We will likely need to see a picture of your stamp to offer any opinion. Nevertheless, for starters, you may want to check if your stamp has parts of the watermark #37. Because the watermark covers a large part of the sheet, not all stamps will show some portion of the watermark, but if yours does, that would certainly be a good start.
And, yes, this particular stamp has been forged a lot, so you are right not to expect it to check out. That is unless you got it with good provenance (bought at a reputable auction etc.).
Arno
Thanks Arno -
Will check for the watermark - my bet is a definite forgery (nice as it is though) - with some of my lots I've bought over the years, there have been a few surprises in there but I always assume the opposite.
I've heard that this is one of the most common forgeries - I'm wondering if that's due to the simplicity of it? The Scott Catalogue picture makes it look almost like a simpleton sketch (for lack of a better expression) without the complexities involved with most of the other engraved stamps of the same period.
I think some day I'll gather up my "questionables" and fork out the dough for certs on them - I might find myself coming home with a cert that I hadn't expected.
But - despite my 99.9% gut feeling that this issue is a forgery - it's kinda neat to find those rare lost gems in a boxlot! :-)
Kelly
If you can obtain a copy of The Serrane Guide, it is a great book to help determine early forgeries, reprints, etc.
For the 4 Anna, Geneva forgeries can be identified by a few different attributes. Two involve the word "ANNAS". The first "A" touches the blank circle above it, while the second "A" touches the blank circle below it. Also, the queen's nose is extremely pointed.
If your stamp has marginal dividing lines in red or blue, you have a reprint.
Hi Kelly,
This particular stamp has two dies used for the frame and four dies for the Queen's head. Forgeries are rampant and anything cut to shape or square cut is suspect unless proved otherwise. The best thing is to get an on-cover example which is expensive and hard to get. Here are the dies and at bottom the stamp itself:
Frame Die I
Frame Die II
Head Die I
Head Die II
Head Die III
Head Die IV
The Four Anna QV issue
Wow - Excellent images - thanks so much!
Kelly
Does anyone have any info on identifying forgeries of India Scott #6
This is a copy of the stamp shown in Scott catalogue
There is no information in Scott other than "beware of forgeries". The picture isn't very clear in the catalogue - I'm wondering how to identify mine. How do I know if mine is genuine or not? I always look at things like this as "this is probably a forgery" rather than "gee how cool to have got this" - until proven otherwise (which has surprisingly happened).
Kelly
re: India Scott #6
We will likely need to see a picture of your stamp to offer any opinion. Nevertheless, for starters, you may want to check if your stamp has parts of the watermark #37. Because the watermark covers a large part of the sheet, not all stamps will show some portion of the watermark, but if yours does, that would certainly be a good start.
And, yes, this particular stamp has been forged a lot, so you are right not to expect it to check out. That is unless you got it with good provenance (bought at a reputable auction etc.).
Arno
re: India Scott #6
Thanks Arno -
Will check for the watermark - my bet is a definite forgery (nice as it is though) - with some of my lots I've bought over the years, there have been a few surprises in there but I always assume the opposite.
I've heard that this is one of the most common forgeries - I'm wondering if that's due to the simplicity of it? The Scott Catalogue picture makes it look almost like a simpleton sketch (for lack of a better expression) without the complexities involved with most of the other engraved stamps of the same period.
I think some day I'll gather up my "questionables" and fork out the dough for certs on them - I might find myself coming home with a cert that I hadn't expected.
But - despite my 99.9% gut feeling that this issue is a forgery - it's kinda neat to find those rare lost gems in a boxlot! :-)
Kelly
re: India Scott #6
If you can obtain a copy of The Serrane Guide, it is a great book to help determine early forgeries, reprints, etc.
For the 4 Anna, Geneva forgeries can be identified by a few different attributes. Two involve the word "ANNAS". The first "A" touches the blank circle above it, while the second "A" touches the blank circle below it. Also, the queen's nose is extremely pointed.
If your stamp has marginal dividing lines in red or blue, you have a reprint.
re: India Scott #6
Hi Kelly,
This particular stamp has two dies used for the frame and four dies for the Queen's head. Forgeries are rampant and anything cut to shape or square cut is suspect unless proved otherwise. The best thing is to get an on-cover example which is expensive and hard to get. Here are the dies and at bottom the stamp itself:
Frame Die I
Frame Die II
Head Die I
Head Die II
Head Die III
Head Die IV
The Four Anna QV issue
re: India Scott #6
Wow - Excellent images - thanks so much!
Kelly