Serbia : Stamps.

Serbia
The "Death Mask" stamp.

This was found by me, amongst a suitcase of junk at a stamp auction.
It reads ..."The recent assasination...." which kinda dates the piece,  but I meet it with healthy scepticism.
For your perusal.


(Our member Jim -jkblue-  may have more info on this)






There is one interesting postcript to the Mouchon story. One of his
last commissions was for Servia, and provided a head of King
Alexander I. Following success with that, he was given a double
portrait to engrave, showing Karageorgevich and Peter I, in a
montage effect.

What follows cannot be substantiated, but is
generally regarded as authentic. When the stamps were delivered, it
was found that the design showed a "ghost" face between the
monarchs, the details provided by the lines of engraving in the double
portrait. This is supposed to be the deathmask of a young king who
was murdered along the way, and is claimed to have been arranged
by his mother, Dowager Queen Natalie, with the connivance, of
course, of the engraver. Mouchon indignantly denied any complicity,
but (it is said) was so upset by the accusation thar he refused any
further stamp engraving commissions.

Grungy,  but still well loved.

1890



1911
"Thick wove paper" ?   I didn't get that impression with these,   perhaps re-prints? counterfeits?

(Note: Serbia 1920 has great examples of (almost transparent) "Pelure" paper stamps.)

Milco , PostmasterGS made that post on February 26, 2014 -- the original post may be viewed here.