BBOOTS

general stamp collecting discussions
 #9  by vitg
 
I am wondering if other Lithuanian collectors can share information about current Lithuanian proofs and essays (after 1990)?! It seems to me that most of the material on the market is poor quality reprints of the "rider" and "statue of liberty" issues. Also printer's waste and different varieties from the first issue. Please share interesting proofs from your collections or any information about the origin of any proofs/essays, etc.
 #11  by vitg
 
Audrius,

The scans you posted are typical of what I was referring to.
I have reliable but not verified information to attest that these are not proofs but the reprints printed in Lithuania after the issue was officially out (original stamps were printed in Leipzig, Germany). The type of the print (if reviewed under high magnification is crude and pixillated as typically found on non-lazer printers, etc.) The artist, Violeta Skabeikiene, indeed signed the reprints and these were printed and destributed with her knowledge but to be used as "souvenir".

The seller from Latvia is not the only dealer offering these as "proofs". I've seen many others offering these privately and on eBay. I am sure most sellers are not trying to misguide the collectors but probably just offer these as proof out of lack of knowledge.

Anybody has more information? Come forward with it !
Any other proofs?
 #14  by vitg
 
Here is an interesting proof of Mi 543 which was actually not accepted for print and was recommended to be changed to "Resemble the Original" stamp more. I know however that there are more of these and others in the collectors hands... Please share your knowledge!
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 #22  by Audrius
 
Ričardas Vainora (Kaunas) writes: There are many more reprints often referred as “proofs” than those shown above in this forum. There are also “proofs” of the knight (lith. Vytis) Mi 465-467, 473, etc. These reprints were printed by a laser printer simply to deceive unsuspected buyers. These reprints were fabricated much later than 1991 as evident from the fact that such laser printers at that time were not yet available in Lithuania. I know for sure that artist and designer A. Šakalys from Vilnius was behind these reprints. I don’t know whether V. Skabeikienė who designed the original stamps was involved or not. I have personally inspected several available sheets and noticed that these were not originally signed by V. Skabeikienė – her original signature was also reprinted. A. Šakalys was selling these reprints for $20 if I am not mistaken, while their actual value was less than 2 Litas (ca. $0.5). These reprints are undoubtedly forgeries. By the way, what is the “souvenir stamp”?

Original stamps were printed in Germany by the metallographic printing process, therefore any stamp proofs, if any exist at all, should be also printed by the same printing method. One needs to remember that many of these stamps were also printed in Lithuania on postal stationary by the offset printing. Many so-called “proofs” could have been easily obtained from the printer's waste. I have in my collection several stamp samples with the Freedom Monument which clearly were not cut out from the existing envelopes. Perhaps such samples were indeed required and used in the envelope printing process. Or perhaps these are just the printer’s waste – I really don’t know. One thing is clear – these stamp with the Freedom Monument were printed in 1991 at the Spindulys printing establishment.

I remember that many collectors in 1991 were making contacts with employees at the Spindulys. Who knows what we would find in their collections