A China Found Stamp: Bogus but still Highly Priced!

Certain issues in China have brought forth a highly prized stamp. Though this was found to be bogus 130 years ago, it was still considered a piece worthy of a space in a 19^th-century collector’s album.
Many collectors during the early 19^th century found Album Weeds as a convenient reference in the study of philatelic forgeries. This book published in the year 1882 was authored by Reverend Robert Brisco Earée and was considered as an authority in the study of forged stamps.

A perfect example of this valuable research accomplished by those philatelists of the olden days was those that were found by Amoy, Ningpo, Hong Kong & Shanghai locals. The author of the book, Robert Brisco Earée recalled wistfully how these particular stamps were being catalogued, and then was highly advertised for sale. It further became a primary piece in some junior collectors' album.

The stamp was said to have been neatly processed in lithography using a thin sheet of white paper, imperforated and not cancelled or used in mailing. These stamps were perfectly made to the point that it can even hold its place among the classic stamps of the 1865 Dragon Shanghai issues since it was in parallel with its layout. The only difference that was noted is its surprising Chinese design that took the place of the original dragon that showed its twisting shape and other embellishments.