1882 1 Candarin Large Dragon Help Please.

Hello everybody.

This is my first post to this side of the family, I'm usually on the coin side, so please forgive my ignorance.

A good friend has inherited a stamp collection (which has been in a cupboard for 30 years) which includes this Candarin. To me it looks different. All thoughts appreciated. Thanks in advance.

It is a forgery

I agree that it is a forgery, and it looks fairly crude compared to originals.

I hate to start with examples of where it falls down, because different things leap out of the picture to different eyes, but the frame lines are too thin and weak, the dragon's mottling is all wrong, the shape of the letters is off. The paper looks too modern, too, but without holding it in my hand I wouldn't stand too firm on that.

Thanks for the replies. Now I worry about the other Candarins as the collector of these stamps hadn't noted it as a fake (he has for other stamps).

Please can you let me know what you think. (last 3 are artificial light as I have just taken them)

Here is a set of real stamps.