1863 Double-Rate Cover Rome to Hamilton Canada, 1852 4 baj black on yellow, 8 baj black pair, 50 baj dull blue defective impression printed from tarnished stereotypes (Scott 5, 7, 10; Sassone 5, 9, 10) all with margins full to just touching and tied by rhombus of bars handstamps, ms. «70» and «2» for 2x 35 baj rate of 1858 at upper left, black framed «P.P.», Roma 11 Nov 63 despatch cds, red «London / Paid» 16 NO 63 transit cancel, backstamped Hamilton Nov 30 on arrival, a Fine and most attractive cover to an extremely rare destination; signed A Diena and Holcombe, 1973 A Diena certificate (Image 2) (Image)

CV. Starting Price 2,000

1867 Cover Rome to USA via Queenstown, 1852 4 baj black on yellow, 5 baj black on rose (single and horizontal interpanneau «interspazio» pair) and 1 sc dull rose (Scott 5, 6, 11; Sassone 5, 6, 11) all tied on cover to Passaic NJ by black rhombus of bars obliterator except the 5 baj pair tied by Roma 15 Mar 67 despatch cds, endorsed «via Queenstown», black framed «PD» at right, red «27» hand stamp (US cents single rate) and red New York Apr 1 depreciated currency entry marking, an exceptional and rare franking; signed A Diena and with his 1970 certificate (Image 2) (Image)

CV. Starting Price 10,000

1859 Cover Rome to Sydney Australia via British Military Camp “Aldershot”, 1852 6 baj black on grey with 50 baj blue (Scott 7, 10; Sassone 7a, 10) tied by grids to lettersheet from "ROMA 19 NOV 1859" via the British Military Camp Aldershot where it was re-addressed, franked with a Great Britain 1856 6d. lilac(Scott 27; SG 70) for the onward postage to the Archbishop of Sydney Rev. Dr. Polding, the letter was carried by P.&O. packet PERA to Alexandria, then overland crossing the desert with camels and donkeys to Suez, reaching P.&O. packet NORTHAM to Sydney with arrival marking FE 9 1860, then forwarded to Mudgee, NSW, but finally returned to Sydney on March 19, 1860; the GB 6d uncancelled in error because the postman at Farnboro Station cancelled the Papal States 6 baj instead, minor imperfections as usual and 6 baj with small corner fault, otherwise Very Fine; 2016 K. Louis BPP certificate
Only 7 re-addressed combination covers with Papal States & GB frankings are recorded in the Karl Louis card index register of which only 4 bear the rare 50 baj. adhesive stamp, and 3 are from the correspondence to the Archbishop of Sydney Dr. Polding (John Bede Polding 1794 - 1877). (Image 2) (Image)

CV. Starting Price 5,000

1865 Cover Rome to London with Forwarding to Sydney Australia, 1852 50 baj.in the rare dark ultramarine shade (worn impression) together with 6 baj. black (Sassone 7a, 12) tied by black grids to letter sheet from "ROMA 16 GIU 65" via "Rev. Canon Donall, St. George's Cathedral Southwark, London" where it was re-addressed by affixing a separate address label franked with a GB 1865 6d lilac, plate 5 (SG 97) for the onward postage to the Archbishop of Sydney, NSW, Rev. Dr. Polding; the lettersheet was carried by P.&O. packet from Southhampton to Alexandria (August 2, 1865) hence overland by camels and donkeys to Suez reaching P.&O. packet NEMESIS (dep. August 10, 1865) to Galle, Ceylon, and finally carried by P.&O. packet MADRAS (dep. Galle August 25, 1865) to NSW with "SHIP LETTER SYDNEY 22 SP 1865" datestamp for arrival, minor imperfections, address label and 50 baj. lifted and hinged back for presentation; Sassone states only 28 covers franked with 50 baj. worn impression and the present offered to Sydney, Australia is not listed; only one other to Auckland, New Zealand listed in Sassone; 2003 Colla and 2016 K. Louis BPP certificates
Only 7 re-addressed combination covers with Papal States & GB frankings are recorded in the Karl Louis card index register of which only 4 bear the rare 50 baj. adhesive stamp, and 3 are from the correspondence to the Archbishop of Sydney Dr. Polding (John Bede Polding 1794 - 1877).
The forwarding addressee in London, Canon Donall, was on service at St. George's Cathedral, Southwark, opened 1848. St. Georges' Cathedral became in 1852 one of the four catholic churches raised to "Cathedral" status since the English reformation. (Image 2) (Image)

CV. Starting Price 10,000