1859 4b Black on fawn, diagonal bisect used as 2b, the top right half of the stamp neatly and strongly tied across the bisected edge to the reverse of an 1859 entire folded letter from Bologna to Cento by black lozenge grid cancel, on the front is a matching “Bologna/19 Dec 59” c.d.s. and blue boxed handstamp with ms. “10” centesimi rate marking at left which is equivalent to the 2b paid by the bisect, stamp has a full even margin at top and just along the frame at right, a file fold barely catches the very bottom tip of the stamp and is of no consequence, a fine and extremely rare cover; for the short period that the stamps of Romagna stamps were in use fractional portions of certain stamps were accepted to pay rates where the proper denomination was not available, either at the post office or to the sender, the 4b value was bisected to pay the 2b (10c) rate, very few covers have survived and bisect covers are not only of great rarity, but extremely popular; the cover offered here is an attractive and wonderful example of this very rare usage; signed A. D(iena), E(nzo) D(iena) and Raybaudi among others, also accompanied by clear 1980 Enzo Diena and 1986 Raybaudi certificates (Scott #5a; $28,500.00)
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