Cherry Blossoms: 6 Sen Orange and Violet Brown with Syllabics Below Buckle
Genuine
1 January 1874 violet brown on native paper
4 February 1875 violet brown or orange on foreign wove paper
Scott #29 and Sakura 23, イ (i-1), ロ (ro-2), ハ ( ha-3), ニ (ni-4), ホ (ho-5), ヘ (he-6), ト (to-7), チ (chi-8), リ (ri-9), ヌ (nu-10), ル (ru-11), and ヲ (wo-12) on native paper.
Scott #36 and Sakura #32, violet brown with syllabics ヌ (nu-10), ル (ru- 11), ワ (wa-13), カ (ka-14), ヨ (yo- 15), タ (ta-16). レ (re-17) and ソ (so-18) on foreign wove paper.
Scott #43 and Sakura #44, orange with syllabics ヌ (nu-10), ル (ru-11), ワ (wa-13), カ (ka-14), ヨ (yo- 15), タ (ta-16). and レ (re-17) on foreign wove paper.
Size 19 1/2 mm x 22 1/2 mm
For syllabics ヌ (nu-10), ル (ru- 11), the same plate was used for all three of the genuine issues. Syllabic ソ (so-18) was used only for printing the violet brown shade on foreign paper. Any stamp on native paper, or in the orange color with syllabic ソ (so-18) is a phantom and a forgery.
There are few unused full sheets on these stamps. However, it is believed that there were two plates for syllabics タ (ta-16). レ (re-17) and only one plate for the rest of the syllabics.
The only known syllabics of either color that are forged or reproduced are イ (i-1), ヌ (nu-10), ル (ru-11), ワ (wa-13), カ (ka-14), ヨ (yo- 15), タ (ta-16). and レ (re-17). These are the only syllabics used in the graphics below. Some genuine plates were used for both colors.
Reminder: Only 16 petals or florets in the genuine Kiku Crest (Chrysanthemum Crest). There are no known forgeries of syllabic ロ (ro-2), ハ ( ha-3), ニ (ni-4), ホ (ho-5), ヘ (he-6), ト (to-7), チ (chi-8), リ (ri-9), ヲ (wo-12), or ソ (so-18). See below for possible fakes made by perforating genuine postal stationery.
Syllabic イ (i-1)
Genuine only in violet brown on native paper
Syllabic ヌ (nu-10)
Genuine:
- Violet brown native paper
- Violet brown foreign wove paper
- Orange foreign wove paper
Syllabic ル (ru-11)
Genuine:
- Violet brown native paper
- Violet brown foreign wove paper
- Orange foreign wove paper
Syllabic ワ (wa-13)
Genuine
- Violet brown foreign wove paper
- Orange foreign wove paper
Syllabic カ (ka-14)
Genuine
- Violet brown foreign wove paper
- Orange foreign wove paper
Syllabic ヨ (yo-15)
Genuine
- Violet brown foreign wove paper
- Orange foreign wove paper
Syllabic タ (ta-16)
Genuine
- Violet brown foreign wove paper
- Orange foreign wove paper
Syllabic レ (re-17)
Genuine
- Violet brown foreign wove paper
- Orange foreign wove paper
Differences Between Genuine and Forged
A & B characteristics are typical of the unsigned Wada Forgeries, but the signed Wada forgeries and the forgeries by other forgers did not make this mistake. Most of the forgeries found are Wada forgeries.
A. Genuine: There are always shading lines to the west of the south “6”. Forgeries: In some forgeries these shading lines are missing.
B: Genuine: A small leaf extends from the scroll north of the southwest cherry blossom. Forgeries: No leaf, but there is a small “hook” extending at the west end on the “6 sen band”.
C: Genuine: In all the genuine stamps, the outer frame line of the oval is always noticeable thicker at the east than at the west. The inner frame line of the oval is thicker at the west than at the east. Forgeries: Usually these frame lines are about equal in thickness..
Postal Stationery Genuine or with Fake Perforations
The only syllabics on the 6 sen envelopes are イ (i-1), ロ (ro-2), ハ ( ha-3), and ニ (ni-4). The paper of the stamped envelopes resembles that of the foreign wove paper of the stamps, The genuine stamps with these syllabics occur only on native paper. Therefore, any 6 sen stamp with these syllabics on foreign paper is either a forgery or a cut out piece of stationery with fake perforations.
Note: The different color of these two examples is not as significant as it appears. These examples suffer because the scans were done under different light or with scanners of different capabilities. However, the different papers are significant. The stamp is on native paper and the stamped envelope is on wove paper.
Although many of the features of the genuine stamp and stamped envelope are similar, there are some significant differences.
- The cherry blossoms in all four corners are different. In the stamp they are much closer to the frame and fill the space. In the stationery they are smaller and do not fill the space.
- The points of leaves on the scroll of the northwest cherry blossom face toward the oval band and do not touch each other. On the northeast they point toward each other. On the stationery on both sides they face down and touch or are close to touching.
The only known forgeries of syllabics ロ (ro-2), ハ (ha-3) or ニ (ni-4) are those made from perforating postal stationery.
For these syllabics:
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- Violet brown: Any stamp on native paper can be presumed genuine.
- Violet brown: Any stamp on wove paper is either a cut square of postal stationery with fake perforations, or a new forgery.
- Orange color: A phantom, no genuine stamps exist.
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First Issue & Second Issue
Syllabic イ (i-1)
Anyone at any time can add fake perforations to a piece of postal stationery and there is no way of knowing how many times this has occurred or is occurring. The genuine first issue 6 sen stamped envelope stationery designs and the 6 sen violet brown stamp designs with syllabic are almost identical. The second issue of the 6 sen stamped envelope has a different central inscription that is easy to recognize and was never used on stamps. The inscription on the first issue reads Yūbin Kitte ( 郵便 切手) or Postage Stamp. On the second issue, the inscription reads Yūbin Fūhi (郵便 封皮) or Postage Envelope.
First Issue with Yūbin Kitte ( 郵便 切手) – Postage Stamp
Second Issue, variety 2 with Yūbin Fūhi (郵便 封皮) – Postage Envelope
Second Issue, variety 1 with Yūbin Fūhi (郵便 封皮) – FAKE PERFORATIONS
“Signed” Forgeries
All Syllabic カ (ka-14)
Wada: Plate 22, State 1
Sankō west of Chrysanthemum Crest.
Wada: Plate 22, State 2
Sankō on either side of “6 sen” in upper garter.
Wada: Plate 22, State 3
Mozō west of Chrysanthemum Crest
Wada: Plate 22, State 4
Mozō under lower characters at E and W garter.
Wada: Plate 22, State 5
Mozō under lower characters at E and W garter and waves retouched.
Mihon: Type 1
Mihon west of Chrysanthemum Crest. 16 Petals in Crest.
Mihon: Type 2
Ooops! Someone forgot the Mihon and also forgot the characters 切手 (stamp) which should be there. West of Chrysanthemum Crest is blank. 17 Petals in Crest.
Mihon: Type 2
Ah well, someone remembered what they forget and added back the mihon. 17 Petals in Crest.
Mihon: Type 3
Mihon west of Chrysanthemum Crest. 15 Petals in Crest.
“Unsigned ” Forgeries
Wada: Plate 23, Syllabic カ (ka-14)
No shading west of bottom “6” in “6 sen”
Wada: Plate 24,Syllabic カ (ka-14)
No shading west of bottom “6” in “6 sen”
Spiro: Syllabic レ (re-17)
Many differences exist
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 (ABC Club) 6 sen violet, syllabic イ (i-1) – Design 107-A
State 1 (No. 17), States 2, 3 and 5 (No. 18): Design 107-A.
Characteristics of Design 107-A:
- Petals faint or missing in crest.
- Breaks.
ABC Kurabu (ABC Club) 6 sen violet, syllabic ル (ru-11) – Design 107-B
States 1, 2, 3 & 5 (No. 27), State 4 (no number): Design 107-B.
Characteristics of Design 107-B:
- Break in South frame line.
ABC Kurabu (ABC Club) 6 sen orange. syllabic レ (re-17) – Design 107-C
States 1, 2, 3 & 5 (No. 37), State 4 (no number): Design 107-C.
Characteristics of Design 107-C:
- Break in crest petal line.
Forgeries Described by A. M. Tracy Woodward
The genuine stamps were printed in both violet and orange from the same plates. Forgeries are known in both colors.
Syllabic ヌ (nu-10) – Orange only
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- Dot in margin near northwest corner.*
- Leaf on first curl east of southwest cherry blossom is missing on genuine stamps.*
- North Cherry Blossoms (both East and West do not touch the upper frame in the forgery. They do touch in all the genuine plate positions.
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Syllabic ヌ (nu-10) – Orange only
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- This is the same stamp as the one on the left. In January 2022, ISJP member Mr. Charles Nakamura acquired this well known and rare Japanese postal forgery from a dealer in Melbourne, Australia. It is the same stamp shown on the ISJP CD-ROM and described by Varro Tyler in the reference below.* This find enabled a scan of the reverse of the stamp showing what Woodward called “heavily grained foreign wove paper”.
Syllabic ル (ru-11) – Orange only
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- Small dot below lower character 便 at east of chrysanthemum crest.*
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Syllabic タ (ta-16) – Violet & Orange
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- Leaf missing from second curl west of northeast cherry blossom.*
- Leaf missing from first curl west of southeast cherry blossom.*
- Leaf missing from first curl east of southwest cherry blossom.*
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Syllabic タ (ta-16) Unused Forgery and Forgery with Sankō
All the タ forgeries on the left and above are made from a single die and this same die was used to produce the postal forgeries that were described by Woodward. The orange syllabic タ is used so assuming the postmark is genuine, it is a “postal forgery”. The other forgeries, of course, are not “postal forgeries” simply because they never went through the mails.
*All characteristic information from Varro Tyler’s article in Japanese Philately, vol. 23, pp213-216.
Reproductions
Japan Stamp Publicity Association
JSPA Sheet No. 2 issued 20 September 1961
The stamp in this sheet reproduces the genuine issue of 1 January 1874 in violet brown on vertical laid paper with syllabic イ (i-1). The sheet is on laid paper. For more information click here.
JSPA Sheet No. 6 issued 20 May 1962
The stamp in this sheet reproduces the genuine issue of 4 February 1875 in orange on hard wove paper with syllabic レ (re-17). The sheet is on wove paper. For more information click here.
JSPA Sheet No. 9 issued 20 November 1962
The stamp in this sheet reproduces the genuine issue of February 1875 in violet on wove paper with syllabic カ (ka-14). The sheet is on wove paper. For more information click here.
Tayama 1908
This 6 sen violet brown stamp, syllabic カ (ka- 14) is found in sheet 2 included with the 1908 issue of the Communications Law Monthly Report. It has the type 1 cancel.
Inscriptions translate:
6 sen ;
Issued: Meiji 7.1 (January 1874);
Off Sale: Meiji 8.2 (February 1877);
Invalidated: Meiji 22. 11 (November 1889)
Click here to see more information about Tayama reproductions.
Tayama 1912
This 6 sen orange stamp, syllabic タ (ta-16) is found in sheet 2 included with the 1912 issue of the Communications Law Monthly Report. It has the type 2 cancel.
Inscriptions translate:
6 sen orange-yellow;
Issued: Meiji 8.2 (February 1875);
Off Sale: Meiji 10.6 (June 1877);
Invalidated: Meiji 22. 11 (November 1889)
Click here to see more information about Tayama reproductions.