(Could be genuine)
Return To Catalogue - Part 1, Hamer, Krantz - Part 2, Lafrenz, Marz-Verein - Part 3, Scheerenbeck - Hamburg
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.
Issued by C.Hamer, H. Scheerenbeck, W. Krantz, Th. Lafrenz and Ch. van Diemen. Most of these stamps were only issued for stamp collectors. Forgeries have been made in large quantities of these stamps, I am not sure if the stamps shown here are genuine. Probably most of them are forgeries!
The stamps of Charles Van Diemen are not strictly spoken a 'Boten' issue. But since they were issued in the same period they are generally listed together with them. As with the 'Boten' issues, they were mainly issued for stamp collectors. Many forgeries exist.
(Could be genuine)
(Genuine stamps, reduced sizes)
1 gr. lilac and black 2 gr. yellow and black 3 gr. red and black 4 gr. green and black 6 gr. blue and black 8 gr. red and black
ATTENTION: many forgeries exist of this issue (6 forgeries and 2 bogus issues)! The stamps were used in 1863-1864. Many genuine stamps had a security overprint with 'Ch. v. D.' and a '1' below the 'v' surrounded by dots (this overprint has also been forged by the way). The cancellation consists of a circle of 16 mm diameter without any text. The original stamps are very rare and most of the stamps found in collections are forgeries. Reprints exist of the values '6' and '8'.
The originals can be recognized as follows: The 'H' of 'HAMBURG' is open at the bottom. The 'B' is small, with a very small upper part. There is a dot behind 'HAMBURG' quite far away from the 'G'. The 'S' of 'CHARLES' is normal. Between 'Brief' and 'Packet' there is a ','. The perforation is 11 1/2 (very roughly perforated). The 't' of 'Packet' is situated on top of the first 'i' of 'Expedition'. The first 'i' of 'Expedition' is nearer to the 't' than to the 'd'. There is a stop behind the word 'Expedition'. The '&' is situated more over the 'x' than over the 'p' of the word 'Expedition'.
Reprints, inscription too large
(Reprints, reduced sizes)
Reprints were only made of the values '6' and '8'. There are some differences with the original stamps. The '-' between 'Guter' and 'Expedition' is longer in the reprints. The inscription 'CHARLES VAN DIEMEN' is larger, especially the word 'VAN'.
Spiro Forgeries; some of the images were send to me by Peter
Brinkman (Australia)
This particulary forgery is the most common and can be recognized by the 'S', of 'CHARLES', which is too large at the top. There is no stop behind the word 'Expedition'. The center of the 'M' of 'HAMBURG' is not reaching far enough to the bottom. The 't' of 'Packet' is placed on top of the 'it' of 'Expedition'. Also note the differences in the corner numerals for certain values. These forgeries are usually perforated 13 (but I have also seen imperforate Spiro forgeries). I have seen several Spiro forgeries with a circular overprint with no text (probably trying to imitate the security overprint). I have seen a 'misprint' of the value '3' with 'Expeditor' (an 'r' at the end).
A very similar set of forgeries exists, but with no comma behind the word 'Brief' with neat perforation 12. All other characteristics are similar to the Spiro forgeries. I don't know if Spiro or someone else made this forgery.
(Reduced sizes)
In this forgery, there is a '-' instead of a ',' after the word 'Brief'. The dot after the word 'HAMBURG' is very near to the 'G'. The 't' of 'Packet' is placed on top of the second 'i' of 'Expedition'. The control mark seems to have been printed with the stamps, always at the same location. The '&' is placed too far to the right, above the second 'e' of 'Expedition'. I have seen all values, except '1' of this particular forgery.
(Reduced sizes)
There is a small '-' instead of a ',' after the word 'Brief' in this forgery. The 't' of 'Packet' is placed on top of the 't' of 'Expedition'. The '&' is placed on top of the 'p' of this word and the 'B' of 'Brief' is placed on top of the 't' of 'Guter'. I have only seen the values '1' and '3' of this particular forgery, both with control mark.
(Reduced size)
Again a '-' can be found behind the word 'Brief' instead of a ','. The 'S' of 'CHARLES' is too big. The 't' of 'Packet' is placed on top of the second 'i' of 'Expedition'. There is a dot behind the word 'DIEMEN'. The '&' is missing altogether. I have only seen the value '8' with control mark
(Reduced size)
Again a '-' can be found behind the word 'Brief' instead of a ','. The 'P' of 'Packet' is placed above 'xp' of 'Expedition'. The 't' of 'Packet' is placed above the 'ti' of this word and the '&' above the 'pe' of this word. I have only seen the value '6' of this forgery with control mark.
(Reduced size)
A small '-' instead of a ',' is placed behind the word 'Brief' in this forgery. The '&' is placed under the 'a' of 'Packet' and above the 'pe' of 'Expedition'. The 't' of 'Packet' is placed above the 'ti' of 'Expedition'. I have only seen the value '2' (with control mark).
(Reduced size)
Again a '-' (or is it a ':'?) behind the word 'Brief' instead of a ','. The '&' is placed below 'ac' of 'Packet' and on top of the 'p' of 'Expedition'. The 't' of 'Packet' is placed above the 't' of 'Expedition'. The corner figures seem to be smaller in the one value ('1') with control mark that I have seen.
(Reduced sizes)
These forgeries are imperforate and often cancelled with parallel lines (but they also exist uncancelled). They have small corner figures. There is no '-' behind 'Guter' and no stop behind 'HAMBURG'. The 'P' of 'Packet' is placed on top of the '&'. The '&' is placed on top of the 'xp' of 'Expedition'. The background shading in front and behind 'CHARLES VAN DIEMEN' is omitted.
(Reduced size)
The words 'CHARLES VAN DIEMEN' are written very small in this forgery. The 'P' of 'Packet' is placed on top of the '&' which in turn is placed on top of the 'x' of 'Expedition'. There is a dot behind 'HAMBURG' which is placed quite close to the 'G'. There is a small '-' instead of a ',' behind the word 'Brief'. This forgery only seems to exist in the value '8'. The only forgery I have seen has a cancel and control mark.
(Reduced size)
The centre of the 'M' of 'HAMBURG' is placed too far to the left in this forgery. The 't' of 'Packet' is placed on top of the 't' of 'Expedition'. There is a small '-' placed very close to the word 'Brief'. The '&' is placed below the 'Pa' of 'Packet' and above the 'xp' of 'Expedition'. I have only seen the value '4' imperforate or perforated with a control mark.
(Reduced size)
The words 'CHARLES VAN DIEMEN' are printed in a different style. The dot after 'HAMBURG' is placed very high. The '&' is placed below the left of the 'P' of 'Packet'. I have only seen the value '8' (with control mark).
(Reduced size)
The words 'CHARLES VAN DIEMEN' are printed in a different style (too squarish). The 'M' of 'HAMBURG' has its central lower point too far to the right. The 'E' of 'Expedition' is situated under the 'i' of 'Brief'. The 't' of 'Packet is situated above the second 'i' of 'Expedition'. I have only seen the value '8' (with control mark).
(Reduced size)
In this forgery the name 'CHARLES VAN DIEMEN' is written quite small. The 'B' of 'Brief' is placed on top of the 't' of 'Guter'. There is a very small dot behind the word 'HAMBURG'. The words 'Guter' and 'Expedition' are placed very close together. I have only seen the value '8' (with control mark).
The following stamps are phantasy stamps with the text in the same colour as the background:
(Reduced sizes)
I have seen the following colours: brown, red, violet, yellow, blue, black and green (all in the value '1'). I could very well be a product made by Taylor.
A bogus issue for 'GUNN'S Despatch' in a very similar design,
made by the forger Taylor.