1852 Wrapper sent registered from Mantova to Padova with 10c grey-black in vertical and horizontal strips of 3, nearly all with generous margins, plus 30c type I, all hand-made paper, tied to front or backflap, RACCOMANDATA handstamp and manuscript “Urgente”, despatch and arrival ds, trimmed at left, a UNIQUE franking and a dramatic and spectacular showpiece, unrecorded by Ferchenbauer who prices six 10c on cover as “LP” and a simple 10c + 30c franking at €10,000, signed A. Diena & Russo and cert. Fiecchi (1976) (Image)

1850 15c Vermilion Red, type I from Plate I, large margins incl. sheet or group margin at foot, very large part original gum, a premium example, very fine, signed by several and cert. Colla (2000; “piena gomma ed è perfetto” (Sass. 3e, € 7’750) (Image)

1850 30c Brown, type I, attractive unused example (without gum), large margins, very fine, signed A. & E. Diena (Sass. 7, € 2’250 without gum) (Image)

1850 30c Dark Brown, type II, variety showing deformed lower part of “3”, ample margins and full original gum, tiny inclusion in left margin, very fine, signed A. Diena and cert. Colla (Sass. 8 variety, € 10’000 as normal) (Image)

1852 15c Red, HP, type III on VERTICALLY LAID paper, enormous even margins, tied to large fragment by ornamented Verona cds (17/12 date), lifted for control and hinged in place, undoubtedly the finest known used example, which (per Bottachi cert.) qualitatively represents absolutely one of the finest of the few noted of this stamp – perfect condition and exceptionally well margined.” Superb in all respects (Sass. €30’000+) 1852 15c rosso, tipo III su CARTA VERGATA VERTICALMENTE, grandi margini su tutti i lati, annullato con bollo “con ornato” di Verona, sollevato dal frammento e poi ricollato al su posto, non è conosciuto nuovo, ed il francobollo (per Bottachi) “che qualitativamente rappresenta in assoluto uno dei migliori tra i pochissimi ad oggi noti – perfetto ed eccezionalmente ben marginato.” Una notevole rarità, superba (Sass. €30’000+) Expertise: signed / firmato & cert. Emilio Diena (1936), A. Diena (1976) & G. Bottachi (2001) The ultimate “LUXUS” quality example of this rare stamp! (Image)

1852 10c Black on machine-made paper, exceptional example of this rare mint stamp with full original gum, with faint pencil notation on back confirming the paper as being thicker than normal (“carton” paper), extremely fine, cert. Colla (2004) (Sass. 19, € 16’500) (Image)

1852 15c Salmon Red, thick (“carton”) machine-made paper, full original gum and huge margins all around, an exceptional stamp, superb in all respects, signed A. & E. Diena plus Colla (with his ID of the cat. n°) (Sass. 20c, € 2’750) (Image)

1859 (27 August) Complete folded letter franked with 20c Sardinia tied by the ultra-rare single-circle PORTO VALTRAVAGLIA cds with another strike to left, rated “R1” by Sassone (€18’500), sent to Varese (bs), an extraordinary usage and fine franking from this tiny town on Lake Maggiore 20c azzuro scuro (tinte del 1857-59) su lettera annullato per molte raro bollo circolare de PORTO VALTRAVAGLIA (27 ago. 1859), con un secondo impressione a sinistra, Sassone “R1” = €18’500, diretta a Varese, uso straordinario di questo provinciale su Lago Maggiore Expertise: signed / firmato o siglato E. & A. Diena, A. & G. Bolaffi; cert. Calves (Image)

1858-59 2kr Vermilion, type II, an outstanding fresh mint vertical pair (like it was printed this morning!) with full original gum and sheet margin at right, extremely fine, signed Colla (Sass. 3, € 3’500) (Image)

1858-59 4kr Vermilion with good to large margins all around, central Verona cds, on small fragment, signed Emilio Diena & G. Colla (cert. 2000) (Sass. 4a, € 9’500) (Image)

1860 (1.05s) Light Grey, stunning fresh mint strip of 3, full original gum, extremely fine, signed A. Diena, Colla, etc.(Sass. 10, € 2’400 as singles) (Image)

1860 (1.05s) Dark Grey, sheet margin showing complete marginal frame line at top, tied to small fragment by 4-ring cds, very fine, signed and identified as to shade by G. Colla, a wonderful showpiece (Sass. 10f, € 3’000+) (Image)