Genuine

Violet issued 4 February 1875 with Syllabics (2 – ro), (3 – ha) and (4 – ni) only

Scott #49 and Sakura #48 on foreign paper

Size 19 1/2 mm x 22 1/2 mm

The 30 sen violet with syllabics is thought to have four plates.  The two plates for Syllabic (2-ro) one plate each for syllabic (3-ha) and (4-ni). However, Ichida says, “Further study on the number of plates is necessary”.  There are no known forgeries with syllabic syllabic (3-ha) or (4-ni) so these syllabics are presumed genuine.

Reminder:  Only 16 petals or florets in the genuine Kiku Crest (Chrysanthemum Crest).

Syllabic (4-ni)

Probably has a sumiten erased

Differences Between Genuine and Forged

Wada, Maeda and the Mihon forger committed obvious mistakes when forging the 30 sen  violet.  Maeda, Wada Plate 37, and the Mihon forger have crossed branches on their forgeries instead of the syllabics.  Crossed branches were never used on any genuine 30 sen violet stamp.  Wada on his Plate 38 used syllabic (14-ka) which was never used on the genuine stamp.  Thus all the Maeda, Wada, and Mihon forgeries can be easily identified from these feaatures alone.

Spiro made a rather crude forgery with syllabic (2-ro).  There is a very deceptive forgery by an unknown forger with syllabic that is best identified by a reversed raimon at the SW.  Two more modern “reproductions” exist with syllabic .

Genuine: Raimon at SW –  normal position.  Forgeries:  Deceptive forgery –  raimon at SW reversed.

 “Phantom” Forgeries  both “Signed” and “Unsigned“

Mihon & Crossed Branches: Type 3

Shades vary from violet to gray

Maeda: Type 3, unsigned with crossed branches

Sky blue shade

“Unsigned” Forgeries with Syllabic

Unknown Forger: 1 syllabic (2 -ro)

A very deceptive forgery. Only obvious error is reversed raimon at SW corner.

 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 – Design 121

States 1. 2, 3, & 5 (No. 40).

Characteristics of Design 121:

1. 1. 1. Break at top of North “E”

JSPA Reproduction with Syllabic