Sicily, 1859 Ferdinand II 5g rose carmine, plate I. (top left corner, position 1), large margins, bright rich color, Extremely Fine and choice, with 1986 En. Diena & 2011 Bottacchi certificates. Scott No. 14.
Sassone No. 9; €1,650 ($2,030); Estimate $150 - 200. Sassone €1,650 ($2,030)
Est. $150-200 (Image)

Sassone €1,650 ($2,030)
Est. $150-200

Sicily, 1859 Ferdinand II 5g rose carmine, plate I. Horizontal pair (Pos. 46-47 with position 46 retouched), large even margins, o.g., small hinge remnant, Extremely Fine, signed Em. Diena with 1970 A. Diena certificate. Scott No. 14.
Sassone No. 9; €3,300 as singles ($4,060); Estimate $300 - 400. Sassone €3,300 as singles ($4,060)
Est. $300-400 (Image)

Sassone €3,300 as singles ($4,060)
Es

Sicily, 1859 Ferdinand II 5g rose carmine, plate I. Block of four, o.g. two stamps never hinged, four large margins, bright fresh color, Extremely Fine, with 2015 Ghiglione certificate. Scott No. 14.
Sassone No. 9; €8,750 ($10,760); Estimate $750 - 1,000. Sassone €8,750 ($10,760)
Est. $750-1,000 (Image)

Sassone €8,750 ($10,760)
Est. $750-1,

Sicily, 1859 Ferdinand II 5g rose carmine, plate I. block of 12 (Pos. 2-5, 12-15, 22-25), Pos. 5 with retouch, large margins including sheet margin at top, horizontal crease affecting second row, brownish o.g., hinged / never hinged, Very Fine, an impressive exhibition piece, Sassone catalog for two blocks and four singles, ex-Rothschild from the Phillips sale of 20 Oct 1988, with 1988 En. Diena certificate. Scott No. 14.
Sassone No. 9; €24,100 ($29,640); Estimate $2,000 - 3,000. Sassone €24,100 ($29,640)
Est. $2,000-3,000 (Image)

Sassone €24,100 ($29,640)
Est. $2,000

Sicily, 1859 Ferdinand II 5g rose carmine, plate I. Lovely single from the left sheet margin, large margins, bright fresh color, neat horseshoe cancel, Extremely Fine and choice, with 1997 Sorani certificate. Scott No. 14.
Sassone No. 9; €1,300 ($1,600); Estimate $100 - 150. Sassone €1,300 ($1,600)
Est. $100-150 (Image)

Sassone €1,300 ($1,600)
Est. $100-150

Sicily, 1859 Ferdinand II 5g rose carmine, plate I. Horizontal pair (Pos. 58-59), large even margins, tied by two strikes of Horseshoe cancel on 1859 folded cover from Palermo 13.7.1859 to Genoa (sent by surface mail through the Papal States with manuscript "7" (baj.) due, then through Tuscany "Via di Sarzana" with Genoa arrival postmark on the reverse + indication "10" and charge "5" on the front, Extremely Fine, with 1981 En. Diena and 2012 P.Vaccari certificates. Scott No. 14.
Sassone No. 9; €28,000 ($34,440); Estimate $3,000 - 4,000.

VERY RARE AND REALLY LOVELY COMBINATION OF USAGE AND QUALITY. Sassone €28,000 ($34,440)
Est. $3,000-4,000 (Image)

Sassone €28,000 ($34,440)
Est. $3,000

Sicily, 1859 Ferdinand II 5gr carmine rose, plate I + 1gr brown olive, plate II. Tied in combination on insured folded cover from Messina to Girgente by horseshoe cancels with two line "Messina" postmark and "Assicurata" oval handstamp at right, adhesive four margins showing most of dividing lines, Very Fine, Signed Lamy and Oliva.
Sassone No. 9+4b; €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 5g carmine, plate I. Block of 4 (Pos. 31-32, 41-42), o.g., lightly hinged, large margins including sheet margin at left, bright fresh color, Extremely Fine and choice, a gorgeous block, Sassone catalog for the rose carmine shade, ex-Rothschild, from the Phillips sale of 20 Nov 1986, with 1986 En. Diena certificate.
Sassone No. 9a; €8,750 ($10,760); Estimate $750 - 1,000. Sassone €8,750 ($10,760)
Est. $750-1,000 (Image)

Sassone €8,750 ($10,760)
Est. $750-1,

Sicily, 1859 Ferdinand II 5g carmine, plate I. Tied in combination with 1gr olive green, Pl. III + 2gr very dark blue Pl. III on insured folded cover from Catania 8.6.1859 to Messina, all tied by three neat strikes of horseshoe cancel, adhesives with four margins, however the 1gr & 5gr are close at bottom, Very Fine and a lovely three color franking, with 2016 Colla certificate.
Sassone No. 9a+5a+8a; Estimate $1,000 - 1,500. Est. $1,000-1,500 (Image)

Est. $1,000-1,500

Sicily, 1859 Ferdinand II 5g carmine, plate I. Tied in combination with 2gr bright blue, Plate I (Sass. #6g, Pos. 84 retouched) by single strike of horseshoe cancel on folded cover from Aderno to Catania (2 January 1860), adhesives with large margins except 5gr just touched at right, Very Fine, a very nice franking, with 1985 E. Diena certificate.
Sassone No. 9a; €9,000+ ($11,070); Estimate $500 - 750. Sassone €9,000+ ($11,070)
Est. $500-750 (Image)

Sassone €9,000+ ($11,070)
Est. $500-7

Sicily, 1859 Ferdinand II 5g blood red, plate I. Four large even margins, neat horseshoe cancel, deep fresh color, Very Fine and attractive, Signed Oliva, and Em. Diena with 1996 En. Diena certificate.
Sassone No. 9c; €2,000 ($2,460); Estimate $200 - 300. Sassone €2,000 ($2,460)
Est. $200-300 (Image)

Sassone €2,000 ($2,460)
Est. $200-300

Sicily, 1859 Ferdinand II 5g blood red, plate I. (Position 31), o.g., never hinged, ample to large margins including sheet margin at left, deep fresh color, Very Fine and choice, a rare shade of this stamp in outstanding condition, 1957 A. Diena, 1989 En. Diena and 2013 Vaccari certificates.
Sassone No. 9c; €4,500 ($5,540); Estimate $300 - 400. Sassone €4,500 ($5,540)
Est. $300-400 (Image)

Sassone €4,500 ($5,540)
Est. $300-400

Sicily, 1859 Ferdinand II 5g brownish red, plate I. (Position. 83), large even margins tied by horseshoe cancel on fragment, fresh color, Extremely Fine and choice, a wonderful example of this very scarce shade, signed A. Diena and G. Bolaffi, with 1991 En. Diena certificate.
Sassone No. 9d; €6,500 ($8,000); Estimate $500 - 750. Sassone €6,500 ($8,000)
Est. $500-750 (Image)

Sassone €6,500 ($8,000)
Est. $500-750

Sicily, 1859 Ferdinand II 5g pale vermilion, plate I. (Pos. 8), four large even margins, neat horseshoe cancel, Very Fine and scarce, ex-Rothschild from Phillips sale of 8 Nov. 1984, with 1984 En. Diena certificate.
Sassone No. 10; €4,500 ($5,540); Estimate $400 - 600. Sassone €4,500 ($5,540)
Est. $400-600 (Image)

Sassone €4,500 ($5,540)
Est. $400-600

Sicily, 1859 Ferdinand II 5g vermilion, plate I. (Pos. 41), four large margins, two strikes of horseshoe cancels, Very Fine, a lovely used example of this scarce shade, with 2007 Colla certificate.
Sassone No. 10a; €6,000 ($7,380); Estimate $400 - 600. Sassone €6,000 ($7,380)
Est. $400-600 (Image)

Sassone €6,000 ($7,380)
Est. $400-600

Sicily, 1859 Ferdinand II 5g vermilion, plate II. Block of 4 (Position 62-63, 72-73), o.g., lightly hinged at top, never hinged at bottom, four ample to large margins, post office fresh with bright color, Very Fine and choice, signed En. Diena. Scott No. 15.
Sassone No. 11; €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 5g vermilion, plate II. Four nice margins, bright and fresh, neat horseshoe cancel, Very Fine, signed Em. Diena with 2014 Bottacchi certificate. Scott No. 15.
Sassone No. 11; €5,000 ($6,150); Estimate $400 - 600. Sassone €5,000 ($6,150)
Est. $400-600 (Image)

Sassone €5,000 ($6,150)
Est. $400-600

Sicily, 1859 Ferdinand II 5gr vermilion, plate II. Tied by horseshoe cancels in combination with 1gr dark olive green, plate III, Palermo paper + 10g Indigo paying the 1-ounce letter rate (8gr) plus registration (8gr), on a cover from Cefalù to Palermo dated 25 April 1860. [Palermo was under siege at the Convent of Gancia on this date.], and 5gr is additionally tied by Palermo arrival cds, adhesives well margined except 10g shaves frame at top, Very Fine and attractive, a lovely tricolor franking and combination, with 2011 Colla and 2012 Vaccari certificate.
Sassone No. 11+12b+5c; €35,000+ ($43,050); Estimate $4,000 - 6,000.

It should be noted that registered mail from Cefalù is rare, and a circular date cancellation on any Sicily stamp is scarce; this cover was featured in the Vaccari Magazine, no. 48, November 2012. Sassone €35,000+ ($43,050)
Est. $4,000-6,000 (Image)

Sassone €35,000+ ($43,050)
Est. $4,00

Sicily, 1859 Ferdinand II 5g bright vermilion, plate II. (Pos. 1), o.g., never hinged, corner margin single with large margins, bright fresh color, light natural wrinkle not mentioned on certificate, Extremely Fine a gem, with 2015 Ghiglione certificate.
Sassone No. 11a; €1,250 ($1,540); Estimate $100 - 150. Sassone €1,250 ($1,540)
Est. $100-150 (Image)

Sassone €1,250 ($1,540)
Est. $100-150

Sicily, 1859 Ferdinand II 5g bright vermilion, plate II. Block of 10 (Pos. 31-35, 41-45), large margins including sheet margin at left, bottom left stamp shaving design at bottom, o.g., four stamps with hinge remnant at top, all other never hinged, outstanding freshness and color, Extremely Fine, signed A. Diena with 1964 G. Bolaffi certificate.
Sassone No. 11a; €20,500 as 2 blks & 2 singles ($25,220); Estimate $1,500 - 2,000.

A WONDERFUL SHOWPIECE OF THE FIRST ORDER. Sassone €20,500 as 2 blks & 2 singles ($25,220)
Est. $1,500-2,000 (Image)

Sassone €20,500 as 2 blks & 2 singles ($

Sicily, 1859 Ferdinand II 5gr bright vermilion, plate II, Palermo paper, complete sheet of 100. O.g., never hinged, Post Office fresh, Extremely Fine and choice, a highly important showpiece of great rarity and visual appeal in superb condition, signed A. Bolaffi, with 2012 Colla certificate.
Sassone No. 11a; €225,000 as blocks of 4 ($276,750); Estimate $15,000 - 20,000. Sassone €225,000 as blocks of 4 ($276,750)
Est. $15,000-20,000 (Image)

Sassone €225,000 as blocks of 4 ($276,75

Sicily, 1859 Ferdinand II 5g bright vermilion, plate II, Napoli paper. Four large margins (tiny scissor cut in margin at bottom right corner), Very Fine, with clear 1963 A. Diena certificate.
Sassone No. 11a; €6,000 ($7,380); Estimate $200 - 300. Sassone €6,000 ($7,380)
Est. $200-300 (Image)

Sassone €6,000 ($7,380)
Est. $200-300

Sicily, 1859 Ferdinand II 5g bright vermilion, plate II, Palermo paper. Two singles (clear to large margins) tied by horseshoe cancels on letter from Messina to Malta dated 22 May 1860, with Malta receiver on reverse 23 May 1860.; skillfully repaired with the addition of a small amount of paper along the top, and particularly behind the stamps, for protection, F.-V.F., an outstanding usage, signed Em. Diena with 1988 En. Diena and 2012 Vaccari certificates.
Sassone No. 11a; €42,000 for single on cover ($51,660); Estimate $3,000 - 4,000.

A late-usage cover, and unique to Malta with this franking, surcharged '1' [penny] for delivery in Malta. Having been lost at some indeterminate time before 1941, this cover was re-discovered by a dealer in Malta in 1987. Note: Approximately two dozen Sicily covers to Malta are known. Sassone €42,000 for single on cover ($51,660)
Est. $3,000-4,000 (Image)

Sassone €42,000 for single on cover ($51