Italy - City & Landscape

Italy 1904-1945 - Historical Collection of 25 Author/Military Postcards and 43 Mailable Envelopes (including Military Mail, Express Mail, Vinceremo and Colonies) Interesting and varied historical collection consisting of a total of 68 original-era pieces (25 postcards + 43 letter envelopes) that cover more than forty years of postal, social, and fashion history in Italy, from the Liberty period of the Belle Époque to the immediate post-war years (1904–1945). The lot entirely stems from coherent archives, with dense cross-correspondences directed mainly toward Enna (Castrogiovanni), Catania, Venice, and Casale sul Sile. It features pieces signed by the greatest publishers of the twentieth century and rarities of philatelic and military interest. SECTION I: ILLUSTRATED AND PHOTOGRAPHIC POSTCARDS (25 pieces) An important core that ranges from portraits of the great stars of silent cinema, Art Nouveau, fashion photography, and war propaganda: • Portraits of Actresses and Belle Époque (Early 1900s): - La Belle Viennoise: Rare real photograph published by elite publisher Rotophot Berlin (RPH), series 2615/3 (horse and double R mark). Ink inscription from the height of the Great War (October 6, 1917). - Maureen Desmond: Famous early-20th-century actress, vintage photo-card delicately hand-colored (contemporary), written and dated May 8, 1908. - Mlle Gilda Darthy: Rare color drawing published by the historic Alterocca publishing house in Terni (early series no. 015). Vintage text written on the front white border, dated September 8, 1908. - Violet Palferay: Famous dancer of the Tiller Girls, contemporary photographic portrait with a bouquet of colored flowers, dated December 6, 1917. - Carolina Stoete: Rare portrait published by GG Co. (NPG Berlin), series 408/5, with message dated in Roman numerals XXI February 1908. - Myrtle Elvyn: Original photographic portrait (Garlach mark on the back), dated February 24, 1908. - Belle Époque Garlach / GG Portrait: Series 318/3 with the initials "Hse", dated March 23, 1908. Artistic Pieces, Costume and Colonial: - Eritrea Colony (Asmara): Splendid and rare postcard in green tones depicting the Arab Mosque, published by A.A. F. Cicero Asmara. Mailed on April 7, 1930 to a notary in Enna with two stamps from the Eritrean Colony and contemporaneous cancel, perfectly sharp. - The Death of Petronius (Quo Vadis): A.N. Paris edition no. 276/16 distributed by art publisher Kunichev (Pleven, Bulgaria). Fascinating geopolitical journey: Bulgarian text (Cyrillic) and mailed to Italy (Casale sul Sile) on June 23, 1929 with stamp and cancel. - Family Photo in San Marco (Venice): Rare early private real photo postcard, new and unused. Shows a slice of bourgeois fashion of the time. - Liberty Allegory in Gilding (1904): Stunning bronze-relief postcard with winged figure and putti, dated October 11, 1904 (stamp missing). - Allegory of Hope (1914): Color artistic postcard with precious rhinestone applications, series 3899, dated September 10, 1914. Postal History, Express and Propaganda (1912-1945): - Profile in the style of "La Fabiola": Publisher GG 1023/9. A rare philatelic piece: travels without stamp thanks to a rare circular exemption mark from the Royal Army (“PRA” Personal Royal Army), dated July 31, 1912 (Italo-Turkish War). - Female Rotophot portrait (RPH 2619/2): Mailed January 6, 1913, also stamp-free but protected by official postal exemption print P.R.A. surrounded by leaves. - Woman on the seafront (Bimillenary Augustan): Sent from Naples to Enna on October 6, 1939. Franked with the red 20-cent commemorative stamp for the proclamation of the Empire (Augustus). Features a very clear mechanical commercial cancel: "La lotteria di Merano will make you a millionaire". - 3 World War II Propaganda postcards: Franked and characterized by the famous and emblematic war-overprint "VINCEREMO" (1940-1945). - 2 Express Travel postcards: Dated between 1931 and 1945, densely written and franked with the special 1.25 Lire Express stamp. An uncommon combination on a postcard. - Other period postcards densely written on the front and back, with cancels directed to Catania, Enna, and Venice. SECTION II: LETTER ENVELOPES AND POSTAL HISTORY (43 PIECES) 1) A homogeneous and highly impactful philatelic block: 41 Commercial and Private “Verdine” Envelopes (1908–1916): rich correspondence of the Kingdom of Italy (standard rates with Michetti or Leoni series) characterized by clearly legible origin/destination postmarks. It also covers the first two years of World War I. Destinations with strong philatelic interest: Castrogiovanni (historical name for Enna), Caltanissetta, Piazza Armerina, San Giovanni in Fiore, and Aprigliano (Calabria). 1 Commercial Envelope addressed to the Jewelry Store "Calderoni Milano" (1925) mailed from Milan (Via Durini) to Castrogiovanni on February 19, 1925 (expressed date in Roman numerals 19 II 1925). Franked with a pair of 25-cent stamps (Emblem of Vittorio Emanuele III). 1 Rare Mixed Postage Envelope Military Mail / Airmail (August 3, 1945): The elite piece of the philatelic section. White envelope sent immediately after the end of the Second World War in Europe. It features spectacular mixed postage consisting of 6 stamps: 2 values of 50 cents 'Winged Horse' (Airmail), 3 values of 30 cents 'Portrait of the King', and 1 value of 15 cents 'Head of Italy'. The envelope is enriched by clear "Airmail" and "PM" (Military Mail) stamps. All material is in good to very good overall condition, considering age and the fact that these are real documents that traveled by mail. Sturdy paper, contemporaneous inks clearly readable, stamps well perforated, and cancels mostly sharp. Please view the photographs carefully.

Estimate:$7.83

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