Russian Forgery??

This stamp should be on vertically laid paper. I am not seeing any sign of vertical lines. The Scott catalog says forgeries exist. Can anyone help. I believe the stamp is trying to be Russia Scott #39. Gave you a front and back picture. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks - Jeff

Hi Jeff,

It's not Scott #39 as it has the thunderbolts over the post horns and the colours are wrong. It could be Scott #137, #137a or #137b if it has varnish lozenges on the front.

Thanks Nigel. I don't know how to tell if there are varnish lozenges on the front, but I don't see another choices. Will look up varnised lozenges. Thanks again - Jeff

Look at the surface of the stamp under a good light at an angle, and slowly tilt the stamp. You should see the "glaze" on the surface at the opportune angle.

Thanks checking. Jeff

From a 2005 discussion:

by nick 01.02.05 04:36

Hello, hope you can help? I was referred by the webmaster of askphil. What is the best
way to detect lozenges of varnish on the face of early Russian stamps? In particular,
Scott #'s 137-138c of 1917. On some of the stamps using angels of light shows the
lozenges, on others nothing I have tried works, ex. magnification, watermark fluid,
signoscope, etc. Thank you very much for your time and consideration. Nick

02.02.05 18:16 added by Ivo Steijn

Holding the stamp at an angle to the light as you have done is, as far as I know, the
best method. Under UV light the network also shows up. If you're not seeing any
network it might be missing - this is a variety that's known for all 1909-1919 issues.

03.02.05 0:51 added by Gary

Introducing a high-resolution scan into a photo editing package offers many
possibilies to evaluate such issues as well.

Please send a scan and I will look at it from the "computer's" view. Ivo is correct in
that there are known varieties with the network missing.

03.02.05 13:3 added by Anatoly

Yeah... those lozenges are sometimes a diamond shaped puzzles,I onces came across early RSFSR issue of sword breaking chain with the partially missing one,but out of my dumminess(don't know if this is the word)I kept looking at it for maybe a month or so,with mindset of either there is one,or not... and forgot about 50/50 chance and thought my eyes were playing tricks on me :P

Rod thanks, did not know I could use UV light. Will check when I get home. Great idea and thanks for passing it on. - Jeff