Queen Victoria "Chalon" Portrait An engraved vignette in green on enamel card 64 x 99mm, showing a very elaborate engine turning surrounding the oval portrait, which closely resembles the one employed for the 12p black, 7½p green and 12½c green. A lovely collateral piece, VF (Image)

Estimate 500 $

1843 (April 5) Folded lettersheet with well-struck British "Crown" Paid at Quebec CDS in red along with same-ink double arc dispatch at left, sent prepaid to Lyon, France, rated "1/2" and "1/4", tombstone Paid 15 MY transit, oval "P.F" in red and French Accountancy "28" marking, Calais 17 MAY CDS in red; Paris and Lyon backstamps, horizontal file fold. A beautiful and scarce "Crown" Paid cover to France, VF (Image)

Estimate 350 $

1849 (July 18) Folded lettersheet endorsed "paid to the lines" mailed from Québec to New York, lovely example of the British "Crown" Paid at Quebec handstamp in red with same-ink double arc dispatch, prepaid rate manuscript "1/11" for double weight letter prepaid to the border (distance of 200 to 300 miles), Montreal transit backstamp. Rated "20" American postage to be collected on delivery, VF and attractive (Image)

Estimate 250 $

1851 3p Red on Handmade Laid Paper, Imperforate A selected used single with large margins, bright colour on pristine paper showing prominently the laid lines, ideal socked-on-nose concentric rings cancel, VF (Image)

Cat. Value 1600 $

1851 (August 6) An unusually clean cover mailed from Quebec to Brompton bearing a four margined example of the 3p red on handmade laid paper showing very clear laid lines, tied by neat concentric rings, Quebec AUG 6 1852 double arc dispatch in red at left; a lovely cover much nicer than normally encountered, VF; 1981 BPA cert. (Unitrade 1) (Image)

Estimate 1500 $

1851 (August 28) Small blue envelope from Toronto to Barrie, bearing a full margined 3p orange red shade on handmade laid paper, tied by ideal concentric rings cancel, Toronto AU 28 1851 double arc dispatch at left, light vertical fold well away from stamp and postal markings; clear Barrie AU 30 receiver backstamp. An appealing cover, VF (Unitrade 1a) (Image)

Estimate 1000 $

1851 6p Slate Violet on Handmade Laid Paper, Imperforate A fabulous used horizontal pair with prominent laid lines, portion of sheet margin at foot, full to unusually large margins on other sides, brilliant colour and clear impression on pristine fresh paper, each stamp ideally struck with concentric rings, XF GEM

Expertization: 2018 Greene Foundation certificate

Provenance: Charles Lathrop Pack, Part Two, April 1945; Lot 62

THIS INCREDIBLE PAIR IS WITHOUT A DOUBT, AMONG THE FINEST EXISTING MULTIPLES OF THE SIX PENCE CONSORT. (Image)

Cat. Value 4000 $

1851 (July 2) Blue folded cover to Belleville, in an excellent state of preservation, franked with a superb 6p brown purple on handmade laid paper, remarkably fresh, tied by concentric rings, Montreal JY 2 double arc dispatch in red below; Kingston JY 4 and Belleville JUL 5 backstamps, usual light file folds. A beautiful early usage of the very scarce 6 pence single-franking; paying a double weight domestic letter rate, XF (Unitrade 2b)

(Image)

Estimate 2000 $

1851 12p Black on Handmade Laid Paper, Imperforate A marvelous used example of this world-class rarity, displaying rich colour with characteristic bold impression on fresh paper with clear laid lines, surrounded by ample to superb margins. These superior attributes are supplemented with a sharp, nearly complete concentric rings cancellation. A beautiful example of this iconic classic, among the very nicest postally used examples available, Very Fine

Expertization: 1961 BPA certificate signed by experts Robson Lowe, et la.
1964 Alberto Diena certificate; stamp with pencil signature

Provenance: British North America Sale, Robson Lowe Ltd., January 29, 1964; Lot 951, where it sold for an impressive £2,600 against a then catalogue value of £3,000.

It has been well documented that a single order of 51,000 stamps was placed in May 1851 with the printer Messrs. Rawdon, Wright, Hatch and Edson. The stamps were delivered to the postal authorities the same month and issued to the public on June 14, with 1,510 stamps being distributed among fourteen post offices (reference: Howes, Clifton "Canada Its Postage Stamps and Postal History", 1911, page 37). Only 1,450 examples were sold over a span of nearly 6 years. Those unsold were sent back and destroyed together with the unissued remainder (a total of 49,490 stamps) during May 1857. It was clear from the beginning that demand would be very limited indeed. The only logical uses for the stamp were to prepay the quadruple domestic rate, the double letter rate to the United States and the single letter rate for bimonthly mails from Montreal via Boston to Newfoundland, Bermuda or the British West Indies.

A HIGHLY DESIRABLE VERY FINE USED EXAMPLE OF CANADA'S ICONIC STAMP - AMONG THE MOST COVETED CLASSIC STAMPS OF THE WHOLE BRITISH EMPIRE. (Image)

Cat. Value 180000 $

1854 3p Orange Red on Thin Hard Oily Wove Paper, Imperforate An exceedingly rare mint block of four of this distinctive printing, displaying the overall impression associated with this paper type, vertical crease at right and small negligible thin, bright fresh colour and still retaining a large part original gum. A great rarity, in fact we believe this to be the largest multiple known of this well-known printing; a spectacular item with excellent provenance, VF OG

Expertization: 2018 Greene Foundation certificate

Provenance: "Foxbridge" (John DuPont) Private Treaty 1988
Sir Gawaine Baillie, May 2006; Lot 772 (Image)

Cat. Value 20000 $

1854 3p Scarlet Vermilion on Thin Hard Wove Paper, Imperforate A rare mint pair, large margins all around, exceptionally bright shade of this distinctive delicate colour, with large part original gum; a most attractive mint multiple of this short-lived printing, VF OG; 2018 Greene Foundation cert. (Image)

Cat. Value 10000 $

1854 3p Orange Red on Thin Hard Wove Paper, Imperforate An impressive mint single displaying the characteristic shade on the unmistakable thin crisp wove paper, with four full margins and possessing unusually full original gum, light gum bend at right. A choice example that really stands out from other printings of this classic stamp, VF LH; 2018 Greene Foundation cert. (Image)

Cat. Value 4000 $

1856-1857 3p Deep Red on Medium Wove Paper, Imperforate An exceptional mint single with strong colour on pristine white paper, ample to large margins, bold colour and impression that amplify the Major Re-entry (Pane B; Position 42) with clearly shown doubling in and around POSTAGE and vertical frameline at lower left, remarkably with full original gum showing only a trace of hinging, XF VLH

Expertization: 2018 Greene Foundation certificate

A SUPERB MINT EXAMPLE OF THIS DISTINCTIVE DARK RICH SHADE, CLEARLY SHOWING THE ELUSIVE PLATE VARIETY AND FULL ORIGINAL GUM. (Image)

Cat. Value 6000 $

1857-1858 3p Red on Thick Hard Wove Paper, Imperforate A brilliant, fresh mint example with large margins, exceptional colour and clear impression, possessing large part original gum; a very attractive mint example of this sought-after stamp, VF OG

Expertization: 1960 RPSL certificate

Provenance: General Robert Gill, Robson Lowe Ltd., October 1965; Lot 17
(Image)

Cat. Value 4000 $

1854 3p Brown Red on Medium Wove Paper, Imperforate A premium used example with amazing colour on pristine paper, large margined and displaying a neat centrally struck concentric rings in BLUE. A striking and selected example, XF; 1992 Raybaudi cert. (Image)

Cat. Value 350 $

1854 3p Red on Medium Wove Paper, Imperforate A large margined single showing the Major Re-entry (Pane A; Position 91) with visible doubling in upper left "3", in and around "PO" of POSTAGE, plus the characteristic vertical line in lower right margin, light concentric rings cancel. A most attractive example of this elusive plate variety, VF (Image)

Cat. Value 450 $

1854 3p Scarlet Vermilion on Thin Hard Wove Paper, Imperforate A choice used single with large margins and deep colour, shows the Major Re-entry (Pane B; Position 53) with clear doubling in and above "EE PE" of THREE PENCE, in "VR", in both left "3s", etc. A very nice example of this scarce variety, VF (Image)

Cat. Value 450 $

1856-1857 3p Deep Red on Medium Wove Paper, Imperforate A striking used example in the distinctive deeper shade, clear to very large margins, plainly visible pre-printing paper fold variety at top, socked-on-nose four-ring '2' (Belleville) cancellation in BLUE, the stamp also displays what appears to be a private attempt at pin-perforation on right-hand side of the stamp. A very interesting stamp for the specialist, Fine+ (Image)

Estimate 750 $

1858 3p Red on Soft Horizontally Ribbed Paper, Imperforate A fresh used vertical pair, clever repair at top (not mentioned in accompanying certificate), a scarce multiple of this elusive printing, nicely postmarked with light four-ring '5' (Brantford, U.C.) cancels; pencil signed by expert Peter Holcombe along with his 1990 certificate, VF; ex. "Foxbridge" (John DuPont) Private Treaty 1988 (Image)

Cat. Value 1600 $

1858 3p Red on Soft Horizontally Ribbed Paper, Imperforate An unusually choice example of this difficult printing, completely sound which is unusual for this fragile paper, full margins with clear four-ring '5' (Brantford) cancel in black. A lovely stamp, VF (Image)

Cat. Value 800 $

Undated (circa. 1854) lady's cover in clean condition bearing a large margined pair of 3p orange red on thin hard wove paper, neatly tied by four strikes of a small circular grid cancel of US origin, addressed to Oswego, New York; no backstamp or a penalty (due) marking. An outstanding cover franked with Canadian postage stamps, postmarked and mailed within the US - the first such cover we recall seeing, XF (Unitrade 4d)

Provenance: E. Carey Fox (First Portion), May 1968; Lot 270 - Sold for a hefty US$420 hammer. (Image)

Estimate 2500 $

1858 (November 13) Clean envelope bearing a 3p red on medium hard wove paper, with sheet margin at top, ample to very large margins on other sides, beautifully tied by superb Montreal & Island Pond G.T.R. Way / No. 7 / A UP NOV 13 1858 Railway Post Office double ring datestamp (Gray QC-168 RF "F"; Ludlow Q-83), Montreal NO 13 backstamp, addressed to St. Thérèse de Blainville, a suburb off the island of Montreal. Very rare and of great appeal, XF (Unitrade 4)

Provenance: Watson Yuile, Sissons, May 1961; Lot 30

AN OUTSTANDING RAILWAY POST OFFICE POSTMARKED COVER - A MERE FEW ARE KNOWN TO EXIST. A MOST DESIRABLE SHEET MARGIN STAMP SUPERBLY STRUCK WITH NEARLY COMPLETE MONTREAL & ISLAND POND RPO DATESTAMP. (Image)

Estimate 3500 $

1856 6p Greenish Grey on Medium Wove Paper, Imperforate Lovely select example with a beautiful and unmistakable shade, thin speck in left margin, ample to unusually large margins, light unobtrusive Toronto diamond grid cancel. A great stamp for the shade enthusiast, VF; 1975 RPSL cert. (Image)

Cat. Value 1600 $

1857 6p Grey Lilac on Thick Hard Wove Paper, Imperforate An amazing used horizontal pair with well clear to very large margins on completely flawless paper, possessing exceptional colour and clear brilliant impression on fresh white wove paper with the clear vertical mesh associated with this elusive printing, superb concentric rings cancels in black. A remarkable pair in all respects, XF

Expertization: 1974 BPA certificate

Provenance: Colonel E.H.R. Green, Part V, November 1942; Lot 840 - see note below
Sissons Private Treaty 1962; Lot 3027 (Retail then was $850)
E. Carey Fox (First Portion), May 1968; Lot 296

The distinctive colour and impression of this short-lived Six pence Prince Albert are somewhat similar to the very thick soft fibrous paper issued a few months later.

Prior to the Sissons Private Treaty sale in 1962 this striking pair originated on a piece (ex. Green Sale, Part V) alongside another 6p stamp as well as a perforated 3p red - clear evidence of a late use of the 6 pence stamp - the documented period of use of this elusive paper variety.

(Image)

Cat. Value 8000 $

1854 10p Bright Blue on Thin Hard Wove Paper, Imperforate A phenomenal example with radiant colour on immaculate fresh paper, superb margins all around further exemplifying the superior attributes of this stamp, unobtrusively postmarked with a light central Quebec four-ring '37' cancellation. Without hesitation, this is the FINEST USED EXAMPLE we have ever offered, XF GEM

Expertization: 1965 Alberto Diena certificate; stamp also pencil signed by him

To find this particular stamp in the highest attainable quality is a very rare feat to say the least. Many reasons come to mind... this particular thin paper is often found with faults, margins or lack thereof are unsatisfactory in numerous cases and its colour and impression, blurry or too dark.

A GEM QUALITY, LIGHTLY POSTMARKED EXAMPLE OF THE TEN PENCE BLUE JACQUES CARTIER. AN IDEAL STAMP FOR THE CONNOISSEUR. (Image)

Cat. Value 2400 $