Sale 1326 — 2024 Rarities of the World
Sale Date — Thursday, 27 June, 2024
Category — Worldwide: Canadian Provinces and Canada
New Brunswick, 1851, 1sh Bright Red Violet (3; SG 5). Original gum, relatively lightly hinged, large balanced margins, dazzling color in the truest shade possible, razor-sharp impression on wonderfully fresh paper
EXTREMELY FINE EXAMPLE OF THE 1851 ONE-SHILLING BRIGHT RED VIOLET. ONE OF THE FINEST EXISTING EXAMPLES OF THIS CLASSIC NEW BRUNSWICK RARITY. THE EPITOME OF GEM QUALITY.
After a careful review of major named sales containing British North America, many of the examples offered are without gum. The others with original gum do not have the margins or overall quality of the stamp offered here.
Ex Cole, Chapin, Gross and "Scarsdale". With 1988 and 2009 P.F. certificates. Scott $35,000. SG £30,000. Unitrade C$60,000.
New Brunswick, 1851, 1sh Bright Red Violet (3; SG 5). Large part original gum, h.r., full margins all around, bright color and excellent clarity of impression
VERY FINE. A HIGHLY DESIRABLE ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE NEW BRUNSWICK 1851 ONE-SHILLING RED VIOLET.
Ex Sir Gawaine Baillie. With 1976 Friedl and 1977 Brandon certificates. Scott $35,000. SG £30,000. Unitrade C$60,000.
Canada, 1857 Stampless Cover from Toronto to China. Clearly struck red "Toronto C.W. Paid Feb. 21 1857" circular datestamp and matching "PAID" handstamp, reddish manuscript "1/2" paid rate marking on cover to Shanghai, China, sender's directive "Per Cunard Steamer to Liverpool", London (Mar. 9) and Hong Kong (Apr. 29) transit datestamps, cover with some slight edgewear
FINE. AN EXCEPTIONALLY RARE COVER FROM TORONTO TO SHANGHAI VIA GREAT BRITAIN AND HONG KONG. NOTED BY WILKINSON AS THE ONLY COVER TO CHINA DURING THE 1851-1859 PERIOD.
According to Wilkinson, this cover went via Cunard Europa from Boston to Liverpool. As it missed sailing of P&O Indus in Southampton, it was placed in a closed bag and sent to Hong Kong via France. It was noted in Wilkinson's exhibit as the only recorded cover to China during this time period (1851-59).
Ex Steinhart and Wilkinson. From the Magnolia collection.
Canada, 1851, 3p Orange Vermilion, Laid Paper (1; SG 1). Horizontal pair, large to huge margins all around, wonderful color, lightly cancelled by two strikes of target handstamp
EXTREMELY FINE. AMONG THE FINEST OF THE FEW KNOWN USED PAIRS OF THE 1851 3-PENCE ORANGE VERMILION BEAVER.
Unitrade notes "Multiples of the laid papers are extremely rare." Ex Vincent Greene, Carrington and King. With 2002 B.P.A. certificate. Catalogue values as singles. Scott $2,400. SG £2,200. Unitrade C$3,200.
Canada, 1851, 12p Black, Laid Paper (3; SG 4). Thin layer of original gum that covers over half the stamp, four large margins, rich shade and highly detailed impression, showing easily discernible re-entry at both the right and bottom left, unusually fresh
EXTREMELY FINE. A SUPERB ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE CELEBRATED 1851 12-PENCE BLACK ON LAID PAPER. ONE OF THE MOST DESIRABLE AND ICONIC STAMPS OF BRITISH NORTH AMERICA AND THE ENTIRE WORLD. THIS IS AMONG THE FINEST KNOWN.
The first Pence Issues of Canada were printed by the New York firm of Rawdon, Wright, Hatch & Edson, the same firm that printed the New York Postmaster's Provisional and United States 5c and 10c 1847 Issue. The Pence issues, and particularly the 12-pence, show the same fine quality of engraving that distinguishes the U.S. 1847 Issue. The original die was engraved by Alfred Jones and is based upon the Chalon portrait, which was also used on the stamps of Queensland, Tasmania, Bahamas and New Zealand, among other British colonies. The stamps were printed early in 1851 (12p issued June 14), at the same time that RWH&E's contract for providing United States stamps was coming to an end.
A total of 50,000 stamps were printed from 250 sheets of 200 subjects (two panes of 100). Only 1,450 were sold with the balance being destroyed. Our census at https://siegelauctions.com/census/canada/scott/3 records a total of 17 original-gum singles plus four pairs.
Census no. 3-OG-01. With 2005 Greene Foundation certificate. Scott $175,000. SG £200,000. Unitrade C$320,000.
Canada, 1855, 6p Slate Gray, Wove Paper (5; SG 9). Original gum, trivial h.r., large to full margins, beautiful rich color and a well-incised impression
VERY FINE AND EXTREMELY RARE ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE 1855 6-PENCE SLATE GRAY. ONLY A HANDFUL EXIST WITH FULL ORIGINAL GUM.
We have offered many comprehensive unused collections of Canada in recent years, including the "Calgary", "Alan", "Scarsdale" and Lanza collections. However, an original-gum example of No. 5 eluded all of these collectors.
Ex Dale-Lichtenstein (as a pair) and "Roberts". With 1969 B.P.A. certificate as a pair. With 2017 Greene Foundation certificate as a single. Scott $45,000. SG £48,000. C$80,000.
Canada, 1857, 7½p Deep Green (9a; SG 12). Original gum, large to full margins all around, deep luxuriant color and a deeply etched impression on fresh paper
VERY FINE. A HANDSOME AND RARE ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE 1857 7-1/2 PENCE IN THE DEEP GREEN SHADE.
Ex Hewitt and "Midland". With 1987 and 2006 Greene Foundation certificates. Scott $14,000. SG £15,000. Unitrade C$32,000.
Canada, 1859, 6p Brown Violet (13; SG 27). Original gum, lightly hinged, better centering than usually found, deep proof-like color and impression, incredibly fresh and bright paper
FINE AND RARE ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE 1859 6-PENCE PRINCE ALBERT FROM CANADA'S FIRST PERFORATED ISSUE.
The first perforated series of Canada invariably comes with perforations touching on at least one side due to the very narrow spacing between stamps. The values given in Scott take this into account with the footnote stating "values are for examples with perfs touching the design." Stamps with original gum are extremely rare, as evidenced by the 150% premium assigned by the Unitrade catalogue to such examples.
Ex Gill and "Midland". With 1973 B.P.A. certificate. Scott $30,000. SG £18,000. Unitrade C$37,500.
Canada, 1859, 10c Black Brown (16; SG 33). Remarkably well-centered, especially for this difficult stamp, deep intense color and proof-like impression, lightly cancelled
EXTREMELY FINE. An outstanding USED EXAMPLE OF THE 1859 10-CENT BLACK BROWN FROM THE FIRST PRINTING.
Ex Caspary. With 1957 R.P.S. and 2024 Greene Foundation certificates. Scott $6,000. SG £2,500. Unitrade C$9,000.
Canada, 1876, 5c Dark Green, Registration (F2). Used with 1870-89, 3c Orange Red, 6c Brown, 10c Magenta (37, 39d, 40a), 3c slightly oxidized, all tied by "Halifax N.S., Canada DE 2 86" circular datestamps on uprated registered 1c Blue entire with "Service." overprint, addressed to "Imp'l Maritime Customs Engineers Office" in Shanghai, China, sender's directive "via San Francisco", large "R" in circle and framed magenta San Franisco registry handstamps, the former also ties 6c, Windsor (Dec. 6) and violet San Francisco (Dec. 13) transit backstamps, slightly rough opening at top
VERY FINE. A VISUALLY STUNNING REGISTERED ONE-CENT "SERVICE" ENTIRE to CHINA WITH A MULTICOLORED SMALL QUEENS FRANKING. ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT CANADA REGISTRY STAMP COVERS KNOWN.
Harrison, Arfken & Lussey in Canada's Registered Mail: 1802-1909 (p. 315) lists only two registered covers to China. The other cover is from Apr. 1888 and addressed to Nanking with 10c and 5c Registration stamps (ex Jephcott and Simpson).
Ex Greene and Simpson. From the Magnolia collection.