(Oneglia forgeries? left image obtained from http://www.gsu.edu/~libpjr/stamps.html)
Return To Catalogue - Oneglia forgeries, part 2 - Panelli - Spiotti - Venturini
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Erasmo Oneglia was an Italian forger in the late 19th century
from Turin. He is famous for his engraved forgeries, but he also
made photo-lithographed forgeries. Many of his forgeries were
previously attributed to the forger Angelo
Panelli. The engraved Oneglia forgeries are usually
'overinked'. When Oneglia applied a watermark on his forgeries,
it is very clearly visible. His watermarks are impressed instead
of being real watermarks. Oneglia also collaborated closely with A.Venturini and E.Spiotti.
The exact relationships that these forgers had is not clear up to
this day.
His forgeries include stamps from the Australian States, Baden, Belgium, Belgian Congo, Brazil, British North America, British West Indies, Cape of Good Hope, Cape Verde, Ceylon, Chile, France, Greece, Hong Kong, Italian States, Luxemburg, Malayan States, Malta, Monaco, Nevis, Portuguese Guinea, St. Helena, Spain, Switzerland, Roman States, Thailand, Tuscany, Two Sicilies, United States and Confederate States of America. Some of his forgeries were erroneously attributed to Angelo Panelli. According to the book The Oneglia Engraved Forgeries Commonly Attributed to Angelo Panelli by Robson Lowe and Carl Walske (1997) 788 forgeries were made from 30 countries by Oneglia. He also worked for, or with, A.Venturini and other Italian forgers, such as Spiotti and Imperato.
Oneglia made forgeries of the 4 p 1861 stamp of Bahamas, I think the next forgeries are such Oneglia forgeries:
(Oneglia forgeries? left image obtained from http://www.gsu.edu/~libpjr/stamps.html)
These forgeries of Barbados were made in the colors green, red
and blue.
Oneglia forgeries of the 2p, 3 p, 6 p and 1 Sh values of Bermuda.
Oneglia also forged the surcharged stamps of 1874 and 1875:
1843 Bull's eye stamps. See cd#2.
Sorry, no images available yet.
Forgery of the 96 c, with slightly different lettering, note for
example the '96' or the 'S' of 'POSTAGE'. The forgery of the 12
c, also has a different '1' and different lettering. On the
backside a greasy printed(?) watermark is visible. The 'H' of
'BRITISH' is not 'flat' enough when compared to a genuine stamp.
Fiscal overprints were also forged. I've also seen the values '1
DOLLAR' and '2 DOLLARS'.
Sorry, no images available yet.
An Oneglia forgery made around 1890. In my opinion the openings
in the 'D' and 'P' of 'CANADA POSTAGE' are too big in these
forgeries. I've also seen this forgery with perforation.
Forgery of the 6 p stamp possibly made by the forger Oneglia.
I've been told that Panelli made a forgery of the 3 p beaver imperforate stamp, the 10 p stamp and the 12 p stamp. These forgeries are engraved, I have no further information. The expression on the face of the 12 p forgery is quite different (she looks angry) from the genuine stamp.
Forgery of the 3 p stamp
Forgery of the 10 p stamp. The letters 'cy' behind the '10' at
the bottom at both sides are placed too high.
(Oneglia forgery of the 1 p, 2 p and 6 p values, note the
impressed star watermark at the back)
Oneglia forgery of the 4 p value, a similar forgery exists of the
9 p value.
Probably Oneglia forgeries of the 1 Sh 9 p values
Dominica
Sorry, no images available.
Sorry, no images available.
Sorry, no images available yet.
Ceres 1849 issue 1 F (photo lithographed) also tete-beche, blocks etc.
Most likely a genuine Bermuda stamp, but with forged overprint.
The overprint looks much like the Oneglia forged overprints shown
above; the 'G'and 'R's are different from a genuine overprint.
I've also seen the 2 c brown value of this forgery set
Sorry, no images available yet.
In the above Oneglia forgeries of the Ionian Islands, the contour of the head is surrounded by a coloured line. Note the strange shape of the last 'S', which has a strange upper part compared to the genuine stamps. The other letters are also slightly different.
I presume these forgeries were made by Oneglia as well. The have
an impressed watermark very similar to the Oneglia impressed
watermarks on his other products. The genuine watermark is never
this clearly visible on the Lubeck stamps.
'POST OFFICE' Mauritius forgery. These forgeries are engraved.
I've also seen a 1 p Oneglia forgery. The loops in hair are quite
typical in these forgeries. Also the band of the crown is too
white. The top of the 'S' of Mauritius is very flat.
Similar forgeries of the sitting Britannia were made for Trinidad and Barbados (also produced by Oneglia?).
Oneglia also forged the 1863 1 Sh and 5 Sh values of Mauritius.
Literature: The Oneglia Engraved Forgeries by Robson Lowe & Carl Walske (1996, 104 pages)