387th Auction

Billig's Grosses Handbuch der Fälschungen, Heft 1–44 (1933–1938), a legendary publication with usually around 60 enlarged photographs of the forgeries and their exact description, art paper, the 44 issues are bound in four linen hardcovers, in good condition. As single copy is No. 45 “Roman States” added. –  Individual issues are usually listed in the trade at prices of around 40 euros, such complete ‘runs’ are the absolute exception. Estimate: 600 Euro

Bohne, Dr Werner M.: Reference Manual of Forgeries, 15 ring binders with thousands of pages, countless illustrations and very detailed descriptions of forgeries, published by the Germany Philatelic Society from 1975 to about 2000. Format approx. DIN A5, art paper, loose-leaf, in good condition. Comprehensive and famous work about forgeries of every German Aerea. Very rare this complete. Estimate: 300 Euro

@Heinrich Köhler #352, Nov. 2012, lot No. 9314: 240 Euro + 19%

(This item is a large box. See the PDF for more details. ->  Information on shipping for the literature auction)

Brun, Jean-François: Faux et Truqués (1900), approx. B5 format, 131 + V pages, with numerous illustrations, some in colour, half leather hardcover with embossed title and spine and with additional dedication by the author to Robert Franson, numbered and limited edition of 25 copies which were never on sale (here No. 17), very good condition, rare, estimate: 60 Euro

Earee, Rev. R. B.: Album Weeds or How to Detect Forged Stamps, 2 vol., third edition, London 1905/1906, vol. I:  XXVIII + 587 pages, vol. II: VIII + 709 pages, with guilt edges, ornamentally designed hardcover with golden title and spine embossing - this work was the standard work on forgeries and the information and guide for all generations of collectors. Good condition. Estimate: 100 Euro

@Heinrich Köhler #352, 3.11.2012, lot 9317: 110 Euro + 19%; Schwanke #338, 22.11.2012, lot 1837: 340 Euro + 20%

Fletcher, H. G. Leslie: Postal Forgeries of the World (1977), format approx. DIN A4, 140 pages, with numerous good photo enlargements of originals and forgeries in comparison as well as their description, cloth hardcover, without significant defects. PLUS: Haene, A. de: Étude sur les Faux Timbres d'Europe (1926), Format approx. B5, 367 pages, with illustrations on the characteristics of forgeries, hardcover, inside in good condition, spine partially separated, but rare book in French. - PLUS: Schloss, P. H.: TIMBREX Signes d'authenticite et Description des Reimpressions Officielles et Privees des Timbres Classiques, format approx. B5, 254 + ii pages, 250 reproductions and 1,500 authenticity features, cloth hardcover, in good condition.  Estimate: 150 Euro

FOURNIER, F. / Hirschburger, C. – a thick folder with very unusual and philatelically significant contents of correspondence from the period 1903 to 1928, much material also touches the Fournier album of the Union Philatélique de Genève published in 1928. A treasure that has yet to be analysed by researchers. Detailed inspection recommended. Estimate: 300 Euro

FOURNIER, F. – Ragatz, Lowell: The Fournier Album of Philatelic Forgeries, format approx. DIN A4, 175 pages with numerous photo plates of all the forgeries that the Union Philatélique de Genève processed in 1928 in the so-called Fournier albums. Good condition. PLUS: A small folder with numerous copies of specialised articles on Fournier and his forgeries, including 2 Fournier envelopes and two advertising cards from the 1896 National Exhibition in Geneva, each with an original old Swiss facsimile pasted on it, one card even postally used! Extremely rare material! Estimate: 200 Euro

FOURNIER, F.: Le Fac-Similé (Geneva 1910/Vol. I, No. 1 to No. 24/1913, bound in a hardcover anthology housed in a special slipcase ateljé b, a unique complete ‘run’ of this now rare magazine by the famous distributor of forgeries. Each number has a wrapper printed in colours and from No., 7 onwards bears a special design showing a Roman warrior with the city of Geneva in the background. The hardcover binding with some patina and minimally bumped, but overall the rare item is in good condition. Estimate: 500 Euro

@Köhler #364, 21.3.2017: 440 Euro + 20%

FOURNIER, Francois: “Album des Fac-Similes” by the Union Philatélique de Genève, published in 1928 and containing samples of the “works” of Fournier. The normal edition is very much sought after, but this is a very special edition: the number “3” of the numbered copies. It was the personal posession of the wellknown experte Fernand Serrane. The first page shows a long dedication by the president of the Society of Geneva and later president of the F.I.P., Mr. Emile  Friederich. This example is one of the very few “overcomplete” ones with 12 pages of “Pages Résevées aux Experts” well filled. Specimens with higher two- or three-digit numbers already fetch up to 5,000 euros on the philatelic market; this number ‘3’ is unique. The cloth binding is somewhat bumped and scuffed at the edges. Inside, the pages are in perfect condition. This rarity is presented in a specially designed slipcase!  Estimate: 7.500 Euro

FOURÉ – Lietzow, Paul: Das Schwarze Buch der Philatelie oder Neudruck und Fälschung von Postmarken und Briefumschlägen (Berlin 1879), The first notable work in German to deal with forgeries and forgers (here primarily with G. Fouré), 72 pages, hardcover with gold embossed spine, inside with some library stamps, but in good condition and very rare in this form. Estimate: 150 Euro

FOURÉ – Metz, Reinhard: Georges Fouré, Die Geschichte eines genialen Philatelisten und Fälschers, Schwalmtal 2009, A4 format, 352 pages, numerous colour illustrations, hardcover, in German language, very good condition. Estimate: 60 Euro

Lewes, Thornton / Pemberton, Edward: Forged Stamps. How to detect them (1863), 36 pages, paperback - an absolute book rarity, the first work on forgeries in philately! Thornton Arnott (nickname: Thornie) Lewes was just 21 years old and died of tuberculosis on 19 October 1869. Edward L. Pemberton was not much older either, but they went down in history as the first to tackle the subject of forgeries. The inside of the brochure is in perfect condition, the cover has some patina and partial flaws. Perfect copies are hardly known. The rarity is bound in a privately arranged bibliophile hardcover (with book title on the spine and both in a similar slipcase ateljé b! Estimate: 400 Euro

This book is rarely offered, most recently on 23 June 2022 at Harmer in New York (lot 2146): hammer price 750 $ + 18%! 

Lowe, Robson: The Oswald Schröder Forgeries (16 pp. softcover) PLUS Lowe, Robson & Walske, Carl: The Oneglia Engraved Forgeries (1996, pp. 100 + III, hardcover with dust jacket, good condition. Estimate: 50 Euro

@Schwanke #320 (3.7.2009), lot 50: 79 Euro.

Mueses, Danilo: De Falsificaciones y Falsificadores (1992), approx. B5 format, 249 pages, numerous illustrations, hardcover, with golden title and spine imprint, in Spanish, good condition. Good basic work on various types of forgeries, but also on well-known experts. Estimation: 40 Euro

Pope, Elizabeth C.: OPINIONS IV. Philatelic Expertizing – An Inside View (1987), 244 pages + 1 page Addendum, hardcover; PLUS: Lera, Thomas / Barwis, John H. (Editors): Proceedings of the Fourth International Symposium of Analytical Methods in Philately (Nov. 2020), 102 pages, softcover; PLUS: Lera, Thomas / Barwis, John H. / Nilsestuen, Kenneth R.: (Editors): Proceedings of the Fifth International Symposium of Analytical Methods in Philately (Oct. 2023), 116 pages, softcover; PLUS: Hellrigl, Wolfgang: The A.I.E.P.-Handbook of Philatelic Expertising (2004), 320 pages, hardcover. All items in good condition. Estimate: 100 Euro

Saint-Brice, L. de: Étude sur Les Timbres-Taxe (1849-1896), Signes d'Authentichité, Obliterations, Falsifications (Nice 1896), with dedication and signature by the author, 32 pages, with illustrations, paper cover loose, content good for the age, rare; PLUS: L.N. & M. Williams: Forged Stamps of the Two World Wars (1954), 52 pages, softcover, good condition; PLUS: L.N. & M. Williams: The “Propaganda” Forgeries. A History and Description of the Austrian, Bavarian and German Stamps Counterfeited by order of the British Government during the Great War, 1914–1918 (London 1938), 42 pages, with illustrations, softcover, not common; PLUS: Clark Souers, P,: Forgeries of Common Stamps after World War I Eastern Front, Balkans, Caucasus, version 2, January 2019, format A4, 89 pages, many illustrations in colour, softcover, good condition. A valuable lot! Estimate: 100 Euro

Schloss, Hermann: Distinguished Characteristics of Classic Stamps. Description of reprints, postal forgeries, differences of types, watermarks, papers, colores, separations, gum, etc. - Europe 19th Century (except German States), New York 1951, approx. B5 format, 200 pages, with numerous enlarged stamp drawings and highlighting of the identifying features of the forgeries, hardcover with embossed title and spine and with additional dedication by the author to a Sven Åhman, 26 March 1963, good condition, estimate: 40 Euro

Schröder, A.: "Schach den Fälschungen" (1935–1938). The work was published in 5 volumes with over 200 pages; in 1935/37 there were also two further brochures in this series, all of which are very richly illustrated. The forgeries are excellently worked out and described, in German language, softcover, well preserved. Quite rare as complete as this. Estimate: 80 Euro

Serrane, Fernand: Vade-Mecum du Spécialiste-Expert en Timbres-Poste d'Europe (1927) + Hors d'Europe (1929), Volume I: 480 pages, Volume II: 315 pages, both in wine-red hardcover with gold embossing on the spine, in very good condition. Estimate: 100 euros

SPERATI – The Work of Jean de Sperati, published by the British Philatelic Association, London 1954, four parts: Part I: The Text (1955, copy No. 18 of the Limited Edition of five hundred, 214 pages; Part II: The Plates (1955, 143 plates plus plate A–J; Part III: The Basic Tests (1954, six pages + 2 empty pages for Sperati Reproductions; this is a reprint of chapter 4 in part I!); Part IV: Sperati Reproductions (1954, four pages, ex Nils Strandell (and with a lot of his corresponance with the editor), Godden leaves with 19 (!) original Sperati forgeries (two are die proofs) All parts in very good condition. Estimate: 7.000 Euro

This publication belonged originally to the Nils Strandell reference collection, @Postiljonen # 177, 23.10.2001, lot No. 582, hammer price 6.800 Euro + 20%

SPERATI, Jean de: La Philatélie sans experts? (1946), 124 pages and six plates, No. 276 of 300 copies printed, softcover. Rare publication. Estimate: 200 Euro

@Heinrich Köhler #353, 3.11.2012 Mainz, lot 9329: 180 Euro + 19%

SPERATI, Jean de: The Complete Technique of the Art of Philately,  typed manuscript, 140 pages, loose pages in a folder, rare. Estimate: 100 Euro

@James Bendon V/2016; GBP 100

SPERATI, Jean de; La Technique Complete de la Philatelie d'Art, manuscript (original typed copy!) in french language, signed, with a few illustrations, 122 pages, hardcover with title imprint. A rarity about which Richard Frajola said; “A true rarity of philatelkic literature with fewer than five copies extant of the ten or so produced” (website, July 2020). Estimate: 200 Euro

SPERATI – Locard, Dr. Edmond: L'Expertise des faux timbres-poste (1930) PLUS: L'Avenir Médical, No. 2 (1937). article "La Psychose du Collectionneur: Les Syllectimanes (pp. 235-237). Two very interesting items, written by the medical doctor who was later engaged in the case Jean de Sperati. Both with handwritten dedication/signature. Good condition. Estimate: 50 Euro

SPERATI – Schäfer, Richard: Jean de Sperati. Rubens of Philatelic Forgers 1884–1957 (Zürich 2023), Schäfers last book and for sure one of the best about Sperati's life, work and his Swiss Stamp Reproductions, 275 pages with gold edges, limited edition of 200, with dedication to Tomas Bjäringer, hardcover with dust jacket, very good condition. Estimate: 130 Euro

SPERATI – Lot of five items: 1) H. Hunziker: Jean de Sperati's Fälschungen, special print of a 14 page article published in SBZ, with dedication/signature of the author; 2) Lucette Blanc Girardet: Jean de Sperati. L'homme qui copiait les timbres (2003), 126 pages, with many good illustrations, hardcover; 3) London catalogue of the exhibition in which the B.P.A. reference collection of the reproductions made by Jean de Sperati was compared with the genuine stamps (April 27th-May 5th 1954), 12 pages, with original admission ticket and various brochures/inserts; 4) Philatelie D'Art les Jean de Sperati: copies of the 25 pages from the large-format ‘Golden Book’ of Sperati reproductions, softcover; 5) Dr D. Luis Blas Alvarez: Cómo caracterizar los falso Sperati de Espana (loose-leaf copy of the original from 1968), 65 pages, countless illustrations of the forgery features. Estimate: 150 Euro

SPIRO – Maassen, Wolfgang: “Spiro-Facsimiles”. Eine Dokumentation - Teil 1: Deutschland (Spiro-Facsimiles. A Documentation - Part 1: Germany, DIN A4 format, 272 pages, in colour, hardcover, very good condition. PLUS: Lang-Valchs, Gerhard: The Spiro made Facsimiles Never Existed - The End of a myth (I-III), 3 parts of an extensive study that appeared digitally in PHILA HISTORICA No. 2/2021 (pages 82–183), colour prints, privately bound as hardcover, in good condition. Estimate: 80 Euro

Séfi, Alexander J.: Forgeries and Fakes (London 1929), 28 pages, with illustrations, paperback, the cover a bit toned, inside good. Not very common, with a dedication and signature of the author. Estimate: 60 Euro

Thuin, Raoul Ch. de: Yucatan Affair. The work of a Philatelic Counterfeiter, written by James M. Chemi (Editor-in-chief) and James H. Beal & James T. de Voss (associate editors), published by the American Philatelic Society 1974, 523 pages with gold edges (de luxe edition), Hardcover with embossed spine, plus numerous press cuttings and a dinner card from the first presentation of this book, good condition. – Raoul Ch. de Thuin is mostly associated with Mexican fakes but he is known to have worked on many countries, mostly cancellations and overprints. This original edition has the illustration taken directly from the de Thuin metal cliches and this retains a significance not present in the later reprint from 1980. Estimate: 60 Euro

Vollmeier, Paolo et al: Fakes Forgeries Experts, No. 1 (October 1998) to 20 (May 2019) – The periodical on forgeries worldwide, written by experts and examiners (of the AIEP) mainly in English, the first volumes with 148 and 168 pages, the later ones mostly with 200 and more. In colour, richly illustrated, paperback, in good condition. From number 6 onwards, the individual volumes usually cost 50 euros, they are rarely offered as complete as this. Estimate: 600 Euro

@Heinrich Köhler #361, 23.-26.9.2015, Vol. 1-15: lot 1042: 380 Euro + 19%; @Cavendish, 30.7.2020, vol. 1-20, lot 145: GBP 420 + 20%; Corinphila #347, 6,6,2025, lot 1643, vol. 1–21, CHF 600 + 23%

(This item is a large box. See the PDF for more details. ->  Information on shipping for the literature auction)

Winter, Peter – “House of Stamps”, pricelist “Edition ‘85 + ’88”, 32 pages + additional 4 pages, today, such price lists are no longer frequently found. PLUS: reprint of the 1914 Fournier price list offered by Lowell Ragatz in 1949 (64 pages); PLUS:  folder with a catalogue excerpt of the pages of the ‘Carl Kane Collection of Fakes and Forgeries’ (Schuyler J. Rumsey 2009); PLUS: Patrick Pearson: Advanced Philatelic Research (1971), 140 pages, Hardcover, with autor signature; PLUS: Sigurd Tullberg: falska Frimärken (Stockholm 1947, 192 Spalten, Hardcover). Mostly good condition. Estimate: 70 Euro

Philately of Tomorrow – Philatelic Research Laboratories (1940), 120 pages, softcover, inside an unreadable dedication; PLUS: The Dealers' Guide to Chemical Restoration of Postage Stamps (42 pages, 1975), to read at the cover page inside: “The Guide is not intended for sale to the General Collecting Public”! PLUS: The Institute for Analytical Philately, Inc.: Proceedings of the Third International Symposium on Analytical Methods in Philately, edited by Susan Smith & John H. Barwis, 2020, 174 pages, with many illustration, in colour, softcover, good condition. Estimate: 60 Euro

The Philatelic Foundation New York (1983–2010): OPINIONS – Philatelic Expertizing – An Inside View, 8 + 1 Volumes, each volumes up to 150 pages, illustrated, hardcover, good condition plus 1 Vol: “Opinions I–V. The Complete Abstracts and Index” (163 Seiten, 1990). Only very rarely available in such a complete run! Estimate: 400 Euro

(This item is a heavy, medium-sized box. See the PDF for more details. ->  Information on shipping for the literature auction)

Lot of 3 publications - Tyler, Varro E. : Philatelic Forgers. Their Lives and Works (1976, 60 pages, illustrated, with additional copies of other publications, hardcover with dust jacket, well preserved); PLUS: Atlee/Pemberton/Earee: The Spud Papers. An illustrated descriptive catalogue of early philatelic forgeries, reprinted by Lowell Ragatz, 168 pages, many illustrations, softcover, good condition; PLUS: Dorn, J. (Publ.): The Forged Stamps of all Countries, 239 pages, 350 diagrams, softcover, good condition. Estimate: 75 Euro

Moens, Jean-Baptiste: Manuel du collectionneur des timbres-poste (2nd edition 1862), print on white paper, 90 pages PLUS Supplement to the 2nd edition, 16 pages (1863, but preface by Moens from 12 December 1862!), original cover kept (small faults), both bibliophile privately bound, halfleather with gold title imprint on spine. - One of the rarest early catalogues in philatelic history and most interesting for every collector of philatelic literature. Estimate: 1.300 Euro 

@Corinphila + 284, 30.5.–2.6.2022, lot 2130: 1.100 CHF + 22%

Moens, Jean-Baptiste: On the Falsification of Postage Stamps or, a General Nomenclature of all the Imitations and Forgeries as well as of the various Essay Stamps of all Countries (1862, translated by E. Doble), 32 pages, softcover, this copy in good condition is preserved in a wonderful bibliophile box. - This is the first study/catalogue of forgeries in philately! A rarity for every philatelic library! Estimate: 700 Euro

@ Williame auction # 223, 8.2.2003, lot 3110 (ex Moens): 1.725 Euro