NOTES ON THE EXPERTS

L'Académie de Philatélie, Paris: member of the commission d'expertise in 1943 and 1949 (Chevassu 1949).
Jenö Ács The forged mark is described in [Flasch p. 49].
Capt. Adgey-Edgar Author, 1940s. Perhaps of Eastwater House, Bramley, Surrey.
E. L. Angeloglu Reported to be more reliable on Hejaz stamps than on Nejd issues.
American Philatelic Expertizing Service Founded in 1903 as the American Philatelic Association Expert Committee. From 1959 to 1965 APS used the services of the Philatelic Foundation. Cf. American Philatelist February 1995 and February 1998.
Arbeitsgemeinschaft Alliierter Kontrollrat 1946/48 e.V. The experts of this German specialised society only determine colours of Gemeinschaftsausgaben stamps, not their genuineness. They do sign stamps.
Asofilca, Asociación Filatelica de Caracas. Address (2015): contact [a] asofilca com.
Guy Balasse Address (1999): rue du Midi 43-45A, B-1000 Bruxelles.
Bartels The Hamburg (Colonnaden 3, Hamburg 36) dealer or (less likely) the Düsseldorf dealer Wilhelm Bartels or the Berlin-Charlottenburg and Stettin dealers Bartels & Co (1943)? There is also the New York dealer and expert John Murray (1872–1944), and others.
Jean-Francois Baudot Address (2004): JAMET, 24 rue de Gramont, F-75002 Paris.
Josef Baumgarten Hand stamp (which one?) is in the hands of a forger. [Bulat] According to [Flasch] it is not certain that mark 2 is Josef Baumgarten's.
Ennio Bianchi Address (2004): Via Plinio 43, I-20129 Milano.
Gino Biondi Address (2004): Via Goffredo Mameli 45, I-50131 Firenze.
Birnbaum There was, in 1943, a dealer Fritz Birnbaum in both Berlin and Dessau.
Miroslav Blaha Initiator of the 1918 Skalitz ovpt. [Flasch]
Herbert Bloch One of the world's great experts. Before 1936 in Germany. Last leader of the Friedl Expert Committee (formed 1948), New York NY, expert of the Philatelic Foundation. Also worked for H. R. Harmer NY (1943–58) and later Mercury Stamp Co. [Brühl p. 487–8, APS Hall of Fame.]
Mihály Bodor Address (2006): Koksz u. 64, HU-7630 Pécs.
Werner M. Bohne Germany Philatelic Society (USA). Renowned expert and author.
Zoran R. Boskovic Address (2004): Vladetina 1, 11120 Beograd 35. Born: 31st October, 1957 in Kragujevac (central Serbia). Education: graduated archeologist (B.Sc.). Profession: employed by Institute of Archeology in Belgrade since 1990. Stamp collector: active since 1972 (stamps of Yugoslavia), from that time member of Union of Serbia's Stamp Collectors (SFS). Today member of philatelic club Podrinje-Šabac (president since 2001) and philatelic club of Banja Luka, Republika Srpska. Since 28th September 1998 expert-beginner under mentor Prof. Dr. Jovan Velickovic and since 23rd January 2001 expert for territories Republika Srpska (including local issue Doboj) and Republika Srpska Krajina. Since 1998 collaborates actively in the Expert Council of the Philatelic Association of Serbia and Montenegro.
David Brandon Address (2006): P.O. Box 247, Guildford, Surrey GU3 1EL
Briefmarkenprüfstelle Basel Swiss independent expert committee. Members (1999): Jean Paul Bach, Martin Eichele, Peter Rapp. [FFE2 p.177] Their certificates (e.g. SykeH-1) have reportedly been forged [J. Kraft] or been erroneous.
British Philatelic Association Expertizing Ltd, PO Box 1141, Guildford, Surrey GU5 0WR, England. (2014)
Br. Soc. of Russian Philately Expert Committee Secretary: Eric Peel, 41 Norwood Drive, Harrow, Middx. HA2 7PF, England.
Aimé Brun One of the most respected experts of the 1950s and 1960s. Grandfather of Jean-François.
Jean-François Brun
Georg Bühler His mark (genuine or forged) has been found even on the simplest of forgeries. It is reported that Bühler's eyesight was failing during his last years and also that his hand stamp was abused after his death. In addition the mark was forged by Blum. Bühler's successors are still (2007) active as stamp auctioneers, t.a. Georg Bühler Nachfolger OHG, Berlin.
Egidio Caffaz Address (2004): Via Penghe 1/B, I-35030 Selvazzano Dentro (PD).
Roger Calves Address (2001): 8 rue Drouot, F-75009 Paris. Said to be a somewhat controversial mark. It is reported that the Calves mark was placed in bottom centre on mint stamp, bottom right on used ones with an overprint and bottom left on used ones without overprint, but this information is unconfirmed. His business Drouot Philatélie, still at the above address, is now continued by his son Christian Calves and Alain Jacquart, q. v.  Positions.
Gianni Carraro Address (2006): Via S. Maurilio 20, I-20123 Milano.
CEM Address (2001): Calle Mayor 30 , E-28013 Madrid.
R. J. Ceresa Author of "The Postage Stamps of Russia 1917–1923", published as 46 books  between 1978 and 2002, and of " Russian Postage Stamps 1917–1923 Forgery Guide". Address (2009): 3 Russell Terrace, Glencanthara Rd, Aldwick PO21 2SE, England. The initials "RJC" (alone or within a circle) is not an expertising mark, but a house mark used by Dr. Ceresa on his stamps in e.g. circulation books before he started to give opinions. This mark can thus be found on forgeries too.
Giovanni Chiavarello Address (2004): Via S.Giacomo dei Capri 65 bis, I-80131 Napoli.
COMEX Address (2002): Pau Claris, 106 Entlo., E-08009 Barcelona.
Eugene N. Costales Dealer 1932–55. Expert for the APS. Catalogue editor.
CSA Address (2018): Patricia A. Kaufmann, 10194 N. Old State Road, Lincoln, DE 19960-3644, USA. The CSA has operated an authentication service since the early 1950s.
Mohamed Dadkah He was the most famous philatelist of Iran. [APS Hall of Fame.]
Hermann Decker Replaced genuine stamps, received for expertising, with forged ones in 1897. [GSM 1897–98]
Attila Derecskei (Dipl. Ing.), Thököly út 61, H-1146 Budapest, Hungary. briefmarkenexpert / gmail.com
Enzo Diena Probably the most respected of the post-WW2 Italian expert. [See also APS Hall of Fame.]
Emil Dub Some of his opinions are no longer considered to be in accordance with modern expertising requirements. In addition his expertising stamp devices have been forged on several different occasions [W. van Loo].
In the BDPh-Diskussions-Forum Wilhelm van Loo wrote on 6 April 2005:
Dr. Dub hat ab 1945 fast alles geprüft und soweit es ihm möglich war, die Gebiete erforscht. Er hat wesentlichen Anteil am Aufbau des Prüfwesens nach dem Krieg. Viele Prüfer und seriöse Händler sind nicht mehr aus dem Krieg zurückgekehrt. Seine echten Prüfzeichen sind weitgehend unbekannt. Lange Zeit hat er nur mit dem "Käfer" geprüft. Marken mit diesem echten Käfer findet man fast nicht mehr, nur die Prüfzeichenfälschungen. Für Saar signierte er u.a mit einem "D" und bis 1949 mit einem verzogenen "DrDub", das selbst ich für falsch hielt, als ich seine Unterlagen noch nicht kannte. Er war HNO-Arzt und hat bis über 80 "geprüft", wenn auch dann nicht mehr im BPP. Sein Prüfzeichen ist in unbekannt vielen Fälschungen auf den Belegen der Philatelie, daraus kann man ihm eine hohe Qualifikation doch nicht absprechen. Vieles konnte er nicht erforschen durch die damaligen Zonengrenzen, so hat er auch Marken falsch beurteilt. Eine Nachprüfung für Zeichen die vor 1975 auf die Marken kamen, sollte selbstverständlich für einen Laien sein. (Text reproduced with permission of the author.)
Echt im Block... This mark is applied to individual stamps separated from a block that has, originally, been expertised as such.
ECPM, Mejiro 1-4-23, Tokyo 171-0031, was opened for foreign customers in connection with the 2001 Phila Nippon exhibition. The experts act as members of the Committee, not as individuals. Y. Furuya is Secretary General of the Committee. The names are listed surname first. See Philately in Japan, August, 2001, pp. 6-8, and internet.
Eichenthal EICHENTHAL EICHENTHAL The first was used by the stamp store, the second by Willem (note: letters are not narrow). In the forged mark for Willem the left leg of the A is dented outwards near the top, and the cross bar of the second H is not at the centre, but higher. [Peter Gleason, Eesti Filatelist #39 2005 p. 189.]
Florian Eichhorn ISJP (International Society for Japanese Philately) expert committee chairman since 2013. In 1991 the BPP experts on Japan agreed not to use their metal handstamps on classic Japanese stamps anymore, due of the thin paper. Eichhorn has also decided to mark Korean stamps with a pencil signature only. His mark will now only be used on forged or faked  stamps in combination with a FALSCH rubber stamp (cf. scan).
Albert Eid Important Belgian dealer of antiques and stamps in Alexandria or Cairo, later in Brussels (antiques). Reported to be more reliable on Nejd stamps than on Hejaz issues.
Ebbe Eldrup Address (2006): Bolbrovænge 29, DK-2960 Rungsted kyst.
Peter Engler Address (1995): Waldhaus, D-88696 Owingen 1.
Errington & Martin Dealers (proprietors O. Marsh, later W. H. Golding and G. P. Keef), South Hackney (London E9), c. 1920–50.
Estudio 20 S.A. Imbelloni, Jakubovich and Solari works as in-house experts at this auction house (2004).
Lois M. Evans-De Violini Address (2023): 1950 Patricia St., Oxnard, CA 93036, USA.
Alfredo Ermo Fiecchi was a great expert. – There was also a dealer A. E. Fiecchi in Venice in 1897. Tyler (1991) tells about a dealer-reprinter A. E. Fiecchi in Milan in 1907. In 1926 Capt. A. E. Fiecchi was president of the Italian stamp dealers' association. In 1949 A. Fiecchi and A. E. Fiecchi were dealers in Milan.
Finland Information moved to finland.html.
Jean Claude Fourcaut Address (2006): 55 rue Alphonse Pallu, F-78110 Le Vésinet. Expert since early 1970s.
Luigi Gazzi Address (2004): Via Scuole 17, I-38068 Rovereto (TN).
Gérard Gilbert Paris 1926, 1879–1944, auctioneer, expert, disperser of the Ferrary stamp collection 1921–25. Not known if same person. S. Gilbert could be same as G. Gilbert.
San Giusto Expert 1956: Danilo Sancin, who signed stamps in manuscript by pencil; cf. sample on the certif. after the word "Bleistift:". Owner 2002: Flavio Pardo.
Alfred Glavany See: Kaan Ertem: First stamp dealers of Istanbul 1875–1914, Opal, Dec. 2002. The French Davide and Raoul G. lived in Constantinople c. 1900. [Ottoman Bank web site.]
Svend Grønlund Deceased. It is known that towards the end his opinions became unreliable.
Rolf Gummesson Some of his opinions of later date have not proved fully trustworthy.
M. Haertel This mark is reported to be worthless. It has been applied to forgeries made by Haertel himself. [DBZ 1966 p. 1319 and Michel Deutschland Spezial.]
Stefan Heijtz Address (2006): Box 19541, S-104 32 Stockholm.
Kaj Hellman Address (2006): P.O. Box 1, FI-02611 Espoo.
Otto Hindrichs There is (2001, 2011) a dealer Dr. Otto Hindrichs at Lambertikirchplatz 4, D-48143 Münster, owned by the founder's grandson.
Tobias Huylmans Address (2011): In den Sigristmatten 2, D-79115 Freiburg. tobias [at] huylmans.de
Infla Berlin (Verein der Deutschlandsammler e.V.). Address (2002): Günter Bechtold, Postfach 1155, D-82351 Weilheim. The marks are coded according to expert; e.g. for the circular mark a cross in the centre stands for Peschl, a dash for Oechsner, a B for Bechthold, a T for Tworek, a W for Winkler, a WE for Weinbuch.
Instituto de Expertização de Filatelia Portuguesa Address (2005): Rua Pierre Durand 94, P-490-544 Póvoa de Varzim. Set up in 2005. [FFE8]
ISFILA Address (2005): Safak Sokak No.4 D.2, TU-34371 Nisantasi/Istanbul.
Paul Jemtschoujin A rather frequently encountered expert's mark of good reputation. According to UPNS not reliable on Ukrainian Tridents, however.
César Jones Since 1983 FIP juror (traditional, postal history, postal stationery and aerophilately) in more than 40 exhibitions at all levels. Dr. Jones' "Uruguayan Air Mail First Flights" was awarded gold or above five times at FIP exhibitions. Expert of the FIP Commission on Aerophilately. Address (2005): Ave. Uruguay 1333 apto. 101,  11.100 Montevideo, Uruguay. E-mails: uruphilatelyyahoo.com and cesarjohotmail.com.
Geza Kapusi In the forged expert's mark (usually in black) the oval is visibly smaller, 4x3 mm and less regular, the original being 5x3.5 mm. [Flasch 13, 100]
V. J. Karvonen Member of Helsingfors Frimärkssamlare Förening's expert committee 1963–.
W. A. King Expert of the Arabian Philatelic Association International, qv. Address (2002): W. A. King FRPSL, 40 Kilnford Drive, Dundonald, Kilmarnock, Ayrshire KA2 9ET, Scotland, UK. Personal sign wak is accompanied by a pencil mark indicating position for plateable stamps. Used twice for doubled marks and in same direction as mark.
Eugene Klein Official expert of the APS 1911–1931 (and of ASAA, 1926) and a specialist collector of Heligoland, South Bulgaria and several South American countries. [APS Hall of Fame.]
Kalev Kokk Address (2004): Sisaski 24B, EE-10913 Tallinn. [Eesti Filatelist #39 p. 228.]
Jürgen Kraft Address (2020): Apartardo de Correos 123, ES-38626 Valle de San Lorenzo (Spain, Tenerife-Sur). Issues Kurzbefunde (abridged certificates) for German States and gives opinions on worldwide items (up to c. 1880, Germany up to c. 1960) offered online, assisting especially eBay.de. Was stamp dealer in Germany 1976–93.
Karl Krüger His opinions on Japanese overprinted stamps (military stamps, post offices in Korea and China) are not considered reliable. – The backstamp shown was used by Krüger on stamps expertised by him as forged.
Kunz A Julius Kunz was dealer in Usti nad Labem (Germ. Aussig) in 1931.
Helmut Kuras Address (2005): Hofäcker Str. 14, D-65207 Wiesbaden-Naurod. [Eesti Filatelist #39]
Alvar Kuuskvere Address (2003): Eha 12-1, EE-61506 Elva. Phone +372 7 457 459. Expert mark in use since November 2002.
Landesverband der Briefmarkensammler des Saarlandes: member of the Expert Committee, 1949.
Kalenik Lissiuk Having returned to Europe he was in the early 1930s arranging several speculative issues of new stamps in Lithuania and Latvia. Lissiuk was of Ukrainian origin.
Fiorenzo Longhi Address (2006): Via Alla Masseria 12, I-28832 Belgirate (VB).
P. Macoveanu Address (1990s): Rue de Fontenay 29-31, F-92320 Châtillon. Phone/Fax: 0033 1 46560399. He was the editor of the Catalogue spécialisé des timbres anciens d'Europe (1980).
Marbach According to UPNS E. E. Marbach, Vienna. In 1943 (no longer in 1949) there was a Vienna firm Marbach Bros. In 1949 L. Marbach was a dealer in Rome. See also [Flasch].
Aleš Marinšek Croatia local issues 1941–1945: Banja Luka, Dalmatia, Međimurje, Šibenik. Yugoslavia local issues 1944–1946: Cetinje, Ljubljana, Maribor, Mostar, Murska Sobota, Sarajevo, Senta, Split, Zagreb. Address (2021): Preloge 29, 1211 Ljubljana Šmartno, Slovenia.
Ivan Martinaš Address (2019): Marije Grbac 27, HR-51000 Rijeka, Croatia.
Marziano Address (2009): 36 av. du 3 Septembre, F-06320 Cap d'Ail.
Pierre Mavrogordato According to Matkey's site the scientist of Greek origin, Geheimrat Peter Mavrogordato lived in Römhild (South Thuringia, Germany) each summer from 1911, and permanently from 1936 until his death in 1948.
Hugo Michel In the terms-of-trade in his 1926 catalogue Hugo Michel writes (2 Jan. 1926; in translation): "Stamps sent for expertising can no longer be accepted because I discontinued my expertising services due to overloading".  It may have ended earlier. Michel sold the catalogue's publishing rights to the Schwaneberger Album Company in 1919.
Gyula Miertl The mark 'Miertl' in frames has been forged three times. The original is 6.5x3 mm, rubber, always lilac ink. The forgeries are of metal (i.e. thinner letters), two of them are 8.5x3 and 7x2.5 mm, the third is lacking the frame.  –  For the Baranya 2nd issue Miertl had a new metal hand stamp made: 'Miertl' in manuscript, unframed. This mark was forged too and is usually found applied to the SE corner (original SW or NE corner) and is less clear. [See Flasch 119]
Giorgio Migliavacca Philatelic auctioneer and consultant since 1967, philatelic and numismatic expert since 1973. Areas of philatelic expertise: Italy and Italian area (stamps & postal history), British Virgin Islands, censored mail, Iran, European postal history including militaria, disinfected mail worldwide. Address (2003): P.O. Box 704, Road Town, Tortola, British Virgin Islands. Fax: 284-49-43510. E-mail: issuncandwbvi.net.
Stanislaw Mikstein The mark in script has been extensively forged. The forged mark sometimes has the appearence of having been hand written in ink. See [Blunt. Poland? Forgery? 1990] and [Stallberg. 1944]. In his work [Poland Locals. Barefoot 1981] Andrew Hall illustrates on p. 89 the following signatures that should be reexpertised.
Pedro Monge Pineda Distinguished Barcelona dealer. Gathered the World's finest philatelic library in the Spanish language. En 1878 José Monge y Fuentefría inicia su actividad comercial filatélica que sería continuada por sus hijos Pedro, Aureliano y Lorenzo Monge Pineda. Pedro Monge Pineda realizó una extraodinaria labor de investigación siendo el pionero del estudio de la Historia Postal y de la Prefilatelia española, lo que le llevó a ser calificado en su época como "el maestro". Su hijo Pedro Monge y García-Noceda continuó la actividad filatélica así como la biblioteca especializada que es la actualidad la más importante que existe sobre Correos y Filatelia en España. Asociado con José María Sempere Luque desde 1975 nace en 1978 la Galería Filatélica de Barcelona que hoy, después de 4 generaciones y con una experiencia de 120 años de actividad profesional, es una de las principales firmas filatélicas bajo la dirección de Pere Antoni Monge Salazar y José María Sempere Luque. (Galería Filatélica's homepage 1998.)
Franco Moscadelli Address (2021): PO Box 20, 56028 San Miniato Basso (Pisa), Italy. www.francomoscadelli.it.
Harry Müller This mark is generally considered highly unreliable although Dr. Müller is not reported to have had malicious intent, cf. Haertel. [Michel Deutschland Spezial.]
Abed H. Najjar Born in 1952, resides in the UK, runs a publishing business. Has published the specialised works of several philatelic authors. A serious collector of the British Commonwealth he specialises in the stamps and postal history of Transjordan/Jordan, a subject on which he has published two award winning books. Abed Najjar has been expertising and expressing an opinion on the stamps of Jordan for collectors and auction houses for over 25 years. [AHN, 2011]
Lasse Nielsen While a highly respected expert on Denmark his opinions on items from some other countries have occasionally proved not fully reliable. Incidents are publicly known at least from the 1990s and later. Address (2006): Mirabellevej 10, DK-2400 København NV.
Norsk Filatelistforbund in October 2002 authorised the following experts, in addition to AIEP/BPP members Hans J. Enger and Finn Aune:
Geir O. Flatheim, Morellveien 12, N-4635 Kristiansand S. (1886–93 issue, 20 mm high.)
Jan Kr. Isaksen, N-1622 Engelsviken. (Locals)
Bjørn A. Schøyen, Postboks 1, Høybråten, N-1005 Oslo. (Locals)
Trond Schumacher, Holmendammen Terrasse 22, N-0387 Oslo. (Locals)
Helena Obermüller-Wilén Considered to be the foremost Swedish expert of today. Daughter of Franz Obermüller.
Mikko Ossa Nowadays works as an independent expert. Address (2006): Krootilankatu 6, FI-32800 Kokemäki.
Heinz Pape This mark must be looked upon with the greatest suspicion (Tyler: 95 % are forgeries). The mark was both abused and forged by Géza Tarján and used on hugh volumes of his forged (overprints) stamps. The genuine mark is 1.25x2.5 mm, metal, well shaped. This is the forged one, in the postage stamp's SE corner (credit: Dezsö Flasch). See [Flasch 14, 130]. Heinz Pape was the managing director of Tarján's stamp company's branches in Vienna and Hamburg. [Tyler p. 131]
Carl E. Pelander Dealer 1937–63 and an expert on Scandinavia. [APS Hall of Fame.]
The Philatelic Foundation Postal address (2006): 70 West 40th Street, 15th Floor, New York, NY 10018, USA. Telephone 1-212-221-6555. Fax 1-212-221-6208. In 1993 the PF faced severe financial losses and had to discontinue its other activities.
The Philatelic Museum, Foundation Address (2006) Mejiro 1-4-23, Toshima-ku, Tokyo 171-0031. Affiliate of Japan Philatelic Society, Foundation, which started expertising in 1958. [FFE8]
Stefan Poburenny This signature has not been seen on a genuine stamp. The hand stamp has probably been abused. [Bulat, and Jerry Tkachuk, UPNS]
Vincent Pothion La Poste aux Lettres, 17 rue du Fg. Montmartre, F-75009 Paris. (2004) Shop now owned by Baudot (qv.)?
Rene Poulain In 1926 t.a. Poulain Frères, in 1949 as Maison G. Blanchet. Also on forged. See also [Flasch].
Jan Poulie Head of the office of expertising of De Bond der Verzamelaars, Netherlands, 1949.
Pietro Provera The picture of the green spruce tree is reported to be the mark of the Italian collector Pietro Provera living in Switzerland (2002). Some years ago he sold his collection of Lombardy-Venetia and all covers bore this mark. In the past he wrote specialised articles on Lombardy-Venetia (especially the first issue). [Lorenzo Gilardi, Como. 26 Feb. 2002.]
Maurizio Raybaudi Address (2000): P.O. Box 756, I-00187 Roma.
Hans-Peter Renggli It has been reported from different quarters that the opinions (on e.g. cancellations) given by him during the last years are not all reliable.  (2004)
Revaler The committee was founded to combat the large number of Lubi forgeries when his activities were unveiled in 1935. See Suomen Postimerkkilehti 1/1936 p. 4 (in Finnish).
Georg Richter This very common expertising mark (genuine or forged) is usually considered to be of little value as it is frequently found on forged stamps. Dealer 1943 1949 (Kyllmannstr. 22a, Berlin-Lichterfelde West). This 1906 cover is addressed to Georg Richter.
Heinzgeorg Richter Address (1998): Ilbenstädter Str. 31, D-61206 Wöllstadt. Not active?
Antonio Roig On 1 Dec. 2003 Julio Peñas wrote in Ágora de Filatelia: "Roig fue un buen experto, muy buen experto aunque cometió algunos errores sobretodo debido a que lo marquillaba todo siendo un autentico todo terreno que igual sabia de clasicos, que de la republica, que de falsos postales, que de colonias. Al final de su vida y ya con la vista muy cansada seguía marquillando sellos y su precision en las expertizaciones ya bajaba mucho. Además para colmo de males su marquilla fue falsificada y es muy peligrosa sobretodo sellos de las emisiones sobrecargadas de la Cruz Roja y del Quijote."
Jaan Roots Address (2004): Arnulf Överlands vei 197, N-0763 Oslo. [Eesti Filatelist #39 p. 228.]
RPSL Address (2021): 15 Abchurch Lane, London EC4N 7BW, United Kingdom.
RPS of Victoria Australia's most well-known expert committee. Address (2006): P.O. Box 490, Ashburton 3147. No web site.
Mehrdad Sadri Address (2006): Persiphila, PO Box 1589, Glendora, CA 91740-1589, USA. "I was born on September 18, 1952, in Shemiran, a northern suburb of Tehran, Iran. I have received my BS degree in Chemistry from the National University of Iran and MS degree in organic chemistry from the California State Polytechnic University. I have started collecting Iranian stamps when I was just 8 years old and continued since. To help saving the diminishing popularity of the Iranian philately, I have decided to get involved more seriously by discussing and writing articles explaining various Iranian forgeries and how to detect and distinguish them. I have conducted several seminars by invitation from the Iranian Philatelic Study Circle and other societies and have published my works and studies in several books, papers, and articles including the Lions of Iran, which is an extensive study of the 1865-1878 lion issues of Iran including Paris Reprints and varieties of forgeries. My other book which was published earlier this year, is Persiphila Standard Philatelic Catalogue (Iran - Qajar Dynasty). Also I have tried to publicize the Iranian philately through my website which I am hoping to expand it furthermore." [M. Sadri, 2002.]
Sanabria Nicolas Sanabria (1889–1945) was a world-famous specialist dealer (since 1927) of aerophilately. The business was continued by his son Nicholas Sanabria. [APS Hall of Fame.]
Bruno Savarese Address (2004): Via XX Settembre 139/B rosso, I-16121 Genova.
SBPV Since about 2003 SBPV is associated with the Verband schweizerischer Philatelistenvereine and the members are "offizielle Prüfer des Verbandes". List of the addresses of members not belonging to BPP or AIEP:
Helmuth Avi, P.O. Box 4349, CH-6904 Lugano. Signature in manuscript by pencil.
Peter Elbau, CH-7414 Fürstenau.
Urs Hermann, P.O. Box 477, CH-4410 Liestal.
Pierre Guinand, 18 chemin de la Plantaz, CH-1110 Morges.
Velizar M. Kardosch, Alleestrasse 44, CH-8590 Romanshorn.
Julius Schlesinger This rather common expertising mark is unfortunately not considered fully reliable. It is also said to have been forged and applied to e.g. small Hermes Heads of Greece. [Brühl, Tyler p. 106]
Senf Started expertising in the late 19th century. This frequently seen mark is said to have been both applied to forged stamps and forged itself, but generally a Senf mark is still trustworthy.
Souren Serebrakian Born in 1900 in Tiflis, but of Armenian origin. Having graduated in Leipzig in the 1920s he became a cigarette factory manager in the Netherlands. After a few years he went to Brussels (before 1931), where he was a full time stamp dealer. S., who had began stamp collecting as a boy, also participated in international exhibitions. When WW2 started he moved to New York, continuing trading in stamps. He died in USA in 1991.
SF Suomen Filatelistiseura (f. 1920). The stamp was engraved in 1922 for use on expertised Aunus postage stamps. See this announcement in Suomen Postimerkkilehti 5/1922 p. 58 (in Finnish). The experts were Einar Fieandt, Sulo Kinnunen and Elis Lundmark.
Svyatoslav Shramchenko Orig. Czestochowa (Poland), later Philadelphia PA [UPNS]. This philatelist was himself involved in several dubious stamp issues in Ukraine in the early 1920s. [Rossija]
Sergio Sismondo only issued certificates. They are considered reliable for North American items.
Per Sjöman The opinions and certificates issued by him during his last years are commonly not considered very reliable.
Bohumil Skandera Peter Hoffmann's web site has a long biography on this dealer. 'bsb' (Bohumil Skandera Brno) is not really an expert mark.
Corneille Soeteman Address (1999): 129-133 Zuidstraat, B-1000 Brussel.
Silvano Sorani Via Washington 74, I-20146 Milano. (2004)
Soviet Philatelic Association's stamp has been seen on reprints sold in bulk to the West.
Alexandre Sredinsky All items stamped 'Hals' must be regarded with the greatest suspicion. Sredinsky was the Postmaster of the Wrangel Army and later reportedly forged the stamps in Paris trading as T. Hals. [Ceresa]
Stolow The brothers Henry (1901–71) and Julius, originally from Riga, were stamp dealers in Berlin 1920s to 1933, after which they moved to Brussels for a few years, before emigrating to the USA. In New York they (mainly Henry) were famous as stamp auctioneers and wholesale dealers. The company was also engaged in e.g. bogus overprinting on WW2 stamps [FFE7 p. 58], the 1945 Greenland overprints, Maluku Selatan phantoms and new issues for African republics. Some time after the war Henry returned to Germany. The Henry Stolow company's shop in Munich was still active in 2014 at the old premises, but is owned by Rolf Müller. Gregory Stolow (USA) is son of Julius.
Nils Strandell was the foremost Swedish expert of his time.
Bela Szalay In the forged mark the lower opening of the 'S' is wider than the upper. In the genuine it is in the reverse. [Flasch 148]
E. Tausig The marks forged by Tarján are of rubber, always in the stamp's SE corner and in lilac ink. Genuine (metal, 3.5x7 mm): lilac, carmine lilac, carmine and black. The two forged marks (credit: Dezsö Flasch). [Flasch 14, 154]
Philatelists Association of Thailand 253, Rajvithi Road, Dusit, Bangkok 10300. (2006)
Max Thier His rather common expertising mark is still highly respected. The hand stamp was forged by Rudolf Siegel for use on forged German States stamps. [Brühl p. 485, Tyler p. 116]
Jean-Jacques Tillard Address (2006): B.P. 4433, 57 rue de Paris, F-97500 St-Pierre & Miquelon.
Jerry Tkachuk Address (2001): 30552 Dell Lane, Warren, MI 48092-1892, USA.
Gregory Todd Address 2022: Clonfadda, Macroom, Co. Cork P12 RV08, Ireland. (Previously Lymington, UK.)
Toselli Address (2004): Via Matteotti 143, I-18038 Sanremo (IM).
Serge Toulieff Address (2001): Place Matteoti 6, I-4630 Soumagne.
Turpin The name should most likely be F. B. Turpin, this particular scan having been heavily retouched. This is probably the same person as the "F. B. Turkly London" referred to by Dr. Ceresa (q.v.).
Eo Vaher Independent expert; still active. Address (2006): 39 Clafford Lane, Melville NY 11747, USA.
Johan Vanhorenbeck Address (1999): Lange Kievitstraat 8, B-2018 Antwerpen.
Jovan Velickovic Phil. Assoc. Serbia & Montenegro. The 'JV' mark has been forged. The forged mark has a larger V and the vertical bar of J is visibly curved.
Vincent Graves Greene Address (2005): P.O. Box 204, Postal Station Q, Toronto, ONT M4T 2M1.
VÖB Founded 1965. List of the addresses of active members not belonging to BPP or AIEP too (2004):
Gerhard Babor, Lainzerstrasse 80/8, A-1130 Wien.
Andreas Bazant, Josefstädterstrasse 52, A-1080 Wien.
Hubert Gerzabek, Ameisgasse 27, A-1140 Wien.
Hermann Hader, Hauptstrasse 31, A-2353 Guntramsdorf.
Franz Hochleutner, Sammiringer Hauptstrasse 383, A-1110 Wien.
Adolf Kovar, Hamiltongasse 3/1/4, A-1140 Wien.
Peter Kroiss, Parkstrasse 7/2, A-2362 Biedermannsdorf.
Klaus Labres, Postfach 74, A-1134 Wien. (Secretary)
Karl Majörg, Rosslauf 18/1, A-4552 Wartberg a.d. Krems.
Fritz Puschmann, Postfach 161, A-1015 Wien.
Ronald F. Steuer, Stubenring 6, A-1010 Wien.
Fritz Sturzeis, Beckmanngasse 32, A-1140 Wien.
Gerhard Svoboda, Katharinengasse 16/2/6/2/24, A-1100 Wien.
Karl Vodrazka, Parzhofstrasse 7–9, A-4040 Linz.
Herbert R. Volin Does independently issue certificates upon request. Does not backstamp.
Stephen Washburne. Chairman, Expert Committee, International Society for Portuguese Philately (ISPP), P.O. Box 43146, Philadelphia, PA 19129-3146, USA. (2002)
Sigfrido Wolf Casella Postale 712, I-50100 Firenze. (2004)
Yaremdji See: Kaan Ertem: First stamp dealers of Istanbul 1875–1914, Opal, Dec. 2002. Address 1912: Tidjaret-han 40 41 42, Galata.
Zumstein This back stamp is very common. Zumstein's name has a good reputation.

SOME OF THE PRINTED SOURCES USED FOR THE LIST OF PHILATELIC EXPERTS
[Brühl] C. Brühl. Geschichte der Philatelie. Hildesheim 1986.
[Bulat] John Bulat. Illustrated Postage Stamp History of the Western Ukrainian Republic 1918–1919. USA.
[Flasch] Dezsö Flasch. Garantiezeichen auf ungarischen Überdruckmarken. Arge-Ungarn e.V., Germany 1998.
Annuaire de la philatelie 1943 and Annuaire international de la philatelie 1949–1950. Paris.
Who's Who in Philately. London 1926, 1928, 1931.