Angola 1870-77 "Crown" issue: Genuine vs Fournier forgeries

 

Angola 1877 Scott 9 300r chocolate

"Portuguese Crown"; Perf 13 1/2

Genuine

Into the Deep Blue

The Fournier forgeries are ubiquitous when it comes to the Portuguese colonies "Crown" issues of the 19th century. They are found for all of the Portuguese crown colonies that have this issue. Our most recent post looked at the differences between the Genuines and the Fournier forgeries that apply for ALL of the Portuguese colonies EXCEPT Angola. The conclusion was it is not too difficult to differentiate the Genuines from the Fournier forgeries.

For review, see Portuguese Colonies "Crown Issues": Introduction to the Fournier Forgeries.

I should mention that there are two additional signs for genuine/forgeries to be aware of, as pointed out by the Michel catalog. First, the Genuines are printed by typography, while the Forgeries are lithographic. And the Forgery perforations are line perforations. 

Now it is Angola's turn.

And here indeed it gets more difficult.

The Angola 1870-77 "Crown" issues are found in Scott with 29 bolded numbers for nine denominations. 

They can be found in Perf 12 1/2 thin to medium paper, Perf 13 1/2, Perf 14 (25r rose), and Perf 12 1/2 thick paper. Additionally, reprints of 1885 & 1905 can be found on smooth white chalky paper, and on thin ivory paper respectively. In addition, there are six minor numbers for shade variations.

I should mention that there are two types of denomination script for the 10r and 40r stamps. Consult Michel for illustrations.

The CVs ("used" least expensive for a denomination) are: 

1870 Scott 1 5r gray black (Perf 12 1/2) $2; 

1870 Scott 2b 10r yellow (Perf 13 1.2) $13; 

1870 Scott 3 20r bister (Perf 12 1/2) $2.25; 

1870 Scott 4 25r red (Perf 12 1/2) $10: 

1877 Scott 5 40r blue (Perf 12 1/2) $175; 

1870 Scott 6 50r green (Perf 12 11/2) $15; 

1870 Scott 7 100r lilac (Perf 13 11/2) $3.50; 

1877 Scott 8 200r orange (Perf 13 1/2 $2; 

1877 Scott 9 300r chocolate (Perf 13 1/2) $3.50.

One can see that most "least expensive" stamps (except 40r blue) have modest CVs. On the other hand, a number of the Perf variants have CVs in the range of  $50 - $475.

And don't be fooled by the modest CVs for the Angola 1970-77 "Crown" stamps. Putting together a collection of "genuine" Angola "Crown" stamps, while keeping out the numerous forgery imposters and borderline stamps requires knowledge that most collectors do not possess (including myself until maybe now).

There is help available however. Classic Stamp Forgeries website has a post on the 1870-77 Angola issue (& other colonies as well), and he does a "Show & Tell" on many of the forgeries found for these stamps. In fact, if it wasn't for his website, I would still be confused. Thanks Ron! 😎

To put in perspective the genuine/forgery or borderline situation: Of the 21 Angola 1970-77 "Crown" stamps I have in my collection, perhaps only 6 are most likely genuine. !!!

OK, let's first look at a Genuine of the 1870-77 Angola Issue...

Angola 1877 Scott 9 300r chocolate

"Portuguese Crown"; Perf 13 1/2

Genuine

For the Genuine, there are a few general principles that should be satisfied.

Is the printing of "Angola" and the denomination (here 300 Reis) clear, detailed and not crude?

Are the letters and numbers evenly sized? Look at the prominent serifs, which is characteristic of Genuines.

Are the corner spandrels (which are different for Angola compared to the other Portuguese colonies) mirror images of each other horizontally and vertically? The spandrels should be clearly (not roughly or oddly) printed.

For counting purposes, there are 121 elongated dots surrounding the ring. There are 9,10.5.10, 9 pearls on the crown (left to right). The pearls are round, and easy to see. If misshapen, or small, suspicion is raised.

The inner frame line, in general, is thinner than the outer frame line. Not always true (especially if over-inking), but often so.

OK, what are some of the more specific signs, especially compared to Fournier forgeries?

The curved shading line through the center of "O" is complete

(Not a partial line, or broken) Genuine

The line through the center of "O" is complete and intact. Genuines show this characteristic, compared to Fournier forgeries, where the lower portion of the line is not complete. This is an important sign.

Also note the circular line below the Angola tablet intersects the lower horizontal line of the tablet for awhile. This is normal on the genuines for Angola. It is also seen with the Fournier forgeries for Angola. Therefore this "sign" does not distinguish, for Angola, the genuine and the Fournier forgery. 

(On the other hand, for the other Portuguese colony "Crown" genuine stamps, the circular line does not intercept the lower horizontal line of the Angola tablet, except quite briefly in some cases. The Fournier forgery does intercept the line. Therefore, except for Angola, this is an important sign for genuines for Portuguese colonies, distinguishing them from the Fournier forgery.)

Genuines: Maltese cross in the shape of a "maltese cross"; "hole" in the center

of the cross; cross is appropriate size, and tilts slightly to the right;

 cross sit atop globe, and is attached

With the Fournier forgeries, the cross is smaller, and not in the "maltese" shape. It can be detached from the globe (base).

Note the large very round pearls. Easily counted. No deformed or very small pearls. The line of pearls on the sides of the crown is rounder for Angola, more angular for the other Portuguese colonies.

The Fournier forgery also has a rounder line of pearls on the sides of the crown, like Angola. The Fournier forgeries for the other Portuguese colonies also exhibit this rounder line of pearls, as Angola served as the template. This can help to distinguish the genuine from the Fournier forgery for Portuguese colonies other than Angola.

This 300r chocolate "genuine" example shows the scallop design in the 

upper right corner is intact with seven lobes and all lines between lobes intact (no breaks).

Note the largest lobe is the center one. Also note the scallop design does not touch the lower horizontal line of the "Angola" tablet.

Now this is where it gets a bit confusing. Note I have two examples of the "genuine" Angola 300r chocolate, and both of them show an intact scallop design. (This is also found (the intact scallop) in genuines for all the other Portuguese colonies.) In contrast, the Fournier forgery for the Angola "Crown" stamps, as well as the Fournier forgeries for the other Portuguese colonies show a break in at least one of the lines, making up the lobes of the scallop. It is clear that the "scallop" sign can be used to distinguish the Fournier forgeries from the genuines for all of the Portuguese colonies.....EXCEPT this doesn't work always for Angola, as we shall see in a bit. !!

1870 Scott 4 25r red "Portuguese Crown"

Perf 12 1/2; Fournier Forgery

OK, here is a Fournier forgery of then 25r red. Overall, looks pretty good, doesn't it?  I would think, if one didn't do a close examination and knew what to look for, many collectors would think this stamp is genuine. The "Angola" print is perhaps a bit rougher, and portions of the stamp appear over inked and cruder, but it is a bit of a judgement call.

I should mention that Fournier forgeries only are found with Perf 12 1/2.

But let's look at specifics....

The curved shading line through the center of "O" is

a partial line, and broken at the 6 o'clock position. 

Fournier Forgery

One of the more reliable signs is the Fournier forgery has a broken shadow line through the "O" of "Angola". The Genuine has a line that is complete.

Fournier Forgery: "Maltese cross" does not have a true "maltese" shape.

Cross is smaller and a bit deformed. It is separated from the globe (base).

 

As above: compare to the genuine stamp shown prior...

In addition, the pearls seem separated, and the pearls closest to the globe are quite small and deformed (not round). 

This 25r red "Fournier Forgery" example shows the scallop design in the 

upper right corner having here six intact lobes, with a large center lobe with a left-center thick line incompletely dividing the lobe. In this specimen, there is ink attachment between the scallop and the inner frame.

Compare to the genuine 300r chocolate shown prior - there is clearly a difference (seven vs six intact lobes). 

Will there always be a "intact lobe" difference between genuines and the Fournier forgeries? (No, as we will see with the next example.)

I would also like to point out the corner spandrel here appears over inked and somewhat crude. 

1870 Scott 1b 5r black "Portuguese Crown"

Perf 12 1/2; Genuine

Overall, this stamp looks finely printed. I don't spot any crudeness or over inking.

But when we look at specifics that argue this stamp is genuine, there is also a surprise lurking...

The curved shading line through the center of "O" is complete

(Not a partial line, or broken) Genuine

The curved shading line is intact, which is found for the genuines. The letters are well printed. This sign argues that this specimen is NOT a Fournier forgery.

Genuines: Maltese cross in the shape of a "maltese cross"; "hole" in the center

of the cross; cross is appropriate size, and tilts slightly to the right;

 cross sit atop globe, and is attached

The "maltese cross" image looks genuine.

The pearls close to the globe are slightly smaller, but still essentially round. 

The scallop has six intact lobes, with a center large very heart shaped lobe with a thicker line running up the lobe center-left. The thick line does not complete, leaving six intact lobes, instead of seven.

This is the surprise. Our prior genuine (300r) showed seven intact lobes in the scallop. Here, the 5r, which shows signs of being genuine in all other aspects, has only six lobes, with a large heart shaped lobe in the center, and a partial thick line running center-left. This looks similar to the Fournier Forgery (FF) Scallop's six lobes, except the FF appeared somewhat cruder.

Angola 9 7 lobes/ Angola 1 6 lobes

Both Genuine

As mentioned, other aspects of the 5r stamp shown here argues that Angola 1 black is a genuine stamp. I also checked with Ron of Classic Stamp Forgeries website, and he labeled the Angola 1 stamp as genuine. I am forced to conclude that, for the Angola 1870-77 "Crown" stamps, some genuines show an intact seven lobes in the scallop, while others show six lobes with a large "heart shaped" lobe in the center.

Another comparison

Angola 3 7 lobes/ Angola 8 6 Lobes

Both Genuine

And, in a way, this makes sense. Why would the Fournier Forgery also show six intact lobes? A coincidence, or, in fact, was Fournier imitating a six lobed Angola genuine that he copied, and then never changed subsequently? I strongly suspect the latter.

1870 Scott 1 5r black "Portuguese Crown"

Perf 12 1/2; Fournier Forgery

Fortunately, we also have a 5r black Fournier Forgery to compare.

Upper: Genuine

Lower: Fournier Forgery

First, note there is a significant difference in the shape of the letters, the serifs, and the placement and shape of the "5".

The curved shading line through the center of "O" is

a partial line, and broken at the 6 o'clock position. 

Fournier Forgery

The Fournier forgery shows the characteristic partial shadow line through the "O".

Fournier Forgery: "Maltese cross" does not have a true "maltese" shape.

Cross is smaller and a bit deformed. It is separated from the globe (base).

In addition, the pearls are separated, and the pearls close to the globe are significantly smaller.

"Fournier Forgery": the scallop design in the 

upper right corner having here six intact lobes, with a large heart shaped center lobe

 with a left-center thick line incompletely dividing the lobe. 

Also, here the line between the first and second lobe is slightly open at the bottom.

Also, notice the over-inked cruder appearance of the corner spandrel.

Upper: Genuine; Lower: Fournier Forgery

The scallop design for the Fournier Forgery compared to the "six-lobed" genuines is similar, but is inked in a cruder way.

Here is another example....

Upper: Angola 8 Genuine

Lower: Angola 4 Fournier Forgery

Again, the Fournier Forgery Scallop is cruder than the genuine, although they both are six lobe designs here.

1870 Scott 1 5r gray black "Portuguese Crown"

Perf 12 1/2; Genuine, Copy Two

Out of the Blue

OK, what a trip!

We showed, through careful evaluation, how to differentiate the Genuines from the Fournier Forgeries.

The surprise is, there is, apparently, two kinds of genuines for the Angola 1870-77 "Crowns": a right upper quadrant spandrel seven lobed type, and a right upper quadrant six lobed type. The Fournier forgeries imitate the six lobed type.

Of course, I could be wrong. But the evidence I have at this time points to this conclusion.

Naturally, if I see additional material for the 1870-77 Angola "Crowns, or additional information becomes available, then that might changes my conclusion.

We are still not done with the Angola 1870-77 "Crowns" stamps. I have a number of Spiro forgeries of this issue I will show in a soon forthcoming post. And I would like to go through my remaining Angola 1870-77 :Crown" stamps, and label them Genuine, Borderline or Unknown, or probable forgery (there are many other forgeries besides Fournier, and Spiro, although they are the most common).

Comments appreciated!