Foreign Wove Paper, syllabic ハ (ha -3)

Frame Line Types

Important for the identification of forgeries: All the genuine stamps of both colors and with all three syllabics have the Type I frame design. Any 4 sen stamp with a syllabic and the Type 2 frame is a forgery.

4 Sen Green Secret Mark

There is no known secret mark on the syllabic イ (i-1) stamps.  However, syllabic ロ (ro-2) and syllabic ハ (ha-3) both have the following secret marks.

A:  Northwest corner design ends with an open scroll.  Northeast corner design ends in a solid ball.

B: Southwest inner corner line ends in a curl.  Southeast inner corner line is straight.

Reminder:  Only 16 petals or florets in the genuine Kiku Crest (Chrysanthemum Crest). All  with syllabics and a type 2 frame line are forgeries.

Postal Stationery

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 paper of the stamped envelopes resembles that of the foreign wove paper of the stamps.

The  syllabics on the genuine 4 sen envelopes are イ (i-1), ロ (ro-2), ハ ( ha-3), and ニ (ni-4).    There were never any stamped envelopes issued in the green color. The Only stamp in the rose/red color bears syllabic イ (i-1).    It follows that the only possible postal stationery items with fake perforations that resembles a genuine stamp must be syllabic イ (i-1) in red.

Although many of the features of the genuine stamp and stamped envelope are similar,  besides the colors, there is one major difference that makes identification easy.  The syllabic on the stamps is in a rectangular box. The syllabic on the stamped envelopes is in a hexagon box.

First Issue & Second Issue

Also, only the genuine first issue 4 sen stamped envelope design with syllabic イ (i-1) resembles the 4 sen stamp. The second issue of the 4 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”.

“Signed” Forgeries

Frame Type 2

Mihon Type 3

Eighteen  petals in Chrysanthemum Crest.

All mihon types probably exist in both colors with and without the mihon.

“Signed” Forgeries – All Frame Type 2 with Syllabic イ

All were produced in both the red and green colors.

Wada: Plate 7, State 6

Worn Mozō on either side of central characters. Design retouching.

Genuine Stamp with “Unsigned” Forgeries

Frame Type 1

Hirose, Plate C – Only known in Red

This forgery isn’t as deceptive as plates A & B.  All five forgery positions have the same mistake.  There is no stem showing between the third and fifth paulownia leaves.

Maeda: Type 2, Syllabic イ

Forgery:  No dot in center of open flower of paulownia branch.

Inconsistencies and errors found:

• Genuine:  Most of paulownia blossoms have tiny horizontal lines or tips. Forgery:  These are missing in this forgery.
• Genuine:  The corners of the kanji for 4 of 4 sen in the side panels are normally rounded and the bottom horizontal lines curved.  Forgery:   The corners, especially on the W side are square. The bottom lines are straighter.
• Genuine:  The first leaf of the lower flower of the Kiku (Chrysanthemum)  branch is small and round.  Forgery:  This leaf is long and pointed.
• Genuine:   At the west,  in most genuine stamps, there is an open space between the paulownia leaves and the frame line.  Forgery:  Top leaf touches the frame line.
• Genuine:  The crossed branches at the bottom are thin and end in sharp tapered points.  Forgery:  At the west, the branch end is square and blunt.
• Genuine:  The stem between the third and lower leaves on paulownia branch consists of two lines close together that often appears as one solid stem. Forgery:  The two lines of this stem are wide apart.

Sharp eyes will find other differences. For instance: the shape of the “S” in the bottom sen is different from the genuine. The kanji characters for “sen” in the E panel is not centered.

This forgery was first shown to me by a collector in January 2022.

My my opinion above.  If you disagree, please submit your arguments below.  LME

 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, green syllabic ロ (ro-2) – Design 113-B

States 1, 2, 3 & 5 (No. 36).

Characteristics of Design 113-B:

1. 1. 1. Loop of N “S” almost closed.

Frame Type 2

Mihon,  Syllabic イ

Mihon type 1 forgery without the mihon characters.

Frame 1

Reproductions

Japan Stamp Publicity Association

JSPA  Sheet No. 8 Issued 15 October 1962

This stamp reproduces the genuine 4 sen red issue of February 1874, syllabic イ (i-1) on wove paper.  The reproduction is imperforate on cream-colored wove paper.

Click here to see more information about JSPA reproductions.

Tayama 1912

This 4 sen stamp, syllabic ハ (ha-3) is found in sheet 2 included with the 1912 issue of the Communications Law Monthly Report.  It has the type 1 cancel.

Inscriptions translate:
4 sen green;
Issued: Meiji 8.2 (February 1875);
Off Sale: Meiji 9.6 (June 1876);
Invalidated: Meiji 22. 11 (November 1889)

Click here to see more information about Tayama reproductions.