386th Auction

1854, Unissued, 20 c. indigo vertical pair from positions 7 and 12 of the pane of fifty, large part original gum, large even margins, a couple small pinholes, but quite scarce. Cert. Cardillo (2013) (Michel 8c)

1854, Unissued, 20 c. indigo block of four from positions 8-9 / 13-14 of the pane of fifty, showing the variety background colour print inverted, large part original gum, lower pair never hinged, large even margins, very fine and scarce. Cert. Colla (2009) and Cardillo (2015) (Michel 8c)

1854, 40 c. brick rose and dark brick rose, two singles, each with good or better margins on all sides, cancelled with c.d.s. postmarks, the dark brick with trivial thin spots in lower margin, else fine. (Michel 9a, 9b)

1862-3, 5 c. green and 40c rose carmine, typical mixed margins, affixed to 1863 cover front to Carrara, cancelled by  “PER CONSEGNA” straight-line (Sassone 13 Pts), with free strike at left, postmarked with Firenze c.d.s. despatch strike (2 Jan), a choice example of this scarce cancellation, with 1994 Raybaudi certificate. (Sassone 13Ea, 16E)

1859, 5c green, imperforate, used in combination with Kingdom of Italy 1862 10c bistre, tied to piece by fine strike of “Napoli Ancona Piros. Post” ship cancel (11 Feb, 1863, Sassone 12 Pts), some toning, else a fine mixed franking complemented by a scarce cancellation.

1857, 5 c. myrtle green horizontal pair and two 20 c. dark ultramarine singles, well-margined and tied to large part folded cover to Luc en Provenace, France, by Genova c.d.s. (3 Jun), handstamped P.D. in black and struck with red French entry c.d.s. (5 Jun), reverse with two c.d.s. transit backstamps and partial Luc en Provence c.d.s. receiver, portion of outer wrapper removed, stain at lower left, but a scarce franking of otherwise fine appearance. Cert. Cardillo (2016). (Michel 10, 12)

1855, 5 c. light myrtle green, horizontal pair, mostly good margins, slightly into design at foot, and 40 c. light vermilion-orange ("vermiglio arancio chiaro"), tied to 1857 folded letter to Marseille by Annecy c.d.s. (15 May), with red French entry c.d.s. and Chambery (15 May), Lyon (16 May) and Lyon a Marseille (16 May) c.d.s. backstamps, the stamps with some light rubbing, else fine and scarce, signed Alberto Diena, with 2009 Enzo Diena certificate.

1855, 5 c. dark myrtle green, vertical strip of three, margins good to touching design in places, tied to small piece by Genova c.d.s., deep colour, a fine and uncommon multiple. Cert. Chiavarello (1965).

1857, 5 c. dark yellow green and 40 c. rose scarlet, both vertical pairs with ample to large margins, tied to small piece by multiple crisp strikes of Torino c.d.s. (4 Dec), the occasional tone spot, but an appealing and scarce franking, signed Diena & others, with 2012 Sorani certificate. (Michel 10, 13)

1885, 5 c. myrtle green, good to very large margins, unused, without gum, unusual trace of double printing at centre due to improper cleaning of the plate, a most unusual and scarce variety. Cert Colla (2012).

1861, 5c olive green, horizontal pair, clear to mostly large to very large margins, showing portion of adjoining stamp at foot, affixed to 1862 folded cover to Girgenti, postmarked with Messina c.d.s. (1 Nov), with c.d.s. arrival backstamp, horizontal fold clear of stamps, fine, signed Oliva, Alberto Diena, Raybaudi. (Michel 10)

1861, 5 c. “verde oliva grigiastro”, horizontal pair, ample to large margins, affixed to 1862 folded cover to Palermo and cancelled by “Canicatti” c.d.s. (18 Jun), remarkably fresh. Cert. Cardillo (2015). (Michel 10)

1855, 5 c. emerald green, two well-margined singles, one touched at top, and single 20 c. “celesta” with large margins all around, tied to 1856 folded letter to Piacenza by Torino c.d.s. (16 Nov), red “P.D.” handstamp, backstamped with partial c.d.s. receiver, some staining to back, filing folds clear of stamps, else a fine and uncommon franking paying the 30 c. rate to the Duchy of Parma. Cert. Cardillo (2015).

1858, 10 c umber brown ("terra d'ombra"), mostly good to large margins, barely touched at lower right, cancelled with mute segmented lozenge in black, unusual as such, with 2012 Bottacchi certificate, which suggests that the stamp was uncancelled upon despatch and thus cancelled in transit or upon arrival, trivial pinhole thin, else fine. (Michel 11)

1859, 10 c. seppia, two singles, mostly good to large margins, tied to 1860 folded letter to Venezia by blue Desenzo c.d.s. (22 Sep), black “10” charge handstamp, reverse with next-dayc.d.s. arrival backstamp, horizontal fold clear of stamps, else fine, signed Oliva, with 1966 Alberto Diena certificate. (Michel 11)

1859, 10 c. dark chocolate brown ("bruno cioccolato scuro"), block of four, good to large margins all around, never hinged original gum, strong embossing and deep colour, a desirable multiple of this challenging shade. Cert. Sorani (2005) (Sasson € 9.000,- for four unused stamps) (Michel 11 var)

1859, 10 c. dark chocolate brown, horizontal pair, large margins on three sides, slightly into design at lower left, tied to 1860 folded letter to Albertville by Aiguebelle c.d.s. (11 Mar), with c.d.s. arrival backstamp, fine. Cert. Sorani (2014).  (Michel 11 var)

1860, 10 c. brown lilac and 40 c. carmine, each with large to very large margins all around, correctly franked at the 50 c. rate and tied to folded letter to Aubenas by Milano c.d.s. (3 Jul), French “Sardaigne / Culoz / 2” c.d.s. entry mark alongside, backstamped Torino (3 Jul), Lyon (5 Jul) and Aubenas (5 Jul), the odd light tone spot, else quite fresh, scarce. Cert. Cardillo (2014). (Michel 11, 13)

1860, 10 c. lilac brown  and 40 c. lilac carmine , margins touched to very large, tied to 1860 folded letter to Paris by Milano c.d.s. (3 May), “Sardaigne / Culoz” (6 May) French entry c.d.s., backstamped Torino (4 May), Paris (6 May), a scarce franking displaying remarkably fresh colour. Cert. Cardillo (2011). (Michel 11, 13)

1861, 10 c. dark chocolate brown, four large balanced margins, tied to folded cover to Arezzo by Siena c.d.s. (21 Sep), with c.d.s. arrival backstamp, a fine usage of this difficult shade. Cert. Cardillo (2014).

1863 (18 March), folded cover to Grasse, France, franked with Sardinia 10c bistre imperforate in combination with two Kingdom of Italy 1863 15c blue Type I singles, one in a distinctly deeper shade, each cancelled by Messina c.d.s., endorsed in manuscript “via Genova”, partial red TPO struck on front, backstamped “Lyon A La Mediterranee / A” (24 Mar) and Grasse (25 Mar), file fold clear of adhesives, a fine mixed franking.

1862, 10 c. yellow ochre, four mostly large margins, touched at upper left, tied to piece by blue framed “PIROSCAFI / POSTALI / ITALIANI”, with choice strike of “Alessandria D. Egitto” c.d.s. below (19 Aug), stamp with horizontal fold from being partially affixed over top of cover, adhered to additional piece for backing, but two desirable strikes of these scarce markings.

1862, 20 c. indigo, large to very large margins, tied to folded cover to Camerino by diamond grid cancel, struck alongside with “SIGILLO” straight-line in black, Camerino (21 Dec) c.d.s. arrival backstamp, a scarce usage of this Papal States straight-line, signed Raybaudi. (Michel 12)

1863 (11 November), folded cover to Trieste franked with Sardinia 40c scarlet red imperforate in combination with Kingdom of Italy 1863 15c blue Type II, tied by Livorno c.d.s., endorsed in manuscript “Col. Postale Italiano Genova”, black ‘PD' struck on front, backstamped Bologna (15 Nov) and Triest (17 Nov), minor toning in places, else a fine mixed franking.

1860, 40 c. carmine, large to very large margins, from position 12 of 50 subjects, cancelled by partial Milano c.d.s., a very fine example from this sought-after position, signed Alberto Diena, Oliva.