Return To Catalogue - France overview - Airmail stamps - Railway Parcel Stamps - Fiscal Stamps - Postage Due Stamps - Stamps issued during World War II - Newspaper and Telegraph stamps
Note: on my website many of the
pictures can not be seen! They are of course present in the cd's;
contact me if you want to purchase them: evert@klaseboer.com.
Training stamps, these stamps were used for learning purposes (instruction courses of the postal services), they have the inscription "SANS VALEUR", and exist in many values, small and large sizes and even overprints.
These training stamps are not very rare.
Test stamps (or 'vignettes expérimentales') with the image of Palissy, inscription 'B. Palissy':
Blue test stamp with inscription 'B.PALISSY'
These test stamps exists in many different colours (even more colours on the same stamp). Bernard Palissy was a French potter and lived from 1510 to 1589. I don't know why his image has been chosen on these test stamps.
A misprint of this stamp exists; here in the left stamp the 'C.'
is missing
10 c green with blue arms underprint
Besides the misprint 'missing C', one stamp was printed upside down in the sheet, creating a tete-beche variety. 2000 sheets of 25 stamps were printed, thus a total of 50000 stamps. These stamps were printed by Yvert et Tellier.
Value of the stamps |
|||
vc = very common c = common * = not so common ** = uncommon |
*** = very uncommon R = rare RR = very rare RRR = extremely rare |
||
| Value | Unused | Used | Remarks |
| 10 c | *** | *** | |
10 c red
This emergency stamp was issued during the German Occupation and before overprinted German stamps came into use. On letter:
Value of the stamps |
|||
vc = very common c = common * = not so common ** = uncommon |
*** = very uncommon R = rare RR = very rare RRR = extremely rare |
||
| Value | Unused | Used | Remarks |
| 10 c | RR | RR | |
Dangerous forgeries of these stamps exist. According to http://www.philatelie-populaire.com/spip.php?article188 forgeries were made in Paris and Geneva. Their perforation and centration is usually better than in the genuine stamps. The letter 'A' of 'CHAMBRE' has a perfectly horizontal central stroke, while it is slanting in the forgeries. Genuine stamps are perforated 11 1/2, while the Geneva forgery is perforated 13 1/2.
The values 50 c green and 2 F brown exist.
Forgeries exist of these stamps; I have seen modern Hialeah forgeries of the 2 F, made with a scanner and printer.
Example:
Inscription 'Bulletin de Communicacion'
I have seen many values, with slightly different inscriptions; ('Service telephonique international.', 'A partir des cabvines telephoniques publiques.' or ' A partir des cabines telephoniques ouvertes au public.').
(reduced sizes)
Another overprint 'POSTES SERBES' and the arms of Serbia on a row of three 10 c 'semeuse' stamps. Seems to have been used on Corfu during World War I:
Apparently only 150 used stamps and a dozen unused are known
These stamps were issued for the government in exile of Montenegro in Bordeaux (south west of France).
Examples for Paris:
(Paris 1890 'Messagers Nationaux Colis Postaux')
Besides the above 60 c black on green, I have also seen the values 85 c black on green. I've also seen 25 c black on lilac in two types (both without the inscriptions 'REMBOURSEMENT').
Recipisse Colis Postaux de Paris pour Paris
(Reduced size)
I have seen other stamps in a similar design (it seems that the large part with 'RECEPISSE' was given to the customer) with inscription '96 Rue Amelot', the above stamp has the inscription '23 Rue du Louvre'.
With inscription '96 RUE AMELOT 96'. The same design also exists
with inscription '23 RU DU LOUVRE 23'.
I have also seen a 25 p brown in the same design.
(Horse with carriage in the center)
(Similar to previous design, but with arms in center)
'COLIS POSTAUX DE PARIS POUR PARIS 23, RUE DU LOUVRE':
Another design of the same company:
I don't know what the following stamps were used for, they have the arms of Paris and 'L M' at both sides of the arms.
The above stamps have the inscription
'CHARGEMENT', 'LETTRE' (red) or 'IMPRIME' (green, 2 types, one
with '5 CENTIMES' on top and another with 'Timbre Commission 5c
Avis' below). I have never seen these stamps in used condition.
They were issued in May 1871 by Mrs. Lorin and Maury in Paris
during the Commune (civil war) which isolated Paris about 2
months. Post from Versailles was brought to St.Denis and brought
in Paris by Lorin. Outward going mail was also brought to
St.Denis. In May 28 French troops entered Paris and this post
ceased to exist. Outgoing letters used the above labels (together
with French stamps), the bottom part of the stamp was teared off
and kept for accounting purposes.
Three similar stamps exist in slightly different designs (but
same colours and 'CHARGEMENT', 'LETTRE' and 'IMPRIME'
inscription) but with the additional inscription 'Timbre' and
value, 'Commission' and value and 'Avis'. If I'm informed well,
these stamps were used on letters brought in from St.Denis.
Label 'SOCIETE POSTALE PRIVEE 15 c PARIS ET L'ETRANGER': 15 c
black on green
'COURRIER PARTICULIERS PARIS ET L'ETRANGER Expedition': 20 c
black on lilac
Inscription 'POSTE FRANCAISE' with a general.
A description of (these?) stamps is given in 'Les timbres de phantaisie' of Georges Chapier. The image on the stamps is supposed to be general Boulanger, who wanted to take power in France in 1887. He didn't succeed, but a german enterprise printed these stamps (maybe hoping to sell them if the general succeeded with his revolution?). These stamps seem to be quite rare and exist in perforated or imperforated condition. The following values are listed:
1 c green and grey 5 c red and grey on blue 10 c red and grey on yellow 20 c blue and grey on blue 25 c lilac and grey 30 c green and grey on blue 50 c blue and grey on yellow 75 c lilac and grey on blue 1 F red and grey 5 F blue and grey 10 F green and grey on blue 20 F bronze and grey on blue