Corruption and Greed at the Jammu and Kashmir Post Office

Transcription

1 Corruption and Greed at the Jammu and Kashmir Post Office 4 annas carmine red genuine 4 annas sage green reprint 4 annas light brown Missing Die forgery

2 Circular Stamps Three Circular values, ½, 1 and 4 anna(s). Handstamped with three single dies. March 1866 to May Withdrawn in May 1878 and unsold sheets and part sheets stored in the State Treasury. Half Anna One Anna Four Annas 2

3 Characteristics of Genuine Circulars No genuine Circular stamp were printed on wove paper. Most genuine Circular stamp were printed on Native paper. In 1877 and 1878 a few genuine circulars were printed on European laid paper. From 1866 through 1876 genuine circulars were printed in water color. In 1877 and 1878 genuine circulars were printed in oil color. Half anna watercolor on Native paper Half anna red oil on Native Paper Half anna yellow oil on European laid 3

4 Reprints are made By 1878 the Circular stamps were withdrawn from use; unsold sheets were stored in the State Treasury. Around 1880 (or earlier) greedy postal officials started to take genuine Circular stamps from the State Treasury and probably resell to local businesses at a discount. Using the actual Circular stamp dies, the dishonest postal officials printed replacement reprint stamps to cover the genuine stamps that were stolen. Half anna reprint One anna reprint Four annas reprint 4

5 Characteristics of the Reprint The replacement reprints were printed in oil and on wove (mainly) and native paper. The reprints could not be sold because the original colors, mainly water colors, were not available. Also the small amount of native paper available to the greedy postal employees was different from the native paper used for the genuine Circulars. As subsequently happened, ink type, ink color and paper alerted specialists philatelists living in India to the Circular reprints. 5

6 Missing Die Forgeries Circa 1890 the dishonest postal officials lost control of the three actual dies used to print the circular stamps; circular reprints could no longer be produced. The greedy employees devised Plan B they made three circular dies similar to the actual dies. The Missing Die Forgeries produced were now substituted for the remaining genuine stamps in the Treasury. Half anna Missing Die Forgery One anna Missing Die Forgery Four annas Missing Die Forgeries 6

7 New Rectangular Stamps New Rectangular stamps completely replaced both the Circulars and Old Rectangular stamps May The dishonest postal employees did NOT steal, reprint or forge any New Rectangular stamps. ½ anna red rough perf anna red rough perf ½ anna slateviolet rough perf anna purple rough perf anna violet rough perf 10-12

8 The Jammu & Kashmir Post Office Closes On 1 Nov the J & K post office closes and the New Rectangular stamps are added to the Treasury stocks. The New Rectangular stamps are by far comprise the most volume of obsolete stamps in the State Treasury. Circular and Old Rectangular stamps (reprints and Missing Die forgeries) stored in the Treasury are all unused, I believe. New Rectangular stamps (all genuine) stored in the Treasury are both unused and used and appear to be 1883 to 1894 issues. Two years after the J & K post office closed, (1896) all the J & K stamps in the Treasury were publically advertised for sale. The State sold all the stamps to Rev. C.B. Simons of the Baramula Mission. Rev. Simons may have been the only bidder! 8

9 Rev Simons Markets the J & K Stamps Rev Simons had a London based charity sell the J & K stamps to collectors. Heading and row one of five of a Rev. Simons early sales sheet. 9

10 The Reprints and Forgeries Publicized By 1898 major philatelists in India discovered that all Circular and Old Rectangular stamps were reprints and forgeries. All New Rectangular stamps were genuine. Simons sales presentation evolved to be quite ostentatious. 10

11 Stamps from the State Treasury Had to be Genuine Rev. Simons totally believed all the stamps acquired from the State were genuine. He certified them genuine A stamp which is neither a forgery nor a reprint is genuine. The State believed all the stamps sold to Rev Simons were genuine. Found in the State Treasury in October 1894 and not a reprint (signed) Accountant General Kashmir 18 Feb [On the reverse of a part sheet of one anna red circular reprints!) 11

12 Sales Letter in Rev Simons handwriting Manuscript letter from Rev Simons to a customer. a RS 30/- set of obsolete Kashmir stamps which are guaranteed absolutely genuine. I also add a set of Afghans & Poonch stamps total Rs. 42/8. 12

13 The Name - Missing Die Forgeries The three genuine Circular dies, plates for both the Old and New Rectangular stamps were found in the State Treasury. The three stamp dies made by the dishonest postal officials were never found at the State Treasury. Thus the three dies made by the dishonest postal officials became known as the Missing Die Forgeries. The Handout The handout illustrates the Missing Die Forgeries and compares them to the genuine Circular Dies. The handout explains how to distinguish the reprints from the genuine stamps. 13