1918 (11 May) Terranova-Civitavecchia FFC with 5c (nibbed corner) tied by bold 2-line hs (with “AERE” for “AEREA” – reportedly only 2 or 3 cards known thus) to ppc, cds of both towns (11.5.18 and 16.MAG.18 respectively), a scarce military-flown item, fine (Sa. € 900+; Mü 7’500pts) (Image)

1918 Gabriele d’Annunzio mass flight over Vienna (to drop propaganda; no mail carried), two diff. barographic altimetric records for the two unsuccessful attempts (August 2 & 8) and the completed flight (August 9), one signed by crew member Natale Palli, plus unused ppcs of d’Annunzio and of his plane, the records are very fine and of course UNIQUE, each with 1992 E. Diena cert. (Image)

1918 Trans-Adriatic military TRIAL FLIGHT cover with 20c tied by large bold 5-line cachet-datestamp, sent to Milano (16.XI.18 machine bs), endorsed (sent by) “Motorista-aviatore / Hauro Carlo / Trieste” on reverse, truly rare with only 18 flown; the trial flight is not listed by Sassone, fine, signed F.J. Field and others (Mü.114, 50’000pts) (Image)

1926 First Flight, Trieste to Torino (but crashed at Pavia), colour picture postcard of Trieste-Miramar with 1.20L total franking incl. 60c Air tied by violet Trieste cds, addressed to Milano and with “VIA PAVIA” hs, fresh and fine (Sassone 55, € 200) (Image)

1926 First Flight, originating in Trieste to Torino (but crashed at Pavia), cover with 1.20L total franking incl. 60c Air tied by red Venezia cds, oval flight cachet ds, addressed to Milano and bs there on 2 April, fresh and fine (Sassone 55e, € 200) (Image)

1926-46, Nice group mostly of better sets or items incl. 1933 Balbo triptychs lh (with I-BALB ovpts), also few non-airs, generally lh and very fine (over 60 items) (Sa. about € 1’400) (Est. € 160/240) (Image)

1930 (12 March), FDC and first flight from Rome to Torino, two covers, franked by 80c and 1L airs respectively (Sass. p.a. 13-14) and each with 10c Caesar as well, tied by airmail cds and bs in Torino (14.3.30), prepared by A. Bolaffi, very fine (Sass. 187, € 280) (Image)

1930-31 Balbo Mass Flight, Rome to Brazil, franked with 1.25L and special 7.70L issue, Rome and Rio machine cancels, no pilot signatures, very fine (Sa. € 2’200) (Image)

1930-31 Balbo Mass Flight, Rome to Brazil, franked with 1.25L and special 7.70L issue, Rome and Rio machine cancels, with all pilot signatures and addressed to General Balbo, very fine (Sa. € 2’200) (Image)

1930 7.70L Balbo Crossing, perfect centring and nh, very fine (Sa. € 1’100+) (Image)

1931 (Aug 9) Italy-India with “RAID INTERROMPU” hs, with 1931 25L tied by “AMB. BOLOGNA-BRINDISI” cds, further franked with Egypt 27m & 4m tied by Alexandria 4.2.32 cds (6 months later), all tied by the “flight interrupted” hs, “PER VALIGIA DELLE INDIE” cachet, Brindisi bs, some toning and missing backflap, not recorded by Müller, Nierinck, etc., signed Emilio Diena and one other (Image)

1933 Zeppelin Crossing set in TR corner margin blocks of nine, nh, one lower value with tiny toned spot else fresh and very fine (Sa. € 3’600) (Image)

1933 BALBO FLIGHT TO USA The outbound flight across the North Atlantic started with 25 flying boats under the command of Commanding General Italo Balbo. One of the planes stayed behind in Amsterdam. The outbound route was Orbetello-Amsterdam-Londonderry-Reykjavik-Cartwright-Shediac-Montreal-Chicago, and the return flight, of which only 23 planes made it, used a more southerly route. The triptych stamps were overprinted at left with abbreviated pilot names, The 5.25L+19.75L values are used on covers addressed and carried to Reykjavik, Iceland, with some of these further carried to Cartwright (Labrador, Newfoundland) with receiver, as well as all other intervening transits, on the face as well. The 5.25L+44.75L values are on covers sent to Chicago, and have all the intervening transits on the face, as well as the flight cachet and, uncommonly, the oval handstamp of the Italian Royal Air Force navigation ship “ALICE.” The reverse of all covers shows the special Roma “Crociera Aerea” cds of June 16, and the covers to Chicago also show the red “Commando” and Arms circular hs. “I-APAM” (Commander Captain Mario Aramu), set of two covers, the one to Reykjavik flown on to Cartwright (Sassone GP30, € 19’500), very fine Expertise: Cert. Giorgio Colla (2001) Estimate: € 6’000 – € 8’000 (Image)

1933 Balbo North Atlantic Mass Flight issue, set in complete sheets of 20 thus showing abbreviated names of all the pilots, fresh, nh and well centred, important showpieces in perfect condition, very fine in all respects (Sassone € 17’625) (Image)

“I-BALB” (Commanding General Italo Balbo), set of two covers, very fine (Sassone GP30, € 19’500) (Est. € 7’500/8’500) (Image)

1933 BALBO FLIGHT TO USA The outbound flight across the North Atlantic started with 25 flying boats under the command of Commanding General Italo Balbo. One of the planes stayed behind in Amsterdam. The outbound route was Orbetello-Amsterdam-Londonderry-Reykjavik-Cartwright-Shediac-Montreal-Chicago, and the return flight, of which only 23 planes made it, used a more southerly route. The triptych stamps were overprinted at left with abbreviated pilot names, The 5.25L+19.75L values are used on covers addressed and carried to Reykjavik, Iceland, with some of these further carried to Cartwright (Labrador, Newfoundland) with receiver, as well as all other intervening transits, on the face as well. The 5.25L+44.75L values are on covers sent to Chicago, and have all the intervening transits on the face, as well as the flight cachet and, uncommonly, the oval handstamp of the Italian Royal Air Force navigation ship “ALICE.” The reverse of all covers shows the special Roma “Crociera Aerea” cds of June 16, and the covers to Chicago also show the red “Commando” and Arms circular hs. “I-BIAN” (Commander Captain Vincenzo Biani), set of two covers, the one to Reykjavik flown on to Cartwright, very fine (Sassone GP30, € 19’500), very fine Expertise: Cert. Giorgio Colla (2001) Estimate: € 6’000 – € 8’000 (Image)

“I-BISE” (Commander Captain Attilio Biseo), set of two covers, the one to Reykjavik flown on to Cartwright, very fine (Sassone GP30, € 19’500) (Image)

“I-BORG” (Commander Captain Bruno Borghetti), set of two covers, very fine (Sassone GP30, € 19’500) (Image)

“I-CALO” (Commander Jacopo Calo Carducci), set of two covers, the cover to Reykjavik carried on to Cartwright (July 12 arrival), exceptionally scarce thus, very fine (Sassone GP30, € 19’500) (Image)

“I-DINI” (Commander Captain Mario Baldini), set of two covers, the cover to Reykjavik carried on to Cartwright (July 12 arrival), scarce thus, very fine (Sassone GP30, € 19’500) Note: these two covers each bear the signatures of three crew members of the “spare” hydroplane “I-MARI” which recovered the mail and crew from the Amsterdam: Comm. Capt. Stefano Triboldi, Lt. E. Beltramo and Pilot Mario Delle Piane (Image)

“I-GIOR” (Commander Captain Gennaro Giordano), set of two covers, very fine (Sassone GP30, € 19’500) (Image)

“I-LEON” (Commander Captain Leone Leonetto), set of two covers, the cover to Reykjavik carried on to Cartwright (July 12 arrival), very scarce thus, very fine (Sassone GP30, € 19’500) (Image)

“I-LONG” (Commander Lt. Col. Ulisse Longo), set of two covers, the cover to Reykjavik carried on to Cartwright (July 12 arrival), very scarce thus, very fine (Sassone GP30, € 19’500) (Image)

“I-MIGL” (Commander Captain Alessandro Miglia), set of two covers, the cover to Reykjavik carried on to Cartwright (July 12 arrival), very scarce thus, very fine (Sassone GP30, € 19’500) (Image)

“I-NANN” (Commander Captain Umberto Nannini), set of two covers, the cover to Reykjavik carried on to Cartwright (July 12 arrival), scarce thus, very fine (Sassone GP30, € 19’500) (Est. € 7’500/8’500) (Image)