Block Of 32 Stamps Mauritius Private Reprint Sheets - Are They Authentic?

Dear all,

I need advice from people who know about "Mauritius Private Reprints" sheets of the 1840s.

A guy is proposing to sell to me, as a whole lot, the following:
- two sheets of MAURITIUS 1847 QV 1d - one red and one orange
- one sheet of MAURITIUS 1847 QV 2d - blue

Please see the 6 links below for the pictures, front and back, of the 3 sheets (please maximize on each picture to see the details for each sheet):

red sheet front:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B5...?usp=sharing
red sheet back:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B5...?usp=sharing

orange sheet front:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B5...?usp=sharing
orange sheet back:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B5...?usp=sharing

blue sheet front:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B5...?usp=sharing
blue sheet back:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B5...?usp=sharing

I am quite new in Mauritius philately, relatively speaking, and the 3 sheets seem interesting to me. Anyway, I obviously want to build up my collection and I am now having the opportunity to get these 3 rare sheets from the 1840s. However, I am a little bit doubtful since there are a lot of dishonest people out there and you don't know what they are selling to you.

I need some advice before taking a decision and I have 3 simple questions which I think people in this forum can definitely answer correctly:

1) Are these 3 sheets authentic?

2) Do you think, as a beginner philatelist, these 3 sheets are a good addition to my collection? Please note that I do not have neither the sheets nor the single stamp in the sheets.

2) How much do you think I can pay for these 3 sheets?

Thanks for reading.

Kindest Regards

What price is the vendor asking, please?

http://www.china.org.cn/top10/2012-...24963_10.htm

In answer to your questions:
(1) No these are not authentic. "Private reprints" means that one of those faceless "dishonest people" has created them without any legal standing to do so. These are FAKE items.
(2) Only you can determine what "good" means to you. They may make for an interesting addition, but only as a reference piece. From a monetary standpoint, they add nothing.
(3) I would not buy them for myself, but pretending that I would, I would not pay more than $2 per sheet including shipping costs!

To add some perspective, the fake sheets look to be engraved. IF they are, and IF I had a specialized collection of Mauritius, I would pay up to $20 a piece for them, IF I felt I needed them.

If I were a beginner collector, I think there would be much better options for my stamp budget.

I can't add anything more than Kurt has added. They are interesting as fakes, but they make no pretence as anything else. If you are on the road to collecting fakes and forgeries, however, they will make nice exhibition pieces.

Why not simply use the images and print your own copies on a good quality color printer? Since they are imperf wouldn't this also serve the same purpose?
Don

Trending on ebay now.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Block-of-32...AOSwU-pXvGNu

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Block-of-32...E-/162647050

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Block-of-32...E-/162647065

A sold listing on ebay.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Mauritius-n...123?hash=ite

Lets stop right here ........first we are not sure those are the private reprints made years ago or as Don said are they modern reproductions . Second why would I ask people here what they are worth ? It is not their field of collecting ,it like me asking you -What would you pay for a TIBET airmail cover ? Those are very collectible to a specialized collector and the original reprints do come up in major auctions ,if you want a price, search thru Cherrystone or another major auction house .

Based on the type font on the backs, these are no older than the 1930s. Yes, one of the designs is copied from the 1847 design, but the printing is new, and several of the designs look like fantasy. One looks like the Dardennes portrait was pasted into the Post Office frame. Without any evidence of who created and printed these, when, and data on scarcity, I wouldn't pay more than $5 for these, because anyone could create and print them, as Don suggests.

You could write to the David Feldman auction house in Geneva, since they have handled actual 1847 Mauritius material, but you may not get a reply because they may think you are joking with them.

Chris

From the pictures on one of redwoodrandy's links, the paper and inking have the characteristics of a photo-etching. Looks like some German printmaker has latched onto a scheme to make a little money.

here you can buy two of them for each £200, so probably it is at least worth some dollars, but not millions :).
http://stevedrewett.com/index.php?s...date%20DESC&

I believe those two sheets that STAMPERIX link to are later reprints maybe a modern reproduction . The original 1912 reprints made from the original plates has "reprint" on the back or they have nothing printed on the reverse . Those that Stamperix link to don't have certificates with them ,so my guess with Privater/Nachdruck on the reverse they are German made .
There are two different "original" reprints ,one set made in England in 1912 and a second in Paris 1912 printing.The difference is noted by the paper . These should only be purchased with a cert.

those that reebho showed above are those with German text on the reverse, like in my link?

These are not the 1912 Stocken reprints, nor the later ones done in the 1930s. I have one of those sheets, as well as the "privater nachdruck" ones. The Stocken reprints only have two images, made from the original 1847 Post Office plate - thus a single impression of the 1d and 2d stamps side by side. Apart from tiny "tells" added before the reprinting, they are perfect reproductions of the originals.

The multiple image sheets currently under discussion contain FORGERIES of four different issues - the 1847 Post Office, the early and late impressions of the 1848 Post Paid, and the 1859 Lapirot. There are 4 of each stamp, printed twice on the sheet. These forgeries - WITHOUT the wording "privater nachdruck" on the back - are usually attributed to the Spiro Brothers. The sheets under discussion here are later "private reprint" copies, but I do not know who made them.

The "original" Spiro prints are sometimes on sale on ebay priced at around £100, though the links which redwoodrandy has copied are a seller who is trying to get around £750 by claiming that they are "reprints" of the original stamps. I have messaged him several times, telling him that they are forgeries, but he just ignores my messages. Setting aside the obvious design defects, he doesn't seem to have grasped that you could never have a reprint of 4 different issues on one plate.

BOB

Hi I wonder if you could give me more information on the different sheetlet versions

I have 2 version of the orange sheetlets with 2 stamps. One is much more orange / brighter and the ink is more raised. It doesn't have reprint on the back it is blank and also the corners of the brighter ink are more curved? See photos. The above mentions 1930 versions with the 1912 being ones with reprint on back? Thanks for your help.