The Duchy of Modena

It's the smallest of the Old Italian States, with a bit more than 6.000 Sqkm of surface and 600,000 habitants.
Ex territory of the largest and important Estensi dominions (that comprehended the Ferrara territory that later on went under the Roman States control), it went under the Austrian-Estensi (and therefore under the Austrian "control") with the Vienna treaty and for the wedding of Maria Beatrice from Este family with Ferdinando from Austria; it was for that reason that the Duke Francesco V° from Austria, Maria Beatrice nephew, was the ruler from 1846.
At the time of the issue of the postage stamps (1852) the Duchy was divided in territories (or provinces) of Modena, Reggio, Guastalla, Frignano, Garfagnana and Massa & Carrara with overall 21 Postal Offices (others followed in the same 1852, in 1853, 1854, 1855, 1858 and 1859).

The events that brought to the fall of the Duchy are as always to be connected to the Sardinian movements for the unity of Italy, of the 2nd Independence War. Already in April 1859 the Sardinia army started to occupy the territories South of the Appennini mountains (Modena territories beyond the Appennini). In June 1859 following the Piedmont victory at Magenta and to the retreat of the Austrian, Francesco V° from Este was forced to abandon the territories to get shelter in Austria with part of the Duchy army loyal to him (June 11th), by establishing an Austrian regency that last only... two days to leave room to a Municipal Government Board (Giunta Municipale di Governo). From June 13th the lawyer Liuigi Zini got the responsibility of "Provisional Extraordinary Commissioner" ("Commissario Straordinario Provvisorio") up to June 18th (the 20th for somebody else) when Carlo Farini was nominated "Dictator of the Modena Provinces" ("Dittatore delle Provincie Modenesi") as per Eugenio from Savoj decree.
In August 20th the Austrian-Estense domination was definitively finished and the annexation to the Sardinia Kingdom was declared. Between 1859 November end and December beginning also Parma and Romagne went under the Farini dictatorship (who becomes "Governor" from January 1st 1860) of the "Royal Emilia Provinces" ("Regie Provincie dell'Emilia"). The 11th and 12th of March 1860 a plebiscite vote confirms the annexation to the Sardinia Kingdom.
The Provisional Government ended its duty officially March 18th 1860.

The currency was the Italian Lira, composed by 100 centesimi.

Here are listed briefly the main postal rates at that time for a letter single weight for the interior (up to 8,75 grams). Double rate collected the double, and so on. The interior rate was by rule paid by the sender and the letters with no stamps or with lower rates were regularly delivered but there was a tax plus an additional fee of 5 centesimi for each lot to be paid by the receiving party.

From August 1st with the Sardinia rates introduction, the fee for the letter up to 10 grams was brought to 20 centesimi. From February 1st 1860 (Oltreappennino territory) and from March 1st 1860 (Cisappenino territory), with the definitive use of the Sardinia stamps, the main rates were the following: