CONTENTS

* Editoriale
* Nino Principato, La "Lapide di Costanza" a Messina
* Francesco Orlando, Le alte affrancature del periodo sardo-italiano in Sicilia
* Giulio Santoro, AMGOT 1943-44: i servizi accessori della corrispondenza civile nel periodo di occupazione alleata della Sicilia
* Andrea Amoroso, Il bollo tondo "Numerale-frazionario" della Provincia di Palermo
* Cateno Nisi, Federico di Svevia e la sua Sicilia - il patriarca del Medioevo
* Marcofilia siciliana, a cura di Andrea Amoroso
* Recensioni, di Vincenzo Fardella de Quernfort
* Le manifestazioni
* Notiziario dei circoli

CONTENTS

* Editoriale
* Nino Aquila, Un saggio di Sicilia tardivamente ritrovato
* Giuseppe Digrandi, L'Officina di Posta del comune di Avola. Dal '700 al 1859
* Francesco Lombardo, SICILIA 1859-1860. Corsa da Palermo a Noto: Cammino traverso. L'Officina Postale di Avola
* Francesco Lombardo, SICILIA 1859-1860. Corsa da Palermo a Messina per la via delle marine. Le Officine Postali di Termini e Cefalù
* Franco Napoli, Prigionieri e Internati austro-ungarici in Sicilia durante la prima guerra mondiale
* Giulio Santoro, AMGOT 1943-44: la tassazione della corrispondenza in Sicilia durante il periodo di occupazione alleata
* Andrea Amoroso, Domenico Agusta: un siciliano con la passione del volo
* Quesiti e segnalazioni
* Note della redazione
* Le manifestazioni
* Notiziario dei circoli

CONTENTS

* Editoriale
* Antimo Puca, Nuova scoperta sui bolli messinesi 1820-21
* Michela D'Angelo, Una lettera racconta
* Vincenzo Fardella de Quernfort, Il trasporto - via terra - della posta dai messaggeri alle diligenze
* Giulio Santoro, AMGOT 1943-44. La corrispondenza postale con l'estero in Sicilia durante il periodo di occupazione alleata
* Andrea Corsini, Agenzie e Recapiti postali. Gli annulli "alberghieri" siciliani
* Pietro Amorelli, Il collettore di giornali. Bollettino internazionale illustrato
* Andrea Corsini, Una precisazione sull'Ufficio di Santa Venerina
* Marcofilia siciliana, a cura di Andrea Amoroso
* Recensioni
* Quesiti e segnalazioni
* Note della redazione
* Le manifestazioni
* Notiziario dei circoli
* Indice del decennio 2000-2009

CONTENTS

* Editoriale
* Francesco Lombardo, Sicilia 1859-1860. Corsa da Palermo a Messina per la via delle Marine
* Giulio Santoro, 1943-44: l'occupazione militare alleata e la ripresa della corrispondenza fra la Sicilia e i territori dell'Italia liberata
* Giuseppe Marchese, La spedizione dei Mille e la Marina italiana (2a parte)
* Cateno Nisi, La "Comarca" dalla Spagna alla Sicilia
* Andrea Amoroso, Collettorie siciliane poco conosciute
* Quesiti e segnalazioni
* Vincenzo Fardella de Quernfort, La filatelia pittorica e il messaggio mediale di Maurizio De Simone
* Le manifestazioni
* Notiziario dei circoli siciliani

CONTENTS

* Editoriale
* Emanuele M. Gabbini, Sicilia durante l'occupazione alleata: relazioni postali con l'estero
* Giulio Santoro, Corrispondenza da Roma alla Sicilia nell'estate del '44
* Vincenzo Fardella de Quernfort, Il fascino delle antiche missive...
* Giulio Santoro, 28 dicembre 1908: quel terremoto di 100 anni fa
* Giuseppe Marchese, La spedizione dei Mille e la Marina italiana
* Vito Mancini, Frodi postali e... dintorni
* Vincenzo Fardella de Quernfort, Un aggiornamento su alcune bollature siciliane
* Quesiti e segnalazioni
* Recensioni
* Cronaca sociale
* Le manifestazioni

CONTENTS

* Lettere al Direttore
* Giulio Santoro, 1943-44: l'occupazione militare alleata e la ripresa della corrispondenza fra la Sicilia e i territori al di fuori dell'isola
* Pietro Amorelli, Roma-Agrigento: 4 luglio 1944
* Cateno Nisi, Brevi cenni sulla storia postale mediterranea: le prefilateliche dei Borbone nella provincia di Catania
* Giuseppe Natoli Rivas, Acireale in transito? Un rebus (storico-postale) risolto
* Vito Mancini, La rivoluzione siciliana del 1820-21 e i riflessi sul servizio postale
* Giuseppe Marchese, Le brigate di fanteria (3a parte) - Brigata Aosta
* Sergio Leali, Un francobollo per Ferrante Gonzaga duca di Ariano e principe di Molfetta, Viceré di Sicilia
* Le manifestazioni

CONTENTS

* Lettere al Direttore
* Giulio Santoro, 1943-44: l'occupazione militare alleata e la ripresa della corrispondenza fra la Sicilia e i territori al di fuori dell'isola
* Antimo Puca, Duecentoventi anni fa a Palermo, il primo "bollo di provenienza"
* Francesco Orlando, L'uso in Sicilia dei francobolli d'Italia stampati da Matraire, 2a parte
* Andrea Corsini, Cose d'altri tempi?
* Vincenzo Fardella de Quernfort, Trasporto della corrispondenza pubblica e franchigia postale nel Regno di Sicilia
* Francesco Orlando, Il timbro "bagni Termominerali di Sclafani" annullatore, su corrispondenza viaggiata nel 1909
* Vito Mancini, Nuove prospettive, nuovi mezzi
* Giuseppe Marchese, Le brigate di fanteria, 2a parte
* Le Manifestazioni

CONTENTS

* Vincenzo Fardella de Quernfort, La nuova identità di Demenna e gli itinerari normanni del Val Demone
* Due ricordi di Vittorio Emanuele Orlando
* Pietro Aricò, La fine della posta borbonica in Sicilia e le ultime date postali conosciute
* Giuseppe Marchese, La Deputazione di Sanità di Trapani
* Giorgio Chianetta, I bolli della Direzioni di Posta di Girgenti (1820-1858)
* Johan Lane, Chiacchere di città...sul collezionismo
* Giuseppe Marchese, Le brigate di fanteria
* Arsenico, La "Posta Celeste" di Palermo nel 1897
* Esempi di collezioni storico-postali
* Francesco Orlando, L'uso in Sicilia dei francobolli d'Italia stampati da Matraire
* Giulio Santoro, Divagazioni fra cicalecci filatelici e cicalate di storia postale
* Le manifestazioni
* Cronaca Sociale

CONTENTS

* Francesco Orlando, AMGOT 1943 - La ripresa dei servizi postali in Sicilia
* Vito Mancini, Breve carrellata storico-postale sul Regno delle Due Sicilie
* Giuseppe Natoli Rivas, Segnatasse postali d'emergenza in Sicilia: utilizzi nel 1943-47 a Sciacca
* Francesco Orlando, L'annullo apposto nel Santuario di Santa Rosalia a Palermo
* Aldo Gabellone, La Sicilia...e le sue navi
* Giulio Santoro, I "falsi di Palermo" della Base Atlantica
* Giuseppe Iacolino, Un'asina a bordo del Postale "Santa Marina"
* Vincenzo Fardella de Quernfort, Spigolature Siciliane
* Andrea Corsini, Il carnevale di Acireale nella marcofilia
* Le manifestazioni

CONTENTS

* Lettere al Direttore
* Giuseppe Ardizzone Gullo, Il Conto generale della Posta di Messina nell'anno indizionale 1805-1806
* Nino Principato, Uno storico edificio: il Palazzo delle Poste di Messina
* Vincenzo Fardella de Quernfort, Gli uffici di Posta Militare americani (A.P.O.) operanti in Sicilia nel 1943-1944
* Giulio Santoro, AMGOT 1943-1944: la ripresa della corrispondenza in Sicilia nel periodo di occupazione alleata
* Giuseppe Natoli Rivas, Quando il pezzo è unico. Dissertazione su una lettera per Messina e sulle molteplici occasioni di collezionismo
* Andrea Corsini, Il recapito postale del Santuario del Monte Pellegrino di Palermo
* Vincenzo Fardella de Quernfort, Un "non emesso" per l'Anno Santo di Zaffarìa...passato per posta nel 1989
* "Peloro 2004" Tradizionale appuntamento siciliano
* Le manifestazioni
* Cronaca sociale
* Indice degli anni 2000-2004

CONTENTS

* Lettere al Direttore
* Franco Napoli, 11 giugno 1943: la resa di Pantelleria
* Sophie Launay, 1 ottobre 1943 a Campofelice (A.P.O. 302): un V...MAIL un po' particolare
* Vincenzo Fardella de Quernfort, I servizi marittimi e terrestri in Sicilia sotto amministrazione sabauda
* Edoardo P. Ohnmeiss, Brevi glosse prefilateliche
* Vincenzo Fardella de Quernfort, Le sedi degli antichi uffici postali di Messina (secc. XVI-XIX)
* Cateno Nisi, Il più antico miliario della Sicilia - L'atto di nascita della provincia di Catania
* Vincenzo Fardella de Quernfort, La "Posta delle Carrozze" e la "Posta dei Vastasi"
* Giuseppe Marchese, I moti del 1848-1849 e i bolli "SERVIZIO PUBBLICO"
* Vincenzo Fardella de Quernfort, Le "Strade delle Poste" nell'antica cartografia siciliana
* "Peloro 2003" una grande kermesse filatelica e storico postale siciliana
* Amelia Ioli Gigante, Il Valdemone, una nota geo-storica
* Cronaca sociale

CONTENTS

* Lettere al Direttore
* Vincenzo Fardella de Quernfort, 4 giugno 1860: data di soppressione in Sicilia dei francobolli di Ferdinando II
* Giulio Santoro, Affrancature inconsuete, anomale e tollerate nel periodo di occupazione AMGOT, Prima parte e Seconda parte
* Giuseppe Marchese, Lotta all'ultimo tarì nel Regno di Sicilia
* Gaetano Palmigiano, Le Bolle della Santissima Crociata
* Documenti per la Storia Postale di Sicilia Doc.9: Rogito notarile del 1696
* Giovanni Riggi di Numana, Il tempo e la posta, Seconda parte
* Edoardo P. Ohnmeiss, Brevi glosse prefilateliche
* Assemblea Ordinaria e Straordinaria ASPS
* Le manifestazioni
* Cronaca sociale
* Indice delle annate 2000-2002

CONTENTS

* Vincenzo Fardella de Quernfort, Messina 25 marzo 1109: la più antica lettera siciliana
* Giulio Santoro, Lettere per via di mare in partenza da Messina nella seconda metà del '600 (2a parte)
* Andrea Corsini, Alcuni servizi postali marittimi in Sicilia fra la fine del XIX e l'inizio del XX secolo
* Giuseppe Marchese, Posta Cavalli (3a parte)
* Andrea Amoroso, La linea Palermo-Corleone-San Carlo - Una pagina di storia postale e dei trasporti ferroviari
* Giovanni Riggi di Numana, Il tempo e la posta (1a parte)
* Pietro Amorelli, Brevi note sulla riforma postale del 1839 nella Valle di Girgenti e a Casteltermini
* Franco Napoli, Stima e valutazione del materiale di storia postale moderna
* Salvatore Di Pietro, Luglio-agosto 1943: corrispondenza civile inoltrata con la posta militare
* Cronaca sociale
* "Siracusa 2002" - Mostra documentaria e storico-postale "Comunicazioni e poste nel Val di Noto"

CONTENTS

* Giulio Santoro, Lettere per via di mare in partenza da Messina nella seconda metà del '600
* Vincenzo Fardella de Quernfort, Le prime bollature di Messina (1787 - 1805)
* Giuseppe Marchese, Posta Cavalli
* Vincenzo Fardella de Quernfort, Bagheria e Santa Flavia nella storia postale
* Documenti per la storia postale di Sicilia
* Cateno Nisi, I bolli "numerali": gemellaggi di Sicilia
* Vincenzo Fardella de Quernfort, Le bollature postali di Polizzi (1820-1861)
* Luigi Sirotti, I servizi postali in Sicilia dal maggio 1860 al 30 aprile 1861
* Vincenzo Fardella de Quernfort, La mostra documentaria di Bagheria e Santa Flavia per il VI festival del Tirreno

CONTENTS

* Nino Aquila, Parallelismi e divergenze fra le due emissioni filateliche specifiche per l'isola di Sicilia
* H. Schloss, I segni di autenticità nei francobolli di Sicilia
* Antonino Pecoraro, Un bollo di censura dell'Occupazione Alleata in Sicilia - Per una catalogazione aggiornata degli annulli tondo riquadrati di Sicilia
* Andrea Corsini, I bolli delle poste di Marsala
* Leonardo Di Bella, Le officine di posta di S.Marco e di Fiumefreddo
* Antonio Di Pasquale, Qualche aggiornamento al "Catalogo specializzato dei bolli e degli annullamenti postali"
* Giuseppe Marchese, Posta cavalli
* Luigi Sirotti, I servizi postali in Sicilia dal maggio 1860 al 30 aprile 1861

CONTENTS

* Vincenzo Fardella de Quernfort, trad. di Lucio Marson, British involvements in the Kingdom of Sicily
* Giuseppe Natoli Rivas, In viaggio verso il ... '48. Quattro passi nel Risorgimento
* Joseph Geraci, Posta del XIX secolo fra Sicilia e Stati Uniti
* Antonino Pecoraro, Per una catalogazione aggiornata degli annulli tondo riquadrati di Sicilia
* Antimo Puca e Alberto Stracuzzi, L'annullo tondo-riquadrato nella provincia di Messina
* Documenti per la storia postale di Sicilia
* Vincenzo Fardella de Quernfort, Forwarders: primo aggiornamento al catalogo dei bolli siciliani
* Antonino Pecoraro, Un altro bollo di Marsala di cento anni fa
* Cateno Nisi, È di Artemide Aretusea la "Siracusana", una connessione storico-filatelica
* La storia del "Val di Mazara" rievocata con l'esposizione storico-postale "Marsala 2000" - le manifestazioni

CONTENTS

Preface by Nino Aquila
Presentation by Francesco Lombardo
Why the Comparative Plates of Sicilian Postage Stamps
The Kingdom of the Two Sicilies
The Postage Stamps of Sicily - Types

1/2 grano - plate 1
1/2 grano - plate 2
1 grano - plate 1 - I state
1 grano - plate 1 - II state
1 grano - plate 2
1 grano - plate 3
2 grana - plate 1
2 grana - plate 2
2 grana - plate 3
5 grana - plate 1 - Naples
5 grana - plate 1 - Palermo
5 grana - plate 2
10 grana - single plate
20 grana - single plate
50 grana - single plate

Bibliography
The author

Why the Comparative Plates of Sicilian Postage Stamps

Shortly after the General Direction of the Post of the Kingdom of Sardinia started selling, as collectibles, the remaining Bourbon stamps seized in the offices of the Island, the study of these magnificent rectangles of coloured paper began. Since then, they have been considered among the best made in the world.
As a matter of fact, a brief comparison with the other stamps available on the philatelic market at the beginning of the 1860's makes the artistic mastery of these Sicilian stamps immediately evident.

In 1863 the first studies of these stamps were published, and they were more and more specialized until Emilio Diena, the Great Master of the Italian philately, marked a milestone when he gave the fruit of his studies to the press in London in 1904. Since then, very little or almost nothing very innovative has been written about postage stamps. Some works, even recent ones, have only slightly dealt with the study of them, but they have brought to light some interesting findings on postal history and postmarks. Emilio Diena dedicated little time to these latter issues, not because he lacked knowledge, but rather because his research was only dedicated to "The History of Sicilian Postage Stamps".
The original edition, published in English in 1904, is practically untraceable. Both the later versions of the book are also difficult to find, the re-print in English, printed in 1969 by Giulio Bolaffi Editore and the Italian translated edition with notes added by Enzo Diena "Emilio Diena - Una vita per la Filatelia" (A Life Dedicated to Philately). The latter was published by the Post and Telecommunications Administration in 1989 on the occasion of the issuing of a stamp dedicated to the Great Master.

Now, in 2009, on the occasion of the 150th anniversary of Sicilian stamps, a new work, however following in the footsteps of Emilio Diena. Included in a slip-case are the work in colour with the comparative plates which are in all colour and have been analysed in detail in order to present their distinctive elements, and the complete and full size plates.
As one may notice this work is completely new in the layout and printing method implemented as we have not used the traditional four-colour screen or digital printing. This as a consequence of our belief that these two "archaic systems" would damage the fine detailed print of the plates and their portions, which are necessary to better compare them with the originals. We have chosen to use the stochastic printing system, which is also utilized in the reproduction of illuminated manuscripts and works that must be as close to the original as possible, especially in the fine details.
In our specific case, even the tiniest detail must be made visible in order to give the collector the chance to make a thorough comparison of the original stamp with the 100 on the complete sheet. The plates in the volume have been divided into blocks of 25 in order to identify each individual stamp more easily. The main characteristics of each stamp are noted so that one may pinpoint the placement of it and single out its variations caused by the wearing or different inking of the printing plate.
The retouched stamps have been reproduced in an enlarged and colour version with detailed descriptions so that the plating of the stamps on the sheets may be easily identified.

The images of the plates have come from various sources. Those of the grano first plate, first and second state, are the only complete ones in existence and have kindly been loaned by the Diena family of Rome, to whom our sincere thanks are due. The majority of the remaining images belong to our archive, among which some photographs have been donated by the late Bruno Barbacovi (Lavarone 1906 - Dimaro 1987). In addition to studying B.L.P. stamps of the Kingdom of Italy, Barbacovi also dedicated much of his time to building up the plates of Sicily. Others also come from the original sheets or are the result of the rearrangement of large blocks.

It has been said that philatelic collecting has evolved over the years and now tends to focus primarily on postal history. Philatelic collecting has indeed evolved, yet this has occurred much less radically than others may think. There are two different ways to collect and research stamps, yet both have their own undeniable value. However, in recent years there has been a marked return to the antique. This has involved the studying of stamps, among which those from Sicily prevail for their characteristics as they are so varied.

The main reason to publish this work is certainly not to revolutionize what Emilio Diena wrote more than one hundred years ago, but rather it is to offer collectors a simple and updated instrument to study in more detail the wonderful stamps of Sicily, whose undeniable beauty will live on forever.

Paolo Vaccari took up the hobby of philately and postal history as a child by collecting postage stamps and participating in exhibitions, conferences and seminars. In 1977 he decided to put his wealth of experience and knowledge into practice when he turned his passion into a business to which he could dedicate all his time. The postal history and stamp business was enriched with the publishing activity in 1989, together with his daughters, which came to publish important volumes of philatelic literature, some of them written by Paolo Vaccari himself. From this date onward he has published about 100 catalogues and numerous treatises on postal history, among which the "Catalogo Vaccari - Francobolli e storia postale - Antichi Stati Italiani, Governi provvisori, Regno d'Italia - 1850-1900". The catalogue has reached its XIV edition, after 20 years of publication, and over the years has received prestigious recognition nationally and internationally. Furthermore, "Vaccari Magazine", whose editor is Paolo Vaccari, has also achieved excellent worldwide recognition and celebrated thirty years in 2018.

Paolo Vaccari received the Philatelic Oscar from the Italian Academy of Philately and Postal History for the numerous studies he has published.
For the volume "Sicilia 1859 - Comparative plates of stamps" he received the award of the Italian Philatelic Press Union.
He has received over one hundred awards of recognition worldwide for his written and published works.
He also received the "Regione Toscana" cup and the "Fiorino d'Oro" for displaying specialized collections centred on the Grand Duchy of Tuscany philately of the XIX century.
In 2008 he received the "Ragno d'Oro - UNICEF" award in the trade category, an award granted to people from Modena who have contributed to increasing the prestige of the city of Modena within the country and abroad.

He is a philatelic expert for the C.C.I.A.A. and the Court of Modena.
He has taken part in appraisals and provided expert analyses for Credit Institutions.
He is a member of the national register of journalists, special section, and of the "Unione Stampa Filatelica Italiana" (USFI).
He was a member of the "Club Elite de la Philatélie" of Monte Carlo, presided over by Prince Ranieri, a closed number club in which the 100 most important philatelic experts worldwide may take part, receiving the highest Monacan recognition each time, the Ranieri gold medal.
He is a member of the "Académie Européenne de Philatélie" with headquarters in Paris.
He was a member of the "Consulta per la filatelia del Ministero delle Comunicazioni".
He was named honorary partner of the prestigious "Associazione Italiana di Storia Postale" (A.I.S.P.) with headquarters in Milan, and of the "Accademia Italiana di Filatelia e Storia Postale" in 2009.
He is a member of the "Deputazione di Storia Patria per le Antiche Province Modenesi";
of numerous Italian and foreign philatelic associations;
of the "Accademia dello Scoltenna".
He is a member of the Philatelic Veterans Register since 1985.
Since 1993 he has been a Trade Master with 40 years of experience in the business at the time.

USFI (Italian Philatelic Press Union) AWARD for philatelic literature "Apollonio" 2010

LARGE GOLD + SPECIAL PRIZE - HUNFILA 2011
8-10 aprile 2011
(Balatonfüred - Ungheria)

LARGE GOLD - ROSSICA 2014
27-29 ottobre 2014
Mosca, Russia

GOLD - PARIS-PHILEX 2016
19-22 maggio 2016

GOLD - VIANNA 2014
5-9 novembre 2014
Viana do Castelo, Portogallo

GOLD - IPHLA 2012
Mainz, 2-4 novembre 2012

GOLD - APS STAMPSHOW 2011
Columbus, Ohio, USA
11-14 agosto 2011

GOLD - NEW ZEALAND LIT. EXHIB. 2011
19 marzo 2011
(Palmerston North - New Zealand)

GOLD - CHICAGOPEX 2010
19-21 novembre 2010
(Arlington Heights, IL, USA)

GOLD - NAPEX 2010
Washington, 4-6 giugno 2010

LARGE VERMEIL - BRASILIANA 2013
Rio de Janeiro
19-25 novembre 2013

LARGE VERMEIL - INDONESIA 2012
18-24 giugno 2012
(Jakarta, Indonesia)

LARGE VERMEIL - PHILANIPPON 2011
28 luglio - 2 agosto 2011
(Yokohama, Japan)

LARGE VERMEIL - JOBURG 2010
Johannesburg, South Africa
27-31 ottobre 2010

LARGE VERMEIL - PORTUGAL 2010
Lisbona, 1-10 ottobre 2010

LARGE VERMEIL - LONDON 2010 - Festival of Stamps
Londra, 8-15 maggio 2010

VERMEIL - ITALIA 2009
Roma, Palazzo dei Congressi
21-25 ottobre 2009

CONTENTS

* The political background
* The letters of the Viceroys in Sicily
* Chronology of the Maestri di Posta
* The regulations
* The postal routes
* The introduction of departure handstamps in the Palermo and Messia offices
* The Postal Office
* The control marks used by the Postal Administration
* Taxation marks (Group 8)
* The 'P' mark (Group 7)
* ROCM (Royal Office of Corriere Maggiore)
* The staffette
* The royal decree of 10 November 1819
* The risings of 1820 in Sicily
* The postal service during the 1820-21 Revolution
* Free-frankking
* Post office countersignatures for free-franking
* Post office countersignatures for free-franking
* The countersign stamps prepared by the post for use by governmental offices
* Countersignatures for freefranking and administration marks
* Real Servizio (Royal Service)
* Franca - postage prepaid
* Insured letters
* Letters wrongly rated - mal tassate
* Misdirected letters
* Letters where addressee had moved house
* Undelivered letters - lettere non distribuite
* Two-route letters - doppia corsa
* The cross routes
* The corriers for the lottery
* Article 14 of the postal regulation of 10 November 1819
* Letterbox - Buca
* The date-stamps of Palermo used on arrival from 1787 to 1819
* The date-stamps of Palermo from 1817 to 1858
* The date-stamps of Messina
* Postage on credit - Lettere a credito
* Communal offices - Cancellerie Comunali
* The Sicilian Revolution of 1848-49
* The postal service during the 1848-1849 Revolution
* The postal handstamps and the trinacria symbols used during the 1848-1849 Revolution
* Sea-Mail - Via di Mare
* The Butera courier
* Health
* The forwarding agent
* The telegraph service
* Handwritten place-names
* British troops in Sicily
* Worn-out or damaged handstamps
* Postal tariffs and rates levied
* The inks used in the offices to stamp letters
* Forged handstamps

* Annex
* Documents
* Catalogue
* Bibliography

CONTENTS

Preface by Nino Aquila
Presentation by Francesco Lombardo
Why the Comparative Plates of Sicilian Postage Stamps
The Kingdom of the Two Sicilies
The Postage Stamps of Sicily - Types

1/2 grano - plate 1
1/2 grano - plate 2
1 grano - plate 1 - I state
1 grano - plate 1 - II state
1 grano - plate 2
1 grano - plate 3
2 grana - plate 1
2 grana - plate 2
2 grana - plate 3
5 grana - plate 1 - Naples
5 grana - plate 1 - Palermo
5 grana - plate 2
10 grana - single plate
20 grana - single plate
50 grana - single plate

Bibliography
The author

Why the Comparative Plates of Sicilian Postage Stamps

Shortly after the General Direction of the Post of the Kingdom of Sardinia started selling, as collectibles, the remaining Bourbon stamps seized in the offices of the Island, the study of these magnificent rectangles of coloured paper began. Since then, they have been considered among the best made in the world.
As a matter of fact, a brief comparison with the other stamps available on the philatelic market at the beginning of the 1860's makes the artistic mastery of these Sicilian stamps immediately evident.
In 1863 the first studies of these stamps were published, and they were more and more specialized until Emilio Diena, the Great Master of the Italian philately, marked a milestone when he gave the fruit of his studies to the press in London in 1904. Since then, very little or almost nothing very innovative has been written about postage stamps. Some works, even recent ones, have only slightly dealt with the study of them, but they have brought to light some interesting findings on postal history and postmarks. Emilio Diena dedicated little time to these latter issues, not because he lacked knowledge, but rather because his research was only dedicated to "The History of Sicilian Postage Stamps".
The original edition, published in English in 1904, is practically untraceable. Both the later versions of the book are also difficult to find, the re-print in English, printed in 1969 by Giulio Bolaffi Editore and the Italian translated edition with notes added by Enzo Diena, "Emilio Diena - Una vita per la Filatelia". The latter was published by the Post and Telecommunications Administration in 1989 on the occasion of the issuing of a stamp dedicated to the Great Master.

Now, in 2009, on the occasion of the 150th anniversary of Sicilian stamps, a new work, however following in the footsteps of Emilio Diena. Included in a slip-case are the work with the comparative plates which are in all colour and have been analysed in detail in order to present their distinctive elements, and the 15 complete and full size plates in a special holder, in two separate editions in Italian and English.
As one may notice this work is completely new in the layout and printing method implemented as we have not used the traditional four-colour screen or digital printing. This as a consequence of our belief that these two "archaic systems" would damage the fine detailed print of the plates and their portions, which are necessary to better compare them with the originals. We have chosen to use the stochastic printing system, which is also utilized in the reproduction of illuminated manuscripts and works that must be as close to the original as possible, especially in the fine details.
In our specific case, even the tiniest detail must be made visible in order to give the collector the chance to make a thorough comparison of the original stamp with the 100 on the complete sheet. The plates in the volume have been divided into blocks of 25 in order to identify each individual stamp more easily. The main characteristics of each stamp are noted so that one may pinpoint the placement of it and single out its variations caused by the wearing or different inking of the printing plate. The retouched stamps have been reproduced in an enlarged and colour version with detailed descriptions so that their plating on the sheets may be easily identified.
We must be thankful for Giuseppe La Barbera and Francesco Lao for how they were able to execute their work, that I personally believe was brilliant, when taking into consideration the technology they had available to them long ago in 1858-1859. Not even today, despite all the technology we have available to us, would we be able to convey the charm that only these one-of-a-kind Sicilian stamps are able to exude. They reward us with the feeling of relaxation that we all seek to achieve by closing ourselves off from daily life for awhile.
I humbly dedicate my new work to these intrepid printers and to the great engraver of the steel matrix, Tommaso Aloysio Juvara.

The images of the plates have come from various sources. Those of the grano first plate, first and second state, are the only complete ones in existence and have kindly been loaned by the Diena family of Rome, to whom our sincere thanks are due. The majority of the remaining images belong to our archive, among which some photographs have been donated by the late Bruno Barbacovi (Lavarone 1906 - Dimaro 1987). In addition to studying B.L.P. stamps of the Kingdom of Italy, Barbacovi also dedicated much of his time to building up the plates of Sicily. Others also come from the original sheets or are the result of the rearrangement of large blocks, which belong to collectors who decided to remain anonymous but made their material available to me, giving me the chance to make this research as thorough as possible.

It has been said that philatelic collecting has evolved over the years and now tends to focus primarily on postal history. Philatelic collecting has indeed evolved, yet this has occurred much less radically than others may think. There are two different ways to collect and research stamps, yet both have their own undeniable value. However, in recent years there has been a marked return to the antique. This has involved the studying of stamps, among which those from Sicily prevail for their characteristics as they are so varied.
The main reason to publish this work is certainly not to revolutionize what Emilio Diena wrote more than one hundred years ago, but rather it is to offer collectors a simple and updated instrument to study in more detail the wonderful stamps of Sicily, whose undeniable beauty will live on forever.

Paolo Vaccari took up the hobby of philately and postal history as a child by collecting postage stamps and participating in exhibitions, conferences and seminars. In 1977 he decided to put his wealth of experience and knowledge into practice when he turned his passion into a business to which he could dedicate all his time. The postal history and stamp business was enriched with the publishing activity in 1989, together with his daughters, which came to publish important volumes of philatelic literature, some of them written by Paolo Vaccari himself. From this date onward he has published about 100 catalogues and numerous treatises on postal history, among which the "Catalogo Vaccari - Francobolli e storia postale - Antichi Stati Italiani, Governi provvisori, Regno d'Italia - 1850-1900". The catalogue has reached its XIV edition, after 20 years of publication, and over the years has received prestigious recognition nationally and internationally. Furthermore, "Vaccari Magazine", whose editor is Paolo Vaccari, has also achieved excellent worldwide recognition and celebrated thirty years in 2018.

Paolo Vaccari received the Philatelic Oscar from the Italian Academy of Philately and Postal History for the numerous studies he has published.
For the volume "Sicilia 1859 - Comparative plates of stamps" he received the award of the Italian Philatelic Press Union.
He has received over one hundred awards of recognition worldwide for his written and published works.
He also received the "Regione Toscana" cup and the "Fiorino d'Oro" for displaying specialized collections centred on the Grand Duchy of Tuscany philately of the XIX century.
In 2008 he received the "Ragno d'Oro - UNICEF" award in the trade category, an award granted to people from Modena who have contributed to increasing the prestige of the city of Modena within the country and abroad.

He is a philatelic expert for the C.C.I.A.A. and the Court of Modena.
He has taken part in appraisals and provided expert analyses for Credit Institutions.
He is a member of the national register of journalists, special section, and of the "Unione Stampa Filatelica Italiana" (USFI).
He was a member of the "Club Elite de la Philatélie" of Monte Carlo, presided over by Prince Ranieri, a closed number club in which the 100 most important philatelic experts worldwide may take part, receiving the highest Monacan recognition each time, the Ranieri gold medal.
He is a member of the "Académie Européenne de Philatélie" with headquarters in Paris.
He was a member of the "Consulta per la filatelia del Ministero delle Comunicazioni".
He was named honorary partner of the prestigious "Associazione Italiana di Storia Postale" (A.I.S.P.) with headquarters in Milan, and of the "Accademia Italiana di Filatelia e Storia Postale" in 2009.
He is a member of the "Deputazione di Storia Patria per le Antiche Province Modenesi";
of numerous Italian and foreign philatelic associations;
of the "Accademia dello Scoltenna".
He is a member of the Philatelic Veterans Register since 1985.
Since 1993 he has been a Trade Master with 40 years of experience in the business at the time.

USFI (Italian Philatelic Press Union) AWARD for philatelic literature "Apollonio" 2010

LARGE GOLD + SPECIAL PRIZE - HUNFILA 2011
8-10 aprile 2011
(Balatonfüred - Ungheria)

LARGE GOLD - ROSSICA 2014
27-29 ottobre 2014
Mosca, Russia

GOLD - PARIS-PHILEX 2016
19-22 maggio 2016

GOLD - VIANNA 2014
5-9 novembre 2014
Viana do Castelo, Portogallo

GOLD - IPHLA 2012
Mainz, 2-4 novembre 2012

GOLD - APS STAMPSHOW 2011
Columbus, Ohio, USA
11-14 agosto 2011

GOLD - NEW ZEALAND LIT. EXHIB. 2011
19 marzo 2011
(Palmerston North - New Zealand)

GOLD - CHICAGOPEX 2010
19-21 novembre 2010
(Arlington Heights, IL, USA)

GOLD - NAPEX 2010
Washington, 4-6 giugno 2010

LARGE VERMEIL - BRASILIANA 2013
Rio de Janeiro
19-25 novembre 2013

LARGE VERMEIL - INDONESIA 2012
18-24 giugno 2012
(Jakarta, Indonesia)

LARGE VERMEIL - PHILANIPPON 2011
28 luglio - 2 agosto 2011
(Yokohama, Japan)

LARGE VERMEIL - JOBURG 2010
Johannesburg, South Africa
27-31 ottobre 2010

LARGE VERMEIL - PORTUGAL 2010
Lisbona, 1-10 ottobre 2010

LARGE VERMEIL - LONDON 2010 - Festival of Stamps
Londra, 8-15 maggio 2010

VERMEIL - ITALIA 2009
Roma, Palazzo dei Congressi
21-25 ottobre 2009