Salvation Army Local Post? Bogus? "Fake" Cinderella?

I recently came across this "cover", which is one of many containing what appears to be a UK "Local Post" stamp on it, commemorating the 140th Anniversary of The Salvation Army and its various leaders through those years:



This was found at this ebay link from Australia (along with similar type covers):

http://www.ebay.com/itm/WILLIAM-BOO...ht_700wt_702

Frankly, I was more curious about the UK "Local Post" stamp than the cover, but could find little information other than this piece from a "Salvation Army Collectibles" website suggesting that this is a not only a bogus issue, but that a "Local Post" would be illegal in the UK and that they are suggesting that people not purchase such items off of ebay, so as to discourage such bogus creations:

http://www.sacollectables.com/booth...m6_fake.html

Failing to find any other information about it on the internet, I was wondering if anyone else has information about such a fake.

Starting in 1981, It was allowed that local posts could be organized for chariable purposes, ie Scouting Xmas Issues, for the Xmas season. Salvation Army is a chartible organization, but can't confirm this qualitifed under those rules.

Thanks for the info.

While I suppose anyone can make a cinderella from a fantasy local post, given the seemingly negative report on the newsletter shown at the above web site link suggesting that these stamps weren't condoned but seem to have been a stamp collector's (?) fantasy issue as a personal profit making scheme with no benefit given to the organization named, I'd venture to guess that the action may have been illegal in the first place. Of course, not knowing either UK or Australia laws on such things (assuming these stamps did originate from Australia) I can't say for sure.

The cover as a whole, the stamp and the postmark are all fakes. I have had this confirmed by Royal Mail. The covers are produced in Australia and have never seen the UK let alone a UK post office!!

The producer of this cover sells many such items by trying to hide behind the misuse of philatelic terms.

Thanks for the additional information -- and welcome to Stamp Collecting Forum!

The previous link was apparently accurate as to the bogus nature of these items. I find it very interesting that the material never even saw the UK, let alone the UK post office. Yet another ebay seller trying to make a quick profit on the uninformed collector.

A pleasure to be of help. I have been looking at many Salvation Army fake covers and stamps recently, not only from this Australian seller.

There are also fakes around of the USA 1965 Salvation Army FDC using cachets that are from the 21st. century!

Salvation Army philately is my speciality, I am the owner of the sacollectables site referred to above.

These are bogus issues not fakes.
Covers and labels such as these are being sold all the time on the net and are big business. I am not talking about the Salvation Army in particular, but 'local' issues, Micronations and Fantasies as well as 'real' places.

Londonbus1

I just checked out wt1's ebay link and it seems all the sellers items are homemade Cindys. Strange he dosen't list them in stamps....must be looking for another outlet !

He [or she] is just one of many in this ever growing Philatelic pastime.

Londonbus1

Well I can't say that I agree with the last two comments. What do you call a postmark probably applied by an inkjet printer? What do you call a cover produced to deceive? I call them fakes and will continue to do so.

The people that produce and sell this trash are after one thing and one thing only and that is a fast buck at the expense of the collector.

I agree with you. And there are hundreds of them. But there is nothing you or I can do about it except not to buy such items......and spread the word on a forum like ours.

As for the terminology, to each their own. I have no problem with that.

Either way, it's not for me.

Londonbus1

It is difficult for the authorities to do much about it either. If this cover were to have been produced in the UK then Royal Mail would apparently take action, or so they told me.

You are quite correct, all we can do is not buy this stuff, if there is no market for it then there is no point in producing it. Sadly there will probably always be enough unwary collectors to allow these people to make their fast buck.