1859 (Jan 1): ½ gr. yellow-brown, Plate I, a used example of bold colour, ample margins all round, crisply cancelled in black. A very rare stamp. Cert. Dr. Avi (2019) Sassone = € 24'000. (Image 1) (Image 2) (Image 3) (Image)

1859: ½ gr. orange, Plate II, a used example of fresh colour, close to large margins all round, lightly cancelled in black. Rare. Signed E.Diena. Cert. Dr. Avi (2022) Sassone = € 7'000. (Image 1) (Image 2) (Image 3) (Image)

1859: 1 gr. brownish olive-green 'bruno olivastro', Plate I, State 2, a used example of this rare shade, good margins all round, well cancelled in black leaving the head clear, backed into original piece. A fine example of a scarce stamp. Cert. Dr. Avi (2020) Sassone = € 2'500. (Image 1) (Image 2) (Image 3) (Image)

Sale No: 284
Lot No:1546
Symbol:Cat No:Collection

5 gr. vivid vermilion, 2nd plate in compl. sheet of 100 examples with full sheet margins, original gum which is intact for the majority of the examples, very fresh, minute oxidation traces in the upper and left sheet margin. A spectacular rarity. Cert. Enzo Diena (1986) Sassone = € 225'000 for 25 blocks of four.rnProvenance: Collection Alphonse Rothschild (Image 1) (Image 2) (Image 3) (Image 4) (Image)

1859 (May 19): 5 gr. vermilion, Plate IIa, a used example of fine colour, close to good margins all round, lightly cancelled in black. A scarce stamp. Cert. Carraro (2003) Sassone = € 5'500. (Image 1) (Image 2) (Image 3) (Image)

1859 (Jan 1): 20 gr. slate-grey, a used example of good colour, ample margins all round, position 72 showing retouch to '2' and frameline above, lightly cancelled in black leaving the retouch clear. Scarce. Signed E. Diena,. Cert. Dr. Avi (2019) Sassone = € 4'500. (Image 1) (Image 2) (Image 3) (Image)

1859 (Jan 10): 50 gr. lake-brown, Plate I, a used example of bold colour, ample margins all round, lightly cancelled in black leaving the head clear. A scarce stamp. Signed E. Diena. Cert. Dr. Chiavarello (1999) Sassone = € 12'000. (Image 1) (Image 2) (Image 3) (Image)

Sale No: 284
Lot No:1551
Symbol:Cat No:Collection

1861: Sardegna used in Sicily, Group of three letters including scarce usage of black horse shoe cancel (ferro di cavallo) applied to 1861 10 c. brown olive grey on letter from S. Stefano di Camastra (July 1, 1861) to Messina (Sassone R3, ex. coll. Nino Aquila with 1976 cert. A. Diena), further straight line SCICLI (Sass. 12 pt.) struck to 10 c. bruno cioccolato scuro (on of only eight letters known in this shade, Sassone 14Ce) on 1861 (July 21) letter to Palermo one of only eight letters know and the only in this shade (signed by Giulio Bolaffi 1949 and Alberto Diena plus cert. Enzo Diena, 1995), as well as a fine strike of ovale BROLO handstamp (Sass. R1) applied to 10 c. grigio olivastro chiaro on 1861 (May 23) dated letter to Palermo (cert. Enzo Diena, 1995). A fine selection of three very scarce usages Sass. = € 60'000.rn (Image 1) (Image 2) (Image 3) (Image)

Italy - Sicilia, Diena, Emilio 1904; A HISTORY OF THE POSTAGE STAMPS OF SICILY with twenty plates of Autotype illustrations. 143 pages, translated by E. B. Evans, published by Stanley Gibbons London. Half leather hardbound with raised spine, gold tooled. A very rare monograph. (Image 1) (Image 2) (Image 3) (Image 4) (Image)

Sale No: 284
Lot No:6442
Symbol:Cat No:Collection

1859: ½ gr. 'giallo chiaro' plate I in a horizontal pair in combination with 1 gr. 'bruno oliva chiaro' plate II, a single example, all fresh and fine adhesives with vivid colour and good to huge margins all round, tied by 'ferro di cavallo' handstamp, oval LEONFORTE despatch handstamp (Sassone CT = 4 punti) and CATANIA (June 20, 1859) arrival cds alongside, on entire letter. An attractive and most unusual combination to pay the 2 grana rate for a letter from office to office. Signed Em. Diena; cert. E. Diena (1989) Sassone = € 55'900+.rnProvenance: Collection Rothschild. (Image 1) (Image 2) (Image 3) (Image)

Sale No: 284
Lot No:6447
Symbol:Cat No:Collection

1859: 1 gr. 'bruno ruggine intenso', an oily print from plate I, in combination with 5 gr. 'rosa carminio' from plate I, position 10, showing retouching at top left, two fresh and fine examples with good to huge margins all round, cancelled by one superb central strike of the 'ferro di cavallo' handstamp, crisp oval SALEMI despatch handstamp in red alongside, on registered cover from Partanna to Palermo. Obverse with oval ASSICURATA handstamp in red and "PALERMO ARRIVO 16 NOV. 59" arrival cds in black. A splendid ensemble and a beautiful franking paying the 3 grana rate for 1½ sheets from office to office, doubled by registration. Signed Em. Diena, Golinelli & Asinelli; cert. Colla (1993) Sassone = € 19'750.rnProvenance: Collection Golinelli. (Image 1) (Image 2) (Image 3) (Image)

Sale No: 284
Lot No:6452
Symbol:Cat No:Collection

1859: A choice group of three covers bearing single fine and fresh frankings of the 2 grana from the first plate including 2 gr. blue on cover from Modica to Catania, signed E. Diena & Grioni, 2 gr. cobalt on cover from Messina to Catania, cert. Raybaudi & 2 gr. light blue on cover from Trapani to Palermo, signed A. Diena. Sassone = € 2'950. (Image 1) (Image 2) (Image)