31:1
3 2000
THE
ISLANDS OF THE HUNGARIAN ADRIATIC COAST:
ARBE, VEGLIA AND CHERSO.
Dr.
Paul J. Szilagyi
Brief
Historical Note:
During
my study of the philatelic history of Fiume, I found that there
was very little information available regarding the postal service
around the coastal area of the Adriatic. This subject is amongst
the least explored by Hungarian philatelists. The territory included
two islands, which, at different times, were a part of Historical
Hungary.
The
Frangepans, a family of wealthy Croatians, owned much of the coastal
area in Krba County, including the town of Zengg. In 1193, they
received from King Béla III much of Modrus County in reward
for their services to the king. This territory, however, did not
include the town of Fiume. Bertalan Frangepán represented
the Hungarian line of the family. When King Béla IV (see
Figure 1) was fleeing from the Tatars after the ill-fated
battle of Mohi-puszta (1241), the Frangepans helped him to escape
to the island of Veglia, which was then a part of Hungary. The
king waited out the pullout of the Mongol hordes from Hungary
in Castelmuchio (see Figures 3 & 4.). Subsequently,
in 1480, the coastal islands were lost to the Republic of Venice,
which controlled them until the Age of Napoleon.
Figure
1. Béla IV, King of Hungary (Portrait from the National
Gallery).
When
the Austrian General Peharnik reoccupied the islands from Napoleon
in 1809, Cherso was returned to Hungary. During the negotiations
between the Court of Vienna and the Hungarian Estates that resulted
in the Compromise of 1867, the people of Veglia flew the Hungarian
flag in their towns, indicating their desire to stay under the
Hungarian Crown. Veglia's economy was closely aligned with the
nearby port of Fiume, which provided a natural outlet for marketing
their agricultural and sea-products as well as the source of needed
goods. During the chaotic aftermath of WWI, Italian legionnaires
led by Poet Gabriel D'Annunzio occupied Fiume in the name of Italy
on November 18, 1918. The islands of Arbe and Veglia in the Gulf
of Carnaro (see the map in Figure 2) were similarly seized
on November 13, 1920. The 'occupation' lasted until January 5,
1921.
Figure
2. The Location of Islands of Arbe, Cherso and Veglia in the
Gulf of Quarnero (also known as the Gulf of Fiume).
Fig
3 (left) Fig. 4 (above) Castelmuschio on the Island of Veglia
Philatelic
Notes:
Several of
the original design Fiume stamps issued in 1919-20 were overprinted
with the text commemorating Italian sovereignty in the Gulf of
Carnaro:
Reggenza
Italiana
del
Carnaro
| Fiume
Scott # |
Value |
Color |
$
Mint * |
$
Used * |
| 104 |
1c
on 5c |
green |
.15 |
.15 |
| 105 |
2c
on 25c |
blue
(R) |
.15
|
.15 |
| 106
|
5c
|
green |
.15 |
.15 |
| 107 |
10c
|
rose |
.20 |
.20 |
| 108
|
15c
on 10c |
rose |
.20 |
.20 |
| 109
|
15c
on 20c |
brown
orange |
.20 |
.20 |
| 110
|
15c
on 25c |
blue
(R) |
.25 |
.25 |
| 111
|
20c |
brown
org |
.25 |
.25 |
| 112
|
25c |
blue
(R) |
.25 |
.25 |
| 113
|
25c |
blue
(Bk) |
50.00 |
42.50 |
| 114
|
25c
on 10c |
rose |
.85 |
.85 |
| 115
|
50c
on 20c |
brown
orange |
.32 |
.32 |
| 116
|
55c
on 5c |
green |
.32 |
.32 |
| 117
|
1L
on 10c |
rose |
7.00 |
7.00 |
| 118
|
1L
on 25c |
blue
(R) |
85.00 |
65.00 |
| 119
|
2L
on 5c |
green |
6.00 |
6.00 |
| 120
|
5L
on 10c |
rose |
50.00 |
50.00 |
| 121
|
10L
on 20c |
brown
orange |
250.00 |
175.00 |
| Express
Stamps surcharged: |
| E4
|
30c
on 20c |
brown
orange |
45.00 |
40.00 |
| E5
|
50c
on 5c |
green |
32.50 |
20.00 |
*Prices are
from 1997 Scott's.
Several
inverted, double and other types of error prints are known as
well as counterfeit overprints.
This
set, consisting of 20 stamps, was issued on November 20, 1920,
to commemorate of D'Annunzio's occupation of the two islands.
Additional stamps were overprinted with each of the islands' names,
Arbe and Veglia, above the text announcing Italian sovereignty:
ARBE
(or) VEGLIA
Reggenza
Italiana
del
Carnaro
In the overprint,
the length of the word ARBE exists in two sizes:
-
Large
letters, 15 mm long (released on November 18th). Issued in
a quantity of 450 sets (Scott #122a-125a); four values: 5c
green, 10c carmine, 20c brown, 25c blue,
-
Smaller
letters, 13 mm long (released November 28th). Issued in a
quantity of 1550 sets (Scott #122-127); six values: 5c green,
10c carmine, 20c brown, 25c blue, 50/20 brown, 55c/5c green
plus a quantity of1050 express stamps (two varieties of surcharge).
| Fiume,
Scott # |
*
Mint $ |
*
Used $ |
| 122
|
4.75 |
4.00 |
| 122a
|
200.00
^ |
50.00^ |
| 123
|
7.25 |
6.75 |
| 123a
|
200.00
^ |
50.00
^ |
| 124
|
12.00 |
10.00 |
| 124a
|
200.00
^ |
50.00
^ |
| 125
|
12.50 |
10.00 |
| 125a
|
200.00
^ |
50.00
^ |
| 126
|
12.50 |
10.00 |
| 127
|
12.50 |
10.00 |
| E6
30c on 20c brn org |
55.00 |
35.00 |
| E7
50c on 5c green |
45.00 |
35.00 |
* 1997 Scott's
prices given except for the ones marked with ^ which are from
Sassone's catalog, converted to USA $.
Stamps
of Fiume Overprinted for the Occupation of the Island of Arbe
(Note the two sizes of lettering for the word 'ARBE')
The VEGLIA
overprint also comes in two sizes:
-
Large
letters, 19 mm long (released on November 18th). Issued in
a quantity of 450 sets (Scott #128a-131a); four values: 5c
green, 10c carmine, 20c brown, 25c blue,
-
Smaller
letters, 17 mm (released on November 28th). Issued in a quantity
of 1550 sets (Scott #128-133); six values: 5c green, 10c carmine,
20c brown, 25c blue, 50/20 brown, 55/5 green plus a quantity
of 1050 express stamps (two varieties of surcharge).
| Fiume,
Scott # |
*
Mint $ |
*
Used $ |
| 128
|
2.75 |
4.00 |
| 128a
|
400.00
^ |
100.00^ |
| 129
|
6.00 |
6.00 |
| 129a
|
400.00
^ |
100.00
^ |
| 130
|
9.50 |
9.50 |
| 130a
|
400.00
^ |
100.00
^ |
| 131
|
12.00 |
10.00 |
| 131a
|
800.00
^ |
150.00
^ |
| 132
|
12.00 |
10.00 |
| 133
|
12.00 |
10.00 |
| E8
30c on 20c brn org |
55.00 |
35.00 |
| E9
50c on 5c green |
45.00 |
35.00 |
*
1997 Scott's prices given except for the ones marked with
^ which are from Sassone's catalog, converted to USA $.
Stamps
of Fiume Overprinted for the Occupation of the Island of Veglia
(Note the two sizes of lettering for the word 'VEGLIA')
Several
inverted, double, and other types of error prints are known as
well as excellent counterfeits for both varieties of the overprinting.
There
are also two additional Express stamps, 30 & 50 Lira, prepared
for each island in a quantity of 1050 stamps, but these were not
issued officially. Also, the 1,2,5, & 10 Lira stamps exist
with an additional black overprint bearing the 'closed snake'
sign of the 'Arditi.' The 'Arditi' belonged to an elite Italian
fighting group during WWI. Usually, this overprinted sign on the
'Arditi' can be found on the back of the stamps listed above,
but sometimes it's located on the front on top of the regular
overprint. These stamps were sold for the benefit of the special
Italian army unit and were considered as unofficial, private issues.
Sign
of the 'Arditi' (Circular Snake) Overprint on the Stamp Issues
for ARBE and VEGLIA
Picture
Post Card Showing the Town of Rab on the Island of Arbe
Rab.
Arbe Postmark from 1910.
Used
with permission from the Editor
