386th Auction

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)

1851, 2 cr. greenish-blue on grey, ample to large margins, unused, without gum, fresh colour, a superior example to what is often encountered, fine-very fine (Michel 5yb)

1851, 2 cr. light blue on grey, mostly ample to large margins all around, close but clear at upper right, partially affixed over sender's commercial cachet, tied to folded cover by unframed “P D” in black, struck with Cortona c.d.s., to Perugia, with c.d.s. arrival backstamp, filing folds, but a pleasing single franking, signed Alberto Diena and Sorani. (Michel 5yb)

1851, 2 cr. greenish-blue on grey, clear to ample margins, tied to 1857 folded letter to Carrara by Seravezza c.d.s., framed “P.D.” struck in black alongside, fresh and attractive, signed Alberto Diena. (Michel 5yb)

1851, 4 cr. green on grey, margins clear to very large, struck with partial Austrian military "Feldpost n.2” c.d.s., thin and pinhole at lower right, but a very rare cancellation, fine appearance. Cert. Enzo Diena (1983).

Provenance: 11th. Luder-Eldemann (1928)

1851, 6 cr. slate on grey, horizontal pair, mostly ample to large margins all around, barely touched at lower right, neatly-cancelled by five-bar grid in black, fresh colour, a fine pair, signed Oliva (Michel 7y)

1851, 6 cr. indigo on blue, mostly large margins just touched at lower left, tied to 1853 folded letter to Rome, with c.d.s. (4 May) arrival backstamp, address partially blacked out, else a fine single franking. (Michel 7)

1851, 6 cr. dark blue on blue, ample to large margins at left and right, touched in places at top and foot, tied to 1853 folded letter to Forli by “Affrancatura” straight-line, Livorno despatch strike alongside (10 May), 14 May straight-line arrival backstamp, a fine single franking. (Michel 7)

1851, 6 cr. blue and blue and 9 cr. brown purple on blue, jointly tied to 1853 folded cover to Livorno by double-framed “P.D.” handstamp, double-circle “Porto Ferrajo” c.d.s. despatch alongside (6 Jul), two-line “PER / CONSECNA” struck at left, reverse with next-day c.d.s. arrival backstamp, a few light stains mostly confined to back, else a fine franking and desirable combination of markings.

1851, 9 cr. brown purple on blue, margins clear to ample on three sides, touched at right, part original gum, good colour, fresh and fine, a scarce stamp unused (Sasson € 38.000,-)

1857, 1 q. black, horizontal pair, ample to large margins on three sides, touched at top, lightly cancelled, fine. Cert. Alberto Diena (1964). (Michel 10)

1857, 6 cr. azzuro vivo, ample to large margins on all sides, including intergroup spacing at top, tied to folded cover from Firenze to Orvieto by black five-line grid cancel, reverse with c.d.s. arrival backstamp, partially excised from removal of seal, light horizontal filing fold through upper margin of adhesive, else fine, signed Alberto Diena, with 2013 Colla certificate. (Michel 15)

1859, 9 cr. lilac brown on white paper, margins clear to ample on three sides, touched at top, neatly-cancelled, good colour, a difficult stamp, fine, handstamped Buhler.

1860, 1 c. violet brown, horizontal pair, mostly clear to large margins, touched at right, affixed to 1860 folded letter to Livorno, cancelled with Firenze c.d.s., free strike at top, reverse with c.d.s. arrival backstamp (21 Sep), filing folds clear of stamps, else a fine and scarce franking, signed Enzo Diena and Raybaudi, with 1981 Raybaudi certificate. (Michel 17)

1860, 40 c. carmine, tied to 1861 folded letter piece alongside Sardinia 1855/62 20 c. ultramarine, tied by Livorno c.d.s. (1 Sep), some spots of discoloration, but an unusual mixed franking, signed Sorani, with 2014 certificate. 

1860, 80 c. carmine, ample to unusually large margins at right and foot, good colour, a challenging stamp in this quality, signed Alberto Diena. (Michel 22)

1863, Prova di filigrana corona "De la Rue", block of four watermark proof of "Crown", only one sheet of 400 produced, signed and certificate Raybaudi, C.E.I. catalogue value 24.000,- Euro

1863 (Oct 29): Announcement sheet with Essays of eight of the nine De La Rue issues, missing only the 2 c. brown, all overprinted “SAGGIO” in black, perforations cropped entirely on all but the 2l which is partially cropped, printed “signature” of Minister L.F. Menabrea, horizontal fold along top clear of stamps, else fresh and very fine.