Brinkerhoff Perforations

I'd be interested in comments on this Scott 371 with 1909 Brinkerhoff perforations. I'm no stamp expert, but I am a graduate engineer. I can't see how this perforation can be possible. The holes are registered correctly in the horizontal plane, but vertically they are not parallel nor are they spaced correctly. If the vertical hole spacing is less than the distance between stamps, the perforations will very quickly be positioned on the body of the stamp. Am I missing something here, or is this just a very poor fradulent stamp? It's listed presently for sale on ebay. The white guide lines were added by me.

I believe the Brinkerhoffs were only perforated in strips, so the perfs could be off like that.

If this is the listing, I'd be careful. This seller has listed several questionable private perf. issues, coil issues and others. Not saying this one isn't good; get some opinions from some of the other members here before you buy, if that your intent.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/US-2c-Brink...em58bd488ffc

Good point. Here is a different 'pair' but same seller which was discredited.

Isn't this seller a member of the "Cartel" ? Might want to read up here

https://goscf.com/t/39010&whichpage...Terms=cartel

I know I am probably stating the obvious- These were printed in an imperforate issue too so one must know what to look for as there are many spurious fakes of private perforation on the imperfs.

hmorgan10 is positively one of the cartel accounts...

You most certainly could surmise they created this item,
sent it for the cert, as "pie in the sky" hopefuls will
buy it anyway, hoping the cert is wrong and send in for
another cert to a different expertizer... (maybe)

A relatively easy to remember rule of thumb for MOST private perfs, especially Brinkerhoff, Mailometer, Farwell, many Schermacks is this; whatever spacing is supposed to be between the perf holes MUST be accurate and equal from hole-to-hole. And those spacings can be found in the definitive book by Steve Belasco (which is available from the United States Stamp Society (and often on ebay or Amazon). Anyone seriously interested in the private perfs MUST own this book. So applying that "rule of thumb" to the item shown by the OP, it seems pretty obvious that it is.......no good. So I applaud irisgarden for his (her?) astute observations!

Thank you Bill Weiss again for your clear helpful explaination. I was aware this is a questionable seller and would not buy from him without a Cert, but I find it interesting that a little careful examination and common sense applies here. Now that my own private perforation collection fills three pages, I will obtain the Belasco book you recommend.

irisgarden (bill m.)

This particular pair of stamps has been offered time and time again on ebay under the various IDs of this group. The little nick in the upper LH corner identifies it. They must figure if it goes around often enough someone may take the plunge.

They currently have a #368 supposedly with Mailometer type II perforations listed. It has gone around numerous times as well. A check of the PF certificates shows that this same pair was certified as a fake. No mention of that in their description. Sorry to report that this time around they have actually attracted a bidder. Another black eye for stamp collecting in general.