Personalities of Philately: Rudolph C. Bach - counterfeiter

Background & Early Venture

Rudolph C. Bach was born in the 1870s in Magdeburg, Germany. He began collecting stamps at the age of 10 and started dealing in 1891. Bach founded a philatelic magazine called The Montreal Philatelist in April 1898. This journal was printed partly in German, bearing the tagline “The best German – American Stamp Paper in the World.” Bach’s own address during this time was 451 Sanguinet St., Montreal.

In addition to publishing The Montreal Philatelist, Bach owned the Dominion Stamp Co., though it advertised a different address: 6 Beaver Hall Hill, Montreal.

The Great Barrier Island Forgery Scandal

Bach is most infamous for his forgeries of the First Parkin-Howie issue of Great Barrier Island. A genuine example of this stamp (first image below from 'The Collection') can be identified by:

• A line before the letter “G” in “GREAT”

• A dot after the word “POST”

The forged version attributed to Bach often often bears a circular date stamp of Apr. 3, 1899, and lacks certain details present on the genuine stamp. Multiple sources (including norbyhus.dk/fipliterature/biographies52.PDF) confirm that Bach was responsible for the forgeries of Great Barrier Island Original Pigeongram Service stamp VP1 that were sold under the Dominion Stamp Co. name.

Genuine used VP1. This one is stereo three with the four frame breaks in bottom frame line.

R.S. Bach forgery with violet cancellation. Note the absence of the oblique line before the 'G of Great.

It appears that after some initial resistance to the actual Pigeon Post stamps as being authentic, they became very popular with North American collectors. So much so that Bach couldn't resist reproducing them. He sold the stamps directly, both mint and used, as well as using them as rewards for subscribing to his philatelic journal. Advertisements in The Montreal Philatelist highlight his approach.

“Why not subscribe now. Send us 25 c silver for a year’s subscription and we will send you by return mail a copy of the rare 1 shilling Great Barrier Island Stamp, as premium.”

(The Montreal Philatelist, Vol.2 No.3, 1899, page 13)

An excerpt from The Montreal Philatelist (Vol.2 No.5, November 1899, page 6) discusses these forgeries:

This article makes it clear that the Dominion Stamp Co. marketed these counterfeit Great Barrier Island stamps. It also implies that, once Bach left for South Africa, the remaining stock was destroyed and the issue was declared counterfeit.

Transfer of Ownership & Departure for the Boer War

On page 5 of The Montreal Philatelist (Vol.2, No.5, November 1899), there is a note confirming that Bach volunteered for service in the Transvaal (Boer War). Before leaving, he transferred both the Dominion Stamp Co. and The Montreal Philatelist to F. W. Wurtele, granting him full authority over his affairs. Soon after Bach’s departure:

1. Mr. Wurtele sold the Dominion Stamp Co. (including all of its stock) to Mr. James Anderson.

2. Anderson renamed the business Mount Royal Stamp Co., operating at the same Beaver Hall Hill address.

Meanwhile, Bach himself was not “re-admitted” as editor to his own journal after 1901 (The Montreal Philatelist, Vol.3 No.6, December 1900, page 68). It seems the scandal surrounding the forged Great Barrier Island stamps might have contributed to his abrupt departure—and possibly his decision to enlist in the Boer War.

Aftermath & Legacy

Though Bach is listed in Montreal’s Roll of Honour for World War I and is known to have served, philatelic traces of him after 1901 are scarce. One reference hints he may have resurfaced in New York, but the details are not fully confirmed. Despite his varied involvement in Montreal’s philatelic scene—publishing a bilingual journal, running a stamp dealership, and offering subscription promotions—Rudolph C. Bach’s biggest claim to fame remains the Great Barrier Island forgeries, a controversy that made waves in Canadian philately at the turn of the century.