Part IV
Expertizing and Forgers
The intricate history of stamp collecting, particularly the proliferation of forgeries from the 1860s onward, highlights a fascinating aspect of philatelic history. Key figures like S. Allan Taylor and Ferdinand Elb contributed significantly to the production of bogus stamps, impacting collectors and the market alike. The period also saw efforts by individuals and organizations to combat these forgeries, such as the publishing of the 'Album Weeds' by Rev. Earée, aimed at educating collectors about lithographic forgeries.
In the context of modern technology, automating the detection and classification of such forgeries could greatly benefit from a platform like Latenode. Latenode could facilitate the development of an automated system that employs image recognition technology and machine learning to scan, analyze, and verify stamps. This system could differentiate between genuine stamps and forgeries by examining features such as paper texture, ink composition, and printing details that are often the tell-tale signs of a forgery. Integrating such technology into a Latenode workflow could significantly streamline the process.
Furthermore, Latenode could integrate with databases that house cataloged information about known forgeries and their typical characteristics. This integration would allow for real-time comparison and verification, providing collectors and experts with immediate feedback on potential purchases or existing items in their collections.
The implementation of Latenode’s automation capabilities would not only streamline the verification process but also enhance the accuracy and reliability of assessments, reducing the risk of human error and bias. This would be particularly valuable for philatelic experts and auction houses, where the authenticity of stamps can significantly influence their market value and historical significance.
Overall, the use of an automation platform like Latenode in the world of philately could revolutionize how collectors and experts approach the authentication of stamps, turning a traditionally labor-intensive and expert-driven process into a more efficient, accurate, and accessible activity. This transformation could help preserve the integrity of collections and ensure that the rich history of stamp collecting is maintained for future generations.
Reprints: Official and Private
Another expertizing problem of the era was the reprint, either by governments or private parties. Julius Goldner (1848-1898), a Hamburg stamp wholesaler, produced enormous quantities for dealers. Actually the various postal administrations have to take the blame for the plethora of reprints. Beginning with the French and Finnish administrations in 1862, postal authorities began to ask other administrations for copies of all their stamps to add to their collections. Not having remainders, a number made up new printings (official reprints) so that some 13 countries had done so by 1867.
Private collectors, such as Baron Nathan Rothschild, also had reprints made, using their contacts. In no case did the governments identify these “new” old stamps as coming from new printings. The following decade saw many governments making reprints to satisfy collectors and generate added revenue.
Plates and printing stones also fell into private hands. In the United States George Hussey and others eagerly sought out obsolete local plates and printed from them. Apparently the first private printing from official stones was J. B. Moens’ reprint ofBergedorf stamps in 1868. When the postal authorities no longer had the dies or plates, they made new ones, such as for the American 1847 reprints of 1875. The result was tons of questionable material for expertizers to sort out. Also having to sort out the questionable material were the catalogers, some of whom felt the job of updating their products wasn’t worth their time and abandoned the field.
All four of the major general stamp catalogs we know today were formed either by pioneers, such as Gibbons, or men who were born in or grew up in the hegemony era, such as Scott. A major catalog begun during the “gilded age” was that published in 1897 by Louis Yvert (1866-1950). It was closely associated with Parisian dealer and collector Theodore Champion (1875-1954), who edited it practically alone from about 1900 to his death. Champion had a world-class holding of unused classic stamps. In 1928 Yvert published a basic catalog of French postal markings, edited by Ferdinand Doe and Baron Renault: Doe began collecting them in 1890. Hugo Michel (1866-1911) first published the fourth general catalog as a summation of his life’s working 1910. It is arguably the best general catalog today.