1929 (2 August) First Flight, Vatican City to Genova (the first Vatican airmail despatch) franked by 20c, 30c and 80c 1st issues tied by Vatican cds, bs the next day, scarce, fine (Sassone 157, € 230) (Image)

1930 (May) Zeppelin 1st South America Flight, MIXED FRANKING ppc with Vatican, Italian and German stamps tied appropriately (last by 19.5.1930 “on board” cds), small blue 2-line hs “Città del / Vaticano,” one of 49 items dropped at Seville (19 MAI 30 receiver), not listed by Sassone, very fine and extremely elusive (Sieger 57 I, € 1’100) (Image)

1933 (May) Zeppelin Rome Flight, reg’d MIXED FRANKING ppc with 1.75L Vatical franking tied on obverse by 27.5.33 cds, also shows F’hafen green 30.5.33 pictorial receiver, reverse has Italy 3L Zeppelin tied at Rome plus Rome pictorial receiver (29.V.33) and two Zürich bs (31.V.33), very fine (Sieger 208 Va, € 750) (Image)

1933 Zeppelin 1st South America flight, three covers and 3 pcs with MIXED FRANKINGS of Italy Zeppelin set (Sa. 45-50, one diff. value per item) plus various Vatican issues, latter all tied by 27.5.33 Vatican cds, items are addressed to Buenos Aires, Pernambuco or Barcelona (2 each) and have 29.V.33 Roma pictorial machine bs as well as blue cachets and destination bs, an important and lovely matched group (Sa. € 8’100; Sieger 208 Va-Vf, € 9’750) (Image)

1934 Rome-Mogadiscio special flight cover (flown by Lombardi and addressed to him), registered and bs, Vatican 2L and 5c tied on day of flight, Italy special 2 L + 3 L values tied at Rome, attractive small-format air cover, very fine (Sa. GP83, this franking not listed o/w € 2’000 or 3’850) (Est. € 400/600) (Image)

1948 Archangel & Tobias set, barely hinged, very fine (Sa. € 475 for hinged) (Image)

1949 U.P.U. airmail set of 2, nh (“gomma integra”), exceptional centring, very fine (Image)

1948 Archangel & Tobias set tied to 1950 airmail cover to Cuneo (duplex ERP slogan bs), envelope with faint toning else very fine (Sa. € 1’200) (Image)

1929 First Issue complete incl. Express stamps in MIXED FRANKING with USA 5c Beacon airmail, all tied by 1.8.29 FIRST DAY cds, sent reg’d (via Rome and Torino) to Los Angeles via airmail from NY, very unusual, fine and rare, must be considered among the first Vatican airmail covers (Image)