North Ingermanland

does anyone have information to identify North Ingermanland counterfeits?

Hi phil49,

The most common forgery of each value of the second issue is shown and described along with the originals in Varro Tyler's "Focus on Forgeries".

This is a really useful book that covers more than 300 different forgeries, each with side by side photos of a forgery and an original stamp and guidance on looking for the key differences.

Try these sources:

The Work of Jean De Sperati by the British Philatelic Association 1955

Album Weeds by Rev. R. B. Earee

The Serrane Guide by Fernand Serrane

The Forged Stamps of all Countries by J. Dorn

Well, yes. But I anticipate the enquirer's follow-up question may be 'Where can I get a Serrane for under £150 or a Sperati for under £500?'

Hi phil49,

The last edition of "Album Weeds" was published before the North Ingermanland stamps were issued. However, I'd expect the Serrane Guide to help with these but I don't have a copy.

I've not seen any references to Sperati forging North Ingermanland stamps. Most of his forgeries were of nineteenth century stamps.

I don't know the Dorn book so can't comment on that one.

As well as the Varro Tyler reference I gave above I also use Dr Ceresa's "The Postage Stamps of Russia, 1917-1923" handbooks which describe three types of forgeries of the second issue.

Finnish stamp literature has quite a bit of these (as North Ingermanland, Aunus etc. are Finnish related territories). Likely the key source for the North Ingermanland stamps is "Pohjois- Inkeri Filateelinen tutkielma" (translates as North Ingermanland - a philatelic study) by Harry W. Walli. The booklet was published in 1943, and has about 30 pages.

Also the Finnish Philatelic Federation magazine "Filatelisti" has had several articles (based on Walli's work, as well as some new research) of North Ingermanland stamps and forgeries over the years.

Re, Serrane guide... The original French title is freely downloadable from French National Library http://gallica.bnf.fr (just search for author Fernand Serrane, do notice the original title was in 2 volumes and hence there are two separate files to download). If you can read french (or spend time with Google Translate), then you're going to have a real ball with it ;)

Varro Tylers "Focus on forgeries" is a really nice resource for worldwide collector. My only grief about it is "one forgery per stamp/series" philosophy (as most stamps have more than just one forgery out there). LOL.

-k-

Serrane guide has been re-published by the APS; some years ago. I have a copy and did not pay the US equivalent of UK L150.

Hello!
Visit this very god site:
http://www.jaysmith.com/Lists/North...d-Issue.html
Regards
Magnus

For a nice comparison review of genuines vs forgeries of North Ingermanland, see....

http://bigblue1840-1940.blogspot.co...manland.html

Of course, I might be biased.

Jkjblue
Yes, of course!
Should have remembered your eminent descriptions. It´s usually one of my source when searching information.
Keep up the splendid work.

Thanks Magnus!

From my forgery collection .

My Forgeries:

Bumped thread.

Sc#2 1920

Thread Bumped Dormant 4 Years


10, 25, and 50 pennia.
Unusual Coat of Arms.