Sicily, 1859 Ferdinand II 50g dark red brown, stampa oleosa / oily impression. O.g., lightly hinged, large even margins, Very Fine, signed Em. Diena and A. Diena. Scott No. 18.
Sassone No. 14; €1,650 ($2,030); Estimate $100 - 150. Sassone €1,650 ($2,030)
Est. $100-150 (Image)

Sassone €1,650 ($2,030)
Est. $100-150

Sicily, 1859 Ferdinand II 50g dark red brown. Block of 4 (Pos. 26-7, 36-7), o.g., never hinged at top, hinged at bottom, four large margins, deep rich color, Extremely Fine, with 2014 Ghiglione certificate. Scott No. 18.
Sassone No. 14; €9,000 ($11,070); Estimate $750 - 1,000. Sassone €9,000 ($11,070)
Est. $750-1,000 (Image)

Sassone €9,000 ($11,070)
Est. $750-1,

Sicily, 1859 Ferdinand II 50g dark red brown. corner margin block of 15 (Pos. 1-5, 11-15, 21-25), o.g., never hinged, large margins including corner margin at top left, bright fresh color, Extremely Fine, ex-Rothschild from the Phillips sale of 20 Oct. 1988, Featured in Vaccari Magazine # 49, 2013 on the back cover, with 1988 En. Diena & 2014 Vaccari certificates. Scott No. 18.
Sassone No. 14; €29,550 as 2 blks & 5 singles ($36,350); Estimate $3,000 - 4,000.

AN OUTSTANDING SICILIAN RARITY. Sassone €29,550 as 2 blks & 5 singles ($36,350)
Est. $3,000-4,000 (Image)

Sassone €29,550 as 2 blks & 5 singles ($

Sicily, 1859 Ferdinand II 50g dark red brown. Four large margins, neatly cancelled by face free horseshoe cancel, deep fresh color, Extremely Fine, with 1963 A. Diena certificate. Scott No. 18.
Sassone No. 14; €11,000 ($13,530); Estimate $750 - 1,000. Sassone €11,000 ($13,530)
Est. $750-1,000 (Image)

Sassone €11,000 ($13,530)
Est. $750-1

Sicily, 1859 Ferdinand II 50g dark brown red. Tied in combination with 20gr slate grey by horseshoe cancels on 1860 folded cover from Palermo (20 May) to Paris, paying the double rate to France for 15 grams, red circular entry stamp for France, adhesive both with four margins, Extremely Fine, with 1983 En. Diena and 2002 Colla certificates. Scott No. 18 $115,000.
Sassone No. 14+13; €220,000 ($270,600); Estimate $10,000 - 15,000.

AN EXTREMELY RARE USAGE OF THE 50 GRANA ON LETTER IN OUTSTANDING QUALITY ON A MOST ATTRACTIVE COVER, WITHOUT DOUBT ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT ITEMS OF CLASSIC SICILY RECORDED.

One of 4 known covers bearing the 20 gr + 50 gr combination franking, two of which were directed to France and two to Naples. The second cover to France franked with the 50gr chocolate shade in a similar quality, sold for €34,000 in a Corinphila Auction of November 2016. Sassone €220,000 ($270,600)
Est. $10,000-15,000 (Image)

Sassone €220,000 ($270,600)
Est. $10,

Sicily, 1859 Ferdinand II 50g chocolate. O.g., hinged, ample to mostly large margins, fresh color, Very Fine, signed Em. Diena, with 2009 Behr certificate.
Sassone No. 14a; €2,000 ($2,460); Estimate $150 - 200. Sassone €2,000 ($2,460)
Est. $150-200 (Image)

Sassone €2,000 ($2,460)
Est. $150-200

Sicily, 1859 Ferdinand II 50g chocolate. left margin block of 8 (Pos. 31-34 and 41-44), o.g., 7 stamps never hinged, Pos. 32 with small hinge remnant, four large margins all around including sheet margin at left, deep rich color which is Post Office fresh, Extremely Fine and choice, ex-Rothschild from the Phillips sale of 8 Nov. 1984, 1988 En. Diena and 2010 Bottacchi certificates.
Sassone No. 14a; €18,000 two blks of normal shade ($22,140); Estimate $2,000 - 3,000. Sassone €18,000 two blks of normal shade ($22,140)
Est. $2,000-3,000 (Image)

Sassone €18,000 two blks of normal shade

Sicily, 1859 Ferdinand II 50g chocolate. (Pos. 26), with wide to full margins all around, tied by horseshoe cancel and almost complete Civitavecchia Dalla Via Di Mare town cancel on fragment (Presumably from a former single franking similar to the unique known cover with the same town cancellation)., Very Fine, a wonderful Sicilian rarity, with 1995 Sorani certificate.
Sassone No. 14a; €42,000 ($51,660); Estimate $2,000 - 3,000.

The 50gr is scarcer on piece than on cover. The Rothschild collection contained only 3 examples [Phillips sale 25241, 8 Nov 1984, lot numbers 399 & 416; and sale 26377, 20 Nov 1986, lot number 371], none of which is in the chocolate shade. This item is probably unique in having the town cancel tie the stamp to the piece : very scarce on Sicilian stamps. Sassone €42,000 ($51,660)
Est. $2,000-3,000 (Image)

Sassone €42,000 ($51,660)
Est. $2,000

Sicily, 1859 Ferdinand II 50g dark violet lake brown. Horizontal strip of 3 (Pos. 93-95; position 93 retouched), o.g., lightly hinged at center with end stamps never hinged, large margins including bottom sheet margin, Extremely Fine, a very rare strip in the dark violet lake brown shade which includes the most important of the two retouches, signed by A. Diena, En. Diena, Raybaudi & G. Avanzo with 2013 Bottacchi certificate.
Sassone No. 14b; €15,000 as singles ($18,450); Estimate $750 - 1,000. Sassone €15,000 as singles ($18,450)
Est. $750-1,000 (Image)

Sassone €15,000 as singles ($18,450)

Sicily, 1858-59 Sicily Balance Collection. Small balance collection in stockbook which includes two Barone essays, one mint ½gr, one mint 1gr & two used singles, five used 2gr. (one with red horseshoe cancel), one mint pair and two covers, two used and two mint 5gr, and two mint 20gr, one used and one cover, generally in nice condition.
Estimate; $1,000 - 1,500. Est. $1,000-1,500

Est. $1,000-1,500