Not What They Seem II

This is the second in a series of posts that explore postal history items with the 24 cent 1861 stamp that are not entirely genuine.  This post last edited Nov 8, 2019.

Not every item I have found to be problematic is an item I purchased and then found out it had problems after the fact.  Over time, I have improved in my ability to notice, identify and confirm alterations or fakery prior to a purchase.  I try to be careful with what I show because I do not want to cast aspersions on dealers who may offer up an item with a problem.  In the case below, the dealer was well-respected.  But, he handled so much material things can be missed and sadly, not long after our discussion about this item, he passed away.  

A Registered Item to Bavaria?

Nice registration markings, but what about the stamps?

Because registered covers are highly sought after, they are often the target of fakery. The cover above caught my eye initially as an potential purchase. The price was good for a registered cover with clean and clear markings.  However, I never did view the item in person. Something didn't seem right with the cover & I began asking questions. The dealer claimed he would send the item to be reviewed by the Philatelic Foundation at the request of the dealer.  It was not offered to me a second time, so I assume it was found to be problematic and I have not bothered to search the PF database to confirm - but perhaps I should do so.

 

Since I could only view a scan of this cover, I can not give details regarding the back of the cover or whether any repairs are are visible.

The markings are correct for a registered cover, with the NY Registered marking in red and the registration number at the upper left. The receiving "Recommandict" marking in blue indicates registry use in the Prussian Closed Mails. The blue marking at the right is likely also a registry number.  However, one need only look at the stamps to see that something is not right.

1. Each stamp exhibits a different killer postmark

• The 24 cent stamp at the right exhibits a 4 pointed star in circle that was common on New York foriegn mail covers. 
• The middle 2 cent stamp exhibits a leaf cancellation with shorter thinner leaves that tend to taper on the ends for the left branches. 
• The left 2 cent stamp exhibits a leaf cancel that has leaves on the left that get wider and are longer.

2. None of the cancellations tie one stamp to another.

• Each cancel stops at the edge of the stamp. Only careful placement of the stamps gives the illusion that they are tied.

3. The cancellations are at different angles on the cover.

• If a postal clerk wanted to cancel more than one stamp, they would not usually spin the cancelling device as they struck the item for cancellation. The drastically different angles of the leaf cancels would have required extreme twists of the wrist or some other oddity.

4. None of the cancels tie to the cover.

• The only real candidate for a tie is at the top of the left 2 cent stamp. However, a look at the smudgy area above that stamp does not show any consistency with the cancellation on the stamps.

5. Puckering of the cover to the left of the leftmost stamp.

• This sort of puckering on a cover *may* indicate something has been reaffixed. It is a good warning sign that something has been done with the cover at some point.  But, before you take this as a rule, some of the tissue type papers always show puckering around the stamp.  In this case, it was more of a confirming item than a key indicator.

6. Blue registry marking appears to go UNDER the rightmost stamp.

• One can not conclusively decide this without viewing the cover in person. But, if the stamps originated, how could this marking, likely applied on entry to the Prussian Closed Mails, have gotten under the stamp?

7. Blue Aachen does not tie

• Again, it is possible that there is a hint of blue ink on the stamps that does not show. Also, the weakness of the strike on the left may indicate poor inking that left no tie. However, it seems odd that the rest of the strike is so strong and the area by the stamps is left with no marking. Seems rather convenient given other concerns.

Conclusion:  In this case, the cover was likely a genuine registered usage. However, at least two of the stamps did not originate on the cover. It is possible that one did originate but has been moved. It is also possible that this item underwent extensive repair.  On the plus side, this item does represent a proper payment and the markings are consistent with a registered use to Bavaria.

Again I must give thanks to Richard Frajola for confirming suspicions and encouraging me to recognize the problems.