1840 (Dec. 7th), Folded letter with full contents and "PAID" handstamp, from Amherstburg U.C. carried by Cunard Line Steamer "Caledonia" from Boston (Jan. 2th) to London and passed Dover (Jan. 18th) and re-directed to Sandwich (Jan. 19th). In Dover the 1 Penny black (small margin at top otherwise good margins) was added to pay for the re-direction. The first Canadian stamp was issued 1851. This letter, bearing the 1840 "One Penny Black" -the worlds first postage stamp- is the EARLIEST LETTER FROM CANADA BEARING A POSTAGE STAMP, cert. British Philatelic Association (M) (Image)

1851 "Beaver" 3d. orange-vermilion horizontal pair on laid paper, used on folded entire from St. Catherines to New York, tied by black target h/s and red, framed, curved "CANADA" h/s, red curved "PAID" h/s, "ST. CATHERINES U.C./JUL 29/1851" c.d.s. and red "10" h/s alongside, backstamped "QUEENSTOWN U.C./JUL 30/1851" cds in black. Envelope with two vert. folds slightly affecting right hand stamp, otherwise a fine letter with a fine pair of the 3d. Beaver. (Image)

"RARE 1851 3d BEAVER COVER TO G.B. - UNDERPAID WITH "MORE to PAY"; Attractive 1 Sept. 1858 envelope to Hampshire (G.B.) but only franked for the inland Canadian rate with an 1851-57 imperf. 3d Beaver (good margins on 3 sides; into at right) tied by a light "43" in circles Simcoe Numeral with a fine matching c.d.s. on the front, endorsed "7d Cy" (the rate to G.B via British packet from Boston or New York was 10d Currency) which was then changed to a "6d" Sterling charge at arrival in Great Britain with a very fine "MORE to PAY" mark (of Liverpool?) alongside with a superb black tombstone-framed "PKT. LETTER/LIVERPOOL" d.s. (18 Sept.) on the side-flap. The very fine cover was carried by the Cunard line "Canada". BELIEVED TO BE ONE OF ONLY TWO UNDERPAID 1851 3d BEAVER COVERS TO GB. Very rare transatlantic mail and most unusual Exhibition Item. (M) (Image)

1851 "Prince Albert" 6d. slate-violet on folded cover to Kingston by Steam Boat, cancelled with black "X" in manuscript, red "KINGSTON U.C./OC 8/1851" c.d.s. and red "STEAM BOAT" straightliner alongside. A fresh and left-hand marginal stamp and a fine cover (with usual vert. fold through centre). (Noted on back: "Ex Pipkin".) (Image)

1851 Queen Victoria 12c black on laid paper, used and cancelled by superb strike of black numeral "37" in circles handstamp, fresh colour, even large margins around, very fine. A MOST ATTRACTIVE AND ONE OF THE BEST EXAMPLES OF THIS WORLD RARITY. Alex Rendon 1989 and Philatelic Foundation 1989 certificates.(Note: This "Chalon Head" design after a Queen's portrait by Alfred Edward Chalon (1780-1860) was used for printing this Twelve Penny Black in New York. There is not known details of the extraordinary example offered here. The collector bought it 1995 from a Wolff auction sale in Germany) (Image)

1851 Queen Victoria 12c. black on laid paper, imperf., used with part strike of black c.d.s., with complete to huge margins around, trace of a light horizontal crease, fine. AN ATTRACTIVE EXAMPLE OF THIS MAJOR RARITY. R.P.S. certificate (1984) (Image)

1856, 3p. red and 6p. grey each tied by clear "PAID" on cover front, "LOSKEY U.C. FEBR/9th 1856" cds. with ms. date and oneliner "REGISTERED" alongside (ms.941 reg.no.), addressed to New York with red "PAID" and ms. "15" for taxe, two times vertical fold and 3p. removed, repaired and replaced, few tiny spots, fine and scarce (T) (Image)

1855 10c. blue on small cover from Cobourg to Edinburg, Scotland, tied by black target h/s, "COBOURG U.C./JA 3/1857" c.d.s. and red tombstone "PKT.LETTER/PAID/LIVERPOOL/JA 18/57" alongside, red Kingston U.C. transit cds and red England arrival cds on reverse. Envelope with minor imperfections (tears at top right and through back-flap), but still a scarce and attractive cover bearing a fine stamp. Ex Dale-Lichtenstein coll. (Image)

1857 ½d. rose with four large margins, tied by "Hamilton C.W. JY 13 1858" circular datestamp on small folded letter paying the local drop rate (which was the intended use of this stamp), additional circular datestamp at right, extremely fine, an especially handsome use, ex Dr. Tang. (Image)

1858 cover from Point-Levi to Quebec across the St. Lawrence river by ferry, franked with vertical pair of 1857 ½d. deep rose (thick machine-made paper, imperf.) for the special 1d. ferriage rate, tied by fine strike of "POINT-LEVI LC/MY 1/1858" c.d.s., endorsed 'Privée' in m/s and addressed to Augustin Gauthier, Trésorier de la Cité de Quebec, backstamped 'Quebec May 1, 1858'. The folded cover with an usual central fold, the stamp pair fresh and fine with complete margins around. ONE OF THE FEW (probably 6) KNOWN FERRY COVERS, AND THE ONLY ONE FRANKED WITH A PAIR OF THE ½d. IMPERFORATED. Ex Nickle and Wilkinson collections. (Image)

1859 6 pence brownish-grey, perforated 12, mint with large part original gum, very fine and extremely fresh example of this MAJOR CANADA RARITY. Signed A. Brun, certificate Pascal Scheller. Unitrade 13 70.000 CAD (ca 47.000 EUR), SG 27. (Image)