386th Auction

1859, ½ gr. orange (arancio), plate I, Naples paper, fine cancelled with horseshoe upside down, very well margined and perfect. Cert. Enzo Diena (Sassone 1a)

1859, ½ gr. dark orange (arancio scuro), plate II, Naples paper, fine cancelled with horseshoe upside down, very well margined and perfect, signed E.Diena, Certificate G. Bühler (Sassone 2c)

1859, 1gr., 5gr., and 10gr. singles, typical mixed margins, tied to folded letter front by horseshoe cancellation, datestamp at upper right and endorsed “Col. Postale Francese”, to Napoli, front only and various imperfections, but an uncommon franking, signed Alberto Diena.

1859, ½ gr. dark orange, Plate II, Naples printing, unused, with part original gum, fresh colour, almost imperceptible thin spot on King's forehead, else very fine.

1859, 1 gr. olive brown, Plate I, Second State, a large-margin single, affixed to small piece and struck with horseshoe cancellation, a few trivial spots on portrait, else very fine. Cert. Raybaudi (1984).

1859, 5 gr. blood-red (rosso sangue), Plate I, a used example of fine deep colour, face free cancelled in black, good margins on three sides, tiny touched on top right. Cert. Enzo Diena (Sassone 9c)

1851, 1 gr. brown olive, Plate II, Naples paper, horizontal strip of three, margins touched in places, neatly-cancelled, a fine multiple.

1859, 5 gr. vermilion (vermiglio ch.), Plate I, good margins on all sides, a used example of bright colour, face free cancelled in black. Cert. Enzo Diena (Sassone 10)

1859, 5 gr. brick-pink (rosa mattone), Plate I, a used example of fine deep colour, face free cancelled in black, good margins on three sides, tiny touched on top right, otherwise fine. A scarce stamp. Cert. Raybaudi (Sassone 9f)

1859, 5 gr. vermilion, Plate II, a used example of fine deep colour, good margins all round, lightly cancelled in black, tiny paper repaired, otherwise fine. A scarce stamp. Cert. Oliva (Sassone 11)

1859, 1 gr. dark olive green, Plate III, Naples Paper, horizontal pair, tied by 1859 folded cover to Palermo by horseshoe cancels, postmarked with oval handstamp, Palermo c.d.s. receiver (23 Apr) struck on front, signed Colla and Raybaudi, with their certificates.

1859, 20 gr. grey-slate (grigio ardesia), bright colour, good margins on all sides, unused, fine, signed Sorani and E. Diena (Sassone 13)

1859, 20 gr. grey-slate (grigio ardesia), good margins on all sides, a used example of fine deep colour, face free cancelled in black, signed G. Bühler (Sassone 13)

1859, 2 gr. dark cobalt, Plate I, Naples Paper, horizontal pair, from positions 35 and 36 of the sheet, good to large margins, cancelled with dual strikes of black horseshoe, pleasing shade, a challenging pair in this quality, with 2014 Cardillo certificate. 

1859, Two stamps 50 gr. reddish-brown and lilac-brown, unused original gum, good to wide margins on all sides, signed Sorani and E. Diena (Sassone 14, 14a)

1859, 2 gr. light blue, Plate III, horizontal pair, and 10 gr. dark blue, mostly large margins, tied to 1860 folded letter piece by black horseshoe cancel, Catania (10 Feb) and Messina (13 Feb) c.d.s., fine and attractive.

1859, 5 gr. brownish red, Plate I, typical close margins, lightly struck by mute horseshoe cancellation, two trivial imperfections at left, but a remarkable and fine-appearing example of this challenging shade. Cert. Bottacchi (2011).

1859, 5 gr. brownish red, Plate I, large margins on two sides, touching in places at lower left and foot, neatly struck by  horseshoe cancellation, a pleasing example of this distinctive shade. Cert. Alberto Diena (1952).

1859, 5 gr. vermiglio chiaro, Plate I, three large margins, close to touching at top, neatly-cancelled, pleasing shade, fine.

1859, 10 gr. dark blue,  horizontal pair, part original gum, good margins on three sides, slightly touched at upper left, impressive deep colour, a fine multiple. Cert. Sorani (2013).

1859, 10 gr. dark blue,  part original gum, good margins, exceptional deep colour, very fine. Cert. Sorani (2014).

1859, 20 gr. dark slate, part original gum, four large balanced margins, fresh and very fine. Cert. Sorani (2014).

1859, 50 gr. chocolate, three large margins, touched at foot, neatly-struck horseshoe cancellation, pleasing rich colour, identified in pencil on reverse as being from position 66, a few trivial imperfections, a superior example to what is most commonly encountered, signed Cardillo.

1859, ½ gr. dark blue colour proof on thick, porous paper, horizontal pair, large even margins, tone spots in places, but rare, with only one block believed prepared, and largely split into singles. Cert. Alberto Diena (1954).

1776, "FIRENZE / 19" in red, on entire lettersheet, dated 1776 (May 2) with taxmark '3' alongside to Rome, 18th century letter showing fine usage of red heart cancel of Florence. Cert. Bolaffi (2014)

1738, Livorno to Siena, lettersheet dated August 15th, signed Bolaffi

1851, 1 cr. brown carmine on grey, imperforate, horizontal pair, unused, without gum, margins clear on three sides, touched at bottom, good colour, small pinhole on left stamp, else a fine and uncommon multiple (Michel 4yb)

1851, 1 cr. carmine on grey, imperforate, block of four, large margins on three sides, touched at lower left, cancelled with five-line bar obliterator, trace of manuscript mark on lower left stamp, a couple small things near bottom, but a scarce and attractive multiple, fine. (Michel 4ya)

1851, 1 cr. carmine on grey, imperforate, horizontal pair, ample to large margins on three sides, touched at right, tied to small piece by “Rocca S. Casciano” large double-circle c.d.s. (Sassone 8 Pts), fine. (Michel 4y)

1851, 1 cr. carmine on grey, horizontal pair, tied to 1854 letter to Rocca S. Casciano by double-circle Bagno c.d.s. (26 Aug), margins clear to ample on call sides, unframed black “P.D.” struck at left, reverse with same-day c.d.s. arrival backstamp, a remarkably fine and fresh entire. Cert. Raybaudi (2000). (Michel 4x)

1851, 1 cr. carmine brown on grey and 4 cr. green on grey pair, margins mostly clear but touched in places, affixed to small piece and each cancelled with strike of black “P.D.”, two small surface abrasions to pair, else a fine and uncommon franking

1851, 1 cr. lilac carmine brown on grey and 2 cr. greenish blue on grey, margins large to touching in places, tied to 1857 folded letter to Naples by Livorno c.d.s. (5 May), struck “Insufficiente” in black and endorsed “con Vapore” in manuscript, reverse with Napoli c.d.s. receiver (8 May), some overall discoloration due to ink composition, else fine, signed Alberto Diena. (Michel 4y, 5y)

1851, 2 cr. blue on grey, two singles, margins large to touched in places, affixed to folded cover to Foligno and ancelled by Firenze c.d.s. (2 Sep), free strike and framed “PD” below, reverse with c.d.s. arrival backstamp, light wrinkles and central slit to paper below addressee, backstamp of Herman Toaspern, signed Alberto Diena. (Michel 5ya)

1851, 2 cr. blue on grey, four mostly close but clear margins all around, tied to 1855 letter to Pistoia by black unframed “P.D.” handstamp, postmarked with two strikes of Livorno despatch c.d.s. (25 Aug), reverse with partial c.d.s. arrival backstamp, vertical fold clear of stamp, an difficult single franking, particularly in such quality; signed Alberto Diena.

1851, 2 cr. greenish blue on grey and 4 cr. dark yellow green on grey, each with ample to large margins, tied to 1857 folded cover to Napoli by black segmented obliterator, red Firenze c.d.s. despatch alongside, fair strike of oval “AMMNE GENLE DELLE POSTE” handstamp, backstamped  “Transito / per lo Stato Pontificio”, horizontal fold and light tone spots in places, else a fine and scarce franking (Michel 5ya, 6ya)