Somalia (Italian Somaliland)

1906-07 Scott 11 5c on 2b blue green "Elephant"

Quick History
Italy was feeling left behind, as the other major European powers were more aggressive and successful in expanding their holdings during the "Scramble for Africa", beginning in 1881.

Africa, After the Scramble, 1914

Consequently, Italy entered into a protectorate treaty with the Sultanate of Hobyo and the Majeerteen Sultanate in 1889 in the "Horn of Africa", mainly to have access to ports along the Indian Ocean. With the granting of a concession of Benadir coastal land by the Sultan of Zanzibar, the port of Mogadishu became the Italian focus. This gave them easy access to the Suez Canal and the Gulf of Aden.

Somaliland, 1911

Italian immigration were promoted. Stamps for "Benadir" (Administered by "The Benadir Company") were issued October 12, 1903.  By 1905, Italy formed a colony in southern Somalia, and in 1908 all parts of Southern Somalia were united under "Italian Somaliland". But effective Italian control was limited to the coastal strip until the 1920s.

In 1925, Trans-Juba was ceded by the British (as a reward for Italy joined the Allies in WW I), and this strip of land was added to Italian Somaliland. 

By 1930, there were 22,000 Italian colonists in Italian Somaliland, (2% of the population), mainly around the capital Mogadishu.

The Fascist Italian Government then combined Italian Eritrea, the Ethiopian Empire, and Italian Somaliland into Italian East Africa (1936-41). After WW II, Italian Somaliland became the Trust Territory of Somalia in 1949, and finally achieved independence in 1960.

1923 Scott 40 1b brown "Elephant"

Into the Deep Blue
The 2014 Scott Classic Specialized 1840-1940 catalogue has, for Somalia 1903-1940, 355 major number descriptions. Of those, 46 are CV <$1-$1+, or 13%. There are not many inexpensive stamps for Somalia in particular, and Italian colonies in general for the WW collector.

A closer look at the stamps and issues
4 Besas = 1 Anna
16 Annas = 1 Rupee
100 Besas = 1 Rupee (1922)
100 Centesimi = 1 Lira (1905, 1925)

1906-07 Scott 10 2c on 1b brown "Elephant"

The "Benadir" stamps are interesting ones- the first issue was released October 12, 1903 on seven stamps with a vignette of an elephant or a lion on them. They then were surcharged on various issues from 1906-1926. The above stamp is an 1906 example with a 2 Centesimi surcharge on a 1 Besa brown value.

The Italian government took over in 1905, and created a colony under its direct administration.. The reason lies buried in historical documents, but is reasonably accessible with a bit of internet sleuthing.

It turns out that "The Benadir Company" was granted a concession to administer that part of Italian Somaliland called El Benadir (around Mogadishu on the coast) in 1898, and the concession was supposed to run until 1946. The company was given the right to collect taxes and customs, exploit mines, and occupy territory in Italian possession. In exchange, the company was to develop the territory, pay an annual tribute of 120,000 rupees to the Sultan of Zanzibar, administer the laws, develop a postal service, and have at least 600 guards for the protection of stations.

But charges were filed that the company had done nothing to develop the territory, except start a steamship service between Aden, Benadir, and Zanzibar. But the most incriminating finding was that the Benadir Company had permitted slavery.  

1916 Scott 20 20c on 2a orange brown "Lion"

1903 Issue Surcharged

The surcharged "Benadir" stamps of 1905-1926 (37 stamps) are fairly expensive for the WW collector, with most stamps @ CV $10+-$50+.

1923 Scott 43 5b on 50c on 5a orange "Lion"

Surcharged with Bars on Stamps of 1906-07

The 1923 issue had eleven stamps, and were surcharged with bars. CV ranges from $9+-$60+.

1926 Scott 72 10c on 1a rose red "Lion"

Stamps of 1907-16, Surcharged, with Bars over Original values

The 1926 issue, the last surcharged one, had eight stamps, and a CV of $10+-$20+.

Wmk 140 "Crown"

BTW, all of the "Benadir" issues are on watermarked "Crown" (Wmk 140) paper.

1926 Scott 86 20c violet brown

Italian Stamps of 1901-26 Overprinted

Beginning in 1922, Italian stamps are either overprinted "Somalia Italiana" or "Somalia" (except for the 1922 and 1926 surcharged "Benadir" issues).

The 1926-30 fourteen stamp issue (example above) used overprinted Italian stamps of 1901-26.

1927 Scott 97 20c purple "Volta Issue"

Type of Italy, 1927, Overprinted

When I mentioned that the stamps are overprinted on Italian stamps,- actually some issues are more interesting then that. The "Volta" issue is a "color type": that is, the Italy issue is 20c dark carmine, 50c greenish black, and 1.25l ultramarine, while the Somalia stamps are 20c purple, 50c deep orange, and 1.25l bright blue.

1929 Scott 106 50c + 10c crimson "Monte Cassino Issue"

Overprinted in Red or Blue

Same with the 1929 five stamp "Monte Cassino Issue": the stamps, of course, are overprinted, but they are also in different colors compared to the Italy issue. 

1930 Scott 114 20c violet, Red Overprint

On Ferrucci Issue

The 1930 "Ferrucci" issue consists of five stamps, and the CV is $5+-$10+. One rarely finds Italian colony stamps in the bargain bin.

1930 Scott 122 30c light brown, Blue Overprint

Types of 1930 "Virgil Issue"

The 1930 "Virgil" issue is a "color type", and the nine stamp set is CV $1+-$3+: quite inexpensive compared to other Somalia offerings.

1931 Scott 131 30c gray brown, Blue Overprint

Types of 1931 "Saint Anthony of Padua Issue"

Likewise, the 1931 five stamp "Saint Anthony" issue is only CV $1+. !

1932 Scott 139 7 1/2c violet, Perf 12

"Lighthouse at Cape Guardafui"

In 1932, Somalia received its own regular issue proper, with an eighteen stamp output with eight pictorial designs. Nice! Printed in photogravure, the 1932 issue is Perf 12, and is given major Scott numbers.

1934-37 Scott 142a 20c carmine , Perf 14

"Tower at Mnara Ciromo"

Scott gives minor numbers to the identical 1934-37 issue, except in Perf 14. I seem to have more minor number types in my own collection.

1934-37 Scott 146a 50c violet, Perf 14

"Governor's Palace at Mogadishu"

CV ranges widely for both perf types. For Perf 12, CV is <$1-$100+. For perf 14, CV is <$1-$2000+. ! I should mention that there are other minor number perf types (12 X 14, 14 X 12, Perf 12 on three sides with Perf 14 on either top or bottom, Perf 12 on three sides and Perf 14 on left) found for the 1932 issue- all at high CV.

1934 Scott 169 1.25l dark blue & green

"Mother and Child"

For the 1934 Second Colonial Arts Exhibition in Naples. a lovely large format six stamp "Mother and Child" set was released. CV is $4/stamp unused.

1926 Scott B15 60c + 5c orange

""Peace" Substituting Spade for Sword"

The omnibus 1926 Colonial Institute semi-postal six stamp issue must have been widely distributed in the packet trade, as I have multiple copies in my feeder albums. CV is a very modest <$1.

1934 Scott C4 80c orange brown & black "Cheetahs"

A six stamp large format air post issue was also released in 1934 for the Second Colonial Arts Exhibition in Naples. CV is $4.

Deep Blue

1934 Air Post Issue in Deep Blue

Deep Blue (Steiner) has 29 pages for the Somalia for 1903-1940, and includes a space for all the major Scott numbers. In addition, the Steiner has spaces for the minor number Perf 14 1934-37 issue.

1926 Scott 84 5c green

Italian Stamps of 1901-25 Overprinted

Big Blue

Big Blue '69, on six pages, has 156 spaces for the regular, semi-postal, air post, semi-postal air post, postage due, special delivery, and parcel post issue categories for Somalia. Coverage is 44%. And the coverage will be expensive to fill as we will see in a moment.

The coverage in the '69 is after "Sierra Leone". The 1940s editions have the coverage under "Italian Somaliland", and is placed after "Italian East Africa". The '69 BB has an extra space for the 1926-30 issue. The 1940s editions have their spaces arranged differently for the first three pages, and offer two more spaces for the 1934 "Mother and Child" issue.

As far as expensive stamps, 38 spaces require CV $10+ or more, with 8 of these @ CV $47+- $87+. !!!! (Details in the "comments" section after the checklist.)

Checklist

1903

1,

1907-16

10,11,12,13,20,

1922

28,29,30,31,40,41,

42,(43),

1923

55,56,57,58,

1926

78,79,80,81,

1926

83,84,85,86,87,

89,90,(91),(92),

Next Page

1927

97,98,99,

1929

104,105,

106,107,108,

1930

111,112,113,

114,115,116,117,

119,120,121,

122,123,124,125,

Next Page

1931

129,130,131,132,

88,102,134,133,136,137,

1932*

138a or 138, 139a or 139, 140a or 140, 141a or 141,

145a or 145, 146a or 146, 147a or 147,(156),(157),

142a or 142, 143a or 143, 144a or 144,148,149,150,

1934

164,165,166,(167),

Next Page

Semi-Postal

1916

B1,B3,B4,

1925

B5,B6,

1926

B11,B12,B13,B14,B15,B16,

1928

B21,B22,B23,B24,

1929

B25,B26,B27,B28,

1930

B29,B30,B31,B32,

B33,B34,B35,B36,

Next Page

(Semi-Postal)

1935

B38,B39,B40,B41,B42,(B43),

Parcel Post

1923

Q16, Q17, Q18,

1926-31

Q25, Q26, Q27,

Q28, (Q32), (Q33),

Postage Due

1909

J12,J13,J14,J15,(J16),

1934

J42,J43,J44,J45,J46,J47,

Special Delivery

1924

E3, (E5), (E7),

Next Page

Air Post

1934

C1,C2,C3,C4,

C5,C6,

1936

C7,C8,C9,C10,

C11,C12,C13,(C14),

Semi-Postal Air Post

1934

CB1,CB2,CB3,CB4,

Comments

A) Expensive stamps ($10 threshold):

1903 Scott 1 1b brown ($20+)

1916 Scott 20 20c on 2a orange brown ($10+)

1923 Scott 55 3b on 10c dark green ($10+)

1923 Scott 56 13b on 30c dark violet ($10+)

1923 Scott 57 20b on 50c brown carmine ($10+)

1923 Scott 58 30b on 1 l blue ($10+)

1926 Scott 90 75c dark red & rose ($47.50)

1927 Scott 98 50c deep orange ($10+)

1927 Scott 99 1.25l bright blue ($10+)

1929 Scott 108 5l + 1l dark violet ($10+)

1930 Scott 88 30c gray ($20)

1930 Scott 102 50c bright violet ($47.50)

1931 Scott 136 25c dark green ($10+)

1934 (Scott 156) 10c brown ($10+)

1934 (Scott 157) 25c green ($10+)

1916 Scott B1 10c +5c rose ($10+)

1916 Scott B3 20c + 5c orange ($10+)

1916 Scott B4 20c on 15c +5c slate ($55)

1930 Scott B29 30c + 10c dark green & blue green ($20+)

1930 Scott B30 50c + 10c dark green & violet ($20+)

1930 Scott B31 1.25l + 30c olive brown & red brown ($20+)

1930 Scott B32 5l + 1.50l red & green ($87.50)

1936 Scott C14 3l copper red ($10+)

1924 Scott E3 30b dark red & brown ($10+)

1926 (Scott E5) 70c on 30b ($10+)

1927 (Scott E7) 1.25l on 30b ($10+)

1909-19 Scott J14 20c buff & magenta ($20)

1909-19 Scott J15 30c buff & magenta ($55)

1909-19 (Scott J16) 40c buff & magenta ($55)

1934 Scott J46 30c red orange ($10+)

1934 Scott J47 40c black brown ($10+)

1923 Scott Q16 3b on 5c brown ($20+)

1923 Scott Q17 5b on 5c brown ($20+)

1923 Scott Q18 10b on 10c blue ($20+)

1926 Scott Q25 5c brown ($30+)

1926 Scott Q26 10c blue ($30+)

1926 Scott Q27 20c black ($72.50)

1926 Scott Q28 25c red ($72.50)

1926 (Scott Q32) 3l yellow ($20+)

1926 (Scott Q33) 4l slate ($20+)

B) *1932- choices are either major number perf 12 or minor number perf 14

C) (     ) around a number indicates a blank space choice.

1930 Scott 112 50c + 10c deep orange 

Type of Italian Royal Wedding Stamps of 1930 Overprinted

Out of the Blue

This was my comment on the Oltre Giuba post...

"I've never quite warmed up to Italian colony stamps. Generally, they are  unused, and many of them merely consist of overprinted Italian stamps. They seem "artificial", intended primarily to extract money from collectors. (But, one can argue that is true for many/ most of the world's colonies. ;-)

And a large portion of Italian colony stamps tend to be expensive."

I must admit that the chill has now warmed up a bit. Somehow, I missed the fact that a number of colony issues are "color types", and therefore more desirable and collectible in my view.

Note: Maps appear to be in the public domain.

Comments welcome!