379th Auction

1854, 5 c. yellow green, nice vivid colour and good to large margins including sheet margin at bottom, tied by clear central "TORINO 5 MAG. 55" to small entire letter to Castelnuovo Scrivia. Light file folds not effecting the stamp; very fine and fresh. A scarce single franking. Certificates Enzo Diena (1992) and Bolaffi (1993)

1854, 20 c. blue, nice fresh colour and large margins, unused without gum. A rare stamp in very fine condition. Signed Enzo Diena with certificate (1977)

1854, unissued printing 5 c. deep olive green, 20 c. indigo and 40 c. brick red, all with large margins, unused with original gum, extremely fine and choice, several signatures and certificate Bolaffi (1983, qualita Ambassador) (Sassone 10-12)

1854, 40 c. rose, nice deep colour and good to large margins, tied by cds. "GENOVA 26 GIU 55" to entire letter to Carrara; very fine and fresh. A scarce and very fine franking. Signed Sorani with Certificate (1997)

1855/63, 5c. -80 c. without embossed head of the King, fresh colours and large margins, unmounted mint, a rare set in this condition, certificate Bolaffi (2004), also the normal set 5 c. – 3 l. unmounted mint.

1855/63, 20 c. indigo with large sheet margin at left, here additional embossing of King's head, also 40 c. with double embossing, both unused with original gum. 20 c. with certificate Bolaffi  (1974)

1861, Numeral 1 c. without embossed "1", fresh colour and good to large margins, original gum unmounted mint. A very fine copy of this rare stamp, of which only one sheet with original gum  has been recorded (but which is common without gum). Signed Enzo Diena and certificates R. Diena (1996) and Bolaffi (1993) (Sassone 19h)

1861/62, Experimental printing with embossing of King's head instead of numeral, 1 c. and 2 c. black and 2 c. bistre, unmounted mint, very fine and rare, each certificate Enzo Diena (1988/89) and certificate Bolaffi  (1993) (Sassone 19-20S, Kingdom 10S)

1861, numeral 1 c. with embossed "2", also complete set and 1 c. in block of 15, all with original gum, some unmounted mint. The variety signed A. Diena.

1861, Numeral 2 c. without embossed "2", fresh colour and good to large margins, original gum unmounted mint. A very fine copy of this rare stamp (which is common without gum). Certificate Bolaffi (2004) (Sassone 20g)

1861, Numeral 2 c. with embossed "1" instead of "2", fresh colour and good to large margins, unmounted mint. An extremely fine copy of this rare stamp. Signed Enzo Diena and certificate R. Diena (1996)

1859, ½  gr. – 50 gr., the complete set in fresh colours and with ample to mostly large margins, unused with original gum, a very fine set; several with signatures, for the set certificate Bolaffi (1991)

1860, Provisional Gouvernment 1c. -80 c. , all in fresh colour and with ample to wide margins, unused. 5 c. and 80 c. without gum, the others with original gum. A fine and rare 'set'. 5 certificates Enzo Diena (1987/89) and certificate Bolaffi for all values (1992) 

1861, 20 grana yellow, horizontal pair, cut into at left, otherwise full to large margins, tied by clear "NOCERA 26 Giu. 1862" to  envelope (opened out for display with some partly split folds) from the "BRIGATA DELLE LEGIONI UNGHERESI" (3 red wax seals on reverse" to the Hight Court at Debreczin, Hungary. A rare franking and highly interesting cover. Certificate Colla Asinelli (2006)

1862, 10 c. yellow brown, copy from the lower sheet margin with straight edge, together with 1863, 10 c. orange brown on small piece with central "FOSSOMBRONE 25 Dec. 63". A very fine and very rare combination of the same denomination. Certificate Alberto Diena (1957) 

1863, 30 cmi. brown, London printing, 5 copies, tied by numeral "320" to cover from "ARDENZA 22 AGO 66" to Maritzburg, Natal, endorsed "By Egypt and Mauritius", transported via Brindisi and "ALEXANDRIA SP 5 66". 2 stamps with minor perforation flaws, otherwise very fine and fresh. An outstanding pre-UPU cover to South Africa. Certificates Bottacchi (1999) and Serra (2005), ex Rolf Rohlfs

1863, Torino printing 30 c. brown and 60 c. lilac with 1867, 20 c. blue, used on insured cover with 400 francs from Torino to Pignerol

1863, Victor Emanuel II. 10c. blue, Sperati forgery in block format with pencil signature, crease outside of design, otherwise fine

1893, unissued silver wedding 20 c. brownish red and brown, unmounted mint, very fine and fresh, certificate Enzo Diena (1991) (Sassone 64A)

1921/23, B.L.P.  overprint proof, Sperati forgery in block format, fine

1921/23, B.L.P. 1l. brown/green with inverted overprint, Sperati forgery, used, missing perf at left, otherwise fine

1921/23, B.L.P. 60c. brown-carmine, Sperati forgery, used, fine

1921/23, B.L.P. 1l. brown/green, Sperati forgery, used, fine

1921/23, B.L.P. 40c. brown with inverted overprint, Sperati forgery, used, fine

1927, Volta 20 c. in violet instead of carmine, slightly decentered as usual, unmounted mint, a fine and rare stamp. Certifcate Bolaffi (1986) (Sassone 210A)

1933, CROCIERA DEL DECENNALE 5,25 + 19,75 l. without overprint (and with variety "H instead of cross in flag"), unmounted mint in very fine and fresh condition. A very rare stamp with just 40 copies recorded. Unsigned with certificate Bolaffi (1997, 100 points)

1933, CROCIERA DEL DECENNALE 5,25 + 19,75 l. and 5,25 + 44,75 l. I-BALB, both from the upper left sheet corner, unmounted mint, very fine and fresh. (Sassone Aero 51-52A)

1924, 5l. brown without inscription in bottom tablet, Speratis working color proof with additional printed notes on bottom, very fine and rare

1934, air mail Rome- Mogadiscio 10 l., unmounted mint, very fine, signed G.Bolaffi and certificate Bolaffi (1992)

1924, 5l. red-brown without inscription in bottom tablet, Speratis working color proof with additional printed notes on bottom, very fine and rare

S.A.B.E.: 1945, 5l.-50l. unmounted mint

CORALIT: 1945, all 3 sets unmounted mint

1924/25, advertising lables, the complete set of 21 items, all unused with fresh original gum, 50 c. "PIPERNO" unmounted mint, a rare set. Several signed and certificate Bolaffi for the 6 top values. (Sassone 1-21)

1870, folded letter sheet dated "Valparaiso 17 Maggio 1870" to Genoa, from Valparaiso to Panama and from there with the "Shannon" to Plymouth, with "GB/1 F.90 C." accountancy marking and scarce boxed "F.* 58" alongside, upon arrival charged with "28" decimes thus postage due 40c. as horizontal pair and 2l. applied and tied by cds., scarce and attractive

"Jelgawa ear and moose head in bridge stamp with date 24 1 19" on Russia 20k. blue/red and vertical pair 15k. brown-lilac/blue on registered local cover with handwritten r-label, rare, open on both sides, fine

Provenance: Estonia and Latvia - The Collection Harry von Hofmann (359. Heinrich Köhler Auction)

1918, Russia Coat of arms 1k. imperforated, four singles plus 2 und 4k. perforated tied by railway cancel to private correspondence picture postcard of Polotsk and the Dvina River addressed to Orel and posted on board the Dvinsk(Daugavpils) to Orel railway with the oval cancellation "8" of that route. Franking is at the correct 10k rate with an assortment of Imperial arms stamps just three weeks before the start of the free post system. Note this card is written just a month after the Germans signed the Armistice with the Allies allowing the Soviet government to annul the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk and Soviet troops were just at this time re-occupying areas of Belorussia that had been under German occupation and were to retake Minsk, just 100 miles south of this rail line, on December 14. Some ageing, otherwise fine