Scott #14 and Sakura #19, Issued 1 April 1873

As Dr. Ichida explains in his Cherry Blossom book there were 14 plates engraved (etched). Ten (plates 1-10) were type 1, engraved by Matsuda, and four (plates 11-14)  were type 2, engraved by Umemura.  Scott #14 & Sakura #19 were on native paper and in the rose color.

Scott #24 and Sakura #26, Issued February 1874

Issue was printed on foreign wove paper in rose/red,  These stamps were printed from Matsuda’s plate 8 and from Umemura’s plate 14.  Thus this issue has both type 1 and type 2 characteristics.

Scott #52 and Sakura #40, Issued 5 February 1875

Printed on foreign wove paper in green,  These stamps were printed from Matsuda’s plates 7 & 8 and from Umemura’s plates 13 & 14. Thus this issue also has both type 1 and type 2 characteristics.

Wove Paper

The forgeries of these stamps come in both Type 1 (open columns)  and Type 2 (closed columns). The JSPA reproduced both Type 1 and Type 2.   Tayama reproductions are Type 1.

Frame Type 2 Forgeries

• ABC Kurabu (Club) No. 13,  No. 15 & No. 42
• Meada
• Ramsden
• Wada plate 7, positions 1-3, all states (positions 4-6 have syllabic イ )
• Wada Plate 10, positions 1-3 (positions 4-6 have syllabic イ)

Differences Between Genuine and Forged

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

There were 14 plates used with 40 positions in each plate for a total of 560 different stamps. With all these positions, it sometimes happens that a genuine stamp displays the same mistake or slip that is used to identify the forgery. Therefore important mistakes made by each forger will be described with the graphic of the forgery.

“Signed” Forgeries

Frame Type 2

Wada: Plate 7, State 3, Green Only

With corner dots, mozō vertically above crossed branches.

  “Signed” – All Frame Type 2

Wada: Plate 7, State 6

 Mozō on either side of central characters worn and with design retouching.

Genuine Stamp with “Unsigned” Forgeries – Type 1

Earliest Known Forgery

Genuine: Open flower with dot.  Forgery: Bud instead of open flower.

Genuine Stamp with “Unsigned” Forgeries – Type 2

Wada:  Plate 7: State V or VI

Note:  Wada, Plate 7 forgeries have  “mozo” in the design. But in the later states (V & VI) of the plate, “mozo” was either scraped away or worn away so that the stamps appear to be unsigned.

 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.

Type 1 Frame

ABC (Kurabu) Club Forgery 4 sen red – Design 106-C.

States 1, 2, 3 & 5 (No. 21).

Characteristics of Design 106-C:

1. Breaks.

Reproductions

Tayama: 1908

This stamp is found in Sheet 2 included with the 1908 issue of the Communications Law Monthly Report.  Type 1 Cancel.

Inscriptions translate:
4 sen pale red;
Issued: Meiji 6.4 (April 1873);
Off Sale: Meiji 8.2 (February 1875);
Invalidated: Meiji 22. 11 (November 1889)

Click here to see more information about Tayama reproductions.

Japan Stamp Publicity Association

JSPA  Sheet No. 8 Issued 15  October 1962

This stamp reproduces the genuine issue of  February 1874 on wove paper.  The reproduction is imperforate on cream-colored wove paper.

Click here to see more information about JSPA reproductions.