Lot 359

VARIOS. FOURNIER FORGERY ALBUM. Nº 299, containing approximately 3.000 items comprising unused and used singles, multiples and many surcharges and cancels, appears to be complete except for three empty spaces, pages in gray-blue blinder with "Album De Fac-Similés Edité Par l'Union Philatélique de Genève" embossed in gold on front cover, somer cover wear. When Fournier died in 1917, one of his employees, Charles Hirschburger, unsuccessfully tried to continue the business. When Hirschburger died in 1927, l'Union Philatélique de Genève purchased the Fournier stock, which weighed over 800 pounds, from Hirschburger's widow. The Union then marked the forgeries with "FAUX" handstamps on the front and/or "Facsimile" on the reverse, and employed students from the Geneva School of Arts and Crafts to mount representative selections of the forgeries in 480 albumes. Whatever was not placed into one of the books was burned to ashes. Because Fournier made forgeries from such a wide variety of countries, many of the 480 books have either been divided into country references or have had many items removed. Very few remain intact or have degree of completeness of this bool. VERY FINE. A DESIRABLE EXAMPLE OF THE FOURNIER FORGERY ALBUM.