Lot 20612 – 1918 “Distaccamento/Italiani/Irredenti” arc handstamp on cover

1918 (July 15) Postage-free cover from Tientsin sent to the Royal Italian Marines Detachment in Peking with military courier, showing superb strike of “Distaccamento/Italiani/Irredenti” arc handstamp in violet, displaying “Distaccamento Ra. Marina in China/Comando” circle with Savoyard coat of arms on reverse, containing the letter inside in which riots in Tientsin are mentioned and: “my brother was two days ago in the hands of the Chinese, but afterwards they have acknowledged his innocence and he was released, then he had fever and was taken into hospital for 20 days”. One of the finest examples of this exceedingly scarce handstamp, which is very rarely found so clearly struck. Signed Sorani.