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Preview of Stamps Catalogue CD : VOLUME 2 |
Return To Catalogue - Modena 1859 issues - Italy
Note: on my website many of the pictures can not be seen! They are of course present in the cd's;
contact me if you want to purchase them: .
Currency: 100 Centesimi = 1 Lira.
With thanks to Lorenzo, (check his excellent website on Italian States!) who kindly set some of his images at my disposal.
Modena was a duchy in Italy. It was annexed by Sardinia in 1860.
5 c black on green 10 c black on red 15 c black on yellow 25 c black on brown 40 c black on blue 1 Lira black
B.G. 9 c black on violet (B.G.=Bollo Gazette=Newspaper stamp) 10 c black on violet (Newspaper stamp)
The 9 c stamp exist with 'B.G. CEN 9' in large size (first printing) and smaller sizes (see images above)
A 9 c black on violet exists without the 'B.G.', it is a stamp that was prepared but never been issued (due to a change in rate from 9 c to 10 c). It was sold to stamp collectors afterwards.
The 1 Lira is the only stamp with a watermark (large letter 'A'), all the other stamps have no watermark. This watermark can be found inverted or upside down.
(Left variety without dot and right with dot)
For the specialist: the 5 c, 10 c and the 40 c have been issued with and without dot behind the value. The 15 c and 25 c only exist without dot behind the '15' and '25'. The 1 L has only been issued with dot behind the '1'. A numer of errors exists for the value label for all values (for example 'CNET.40'), they are all rare, example: 'CENE 40':
('CENE 40' instead of 'CENT 40')
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 | *** | *** | |
10 c | RR | R | |
15 c | *** | *** | |
25 c | *** | *** | |
40 c | R | R | |
1 L | R | RRR |
(Genuine stamps, hole in right upper corner and lower corners)
Forgery detection: the line at the bottom of the stamp does not touch the ornaments on either side in the genuine stamps and furthermore the line under 'POSTE ESTENSI' does not touch the frame on the right hand side. The Fournier forgeries can be detected in this way (the lines are continuous), except for the 9 c newspaper stamp (which is forged in a better way). According to 'The forged stamps of all countries' by J.Dorn, the open corner in the right-hand upper inner frame, the dot over the right hand side leaves and the open pearl at the outermost left branch of the crown should be reliable characteristics of the genuine stamps.
In the above Fournier forgeries the line at the bottom of the stamp is continuous. Furthermore the leaves at the left lower and upper corner are different from the genuine stamps. The cancel on the 1 L is on exactly the same location as in the image of the Fournier album of philatelic forgeries (it might have been printed with the stamp at the same time). Fournier offers these forgeries (all 6 values) for 1.50 Swiss Francs in his 1914 pricelist (as second choice forgeries). I have only seen it cancelled with horizontal bars or a circular cancel with 'MODENA' (no date).
(Fournier's second forgery)
Fournier also offers a first choice forgery of the 9 c journal stamp (B.G. cen. 9) for 1 Swiss Franc in his 1914 pricelist. This forgery is much more deceptive than the above forgeries. I've seen the cancel 'MODENA 15 JUN 55' in a large circle in 'The Fournier album of philatelic forgeries' and on the above stamp. The line at the bottom of the stamp does not touch the ornaments on either side in these forgeries and furthermore the line under 'POSTE ESTENSI' does not touch the frame on the right hand side as in the genuine stamps.
(Forgeries, reduced sizes, left with outside lines cut off)
In the above forgery (the third one described in Album Weeds) there is an extra outline all around the stamp, there are separating lines between the stamps in the genuine stamps, but not like the above forgery (see image below for comparison with genuine stamps). There are no open corners and no dot on the right hand side leaves. A further test for this forgery is that there are three rows of feathers very clearly visible on the chest of the eagle; arranged in two, three and three. I've also seen the 1 L of this forgery.
(Genuine stamps with separating lines for comparison)
(in these forgeries the line below the value is also closed)
(Forgeries, no open corner and no dot on the right hand side leaves, also note the typical lower portion of the body of the eagle)
(crown badly drawn, bottom frame line closed)
(Forgery with large '40' and slightly different side ornaments)
I've been told that the next forgeries were made by a certain Mr. Martin of Treviso around 1930, they have no gum. I have no further information about these forgeries:
I have my doubts about the next copies, they are probably forgeries:
(An unlisted 5 c red bogus issue!)
For the issues of Modena of 1859 click here.
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Preview of Stamps Catalogue CD : VOLUME 2 |