Album Weeds: Japan 1871 – 1876 (1906)

Since the second edition of this work appeared, large numbers of excellent, engraved forgeries have been put on the market. Some, though not all, of these forgeries bear upon them, in various parts of the design, two microscopic characters, signifying facsimile, of which we give here a enlarged illustration.

Swindlers, selling these stamps as genuine, almost invariably manage to cover the tell-tale characters with a postmark, or else scratch them out altogether, though, in this latter case, the marks left by the penknife can generally be detected by careful examination. Others of these new forgeries are not furnished with the facsimile characters, and are very dangerous. I have some specimens of both kinds in my possession, but as, up to 1876, there are forty types on each plate of each value of the genuine, all separately engraved, it is quite impossible for me to try to describe these new forgeries. I am, therefore, compelled to simply give the descriptions of the older forgeries verbatim from the second edition, as deduced from a study of single specimens of the genuine. I am afraid this is not very satisfactory, but it is the best that I can do.

Issue of 1871. 48 (Mons), brown.

Genuine.

Engraved in taille-douce on very soft, yellowish-grey, vertically-laid or wove, pelure paper, of native manufacture, unperforated. The outer frame of the stamp consists of an Etruscan, or “key-pattern,” and there are ten perfect “keys” on each of the four sides, not counting the little corner-ornaments in any case. Inside this, at the top and bottom, there is a sort of chain, with lozenge-shaped links, running across from one side to the other above and below the dragons. Each chain contains six perfect lozenges, with a half-lozenge at each end; and each lozenge, or half-lozenge, has a coloured dot in its centre. Down each side of the stamp, there is a vertical row of half-lozenges, thirteen in each row, counting the top and bottom ones in again; and each one of these half-lozenges has also a coloured dot in its centre.

Forged.

Lithographed, on stout, yellowish-white wove paper, unperforated. There are only eight “keys” in the top and bottom borders, eight and a half down the right-hand side, and nine down the left-hand side. There are six perfect, lozenge-shaped links in the chain across the top, with a half-lozenge at each end of it; the perfect lozenges have dots in their centres, but there is no dot in either of the half-lozenges. The similar chain, below the dragons, at the bottom of the stamp, contains seven perfect lozenges, with a half-lozenge at the left-hand end, but with no dot in the centre of any of them There are thirteen half-lozenges down the left-hand side of the stamp, counting the top and bottom ones in, but there is no dot in the centre of any of them. There are only twelve half-lozenges down the right-hand side, counting in the top one; the space where the bottom one ought to come being occupied by the perfect lozenge of the bottom chain. There is no dot in the centre of any of these half-lozenges; indeed, the only ones which have dots are the six in the top row.

Same Issue. 100 (Mons), dark blue.

Genuine.

Engraving, paper, etc., the same as in the genuine 48 mons. There are ten perfect keys on each of the four sides of the border, not counting the little corner-ornaments, the same as in the 48 mons. There are six perfect lozenges, with a half-lozenge on each side of the six, both across the top and bottom; each of the perfect lozenges contains four dots, and each of the half-lozenges has at least one dot. The rows of vertical half-lozenges at the sides contain eight of the said halves on each side, counting the top and bottom ones in both cases; and these top and bottom ones are very much smaller than the rest, and contain only one or, at the most, two dots, whilst the larger ones contain three.

Forged.

Lithographed, on thin, almost pelure paper, not a bad imitation of the paper of the genuine, but wove, too white, and of a finer texture. There are nine perfect “keys” across the top of the stamp, nine down the right-hand side, ten across the bottom, and ten down the left-hand side, not counting the corner-ornaments in any instance. The lozenge-shaped links across the top and bottom are the same in number as the genuine; but several of them contain only three dots, instead of four. There are eight half-lozenges down each side of the stamp; the top one on each side are very small, but the bottom ones are the same size as the rest. Several of these half-lozenges contain three elongated dots, or rather lines, very different from the small round dots of the genuine.

Same Issue. 200 (Mons), vermilion.

Genuine.

Engraved in taille-douce paper, etc., the same as in the genuine 48 mons. There are ten perfect “keys” In each of the four sides of the border, not counting the corner-ornaments. There are seven perfect lozenges across the top and bottom of the stamp, each containing a transverse line, with a dot in the centre of it. Down each side of the stamp, there are nine half-lozenges, the top and bottom ones on both sides being very small. Some of these half-lozenges contain one dot, others two, and other-three.

Forged.

Lithographed, on white wove, pelure paper, unperforated. This forgery is exceedingly like the genuine, except that there are seven and a half lozenges across the top of the stamp, instead of seven. I am not able to give any other tests, because I have not got a whole sheet of the genuine, and do not like to put in any of the interior lines, lest the types should vary.

Same Issue. 500 (Mons), green.


Genuine.

Engraved in taille-douce; paper, etc., the same as in the genuine 48 mons. There are ten “keys” in each of the four sides of the stamp as before, not counting the corner-ornaments. There are seven perfect lozenges across both the top and bottom of the stamp, each containing one coloured dot. Down each side, there are thirteen half-lozenges, each containing one dot. This value is generally dearer than the others; my copies of the blue one and of the vermilion one are all more or less blotched.

Forged.

Lithographed, on white wove, pelure paper, unperforated. There are ten “keys” down the left-hand side of the stamp, and eleven in each of the other three sides, not counting the corner-ornaments. Across the top there are six perfect lozenges, with a half-lozenge at each end of the chain, and six across the bottom, with a half-lozenge at the left-hand side. Each of the said perfect lozenges contains a coloured ring, with a white centre, instead of the coloured dots of the genuine. There are thirteen half-lozenges down the left-hand side, and only eleven down the right-hand side. I ought to add that, in the genuine, the black surcharge of value in the centre is evidently typographed, and generally very black; but, in the forgeries, it looks flat and greyish, being evidently lithographed, like the rest of the stamp.

POSTMARKS.

Genuine. – All my used copies are cancelled with a square, struck, in black, containing Japanese characters; but the stamps of this issue are not very common postmarked.

Forged. – The Forgeries bear the circle, I, with name of town in English; or else a square of square dots.

Issue of 1872. ½ Sen, brown, olive-brown, greenish-brown. grey.

The stamp of this issue have different characters for the values, except the 5 sen, which still retains the numeral 5, which is like an E, with the central tongue joined to the base of the letter by a vertical stroke. Whether the others are expressed in words instead of numerals or not, I do not know, but fancy it is probable. The design very closely resembles that of the first issue, except the altered value in each case.

Genuine.

Engraved in taille-douce on greyish-white, wove or laid pelure piper; perforated 11. There are ten “keys” round each of the four sides of the stamp, not counting the little corner-ornaments, and thirteen half-lozenges down each side.

Forged.

Lithographed, in pale brown and in grey, on very white, wove pelure paper; very badly pin-perf. 12 ½ and 13. There are ten “keys” down the left-hand side of the stamp as in the genuine; but all the other sides contain eleven of the said “keys.” There are thirteen half-lozenges at the left-hand side, as in the genuine; but only eleven at the right-hand side. I have several copies of this forgery, and they all have same peculiarly flat, washed-out look, as though the colour had run.” Indeed, I may say that all the stamps of this set of forgeries are alike in this respect. The rest of the stamp is a fair copy of the genuine, as far as a lithograph can copy a taille-douce engraving.

1 Sen, shades of pale, dull blue.

Genuine.

Paper, engraving, perforation, etc., the same as in the genuine ½ sen. There are ten “keys” round each of the four sides of the stamp, as before; the whole design is fairly clear, and there are two lines running round the stamp-a very thick, outer one, and a very thin, inner one, quite distinct from each other.

Forged.

Lithographed, on very white, wove pelure paper, having a shiny appearance; badly perforated 13. The colour is too much of an indigo shade. There are ten “keys” down the left-hand side of the stamp, ten at the bottom; but only nine at the top and down the right-hand side, not counting the little corner-ornaments. Round the outside of the stamp, there is only one thick line. The design is not at all well done, and very blotchy. The dragons are very different from those of the genuine, seeming to be mere skeletons, but they are difficult to describe.

Same Issue. 5 Sen, shades of bluish-green.

I have not seen a forgery of this value, but have no doubt that it exists; I therefore give some points of the genuine, to assist the detection of the forgery.

Genuine.

Paper, engraving, perforation, etc., the same as in the genuine ½ sen. There are ten “keys ‘ round each of the four sides of the stamp; seven perfect lozenges across both the top and bottom, each containing a small, coloured dot; and thirteen half-lozenges down each side, the lowest one on each side being very much smaller than the others. There is a double line, as before, round the outside of the stamp, the outer one being very thick, and the inner one very thin.

Same Issue. 2 Sen, vermilion.

Genuine.

Paper engraving, perforation, etc., the same as in the genuine ½ sen. There are ten “keys” round each of the four sides of the stamp, not counting the corner ornaments. There are nine half-lozenges down both right arid left sides, and seven perfect lozenges across both the top and the bottom.

Forged.

Lithographed, on very white, wove pelure paper; badly pin-perf. 13. There are ten “keys” down the right-hand side of the stamp, as in the genuine; but the left-hand side contains eleven, the top eleven, the bottom eleven; and all the said “keys” are very badly drawn. There are ten half-lozenges down the left-hand side of the stamp thirteen down the right-hand side, six perfect ones at the top, with a half-lozenge at each end, and the same at the bottom.

POSTMARKS.

Genuine. – All my genuine copies are obliterated in the same manner as in the first issue.

Forged. – The postmarks on the forgeries are various. Some of them bear a large circle, with NAGASAKI or JOKOHAMA, in large English characters; some have a large solid, five-pointed star; some have a black, circular blotch, divided into four quarters, the quarters so far removed from each other as to leave a white cross in die centre, like 18, which is a cancellation to be found on the genuine stamps of later issues.

As regards the genuine, I think that postmarked copies are more common than those of the first issue.

I have not said much about the paper of these two issues, but it appears to be all of Japanese make – almost like tissue paper, with very long fibres when torn. The forgeries are on paper quite as thin – except the 48 mons of the first issue – but the grain is finer and the fibres shorter.

Later Issues of 1872.

These stamps are printed on soft, thick, yellowish-white paper, of Japanese make, both laid and wove, and also on whiter and harder, thick wove paper, apparently of European manufacture. The perforation is various. There are forty types of each value, which makes it rather a difficult matter to give many accurate tests. The stamps of the issues of August and October, 1872, had no “syllabic character” to show the different plates.

I shall have more to say about the said “syllabic characters” when I come to the issue of 1874, in which they appear.

2 Sen, vermilion, orange, yellow.

Genuine.

Engraved in taille-douce, the ink standing up well from the surface of the paper; paper and perforation as above described. The spokes of the wheel-ornament, or conventional chrysanthemum, at the top of the central rectangle are slim, long, and at very regular distances apart; and the wheel itself does not touch the outline of the inner frame above it. In each corner of the same rectangle there is a quarter of a similar wheel, looking something like a fan. Each of these quarter-wheels or fans contains seven spokes or sticks. Both ends of the upper label, bearing the value, 2 sen, go very close to the incurved ends of the scroll, surrounding the label. In all the types which I possess of this value, the lower ends, of the crossed branches are alike, and each of them is sharply pointed. There are many other variations between the genuine and forged in my possession, but I have thought it better not to describe any but the lines, lest my description of the less important lines of one type the possessor of another genuine type.

Forged.

Poorly lithographed, on thin, common, white wove, European paper pin-perforated, so very badly, that I am not able to give the gauge. The ink, of course, does not stand up at all above the surface of the paper. The spokes of the wheel-ornament are evidently too thick and short, in proportion to the thickness of the rim of the wheel and the wheel itself distinctly touches the line above it. The spokes are not set regularly, some of them being much nearer to together than others. The spokes of die in the corners of the central rectangle are very different from the genuine, and form an easy test for this forgery. In the top one there are ten spokes; in the bottom left-hand corner top right-hand corner there are seven; and in the bottom right-hand corner there are seven also. Both ends of the upper label, bearing the value, 2 sen, are at some considerable distance from the incurved ends of the scroll, surrounding the said label. This is especially marked at the right-hand end. The lower ends of the branches are not alike; the right-hand one is sharply pointed, and the left-hand one is blunt and rounded, and is also solid, instead of merely outlined.

4 Sen, rose, orange-vermilion.

Genuine.

Engraved in taille-douce; paper and perforation as before. The ink stands out from the surface of the paper. The wheel-ornament almost touches the line above it, and all the spokes are drawn accurately towards the centre of it; the bottom ends of the crossed branches are only outlined, and are both as nearly as possible of the same length.

Forged.

Lithographed, on rather thin, common, very white wove paper; badly pin-perf., gauge uncountable. The ink does not stand out from the face of the stamp. The wheel-ornament does not anything like touch the line above it; it does not appear to be truly round, and many of the spokes are drawn at a tangent to the tiny central circle of the wheel, instead of all being drawn accurately towards the centre. The bottom ends of the branches are solid, very dark, and not alike, the right-hand end being longer and more pointed than the other.

20 Sen, violet, mauve.

Genuine.

Engraved in taille-deuce; paper and perforation as before. The outline of the large, central circle is almost exactly at an equal distance from the inner outlines of both side-frames, and does not touch on either side. The top of the rim of the wheel ornament is at some little distance from the lower outline of the upper label, containing 20 sen, and the spokes of the said wheel are drawn regularly, and at equal distances apart. In all my copies, each of the three leaves at the base of the central circle has three sets of side-vines.

Forged.

Lithographed, on common, yellowish-white wove paper; badly pin-perf. to some uncountable gauge. The outline of the central circle touches the inner outline of the right-hand frame, and is at some distance from the inner outline of the left-hand frame. The top of the rim of the wheel-ornament is very close to the lower outline of the upper frame, which contains the value, 20 sen. The spokes of the wheel are not equally well drawn all the way round, those on the left-hand side being more or less irregular. At first sight, there appear to be only two sets of side-veins in the right-hand leaf, at the bottom of the circle, the one nearest to the stalk end of the leaf being very indistinct.

Issue of February, 1874.

These stamps can be distinguished, from the earlier, similar ones by the “syllabic characters” upon them. These are, I believe, the characters, or “radicals,” of the Japanese language, in their simplest form, answering in some degree to what we should call an alphabet. There are forty-seven of them; and the first twenty-three, here illustrated, are employed as the plate-numbers on various values.

All these stamps appear to be upon moderately stout, rather soft, yellowish-white wove paper; machine-perforated 11, 12½ etc.; also apparently pin-perforated 12½.

½ Sen, red-bistre.
(Plates 1, 2.)

Genuine.

The stamp imitated bears the second of  the “syllabic characters,” which the Japanese call “Ro.” It will be found in a square frame, just at the crossing of the two branches. Engraved in taille-douce; paper and perforation as mentioned above. The wheel-ornament has sixteen spokes; the veins of the broad leaves of the left-hand branch run very nearly to the edges of the said leaves. The upper, Japanese words in the side-frames are exactly alike, on both sides of the stamp.

Forged.
(Plate 2.)

Poorly lithographed, on very yellowish-white wove paper, rather thin and hard; pin-perf. 14. This forgery can easily be detected, as it has seventeen spokes to the wheel-ornament, instead of sixteen. The veins of the broad leaves of the left-hand branch do not go near the sides of the leaves, being much too short. The lower cross-stroke of the upper, Japanese word in the left-hand frame is very much longer than the corresponding stroke of the similar word in the right-hand frame. I do not think this forgery is very likely to deceive.

1 Sen, blue.
(Plates 1 to 12.)

Genuine.

Engraved in taille-douce; paper and perforation as before. I have not been able to find a genuine stamp with a character at all approaching that on the forgeries, which is a mere shapeless blotch, so I cannot say which plate has been imitated. Only one of the leaves in the right-hand branch touches the right-hand frame – the one rather below the middle of the central, lattice-work square – and one leaf of the left-hand branch touches the curly ornament in the lower corner of the central rectangle. The stalks or ends of the branches project equally from behind the little square which contains the plate-letter. The upper, Japanese word in the central column, just under the wheel-ornament, consists of two characters, placed close together. The colour of the stamp appears to be almost invariably a dark blue, of a more or less indigo tint.

Forged.

Lithographed, on yellowish-white wove paper, rather thin and hard; perforated 14. The hieroglyphic in the little square is a mere blotch, not like any of the fifty-seven radicals. The right-hand branch touches the right-hand frame in two places – one as in the genuine, the other a little below the centre of the white square, containing the transverse stroke, which is the Japanese (and Chinese) numeral “1.” The left-hand branch touches the curly ornament in the left-hand bottom corner, and also touches the left-hand frame, level with the centre of the central latticework square. The stalk projecting from the left-hand side of the little square is something like the genuine; but the one projecting from the right-hand side seems to he broken off short, just the stump being left, so that it is very much shorter than the other. The Japanese word, just under the wheel-ornament, consists of two characters, a good distance apart. The colour of all the forgeries in my possession is a decidedly greenish-blue, not in the least like the tint of the genuine.

2 Sen, yellow.
(Plates 1 to 23.)

Genuine.

Engraved in taille-douce; paper and perforation as before. The fan-shaped ornament in the left-hand top corner of the central square contains seven radiating lines; that in the right-hand top corner contains eight: that in the left-hand bottom corner contains seven: and that in the right-hand bottom corner contains seven. The Japanese characters in the left-hand label are exactly the same as those in the right-hand one. The two lower ends of the crossed branches are pointed alike. Two plates have been imitated by the forgers; the stamps of one of these plates in the genuine bear the character “YO” (plate 15), which is exactly like a capital E turned upside down; i.e., with the projecting strokes pointing to the left instead of to the right. The other genuine plate has the character “RE” (plate 17), which is very like a capital V, with one side – the right side – rather splayed out.

First Forgery.
(Plate 15.)

Lithographed, in very pale yellow, on hard, white wove paper; perforated 14. This is the one which bears the plate-letter “YO,” like an E upside down. The fan-shaped ornament in the left-hand top corner of the central square contains seven radiating lines, like the genuine; the one in the right-hand top corner contains eight, like the genuine, but two of them almost run together; the one in the left-hand bottom corner contains six; and the one in the right-hand bottom corner contains seven, like the genuine. The Japanese characters in the left-hand label are different from those in the right-hand one, as may be easily seen on comparing the two. The stem of the right-hand branch, crossing over to the left, comes a good deal lower than the stem of the left-hand branch, which crosses over to the right; and both stems appear to he cut off almost square, instead of being pointed. In the genuine 2 sen stamps, the ink stands out very much from the surface of the paper; in this forgery it is quite flat.

Second Forgery.
(Plate 17.)

Lithographed, in a full yellow, on thin, hard, white wove paper. The only specimen of this forgery which I possess is cut so close that I am not able to give the perforation-gauge. I can only see that it is perforated. I do not call this such a good forgery as the last – the whole design is very blotchy. The plate-letter of this counterfeit is intended to represent the character “RE,” which resembles a capital V, but the forgers have made it more like a capital Y, placed rather slantingly from right to left. The fan-ornament in the left-hand top corner contains eight radiating lines, as far as I can make out, but they are very indistinct; the one in the right-hand top corner is a mere blotch, which cannot be deciphered; the one in the left-hand bottom corner contains only six lines, which are very distinct; and the one in the right-hand bottom corner contains seven, as in the genuine. The wheel-ornament is very badly drawn, and blotchy, though it is beautifully clear in the genuine. The ink does not stand out at all from the surface of the paper. The Japanese characters are not exactly alike in the two side-labels. The end of the branch at the right-hand side is a little lower than that on the left-hand side, and is sharply pointed, whilst the end on the left-hand side is cut off quite square. In all the genuine stamps which I have seen, the S of the lower SEN has its upper part distinctly larger than the lower part; but this forgery shows the said S with its upper part smaller than the lower part.

4 Sen, green.
(Plates 1 to 3.)

Genuine.

There is a good deal of difference in the tint of this value. It varies from a dark Prussian-green to a very blue-green. Engraved in taille-douce; paper and perforation as before. The character imitated by the forgeries is “I,” the first of the radicals. It is like a capital T, with the head drawn very obliquely, pointing upwards to the right, and downwards to the left. The topmost flower, or whatever it is, of the right-hand branch shows a number of leaves or petals, varying according to the type; but there are never fewer than seven, and more often eight. The upper half of the S of SEN is always somewhat larger than the lower half. The lowest leaf of the left-hand branch is a long way from the little square which contains the plate-letter. The cross-stroke of the lower 4 is always a good deal larger than Europeans are accustomed to make it; ie., it projects too much to the right. There is a little dot at each corner of the stamp, outside the whole design; and these dots are properly placed, so that if a rectangular line were drawn round the outside of the design, the dots would come at the four-corners. The ink stands but well from the surface of the paper, and the whole impression is remarkably clear, especially in those copies on the thicker paper. The wheel-flower is generally pretty close to the outline above it; but this is not a very reliable test, as the distance varies in the different types.

Forged.
(Plate 1.)

Tolerably well lithographed, on thin, rather hard, yellowish-white wove paper; perf. 12 or 12 ½. The tint is always the same, a medium shade of slightly yellowish-green. The stem of the plate-letter is very stumpy, and always touches the outline of the square below it, though most of the genuine stamps show the character not touching the lower outline. The topmost flower of the right-hand branch bears only six petals or leaves. I think this will be found the most reliable test for the forgeries. The S of SEN is an ordinary, capital S, the upper portion not being larger than the lower. The lowest leaf of the left-hand branch has one of its points almost touching the little square which contains the plate-letter. The cross-stroke of the lower 4 is short, just as we are accustomed to see it drawn. Three of the dots, outside the design, are correctly placed; but the one at the right-hand upper corner is placed a good deal too much to the left of its proper position, so that it would not come at the corner of a rectangular line, drawn round the whole design. The impression is flat, not showing the ink standing up at all; and it is not so clear as in the genuine stamps, though tolerably well lithographed. The wheel-flower is a long way from the outline above it.

It will be understood that there are many more differences, besides the ones just indicated, between the genuine and the forged; but the types of the genuine vary so much that it is useless to name the said differences. In this, as in all the other stamps of this issue, I have simply given those points common to all the genuine types.

30 Sen, grey.
(Plate 1.)

I believe there is only one plate of this stamp. I have seen a great many specimens; but they have invariably borne the character “I,” which is something like a capital “T,” with a very sloping top.

Genuine.

Engraved in taille-douce; paper and perforation as before. The wheel-flower is quite circular, and, in all the copies in my possession, it is a good distance from the outline above it. The top flower of the left-hand branch touches the wheel-flower, and one of the flowers of the left-hand branch very nearly touches it. Some of the flowers of the right-hand branch invariably touch the ornament in the right-hand bottom corner of the central rectangle. In some types they touch in three places, in others two, and in others only one; but they always touch somewhere. The lower stems of the crossed branches are drawn so long as to touch both the ornaments in the lower corners of the central rectangle. The lowest leaf of the left-hand branch shows six distinct side-veins.

Forged.
(Plate 1.)

Lithographed. The design, paper, tint of the stamp, etc., are very well imitated, except that the paper is too yellow, and thinner and harder than in the genuine; pin-perf. 12 and 13. The wheel-flower is not very well drawn; it is decidedly not circular, and the central white spot is much too large. The top of the wheel almost touches the outline above it. The top flower of the right-hand branch does not touch the wheel, and the lower leaves of the said branch do not anywhere touch the ornament in the right-hand lower corner of the central rectangle. The stems of the branches are not of equal length. The left-hand stem touches the ornament in the left-hand lower corner; but the right-hand stem is a long way from the ornament in the right-hand lower corner. The lowest leaf of the left-hand branch only shows four side-veins; indeed, I ought not to call them “side-veins” in this case, for they are like a bird’s toes; whereas, in the genuine, there is a straight central vein, with six side-veins projecting from it. I cannot give more tests than the above, on account of the variation in the types of the genuine.

POSTMARKS.

Genuine. – The postmarks of the two sets just described are very various. The following are the chief cancellations in use: Two concentric’ circles, with Japanese characters in the centre, and between the circles; a. single, very thick circle, containing Japanese characters; an oblong, ditto; a very small thick circle, ditto; eight wedge-shaped blotches, arranged in a circle, point to point, with white spaces between the wedges, like 20; four V-shaped blotches, point to point, with white spaces between, somewhat like 88; a thing very like the Japanese numeral for 6, which, as I am informed, means “POST”; a cross in red; a thing like a very large 3; a set of seven small wedges, in blue, point to point, with spaces between, and the eighth wedge missing, thus leaving a blank; a shapeless, mauve-coloured blotch; a circular black blotch; Japanese characters in a circle, without any boundary line; ditto, in a hexagonal frame, etc. It would almost seem from this that each office is at liberty to adopt what cancel-stamp it fancies.

Forged. – The forgeries do not show the same variety. I have seen them with a set of four or five thin, parallel black bars; a circle containing “JOKOHAMA,” “NAGASAKI,” etc., in English characters; a diamond of square dots; a diamond of thick parallel bars, of graduated lengths; and the almost inevitable copy of the New South Wales cancellation, 62. It will be seen, therefore, that the forgers have not imitated a single one of all the varieties of cancellation found on the genuine, though I am sure they had choice enough.

Issue of January, 1875. Bird; 12 Sen, rose-pink
(Plates 1 to 3.)

Genuine.

Engraved in taille-douce, on rather thick, white wove paper, thickly gummed, pin-perforated 11½, 12½, etc. The perforation is very irregular, and difficult to count. The bird has two legs, one held up, after the manner of a common fowl; its neck is shaded with rings or rows of dots, giving it a worm-like appearance. The wheel-flower at the top of the stamp has, as usual, sixteen spokes, and the wheel itself is circular and distinct. There is a diamond-shaped, dark dot at each corner of the stamp, just inside the outer frame. The bird’s tail is cut off quite square.

Forged.
(Plate 1.)

Lithographed, in rose-red, instead of pink, on very yellowish-white wove paper, ungummed, thin and soft; pin-perf. 13. The plate-letter is much too small, and the top or head is distinctly joined to the perpendicular stroke. The bird has only one leg; the shading on the neck is indistinct, and not in rings. The wheel-flower at the top of the stamp has only thirteen spokes, and the wheel is indistinct, blotchy, and not truly circular. There are dots in the right-hand corners, but not in the left-hand ones. The bird’s tail is rounded, like that of a partridge.

15 Sen, lilac.
(Plates 1 to 3.)

Genuine.

Engraved in taille-douce; paper, perforation, etc., as before. The shade is almost invariably a bluish-lilac. The wheel-flower at the top of the stamp has sixteen spokes. In Plate 1, the head-stroke is not joined to the vertical stroke, but is fairly close to it. The four flowers which separate the English and Japanese values in the ring are like the corner-flowers of the stamps of the previous issue, showing five petals, with the tips of five other petals appearing behind the others. They are nicely and distinctly drawn. In each of the four corners of the stamp, just inside the boundary-line, there is a sort of trident-shaped ornament, and the central stem of each trident points exactly to the corner of the stamp. The inner end of the stem of each trident is finished off with a little ball or knob.

Forged.
(Plate 1.)

Lithographed, in decidedly reddish-lilac, on very yellowish-white wove paper, ungummed; pin-perforated 13. The wheel-flower at the top of the stamp has eighteen spokes, not very regularly drawn. The plate-letter has its head a long way from the vertical stroke – much farther than in the genuine. The four flowers in the ring round the central circle are very badly done; they look like small representations of the wheel-flower, instead of ornamental flowers of ten petals. The four trident-shaped ornaments in the corners do not point exactly towards their respective corners of the stamp. The right-hand bottom one ends with a cross, the left-hand bottom one with a stroke beyond the ball, and the right-hand top one runs into the outline of the value-label below it.

45 Sen, red.
(Plates 1 to 3.)

Genuine.

Engraved in taille-douce; paper as before, though rather more yellowish-white; brownish; nicely machine-perforated 13. The wheel-flower at the top of the stamp has, as before, sixteen spokes. The flowers in the four corners are all of equal size. In Plate 1, the top-stroke is not joined to the vertical one. The bird has nine feathers in its tail, and a distinct, white patch on the throat, below the beak. The eye is white, with a very small, dark pupil. The colour of this stamp is a carmine-red, pale or dark.

Forged.
(Plate 1.)

Poorly lithographed, on thin, very yellowish-white wove paper; ungummed; pin-pricked about 13, but very badly done. The wheel-flower at the top of the stamp has seventeen spokes. The flowers in the four corners are all of different sizes, the one in the left-hand top corner being very much smaller than any of the others, and the one in the left-hand bottom corner being the largest of all. The top-stroke of the plate-letter joins the vertical stroke. The bird has only five feathers in its tail. The white patch under the beak on the throat is absent; and the eye is not to be seen. The colour of the forgeries is always a sort of red-vermilion, quite different from that of the genuine. I think this forgery is the poorest of the set.

POSTMARKS.

Genuine. – The genuine stamps are cancelled with Japanese characters in a circle without any boundary-line, struck in black or green; or four V-shaped black blotches, arranged point to point; or a diamond, of very large, diamond-shaped black dots; or rows of thick, oblong blotches, with wide spaces between; or a circle, with a black cross in the centre, etc.

Forged. – The forgeries bear either a circle, as before, with NAGASAKI, or some other name, in English letters; or the oval, like 54, formed by three straight lines at top and bottom and four curved lines at each side, without central numeral or lettering; or a diamond, of small, square dots.

Issue of February, 1875. 10 Sen, blue, small.

Genuine.
(Plates 4, 5.)

Engraved in taille-douce, on hard, white wove paper, rather thin; machine-perforated 13. The plate-letter imitated by the forgers is the character “NI,” the fourth of the radicals, which consists of two transverse strokes, the upper one shorter than the other. In the genuine, the lower stroke goes right across the little rectangle which contains it, and touches each side of it. The wheel-flower contains sixteen spokes, as before. The upper half of the S of each SEN is larger than the lower half. The outer eye of each dragon does not touch the head. The fringe of hair on the heads of the dragons seems to vary, but there are never fewer than ten hairs in each fringe, or mane, or whatever it is intended for.

Forged.
(Plate 4.)

Lithographed, on yellowish-white wove paper; very badly pin-perforated so that I have not been able to count the perforations. The lower stroke of the plate-letter touches the right-hand side of the outline of the rectangle containing it, but does not touch the left-hand side; the upper stroke is a good deal too short. The wheel-flower contains only fourteen spokes. The S of each word SEN is like an ordinary capital S. The outer eye of each dragon touches the outline of the head. The mane of the right-hand dragon shows nine hairs, and that of the left-hand dragon shows nine also. The spokes of the wheel-flower are the easiest test for this forgery.

Same Issue. 20 Sen, rose, small.

Genuine.
(Plate 8.)

Engraved in taille-deuce, on white, or pinkish-white, wove paper, rather thin and hard; machine-perforated 13. The pinkish tint of the paper of some of these stamps is simply caused by the plate not having been wiped quite clean; it has nothing to do with the real colour of the paper itself. The circular hand round the central characters does not touch either side of the frame outside it. The spokes of the wheel-flower are regularly drawn, and do not touch each other before they get to the central white spot. The flower itself has sixteen spokes. The S of each SEN has its upper half larger than the lower. The plate-letter is the eighth radical, which is like a capital F of our written alphabet. This character reaches almost to the very top, bottom, and sides of the rectangle which contains it, and the top-stroke is not joined to the vertical one. Each of the leaves behind the plate-letter rectangle has three or more flower-buds standing up from the top of it, like those in the large 20 SEN, purple. The side-frames of the stamp, in the parts not hidden by the perpendicular labels, are shaded with very thick and very thin lines alternately.

Forged.
(Plate 8.)

Lithographed, in vermilion-red, instead of rose , on very yellowish wove paper, very hard, and rather thin; perforated 13. The circular band round the central characters touches the outline of the frame also. The spokes of the wheel-flower are not nicely drawn, several of them touching before they reach the central, white spot. The only specimen which I possess of this forgery is blotched, just over part of the wheel-flower, so that I am not sure whether it contains sixteen spokes or not. The S of each SEN is like an ordinary capital S. The plate-letter is too small for the containing rectangle; the tail of the vertical stroke is very much too short; the top-stroke is joined to the said vertical stroke, and the whole character does not nearly reach to the bottom or either of the sides of the rectangle, though it is pretty close to the top of it The middle leaf, behind the plate-letter, has three buds standing up from it, but none are visible from the two side-leaves. This last is an easy test. The side-frames are shaded by vertical lines, which are all of very nearly the same thickness, instead of being alternately very thick and very thin.

Same Issue. 30 Sen, mauve, small.

Genuine.
(Plates 2, 3, 4.)

Engraved in taille-douce, on very thin, yellowish-white wove paper; very irregularly pin-perforated or machine-perforated 12 ½. The plate-letter imitated by the forgers is the second radical, “RO,” which is a sort of transverse oblong. The upper half of the S of the top SEN is larger than the lower half of the said letter. The stem of the left-hand branch, projecting on the right-hand side, is shaded with short strokes, running across the stem; the corresponding stem, on the left-hand side of the stamp is shaded with one or two long strokes, along the stem. The top flower of the left-hand branch is a bell, with three little points; the top flower of the right-hand branch has six petals, the outer one touching the ornament in the right-hand top corner of the central rectangle.

Forged.
(Plate 2.)

This is very inferior to the nicely-engraved original. It is lithographed, in very brown lilac, instead of bright mauve, on very thin, soft, yellowish-white wove paper, badly pin-perforated 13. The plate-letter is tolerably well imitated, but the rectangle containing it is a good deal too small. The S of the top SEN is like an ordinary capital S. The stem on the right-hand side of the stamp, and that on the left-hand side, are both solid, with no lines of shading visible. Both the stems are of the same thickness, but in the genuine, the right-hand one is a good deal thicker than the left-hand one. The top flower of the left-hand branch is a sort of oval bud, without any projecting. The top flower of the right-hand branch has only five petals, and two of them touch the ornament in the right-hand upper corner of the central rectangle. The whole execution of this forgery is very poor, and the colour is altogether different from that of the genuine.

POSTMARKS.

Genuine. – The genuine stamps bear either a single, very thick circle, with Japanese lettering in the centre; or a double circle, with Japanese lettering between the circles and in the centre; or the character signifying “post”; or a very large 3; or a sort of half-moon; or undecipherable blotches.

Forged. – The forgeries bear a diamond of square dots; or a single thin circle, with a few faint blotches in it; or the oval before described, formed by straight and curved lines.

Issues of 1876, etc. Oval Garter; 5 Sen, green.

Genuine.

Engraved in taille-douce, on soft, thickish, white wove paper; very badly pin-perf. about 11; white gum. There is no plate-letter, so far as I know. The flowers in the four corners of the stamp are very nicely done, and they are the same pattern as those described in the 15 sen, bird issue, having five petals, distinctly divided from each other by dark lines, and the tips of five other petals peeping out from behind. The dark outline of the buckle is unbroken all the way round, and the centre of the buckle, in all the specimens in my possession, is shaded with very fine, crossed lines. The space between the garter and the end of the strap which bears the value, where the background of the central oval would be supposed to be visible – ie., under, and to the right of the EN of SEN, between those letters and the buckle – is similarly shaded with fine, crossed lines. All the little leaves in the ornamental scroll-work, outside the garter, are outlined, with white centres.

Forged.
(Plate 17.)

PoorIy lithographed, on white wove paper, thicker than that of the genuine; ungummed; badly in perforated 13. The plate-letter on this forgery is the seventeenth radical , “RE,” which is like a capital V, with the right side very much splayed out. It will be found immediately to the left of the buckle, on the shaded part. The flowers in the four corners are very poor; the five petals are not divided from each other, and the one in the left-hand upper corner is very much out of shape. The dark outline of the buckle is broken away, where it touches the strap which bears the value; the centre of the said buckle is shaded with ten coarse, uncrossed lines. The space between the garter and the strap is white. All the little leaves in the ornamental scroll-work, outside the garter, are solid, except about three, which show white centres, somewhat in the fashion of the genuine. I do not call this a very successful forgery.

Same design; 6 Sen, purple-brown.

Genuine.
(Plates 10, 11, and 13 to 18.)

Engraved in taille-douce on thick, yellowish-white wove paper; brown gum; machine-perforated 11, 11½, 12½, or badly and irregularly pin-perforated. The inner outline of the garter is thickest on the left-hand side of the stamp, and the outer outline is thickest on the right-hand side. There are three perfect holes, and a portion of a fourth, at the bottom of the garter, the fourth showing just by the right-hand outline. The head of the S of the upper SEN is larger than the lower half of that letter. Except in very heavily printed copies, the little leaves of the ornamental scroll-work, outside the garter, are all outlined, with white centres.

Forged.
(Plate 17 ?)

Poorly lithographed, on thin, common, yellowish-white wove paper; ungummed; badly pin-pricked 13. The plate-letter is hardly decipherable, but I think it is “RE,” Plate 17. The outer outline of the garter is thickest on the right-hand side, as in the genuine; but the inner outline is the same thickness both sides. There are only three holes at the bottom of the garter, and there is plenty of room to place a fourth hole between them and the outline. The S of the upper SEN is like an ordinary capital S. The little leaves of the ornamental scroll-work, outside the garter, are all solid except about three.

Same design; 6 Sen, orange.

Genuine.
(Plates 10, 11, and 13 to 22.)

Engraved in taille-douce; paper, perforation, etc., as in the 6 sen, brown. The plate-letter imitated is the eleventh radical, “RU,” which is extremely like the Roman numerals, IV.; the I of the IV is as dark as the other character. The narrow ends of the buckle are very nearly square. The rest of the stamp is just like the 6 sen, purple-brown, just described.

Forged.
(Plate 11.)

Lithographed, on yellowish-white wove paper, thin and common; no gum; very badly pin-perforated. The I of the plate-letter IV is hardly decipherable. The narrow ends of the buckle are rounded off, so as to make it a sort of oval. All the rest of the design is exactly like the forged 6 sen, brown, just described.

POSTMARKS.

Genuine. – The genuine stamps bear usually either the double circle, with Japanese lettering between the circles, and in the centre, or the thick single circle, with Japanese lettering inside it. I have seen no cancellations except these.

Forged. – The forgeries are postmarked with the diamond of small, square dots, or the single, thick circle, containing the name of a town – NAGASAKI for instance – in English letters.

Concerning plate-letters, Gibbons gives the ½ sen, brown, with syllabic characters, 1 and 2; 1 sen, blue, 1 to 12; 2 sen, yellow, 1 to 23; 4 sen, rose, 1; 6 sen, purple-brown, 10, 11, and 13 to 18; 10 sen, green, 1 to 3; 20 sen, purple, 4, 5; 30 sen, grey, 1; 12 sen, rose, 1 to 3; 15 sen, lilac, 1 to 3; 45 sen, carmine, 1 to 3. Of the next issue: ½ sen, grey, 2 to 4; 1 sen, brown, 5. 7, 8, and 12 to 17; 4 sen, green, 1 to 3; 6 sen, orange, 10, 11, 13 to 22; 10 sen, blue, 4 and 5; 20 sen, carmine, 8; 30 sen, violet, 2 to 4. It is, of course, understood that, on any one sheet, all the stamps bear the same plate- letter.

These informative notes from “Album Weeds: Japan 1871 – 1876”, vol. 2, January 1906, by Rev. R. B. Earee are indispensable for sorting the early issues of Japan and their subsequent forgeries/reprints.