Rejected 3 Cent Essay by Sir Sandford Fleming, being one of two original cabinet card photographs submitted by Sir Sandford Fleming to William Mulock (see letter thanking him for it in this lot). The other card is in the National Archives of Canada. It reads "Design for a British Empire Postage Stamp / by S.F. Ottawa June 21st 1898". The card is also initialed by Fleming on the back. Note the 3 cent rate instead of the eventual 2 cent rate. This is in line with Mulock's earlier failed attempt to lower the rate to 3 cents. The design was submitted prior to the July 1898 London conference where the lower 2 cent rate was advocated by Mulock. Ultimately Mulock would select the design he assisted Mr. Warren Green with designing. One of four different essays for the Penny Postage stamp in the National Archives of Canada. Also includes an August 1898 Signed Letter From PMG William Mulock to Sir Sandford Fleming, written on Office of the High Commissioner for Canada letterhead, Mulock thanks Fleming for the sketch submitted for the Empire Penny Post scheme. An important historical document between two of Canada's greatest philatelic personalities. Both items are ex. Fawn. Rsv. (Image)

Est $ 2,000

Enlarged Photograph of the "Mystery Essay", mounted on a souvenir card presented at the Map stamp's Golden Jubilee celebration in 1948, at the Royal York Hotel in Toronto. The original ink and wash essay drawing was subsequently listed by Minuse & Pratt as #85E-A. So called the "Mystery Essay" as no one knows who created it or why it was done as a 3 cent instead of 2 cent denomination. (Image)

Est $ 150

1898 2c Imperial Penny Postage Map Die Proof in Black, printed on thin card, from the accepted black engraving (die F-139½). Very fine and rare. Accompanied by a 2007 Greene Foundation certificate. Ex. Winmill, Boisclair, Fawn. Rsv. (Image)

Est $ 2,500

1898 2c Imperial Penny Postage Map Hybrid Die Proof, with light blue oceans, originally sunk on card measuring 94 x 83 mm and later hinged back into place. Pencil die number in bottom right margin reads "F-139½" (the accepted die). Small fault at bottom of card, still very fine and scarce. From the American Bank Note Company archives and ex. Westgate. Rsv. (Image)

Est $ 1,000

Unique Remnant of Full Plate Mock Up, printed on Kraft paper, this remnant of the full plate mock up (reduced due to severe deterioration) has two rough die proofs of the red and blue plates. Notes on the sheet included various measurements, date created (Nov. 7, 1898), and the only known reference to 6 plates planned for production. In the end, 5 plates were created and only 4 were used to produce the final stamps (#s 1, 2, 3 and 5). Includes a copy of a detailed description from Hugh Westgate, as well as two images of the full plate mock up before it got reduced. Rsv. (Image)

Est $ 1,000

Set of Three Progressive Plate Proofs, each on wove paper, showing the order in which the printing of this, the first multi-coloured stamp in Canada took place. First the engraved black plate was laid down, this was followed by the black and red (pencilled 2-A-63 on back) and then the black, red and blue (penciled 2-A-11 on back) typographic plates. A lovely and scarce group. (Image)

Est $ 1,000

Two Centre Cross Blocks, each mint never hinged and fresh, showing two different cross lengths, from plate 1 (9 x 9 mm cross) and plate 2 (4.5 x 4.5 mm cross). These occurred between stamp positions 55-56 / 65-66 on each sheet and were essentially guidelines used to assist in the stamp production process. Unitrade qualifies them as "very rare". Unitrade values these at $2,000. (Image)

Est $ 500

Set of Four Different Marginal Plate Numbers, with plate 1, 2, 3 and 5, all in horizontal mint pairs showing the plate number at top centre. These are scarce as the sheets were often split down the middle, splitting the plate numbers. Plate 5 is at least twice as rare as the other three. Hinging varies from hinged in margin only to hinge remnant. Only one plate 4 sheet exists which is in the Canadian National Archives. A useful group. (Image)

Est $ 750

Plate 1 Horizontal Imperforate Pair, unused (no gum, as issued) from plate positions 69-70, with lavender oceans and with sheet margin at right. Natural internal paper wrinkles, overall slight aging and couple of nibs in bottom margin, still scarce. (Image)

Unitrade $ 700

Plate 1 Horizontal Imperforate Pair, unused (no gum, as issued) from plate positions 99-100, with grey oceans and with large margins all around, extremely fine. Unitrade 85iii. (Image)

Unitrade $ 700

Plate 2 Horizontal Imperforate Pair, unused (no gum, as issued) from plate positions 23-24, with deep blue oceans and with large even margins all around, extremely fine. Unitrade 86ii. (Image)

Unitrade $ 700

Plate 4 Horizontal Imperforate Pair, unused (no gum) from plate positions 3-4, with light blue oceans, being one of only three pairs known in this colour from this unissued plate, this being the unique imprint pair. Other imperforates are known from this plate but have dark blue oceans. A very fine and rare item for the advanced Map stamp collection. Illustrated on the cover of Kershaw and Boisclair and ex. Bradley and Boisclair. Rsv. (Image)

Est $ 2,000

Plate 5 Horizontal Imperforate Pair, unused (no gum, as issued) from plate positions 41-42, with light blue oceans and with sheet margin at left, very fine. Unitrade 86a. (Image)

Unitrade $ 700

Study on States 1 and 2 of Plate 5, with four used stamps, clearly showing the difference between the two States of Plate 5. State 1 and 2 from position 35, and State 1 and 2 from position 63 are shown, with blowup pictures and an explanation by the owner as to why this happened. Plate 5 State 1 stamps are quite scarce. (Image)

Est $ 150

Study of Re-Entries, Retouched Cables, Etc, on four exhibit pages. The first page shows four stamps from Pl.1 Pos.89, Pl.2 Pos.27, Pl.3 Pos.47 and Pl.5 Pos.32. The second page contains re-entered Map stamps on two covers, one to Belgium (Pl.1 Pos.3) and the other is an all-over advertising Chandler cover (Pl.2 Pos.39). Third page has a number of retouched cables, one on a very fine mint never hinged block of nine with deep blue oceans (Pl.2 Pos.5) an unused jumbo (Pl.3 Pos.40) and two used stamps (Pl.2 Pos.96 and Pl.5 Pos.100). Fourth page has four used stamps showing missing islands and extra islands, plus another used stamp showing a red plate "kiss" (red line across bottom of stamp). A useful group, with all varieties illustrated by enlarged scans. (Image)

Est $ 500

Group of Five Non-Constant Varieties, with a rare dramatic pre-printing fold on a used single with a socked on the nose Leamington squared circle cancel (the stamp actually has 3 pre-printing creases and folds) plus two other pre-printing creases on a used and on a very fine mint never hinged stamp. Also a misperforated used single, showing part of next stamp at left, and last but not least, a mint never hinged single which has a dramatic extra vertical row of perforations through its centre (accompanied by a 2009 Greene Foundation certificate). (Image)

Est $ 200

1898 2c lavender Imperial Penny Postage Map, a mint never hinged upper sheet margin block of six, with full printer's imprint at top centre, overall fine or better. (Image)

Est $ 150

1898 2c Imperial Penny Postage Map, a complete sheet of 100, printed from Plate 1 and once used to demonstrate the location of the plate number, center cross (9mm), printer's imprint, horizontal and vertical centering lines, etc. Unfortunately this sheet has several faults including overall soiling, separations and some hinge re-enforcement. (Image)

Est $ 350

1898 2c Imperial Penny Postage Map, two mint never hinged stamps, each with very "muddy waters", one being greenish (very fine) the other has a strong bronze tint (fine, with a gum bend). (Image)

Est $ 50

1898 2c Imperial Penny Postage Map Shade Study, with four distinct mint never hinged blocks of four, being deep blue, Light blue, grey (natural gum bends) and "true" lavender (this one with center cross at bottom). Each block has a plate number associated with it, and each stamp has a plate position. These are the four main shades typically found in catalogues. (Image)

Scott $ 1,600

1898 2c Imperial Penny Postage Map Group, with five mint stamps, each chosen for being a different shade. A "pale gray ocean" hinged plate single, and four other never hinged singles, "golden ocean", "greenish ocean", "greenish blue ocean" and "blue ocean". A nice group, overall fine or better. (Image)

Est $ 150

Remainder Group of Mint 2c Map Stamps, with a mint never hinged upper left block of 36 (two vertical pairs from the upper left corner are detached, plus some separation to the rest of the block, crease on three stamps), plus an upper marginal never hinged pair, plus a block of six with two stamps hinged, rest never hinged) and two never hinged singles on a written-up page, one showing part of a "Plate 1 Centre Cross" and the other showing a complete printer's imprint in bottom selvedge. Also a block of four with 2 NH and 2 hinged (one is faulty and not counted), and last but not least is a single which adorned the owner's exhibit title page (and still on it), described as "Plate 2, Position 47, Re-Entry". A total of 46 mint never hinged and 4 hinged stamps, overall fine or better. (Image)

Scott $ 4,690

1898 2c Imperial Penny Postage Map Group of "Muddy Waters" Varieties, with golden brown (used with 1899 squared circle cancel), brown (used with 1899 Victoria square circle cancel), black brown (used with 1899 c.d.s. cancel), deep brown (used with 1899 Stella broken circle cancel) and black (the darkest of these that we have seen by far, mint block of four, with bottom two stamps never hinged). Also a group of 5 other used stamps showing a range of "muddiness". There has long been debate as to what causes the ocean colours to change to "muddy" colours, but the owner explains that this is caused by a reaction of the atmospheric hydrogen sulphide with impurities in the white lead present in the ocean inks. A lovely group. (Image)

Est $ 350

1898 2c Map Collection / Stock, with 6 mint never hinged stamps (including plate 1 block of four with selvedge at top), 3 unused (no gum) and 79 used (these with a good variety of shades and cancels and includes some very fine centered stamps) as well as 3 covers (including one to Boston with nice flag cancel receiver). (Image)

Scott $ 1,473

1898 2c Imperial Penny Postage Map Overprinted SPECIMEN, in light serifed purple letters at top. Mint, and was hinged onto a page which contained a pencil notation (photocopy included) at bottom reading "Specimen stamps, from the Postmaster General Mr. Mulock Ottawa, Canada 1899". A rare specimen, as neither of the important Fawn, Boisclair or Westgate Map stamp collections contained one. (Image)

Est $ 250