STOCKHOLMIA 2019 & ERIVAN Worldwide Rarities

1852, 50 bajocchi blue, fine printing, fresh colour and with large even margins, used together with 6 bajocchi on greenish-grey in horizontal pair and single 8 bajocchi black on double rate letter sheet from Rome (DEC 14, 1861) via France and England to Kingston, Canada with arrival mark of January 3, 1862. The 8 bajocchi slightly unfresh and the cover with some small stains, otherwise fine. A rare and attractive letter with a most unusual destination. Signed Avi with certificate (2018)

1852, 1sc. carmine-rose, just touched at right and with huge margins on adjoining sides, used with horizontal pair of 6 baj. black on grey and single 2 baj. greenish-white on registered cover from Rome to St. Paul, Réunion tied by Rome grill with straight line ASSICURATA below with despatch cds in black (May 31) and ‘Italie / Lanslebourg’ transit (June 3) and CHARGÉ in red on obverse. The reverse with rate box in red, Marseille cds, ‘Réunion / St. Denis’ cds in blue (July 5) – this repeated on front – and St. Paul arrival cds in black.  Small closed tear at left but a remarkable and rare usage of the 1 scudo on letter to a most extraordinary destination – the sole recorded cover usage to Réunion.  Signed A. Diena, E. Diena. Certs. A. Bolaffi (1985), G. Colla (2017) (Sassone 3A+7A+11 = € 90.000,- +)

1868, 3 c. black on grey glazed paper and 5 c. black on dark blue, used on the address label of 1868 Printed Matter cover from Rome to Padua, the adhesives in fine quality with good perforations, neatly tied in black. A very rare franking for the 8 centesimi rate with just 12 items recorded thus. Signed E. Diena. Cert. Colla (2016) (Sassone 24+25d = € 52.500,-)

Provisional Government 1859, 5 c. green, 20 c. violet-blue and 40 c. red-brown, all with four margins all round, used on 1859 registered cover from Modena to Sassuolo tied by nine bar obliterators in black. Modena despatch cds (Nov 21) at base with framed RACCOMANDATA in black at right. One side flap missing but a magnificent three colour franking in delightful condition. Signed G. Bolaffi, A. Bolaffi., A. Diena. Cert. E. Diena (1991) (Sassone 12+15+17c = € 37.500,-)

Provisional Government 1859, 5 c. green, two vertical pairs with large margins all round, used on 1860 cover from Modena to Torino, lightly cancelled by two strikes of the nine bar obliterator in black, with ‘Modena’ despatch cds (Jan 17) alongside. A fine and rare usage. Signed A. Diena, E. Diena, G. Bolaffi (1954), A. Bolaffi, P. Vaccari (Sassone 12 = € 22.000,-)
 

Provisional Government 1859, 20 c. grey-violet with full margins all round and 20 c. black-violet, imperceptibly touched at left, used on 1859 cover from Reggio to Ancona cancelled in blue with ‘Reggio’ datestamp (Dec 12) in blue. An extraordinary example of two listed shades of the same stamp on the same cover, almost certainly the sole example extant. Signed Jamet. R. Diena. Certs. Gazzi (1977), Sorani (1989), E. Diena (1993) (Sassone 15+15b = € 9.450,- +)
 

Provisional Government 1859, 20 lilac and 20 c. lilac with “ECNT” for CENT error, each with large margins all round, used on 1860 entire letter from Modena to Samaden, Switzerland cancelled by nine bar obliterators in black with Modena cds at right (Jan 20). Reverse with Milano transit cds (Jan 24). An exceptional entire in the foremost quality, a unique combination to a most unusual destination. Certs. A. Diena (1963) and E. Diena (1989) (Sassone 16+16c = € 40.000,-)

1842 (APR 2), Entire letter from Naples via London forwarding agent to the Isle of Guernsey, part-paid with 15 grana, confirmed with red "AGDP"; in London charged with "1/7", which was paid by the forwarder Samuel Dobree & Sons, who applied a 1841, 1 penny red-brown and mailed the letter to a member of the well known Carey Family at Carey Castle, Guernsey. A very interesting and most attractive letter; most likely the earliest letter from Naples with a postage stamp.

1851, 5 c. intense black, a used inter-pane ‘interspazio’ horizontal pair, with ample to large margins all round, lightly cancelled by the lozenge of dots in black, very fine and extremely rare: undoubtedly the finest of the three pairs recorded. Signed E. Asinelli. Cert. E. Diena (1987) (Sassone 1b = € 120.000,-)
 

1859, 2 gr. cobalt, Plate 1, pos. 45, large margins on three sides, just touched at left, used on cover from Palermo, January 1st, 1859 to Assoro on the First Day of Issue – a rare first day cover of attractive appearance. Signed Alberto and Raffaele Diena. Cert. Colla (2016) (Sassone 6b = € 250.000,-)
 

1863, De La Rue 40 c. rose, an unused block of four of vibrant fresh colour, marginal from right of sheet with imprint POSTALI at right, excellent centering for the issue, fine unmounted original gum. A magnificent multiple in the foremost quality and probably the finest known. Signed A. Diena. Cert. G. Colla (2016) (Sassone L20 = € 140.000,-)

1859, 8 bajocchi black on rose, nice fresh and intense colour and good to very large margins, showing dividing lines on 3 sides and part of neighbour stamp at left, tied by light and clear grid to entire letter from Faenza (Oct 11, 1859) to Edolo. A most attractive single franking of this rare stamp in flawless condition. Signed Alberto and Guilio Bolaffi, Alberto Diena and Enzo Diena with his certificate (1991) Provenance: 'Collezione Pedemonte' (Bolaffi 1991)

1851, 6 grazie blue on bluish in intense deep shade and with good even margins on all sides, tied by beautiful clear strike of Austrian military cancel "FELDPOST Nr.2 26/11" to lettersheet with adjacent date stamp "FIRENZE 26 NOV. 1855", endorsed "mit Feldpost" and sent to Szemere in Hungary with transit marks of Waizen, Gran-Nana and Ipolysag on reverse. An extremely fine and attractive letter and one of the great rarities of Italian and Austrian postal history. Signed in pencil Ferchenbauer and Colla Asinelli with both their certificates Provenance: Dr. Anton Jerger (Corinphila 2005)