Author Archives: Stefan

Cover with doubtful Erivan d cancel at Raritan

Posted on November 19, 2016 by Stefan

This cover is being offered at the current Raritan auction. When the stamp is placed so clean and nice away from the text I am always curios: was it added later? Because the scan is really low res I will … Continue reading →

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

Fake Cover at Feldman Auctions Nov/Dec 2016

Posted on November 6, 2016 by Stefan

Once and again Armenian items find their way in large auctions. Here is an example of a cover in the current David Feldman auction:   While the cancel looks nice and clean (it is fake too) the 100r HH ruble overprint … Continue reading →

Posted in Ebay, Delcampe and Co, Forged, Ruble | 1 Comment

Corrected Overprints

Posted on September 1, 2016 by Stefan

When stamps got overprinted by hand errors or mistakes occur. I think about mistakes that are not what Ashford/Tchilinghirian describe as “human factor”, like: more or less pressure, angle variations, different mixtures or more or less diluted inks used. I … Continue reading →

Posted in Ruble | 1 Comment

Fake Cancels – Some Examples

Posted on August 29, 2016 by Stefan

While browsing a collection a dealer sent me to check I found a couple of forged Erivan cancellations. It is always useful to have some examples in order to train the eye and for comparison. Type 1 Erivan 30 9 … Continue reading →

Posted in Forged, k60k, Ruble | 1 Comment

Nice Stuff At Raritan

Posted on August 29, 2016 by Stefan

Raritan is one of the auction houses were you can find Armenian items almost every time. The current auction #70 hold some interesting lots. Most prominently three collections to which I will give some remarks. Lot #250 Surcharges on the Soviet … Continue reading →

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The Erivan Pictorials

Posted on May 31, 2016 by Stefan

I am working on a sub page presenting the stamps and overprints of the Erivan Pictorial Issue. You can find it on the mene right under Stamp Issues or you follow this link: The Erivan Pictorial Issue This is work in … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 5 Comments

Armenian stamps used in Georgia

Posted on April 4, 2016 by Stefan

Armenian stamps, created by applying handstamped overprints on Tsarists stamps, were used as base stamps for issues in Georgia and Transcaucasia. A further overprint was applied to create a new issue. In case of the Transcaucasian issue in April 1923 … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 2 Comments

Forged cover on ebay

Posted on February 19, 2016 by Stefan

A reader of my blog sent my the link to an auction with the question what I think of that item. So let us take a look.  The seller uses a low starting price – which is a bit strange. But … Continue reading →

Posted in Ebay, Delcampe and Co, Forged | 1 Comment

Thoughts about new lots at Raritan

Posted on February 10, 2016 by Stefan

The current auction (#68) at Raritan lists some lots from Armenia. While the some (e.g. the pictorial color proofs) look genuine, there are others which are outright fake or dubious. The framed Z on 1 Kopek should always be examined … Continue reading →

Posted in Forged | 2 Comments

Modern forgeries

Posted on December 8, 2015 by Stefan

Got a mail from a dealer regarding this item, which is clearly fake. A typical example of the modern (around 2000) cancel forgeries apparently origination in Armenia. A first giveaway is the blank cover. The forger did not finish his … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment