The Circular Reprints

The Stamps of Jammu-Kashmir by Alexander Séfi and C.H. Mortimer, pp 248-256.

The reprints of Jammu-Kashmir are confined to the circular dies, and to the dies and plates of the old rectangulars. No reprinting form any of the plates of the new rectangulars ever took place, with the one possible exception, previously noted, of a Srinagar-printed ¼a red on thin wove. All reprints are official, having been printed under official authority and not by private individuals. They were, however, fraudulently substituted for original stamps in the Treasuries and even post offices, by the postal officials, without the knowledge or sanction of the State, as has already been disclosed by the Simons controversy. They were invariably printed in oilcolour in insoluble printers’ ink, and never in watercolour. Stuart Godfrey informs us that reprinting was done by the native officials (quite innocently, and in ignorance of possible consequences) to carry out orders for stamps with certain papers and colours, to the best of their ability.

Up to the present, the only reference list of any importance relating to these impressions has been that compiled by Sir E.D. Bacon, late president of the Royal Philatelic Society, in his work entitled “Reprints”, published in 1899. This list is now largely extended. Bacon asserted that all the circular reprints had, with the exception of those on thin wove paper, been available for postage. This view was, at one period, very generally held, but it can no longer be maintained. The mistake seems to have arisen, partly from a misapprehension as to the nature of the oil-printed stamps of 1877-78, on laid paper. Bacon listed these as reprints, a term that is inadmissible owing to the fact that they formed part of the normal printings on this paper before the stamps became obsolete. A further cause for the mistake is that true reprints were undoubtedly seen and occasionally purchased from post offices, these including reprints on both native and thin wove papers. Such sales were made, not only before, but even after the closing of the native posts. But, as we have also shown, there was never any official authority for such sales. The postal officials themselves had, without knowledge or consent of the State Council, organised a large and successful fraud, not by selling quantities of reprints (and forgeries) for postal use, but by selling original stamps stolen from the various post offices and treasuries, and concealing the fact by substituting reprints in the post offices and treasuries, and producing them whenever an official checking of stock and accounts was made.

It is indeed practically impossible to find a reprint (or forgery) that has done authentic postal duty, though both are commonly found with genuine postmarks. These have been applied by favour of the postal officials. The exact period at which reprinting commenced is still unknown, but it was probably in 1879. Masson believed that it might have started in 1875, but we can trace no grounds for supposing so early a date. The earliest proved date for any true reprint is 1881. It was certainly carried on (from the circular and old rectangular plates and dies only) until 1890 or later. In the lists that follow we have included all varieties classified by Bacon (other than his so-called reprints of 1877-78 on laid paper) though a few have not yet been seen by us. Slight alterations of colour-shades, as described by Bacon, have been occasionally made in cases where it has been necessary to distinguish between them and other nearly allied impressions. The words in parentheses, (Sred) or (Sblk) denote that any particular variety is known overprinted, either in red or in black, with the word SPECIMEN in Roman capitals, the word measuring 22 mm in length. The circular reprints (1879?) are here tabulated:

The native paper of the reprints is normally thinner and much more smoothly surfaced than that of normal originals and impressions, generally, are much too clear and distinct. The greyish-blue reprints are known on thick rough paper almost identical with some of the original. Many of these reprints may be found with forged cancellations, also with genuine 3-circle postmarks of 1890-94, which have been applied by the “favour” of postal officials; but no authentic used copy has been seen by us.

The sage-greens. It will be noticed that the sage-green, one of the issued colours, occurs in the 1a and 4a only, and such impressions are fairly common, the 4a particularly. These two are by far the most difficult to all to classify correctly, and we should never be surprised to learn that some of them had formed part of the surplus printings of 1877-78 referred to in the Simons controversy. A very heavily blurred impression in this colour may always be taken as original, but some of the more lightly printed ones may, in our opinion, eventually prove to be from 1877-78 printings also, though we have not seen one used. In the very blurred impressions the ink is so heavily applied that it appears to be caked upon the paper, and the shade is invariably very deep, probably through the excess of oil in the colour having turned it almost brown.

The purples. A curious and interesting point remains to be noticed in connection with these circular reprints on native paper. It will be seen that the list contains, with one exception, impressions printed in the colours of the issued stamps. The exception is that of purple, and it has always been a problem to account for such a colour. The usual explanation has been that these impressions were intended to represent the Die I forgery in this colour, in the belief that the latter was a genuine stamp. There may, however, be a further reason. Stuart Godfrey has shown us a small soiled block of these impressions, printed on native paper in oilcolour, which not only came to him from the Office of the British Accountant-General T.E. Kiernander, but had actually been signed by the latter in his official capacity. It is interesting here to note that a small collection formed by Mr Kiernander was incorporated in the Séfi collection over twenty years ago, and provided many examples of early reprints. Now these purple impressions are so scarce, and the colour so completely unlike that of any originals, that it is difficult to believe that they could have been printed for sale to collectors. Moreover, as Stuart Godfrey (who had pesonally worked with Kiernander) points out, it would have been most improbable that the British Accountant-General should have been supplied with a few shillingsworth of stamps except for some official reason. The fact that Kiernanader’s office was also found to contain some of the official forgeries of the 8a new rectangulars, and that Kiernanader himself believed in their authenticity, scarcely affects the problem, for the official forgeries were surreptitiously introduced into offices of every description, including the post offices and treasuries, without the slightest knowledge of British or native officials. As, in 1878-79, this purple was for the first time introduced for two denominations of the new rectangular stamps, it is not impossible that the purple oil circulars on native paper had a more legitimate origin than has as yet been supposed.

The 1a chocolate is a rare reprint, of which we have only seen a single example.

The same forged and genuine cancellations referred to in connection with the reprints on native paper are also found in this group, but no authentic used copy is known. The thin wove paper at once renders all such reprints harmless, since thin wove was never used for the circular originals. The paper is, almost certainly, original paper of the new rectangular stamps. Reprints on the pure white variety must, therefore, have been produced in or after 1889 and, if on the toned papers, at any time from May 1878 onwards.

Laid papers. Although, for reasons previously stated, we have removed all the impressions on laid paper from the reprint class, the group on laid contains one or two varieties, notably a ½a in a rather bright yellowish-green and a 4a in a bright blue, that might eventually prove to be true reprints produced after May 1878, when the original printings became obsolete. We are not, however, in a postion to definitely assert that any such late printings on laid paper were, in fact, made.

Old Rectangular Reprints

Jammu Reprints. Only one small set of five reprints is known from the Jammu plate. Two of these are scarce and three of great rarity. Bacon suggested no date for their production, but this was given by Moens as 1881. The colours are brownish-red, vermilion, deep blue, bright blue, and bluish-green. These impressions appear to be (together with a similarly scarce printing of 1881 from the ¼a + 2a Kashmir plate in lilac) the earliest of all the reprints, strictly so-called, i.e., made after the stamps had become obsolete. Evans knew them in only two colours, brown-red and bright blue, and noted that neither Masson nor Bacon had classified the latter, adding that he had found it slightly soluble in water, and had sent a copy to Masson for examination. We may suppose, therefore, that the deep blue which Masson had classified was something quite distinct. We have seen a single copy only of the bluish-green reprint, which was in the Séfi collection, its provenance probably being the original Kiernander collection, but none of the vermilion or deep blue, though these should exist. All these 1881 impressions, whether from the Jammu or Kashmir plate are curiously rare for productions made for sale to collectors, but there appears to be no reason to suppose that they were printed for any more legitimate purpose.

Kashmir Reprints. Reprints from the old rectangular dues and plates of Kashmir were made in 1881, in 1886-88, and again in 1890. All of these, being oil-printed, are quite harmless since Kashmir originals were invariably in watercolour.

Reprints of 1881. From the first composite plate of ¼a + 2a, in lilac oilcolour on native paper. These early reprints were from a single printing from the whole of the composite plate, and are far from common, the 2a particularly. This composite plate was not in its original state when the first reprints (as above) were taken from it. Four small additional rivets had, previously to reprinting, been driven into the plate on the horizontal line dividing the denominations, one at each point of its intersection with the four vertical lines dividing the subjects on the plates. During reprinting the heads of the two outer rivets gave coloured, and the two central ones albino circular impressions.

Reprints of 1886-88. In some cases following, reprints were taken from portions of a plate only, either of one value only from a composite plate or, in one instance of the ½a value, from only one of the four rows of that value. These reprints are occasionally found overprinted in either red or black, with the word CANCELLED in Roman capitals, the length of the overprint being 20mm. These are rare, and the same overprint has been found on new rectangular original stamps and on others “prepared for issue.” Tabulation of Kashmir rectangular reprints:

The ¼a 1884 reprint? We have previously alluded to these impressions as forming, apparently, an exception to our rule that no new rectangular stamps were ever reprinted, but we consider that this exception has now to be admitted since we have found these impressions with a control of 1884, whereas the colour of the ¼a orange was changed to brown at least as early as May 1883, at which date the brown stamps were chronicled in the Philatelic Record. Such evidence of a reprint would appear to be conclusive, and it can, we think, be further supported. Although the paper, a heavily meshed fined thin wove, can be duplicated by that of stamps both in red, orange, and brown, the colour, a rather pale reddish-orange, is to say the least abnormal. It might fairly be asked why, if any new rectangulars were reprinted, the ¼a orange (or red) alone should have been selected. The answer, in our opinion, would lie in the fact (of which we have previously given evidence) that all red or orange stock of the ¼a was never reissued, as was that of every other denomination in very large quantities. The probability is, therefore, that when in 1883 the colour of this particular denomination was changed to brown, all the old stock in red and orange had been used up. It has long been a custom for dealers, on learning of a change of colour, to seek to replenish their stock by applying for the old stamps thus rendered obsolete. And if, as very probably occurred, such applications were made to Kashmir late in 1883, it may well be that they were met, of necessity in the particular case of the ¼a, by reprinting in 1884.

Postmarked reprints. Many reprints are found with postmarks and obliterations from both forged and genuine dies. Two interesting covers from the Séfi collection show the “favour” accorded by postal officials. The covers are each franked with three Imperial 1a stamps obliterated with the large barred-L of Srinagar, and each, also, with 3-annas’ worth of Kashmir reprints cancelled with the 3-circle (genuine) postmarks of Srinagar dated 21st July 1892. Unfortunately the barred-L obliterator ceased to be used in 1890, while the obliging official also overlooked the fact that both covers were dated at the back in the native vernacular in manuscript, one with 1885 and the other with 1887! Both covers had originally been addressed to His Highness Prince Christian Victor of Schleswig-Holstein at Murree. It is no doubt from covers of this description that the belief in reprints having been available for postage originated.

► Forgeries.

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