Fernand Serrane (1880–1932) was a Belgian
philatelist
Philately (; ) is the study of postage stamps and postal history. It also refers to the collection and appreciation of stamps and other philatelic products. While closely associated with stamp collecting and the study of postage, it is possible ...
who was a popular philatelic author in France and published one of the classic works in the field of identifying
forged stamps.
Masterwork
Serrane's masterwork was his ''Vade-Mecum du specialiste en timbres-poste'', published in two volumes in 1927 and 1929.
Not since
Robert Brisco Earée
Robert Brisco Earée (1846–1928) was an English priest and philatelist who was known for his studies of philatelic fakes and forgeries.
Life
A son of the Reverend William Earée, the young Robert Brisco Earée was educated at Cockermouth Gr ...
produced his last edition of ''Album Weeds'' in 1906 had a worldwide survey of forgeries appeared and the two books are essential companions in the study of forgeries and fakes of the classic era.
The later publication of ''The Serrane Guide'', as it is known, is helpful to philatelists as it covers the heyday of some prolific stamp forgers not known to Earee, for instance,
Francois Fournier,
Angelo Panelli,
Lucian Smeets
Dr. Lucian Smeets was a Belgian stamp forger operating around the early 1900s.
Smeets used a sophisticated method of taking an original stamp with the correct perforations, paper and watermark for the one he wished to forge, fading out the print ...
, and
N. Imperato.
New edition
In 1971 Dr Cortland Eyer (1906-89), a retired Professor of Romance Languages, began the first English translation of the Serrane Guide. His work was sponsored by members of the
American Philatelic Society
The American Philatelic Society (APS) is the largest nonprofit stamp collecting foundation of philately in the world. Both the membership and interests of the society are worldwide.
History
The organization, originally named the ''American Phila ...
(APS) and took three years to complete during which time Eyer checked every reference made by Serrane.
[Tyler, p.vii.]
The translation was published in serial form in the APS journal ''The American Philatelist'', and in book form in 1998.
Serrane had been a member of the APS since 1925.
Selected publications
*''Guide du Specialiste''. 1919. (French language)
*''Catalogue du specialiste des timbres-poste d'Europe''. Brussels: 1922. (French language)
*''La reconstruction des planches de l'emission de Bordeaux, 1870''. Amiens: 1926. (French language)
*''I: Vade-Mecum du specialiste en timbres-poste d'Europe''. Nice: L'Eclaireur de Nice Press, 1927. (French language)
*''II: Vade-Mecum du specialiste en timbres-poste hors d'Europe''. Bergerac: Générale du Sud-ouest (J. Castanet), 1929. (French language)
*''The Serrane Guide: Stamp Forgeries of the World to 1926''. First English language edition in book form. State College:
American Philatelic Society
The American Philatelic Society (APS) is the largest nonprofit stamp collecting foundation of philately in the world. Both the membership and interests of the society are worldwide.
History
The organization, originally named the ''American Phila ...
, 1998.
References
External links
{{DEFAULTSORT:Serrane, Fernand
1880 births
1932 deaths
Belgian philatelists
Philatelic fakes and forgeries
Philatelic literature