A careful reader of the Reference Manual of Saudi Arabian Forgeries noticed that
there was a gap between pages S-3 and S-7. Whether anything was planned for these
pages is not known, but this page provides additional information on the forgeries
described on page S-3.
The stamps described on page S-3 are forgeries of the first Hejaz-Nejd definitive
issue and can be identified by:
1. Perforated 11
2. Thicker smooth paper
3. Very crude reproductions, partly blurred. Significant deviations in the Arabic
numerals and lettering.
The 2 qirsh violet and 3 qirsh blue were illustrated, but in monochrome.
Further Information.
The few examples of this forgery in my collection show that these stamps are also
to be found perforated 11.5 and imperforate. Probably of greater significance is
the fact that most of my examples have the fake DJEDDAH 10-6-21 cancellation as illustrated
on page W-2 of the Forgeries manual. This could tie the production of these forgeries
to the same source as the many 'total' forgeries of the period, which also show the
poor quality of printing. However, some of these 'totals' are very realistic and
have the correct perforation, making identification very difficult. These will be
the subject of a future article.
Also shown at left are two examples of the Pan Islamic overprint forgery type 1 on
a 'total' perf 11.5, one with the previously mentioned DJEDDAH cancellation, the
other with a, presumably fake, all-Arabic Makkah mark. Note (2) relating to this
forgery on page T-1 of the Forgeries Manual will be amended to include usage on these
'totals'.
Page S-2 of the Forgeries Manual in reference to good quality forgeries of this issue,
states that the forgeries were apparently produced photographically from a single
genuine cliche. So far, I have plated these as 1/4 qirsh - position 7, 3 qirsh position
3, and 5 qirsh from position 4. The same statement may also apply to these 'totals'.
For example, all my copies of the 5 qirsh show the break in the frame under the lower
left circle containing the Arabic number 5. The poor print quality may prevent accurate
plating.
Note: A 'total' forgery is one where stamp, overprint, paper and cancellation are
not genuine.