Lot 535
Sicily, 1859 Ferdinand II 50g chocolate (Pos. 26), with wide to full margins all around, tied by horseshoe cancel and almost complete Civitavecchia Dalla Via Di Mare town cancel on fragment (Presumably from a former single franking similar to the unique known cover with the same town cancellation)., Very Fine, a wonderful Sicilian rarity; with 1995 Sorani certificate.Sassone No. 14a; €42,000 ($51,660) Estimate $2,000 - 3,000.
The 50gr is scarcer on piece than on cover. The Rothschild collection contained only 3 examples [Phillips sale 25241, 8 Nov 1984, lot numbers 399 & 416; and sale 26377, 20 Nov 1986, lot number 371], none of which is in the chocolate shade. This item is probably unique in having the town cancel tie the stamp to the piece : very scarce on Sicilian stamps.
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Realized: $2,200