tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6190925726844102948.post3959286968807204650..comments2024-03-23T04:12:08.762-07:00Comments on Big Blue 1840-1940: Karelia and the "Bear" Forgeries of 1922Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02024632082262694589noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6190925726844102948.post-46067090823280684782019-12-15T22:32:56.226-08:002019-12-15T22:32:56.226-08:00I find your Big Blue Blog inspirational Jim. Thank...I find your Big Blue Blog inspirational Jim. Thank you for your keen sense fun, good humor, and for being so upbeat Gina S.https://www.blogger.com/profile/08469263840026657884noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6190925726844102948.post-44926388658971959032019-12-15T22:18:00.146-08:002019-12-15T22:18:00.146-08:00Thank you Jim. I truly appreciate your kind words....Thank you Jim. I truly appreciate your kind words. <br /><br />In fact, you write so well that it invoke my enthusiasm to share some of my personal travel stories on some of these off the beaten path destinations. BTW, I am learning quite a bit from your superb tips on detecting stamp forgeries as well as other juicy tidbits. Gina S.https://www.blogger.com/profile/08469263840026657884noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6190925726844102948.post-51482292171431783822019-12-14T19:57:54.526-08:002019-12-14T19:57:54.526-08:00Gina - you have great stories - I love it. :-)Gina - you have great stories - I love it. :-)Jimhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02024632082262694589noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6190925726844102948.post-3660170216778797952019-12-14T00:07:25.489-08:002019-12-14T00:07:25.489-08:00In April of 2017, we found ourselves in sub-arctic...In April of 2017, we found ourselves in sub-arctic Finland near the Russian border. More specifically, we were in the region where the Republic of Karelia had once existed. Although it was mid-April, our position in "Karelia" was very much locked into mid-winter weather (e.g. deep snow cover with light to moderate snow falling, and -3 degrees C. Our goal was not looking for stamps that day, but we were hoping to see a wolverine. After spending many long hours in a hide peering into the deep woods of the Finnish (Karelian) taiga, we finally did see a magnificent, near mythical Wolverine bound through the snow for a few brief minutes. If we had been there a couple of weeks later, we probably would have seen a bear (or a Bear Stamp?) as well. Gina S.https://www.blogger.com/profile/08469263840026657884noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6190925726844102948.post-11464194965273237202019-08-14T19:57:19.793-07:002019-08-14T19:57:19.793-07:00Yes, the letters in KARJALA are often more ragged ...Yes, the letters in KARJALA are often more ragged in the forgeries. That is a good first screen. But it is best to use all the clues - take a look at the 2m genuine-forgery scan I have; the "J" sign is not definitive.<br /><br />And thanks for pointing out that the forgeries are not as tall - especially useful for a forgery-genuine comparison.Jimhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02024632082262694589noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6190925726844102948.post-21559395905863939812019-08-14T15:26:18.132-07:002019-08-14T15:26:18.132-07:00I feel that the easiest genuine feature to use is ...I feel that the easiest genuine feature to use is that, overall, the letters of KARJALA are of uniform thickness with sharper corners (also noted by Jay Smith). This is particularly noticeable when comparing the centers and ends of the "A"s. While the forgeries look like late prints with filling of the letters, with only 15,000 to 20,000 printed of each value, I think it is doubtful that there was more than one printing. If assumed/guessed to be printed in sheets of 100, that’s only 150 to 200 sheets of each; not many at all. <br /><br />I also add in comparing side-by-side images that the forgeries (apparently only the one type known so far) are not quite as tall as the genuine.<br /><br />- hy-brasil<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6190925726844102948.post-48342218503922488732013-04-30T18:43:56.845-07:002013-04-30T18:43:56.845-07:00Thanks Michael. :-)
My "Kionga" will so...Thanks Michael. :-)<br /><br />My "Kionga" will soon be published, and you have already done that- superbly. But I suspect our takes of "countries" will each have their own flavor. <br /><br />I look forward to your Karelia. ;-)<br /><br />JimJimhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02024632082262694589noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6190925726844102948.post-75555400161829104102013-04-30T18:29:01.940-07:002013-04-30T18:29:01.940-07:00Jim
Excellent overall article and coverage on the ...Jim<br />Excellent overall article and coverage on the history, the stamps and the numerous forgeries of this obscure (sorry Keijo) would be country. I think when I get to this aspect of Karelia I will just link to your site instead of writing anything up. :)<br />Michael<br />Michaelhttp://www.dcstamps.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6190925726844102948.post-85475316537232695052013-04-29T04:59:50.493-07:002013-04-29T04:59:50.493-07:00Thanks Keijo for the "nationalistic movement&...Thanks Keijo for the "nationalistic movement" link. I was hoping you could provide some perspective, and you did!<br /><br />JimJimhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02024632082262694589noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6190925726844102948.post-13149355223279327232013-04-28T22:54:20.239-07:002013-04-28T22:54:20.239-07:00Very nice entry. Can't really add much stampwi...Very nice entry. Can't really add much stampwise. <br /><br />All in all the Karelia related stamps (Karjala, Itä-Karjala, Aunus) relates to "nationalistic movement" before (and during) the 2nd world war. Their goal ws to unite Finn-related nations and create 'grand Finland' (of mythic Kalevala). Here's a <a href="http://translate.google.com/translate?sl=fi&tl=en&js=n&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&eotf=1&u=http%3A%2F%2Ffi.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FSuur-Suomi" rel="nofollow">link to (Google translated)article</a> that shows how 'grand' their scheme was. If it would have come true, Finland would be one of the largest countries in Europe. keijohttp://www.stampcollectingblog.comnoreply@blogger.com