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| Counterfeits - Liberia 1867 12c. blue | ||
| reprinted from Eastern Philatelist, August 1896 | ||
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Under the heading, "Counterfeits," at the end of the article on Liberia,
in "A Catalogue for Advanced Collectors," are given some "points" which
are supposed to be useful in the detection of forgeries of the early
Liberias. I present herewith the introduction to these "points," together
with the matter relating to the 12c. value. "Counterfeits of the stamps of the first issues of Liberia are numerous. In order to distinguish these from the genuine we shall give some points pertaining to the latter. "12c. - There are nine vertical lines in the shield to the left of Minerva. The wave nearest to the shore is a single line formed of dots. The bow-sprit does not touch the circle. The spear does not touch the circle. The second I of LIBERIA is over the top of the left part of the N of CENTS. The outer line of the circle touches the central line of the frame at left and right. A vertical line, slightly slanting, is at the left of the S of CENTS, just touching the top, but at least ¼mm. from the lower part. The C of CENTS is crossed by three lines." In the first place, there are two downright blunders in this description. The dotted line along the shore is spoken of as "the wave nearest to the shore." You will notice that I spoke of it in my last paper as "a dotted line between the waves and the shore." I think it must be evident to any one who will examine this portion of the design closely that my description is the correct one. The engraver clearly began drawing the waves in along parallel with the ship, and when he had put in as many waves as he had room for there was still a little space between the waves and the shore; not enough for another wave, but plenty for this straight "line formed of dots," which was accordingly inserted. It is sufficient to note that the waves are wavy, while this line is straight. The other blunder is in saying that there is a line "at the left of the S of CENTS." Not one of these hair lines across the scroll is ever found between the C and the S of the above word. Three of them cross the C and one of them touches the S (in the original) at the right, but the nearest line to toe left of the S is the right upright of the N in the same word. But apart from these blunders, this elaborate list of points “falls down" completely before the forgery I am going to describe. It is one of the most deceptive counterfeits I ever saw. I have placed it in connection with the 1867 issue because it is lithographed and has the "outer line." Its color is darker than the originals of this issue, and its paper is slightly thicker, but I thought the "outer line" and the lithographing would make it feel more at home here. It tallies with the above "points" in every detail given except as regards the little hair line to the right of the S. This does not quite touch the top of the S at the right, as would be specified in the above description it the correct word had been employed. However, suppose a collector to be offered this forgery; he has no original "for purposes of comparison," so he has recourse to his "Catalogue for Advanced Collectors." He compares the counterfeit with the "points" given above. There are nine vertical lines in the shield, the dotted line is present along the shore, neither the bowsprit nor the spear touches the circle, the second I of LIBERIA is correctly placed, the circle and the frame connect properly, but the little line near the s does not touch that letter by a very small fraction of a millimeter. Then the question arises, Is this more of a break than would be caused by a very light impression? Surely not; why, it is barely 1-5mm., and the impression is really a very light one - the shading is very light in several places, and the rigging of the ship, with a number of other light lines, shows very faintly. "I guess it must be all right," says the collector, and he buys the counterfeit through his reliance on an inadequate guide. Having thus indicated the strong points of the forgery I am describing, as well as one of the weak points of the " Catalogue for Advanced Collectors," I will now point out the correct method of examining a 12c Liberia (blue) to ascertain whether or not it is a copy of this counterfeit. I have before me an original of the 1867 issue (lithograph, outer line, thin paper, light blue), and also the counterfeit under discussion. (1) The perforation gauges exactly the same, 12 all around. (2) The impression has already been described in part; it is a lithograph, but the light parts and the fine lines show up very faintly indeed. The hair line across the centre of the C is partially missing, the hair line at the right of the s does not quite touch that letter at the top, the shading on the cheek does not show up, the dotted portions of the shading lines on the arm are missing, and some of the lines forming the clouds and the rigging of the ship are very indistinct and broken in places. (3) The color is darker than the originals of this issue. (4) The paper is slightly too thick and also somewhat yellowish. But for the real tests we must turn to (5) the design. The ship: The best test of all is the flag in the torward rigging; this is composed of several vertical lines in the original, and these are not connected or framed at top or bottom. In the counterfeit the vertical lines are slightly longer and are framed by heavy lines at both top and bottom. Further, the space which should separate the bowsprit from the deck is all closed up in the counterfeit with solid color. The sitting figure : The counterfeit has no shading on the cheek, and that on the arm is incomplete, as has already been noted. The first fold in the drapery just above the big shadow on the rock is composed of double lines, nearly horizontal and 3mm. in length, in the original, while the counterfeit has a solid colored line, fully as thick as the other two but only amm. in length. Just above the left foot (the one resting on the ground) there is a double fold in the drapery in the original, the two parts being parallel; they are about 3-5mm. apart and 1mm. long; the counterfeit has a single fold with two spreading branches, the whole thing being about the same length (1mm.) and the ends of the branches fully nnm. apart. The spear is also somewhat different. The rock : The three cracks in the front face of the rock are properly placed; but the two upper ones are slightly faulty, as follows : The upper one is a single line all right enough, but it is a trifle too long and about twice as thick as in the original ; the second one is the right size and shape (triangular), but it is a solid mass of color instead of being open as in the original. Although the second I of LIBERIA is correctly placed, the corner of the L touches the circle, from which it is entirely free in the original. The letters: The word TWELVE is an exceptionally good imitation, the size and shape of the letters and the spacing in the scroll being alike excellently copied. The word CENTS, however, did not fare so well. Here the counterfeit letters are too tall (the original C is slightly under, the counterfeit C slightly over 1mm in height) and too near the outer edge of the scroll. This outer edge, moreover, is a perfectly regular curve instead of being slightly wavy, as in the original. I have dwelt somewhat at length on these Liberian counterfeits, but I think you will agree with me that they are sufficiently dangerous to warrant it, especially the one just considered. I have a 6c., and I suppose there is a 24c. also, of the type herein described, only the value being altered. The corners of the 12c. being copied, however, there are wavy radiating lines in the corners of these, instead of the wavy vertical lines which characterize the 6c. and 24c. General Tests. I have been asked to point out some means whereby any one of these early Liberian stamps may be classified at once without reference to the separate details. I am glad to be able to present two such tests. The following may be applied indifferently to 6c., 12c. or 24c. of the 1860, 1864, 1867 or 1869 issues: First, the flag in the forward rigging - this is different for each of the three values, but I never saw any one of these flags successfully or even passably imitated; these flags will be found described under their proper headings in my papers in the May and June E. P. Secondly, the wavy lines bounding the value-containing scrolls -in the upper scroll may be SIX, TWELVE or 24; in the lower scroll is always the word CENTS; but the outer edge of each scroll is a slightly irregular or wavy curve. I have never seen this reproduced in any counterfeit. Next month, some British Colonials. The series will include British Guiana, St. Helena, Lagos, Straits Settlements, Hong Kong, and nearly all the British West Indies. S. B. HOPKINS | ||
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