1851 5C black in horizontal pair + 40C rosa tied to 1852 fragment by rectangular rhombs postmark alongside matching ‘AIX LES BAINS 15.6.52’ cds, some faults (filing or folding creases and small to just cut into margins in 2 places), overall appearance: still very fresh & impressive franking of these rare adhesives, also a scarce Savoie usage, sign. E.Diena and cert. Dr.Avi, Sassone 1,3 € 17750++ (Image)

1851 20c Blue showing sheet margin at left, cancelled by rhombic grill of Aime (Savoy/Savoie; rated “12” = € 4’000), with double-ring cds with rosette (6 MAI 53) at right, on large part-cover (some flaps reduced or cut away), italic two-line bs (Mai 7) on reverse, good quality and a scarce usage, very fine and quite attractive, an excellent Savoy showpiece, signed by G. Bolaffi & A. Bolaffi (Image)

1851 20c Light Blue, setting IV, showing sheet margin at left, on cover to Lavagna, cancelled by mute rhombic grill of Genoa (cds of 30 NOV. 52 at right), very fine and uncommon franking, signed Sorani (cert. 1999) (Image)

1851 40C rose in horizontal pair (coppia orrizzontale), used with rectangular rhomb cancel (muto a rombi), margin cut into at right and natural paper waves (no creases), quite rare, cert RPS (..pair-used-is genuine…), Sassone 3 €14’000+++ (Image)

1851 40c rose, good margins, light cancel, small pin hole and light corner bend at lower left, fine, scarce, cert. Colla (Image)

UNIQUE MIXED ISSUES FRANKING FROM TUNISIA / UNICA AFFRANCATURA MISTA DA TUNISI 1853 40c Pale Rose, two examples plus 20c Pale Blue, 4th issue, all well margined and tied by double-ring “Tunisi * Poste Sarde *” cds dated 16 AGO. 57 (month inverted), lower two also struck by Cagliari transit (18 AGO.) on cover to Pisa endorsed “Via di Genova / Con Vaproe Post. Sardo.” with red italic “P.D.” and transits on reverse: Cagliari, Genova (20 AGO 57) and Pisa (23 AGO 1857), Enzo Diena cert. specifies that no other case of an analogous franking was known to him. An important showpiece, addressee obscured else very fine 1853 40c rosa, due esempi più 20c Celeste di IV emissione, tutti ben marginati e annullati per bollo d.c. “Tunisi * Poste Sarde *” datato 16 AGO. 57 (mese invertito), due francobolli inferiori anche per d.c. di Cagliari (18 AGO. 57), su lettera diretta a Pisa “via di Genova / Con Vapore Post. Sardo.” con “P.D.” rosso e con bolli di transito su retro: Cagliari, Genova (20 AGO 57) e Pisa (23 AGO 1857), cert. Enzo Diena precisa que non conosce altre affrancature analoghe, pezzo d’esposizione importante, destinatario oscurato altrimenti molto bello (Image)

EXTREMELY RARE INVERTED EMBOSSED HEAD VARIETY 1855 20c Greenish Cobalt, huge margins and showing inverted head, tied to small piece by Milano cds. The expert E. Diena notes that this is the ONLY example of the variety in this colour known on piece (plus another loose used known). Not catalogued by Sassone (the 20c Dark Greenish Cobalt of 1861 is quoted at € 20’000). Truly rare and of the highest quality. Signed by Raybaudi, Avanzo, A. Diena & E. Diena (cert. 1989) (Image)

FORERUNNER USAGE FROM NAPLES / USO PRECURSORE DA NAPOLI 1859 10c Violet Brown, two examples with ample margins tied to cover by “Partenza da Napoli” cds dated 4 LUG. 1861 – fifteen months before the regular introduction of Sardinia stamps for use in the former territory of the kingdom of Naples making up part of the Kingdom of Italy (1 October 1862) – on cover sent to Verona (“7/7” bs), uncommon and valuable usage, of noteworthy rarity and a very important showpiece, very fine 1859 10c bruno violaceo, due esemplari con ampi margini annullati col bollo “Partenza da Napoli” datato 4 LUG. 1861 – 15 mesi prima della introduzione regolare dei francobolli Sardi nel territorio dell’ex regno di Napoli facente oramai parte del Regno d’Italia (1° Ottobre 1862) – su lettera diretta a Verona (arr. “7/7”), uso insolito e molto pregevole, di notevole rarità e pezzo d’esposizion molto importante, molto bello Expertise: signed by / firmato & cert. Sorani (1982) Note / NB : certificate states this cover precedes by about 6 months an analogous letter postmarked 18 January 1862 / “la busta… precede di circa 6 mesi una lettera (Image)

Inverted Embossed Center Used on Cover 1855-63 10c Dark brown with inverted center, (Sass. Chocolate-brown), tied by LIVORNO 20 DEC 61 c.d.s. on folded entire letter to Florence, transit and arrival backstamps from the same day, the “head” is upright on the cover with the frame inverted, margins are just touched to good, very rare especially in this shade, Diena certificate. (Sass. 14Ck unpriced on cover, other shades €60’000) (Image)

USED FROM TUNISIA / USO DA TUNISI 1858 80c Dark Orange Bistre + 20c Dark Greyish Blue (1857 printing), comprising 1 Lire franking tied to folded letter to Pisa via “Vapore Postale Sardo ‘Cagliari’ ,” lightly cancelled by blue “Tunisi / Poste Sarde” cds and struck in transit at Cagliari by linear italic “Da Tunisi” (the earliest recorded date of use as a cancel on franking). On reverse: bs (5 FEB. 1859) and Genova transit (4 FEB 59). Great rarity and imposing showpiece 1858 80c bistro arancio scuro + 20c azzurro grigiastro scuro (tiratura del 1857), insieme all’affrancatura di Lira 1 usata su lettera diretta a Pisa per “Vapore Postale Sardo ‘Cagliari’ ,” annullato molto leggeremente col bollo a doppio cerchio in azzurro “Tunisi / Poste Sarde” e riannullati in transito a Cagliari con bollo lineare inclinato “Da Tunisi” (data più antica registrata dell’uso tale annullatore come affrancatura). Sul retro: bollo di arrivo (5 FEB. 1859) anche di transito per Genova (4 FEB 59). Grande rarità e imponente pezzo d’esposizione Expertise: signed by / firmato Emilio Diena, Enzo Diena (cert. 1990; 80c “ocra arancio”) & Sorani (cert. 1990; 80c “bistro arancio”) (Image)

1860 Extremely rare pair of the 10c Dark Chocolate Brown tied to folded letter from Taninge (Savoy), two strikes of the ornamented double-ring cds, sent to Vervez, with transits on reverse of Samoens and Bonneville (same cds types), the pair with good margins showing part of neighbouring stamp at foot, a rare and precious franking, very fine, signed A. & G. Bolaffi (Image)

RARE SHADE WITH DOUBLE EMBOSSING ON COVER 1861 Printing, 20c Greenish Cobalt (plate II), example with light double embossing of central head, tied to cover to Sassari by cds of Bonorva (13 MAG 61), well preserved both in freshness and in margins and colour, very fine, signed Avanzo, A. Diena & Bottacchi (cert. 2001) (Sass. € 9’000 for normal on cover) (Image)

1862 20c Dark Purplish Indigo, good margins all around, tied by 31 December (1862) Milano cds (the last day of the 20c tariff) to cover to Bologna (1 GEN 63 bs), a scarce usage and very fine showpiece, signed Oliva Note: By sending the letter the next day (1 January 1863), the sender would have saved 5c (Image)

SAVOIE 23 stamps used in Savoie, noted Second issue 40c used in Annecy, Third issue 5c & 20c, Fourth issue 40c with blue cds of Chamonix & S. Gervais, rare 80c used in Chambery, France 20c Napoleon used in Bonneville, etc., many signed (Est. € 500/1’000) (Image)

1819 CAVALLINI: 15c blue postal stationery from Carmagnola to Torino, plus 1820 15c albino from Castellamonte to Torino, very fine, scarce (Image)

1820 CAVALLINI: 2nd Issue 15c Dry relief print on watermarked paper, some traces of humidity as often, otherwise very fine and without crease through imprint, very rare, (II. emissione, 15c stampa a secco a rilievo su carta filigranata, senza piega sull’impronta, qualche tracce d’umidità, ma molto raro), signed Raybaudi, cert. Bottacchi (Sassone 4 – € 13.500) (Image)

1820 CAVALLINI: 2nd Issue 25c Dry relief print on watermarked paper, some browning as often otherwise very fine and without crease through imprint, very rare, (II. emissione, 25c stampa a secco a rilievo su carta filigranata, senza piega sull’impronta. Qualche ingiallimento ma molto raro) signed Raybaudi, cert. Bottacchi (Sassone 5 – € 20.000) (Image)

1820 CAVALLINI: 2nd Issue 50c Dry relief print on watermarked paper, some traces of humidity as often, otherwise very fine and without crease through imprint, very rare, (II. emissione, 50c stampa a secco a rilievo su carta filigranata, senza piega sull’impronta, qualche tracce d’umidità, ma molto raro), signed Raybaudi, cert. Bottacchi (Sassone 6 – € 25.000) (Image)

1859-61, Small mint & used assembly, noted 20c with INVERTED CENTER used in SAVOY with Aix les Bains cds, 40c used in MENTONE, 10c used in Aix les Bains, 20c with central Chambery cds, 40c with part Chambery cds, etc., mixed (Est. € 150/300) (Image)