Italy Parma 1852 - 1855

1852 Series

The stamps, rectangular, represent the Borbonic Lily enclosed in a circle with lines in the background with the Duchy Crown on top .

The minting die, unique and without the value, has been engraved by Donnino Bentelli.

The printing was done in sheets of machine made paper with a matrix assembled on wood, comprehending 80 prints in 4 groups of 20 

These stamps were printed both in black on colored paper and in colored on white paper.

The samples printed on white paper are  more rare.

Genuine Sc1-8

1852 Sc1-3

1852 Sc4-5

1854 Sc6-8 -NOTE much the rougher print

Genuine Features

1. The design is offset to the left

2. The cross is offset to the right

3. The M is slightly lower and right branch is much thicker

4. This pearl is open on the botom

5. Lower crown edges are curved

6. Tip touches the 2nd background line

7. There are 2-3 very small dots here

8. The background mesh is vey uniform

9. The cross shapes all lean left

10. The inner consist of 3 small lines and 2 long ones

Forgeries

1st Forgery - Spiro?

1. 2 dots following PARM

2. The white circle is nearer to the left hand side frame than to the right hand side frame

3. The cancels are circular or a grille cancel almost the size of the stamp, unlike the real cancel which is about 1/4 size of the stamp

4. The tip of the spear touches the frame

5. The lower part of the spear has an odd left side

6. Dot in front of STATI is missing

2nd Forgery

1. Only 1 line between the fleur de lis and frame

2. The dot between "STATI" and "PARM" is more like a large dash

3. The background is very disorganized

4. There is a thick line between the circle and crown base

5. The left side spandrels have only 7 full one facing outwards compared to 7 for the genuine

6. The number of pearls around the crown are different from the genuine

3rd Forgery

Somewhat dangerous

1. The "C" of "CENTES" is placed too close to the frame

2. The "S" of "STATI" is slanting forwards

3. There is no break in the perl nearest the cross

4th Forgery Torres

1. There is no cross on top, only a large pearl

2. The top letters read "PAPM" istead of "PARM"

3. The tip of the fleur de lis touches the circle

4. The "C" of CENTES" is too far left

5. The bottom of the Fleur de Lis has and added appendage

5th Forgery

1. The windings only have 7 full segments

2. Very blotchy background

3. The spear top is very short and the side arms are thick

4. The central trefoil of the crown is replaced bya 5 sided star

5. Top letter frame lacking dots

6. The circle does not touch the inner frame

6th Forgery

1. There is no dot between STATI & PARMA

2. The white spaces in the crown are too large

3. The trefoils are replaced with pearls

4. The sides of the crown are angled

5. The background is made up of dots

6. The left side of the crown bulges out

7th Forgery

1. Crown is small

2. Only 5 turns in side spandrels

3. No dots in top letters

4. Long spearpoint, lower section is shorter

5. Side prongs are thinner and shaped differently from one another

Senf forgery taken from a Moens catalog 

Typical "Facsimile" overprint

1. Very thick side spandrels

2. Odd shaped unbalanced crown

3. No dots in top letters

Modern forgeries

Very accurate except for paper

Note distinguishing feature - Dot under the M of PARM in frame lines

The following are Fournier sold forgeries

More on Parma to follow....