Postage Stamp Chat Board & Stamp Bulletin Board Forum
 

My latest trophies: the 5c and 50c from the 1912 unissued set for Albania.

These were made by the printers S. Modiano in Trieste, Italy, but never issued because Albania's eagle is a double-headed one, and the eagle on the stamp has only the one head.
I already had the 5c imperf and for years that was the only copy I had ever come across.
Now I have found these other two and it makes me wonder: how many values are there in this set? The 2005/2006 Michel catalogue for southern Europe depicts a 25c, but it doesn't say how large the complete set is.
And are all stamps the same and in the same colours?

_________________
Adrian
My blog: http://blog.stampmagazine.co.uk/

Hi Adrian,
Not seen these before how about putting the question to the cinderella club.
Andree.

Very nice!

I still don't have any of these.

Chapier lists 5 values: 5q, 10q, 25q, 50q, and 1fr.

All in the same colours.

Hello darling! Yes, will do! Oh and by the way: you have seen these before! Last Friday!



Hi Mike, Thanks for that! Who/what is Chapier?

_________________
Adrian
My blog: http://blog.stampmagazine.co.uk/

"Les Timbres de Fantaisie"- Georges Chapier
I think published in 1936- but reprints are cheap and easy to find, plus reprints contain the supplement.

It is a catalog of unissued and bogus issues worldwide.

Even though so old, still one of the best references around.

Thanks Mike, another book to put on my want list!

_________________
Adrian
My blog: http://blog.stampmagazine.co.uk/

It's taken awhile- but I finally found one of these



A copy of the 1 franc value.

This is really too attractive to have really been meant as a genuine issue.

Scan of the set of five values:

_________________
Regards,
Leamphil

Somerset Postal History Blog
Leamington & Warwick Philatelic Society

Thanks Leamphil

Nice to see a full set!

Nice!
Do you remember where you got the "Albanian Congress" info from?

_________________
Adrian
My blog: http://blog.stampmagazine.co.uk/

Phipps states that the only mentions of this 'Congress' are in connection with these stamps.

Regular histories of Albania make no mention of such a meeting, so it appears to be a story used at the time to make the stamps appear legit.

Very curious

Ah Phipps again! I wish that book would crop up somewhere!

However, there was most certainly an Albanian Congress in November 1912 (not sure whether it was the third but still), which had as outcome that the independence of Albania was declared.
See here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All-Albanian_Congress
and here:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albanian_Declaration_of_Independence
So I would assume that these stamps were not just the fantasy products they're sometimes made out to be, but could well have been proper stamps ordered for an independent Albania, only to be discarded because of their faulty design.

_________________
Adrian
My blog: http://blog.stampmagazine.co.uk/

Maybe Phipp's is mixed up about this- he gives the date of the conference as Feb 1913.

I wonder if the book is still available from the publishers- The Stuart Rossiter Trust.

I have to say, it is one of those books that is so useful and interesting, it never leaves my desk.

The February 1913 Congress was a sort of follow-up of the November 1912 congress.
For more info see here:http://www.albanianhistory.net/texts20_1/AH1913_8.html
From that website:

Looking at the wording on the stamps, it would seem more logical that the stamps are linked to the November 1912 congress.

As for the book: no, I contacted the trust and the book is out of print. I did enroll on a list of potential buyers should a reprint be feasible. But that might take a while....

_________________
Adrian
My blog: http://blog.stampmagazine.co.uk/

I have the Phipps book and I'm planning on downsizing my
library next year. However, I think that shipping to non-US
destinations will be prohibitively expensive.

_________________
Jay Carrigan
http://www.jaypex.com

Jay,
Feel free to email me anyway, once you're ready and once you've made a few enquiries as to the price of postage to Britain. When you look at sites like Abebooks you'll find that US to Britain postage will vary somewhat between GPB7 and GBP11 (even for hardcovers), but it's all depending on weight of course, I suppose. However snail the mail, I don't mind, I've waited long enough as it is!

_________________
Adrian
My blog: http://blog.stampmagazine.co.uk/

Ak- I think the postage would be worth it.

Probably about $23.-, but there is not too much else to choose from.

I think there are a couple of Books available in Italian on Albania, but do not know anything about them.

Phipps is a well balanced volume that covers everything, and usually gives both sides of the story for each issue, and give lots of references if you want to go back to the source.

Time to revive this thread

Another dubious issue I just picked up:



This is the version with the 'T' overprint.

All these odd Albanian issues seem difficult to find.

The above is probably dated between 1913 and 1926, judging from the currency.

This is a Bogus Albanian stamp from France, but still an old Bogus i would keep it

It's been awhile, but found a few more of this issue



Wonder how long it will take me to put together a full set?

How many stamps are in this set? I have seen till now only 2 on the net (40 and 80 paras) , the red one is new to me....

Hi Bardi

The most complete list of these is from Chapier:

5 paras yellow brown
10 paras green
20 paras rose
40 paras blue
60 paras violet
80 paras violet

They come perf or imperf and also with the 'T' overprint. Cancels seem to vary- none of mine are clear enough to read.