les 1er 15 fait en lithogr., la série	Fr. 1.--
Lithographed Oneglia forgery?

This 4 p Cape of Good Hope Oneglia forgery has a forged oil anchor watermark.

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

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

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

Colonies Françaises. *
Number	Year	Description	Price in Fr.
1877 - Group allegorique non dentele:
1	1877	1 cent., vert.....................................................................................................................................	Fr. -.30
2		2 cent., vert	Fr. -.10
3		4 cent., vert sur vert	Fr. -.40
5		10 cent., vert sur vert	Fr. -.05
6		15 cent., gris claire	Fr. 1.50
7		15 cent., gris foncé	Fr. 1.50
8		20 cent., brun rouge	Fr. -.05
9		25 cent., bleu	Fr. -.10
10		30 cent., brun	Fr. -.30
11		35 cent., noir sur jaune	Fr. -.50
12		40 cent., vermilon	Fr. -.20
13		75 cent., carmin	Fr. 1.--
14		1 franc, vert bronze	Fr. -.20
		1878-80 La série de 14 Timbres	Fr. 6.--
15		25 cent., noir sur rouge	Fr. 3.--
1881 Déesse assise dentelés:
16	1881	1 cent., noir sur bleu	Fr. -.05
17		2 cent., brun	Fr. -.05
18		4 cent., violet brun	Fr. -.05
19		5 cent., vert	Fr. -.05
20		10 cent., noir sur violet	Fr. -.05
21		15 cent., bleu	Fr. -.05
22		20 cent., rouge sur vert	Fr. -.05
23		25 cent., bistre	Fr. -.05
24		25 cent., noir sur rose	Fr. -.05
25		30 cent., brun	Fr. -.20
26		35 cent., noir sur jaune	Fr. -.30
37		40 cent., vermillon	Fr. -.20
38		75 cent., carmin	Fr. -.20
39		1 franc, olive	Fr. -.20
		La série de 14 Timbres	Fr. -.80
Timbres-taxe.
1884 - Chiffres dans une banderolle non dentelées:
All with the same "NOUVELLE CALEDONIE 2E/26 FEVR 92" and a triangle cancel. Note the "FRANC" instead of "FRANCS" in the 5 F value
30	1884	1 cent., noir	Fr. -.05
31		2 cent., noir	Fr. -.05
32		3 cent., noir	Fr. -.05
33		4 cent., noir	Fr. -.05
34		5 cent., noir	Fr. -.05
35		10 cent., noir	Fr. -.05
36		15 cent., noir	Fr. -.05
37		20 cent., noir	Fr. -.10
38		30 cent., noir	Fr. -.05
39		40 cent., noir	Fr. -.10
40		60 cent., noir	Fr. -.20
41		1 franc, noir	Fr. -.50
42		2 franc, noir	Fr. -.80
43		5 franc, noir	Fr. 1.50
		La série de 14 Taxe	Fr. 2.50
1872 - Colonies Françaises:
44	1872	15 cent., bistre	Fr. -.50
45		10 cent., bistre sur rose (g. e.)	Fr. -.50
47	1877	15 cent., gris	Fr. 1.50
48		75 cent., carmin	Fr. 1.--
1884 - Les meme du 1884. TAXE.
49	1884	1-2 et 5 fr. brun rouge	Fr. 1.50

These stamps seem to have been printed in at least a pair of two. Here with "??IERRE 1E/6 MIQUE??" and "LIBREVILLE CONGO FRANCAIS 1E/15 DEC ??" cancel.

Here with "DIEGO SUAREZ 2E/18 JANV 92" cancel. Also "HELLE VILLE 1E/17 SEPT ?? NOSSI BE" cancel.

Since these Chile forgeries are marked "N", they were not made by Oneglia, but by another forger (as mentioned in the foreword of his catalogue).
In an article in Chile Filatelico Ano XX, No 76, Santiago June 1947, page 60-63, the forgeries of the postage due stamps of Chile are described and attributed to the stamp forger Mercier. They appeared in or before 1899. Upon careful studying this article, it turns out that these are the same forgeries that also appear in the Fournier Album of Philatelic Forgeries (for both cases in whole sheets).
Since I am not aware of any other forgeries of the postage due stamps of Chile and since Oneglia got them from another forger, it might be reasonable to assume that Oneglia offered these Mercier forgeries here (further proof is that the same high values were offered by Fournier and by Oneglia, while the lower values were exluded in both lists). However, I have no solid proof for this assumption (yet). The forgeries of Monaco were apparently also first made by Mercier and the Oneglia forgeries of Brazil turn out to be the same ones that are sometimes attributed to Mercier as well.

Since these Jammu and Cashmir forgeries are marked "N", they were not made by Oneglia, but by another forger (as mentioned in the foreword of his catalogue). The presence of the 'star' cancel and the bars with "G" cancel makes it highly likely that these stamps are actually Oneglia forgeries.

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

Congo-Belge. *
Number	Year	Description	Price in Fr.
1	1886	5 fr.,violet, effigie à gauche...............................................................................................................	Fr. 1.--
2	1887	50 cent., brun, effigie à droite	Fr. -.20
3		5 fr., violet, effigie à droite	Fr. -.70
4		10 fr., jaune brun, effigie à droite	Fr. 1.--
5	1892	5 fr., gris effigie à droite	Fr. -.50
6	1894	50 cent., gris, effigie à droite	Fr. -.50
		Timbres de 5 francs de 1886-87 surcharge avec Colis Postaux	Fr. 3.50
7	1887	3,50 francs, noir, sur 5 francs, violet (type 1886)	Fr. 1.--
8		Idem (type 1887)	Fr. 1.--
Timbres de 1887; avec même surcharge plus petit, encadré.
9	1889	3,50 fr., bleu, sur 5 fr., violet	Fr. 1.--
10		3,50 fr., noir, sur 4 fr., violet (this should have been 5 fr)	Fr. -.50
11	1892	3,50 fr., noir, sur 5 fr., gris	Fr. -.50
12	1885	dent. 14 au lieu de 15. 5 fr., lilas	Fr. 8.--

The 1886 5 Franc Belgian Congo forgeries have a strange beard and the lettering different. They (always?) have a "MATADI 28 JUIL 7 M 1887" in a single circle cancel.
I believe these are Oneglia forgeries for the following reasons:
1) The perforation is very badly done (as in other Ongelia forgeries)
2) I've seen it offered in a batch with many other Oneglia forgeries.

I presume the French Colonies forgeries (some are shown below) were used for these overprints (and most likely the cancel "LIBREVILLE 1E/15 DEC CONGO FRANCAIS" as well?). However, I have not been able to find such a forgery yet.

Here some French Colonies forgeries 1881 issue with cancel "LIBREVILLE 1E/15 DEC ?? CONGO FRANCAIS"

Here some pairs of the French Colonies forgeries 1877 issue with "LIBREVILLE CONGO FRANCAIS 1E/15 DEC ??" cancel.

Cuba. N
Number	Year	Description	Price in Fr.
1	1873	12 1/2 cent., vert..............................................................................................................................	Fr. -.50
2		50 cent., brun foncé	Fr. -.10
3		1 peso., brun foncé	Fr. -.80
4	1875	12 1/2 cent., lilas	Fr. -.40
5		1 peso., brun	Fr. 1.--
6	1898	80 cent., brun-lilas	Fr. 1.--
7		1 peso., vert jaune	Fr. 1.50
8		2 peso., bleu	Fr. 2.--

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

These Cochinchine stamps are bogus stamps, first introduced by Georges Carion in 1895. I've seen two different kinds of these Cochinchine overprints. I do not know which one (or perhaps even yet another version) was offered here.

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

Côtes du Niger. * Oil Rivers
Number	Year	Description	Price in Fr.
1892 - Timbres de Grande Bretagne, vrais, en cours, avec en surcharge imitations << British Protectorate Oil Rivers >> :
1	1892	1/2 penny, rouge...............................................................................................................................	Fr. 0.40
2		1 penny, lilas	Fr. 0.20
3		2 pence, vert et rouge	Fr. 0.50
4		2 1/2 pence, violet sur bleu	Fr. 0.30
5		5 pence, violet et bleu	Fr. 1.--
6		1 shilling, vert	Fr. 1.--
1894 - Id. T. P. du 1892 avec valeur en surcharge
This would be the kind of (crude) overprint that Oneglia would have used.
7	1894	Half penny sur 2 p. (sur. violet)	Fr. 2.50
8		Half penny sur 2 1/2 p. (sur. vert)	Fr. 1.25
9		Half penny sur 2 1/2 p. (sur. vermeil)	Fr. 1.25
10		Half penny sur 2 1/2 p. (sur. bleu)	Fr. 2.50
11		Half penny sur 2 1/2 p. (sur. noir)	Fr. 4.--
12		Half penny différent: 2 p. (sur violet)	Fr. 2.50
13		Half penny différent: 2 1/2 p. (sur vermeil)	Fr. 1.25
14		Half penny différent: 2 1/2 p. (sur bleu)	Fr. 2.50
15		Half penny différent: 2 1/2 p. (sur vert)	Fr. 1.50
16		Half penny différent: 2 1/2 p. (sur violet)	Fr. 2.50
17		Half penny différent: 2 p. (sur violet)	Fr. 3.--
18		Half penny différent: 2 p. (sur bleu)	Fr. 4.--
19		Half penny différent: 2 1/2 p. (sur vermeil)	Fr. 5.--
20		Half penny différent: 2 1/2 p. (sur bleu)	Fr. 3.50
21		Half penny différent: 2 1/2 p. (sur vert)	Fr. 2.50
22		Half penny différent: 2 1/2 p. (sur violet)	Fr. 4.--
23		One shilling sur 2 p. (sur. violet)	Fr. 3.75
24		One shilling sur 2 p. (sur. vermeil)	Fr. 5.--
25		One shilling sur 2 p. (sur. noir)	Fr. 6.--

Cap Vert.
Number	Year	Description	Price in Fr.
Taxe 1894:
1	1877-81	Série de 9 pieces..........................................................................................................................	Fr. 2.--

The above cancelled forgeries appear to have the bar "1" cancel, which was often used by Oneglia. These forgeries did not appear yet in his 1898 and 1899 pricelists.

Here Cape Verde Oneglia forgeries with "GUINE" overprint. They are also known as so-called Brazilian forgeries, they have a dot at the right hand side of the "E" of "CORREIO". They have the Oneglia bar "G" cancels.

By the way, a different forgery type is listed as Oneglia forgery in the book 'Forgeries of Portugal and Colonies by D.J. Davies, 2002', Published by the Portuguese Philatelic Society: there a forgery Type 2 is said to be an Oneglia forgery. Yet it does not have an Oneglia cancel, while a forgery Type 5 actually appears to resemble the above forgeries. The fact that the bars with "1" cancel appears on the Cabo Verde forgeries and the bars with "G" on the Portugues Guinea ones appears proof enough to me that these are actually Oneglia forgeries.

Copied from 'Forgeries of Portugal and Colonies by D.J. Davies, 2002'. Forgery Type 5 here appears to have a bars with "1" cancel.

Oneglia forgeries, 1906 catalogue, "Datia" to "Fidji"

Copyright by Evert Klaseboer