Russian Philatelic Forgeries
Encyclopedia
Russian stamps have been extensively forged
. Both rare and common stamps have been forged and certain stamps, for instance those of the Army of the North, are more common forged than genuine.
Philatelic fakes and forgeries
In general, philatelic fakes and forgeries refers to labels that look like postage stamps but are not. Most have been produced to deceive or defraud...
. Both rare and common stamps have been forged and certain stamps, for instance those of the Army of the North, are more common forged than genuine.
Forgeries of Russian stamps
A very well known example of forgery involves the first stamp issued in Imperial Russia. Because a perforating machine was not available, these were issued without perforations in December 1857. By January, the machines were in place, and the same stamp was issued with perforations. The imperforate stamp is, as a result, more rare than the perforate.Categories
Forgeries of Russian stamps can be divided into the following categories:- Forgeries of a basic stamp. These are not so common. Examples include François FournierFrançois FournierFrançois Fournier was a stamp forger who thought of himself as a creator of "art objects" and a friend of the little man....
's forgeries of the 3.50R and 7R high value stamps "without thunderbolts" and the Rostov famine issue of the early 1920s. Some issues of the Civil War have also been forged, such as the definitives issued by Azerbaijan, Georgia and Armenia. - Forgeries of an overprint or surcharge on a common basic stamp. The Civil War period is particularly full of these. Overprinted stamps issued by the various "White" Armies have also been forged extensively. The stamps issued by the North-West Armies were particularly popular with the forgers, and dozens of different forgeries have been identified.
- Forgeries of a perforation. There have been many attempts to "create" a stamp with a rare perforation by taking an imperforate version of the stamp and forging the perforation. Examples include the ZeppelinZeppelinA Zeppelin is a type of rigid airship pioneered by the German Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin in the early 20th century. It was based on designs he had outlined in 1874 and detailed in 1893. His plans were reviewed by committee in 1894 and patented in the United States on 14 March 1899...
issues of the early 1930s, many of which exist with a forged perf 11. Forging the perforation also allows for perforation varieties to be created to order. - Forgeries of a postmark on a loose stamp. A notorious batch of these are the "Shtempelgate" forgeries of rare postmarks from the Russian Offices Abroad, usually on common 1 Ruble stamps.
- Stamps of the Russian ZemstvoZemstvo stampA Zemstvo stamp was a Russian local stamp used widely in rural areas from 1865. It was named after the Zemstvo local administrative districts created in 1864. The stamps ceased at about the time of the 1917 Russian revolution.- Background :...
local posts have also been forged.
See also
- Illegal stampsIllegal stampsIllegal stamps are postage stamp-like labels issued in the names of existing independent countries or territories used to defraud postal administrations, stamp collectors, and the general public. Often, but not always, a member nation of the Universal Postal Union will have asked the UPU to issue...
- List of stamp forgers
- Philatelic expertisationPhilatelic expertisationPhilatelic expertisation is the process whereby an expert is asked to give an opinion whether a philatelic item is genuine and whether it has been repaired or altered in any way....
- Philatelic fakes and forgeriesPhilatelic fakes and forgeriesIn general, philatelic fakes and forgeries refers to labels that look like postage stamps but are not. Most have been produced to deceive or defraud...
- Postage stamps and postal history of RussiaPostage stamps and postal history of Russiaright|thumb|A Russian Empire postman.This a survey of the postage stamps and postal history of the Russian Empire, the Soviet Union and the modern Russian Federation.- Early postal history :Records mention a system of messengers in the 10th century...
Further reading
- Ceresa, Dr. R.J. Russian Postage Stamps 1917–1923: Forgery Guide. Aldwick, England.
- "Forgery Alert" in The Journal of the Rossica Society of Russian Philately, No.131-132, October 1998-April 1999.
External links
- The Samovar A public bulletin board maintained by The Rossica Society of Russian PhilatelyRossica Society of Russian PhilatelyThe Rossica Society of Russian Philately is a society founded for the study and appreciation of the postage stamps and postal history of Russia.-History:...
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