Lot 494 o
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.
Realized: $290
Lot
495 
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.
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Realized: $950
Lot
496 
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.
Realized: $625
Lot 497 o
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.
Realized: $400
Lot 498 o
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.
Realized: $850
Lot
499 /
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.
Realized: $800
Lot 500 o
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.
Realized: $350
Lot
501 
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.
Realized: $4,000
Lot
502
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.
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Realized: $450
Lot
503 /
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.
Realized: $1,500