Author Archives: Stefan

Raritan Auction #79

Posted on August 5, 2018 by Stefan

Again there are several lots with Armenian stamps and items in their auction. Here are my thoughts on some of them. Let us start with the newspaper items. I am always quite skeptical when I see them. The newspaper with … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment

Some comments to the Raritan items from #78

Posted on May 4, 2018 by Stefan

Newspaper with stamps The stamps are added and the cancel is forged. Postcard with overprint and added stamp And the enlarged fragment Those cards are not too uncommon since Serebrakian produced a lot which he sent to his brother in … Continue reading →

Posted in Ebay, Delcampe and Co, Forged, Genuine | Leave a comment

Plate varieties of the 500 ruble stamp of the First Essayan issue

Posted on April 27, 2018 by Stefan

Some of the stamps of the first pictorial issue spot some very distinctive plate varieties. So far not much is described in the literature in detail. Only the “old” Zakiyan/Saltikov book lists some varieties. Included are the basic variations like … Continue reading →

Posted in First Erivan, Genuine, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Covers at Raritan – some first thoughts

Posted on February 12, 2018 by Stefan

No 77 of the Raritan auction lists some interesting items. Here are my thoughts to each one. 1. The picture postcard with the early date The picture postcard looks quite clean but I do not like the framed Z. They … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment

One of the rare stamps of the Ruble overprint Issue

Posted on January 21, 2018 by Stefan

Recently I got a hold off quite a rare stamp. But let us zoom in from the outside, starting with the Dashnak overprints. During the first Republic, when the Dashnak government ruled the newly independent country, the overprinting process started … Continue reading →

Posted in Ruble | 2 Comments

Repairs – forger or plastic surgeon?

Posted on January 12, 2018 by Stefan

Sometimes stamps or covers and postcards are damaged. Stamps can get tears, lose dents or even larger parts of their paper. Often parts of the gum are missing, disturbed or even all gum is lost. Postcards (also covers etc.) often … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 2 Comments

The postal stationary of Armenia

Posted on November 30, 2017 by Stefan

Together with the first overprints on stamps the Armenian postal office also overprinted postal stationary. While the stamps, starting with the k60k overprints are well known, the stationary are not. It even took a couple of years before the stationary … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Forgeries at Raritan #74

Posted on June 30, 2017 by Stefan

There are some forgeries among the items presented in the current auction. The first two items got fake overprints. The Jemchouchin signature is probably faked too. Both stamps were not available at the time in the post office stocks. They … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Dr. R. J. Ceresa

Posted on June 17, 2017 by Stefan

Ray Ceresa passed away on the 10th of June. He was a great philatelist, author of the Handbooks about Transcaucasia, Ukraine, Russia and the regions of civil war 1917-23. I had the opportunity to met him and still remember this … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment

Fake cover again

Posted on May 28, 2017 by Stefan

On November the 6th I wrote an article about a fake cover offered at David Feldman auction house. It is listed again. Please meet Lot 20385 at the current Russia auction. There is something new also. We got a scan of … Continue reading →

Posted in Ebay, Delcampe and Co, Forged, Mixed Ruble and Z, Ruble | Leave a comment