China Republic stamps : 01 Junk series a

This article is not about junk stamps, but the Junk (type of boat) that belongs to the classic stamps of China, issued after the famous dragon stamps.
By the way did you know there is also a train on the stamp? 

'Junk' stamps China 1913/1933

This stamp design is used for the values of 1/2 cent, 1, 1 1/2, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 10 cents.
The higher denominations have a different images.
Nevertheless, this rather simple stamp is worth discussing.

First of all the 3 types :

The first printing in 1913 happened both in London and Peking (Bejing).
The second printing of 1923 is from Peking alone - this printing is a redesign of the first printing.

This last printing is the easiest to recognise, as the ornaments are simplified.

comparing 1913 and 1923 stamps

On top the 1913 version, with filled ornaments (1), decorative lines under the header (2) and extra frame lines left and right (3).
In the 1923 version, these 3 are omitted.

Within the 1913 version, there are two different printings, the London and the Peking printing.

1913 London vs Bejing printing

The diffences are these :

1913 London printing (left image) vs 1913 Bejing printing (right image)
* 1 : shading underneath the top ornament is thin in the London printing, and thicker in the Bejing printing
* 2 : the poles in the background are not connected in the London printing (look like iTi) where they are connected in the Bejing printing (look like M)
* 3 : very clear diagonal shading in the sail in the first printing - very unclear or incomplete in the second version
* 4 : the first flag on the top is longer and complete in the London prints, shorter and often interrupted in the Bejing printing
* 5 : the waves under the junk (between U and B of Republic) are connected in the London printings, and interrupted in the other printing

Finally, the London stamps are perforated 14 to 15 - where the Bejing printing is 14

1913 London printings

1913 Bejing printings

 

For the 10 cents, there are two variations in the Bejing printing:

10 cents Bejing printing - with dot

10 cents Bejing printing - without dot

One is with a dot in the ornament, the other without the dot - both have the same value.
This stamp perforated 13 is a forgery however.

1923 2nd Bejing printing

1923 2nd Bejing printing - multiples

Smart readers will have noticed that that stamps are signed 'Republic of China', which is nowadays the name given to Taiwan.
Until China became communist, this was the general name of China.
With the exile of the Government of Sun Yat-sen to Formosa/Taiwan in 1949, the name of Republic of China came along. The 'red' China adapted the new name of People's republic of China until now.

A train on the stamp .... spoiler alert :

behind the Junk boat, a train is depicted too

Lots of issues were overprinted to be used in specific parts of China.
More on those, and other overprints, in my next post...

to be continued ...