Southern Nigeria

1901 Issue 5s
1903 Issue £1

Sperati made reproductions of two Southern Nigeria stamp designs, the 1901 issue 5s Queen Victoria and the £1 Edward VII design of 1903. His finished reproduction utilized genuine stamp paper with forged cancels. All were printed using two clichés. Sperati I reports only the £1 with crown CA watermark but it is also known on paper with multiple crown CA watermark (1906 issue).

page thumbnails:
reproduction thumbnails:  

1901 Issue 5s

1. the horizontal shading lines are too thick and some in the frame run together

2. the lines of shading disappear where they are fine in the genuine resulting in unshaded parts above and below the left eye

(photoprint of proof, ex Robson Lowe collection)

1903 Issue £1 (wmk crown CA and multiple crown CA)

1. there are several white spots in the background of the "£1" tablet

2. the inner horseshoe of ornament at top right has a large between top segment and the arch

3. there are two thick strands of hair at the very top of monarch's head that appear as an indent

(photoprint of proof, ex Robson Lowe collection)

additional information from Sperati I:  Plate 19    Southern Nigeria Text

Richard Frajola (May 8, 2020)