a time-series approach … correlation of genuine and repro kobans as time passes, more is known about the relationships between the artists, sources of the reproductions and their distribution globally… woodblock method is not unique to Edo period artists of japan, but continues today … Varro Tyler, remarked that several european artists used this method, for reproducing many nations postal objects … the japanese case, reflects none were “postal forgeries” during the classic period* … further, various koban repros followed only after the genuine stamps were withdrawn from use (postal rate changes) … in fact, this time-delay is signifigant … Maeda Kihei emulated many genuine obliterators, nijumaru, denshin and even some maruichi cancel forms in his work … botas reflecting both foreign mail and city letter-cancels also exist… (some are also “imaginative” or…