The so-called "Flower
Design" issues (Mi #1-4) have large variation in colour, and the printing quality of the originals is very poor. There
are large numbers of different forgeries on the market, and it is very
difficult to be sure that you actually have an original stamp in your
possession. Generally, original
issues have a more even colour application with fewer spots. The
forgeries have more uneven colour application with numerous spots and
rather uneven contours of edges and letters [1].
The most important characteristics to
distinguish originals of the 35 K issue (Mi #3) from forgeries of Jaan Lubi are [1]:
PAPER: Original issues are characterised by a
compact, slightly glossy surface structure with few loosely attached
fibres, while the paper of the forgeries is not, or nearly not, glossy,
with a higher number of raised fairly loosely attached
fibres. The colour of the paper is generally somewhat more white on
forgeries than on originals.
COLOUR: #3 has the most variation in colour of all the Flower
Design issues, varying from brown to grey. The forgeries, however, have
a red-brown colour that is clearly distinguishing from the originals.
The colour application on originals is even in fields and lines, while
the forgeries have unevenly
coloured lines and fields.
The frame lines between the upper corner fields have uniform width, and are mostly separated from the flower petals on original
stamps. The forgeries have generally uneven and wider frame lines that are mostly connected
with the flower petals.
The
flower petals are very regularly designed on
originals, frequently more irregular on the forgeries. The forgeries of #3 have, however, more regular design than #1 and #2.
The flower petals are mostly separated from the upper corner fields and the vertical edges of the central "Eesti
Post" field, resulting in fairly even edges. On the forgeries the
petals are frequently indistinctly separated from these fields. especially on the vertical edges touch the central field
resulting in a very indistinct edge.
Forgery (Type D)
Original?
During
his studies, Erik Sjoegren discovered that all the Jaan Lubi forgeries
were made of 4 different types with clearly distinct characteristics
[2]. The first issues (Flower design) were printed simply in blocks of
4, while the later issues were printed in bigger sheets of 4x4, 4x5 and
4x6 issues, probably due to increased demand. In all these
printings the 4 distinct types are
found in different combinations within each sheet. These types are
designated A, B, C and D in the following.
The Lubi forgeries of the first Estonian issues (Flower design) were printed in blocks of 4 in the following layout:
A
B
C
D
These four different types are here shown together (note the colour differences!):
The following shows the main characteristics of these four types [2]:
Type A:
Short vertical appendix to the left of the numeral field
Both small flower petals at the upper right corner of the "EESTI POST" field are open below
The small petal pairs along the right frame touch, or almost touch, the frame
Type B:
Farily even and narrow lines in petals in the upper right corner and in the upper central area
The letters "PO" in "POST" are thicker and larger than "ST"
Type C:
Thick joined lines of small petal pairs at the upper and lower right corners of the "EESTI POST" field
Thick blunt "petal" at the right of the numeral field
Lump on central field above first "E" in "EESTI"
Type D:
Uppermost petals between the corner fields are distinctly joined with the frame
Narrow white space above the numeral field
Petal lines above "ES" in EESTI are distinctly joined
Lower leg of second "E" in EESTI is distinctly inclined
Sources:
E. Sjogren: "Distinguishing features of Jaan Lubi forgeries of Estonian stamps I", Eesti Filatelist #28, 1982
E. Sjogren: "Distinguishing features of Jaan Lubi forgeries of Estonian stamps III", Eesti Filatelist, 1987
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