1860 2½p Bright Orange Rose, No Watermark, Imperforate A phenomenal mint example of this rare imperforate classic stamp, surrounded by remarkably large margins and displaying exceptional true colour on immaculate white paper with full, dull white original gum, characteristic of early De La Rue printings; quite remarkable as such as most existing examples are without gum. A spectacular stamp in all respects and ideal stamp for the discriminating collector who is only satisfied with the best, XF OG GEM

Expertization: 1979 Greene Foundation and 1981 PF certificates

Provenance: Specialized Collection of British Columbia and Vancouver Island (James Pike), Harmers of San Francisco Inc., June 1980; Lot 2002

AN ABSOLUTE GEM IMPERFORATE TWO AND ONE HALF PENNY BRITISH COLUMBIA & VANCOUVER ISLAND STAMP IN PRISTINE MINT CONDITION. WITHOUT QUESTION AMONG THE FINEST EXTANT. (Image)

Cat. Value 60000 $

1865 10c Blue, Watermark Crown CC Five used examples with skillful repairs. All annotated by renowned British Columbia collector Gerald Wellburn and on his original album page. Excellent reference. (Image)

Estimate 750 $

Bradbury, Wilkinson & Co. 1p Dickens' Head Engraved plate essay in green on bond paper, large margins all around, appealing, VF and scarce (Image)

Estimate 500 $

Bradbury, Wilkinson & Co. 1p Victoria Head Engraved plate essay printed in black directly to thick card (0.0085" thick), choice, VF (Image)

Estimate 500 $

Bradbury, Wilkinson & Co. 6p Viking's Head Engraved plate essay printed in bright green on wove paper, VF and scarce (Image)

Estimate 500 $

Queen Victoria Portrait Die Elaborate engraved vignette prepared by Toppan, Carpenter, Casilear & Co., depicting the Queen's portrait, lion and uniform at sides, used for Canadian banknotes and debentures (circa. 1850), on india paper 93 x 59mm mounted on larger card, the latter with light stains and adhesion marks away from the proof, VF (Image)

Estimate 500 $

1851 3p Red on Handmade Laid Paper, Imperforate A highly desirable example of this valuable classic - Canada's first postage stamp, margin clear of design at foot, ample to unusually large margins, visible horizontal laid lines and in flawless condition, of which there are very few indeed. A keenly sought-after unused example in sound condition, F-VF

Expertization: 1968 RPS of London certificate

Provenance: F.G. Fletcher British North America Sale, Robson Lowe Ltd., July 1968; Lot 10

IN OUR OPINION, ONE OF THE RAREST UNUSED STAMPS IN ALL OF BRITISH NORTH AMERICA PHILATELY. ONLY A FEW ARE KNOWN TO EXIST IN SOUND UNUSED CONDITION. (Image)

Cat. Value 45000 $

1851 3p Red on Handmade Laid Paper, Imperforate A large margined used single in sound condition, very prominent horizontal laid lines and neat concentric rings cancellation, VF; 2013 PSAG cert. (Image)

Cat. Value 1600 $

1851 3p Orange Red on Handmade Laid Paper, Imperforate A remarkable pair in choice condition, surrounded by mostly large margins and with distinctive bright colour and showing the most prominent horizontal laid lines one can hope to find on any 1851 laid paper, ideal face-free concentric rings cancels; a beautiful and elusive pair in such nice quality, VF; 2017 Greene Foundation cert. (Image)

Cat. Value 3200 $

1851 6p Slate Violet on Handmade Laid Paper, Imperforate A rare unused single with bright colour and clear impression on pristine fresh paper showing prominent laid lines, slightly in frame at foot to noticeably full margins on other sides. An immensely rare unused stamp, Fine; 1983 APS cert. (Image)

Cat. Value 30000 $

1851 6p Brown Purple on Handmade Laid Paper, Imperforate A choice used example of this distinctive and scarce shade, well clear to unusually large margins on immaculate fresh paper with prominent laid lines, neat and centrally struck concentric rings cancel; a very nice stamp, VF; 1959 RPSL cert. ex. Carl Mangold (February 1986; Lot 236) (Image)

Cat. Value 2400 $

1851 (August 20) Folded lettersheet in clean condition from the famous Kennedy correspondence, mailed at Montreal to New York and bearing an unusually large margined example of the 6p greyish purple on handmade paper with visible laid lines, neatly tied by concentric rings cancellation and further by Montreal AU 20 1851 double arc dispatch in red, exchange office Canada arc and PAID handstamps in red; no backstamp as customary for mail to the US. A choice cover, VF; 2018 Greene Foundation cert. (Unitrade 2b) ex Dale-Lichtenstein, Sale 10, H.R. Harmer, Inc., December 1970; Lot 70 - includes the original lotting card. (Image)

Estimate 1500 $

1853 (October 24) Envelope franked with Canadian Postage - Used from the United States; bearing a 6 pence slate violet on laid paper, touching design at foot to large margins on other sides, tied by pen cancels; Ledyard, Connecticut dispatch CDS at left. Not accepted and according to regulations rated "6d" (due), U States cross border exchange marking in red, Brockville and Perth OC 28 receiver backstamps. Minor cover toning of no importance, a striking usage and ONE OF ONLY TWO RECORDED USES of the 1851 Six pence from the US, Fine (Unitrade 2)

Expertization: 2013 Greene Foundation certificate

Literature: Illustrated in Winthrop Boggs handbook on page 86 (Figure 49)

Provenance: Dale-Lichtenstein, Sale 10, December 1970; Lot 20
Dr. John L. Robertson, April 2004; Lot 206
Warren Wilkinson, June 2007; Lot 180
Joseph Hackmey, March 2011; Lot 10339
Daniel Cantor, September 2011; Lot 339


(Image)

Estimate 3000 $

12p Queen Victoria Plate proof single in black on india paper with vertical SPECIMEN overprint in carmine, in pristine, remarkably fresh condition, XF (Image)

Cat. Value 2500 $

12p Queen Victoria Plate proof single in black with the rare vertical SPECIMEN overprint IN GREEN, just clear to no margin at right, minor soiling visible from reverse only, one of the rarest plate proofs of the Pence issue, Fine (Unitrade cat. $6,500) (Image)

Estimate 1500 $

1851 12p Black on Handmade Laid Paper, Imperforate A large margined example of this keenly-sought classic stamp, without clear laid lines as is often the case on the 1851 issue; repaired horizontal crease at top and a lighter crease near bottom ending in small tear at right; still an affordable example of this iconic stamp, desirably struck with a light central concentric rings and of Very Fine appearance; 1946 RPS of London cert. (Unitrade cat. $180,000 as VF)

Stamp displays a very strong Re-entry with doubling marks throughout design - R. Trimble Re-entry No. 10 - the illustrated example being the actual stamp offered here. (Image)

Estimate 25000 $

12p Black Engraved facsimile sheetlet of eight measuring 147 x 208mm on white paper, showing wide spaced tête-bêche blocks of four, attributed to Peter Winter; few sheets exist intact, ex. Carl Walske collection (Image)

Estimate 300 $

1858 3p Red on Soft Horizontally Ribbed Paper, Imperforate A very appealing unused example, characteristic shade and plainly visible horizontal ribbing, tiny nick at bottom left, otherwise in flawless condition with clear to very large margins including portion of adjacent stamp at right. A rare stamp unused let alone in sound condition, F-VF

Expertization: 2014 Greene Foundation cert.

Provenance: "Loch" Canadian Pence Issue Collection, Firby Auctions, April 1999; Lot 192 - described as "Extremely rare & VF+" (Image)

Cat. Value 4500 $

1858 3p Brown Red on Medium Hard Ribbed Paper, Imperforate A rare unused example of this late printing, displaying dark rich colour and well clear to mostly large margins, characteristic strong horizontal mesh (ribbed effect) paper, VF; 2014 Greene Foundation cert. (Image)

Cat. Value 4000 $

1858 (June 12) Brown envelope from Springville, U.C. to Shawnee Mound, Indiana, bearing an unusually select vertical pair of the scarce 3 pence bright red on soft horizontally ribbed paper, with full margins and in sound condition, tied by light pen cancels as there was no concentric rings postmark at this small post office, light Canada / Paid 10cts exchange office handstamp in red and partially legible double arc dispatch at lower left with filled-in manuscript date, no backstamp as customary for mail to the US; a few stain spots near dispatch, a Fine cover with VF stamps (Unitrade 4c cat. $1,800 for the stamps only)

According to the Firby census, 22 covers are reported franked with a pair of 3 pence soft horizontally ribbed paper for the 6 pence letter to the United States. (Image)

Estimate 750 $

1856 6p Greenish Grey on Medium Wove Paper, Imperforate An appealing and rarely seen unused example, barely touching outer frameline at top to clear margins all around, printed in a beautiful and distinctive shade with sharp impression on pristine fresh paper; a challenging stamp to obtain in sound unused condition, Fine (Image)

Cat. Value 15000 $

1856 6p Greenish Grey on Medium Wove Paper, Imperforate An appealing used example with small to very large margins, bright colour, partial four-ring '21' (Montreal) cancel, F-VF; 1957 RPS of London cert. (Image)

Cat. Value 1200 $

1858 10p Blue Thick Wove Paper, Imperforate A very appealing example with excellent colour and bright impression, minute nick entirely confined to the right margin, displaying an unusually clear, centrally struck concentric rings in DARK BLUE. Coloured cancels are rarely encountered on the Ten pence, VF; 1994 Greene Foundation cert. (Image)

Cat. Value 3000 $

1858 10p Bright Blue on Thick Wove Paper, Imperforate A very scarce used horizontal pair, skillfully repaired to improve its overall appearance, with light grid cancel; left stamp shows the constant Re-entry (Position 9) with doubling in oval, in "E" of POSTAGE, etc. 2008 Greene Foundation cert. (Unitrade cat. $3,000 as normal fine used singles) (Image)

Estimate 1000 $

1857 ½p Rose on Medium Wove Paper, Imperforate A beautiful mint example with bright, fresh colour, clear margin at foot to large margins on other sides, remarkably retaining full OG in immaculate condition, as the day it was sold over a postal counter over 160 years ago. A lovely and desirable stamp, F-VF NH (Unitrade cat. for mint OG only; it does not attempt to price NH status.)

Expertization: 1981 Greene Foundation certificate (Image)

Cat. Value 2100 $