Cherry Blossoms – Wagtail: 15 Sen Lilac with Syllabics
Genuine
Issued 1 January 1875 with Syllabics
(1 – i ) ,
(2 – ro) and
(3 – ha)
Scott #47 and Sakura #37 on foreign paper
Size 19 1/2 mm x 22 1/2 mm
The 15 sen lilac with syllabics has five original plates. Ichida says, two plates each with syllabics (1-i) and syllabic
(2-ro) and one plate
(3-ha). There are no known classic forgeries with syllabic
or
. However, there is a 1961 Japan Stamp Publicity Association Reproduction, a 1954 ABC Kurabu (Club) forgery, and a 1912 Tayama reproduction with syllabic
(2-ro). Therefore, only stamps
(3-ha) may be presumed genuine.
Reminder: Only 16 petals or florets in the genuine Kiku Crest (Chrysanthemum Crest).
Syllabic
(1-i)
Syllabic
(2-ro)
Syllabic
(3-ha)
15 Sen Secret Marks
There are five secret marks hidden in the corner designs. Two in the top corner designs and three in the bottom corner designs. These secret marks are shown here, but they are somewhat difficult to see and other features may identify the forgeries easier. Most of the forgeries do not reproduce any of the secret marks correctly.
North Corner Scrolls
Top: West side has single curved line. East side has two curves on stem.
Bottom: West side has three lines. East side has two lines.
South Corner Scrolls
Top: West side doesn’t have a line. East side has a line.
Middle: West side doesn’t have a line. East side has a line.
Bottom: West side has a line. East side line is missing.
Other Differences Between Genuine and Forged
Milton T. Montgomery in A Guide to the Cherry Blossom Series describes the forgery characteristics below in this 15 sen stamp. However Wada’s plate 34, with no sankō or mozō, reproduces the genuine characteristics better than the other forgers and needs different criteria for determining the forgeries. Wada’s plate 34 forgeries will be described in detail below.
Montgomery’s characteristics are described here and will identify most of the forgeries.
- Genuine: The bird’s tail ends in a V-shaped notch. Forgeries: The tail end is either square or rounded.
- Genuine: The top of the small east-wing crosses under the large wing-tip and shows to the west of it. Forgeries: The small wing tip is missing.
- Genuine: Tips of the leaves on the east are cut off by the inner circle. Forgeries: Tips are pointed and complete.
- Genuine: There is space between the bottom frame line and the inner circle. Forgeries: In most forgeries, the bottom line touches the circle.
Wada: 15 Sen Forgeries, Plate 34 “Unsigned”
Plate 34: No sankō or mozō and there are 16 petals in the Crest. Plate 34 positions are all syllabic (1-i). These forgeries do not have the errors listed above. The features appear more like those of the genuine stamps. Wada, except in one instance, reproduced many of the secret marks correctly too. Wada’s most consistent secret mark error is found in the North Corner Scrolls bottom characteristic. The Genuine has 3 lines at the west and 2 at the east. See the table at right for the way Wada reproduced this secret mark in his eight different positions.
- Position 1: west has two lines and East one line,
- Position 2: west has two lines and East two lines
- Position 3: west 3 lines and east one line
- Position 4: west 3 lines and east one line
- Position 5: west 2 lines and east 1 small short line
- Position 6: west 2 lines and east one line
- Position 7: west 2 lines and east one light line
- Position 8: west 3 lines and east one line
Wada, Plate 34, Position 1 “Unsigned“
Syllabic
(1-i)
Incorrect Secret Mark
“Signed” Forgeries
WADA: Plate 33: Wada changed this plate in different ways. He changed from mozō to sankō, and then changed the position and size of the sankō. The earliest examples (state 1) of plate 33 have sankō high close to the circle in the color of the stamps. State 2 the sankō is lower above the bird. State 3 large mozō close to the inner circle. State 4 has small sanko on either side of the bird’s body.
Positions 1 (all states) has 12 petals in Chrysanthemum Crest; position 2 has 13 petals; position 3 has 14 petals; and positions 4-6, have 15 petals.
All are syllabic (1-i).
Note: 33-3 means Plate 33, position 3 etc..
Wada: Plate 33-4, state 1, with sankō high
Chrysanthemum Crest has 15 petals
Wada: Plate 33-2, state 2, with sankō lower
Chrysanthemum Crest has 13 petals
Wada: Plate 33-4, state 3, with mozō
Chrysanthemum Crest has 15 petals
Wada: Plate 33-3, state 4, with sankō either side of bird
Chrysanthemum Crest has 14 petals
Wada: Plate 33-4, state 4 with sankō either side of bird and kō missing
Chrysanthemum Crest has 15 petals
Maeda: 15 sen, type 1, with sankō
Mihon: Type 1, syllabic
(1-i)
Chrysanthemum Crest has 15 petals. Type 1 is also known without mihon (see below).
Mihon: Type 2, syllabic
(1-i)
Chrysanthemum Crest has 14 petals
Mihon: Type 3, syllabic
(1-i)
Chrysanthemum Crest has 14 petals.
Maeda: Type 2, syllabic
(1-i)
Crysanthemum Crest has 16 petals (one large petal near bottom could be two petals – then 17 petals)
Maeda: Type 2, syllabic
(1-i)
Spiro: syllabic
(1 -i)
17 petals in Chrysanthemum Crest
Mihon Type 1: syllabic
(1-i), with no mihon
15 Petals in Chrysanthemum Crest
ABC Kurabu (ABC Club) - 1950's-1960's
For more information about the ABC Kurabu Forgeries click here.
Note: Numbers in parenthesis and bold are the catalog numbers found on reverse of the forgeries. State 4 forgeries did not have any numbers on the reverse. It is believed that State 4 forgeries exist for all different values. But only a few State 4 examples were available for examination. When State 4 was available for examination, the design type is recorded.
ABC (Kurabu) Club Forgery syllabic ロ (ro-2) – Design 116
States 1, 2. 3 & 5 (No. 32).
Characteristics of Design 116:
-
-
- Breaks.
- South “s” misshapen at bottom.
-
Reproductions
JSPA: 15 Sen Wagtail, Syllabic ロ (ro-2) from Sheet No. 1, Issued 20 April 1961
This stamp reproduces the genuine issue of 1 January 1875 on wove paper. The sheet is on wove paper.
Click here to see more information about JSPA reproductions.
Tayama: 1912
This 15 sen wagtail, syllabic ロ (ro), is in found in Sheet 1 included with the 1912 issue of the Communications Law Monthly Report. Type 1 Cancel.
Inscriptions translate:
15 sen bird;
Issued: Meiji 8.1 (January 1875);
Off Sale: Meiji 10.6 (October 1877);
Invalidated: Meiji 22. 11 (November 1889)
Click here to see more information about Tayama reproductions.