1853-57, 6 c. black on rose, good margins, unused with tiny toned original gum, signed Oliva

1859, 1/2b straw to 20b blue grey, set of nine, unused, most with part original gum, some with hinge remnants, all with good to large margins and with fresh bright colours, the 6b. signed Alberto Diena, a very fine group. (Michel 1-9)

1859, 1b. black on grey-brown (2) and 3b. black on dark green, each with four balanced margins, tied to undated folded cover to Rome by diamond grid cancel, reverse with partial red c.d.s. arrival backstamp, some light soiling and tone spots, but a scarce franking. (Michel 2, 4)

1859, 2b. black on yellow-orange, ample to large margins, tied to folded letter by diamond grid cancel, postmarked with Bologna c.d.s. (26 Jan), to Cento, with contents from the Salt & Tobacco Administration, a fine single-franking. (Michel 3)

1859, 3b. black on dark green, large margins on two sides, clear at left and touched at foot, tied to large part folded letter by diamond grid cancel, postmarked Bologna (14 Oct, 1859), two partial c.d.s. backstamps, minor stains at bottom on portion of outer sheet missing, else a fine single franking. (Michel 4)

1859, 4b. black on red brown, large margins on two sides, touched at left and upper left, tied to1860 folded letter to Como by diamond grid cancel, struck with bold “RAVENNA” straight-line with “22 GENNARO” struck alongside, reverse with Milano (24 Jan) and Como (24 Jan) c.d.s. backstamps, with printed contents of the Compagnia Drammatica di Claudia Miutti, supplemented by hand-written text signed Antonio Feoli, light wrinkles, vertical filing fold, else fine. (Michel 5)

1859, 20b. black on grey blue, block of four, large balanced margins all around, unused, with large part original gum, the top two stamps hinged, leaving the bottom pair mint never hinged, good colour, trivial spot in upper margin, an attractive block, very fine, signed Alberto Diena, Bolaffi. (Michel 9)

1851, 5 c. black, imperforate, mostly good to wide margins, touching frameline at right, cancelled by mute lozenge of dots in black, fine, signed Enzo Diena. (Michel 1)

1851, 5 c. black, imperforate, mostly good margins just touched at lower left, cancelled by mute lozenge of dots in black, affixed to small piece, fine. Cert. Colla (2013). (Michel 1)

1852, 20 c . light blue, horizontal pair, tied to folded cover to Bra by lozenge of dots, struck with Alessandria despatch at upper right (26 Oct), some toning including to pair, but a scarce franking, signed Alberto Diena, with note “frode postale” written alongside, accompanied by 2016 Biondi certificate noting that the adhesives were “fraudulently reused.”   (Michel 2var)

1852, 20 c. light blue, First Printing, clear to large margins, cancelled with black lozenge of dots, fine, (Michel 2var)

1853, 20 c. light blue, Matraire proof on thin, ungummed paper, large even margins, fresh and very fine. Cert. Dr. Avi (2009). (Michel 4 var)

1853, 40c c. rose, good margins on three sides, touched at left, neatly-tied to small piece by Genova (1 Jun 1854) c.d.s., negligible flaw at upper left, else fine, with 2011 Newiger BPP certificate. (Michel 6)

1854, 5 c. yellow green, horizontal pair, with large margins all around, showing portions of adjoining stamps in places, cancelled by “Nizza Maritta" c.d.s., trivial tone spot at lower right, very fine. (Michel 7b)

1854, Unissued printing, seven singles displaying a range of shades of the 5 c. green, 20 c. indigo, and 40 c. rose, all with part to large part original gum, generous balanced margins and fresh appearance, most with expert signatures such as Diena and Thier, the odd small imperfection, overall very fine and ideal for the specialist. (Sassone 10, 11, 12)

1854, 20 c. “celeste” (sky blue), good margins all around, centrally-struck with Sassari c.d.s., fresh colour, very fine. (Michel 8var)

1854, 20 c. light blue, four good to large margins, tied to 1855 folded letter to Genova by crisp Rivalta c.d.s. (27 Mar, Sassone 13 Pts), with same-day Torino and indistinct Genova c.d.s. backstamps, some light staining in places, but a pleasing franking and scarce cancellation, fine, signed Alberto Diena, with 2010 Colla certificate. (Michel 8var)

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)