Preview of Stamps Catalogue: VOLUME 2

ITALY Other issues from 1862 to 1899

Note: on my website many of the pictures can not be seen! They are of course present in the catalogue;
contact me if you want to purchase the catalogue.

1862 Newspaper stamp, Number '2' embossed in center Inscription "GIORNALI STAMPE FRANCO BOLLO"

  2 c yellow

This stamp was printed in sheets of 100. The same stamps in grey (values 1 c and 2 c) were issued in Sardinia.

Value of the stamps
vc = very common c = common * = not so common ** = uncommon		*** = very uncommon R = rare RR = very rare RRR = extremely rare
Value	Unused	Used	Remarks
2 c	***	***	Issued 1 Mai1863 Exists with value inverted: R

1863 Value

  1 c green
  2 c brown

For the specialist, these stamps have watermark crown and perforation 14. They were issued in sheets of 100.

Watermark 'Crown' on the backside of two 2 c stamps

Value of the stamps
vc = very common c = common * = not so common ** = uncommon		*** = very uncommon R = rare RR = very rare RRR = extremely rare
Value	Unused	Used	Remarks
1 c	c	c	Issued 1 December 1863
2 c	c	vc	Issued 1 March 1865

Essay of the 1863 issue

Another essay from 1864 with a sitting woman and inscription "AMMINISTRAZIONE DELLE POSTE ITALIANE". I've seen this essay in the colors red, black, brown and light green.

1889 Cross

  1 c brown (1896)
  2 c brown (1896)
  5 c green (1889)
  5 c green (other type, 1890)
  5 c green (other type, 1897)

For the specialist, these stamps have watermark crown and perforation 14.

Value of the stamps
vc = very common c = common * = not so common ** = uncommon		*** = very uncommon R = rare RR = very rare RRR = extremely rare
Value	Unused	Used	Remarks
1 c	c	c
2 c	c	vc
5 c	***	c	1889
5 c	***	c	1890
5 c	c	vc	1897

I've seen postal stationery in the 5 c (1889) and 5 c (1897) design.

So-called Sparre Essays in a similar design, issued in 1862, inscription 'ITALIA' on top, 'FRANCO' left, 'BOLLO' right and 'POSTE' at the bottom, cross with crown in the center:

I have seen the following values: 1 c green, 5 c red on grey, 10 c blue on red, 30 c violet, (?) yellow , 80 c brown, 3 L brown and 3 L black. I suspect that forgeries of these essays exist, in view of the large amount of these stamps I have seen.....

1879 King Humbert

1889 issue

1893 issue

  5 c green
  10 c red
  10 c red (1893, different frame)
  20 c orange
  20 c orange (1893, different frame)
  25 c blue
  25 c blue (1893, different frame)
  30 c brown
  40 c brown (1889)
  45 c green (1889)
  45 c green (1893, different frame)
  50 c violet
  60 c violet (1889)
  1 L brown and yellow (1889)
  2 L orange
  5 L green and red (1889)
  5 L red and blue (1891)

These stamps have watermark 'Crown' and perforation 14.

Value of the stamps
vc = very common c = common * = not so common ** = uncommon		*** = very uncommon R = rare RR = very rare RRR = extremely rare
Value	Unused	Used	Remarks
5 c	*	c
10 c	***	c
10 c	c	vc	1893 issue
20 c	***	vc
20 c	c	vc	1893 issue
25 c	***	c
25 c	c	vc	1893 issue
30 c	***	RR
40 c	*	c
45 c	RR	c
45 c	*	c	1893 issue
50 c	*	c
60 c	**	*
1 L	**	*
2 L	***	RR
5 L green and red	***	RR
5 L red and blue	***	***

Surcharged

  '2 Cm' on 5 c green
  'Cmi 20c' on 30 c brown (1890)
  'Cmi 20c' on 50 c violet (1891)

Value of the stamps
vc = very common c = common * = not so common ** = uncommon		*** = very uncommon R = rare RR = very rare RRR = extremely rare
Value	Unused	Used	Remarks
2 c on 5 c	**	**
20 c on 30 c	***	c
20 c on 50 c	***	*

For the specialist: after forgeries of the 5 L green and red became known, consisting of the outer part of a 5 c green and the center part of a 10 c red (see next image), these stamps were withdrawn from circulation in July 1891. The 30 c brown, 2 L orange and 5 L green and red are very rare in used condition; forged cancels exist!

5 c stamp of 1889 with center replaced by a center of the 10 c red, pretending to be the 5 L green and red stamp.

Fournier forged overprints, image taken from a 'Fournier Album of Philatelic Forgeries' (reduced size)

These stamps overprinted with 'ESTERO' were used in the Italian post offices in the Levant click here, (slightly different design). The 25 c stamp with surcharge '1 PIASTRA 1' was issued for Crete.

Postal stationery in the same design:

Postcards exist with King Humbert surrounded by pearls (no inscription and no value). Furthermore a 7 1/2 c red and a 10 c red (see images above). Other postal stationary exists (money transfer cards) with the image of King Humbert.

A 5 c stamp with a forged inverted 'Cmi 2' surcharge.

A 10 c with very strange perforation, I presume this is a postal stationary cut out with forged perforation.

Non issued stamps

1896 Portrait of King and Queen with eagle on top and arms in the lower left part

In 1893 another non-issued stamp with the King and Queen facing the left was prepared in the value 20 c (sorry, no picture available yet, if anybody has an image please contact me!).