The Stamps of Sicily
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• • ' • '. * //í\3 No. 8. x o J L \r*-c A HISTORY OF THE POSTAGE STAMPS OF . ' / ‘ ' . - . ' ' ’ • . C ' ‘ • ƒ . % . WITH TWENTY PLATES OF AUTOTYPE ILLUSTRATIONS . v - . BY EMILIO DIENA TRANSLATED BY E. B. EVANS LONDON STANLEY GIBBONS, LIMITED 391, STRAND, W.C. 1904 THE POSTAGE STAMPS OF SICILY The $ tanley (jjibbuqs Philatelic j'laqdbooks A HISTORY OF THE POSTAGE STAMPS OF SICILY WITH TWENTY PLATES OF AUTOTYPE ILLUSTRATIONS BY EMILIO DIENA TRANSLATED BY Е. B. EVANS ♦ LONDON STANLEY GIBBONS, LIMITED 391, STRAND, W.C. 1904 PREFACE H E Stamps of Sicily or, to use the official designation, of the “ Dominions beyond the Phare,” which formed part, under a separate Administration, of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, are so interesting, not only from an artistic, but also from historical and philatelic points of view, that a study of them grounded on official papers and on the examination of specimens in the collections of some of the leading specialists, seems to be entitled to particular attention from the philatelic public. Considering that the Postal Administration of Sicily contributed to our collections only one set of stamps, the use of which lasted for a period of less than nineteen months, the short history, from its adoption to its with drawal, seems to the mere casual observer to afford scope rather for an article than for a monograph. But if we take into consideration the historical period during which the life of these stamps lasted, the existence of different plates for certain values, some of which were subject to retouching ; the numerous shades in which the stamps were printed, and tfye fact that further issues were contemplated, at first by the Bourbon Postal Authorities and later on under the Dictatorship and Lieutenancy of the Sicilian Provinces, the field of our researches will soon be found to be much wider than could have been anticipated. On the other hand, we are not satisfied with a simple reference to the official decrees and a description of the stamps. In the words of a learned and painstaking philatelist, the late Mr. W. A. S. Westoby, “ no history can be considered complete which fails to indicate the policy which was the mainspring that brought about each particular event.” Therefore we have endeavoured “ to know the exciting causes and the steps which led up to the event, as well as the motives that guided the actors.” This is our excuse for allowing an amount of space, which by some may perhaps be considered too ample, to the information concerning the different surface-printed essays prepared during the last Bourbon period, and the accepted (though never issued) type for the Sicilian Provinces, prior to their official annexation to the Kingdom of Italy—two chapters which do not constitute the less interesting portion of the curious philatelic history of Sicily. To Monsieur Moens we are indebted, in this instance also, for much VI THE STAMPS OF SICILY of what was known about these stamps from the early period of stamp collecting, an article having been published in his magazine, Le Timbre-Poste, for July, 1866, which was reprinted in book form in 1877. With the view of supplementing in some degree the old information, I contributed a few notes to the same magazine from November, 1894, to March, 1896, par ticularly pointing out the existence of different plates and of numerous and sometimes queer-looking retouches. My notes were in course of publication when I obtained access to further documents, of which it was my intention at first to make immediate use. But later on I decided to leave the article unfinished, considering the compilation of a volume in which all the informa tion I had gathered on the subject might be merged, to be more appropriate. A few facts remaining still unsettled, I waited a long while before putting the matter in regular order, and, no doubt, I should have waited still longer, had not some friends both at home and abroad, including the Publishers of these Handbooks, urged me to publish what information I have collected upon the subject. I hope that my fellow-collectors and all who are interested in the Stamps of the Italian group will help me, by supplying further particulars and correcting the errors into which I may have fallen. For my own part, I promise to publish further information as soon as I succeed in collecting it. My thanks are due to my friends who liberally put at my disposal their collections of Sicilian Stamps and Essays. The assistance of Major Evans, who undertook the translation of this volume (by no means an easy task), cannot be adequately appreciated by anyone but myself, and I desire to express to him my cordial gratitude. In concluding, I shall be glad if this volume, as it is now presented, may afford to the reader an amount of interest proportionate in a small degree with the keen pleasure I have experienced in compiling it. R ome, M ay, 1904. BIBLIOGRAPHY.* 1. “ Essays Stamps : Sicily.” By F. H. ( The Stamp Collector’s Review and Monthly Advertiser, vol. i., No. 5, p. 47. April 15th, 1863.) 2. “ Addenda to Mount Brown’s Catalogue of Postage Stamps: Sicily.” By C. W . V i n e r . (Stamp Collector’ s Magazine, vol. i., No. 9, p. 140, October ist, 1863.) 3. “ Timbres et Contrefacteurs.” [Sicily r, 2, 5, io grana; lithographic counterfeits.] (Le Timbre-Poste, vol. ii., No. 14, p. 13, February, 1864.) 4. “ Forged Stamps : How to detect them.” (The Stamp Collector’s Review and Monthly Advertiser, vol. ii., No. 14, p. 10, January 15th, 1864.) 5. “ A Review of Rare Postage Stamps.” „ (Once a Month, or the Stamp Collector's Advertiser, first series, No. 4, p. 17, and new series vol. i., No. 1, p. 4, March 15th, 1864.) 6. “ Les Collectionneurs en Italie.” A letter from Turin, by C harles С. [Cocorda]. [Mention is made of the supposed destruction of a lot of Sicilian Stamps in Palermo “ in 1859 or i860.”] (Le Timbre-Poste, vol. ii., No. 16, p. 32, April, 1864.) 7. “ Anciens Timbres de Sicile et de Naples.” (Le Timbre-Poste, vol. ii., N0. 17, p. 38, May, 1864.) 8. “ The Collector’s Corner^ Sicily” [Forgeries]. (Once a M onth, or the Stamp Collector’ s Advertiser, new series, vol. i., No. 3, p. 43, June ist, 1864.) 9. “ Current Stamp Forgeries: Sicily.” By E. L. Pemberton. (Stamp Collector’ s Magazine, vol. ii., No. i8, p. 101, July ist, 1864.) 10. “ Postage Stamp Collecting in Italy.” By C harles C. [Cocorda], translated from Le Timbre-Poste. (Stamp Collectors Magazine, voi. ii., No 19, p. 123, August ist, 1864.) 11. “ Les Timbres-Poste (Royaume des Deux Siciles) ” By Natalis Rondot. (Magasin Pittoresque, vol xxx., p. 264, August, 1864.) 12. “ Current Stamp Forgeries: Sicily.” By E. L. Pemberton. (Stamp Collector's Magazine, vol. ii., No. 21, p. 156, October ist, 1864.; 13. “ Neuste Nachrichten: Sicilien 20 gr. meergrüner Farbe, chemische Verän derung.” (Allgemeine Deutsche Briefmarken-Zcitung, Coburg, vol. i., N0. 10, p. 82, November 15 th, 1864.) * I do not profess to give a complete Bibliography of the Stamps of Sicily, but merely a chronological list of the principal articles known to me. viii THE STAMPS OF SICILY 14. “ Addenda to Mount Brown’s Catalogue : Two Sicilies.” (Once a Month, or the Stamp Collector’ s Advertiser, new series, vol. i., No. 9, p. 137, December 20th, 1864.) 15. “ Turin” [Remainders]. By the E ditor [Dr. C. W. V iner]. (Stamp Collector’ s Magazine, voi. iii., No. 28, p. 72, May ist, 1865.) 16. “ Les Timbres-Poste au Sénat français, par O. B. [Oscar Berger-Levrault], [Reference is made to the Sicilian cancellation.] (Le Timbre-Poste, vol. iv., No. 40, p. 27, April, 1866.) 17. “ Les Timbres et Essais de Sicile.” (Le Timbre-Poste, vol iv., N0. 43, p. 55, July, 1866.) 18. “ Sicilian Stamps and Essays.” Translated by permission from L e Timbre- Poste. (Stamp Collector’ s Magazine, vol. iv., p. 117 , August ist, 1866.) 19. “ Des Réimpressions : Deux Siciles.” By Dr. Magnus. (Le Timbrophile, voi. iii., No. 36, p. 288, October 15th, 1867.) 20. “ Le Vieux-Neuf: Sicile.” [Varieties: the 2 gr. with “ sicilla” and the 20 gr. with “ 120 ” (sic) instead of 20.] (Le Timbrophile, voi. iv., No. 8, p. 351, June 30th, 1868.) 21. “ Our Contemporaries." [Variety of the 20 gr., Sicily.] (Stamp Collector's Magazine, voi. vi., No. 68, p. 129, September ist, 1868.) 22. “ Concerning Reprints.” (Stamp Collector’s Magazine, voi. vii., No. 73, p. 26, February ist, 1869.) 23. “ Errors of Engraving and Printing.” By W. Dudley Atlee. [Varieties “ sicilla ” and “ 12 0 ” gr.] (Stamp Collector's Magazine, voi. ix , No. 96, p. 11, January ist, 1871.) 24. “ The Sicilian Stamps with Head of Ferdinand II.” (A letter from Norfolk. By K. T. Y.) (Stamp Collector's Magazine, vol. x., No. 115 , p. 128, August ist, 1872.) 25. Handbuch fü r Essais-Sammler : Sicilien. Von Dr. A l f r e d Moschkau. (Leipzig, Louis Senf, 1875.) 26. “ Sicile” (Discussion of the Catalogue). (Bulletin de la Soditi Pr an ça ise de Timbrologie, vol. i., No. 7, p. 191, March, 1877.) 27. “ Sicile. Catalogue.” (Bulletin de la Soditi Française de Timbrologie, voi. i., No. 7, p. 204, March, 1877.) 28. Timbres de Naples et de Sicile. Par J. B. Moens (second edition). (Being the first vol. of the Bibliothèque des Timbrophiles.) • Bruxelles, Moens, 1877. (Reprint in book form of the articles published by Le Timbre-Poste, Nos. 43 and 177 ) 29. “ Note Siciliane.” Correspondence from Palermo. (Corriere dei Francobolli, Trieste, vol. iii., No.