George V Era - Cochin State

Well, Thomas, if you've begun to contemplate a mint SG O57

There are a number of expert bodies around the world that will (for a price) issue certificates certifying that stamps are genuine. When you come to buy a rare stamp, especially one that could be relatively easily forged like SG O57, it's wise to insist on getting one of these certificates. An experienced seller will likely offer a rare stamp with a certificate, or allow you time to get one - and give you a full refund if the certificate comes back saying the item isn't genuine.

(Sometimes they'll refuse entirely to issue a certificate. I asked for a certificate for this copy of Hyderabad SG O40gb



the pair, with one missing the overprint, but the committee couldn't be certain about it, so they turned down my request.)

For the Indian States, there really is only one completely reliable expert committee, and that's BPA Expertising in London. The Royal Philatelic Society also has an expertising arm. I'm sure it's excellent for many countries (like Britain), but it's hopeless for the Indian States.

Certificates aren't cheap. A 'genuine' certificate for SG O57 would cost several tens of pounds, but the certificate makes it far easier to sell, and safer to buy, the stamp. They can also take a loooong time to be issued - easily months. But they're worth it in the end.

tholath,

please dont worry about certifcations unless its scinde dawk or you have more money than you can count. plus you are in india walk int one fo the local fairs with a certified stamp and they will laugh you out. certification should pay for itself but india most wont pay you for it.

Tony's idea is sound in technique but if you go to execute it in india you will get what shewag got in the last one dayer

On the other hand, offer your mint SG O57 for sale without a certificate, and you'll be about as credible as the Bangladesh Test side

One doubt - the Raja 2 stamp - 2nd row / 3rd - 8 pies with 6pies opr and CGS - the SG number ... SG 65 is with only opr and SG O12 is with only CGS....



Regards and Thanks
Thomas

Thomas, this is SG O32 - cat. value 10p. Gibbons list it as only perf 13.6. However, I always wonder, particularly when surcharges are involved. Who knows if another printing was made, specifically for surcharging, or old stock with a different perforation, which was never released, might have been used? I always check the perforations on all the Second Raja stamps. And the watermark, too!

a likely story Tony,

i ams ure you will buy it from him no problems. :)

BTW you are wasting your time there if you want to follow bangladesh cricket yu should move here ill make the supreme sacrifice and trade places with you

Hi

3 stamps remaining as below :



SG mentions "laid paper" - any way to recognise this

Thanks and regards
Thomas

Thomas, I'm sorry but I can't tell from your scans. You'll need to check them yourself. Laid paper produces a watermark of overall closely-spaced parallel lines. (If you have a copy of my avatar, Bhor SG 1, you'll be able to see an example.)

Laid Paper

One of the two principal types of paper used for
stamp printing, the other being wove. Close
inspection shows a texture of closely parallel
lines, either horizontal or vertical, due to the
impression of the wires of the dandy-roll of the
paper-making machine.

Many stamps have been printed on laid paper
in the past, but it is now much less frequently
used.

It is not to be confused with Repp or ribbed
paper, in which the parallel lines are seen
in relief on the surface.


- R. J. Sutton 6th edition revised by K. W. Anthony
The Stamp Collector's Encyclopaedia
Published 1966

A poor scan of Russian laid paper:
Hope this may help.

rod it still not too late. you should change your avatar name to stampedia :)

Hi rod222

Thanks for the explanation of the "laid paper"

Now I will have to take out the stamps concerned and do some work.

Hope something great takes place during the inspection.

Meanwhile, how is the "Travancore" collection coming up....

Regards and Thanks
Thomsa

Hi Tony and rod222

Just wondering ....

How you two guys from "Australia" got interested in "mallu" stamps...

If there is an interesting story behind it and would like to share ...

Regards
Thomas

The mention of Travancore reminded me that SG 1-3 of Travancore were on laid paper. The laid lines are sometimes rather obvious, as on this (badly rusted) copy of SG 2:



The only Cochin laid paper printing I have is this one:



SG 4 - and it wasn't a lucky find, unfortunately. It was in a collection I bought, and was marked as on laid paper.

I can't answer for Rod - he's from Western Australia, and they do things differently there

But my first love is still Barwani, from Madhya Pradesh, and so a little way away. However, I've very nearly completed Barwani, and the few items I still lack are only going to come on the market when their present owners die. That means I have to widen my horizons, and Cochin material is quite readily available. I'm not so sure about Travancore, though .

I first came to the Indian States, though, as a child, flicking through the pages of an old Gibbons Part 1. I was completely captured by the real Uglies: Bhor, Jammu & Kashmir and Jind and so on. (And I still am. But who can afford, or manage, to complete Jammu & Kashmir?) I took up Barwani because it seemed to be so unloved. No other collectors seemed to collect it seriously, so I saw it as a virgin field.

Hi Tony

Appreciate your response

Speaking of Barwani, just happened to see a few at this site.
http://stampexindia.com/stamp/product.asp?catid=13
Most probably you will be having those...
Regards
Thomas