Fiume 1918 – 1824: Varieties of Postage Stamps

2 December 1918/1919. Provisional issue. Hungarian stamps in circulation overprinted FIUME in black color.

The existing stock of complete panes was overprinted in letterpress by Urania between the 3rd and 23rd of December 1918. The incomplete panes were hand stamped bin printing house Adolf Kirchhofer & Co. between the 6th and 23rd of December 1918.

TYPES OF OVERPRINTS
Letterpress Hand stamp overprint
Fiume overprint on stamp of Hungary Letterpress
Letterpress 1:

  • letters thin,
  • impression clean,
  • gray black color,
  • 13,3 mm long and 3,1 mm high.
 Letterpress 2:

  • letters heavier,
  • impression sometimes not clean,
  • color black,
  • 13,3 mm long and 3,1 mm high.
 Hand stamp 1:

  • letters U and M damaged,
  • 13 mm long and 3,1 mm high.
 Hand stamp 2:

  • the middle of the letter M doesn’t go down to the base,
  • 13,2 – 13,6 mm long and 3,1 mm high.
Hand stamp overprint
FIUME overprint on postage stamp of Hungary hand stamped
Hand stamp 3:

  • the middle of the letter M goes down to the base,
  • 12,9 mm long and 3 mm high.
 Hand stamp 4:

  • the middle of the letter M goes down to the base
  • 14 mm long and 3,1 mm high.
 Hand stamp 5:

  • letters U and M a bit more narrow,
  • 12,9 mm long and 3,1 mm high.
 Hand stamp 6:

  • the middle stroke of the letter E is in the middle,
  • 13 mm long and 3,1 mm high.

19 January 1919. Provisional issue: postage due stamps of Fiume overprinted by a hand-made FRANCO 45 in black color.

COINCIDENTAL VARIETIES
1 Vertically shifted overprint.

29 January 1919. Provisional issue. Hungarian Savings Bank stamp hand stamped FRANCO FIUME 15.

FORGERIES
15 fil.
Hungary stamp overprinted FRANCO FIUME 15
Genuine stamp
Forgery 2		 Genuine stamp:

  • line above FRANCO long 11,2 mm,
  • top serifs of letters F and E long and pointing downwards,
  • left vertical stroke of letter U thicker.

Forgery 1:

  • line above FRANCO long 11 mm,
  • top serifs of letters F and E short,

Forgery 2:

  • line above FRANCO long 11 mm,
  • top serifs of letters F and E short,
  • left vertical stroke of letter U equally thick.

30 January – 30 April 1919. The first definitive issue. Printed in lithography by Zanardini & Co. in Trieste. Inscription: FIUME. Perforation line 11½ can be sharp or blunt.

The stamps were printed in 4 runs that can be differentiated by paper type:

PRINTING RUNS BY PAPER
Denomination 1st run (30.1.1919)
rough gray paper		 2nd run (25.2.1919)
Thin yellow paper		 3rd run (2.3.1919)
Thin porous paper		 4th run (3.4.1919)
Thick white paper
2 c., light blue + +
3 c., gray brown + +
5 c., yellow green + +
10 c., rose red + +
15 c., violet + + +
20 c., light green + +
25 c., dark blue + + +
30 c., violet +
40 c., brown + +
45 c., bright orange + + +
50 c., yellow green +
60 c., claret + +
1 Cor., brown orange + +
2 Cor., light blue + +
3 Cor., orange red + +
5 Cor., brown + +
10 Cor., olive green + +
FORGERIES
Woman’s Head, Allegory of Fiume (2 c., 3 c., 5 c.) City Hall (10 c., 15 c., 20 c.)
Postage stamp allegory of Fiume Fiume Rijeka city hall postage stamp
Genuine stamp:

  • the star on woman’s head wide.
 Forgery:

  • the star is narrow.
 Genuine stamp:

  • line on the left side of the building uninterrupted,
  • three windows on the building on the right,
  • top end of letter E vertical.
 Forgery:

  • interrupted line at the end of the building,
  • four windows on the building to the right,
  • top end of letter E at a slant.
Freedom allegory on the Garibaldi monument in Milan (24 c., 40 c., 45 c.) Italian Flag in the Port of Fiume (30 c., 50 c. – 10 Cor.)
Fiume 45 cent postage stamp freedom allegory Garibaldi monument Milan Italian occupation of Rijeka postage stamp
Genuine stamp:

  • lines in the top left corner uninterrupted.
 Forgery:

  • the shading lines below Cent. broken.
  • a white dot between the tip of lion’s tail and woman’s toga.
 Genuine stamp:

  • lines on the cross on the flag straight,
  • fine lines of sailor’s scarf and on the sea.
 Forgery:

  • lines of the cross curvy,
  • coarse lines on sailor’s scarf and on the sea.
UNLISTED VARIETIES
45 c.
1 Horizontal scratch over the design, from woman’s head to the right frame. Fiume Freedom Garibaldi monument in Milan
2 Two circles above lion’s tail.
COINCIDENTAL VARIETIES
1 Offsets.
2 Perforation omission.

18 July 1919. Newspaper stamps.

TYPES
2 centesimi

Trieste printing
Milan printing		 Trieste printing (18 July 1919):

  • feathers between eagle’s legs,
  • characters smaller.

Milan printing (1 September 1919):

  • empty space between eagle’s legs,
  • characters larger.
UNLISTED VARIETIES
2 centesimi
1 Small letter C in triangle below denomination tablet.

28 July 1919. Postage dues.

CONSTANT VARIETIES
2 c., brown Field number
I Letter M in SIMI indented on the right.
Field №: ? Pane: N/A
Other nomenclatures: –
Notes: another example.
Value €: –
UNLISTED VARIETIES
5 c., brown
1 Colored spot on letter A in SEGNATASSE.

18 May 1919. Commemorative issue. Proclamation of the Italian National Council of 30 October 1918 on the annexation of Fiume to Italy. The 5 lira surtax was collected for the benefit of the Sutdent Found.

UNLISTED VARIETIES
10 c.
1 Circular indentation in the right frame.

9 October 1919 – 6 March 1920. Provisional issue. Hand stamp FRANCO and a new value in black color. Overprints FRANCO 5, FRANCO 10 and FRANCO 15 exist in various types.

OVERPRINT TYPES BY PRINTING RUNS
Denomination Inscription Overprint 1st run (30.1.1919)
rough gray paper		 2nd run (25.2.1919)
Thin yellow paper		 3rd run (2.3.1919)
Thin porous paper		 4th run (3.4.1919)
Thick white paper
20 c., light green FIUME FRANCO 5 Types I, II
20 c., light green FIUME FRANCO 5 Types I, II
25 c., dark blue POSTA  FIUME FRANCO 5 Types II, III
30 c., violet POSTA  FIUME FRANCO 15 Type II
45 c., bright orange FIUME FRANCO 10 Type I
45 c., bright orange FIUME FRANCO 10 Type II
45 c., bright orange FIUME FRANCO 10 Types I, II
45 c., bright orange POSTA  FIUME FRANCO 10 Types I, II, III
50 c., yellow green FIUME FRANCO 25 Type I
50 c., yellow green POSTA  FIUME FRANCO 25 Type I
60 c., claret POSTA  FIUME FRANCO 55 Type II
1 Cor., brown orange FIUME FRANCO 55 Type I
1 Cor., brown orange FIUME FRANCO 55 Type I
2 Cor., light blue FIUME FRANCO 55 Type I
2 Cor., light blue FIUME FRANCO 55 Type I
3 Cor., orange red FIUME FRANCO 55 Type I
3 Cor., orange red FIUME FRANCO 55 Type I
5 Cor., brown FIUME FRANCO 55 Type I
5 Cor., brown FIUME FRANCO 55 Type I
10 Cor., olive green POSTA  FIUME FRANCO 55 Type I
TYPES OF OVERPRINTS
FRANCO 5
Type I:

  • uninterrupted line from F to N,
  • oval loop of letter R,
  • vertical stroke of letter A horizontal.
 Type II:

  • line from F to N interrupted,
  • loop of the letter R oval,
  • vertical stroke of letter A horizontal.
 Type III

  • line from F to N interrupted,
  • loop of the letter R round,
  • vertical stroke of letter A slanting.
FRANCO 10
Type I:

  • line above letter A interrupted,
  • horizontal line in A slanting.
 Type II:

  • horizontal line uninterrupted,
  • horizontal line in A straight.
FRANCO 15
Type I:

  • letter N with serif at top left,
  • loop of letter R round,
  • numeral 5 thick and wide.
 Type II:

  • letter N without the serif,
  • loop of letter R oval,
  • numeral 5 narrow,
  • letter F short at bottom.
 Type III

  • letters thinner as in Type 2,
  • letter F bottom aligned with the letter R.
UNLISTED VARIETIES
5 centesimi on 25 centesimi
1 Long white line over lion’s tail.

3 December 1919. Provisional issue. Overprint Valore Globale and a new value in letterpress in black color.

TYPES OF OVERPRINTS
Note: the same types as listed below, can be found on provisional issue of postage dues (the same stamps overprinted with “Segnatasse” and a rosette).
On Roman she-wolf stamps
Type I (3. December 1919):

  • letters large and thin.
 Type II (5 February – 12 September 1920):

  • letters smaller and heavier,
  • distance between the dot after Cent and the numeral 1,5 mm.
 Type III (5. April 1920):

  • letters smaller and heavier,
  • 5 and 10 cent. stamp: distance between the dot after Cent and the numeral is 1,5 mm,
  • 15 cent. stamp: pale gray color, distance between Cent and the numeral is 2 mm.
On Venetian Galley stamps
Type I (3. December 1919):

  • letters small and thin.
 Type II (5 February – 12 September 1920):

  • larger thin letters.
 Type III (5. April 1920):

  • letters smaller and heavier.
On St Mark’s Basilica in Venice
Type I (3. December 1919):

  • letters large and thin.
 Type II (5 February – 12 September  1920):

  • letters smaller and heavier.
COLOR VARIETIES
80 c.
I
Light violet stamp with Type I overprint		 Violet stamps were used for the first overprinting (in Type I) and light violet for the second overprinting (Type II).

However, a small number of light violet stamps was overprinted in Type I and violet stamps in Type II.

12 September 1920. Definitive issue: Gabriele d’Annunzio. Letterpress, perforation line 11½

FORGERIES
All denominations of this issue were forged.
Fiume Gabriele d'Annunzio postage stamp genuine Fiume Gabriele d'Annunzio postage stamp forgery
Genuine stamp:

  • letter O in POSTA regular,
  • eyebrow made of two thin lines,
  • 4 dots on the neck.
 Forgery 1:

  • letter O in POSTA slant,
  • eyebrow made of two thin lines,
  • two dots on the neck.
 Forgery 2

  • letter O in POSTA regular,
  • eyebrow made of multiple dots,
  • 4 dots on the neck.

21 September 1920. Special delivery stamps. Lithography, perforation line 11½.

FORGERIES
Both denominations

Genuine stamp		 Genuine stamp:

  • facial features of the second horseman well visible.

Forgery:

  • the face of the second horseman deformed.

12 November 1920. Commemorative issue: one year from the arrival of D’Annunzio’s legionaries to Fiume. Letterpress, perforation 11½.

POSSIBLE TYPES
All values
I This issue was originally designed to have inscription FIUME D’ITALIA, which was later manually changed to POSTE DI FIUME. This change resulted in 6 types of inscriptions. As there’s no detail description of types available yet, we assume this might be one of them:

  • letters O and S in POSTE disconnected with O having a slight indentation in area where it would be connected to S.

The feature was observed on all values.
UNLISTED VARIETIES
25 cent.
1 Numeral 5 broken at bottom.
20 cent
1 Colored square above the top right corner.
5 cent
1 A circle above the blade.
COINCIDENTAL VARIETIES
1 Perforation errors: double perforation
FORGERIES
All values

Genuine stamp		 Fiume Reggenza Italiana del Carnaro forged stamp
Forgery 1		 Genuine stamp:

  • letters T and I with prolonged bottom left serifs,
  • top left inner corner of F and bottom left inner corner of E in FIUME at a right angle,
  • a tiny bulge on the outer right vertical stroke of letter U in FIUME.

Forgery 1:

  • letters regular with even serifs,
  • the outer right vertical stroke of letter U in FIUME straight.

20 – 28 November 1920. Occupation of Kvarner Gulf. Postage military stamps, overprinted in letterpress Reggenza Italiana del Carnaro.

UNLISTED VARIETIES
50 c. on 20 c.
1 Numeral 5 of the overprint broken.
COINCIDENTAL VARIETIES OF OVERPRINTS
1 Inverted overprint.
2 Offset.

2 February 1921. Provisional issue, stamps with the effigy of Gabriele d’Annunzio overprinted in letterpress Governo Provvisorio.

TYPES
Note: forged overprints are not found on genuine stamps. The main clue to identifying a forged overprint is in analyzing features of the basic stamp.
Fiume postage stamp Gabriele d'Annunzio Governo Provvisorio
1st Fiume printing
2nd Fiume printing
Milan printing
1st overprinting by Vedetta d’Italia in Fiume, 21.2.1921:

  • overprint black,
  • spacing between o and v in Governo is usually wider, only on two stamps in a pane the spacing is equal,
  • 3 mm distance between Governo and Provvisorio,
  • thin, about 3mm long horizontal control line about 6 mm below the world Provvisorio.
 2nd overprinting by Vedetta d’Italia in Fiume, 26.8.1921:

  • overprint gray-black,
  • wider spacing between o and v in Governo,
  • 3 mm distance between Governo and Provvisorio,
  • without the control line,

Note: this type of overprint appears only on 10 centesimi stamp.

 Overprinting by Bertieri & Vanzetti in Milan, 18.12.1921:

  • overprint dark black,
  • even spacing between o and v in Governo,
  • 4 mm distance between Governo and Provvisorio,
  • without the control line,

Note: this overprinting appears only on 5 and 10 centesimi stamps.
COINCIDENTAL VARIETIES
1 Offsets.

21 March 1921. Postage dues, provisional issue.

COINCIDENTAL VARIETIES
1 Vertically shifted overprint.

24 April 1921. Commemorative issue: the Constitutional Assembly in 1921. Stamps of 1919 overprinted in letterpress in black color Costituente Fiumana 24 IV 1921.

CONSTANT VARIETIES
All values (?) Field number
I Letter C in Costituente standing vertically instead of diagonally.
Field №: ? Pane: N/A
Other nomenclatures: –
Notes: –
Value €: –
II Letter C in Costituente positioned lower relative to the rest of the text.
Field №: ? Pane: N/A
Other nomenclatures: –
Notes: –
Value €: –
III Letter C in Costituente positioned higher relative to the rest of the text.
Field №: ? Pane: N/A
Other nomenclatures: –
Notes: –
Value €: –
IV Letter A in Fiumana standing higher relative to the rest of the text.
Field №: ? Pane: N/A
Other nomenclatures: –
Notes: also on 80 Cent. stamp.
Value €: –
V Letter A in Fiumana standing lower relative to the rest of the text.
Field №: ? Pane: N/A
Other nomenclatures: –
Notes: –
Value €: –
UNLISTED VARIETIES
All values (?)
1
  • Letter A in Fiumana standing higher relative to the rest of the text,
  • letter C in Costituente positioned lower and partially missing.
COINCIDENTAL VARIETIES
1 Gone through paper print / offsets.
2 Printer’s block.

23 March 1922. Commemorative issue: the second Constitutional Assembly. Stamps of 1919 overprinted in letterpress in black color Costituente Fiumana 24 IV 1921 and year mark 1922.

CONSTANT VARIETIES
All values (?) Field number
I Numeral 9 open on the right side.
Field №: ? Pane: N/A
Other nomenclatures: –
Notes: another example.
Value €: –
UNLISTED VARIETIES OF OVERPRINTS
1 Letters u and e in Costituente deformed at top.
2 The middle vertical stroke of letter m in Fiumana broken.
3 Loop of numeral 9 in 1921 indented on the left side.

23 March 1923. Definitive issue. Printed in letterpress, perforation line 11½.

FORGERIES
Note: forged overprints ANNESSIONE ALL’ITALIA or REGNO D’ITALIA are not found on genuine stamps. The main clue for evaluating an overprint is in analyzing the basic stamp.
Venetian Caravel Ship (5 c., 10 c., 15 c.)
Genuine stamp:

  • letter O in POSTE round,
  • borderlines of sails thin,
  • ropes of sails well visible.
 Forgery 1:

  • letter O in POSTE oval,
  • thick borderlines of sails.
 Forgery 2:

  • letter O in POSTE round,
  • borderlines of sails thin,
  • ropes of sails invisible.
Roman Arch (20 c., 25 c., 30 c.)
Genuine stamp:

  • letter O in POSTE circular,
  • top left curved inner border of the arch uninterrupted,
  • bottom horizontal line on the right wall interrupted.
 Forgery 1:

  • letter O in POSTE oval,
  • top left curved inner border of the arch uninterrupted,
  • bottom horizontal line on the right wall uninterrupted.
 Forgery 2:

  • letter O in POSTE circular,
  • top left curved inner border of the arch interrupted,
  • bottom horizontal line on the right wall uninterrupted.
St. Vitus, the patron saint and protector of Rijeka (50 c., 60 c., 1 L.)
San Vito postage stamp of Fiume
Genuine stamp:

  • rays in the saint’s aura barely visible,
  • lines of the triangular elements o the arch very thin and interrupted.
 Forgery 1:

  • letter O in POSTE oval,
  • rays in the saint’s aura strong,
  • lines of the triangular elements o the arch strong.
 Forgery 2le:

  • letter O in POSTE round,
  • rays in the saint’s aura strong,
  • lines of the triangular elements o the arch strong.
Roman column (2 L., 3 L., 5 L.)
Genuine stamp:

  • letter O in POSTE circular,
  • tiny dot in letter A in TARS,
  • image height: 28,5 mm.
 Forgery 1:

  • letter O in POSTE oval,
  • tiny triangle in letter A in TARS,
  • image height 27,5 mm.
 Forgery 2:

  • letter O in POSTE circular,
  • tiny dot in letter A in TARS,
  • image height: 27,5 mm.

23 March 1923. Special delivery stamps. Letterpress, perforation 11½.

FORGERIES
Note: forged overprints ANNESSIONE ALL’ITALIA or REGNO D’ITALIA are not found on genuine stamps. The main clue for evaluating an overprint is in analyzing the basic stamp.
Both values
Fiume special delivery stamp 1923 Fiume forgery of the 1923 special delivery stamp
Genuine stamp:

  • a window on the city wall above the sail of the second ship from the right,
  • curved line at the bottom of the line on the hill (below letters S and T in POSTE),
  • sloping tower below letter E in POSTE.
 Forgery:

  • the window on the city wall above the sail of the second ship from the right is missing,
  • short sloping line at the bottom of the line on the hill (below letters S and T in POSTE),
  • a line instead of a tower below letter E in POSTE.

1 March 1924. The second commemorative issue celebrating the annexation of Fiume to Italy. Definitive issue, overprinted REGNO D’ITALIA in letterpress in black color.

COINCIDENTAL VARIETIES
1 Offsets.

1 March 1924. The second commemorative issue celebrating the annexation of Fiume to Italy. Special deliver stamps, overprinted REGNO D’ITALIA in letterpress in black color.

COINCIDENTAL VARIETIES
1 Offsets.

 

References

Bibliography

  • Katalog poštanskih maraka jugoslovenskih zemalja (1991), Jugomarka (Belgrade), YU ISSN 0351-4447
  • Martinaš, Ivan: Stamps of Rijeka, Fiume 1918 – 1924 (2006), Obol-Naklada d.o.o., Zagreb u suradnji S Marka Nova d.o.o, Zagreb. Hrvatski Filatelistički Savez; knj. 16. ISBN 953-6388-09X (Obol). Official website: http://www.fiume-book.net/