A “Milanofil” public sale
The material up for auction is not the kind of thing you come across every day.
Whether it’s the groups of letters, making up around fifty lots overall, sent by the soldiers who were approaching Rome to conquer the city in 1870; or the block of four pale blue 15 centesimi without the “horseshoe” overprint (Sassone catalogue 25A, lot 592, starting price 40,000 euros). Or likewise, considerably fine documents from the Austrian Levant such as lot 180, franked with one Egyptian stamp and one from the Levant but sent through the French postal services in Alexandria (starting price 15,000 euros), or the blue 2 pence with Queen Victoria used as a block of four (lot 1040, 5000 euros) or as a strip of seven (lot 1039, 5000 euros).
Overall we have 1060 lots on sale for this first public sale. We have carefully selected items for our first auction so that each piece presented is always of great interest, and in some cases extraordinary.
The stamped envelope with advertising, marked as series n° 3 (lot 696, 50,000 euros), for example, is the only known one of its kind, and had not been on the market for several decades.
The auction catalogue is available already: simply request your copy from our shop in Via Santa Margherita 6 in Milan, or by phone (+39 02.805.24.27), by fax (+39 02.805.11.86) or by e-mail (aste@zanaria.com). The digital version is already online and can be downloaded from our website.
We have made a conscious decision to give detailed descriptions of each item on sale, including any defects they might have. This will allow potential purchasers to form their own opinion based on all the information made available.
However, just because a lot is rare does not mean its price is high. Its starting price, at least. A simple rule of thumb is that the starting price is around half of the actual market value, in other words, a figure which any normal shop would willingly pay. It is then up to those taking part in the auction to decide the final amount, through their bids.
The auction will take place in the “green” hall of “Milanofil”, the stamp fair organised by Poste Italiane (Fiera Milano city, entrance on Via Gattamelata 5, basement floor). The auction will start at 2.30pm.
Lots may be examined on an informal basis at the Zanaria shop, from March 16th – 26th from 9.15am-12.30pm and 2-30pm – 7pm from Monday afternoon to Saturday (before March 16th on appointment only). All day on March 27th and on the morning of the 28th, the lots may be viewed at the Zanaria stand at “Milanofil”.
