INTRODUCTION TO THE SITE

1) TO START:
postage stamp collection is a very popular hobby, probably the most popular around the world; there are collections of any type, from the most "traditional" ones, like our own country postage stamps collections to the "thematic" ones, by sure not less capturing or nice looking, to the ones limited to specific stamps, periods or events.
Several stamps anyway had always a particular fascination: they are the antiques ones.
This site is dedicated to some of those and precisely to the ones known as "OLD ITALIAN STATES" stamps, known by all the collectors of the world for they history, their beauty and, let me say it, for the value of some of them. Which philatelic hobbyist did not dream at least once to own the very rare Tuscany 3 LIRE? Or never heard about the beauty of the Sicily stamps?

This work of mine comes out from the "ashes" of a previous site, much simpler, "built" in the far 1998, that perhaps some of you remembers. From that experience I got a lot of personal satisfactions and the stimulus to do something more, larger and detailed; freely to everyone access, dealing with the matter to a level deeper that made before, without exceed too much in the specialization, maintaining a simple structure and a "to the point" language. We'll see what the people will say...

This site does not pretend to be a guide to the collection of these stamps and nor to be complete and perfect. Even less it wants to be a history book. The fact itself to deal with ALL the Old States stamps is an obstacle to the specialization possibility and of an advanced analysis.
It is simply an invitation to get close to these beautiful stamps, invitation made by a collector and addressed to collectors: who appreciate these stamps for their history, for their fascination, for the culture tied to them and not only for the commercial value that they may have. In fact in this site we will NEVER talk about the value: you will NEVER see a catalogue quotation. A stamp is not more or less nice looking on the value basis! Nobody says that is not pleasant to own a rare and precious stamp, but build a collection only on the commercial value is, to my opinion, an error that eliminates a good part of the pleasure and fun.

A clarification must be made about the Postal History, clarification asked by several people: it will not be examined in this site at least for the time being. To be truthful several references will be made and some particular situation will be analysed but not in systematic way. I 'm aware that it is a debatable choice but it will be really a huge effort. Despite the fact that I am myself a postal history fan (even if not at specialist level), the subjects to deal with would be so many, not to say infinite, and each letter, each cancellation, each piece would represent practically a separate case. In addition, to do a good job we would need to go in very deep detail and this would mean to have available a huge literature, a lot of material, huge personal competence in all segments and... a lot (too much!) of free time: all things not to my reach. All this goes beyond what said about the purpose of this site that is the one to deal simply with the stamps as such, without pretend of completeness historic/postal giving to the collector the stimulus to go personally deeper in the subjects. I already said that in the site there will be some info on postal history, sometimes tied very closely to the stamps especially in the sections called "Going deep". It will not be a systematic approach but only the desire to go deeper in some subject of particular general interest.

2) SITE STRUCTURE:
the site is divided in four main sections, each of them structured in several pages. The first one, called "To Start", is the one you are reading now and comprehends the historic introduction, the site introduction and the territory map.
The second part is called "The Duchies": it comprehends a set of cards, each of them dedicated to one State; for each, after a synthetic historic introduction all the different stamps issues are described with all the main characteristics, the picture and the catalogued color shades at the time being (the reference is to the "Catalogo Sassone Specializzato"). It's a section quite large.
The third section is called "Of interest"; it contains several pages with specific deep details on particular technical characteristics and uses. I hope that this section can grow, depending on the time available (not so much unfortunately!) and on the basis of the feedback and requests I will receive. There are also several pages with many scans of particular pieces (section "Flash"). In addition is present the page "Library" where a lot of the books I have consulted are mentioned: it is not all the material available in the philatelic literature panorama, but only of the texts that I was able to consult during the years.
Last section is called "To conclude" and comprehends the due thanks to the people who contributed to the realization of this site as well as a little page dedicated to my hometown.

Without any doubt there will be errors or missing parts in what here I'm writing; I invite therefore everybody who finds inaccuracies or corrections to be done to let me know without any scruple: any suggestion to make this site better will be positively seen. Several issues and some subject will be dealt with more extensively than others because I don't have the same quantity of material on every subject: in the future I will try to increase the subjects and to offer always more info.

3) AND TO FINISH...:
everyone that needs clarifications, images, more deep info on the history of these stamps, or who wants to make comments and critiques, can contact me by e-mail (lorgil@tin.it): I will try, as much is in my reach, to answer to everybody. This site has been built in a "family way" in the small available time and according to my (modest) skills. Therefore don't get angry with me if is not really graphically the best possible and does not utilize all the Internet capability...
As already said I will be grateful to anyone who will point out inaccuracies or errors, by sure, present. The collaboration is open to everybody. I will be grateful also to anyone who will give me access to better parts in comparison with the ones reproduced here, to the aim to make better scans (I would like at first to substitute the used parts pictures with the corresponding of new parts, substitute the defective ones and add the images of the missing parts).

ATTENTION PLEASE: THIS SITE DOES NOT HAVE ANY COMMERCIAL OR MONEY DRIVEN AIM BUT IT IS ONLY FOR EDUCATIVE PURPOSES.
IN THIS SITE WE DON'T SELL COLLECTION STAMPS OR MATERIAL OF ANY OTHER TYPE. NOR WE ADVERTISE DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY AUTHORS, EDITORS AND/OR SELLERS OF PHILATELIC AND COLLECTIONISTIC MATERIAL.
The content of this site can be used freely by everybody as long as the use is without any direct or indirect purpose of making money and by indicating its source. I would like also to be informed about its eventual use.