Martinique-----First Unofficial Postage Dues

Scott catalog just foot notes these . I need additional information ,but I believe this set has had forgeries made ,or maybe a second sloppy overprint done .

According to my copy of Maury Timbres des DOM-TOM which includes Martinique,

"! Des timbres-taxe des colonies generales existent avec surcharge "Martinique" en diagonale, il s'agit de fabrications realisees par des postiers (fantaissies)"

Basically fantasy creations by postal workers not authorized by the postal authorities in Martinique.

Maury 2009 does not give any other information, as regards values overprinted, nature of overprints, varieties etc. Just says they are all fantasy issues

thanks -DJCMHOH ,Maury catalog says the same as Scott's . What interest me is the "postal workers" creating the overprint . First two of the top row on my page are canceled . Wonder if they were doing a little free enterprising on the side . I hope others may have more information to add.

Further query with Martinique.
Would any members have a listing for the 15c (Not on quadrille paper)
Scott does not list such an issue.
Sc#40 Type A15 Navigation and commerce 15c blue (C). P14 x 13.5.
Thank you.

Are you sure it is not on quadrilled paper? Along the top of the scan, I think I see a faint quadrille.

I checked Maury, and did not see a non-quadrilled 15c blue.

Hi Greaden, thanks for looking up Maury for me.

I am fairly sure, seen thousands, usually they stick out like a tree on a Prairie.
I'll dig it out and post the reverse.

There you go,
If that is quadrille, then I am a Monkey's Uncle.
Perhaps (assuming quadrille is a form of Wmk ie dandy Roll) then this may be a margin print? (Grasping at straws)
Other thought: Forged "MARTINIQUE" PRINT.

The square pattern is due to applied varnish. This source says it's a greasy varnish: http://archives-wikitimbres.fr/patj...s-plait-.php I'm supposing that that can be put on thinly or relatively thickly but since it's hard to see, there was no great control over how it would look after "printing". I think it could have been missed sometimes, but I've always found it to be there in stamps I had, however weak. I also think/guess the varnish used (and grease) can be largely washed out by detergents.

Try holding the stamp at an extreme oblique angle to a light source. Then you might see the pattern. Russian stamps of the same period have a varnish coating as you know, is known to be missing sometimes, but is also found to very weakly applied and hard to see.

floortrader: Focus on Forgeries by the late Varro E. Tyler does not mention any Martinique issues. Of interest is the Serrane Guide's reference to forgeries of Martinique #s 1-30. Says that forged overprints are numerous. Does not mention any postage dues. Again, for #s 1-30, refers to a book by Marconnet (1897), pp. 312-324. Also a book by de Vinck (1929), pp. 116-120).

HB, Thank you very much indeed.
Searching deeper into my database, I see I was told that back in 2003
Totally forgotten.
I'll assume the stamp was soaked badly and abused.
Further info Quadrille, this and that.

From the above link


From "Newsgroup" questions of mine in 2003



From our member Nigel... Quadrille on Crete
https://goscf.com/t/11010

The quadrilled paper was used on the whole pictorial set from Obock, and the first round of pictorials from Djibouti/Somali Coast. Supposedly, it was about using up the paper for the French 15c stamp.

I checked my own collection: one used 15c from Martinique has very obvious quadrilling; on the other I cannot see it at all.

As for other 15c blue groupe-type stamps, the quadrille varies in clarity, and in several stamps, was absent entirely.

Mine also, I checked with light and oblique angles, backlit as well .
YIKES!
Watermark fluid (Ronsonal) There it is ! Plain as day. HB you were right again
My bad for not watermarking in the first instance.

Ronsonal in Polypropylene bag, with stamp in scanner.

Rod, as both of us are worldwide collectors, we've both come across similar questions and may or may not have hit the answer already. You are still far ahead of me in the "problems solved" column.

Does anyone have a forgery of Yvert #90 to show us as mentioned above?

I doubt that very much, Your good self and Perf 12 (amongst others here) have an amazing knowledge base.

It is extraordinary to see very few question get unanswered.
How fortunate we are.



Not I, this is the first I have become aware of such, and I would have a few duplicates in envelopes somewhere, so it would be nice to learn.