Retired Ap. Book Mod, Pres Golden Gate Stamp Club, Hi Tech Consultant 26 Feb 2020 12:10:53am
The sense of accomplishment when you complete a page of difficult stamps to acquire. My French Tunisia is nearing completion, as I just miss a handful of stamps, but budget wise, I really don't know if it will ever be complete. So this page is even more satisfying as the elusive #22 has finally arrived.
rrr...
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"E. Rutherford: All science is either physics or stamp collecting."
I bought a small number of the T perfins last year and eventually found a good listing of them in the Yvert et Tellier catalogue in my stamp society.
This has a note saying there are three forms of the T perfin:
- six holes in the vertical leg of T (from Tunis)
- five holes in the vertical leg of T (from certain post offices in the interior)
- a very rare smaller format T from a single post office (Gafsa).
For most of the stamps the catalogue lists vertical pairs with the T perfin tête-bêche.
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Harvey I think, therefore I am - I think! 26 Feb 2020 05:36:26pm
re: French Colonies - Tunisia
I'm not into Tunisian stamps, but I'm amazed that the perfins at the bottom of the page survived. There's almost more stamp missing than is left! Great looking stuff though, I much prefer older stamps over new ones!
Retired Ap. Book Mod, Pres Golden Gate Stamp Club, Hi Tech Consultant 27 Feb 2020 01:43:41pm
re: French Colonies - Tunisia
Good point Nigel. I have not yet tackled the punched and o/p postage dues, and I only displayed the few that have accidentally come my way. But for those who are interested, here are samples (currently on ebay) of some of the postage dues that I will eventually focus on.
5 and 6 holes. These also are often found inverted
various TD (Tax Due) types of o/p
I have never seen the third type mentioned by Nigel
"a very rare smaller format T from a single post office (Gafsa)."
If anyone has a sample image to describe it, I would love to see it!
rrr...
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"E. Rutherford: All science is either physics or stamp collecting."
Retired Ap. Book Mod, Pres Golden Gate Stamp Club, Hi Tech Consultant 28 Feb 2020 02:02:12pm
re: French Colonies - Tunisia
I found a few more. I have no idea how many versions of Fr. Tunisia Postage due punched and O/P stamps exist. Does anyone have a catalog other than Scott (that does not list them), to guide me?
Thanks,
rrr...
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"E. Rutherford: All science is either physics or stamp collecting."
Is Tunisia the only former colony that improved its stamp designs after independence? El Mekki is among the greats, in the same league as Slania and Gandon.
Retired Ap. Book Mod, Pres Golden Gate Stamp Club, Hi Tech Consultant 04 Apr 2020 01:25:08pm
re: French Colonies - Tunisia
If you look at the numbers of the A1 type, they are narrow and thin. The numbers in the A2 type are thicker and wider. There are other color differences, but you can just rely on the size and shape of the numbers to differentiate the two types.
This is useful for regular stamps and for the punched postage due.
rrr...
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"E. Rutherford: All science is either physics or stamp collecting."
Retired Ap. Book Mod, Pres Golden Gate Stamp Club, Hi Tech Consultant 04 Apr 2020 10:17:33pm
re: French Colonies - Tunisia
Hi George: All the numbers I have seen for type A1 are solid. I had never seen the type shown on the Right Hand Side.
I am not an expert here, but I wonder if anyone may want to support my suspicion that it may be counterfeit, with some actual data? I would certainly research it further if I were you...something does not "feel right" but I cannot pinpoint it. Anyone knows if there were several die plates?
rrr...
PS: I scanned the stamps offered on Hipstamp Tunisia Scott #1-8 There were 2 others with crosshatch numbers. A 40c stamp (could be light ink) and a 5c stamp. (Also...amazing how many dealers cannot figure out the two types A1 and A2)...so again..I don't know enough.
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"E. Rutherford: All science is either physics or stamp collecting."
"If you look at the numbers of the A1 type, they are narrow and thin. The numbers in the A2 type are thicker and wider. There are other color differences, but you can just rely on the size and shape of the numbers to differentiate the two types.
This is useful for regular stamps and for the punched postage due.
rrr..."
Another useful test arises from the fact that the original type was designed and engraved by E. Casse while the second type was engraved by Louis-Eugène Mouchon.
Reflecting this, the original type just has E. Casse's name at the bottom left while the second type has he additional name "E. Mouchon" at the bottom right.
I've not found any more information on "E. Casse" although I've seen references to non-stamp engravings by someone called "du Casse" around the same time.
According to the Serrane Guide, E.D. Bacon for Stanley Gibbons, reported that there were official reprints made from the original printing. There are supposed to be hard to distinguish from the originals. There also was a second pritning of the originals from which there are mostly paper differences. There is no mention of counterfeits of this issue. It could be a light strike, under inked, second printing, or a reprint...maybe even a later forgery?
Interesting side note is that the perforated "T" of the postage dues have been forged. According to Serrane, there are numerous types. The Geneva forgeries, Type I, the "T" (upright or inverted) measure 16.1mm wide by 19.5 mm high. Comparison with a genuine specimen is necessary as the dimension of the genuine "T" is 16mm wide by 19.5mm high. Forgeries also have a date cancellation. The originals were mostly hand-canceled with pen and ink.
The forged cancellation is a double circle (24mm wide). The inner circle has broken lines, with date. At the top of the cancel is "TUNIS". At the bottom is "REGENCE DE TUNIS. In the middle is either: "7E / 9 AOUT", or 1E / 20 Juin 94". The "E" is a small exponential letter.