Chapter 9

FAKES

All stamps and covers shown in this chapter are fake. Many reveal cardinal errors, mostly the wrong value. The national stamp should be 3 centavos, but we see other lower values. Possibly at the time there was less questioning. Some fake stamps have wrong measurements. Some have secret key characteristics missing like the dots to the left of “nave…” in the yellow left wing CCNA.

Color reproduction copiers work miracles as well! Some fakes have the wrong departure and arrival dates. This is easy to check as CCNA dates are well recorded.

This is a complete FAKE cover with a genuine stamp but fake cancellations, reproduced from original handstamps. On the reverse is a metal cliché of the original rubber receiving postal marking of Barranquilla.

This Colombian 1920 Cartagena is Barranquilla back (stamped) by a CCNA oval agency cancellation C11 (var) Sanabria # 13 +red to March 12, 1920 cover.

Bibliography and acknowledgements, for which I am most grateful

Bortfeldt, D. Notes on reprints and forgeries – Part III – The Colombian Airmails. 2007

Cruz, S & Bortfeldt, D. Handbook of the Scadta Provisional Surcharges 1921–1923. 2004

Kessler, F. W. The Airposts of Colombia. 1935

Kessler, F.W. The Philip G Cole Collection of Rare Airmail Stamps and Covers – auction sale catalog. 1939/40

Linn’s Philatelic Gems

Londono, Eugenio Y Jairo T. Los Primos Cincuenta Anos De Correo Aereo en Colombia. 1975

Myer, J. N. Studies in the Philately of Colombia. 1940

Schmidt, Prof E. Illusteriertes Briefmarken. 1932

Velazuela, C. Un Nuevo Enfoque Sobre el Material Filatelico Que Utilizo La Compania Colombianade Navigacion Aerea. Circa 2000

AND

almost every catalog of the 1900s by numerous auction houses, as referenced in the text, plus examination of all the stamps contained therein for use in preparing this edition.

Acknowledgements

And last but not least, the invaluable assistance of my friend and expert advisor Brian Moorhouse. I am grateful to numerous translators and the amazing editing by the late Trevor Woodside, Warner Beach, KwaZulu, Natal, South Africa, who passed away when the work was 95% complete.

In addition, I am grateful to Manuel Arrango and Felipe de Toro, both of Bogota, for their advice.