The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1906-05-10
FORG[DPOSTAGE STAMPS
Notable Instances in Which
Collectors Were Hooked.
TALES OF BOGUS KING"
This Business Carried on to Large
Extent in Japan-Slight Errors
That Have Led to Imprisonment
-CoIors Often Changed by Use
of Acids.

mat Rave Leo 10 imprisonment
-Colors Often Changed by Use
of Acids.
In spite of the enormous amount OF
labor and secrecy necessary to forge
postage sctamp which must then run
the gauntlet OF lynx eyed dealers,
it is, nevertheless, a fact that a large
number OF forged stamps are bought
by collectors every year. These Tor-
geries, says the London Tit Bits, are
carried out for the greater part In
Japan. Austria also contributes 8
large quota, but very few are made
in England
The great object of the forger in
the first place is to deceive the deal
ers ii he possibly can, and so create
a medium for the sale of the stamps
as they are produced, but it is very
rarely that this can be done. The
most colossal stamp forgery on record
eneailed the successful swindling OF
collectors throughout Europe in 1888.
One day the French papers an
nounced that King Marie |. OF Sedlang
an island in the vicinity of China
was coming to Paris. AS it happened
this Self-created monarch was an eX-
officer OF the French navy, and his
appearance in Paris created consider
able sensation. AS soon as his Maj
esty had been duly advertised, sets
of seven different postage stamps
marked "Sedang." and bearing three
half moons, appeared and SO great
was the demand tor them that in
less than a month they realized 1000
fir. each. Not until the king and his
Ministers had reaped tat fortunes
in this manner was it discovered that
he whole thing was a hoax and
me stamps were consequently worth
less.
One of the most amusing hoaxes
On record was purposely set by the
greatest stamp expert Of his time
namely, M. J. B. Moens-in order to
trap other dealers who repeatedly
stole and republished, without per-
mission information from his paper,
LIE Timbre Poste. Accordingly, on
April l one year, M. Moens announc-
ed that the Commune of MOresnet
was about to publish a set of postage
stamps, and he gave illustrations of
the issue, which other philaelic
journals promptly copied. Instantly
stamp collectors throughout Europe
were electrified by the news, and inn
mense sums were deposited in order
- fI,o CT Il,,f
time passed on and the stamps did
not appear, till at last the hoax be-
came apparent, to the disappointment
of dealers and collectors alike.
1t very often happens that the en-
craving and water marking of forg-
ed stamps are SO perfect that the
cleverest experts are deceived. But
the forger frequently comes to grief
over a simple point when little more
care would have made the forgery
perfect. A few years ago Hawaii
1851 issue became rather common,
and collectors began to wonder how
this could be. To all appearances the
stamps were genuine. but suddenly
a dealer discovered something which
was ns-rumental in bringing the
forger to Justice In making these
stamps the individual had shaded
button Incorrectly, trifing error
which secured for him a term of
impriSol ment
A sec.nd instance occurred in Par.
is, wheIe number of nine kreuzer
(pinll) Wurtemberg stamps came ON
the market. Now, a specimen of this
stamp is worth to-day about G20,
but a dealer there found man who
had seventeen of these stamps, and
he thought he had secured bargain
when he bought the whole lot for G8
apiece. In addition collectors all
over Europe picked up stray speci-
mems at high prices. The forger
might have made his fortune by the
manufacture of this stamp had it not
been that an English dealer discov-
cred that he had spelt ssWurtemberg"
on the stamps in the English fash
ion with one "t'' instead of with two
rs was the case on genuine speci-
mems.
1t is very seldom that En- ,lish deal
9rS can De caught mapping like this,
all the well known firms employing
experts especially to guard against
forgeries, so the stamp forger has to
act as his own dealer, and for the
sake of convenience as well as safe
ty he usually prefers to live abroad.
with perhaps a few agents to sell
his STAMPS here direct to collectors.
The forcer, therefore, starts small
businesses under various aliases in
different countries and cities. Chang.
ing his quarters frequently as coca
sion demands. He, of course, only
makes stamps of high va'ue, for a
set Of dies for a stamp. will seldom
cost less than so to begin with.
But he can impose on the guileless
collected M other ways. The colors
of stamps can be very often changed
by acids, and this IN the case of
some stamps will make d difference
of 6 SO, e1OO or even more to a sin
gle specimen. Moreover, the art of