Auction 265th - 273rd - Day 3

1870 (March 16): Registered cover from Malta to Livorno endorsed 'col Vapore postali Italiano' franked by Great Britain 1864/79 1 d. red pl. 111 in a horizontal pair and 1865 1 s. green pl. 4, all cancelled by neat "A25" obliterators in black. Superb strike of circular "REGISTERED / MALTA" datestamp in red alongside - the earliest recorded usage of this marking. The cover endorsed as weighing "gr. 6½" (below a ¼ of an ounce) and strangely treated as double rate (note '2' in red at top) alongside Too Late 'DOPO LA / PARTENZA' handstamp in black. Manuscript '5½' (55 centesimi) credit to Italy on front. Reverse with Siracusa cds, Napoli Ferrovia cds and Livorno arrival (March 21). A charming and rare cover.rnProvenance: Collection 'Disraeli', Cavendish, 11 June 1994, lot 153; Cavendish, Derby, 8 March 2017.