HALF GRANO


Two plates were used to print this stamp: several elements allow for the identification of the two plates. About the first plate the identification signs are different for the pieces coming from the right half in comparison with those for the left half of the plate. I don't have at this time a good scan of a part of the right half of the plate and therefore I will present here only the left half.

First plate
  
Second plate

Fig. 1: first plate (left half)

  

Fig. 2: second plate


The identification elements are:

1st PLATE - left half (Fig. 1)
The upper right corner is not completed and it looks more or less smoothed.
Over and under the nose are visible two small white dots, the lower one more evident and the upper one less evident and often absent.
The distance between two stamps is 2 mm and the dividing line is at half of the distance.
The color is not so uniform.
1st PLATE - right half
 The above mentioned signs for the left half are missing here.
There is a white dot attached to the right part of the "A" of "POSTA".
2nd PLATE (Fig. 2)
 In the internal lower right corner around the effigy a white small dot is often visible.
The distance between two stamps is 1.5 mm and the dividing lines between two stamps is not at the center of the two pieces (usually the left part is wider.
The color is more uniform than n the first plat .

To be mentioned the existence of two pieces of the 2nd plate in blue color instead of orange: they come probably from a sheet printed as trial in this color and by mistake distributed together to the 2 Grana parts or taken by some printing worker.

Catalogued color shades (as per Sassone) - 1st plate
(paper type in between brackets: N = Naples P = Palermo)

Orange (typical color, P)
Orange (N)
Olive yellow (N)
Brownish yellow (N)
Light yellow (N)
Dark orange (N)
Reddish heavy orange (N)

Catalogued color shades (as per Sassone) - 2nd plate
(paper type in between brackets: N = Naples P = Palermo)

Orange (typical color, P)
Orange (N)
Bright orange (P)
Dark orange (N)