382nd Auction

½ gr. orange, plate I, Palermo paper, upper right sheet corner with large  margins, beautiful fresh colour, for fresh original gum with hinge remainders in the upper margin only. Extremely fine and choice. (Sassone 1)

1859, ½ gr. orange, plate I, Palermo paper, beautiful fresh colour and even large margins, lightly cancelled, superb. Certificate Sorani (2007) (Sassone 1)

½ gr. brownish orange, plate I, Naples paper,  fresh colour and even large margins, neatly cancelled, very fine. A rare stamp. Certificates A. Diena (1967) and Colla (2016) (Sassone 1c)

½ gr. bright yellow, plate I, Naples paper, fresh colour and even large margins, lightly cancelled, very fine. Certificate Enzo Diena (1987) (Sassone 1d)

½ gr. dark orange, plate I, Naples paper, fresh colour and large margins, lightly cancelled, extremely fine. Certificate Sorani (1990) (Sassone 1e)

½ gr. dark orange, plate I, Naples paper, horizontal pair, fresh colour and large margins with full dividing lines, neatly cancelled on piece, very fine. Certificate Enzo Diena (1987) (Sassone 1e)

½ gr. orange, plate I, Naples paper, first printing (tiratura antica), nice fresh colour and large even margins, lightly cancelled on small piece, extremely fine. Signed Enzo Diena with certificate (1977) and certificate Giulio Bolaffi (1977) (Sassone 1a)

½ gr. orange, plate I, Naples paper, marginal strip of 4, beautiful fresh vivid colour and good to mostly large margins including ca. 5 mm sheet margin at right, neatly cancelled on entire letter with faint (as usual) rare oval "VILLAFRATI" to Palermo with adjacent  "PALERMO ARRIVO 14 DIC 59". The third stamp from left with tiny scissors cut at bottom left, tiny touching the design, otherwise extremely fine and fresh condition. A beautiful and rare entire. Signed Enzo Diena with certificate (1979), Raybaudi Masilia with certificate (1979) and Raybaudi with certificate (2019) (Sassone 1a)

1 gr. olive green, plate III, Naples paper, horizontal strip of 5,  fresh nice colour and good to large margins, neatly cancelled. A very fine and rare strip. Signed Enzo Diena with certificate (1983) and Colla with certificate (2007) (Sassone 5b)

1 gr. olive brown, plate , 1st state, good to large margins and neatly cancelled, very fine. Certificate Colla (2016) (Sassone 3b)

1 gr. light green olive, 2 gr. blue, 5 gr. vermillion and 10 gr. dark blue, all in fresh deep colour and with clear to large margins, tied to piece with adjacent "MESSINA 28 GENNo.". Very fine and most attractive. Certificate Enzo Diena (1991) (Sassone 5,6,11,12)

1 gr. olive green, plate III, horizontal strip of three, with 2 gr. bright blue, plate III, horizontal pair, all in fresh colour and with good to mostly large margins, 2 gr. with small sheet margin at top, tied to insured letter sheet with adjacent oval "LICATA" to Catania with frontside "PALERMO ARRIVO 14 NOV. 59". A very fine and rare letter with most unusual franking. Signed Raybaudi and Enzo Diena, each with certificate (1985) (Sassone 5d,8)

1 gr. dark olive-green, plate III, horizontal pair and single, with single 1 gr. greyish olive-green, plate II and 5 gr. carmine, plate I, all in fresh colour, one 1 gr. just clear on one side, otherwise full to mostly large margins, tied to lettersheet with partly tying cds. "PALERMO PARTENZA 1 MAR 59" to Messina. A fine and rare entire with most unusual combination franking. Signed Enzo Diena with certificate (1982). (Sassone 5c,4,9a)

2 gr. cobalt, plate I, horizontal pair, fresh colour and good to large margins, unused with original gum. A fine and rare pair. Signed Emilio Diena and Colla with certificate (2002) (Sassone 6b)

2 gr. light blue, plate II, Palermo paper, horizontal corner strip of four with good to large margins including aprox. 2/5 mm sheet margins, unused with fresh original gum. Light fold between the first and second stamp from the left, still very fine and fresh. A rare multiple of the 2nd plate. Certificate Colla (2002)

2 gr. blue, plate II, horizontal marginal strip of 3, fresh colour and large margins including ca. 5 mm sheet margin at left, lightly used. Pre-fold between second and third stamp, otherwise very fine. A most attractive strip. Certificate Colla (2002) (Sassone 7a)

2 gr. blue, plate III, horizontal strip of 5, fresh colour and good to large margins, showing almost complete dividing lines on all sites, lightly used on piece. A rare and very fine strip. Certificates Colla (1990) and Vacari (1998) (Sassone 8)

2 gr. ultramarine blue (azzurro oltremare), plate I, Naples paper, horizontal pair, pos. 77 and 78 with retouch, nice vivid colour and large even margins, tied to letter sheet from Messina, 20.4.1859, to Girgenti. Very fine and fresh. A rare letter. Signed Alberto Diena and Giulio Bolaffi with certificate (1969) (Sassone 6d)

2 gr. blue, plate III, Palermo paper, corner block of 4,  fresh nice colour and good to large margins including ca. 5 mm sheet margins at left and base, unused with fresh original gum, unmounted mint. Very fine and fresh. Signed G. Bolaffi, A. Diena and Raybaudi with certificate 2003 (Sassone 8d)

2 gr. blue, plate I, Naples paper, corner block of four, fresh colour and good to large margins, unused with original gum. Very fine, signed Enzo Diena with certificate (1990) (Sassone 6g)

2 gr. ultramarine (azzuro oltramare), Naples paper, fresh colour and large margins, tied by light 'ferro di cavallo' handstamp to letter sheet with adjacent "MESA. 1859 15 GENNO" to Catania. Very fine. Several signatures, certificate Sorani (2022)  (Sassone 7d)

5 gr. vermilion rose, plate I, beautiful fresh shade and nice large margins, lightly cancelled.  A beautiful copy of this rare stamp. Certificate Sorani (2008) (Sassone 9e)

5 gr. dark carmine, plate I, nice deep colour and good to large margins, canceled by clear central strike of boxed "ANNULATO" of Naples, which was used on uncancelled stamps on incoming mail to Naples from May 1858 till October 1860. A beautiful and very rare stamp; just 3 further stamps of Sicily have been recorded with this cancellation. Signed Alberto Diena and Colla with certificate (2011)

5 gr. brownish red, plate I, good to large margins, lightly cancelled, very fine. Certified Enzo Diena (1984) (Sassone 9d)

5 gr. carmine, plate I, horizontal pair, alternately stuck with two strips of three 2 gr. blue, plate II, on large piece of an ensured letter with adjacent "PALERMO 17 GIUG 59". 2 copies 2 gr. slightly touched at bottom, otherwise all with large margins. A very attractive and choice piece. Certificates Enzo Diena and Raybaudi (both 1985) (Sassone 9a,7a)

5 gr. dark carmine with single copy 2 gr. blue, plate I, and three single copies 2 gr. deep dark blue (azzurro scurissimo), all in fresh colour and with good to mostly large margins, tied by neat 'ferro di cavallo' to letter sheet from "CATANIA 7 = 8 59" to Palermo with arrival mark on front. Very fine entire with most unusual franking. Signed a.o. Emilio Diena and Enzo Diena with certificate (1987) (Sassone 9b,6,8a)

5 gr. carmine-rose, plate I, two copies together with 2 gr. light blue, plate I, Palermo paper, all with large even margins, tied to entire letter with red dispatch mark "TRAPANI 25-10 59", adjacent Palermo transit mark and "VIA DI SARZANA", to Genova. A very fine and rare letter to Sardinia, paid to the harbour of landing and charged for the Sardinian rote with "7" decimes. Signed Enzo Diena with certificate (1985), Raybaudi with certificate (1985) and Bottacchi with certificate (2012) (Sassone 9,6g)

5 gr. carmine rose, plate I, and 1 gr. brown olive, plate II, fresh colour and with good to mostly large margins, tied to small entire letter with adjacent oval "NOTO" to Palermo with arrival mark of 21.3.1859 on front. A very fine and scarce franking. Certificate Diena (2015) (Sassone 9,4b)

10 gr. dark blue, 5 gr. carmine-rose and pair 2 gr. deep dark blue, plate III, all in fresh colours and with good to mostly large margins, tied by 'ferro di cavallo' to letter sheet with part of contents from Palermo 1859 to Florence, transported by French ship and taxed upon arrival with "6" crazie for the tuscan inland route. Very fine and rare letter to abroad. Signed Enzo Diena with certificate (1991) (Sassone 12,8a,9)

10 gr. indigo, 5 gr. carmine-rose and pair 2 gr. vivid blue, plate III, all in fresh colours, one 2 gr. partly clear at top, otherwise and  good to mostly large margins, tied by 'ferro di cavallo' to letter sheet from Messina August 29,1859 to Livorno, Tuscany, transported by French ship and taxed upon arrival with "6" crazie for the Tuscan inland route. A very fine and rare letter to abroad. Signed Emilio Diena, Alberto Diena and Raybaudi with certificate (2019) (Sassone 12b,8c,9)

10 gr., 2 single copies in indigo resp. dark blue, and pair 2 gr. light blue, plate II, ample to mostly large margins, lightly cancelled on letter sheet from "MESSINA 11 6 1860", to Genova, with adjacent red "PIROSCAFI POSTALI FRANCESI". A most unusual franking on cover to the kingdom of Sardinia. Certificate Diena (2000) ) (Sassone 12,12b,7)

20 gr. slate grey and 2 gr. light blue, plate I, Palermo paper, tied to entire letter with adjacent "MESSINA 18-3 60" and boxed "P.D." to Würzburg, Bavaria. The 20 gr. slightly touched at left, otherwise large margins. A very fine and attractive letter with rare destination. Certificate Raybaudi (2000)

50 gr. violet brown (lacca bruno scuro violaceo), beautiful deep shade and good to very large margins, part of sheet margin at bottom, neatly cancelled. A beautiful and superb copy of this rare shade. Certificates Sorani (1998) and Raybaudi (2009) (Sassone 14b)

50 gr. lake-brown, nice fresh colour and clear print, large even margins all round, lightly cancelled, extremely fine. Signed a.o. Giulio Bolaffi and A. Diena, certificate Sorani (2022) (Sassone 14)

50 gr. red brown, 10 gr. dark blue, 5 gr. carmine rose and 1 gr. olive green,  plate III, all in fresh colour and with clear to mostly large margins, tied to small piece. Very fine and scarce 66 grana- four colour franking. Certificate Raybaudi (2000) (Sassone 14,12,9,5)

1859/60, unused and used collection with many better shades and printings, several multiples, pieces and 19 covers. Included are a.o. ½ grana (two single copies, one on piece and two entires with three colour frankings) 1 grana in strip of 4, several multiples of 2 grana in different shades, including used strip of 4, 50 grana (2 on pieces), several colour frankings on pieces and entires, 2 entires of January 1859, etc., etc. The quality is far above average, almost every item is accompanied by at least one certificate.