U.S. and Worldwide; The "Aurora" Collection of R.S.F.S.R.
February 8-10, 2011
| Images | Description | Current Bid |
 | Lot #950 ITALIAN STATES Sicily 1859 outer folded letter (one side-flap missing) from Caltagirone to Vizzini, paying 3 grana with six 1/2gr (Napoli) singles, various shades: 1st, 2nd (position 31 retouch) and 4th are plate I; 3rd, 5th and 6th are plate II, margins more all less ample all around, touched in places (2nd and last stamps), each showing traces of previous use (!), with oval departure hs on front, additional official seal of "Commune di Caltagirone" on back, fine and interesting example of early postal fraud, apparently typical from Caltagirone, a town and commune in the province of Catania, signed Emilio Diena, with 1986 Dr. Enzo Diena cert.,  Catalog #Sass.1,2 Catalog Value €134,000 | Price Realized $6,500.00 |
 | Lot #951 ITALIAN STATES Sicily 1859 folded letter from Messina (16.4) used in 1850 to Torino, paying 22 grana with four 1/2gr (Napoli) singles, each plate I (second stamp at bottom previously used), plus horizontal strip of 4x5gr vermilion (vermiglio vivo) plate II, sent via Genova (20 Apr), with "Piroscafi Postali Francese" in red, backstamped on arrival. The stamps are mostly with full margins, first stamp of the strip is slightly cut in at left, previously used adhesive is wrinkled, the stamp at bottom right close and touching at left, signed Brun etc., with 1990 Dr.Enzo Diena and 1999 Raybaudi certificates. Only a few strips of four of 5 grana are recorded on cover; this being used in combination with four 1/2 grana singles, one being a postal fraud (!) (catalogue value only for the strip of 4x5gr on cover) Catalog #Sass.1a,11a Catalog Value €97,500 | Price Realized $11,000.00 |
 | Lot #952 ITALIAN STATES Sicily 1859 (30.4) outer FL from Palermo to Girgenti, franked with a horizontal pair of 1/2gr grayish orange (arancio scuro), plate II (Napoli), pos. 16-16, used in combination with horizontal strip of 3x2gr blue, plate I, positions 87-89 (middle stamp retouch 88), plus 5gr carmine (carminio scuro), plate I, position 3, all neatly tied, with departure pmk and "Assicurata" in oval, first stamp of the 2gr strip slightly cut in at top, all others with full margins, fresh and v.f., fabulous 12gr combination franking, signed E.Asinelli, Alberto Diena, with 1988 Dr.Enzo Diena and 2001 Dr.Giorgio Colla certificates ("Spettacolare affrancatura, la lettera e originale al pari degli annuli e deil francobolli, tutti in ottimo stato di conservazione e perfetti") Catalog #2c,6a,9b Catalog Value €76,000 | Price Realized $22,000.00 |
 | Lot #953 ITALIAN STATES Sicily 1859 50gr brown lake, used in combination with 1gr brown olive (bruno ruggine), plate I, 5gr rose carmine and 10gr indigo, paying 66gr on outer FL from Messina (26 Sept) to Genova, with departure datestamp alongside, endorsed "Postale Francese" and corresponding "Piroscafi Postali Francese" handstamp in red, with arrival (30 Sep) pmk on back. The 5gr is slightly cut in at top and at right, with a minor discoloration; the other three stamps including the 50 grana value are with full margins and in perfect condition. There are various pencil signatures including those of Alberto and Enzo Diena, with their 1973 and 1984 certificates (catalogue value for 50gr on cover) Catalog #Sass.3,9,12b,14 Catalog Value €170,000 | Unsold |
 | Lot #954 ITALIAN STATES Sicily 1859 20gr gray, horizontal pair, also 5gr vermilion, plate I, used in combination with 1gr brown olive, plate II (Napoli) and 2gr blue (Palermo), plate III, paying 48gr on outer FL from Palermo (29 Oct) to Genova, with departure cds at bottom, red "Genova Arrivo 5 Nov" on back, stamps with full margins (except 2gr just in at upper left) and fresh, remarkably fresh and rare four-color franking, with 1986 Enzo Diena and Raybaudi certificates, each referring to the rarity of the pair of 20 grana on cover ("piu rara di un 50 grana; ottimo stato di conservazione"!) Catalog #Sass.4b,6a,10a,13 Catalog Value €79,300 | Price Realized $15,000.00 |
 | Lot #955 ITALIAN STATES Sicily 1859 5gr rose brown (rosso brunastro), plate I, used in combination with 1gr olive, plate III and 10gr indigo, on outer FL from Palermo (9 April 59) to Girgenti, two strikes alongside and at bottom, with "Assicurata" endorsement and handstamp, stamps with full margins and fresh, vibrant colors, signed Asinelli, Raybaudi, Alberto and Enzo Diena, with 1961 and 1982 certificates, also 2001 Dr. Giorgio Colla cert. A fine three-color combination franking from the Gottheil and Schopen correspondence, Catalog #Sass.5a,9d,12b Catalog Value €40,700 | Price Realized $8,000.00 |
 | Lot #956 ITALIAN STATES Sicily 1859 10gr Indigo (indaco), large block of 28, positions 52-58, 62-68, 72-78, 82-88, unused with full original (dried) gum, incredibly fresh and rich color, folded several times between stamps (resulting in a small cut between stamps positions 52 and 62), negligible creasing at top and through the central vertical strip, signed "Asineli, Torino", Raybaudi etc., with 1990 Dr. Enzo Diena certificate. An impressive multiple, ex-Rothschild collection (catalogued as four singles and six blocks of four)  *Catalog #Sass.12b Catalog Value €60,000 | Unsold |
 | Lot #957 ITALIAN STATES Sicily 1859 20gr slate gray (grigio ardesia), block of 20, positions 3-7, 13-17, 23-27, 33-37, unused with full original (dried) gum, good color and margins, small tear between stamps at top, negligible, natural toned specks, striking large multiple of the 20 grana, with 1988 Dr. Enzo Diena certificate ("It is in perfect condition: I singed it "E.Diena" because of its rarity.") (catalogued as four singles and four blocks of four) *Catalog #Sass.13 Catalog Value €42,000 | Price Realized $8,500.00 |
 | Lot #958 ITALIAN STATES Sicily 1859 50gr brown lake, position 2, used in combination with 20gr gray, position 89, paying 70gr on a complete four-page folded letter from Catania (13 Mar), via Messina (16 Mar) to Napoli, with departure and transit datestamps alongside, endorsed "Vapore Francese," with red arrival pmk on back. Both stamps have margins all around and in perfect condition. There are various pencil signatures including Sylvano Sorani, Giulio Bolaffi, Dr. Enzo Diena , Giorgio Colla, handstamped A.Bolaffi, with 1996 Diena and 2002 Colla certificates ("la lettere e originale al pari degli annulli e dei francobolli, perfetti e superbamente marginati, documenti postali piu belli e rari di Sicilia.") One of only four known 70gr frankings (two to Napoli, others to Paris), exquisite rarity from Sicily (catalogue value for 50gr on cover) Catalog #Sass.13,14 Catalog Value €170,000 | Price Realized $47,500.00 |
 | Lot #959 ITALIAN STATES Sicily 1859 50gr brown lake, margins all around, lightly cancelled on piece, used in combination with 1gr, 2gr and 10gr, on piece, with Messina postmark alongside, all stamps with full margins, rare piece, signed Emilio Diena and Enzo Diena (catalogue value only for 50gr on piece, without consideration for the other stamps) O Catalog #Sass.14 Catalog Value €24,000 | Price Realized $4,750.00 |
