ALFONSO XIII - BABY HEAD stamps of the PHILIPPINES
Forgeries
'Trial Sheet' Surcharge Forgeries
Se-tenant strip of 25c brown stamps surcharged with 20c, 15, 5c and telegraph surcharge (Types C0, B0, A0 and D0)
Palmer (1912) noted that Galvez states that a sheet of the 25c brown stamps was surcharged with 20c, 15, 5c and telegraph surcharge. In the Tows 1948 auction catalogue such a se-tenant strip of four is listed as originating from ‘the rare trial surcharge sheet’ the lot was accompanied by a photograph of the entire sheet before it was broken up.
The May 1899 issue of the American Journal of Philately reported that:
"Madrid Filatelico presents in its most recent number a reproduction of an entire sheet of surcharges of the 1897 issue which is indeed wonderfully and fearfully made. The sheet is composed of the 25c brown stamps of the 1890 issue, which were surcharged with various values in 1897. This particular sheet shows a number of inverted surcharges, the varieties being mixed on every line. The sheet is composed of the following:
· 58 stamps with surcharge 20 centavos
· 12 stamps with surcharge 20 centavos inverted
· 10 stamps with surcharge 15 centavos
· 10 stamps with surcharge 5 centavos
· 10 stamps with telegraph surcharge
We conclude that this sheet was only in the nature of a trial..."
The account of the article in Madrid Filatelio is repeated in the May 1899 issue of Le Timbre Poste and the December 1899 issue of the Philatelic Record. As the Madrid Filatelico was edited by M Galvez then this appears to be the reference to which Palmer (1912) is referring.
The following strips are noted which most likely are from this trial sheet:
Tows 1948 auction, lot #47 accompanied by a photograph of the entire sheet before it was broken up and later IPPS auction 2012-Q1
(this block appears to be from positions 4 to 7 of the sheet)
Strip of three illustrated in PPJ 2019-1 and sold Harmer June 2021 auction (ex-Peterson)
previously Soler y Llach March 2006 auction
Strip of three, Iberphil July 2020 auction
Strip of five ex Miggins in Harmer 2017 auction and later re-sold Iberphil 2017 auction
previously Antonio Torres 1991 auction “Gran Subasta de Filipinas”
Se-tenant strip of 25c brown stamps surcharged with 15c, 5c, 20c surcharge (Types B2, A2 and C2)
Not described elsewhere but a se-tenant strip exsits with forged surcharge types C2 and B2 and A2.
The surcharges are smudged
Block of sixteen forged 1897 surchages (types C2, B2 and A2) in black on the 25c brown.
Soler y Llach auction, May 2022 (block is position 11-14, 21-24, 31-34 and 41-44 in sheet)
last updated 25 April 2024
Forgeries
Babyheads
Surcharges
Overprints
Essays