Austria. 1919 (Jan-March) Two postcards to Salò (Italy) from two Italian humanitarian commissions in Innsbruck, the former with "Commissione Militare Italiana/Ufficio Stazione" two-line hs, cirlce "Commissione Militare Italiana/Innsbruck", forwarded by courier to Trento where a "Leoni" 10c was tied by the civil P.O.; the other bearing "Comando Tappa Innsbruck/Ufficio profughi" hs, censorship and "Leoni" 5c & 10c directly posted to the military P.M. 151 in Innsbruck. A very rare duo. (Image)

1919 (March-July) Two covers from Trieste and Pola to Vienna and Germany, the former with Trento & Trieste 25c on 25c, the other bearing Italy 25c, showing censorship labels and the two marking used: "Commissione Censura Postale/Trieste/Ufficio Corriere Speciale Vienna" and "Ufficio Corriere Speciale Vienna". A special courier with office in the Chamber of Commerce of Trieste operated to forward correspondence between Trieste and Vienna through the Italian Military Mission in Vienna, this being responsible to post the mail in the Austrian Post, and this service was only into force from January to August 1919, with few items are recorded. (Image)

1919 (March 17) Italian military free postage postcard from Vienna to Milan sent by a member of the "Commissione Italiana per l'Armistizio", transported by courier to Trento and consigned to the military P.M. 124 with matching cds. The only free-postage postcard recorded used by the Italian missions in Austria. (Image)

1919 (April 4-7) Two covers from Vienna to Ferrara, franked and censored on departure with "Michetti" 25c, "Comando Supremo/Regio Esercito Italiano" double circle and "Verificato per Censura" straight line in violet, arriving by courier to Italy and posted each in a different location where the franking was tied: civil Trento P.O. and military P.M. 63 P.O. in Trieste. (Image)

1919 (April 17) Postcard from Vienna to Bolonia, with superb "Comando Supremo/Regio Esercito Italiano/Missione Italiana per l'Armistizio" handstamp in purple, franked by the sender with Trento & Trieste 20c on 20c, unusually carried by the courier to Udine, where it entered the regular mail and the stamp, despite of not being valid in that area, was tolerated and tied by cds. Extremely rare. (Image)

1919 (April 26) Postcard from the Airfield of Aspern (Vienna) to Italy, sent by a member of the 8th Section of S.V.A. Airplanes in the Italian Military Mission in Austria, carried by courier to Italy to Verona, bearing "Leoni" 5c & 10c tied "Verona" cds on 30.4 paying, as usual, the domestic rate. Very rare. (Image)

1919 (April 27) Large registered express envelope to Milan, sent by the Italian correspondent of the "Illustrazione Italiana" magazine who had the privilege to use the postal system of the "Commissione Italiana di Armistizio" (using the courier to Trento), franked by the sender with Trento & Trieste 20c on 20c two strips of three and 45c on 45c, uncancelled on departure as usual, forwarded with courier to Trento, where the franking was not cancelled and highlighted with blue crayon, as this issue in "centesimi di corona" currency had lost its validity one week before (19.4), with this office consequently re-franking the cover with "Floreale" 45c two pairs, "Leoni" 5c, "Michetti" 20c and express 25c pair, making up a 2,05 lire paying the quintuple rate, tied by military P.M. 124 cds (obviously in Trento), with the postal military authorities not applying a tax because presumably they had the ability to contra-charge the magazine against a credit for the postage due; on arrival, the "centesimi di corona" franking was tied; some faults to be expected in such a large item. A spectacular and unique usage. Cert. Colla (1993) and Enzo Diena (1994). (Image)

1919 (Sept) Two covers from and to the Airfield of Aspern ("ital. Flugfeld of Aspern"), both addressed to the same lieutenant, each with two "Missione di Vienna-Collegamento Aereo Padova-Vienna-Praga" vignettes used to seal the envelopes (in one overlapping the edges), one sent unfranked by courier, the other with Austria 1kr tied by Angern ds; in addition an unused example of the vignette. Very scarce. Both signed Enzo Diena. (Image)

1919 (Sept 1st) Postcard from Vienna struck with "Comando Supremo/Regio Esercito Italiano/Missione Italiana per l'Armistizio" in three lines, "Comando Supremo/Regio Esercito Italiano" circle and "Verificato per Censura" straight-line handstamps on departure, very rarely carried by military courier to Rome, where it was franked and posted with "Leoni" 5c pair tied by "Roma/Ferrovia" machine cancel, instead of following the route via civil Trento P.O. or the military offices 81 & 124. Some faults, but a very rare usage. (Image)

1919 (Dec 17) Cover from Vienna to Turin showing superb "Missione Militare Italiana Vienna/Commissione Ferroviaria" from the Railway Commission, franked on departure with "Leoni" 5c and 10c pair, arriving to Innsbruck by courier, tied by military P.M. 151 cds in this Austrian locality. Exceedingly scarce. (Image)

1919-20 Four items to Italy (one from Italy), including registered cover from Graz with heading "Commissione Militare Interalleata di Controllo nella Repubblica d'Austria" and a postcard form the "Marinensektion"; "Missione Militare Italiana per l'Armistizio": cover from Italy from the Chief of the Mission with interesting contents, and one registered with P.M. 63 in Trieste at quadruple rate. An extremely rare group from the Italian Missions. (Image)

1919-23 Three covers/cards from the Boundary Commission between Italy and Austria, with handstamps including "Commissione Delimitazione Confini/1a Armata" on a rare postcard with P.M. 70 cancellation, other two with cachet referring to the Treaty of St. Germain-en-Laye, and the third with French-German heading and very rare paper seals on reverse from the Austrian Delegation, although it was sen by an Italian member. A very scarce trio. (Image)

1919-24 Group of 10 items including handstamp of "Commissione Militare Italiana/Ufficio Stazione", "Ferrovie Italiane dello Stato/Delegazione Innsbruck", "special courier" mail Trieste-Vienna via the Chamber of Commerce, registered express mail to a member of the Mission in Innsbruck returned to sender as only postcards were admitted, mail from and to an Italian in the Airfield Aspern; in addition a special ticket issued by the Italian Mission to travel by train in first class in Austria, signed by the Chief of the Railway Commission, a card sent to the Military Mission in Budapest via Vienna, etc. (Image)