Lot 648

VARIOS. SPERATI REPRODUCTIONS. These eighteen stamps mounted on the small approval sheet were sent by Sperati to Ell (in Portugal) in 1942. The French Customers opened the letter and prosecuted Sperati for exporting stamps without declaring them. Sperati claimed that they were forgeries and quite valueless. Dr. Edmond Locard the French criminologist was asked to report on the stamps and he declared them all to be genuine. Sperati appealed and produced five similar sets to prove that he was right and the stamps were forged. He was acquitted on the smuggling charge on 31 January 1948. These stamps are all marked on the back "Copie" by the French Court at Chambery. Oustanding piece of a great historical value.