The Kingdom of the Two Sicilies included the Kingdom of Naples (Domini di qua del Faro) and the Kingdom of Sicily (Domini beyond the Lighthouse). The two kingdoms were reunited in a single state, ruled by the dynasty of the Bourbons, as a result of the Treaty of Vienna of 1815.
The stamps of Sicily were engraved by Tommaso Aloysio Juvara of Messina and printed in intaglio in sheets of 100 stamps
In the beginning, a porous hand-made paper of rather poor quality was adopted (paper of
Naples}.
For the subsequent editions of these values and for the two vermilion-colored 5-grain values, a white, consistent and smooth paper was adopted (paper of Palermo).
Summarizing the 3, 9, 12, 13 and 14 exist only on paper of Naples, 10 and 11 only on that of Palermo, the others on both.
A total production of 2,850,000 with 569,000 remainders is noted
Most collectors will not own originals of these pricey stamps but older collections abound with forgeries.
As many of the originals are of poor quality printings, the forgeries easily pass as originals and can be very difficult to distinguish.
The papers used and color variations account for a wide range of values, so best left up to expert certifiers as this blog is only basic in nature.
Genuine Features
1/2 Gr
Features of the Plate I
1. Plate I has rounded corner
2. Key dot below A
3. Thin lower extended section
4. Line extension
5. Barely visible dot
6. Dot
7. Thick upper right of 2
8. Thick 1 with small serif
9. Dot
10. Wide bottom of G with a protrusion
11. Line extension
12. Key Plate I dot
13. Upper lip protrudes
14. Ket Plate I blotch - not always visible
15. Key dot between LL
Features of the Plate II
1. Key feature of Plate II - square corner
2. Key feature dot
3. Small bump in frame generally visible. Key feature of Plate II
4. Key feature dot between LL
1Gr
Features
1. Key dot under A
2. Shadow area behind the ear
3. Bust almost touches frame
4. Line extension
5. Small dot after A
6. Narrow serif
7. Key dot in R
8. Thick colored line on most
9. Line extension
10. Key dot between LL
11. Thin lower section extends past upper part
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| 2 Plate types of the 1 Gr |
2Gr
1. Long leg with a very thin spot
2. The left side of the foot is longer
3. Key feature - color dot in white frame
4. Key feature - color dot in white frame
5. Arched nose
6. Lips protrude, top one more
7. Thin line extends
8. Top of G serif sometimes has a white dot
9. Connection very thin and may show a slight break
10. Top of R wide and flat
11. Right leg has a bulge and extends to a slightly upturned point
12. The 2 shows a break
13. The back is thick
14. The dot is fainter than the first one
15. Top end of G often shows a break
15a Bust does not touch the frame
16. Very thick extension
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| 2Gr Plate Features |
5Gr
Features
1. Thin lower section extends past upper part
2. Key dot under A
3. Bust far from frame
4. Line extension
5. Top of 5 is inclined
6. Upturned end of R
7. Line extension
8. Key dot in R
9. Key dot between LL
9. Line extension
10. End of G triangle shaped
10Gr
Features
1. Key dot under A
2. Dark shadow behind ear
3. Bust far from frame
4. The 0 is slightly taller than the other letters/numeral
5. Line extension
6. Long fairly flat end of R
7. End of G looks like uoside down hat
8. heavily shaded area
9. Key dot between LL
20Gr
Features
1. Key dot under A
2. Dark shadow behind ear
3. Line extension
4. Long flat thin bottom of 2
5. Bottom serifs are wide and flat
6. G has thin spot and large bottom protrusion
7. Rough shaded area
8. Dark line extends to frame
9. This area often has white noise
50Gr
Features
1. Key dot under A
2. Bust almost touches frame
3. Line extension
4. Top of 5 flat & short
5. Bust very close to frame
6. Shaded area behind ear
7. Line extends to frame
8. Key dot Between LL
Forgeries
There are numerous forgeries but "most" are not dangerous because they are made in lithography or typography and therefore lack the relief typical of intaglio printing.
However in auctions, given generally very poor images, this relief printing may not be evident and most do resemble the originals.
Chemical alterations of some colors changed into others of greater value are much more dangerous.
Fake cancellations appear mainly on the 1/2, 5 and 50 Gr values.
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| Assorted forgeries |
Torres/Usigli Forgeries
These appear to be fairly plentiful. They are often seen with a horseshoe and 3 dot fake cancel
The R has a long right leg
Oneglia Forgeries
Very white face
Lower part of top S elongated
2 leaning right
Fournier Forgeries
Sold by Fournier but probably bought them from another forger.
These are unusual and scarce
Forgery pairs
These have the usual "Spiro" cancels but probably from another forger(Torres/Usigli?)
Crude Modern Forgeries
No rough areas
Dent in forehead
Many issues with the size and shape of letters and numerals
Unknown Forgeries
Thin G, small 5
The nose is very straight and the ear is tilted to the right
Type A forgery
Sperati Forgeries
These as expected are the most dangerous
Most have more than one type but often the main features still apply
Sperati made proofs of several in black & color as well as used copies
The reproductions were produced by photo-lithography, the originals were engraved
1. The left side of the "A" of "DELLA" is not joined at the top
2. There is a dot in the right serif at the foot of the upright of "R" of "GR"
3. There is a larger white indentation at the foot of the background to the right of the fraction.
4. There is a defect in the head of the "T" of "POSTA"
There are 4 Types of this forgery
Type A forgery
Type D forgery
1. There is an upwards scratch running from the lower left serif of the "T" in "POSTA"
2. There is a spot of colour in the left side of the inner white frame right of the second "O" of "HOLLO."
3. The left side of the "A" of "DELLA" is broken near the top
4. There is a spot of colour in the right foot of the "G" of "GR."
1. There is a prominent vertical scratch under the "LL" of "BOLLO"
2. There is a spot of colour in the head of the " G" of "G R."
3. There is a white nick in the bottom frameline below the serif of the "R"
1. There is a spot of color in the inner white frame above the letter "R" of "GR"
2. There is a heavy blob of colour in the tail of the "G'' and the bottom left stroke of the "R" is partly covered with colour.
3. There is a spot of color in the right inner frameline opposite the "IA" of "SICILIA"
4. The tops of the letters in " POSTA" are covered in colour and there is a diagonal stroke through the leg of the "A.5. There is a spot of colour in the inner frame line to the right of the first "O" of " BOLLO."
1. The bottom left serifs of the "R" of "GR" slope upwards to the right and are shorter than the right side
2. There are three spots of colour in the white inner frame below the " P" of "POSTA."
3. There is a spot of color in the bottom of the "0" of "20"
4. There is a small coloured projection from the central background into the inner white frame line opposite the "LI" of "SICILIA."
1. The bottom of the bust is joined to the inner white frame by a white line just above the "R" of "GR"
2. The white spaces in the design are full of minute spots of color
