X+46 pp. - b/w and colour ill. - softbound - printed 1994
VALUATIONS IN IT LIRE
Italian text

ALBERTO DIENA A philatelist - His life, one of his works – "FLATTERING" CANCELLATIONS USED ON THE POSTAGE STAMPS OF THE KINGDOM OF NAPLES AND OF NAPLES PROVINCES

The most fanciful postmarks of the world, the extraordinary "flattering" cancellations of the Kingdom of Naples have always been appreciated by Italian and foreign collectors. The present notes aim at resuming and, whenever possible, revising what has been so far published by the many experts, first of all Emilio Diena, the author's father.

This monograph, in addition to an introduction on the author, deals with the subject in the following chapters:
1 - origins of flattering cancellations;
2 - how many of them are known and where they were used;
3 - subdivision into six groups of six types each and their distribution;
4 - period of use;
5 - localities in which they were used;
6 - postage stamps on which they were used - some of the best known rarities - short notes on mixed franking;
7 - colours used for the impressions - attempts at identifying their origin even without the nominal postmark - postal frauds;
8 - in what types and colours the nominal postmarks were combined with the flattering cancellations;
9 - evaluation criteria for letters with postage stamps cancelled with flattering postmarks;
10 - evaluations of flattering cancellations on pieces or loose stamps.

312 pp. - 325 b/w ill. - format cm 17x24 - softbound - reprinted 1992 - 2nd ed. 2008
series "The Recoveries"
Italian text

POSTAGE STAMPS OF THE KINGDOM OF NAPLES
AND TWO TEMPORARY HALF TORNESE STAMPS OF 1860

In 1858 the first postage stamps of Naples, and on the occasion of the 150th anniversary the study by Emilio Diena about the postage stamps of the Kingdom of Naples.

The well-known monograph, first published in a series of articles in the magazine "Il Corriere Filatelico" between 1929 and 1931, and later in the edition of 1932, is properly considered as Emilio Diena's masterpiece.
The work is the result of several years of research and study in a subject which is really difficult to deal with, due to technical and graphic problems (plates, double prints, papers, shades of colour) and historical and postal-historical aspects.

Emilio Diena was able to solve many issues and to organise the material found in a perfect way so that his work is still a reference point for specialists.

Such a result was obtained even thanks to a team effort: his son Alberto spent several months in Naples to look for the official documentation; Emilio Diena had the opportunity to consult the most important collectors of the time; to plate the "crocetta", he was given the photographs of the 87 copies of that rare 1/2 tornese kept in the Tapling collection by Sir Edward Demy Bacon.

The present new edition, included in the series "the Recoveries", is like the anastatic reprint of 1992, with preface by Enzo Diena, except for its layout.
The three tables on their own with the reproductions of the varieties of the 1/2 tornese Croce di Savoia postage stamp have been included in the volume.
Several illustrations of all the stamps.

24 pp. - colour ill. - saddle stitch binding - printed 2019
Italian text

2 GRANA POSTAGE STAMPS OF THE KINGDOM OF NAPLES

24 pages printed in colour illustrate, by means of tens of enlargements and details, the main features of the 2 grana postage stamps of the Kingdom of Naples, including the numerous interesting engraving varieties of these stamps created by the mastery of Giuseppe Masini and Gennaro De Masa.

The complete reconstructions of the I and of the II plate are printed in colour for the first time.

246 pp. - colour ill. - hardbound - 2nd ed. 2017
Italian text

THE 1/2 TORNESE POSTAGE STAMP OF 1860
"SAVOY CROSS"
Technical-descriptive study with the reconstruction of the table
Second Edition

Introduction by Raffaele Diena

Thanks to the process the authors have used for the plating of each of the one hundred "varieties", through computer comparisons and thousands of photographs available, the identification, with mathematical accuracy, of every position of the "cross" is now possible.

For the present second edition the whole volume has been revised, corrected and enriched in the light of new archive acquisitions and of photographic documentation. In most cases, pictures have been replaced with higher definition ones.
Compared to the first edition, photos are now more complete with all the hundred 'varieties' also of the Trinacria.
Three unreleased sections have been added: the chapter about forgeries, deepened and enriched with an extended treatment of the forgeries by De Sperati, in order to allow for sure their recognizing; an appendix about Trinacria (postal use, cancellations, forgeries); and, in the end, an appendix with the first attempt of reconstruction of the second plate of 1/2 grano of the Kingdom of Naples.

From the preface by Raffaele Diena.
"The present grand work about a sole postal value used only for some months in the period just before the unification of Italy represents, for sure, a display of courage and resolution by the authors. It is not so easy to obtain so many documents and information, even though they had an important reference point in the work by Emilio Diena about the postage stamps of the Kingdom of Naples. [...]besides the postal-historical research, with rates and use of the time, the different steps in the realization and technical characteristics in details, it is quite relevant the fact that the present volume has as its main aim the identification, with mathematical accuracy, of every position of the 'cross'. The authors have concentrated their efforts in this, thanks to the process they have used for the plating of each of the one hundred 'varieties', through computer comparisons and thousands of photographs available."