Ceylon

1883 Issue 4c, 16c and 24c with a variety of surcharges
(new underlying designs made for use with genuine retained surcharges)

Sperati decolored genuine surcharged stamps of Ceylon and retained both the original surcharge as well as original cancels. He then printed his new designs in various colors over the retained surcharge and cancel. Sperati made proofs in color. Except for the 16c, no completed examples of these reproductions are known unless they bear surcharges.


page thumbnails:
cropped proof thumbnails: Proofs are shown rather than finished reproductions for clarity. See mounted pages for finished reproductions.

1883 Issue 4c Surcharged (rose and lilac rose)

1. the bottom stoke of the "E" of "CEYLON" is separated from the upright

2. the right arm of the "T" is separated from the upright

3. there is a constant break through two of the horizontal lines of shading behind the neck

1883 Issue 16c Surcharged

1. there is a break in top frameline above the "AG" of "POSTAGE"

2. the thin frameline above "CEYLON" has two white spots over the "E"

1883 Issue 24c Surcharged (purple brown and in green)

1. there are three white dots in the top part of the heavy frame of triangle

2. there are two spots in the "C" of "CEYLON" one in center and one along lower curve

additional information from Sperati I:  Plate 4    Ceylon Text

Richard Frajola (May 4, 2020)