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Sparks International Sale - 56

The "Dubois" Collection of Canada & BNA Postal History

New Brunswick
LotNo. Symbol Cat No. Lot Description
1 cover   image1780 (March 24), the earliest recorded ship letter from New Brunswick, folded cover addressed to the Reverend Dr. Hind at the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts, redirected from St. Ann's to Westminster, struck with PORTSMOUTH / SHIP LRE handstamp, Bishop Mark '17/IV' on reverse, rated 4d sterling comprising 1d to the Ship Master and 3d internal postage, the earliest recorded ship letter from New Brunswick, some light staining, yet a rarity. (Image 1) (Image 2) (Image 3)

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Estimate C$ 750

Currently...C$450.00
Will close during Public Auction
2 cover   image1793 (July 31), St. John to Halifax, Nova Scotia, folded letter from Jonathan Bliss to Sampson Salter Blowers, with choice strike of the rare ST. JOHN N:B / JUL 31 93 two-line datestamp (Jephcott 12) on the bottom flap, manuscript rate 'N9/(+)1/10' in red, slight discolored filing fold, else very fine, an exceptional Revolutionary War period letter; ex "Maritimus".

The letter from Jonathan Bliss to Nova Scotia Attorney General Sampson Salter Blowers, is a fascinating wartime manuscript letter discussing the exposed military condition of Nova Scotia and neighbouring territories during the American Revolutionary War, with Bliss candidly stating “here we are in no condition to repel an attack,” noting weakness along “the whole sea coast,” reporting that “the whole N.B. Regt does not at present contain above 150 or 160 men,” warning settlements might be left “pillaged or burned,” and remarking that “the little ports in the Gulf of St Lawrence are not very safe.” He further offers important commentary on insecurity, inadequate troop strength, and fear of coastal attack in British North America.

Jonathan Bliss (1742–1822) was a Massachusetts-born Loyalist lawyer who left New England during the Revolution and later became the first Chief Justice of New Brunswick, playing a leading role in the legal and political formation of the province. Sampson Salter Blowers (1741–1842) was likewise Massachusetts-born, a prominent Loyalist barrister who served as Attorney General of Nova Scotia at the time of this letter and later became Chief Justice of Nova Scotia, remaining one of the colony’s most influential public figures for decades. (Image 1) (Image 2) (Image 3) (Image 4) (Image 5)

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Estimate C$ 1,200

Currently...C$600.00
Will close during Public Auction
3 cover   image1810 (February 16), Shotleyfield, Gateshead to General Hunter in Fredericton, folded letter and estate accounts datelined Shotleyfield Feb. 16, 1810, handstamped DURHAM / 263 mileage mark, rated 11d currency collect and 2/2 in red, endorsed 'single sheet', backstamped with faint Halifax (13 May) straight-line, the letter detailing repairs to farm buildings on the Hunter estates, plantation growth, and outstanding conveyances, vertical file fold and some wear to folds, a scarce letter to a prominent military figure.

General Sir Martin Hunter (1757–1846), a native of Medomsley, County Durham, arrived in New Brunswick in 1803 as colonel of the New Brunswick Fencibles, the regiment that would later become the 104th Foot. As the senior military officer in the province he effectively governed New Brunswick from 1808. This letter, written from his native county and concerning the management of estates in the Durham countryside, reached him in Fredericton via Halifax in the spring of 1810, by which time Hunter was firmly established as the province's de facto governor. (Image 1) (Image 2) (Image 3) (Image 4) (Image 5)

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Estimate C$ 350

Currently...C$200.00
Will close during Public Auction
4 cover   image1810 (September 2), folded letter from Fredericton to St. John, with commercial contents touching on debts, lawsuits, and timber, rated 7d in manuscript, reverse with clear FRED,N N.B. / 2 SEPTBxR 1810 datestamp, small tear at top and stain from previous adhesive repair, else a fine example of this scarce early marking. (Image 1) (Image 2) (Image 3)

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Estimate C$ 300

Currently...C$200.00
Will close during Public Auction
5 cover   image1813 (December 7), Fredericton to Windsor, folded commercial letter, with manuscript Paid / 11d at upper right, overstruck with red circular PAID handstamp, endorsed "via Digby / Paid", reverse with fair FREDE,N, N.B. / 7 DEC, R; 1813 datestamp, quite fresh and very fine; ex deVolpi. (Image 1) (Image 2) (Image 3)

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Estimate C$ 300

Currently...C$200.00
Will close during Public Auction
6 cover   image1814 (October 11), Stockbridge, United States, to New Brunswick, folded letter datelined Lebanon Sep. 24, 1814 and continued at Stockbridge Oct. 11, 1814, rated N7 in manuscript, with faint ST. JOHN N.B. handstamp at upper left, contemporary manuscript note on reverse directing the letter via Eastport to the care of Mr. Tabor, money "to be forwarded to the States," the letter with extensive personal contents, recounting four months of illness and travel to the Ballston and Lebanon waters in search of restored health, and contemplating a visit to New Brunswick, fine-very fine and quite fresh. (Image 1) (Image 2) (Image 3) (Image 4) (Image 5)

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Estimate C$ 150

Currently...C$90.00
Will close during Public Auction
7 cover   image1832 (July 20), London to St. Andrews, New Brunswick, via forwarding agent, with commercial contents datelined Queenhithe, London, rated 7-1/8, reverse with faint St. John fleuron, with clear manuscript notation on reverse "Forwarded by your obedient. serv. James T. Hanford / 8 Sept", some staining at left, else fine, and a scarce forwarding agent's letter. (Image 1) (Image 2) (Image 3) (Image 4)

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Estimate C$ 150

Currently...C$100.00
Will close during Public Auction
8 cover   imageAroostook War, 1839 (August 9), St. John, New Brunswick to Haddenham, England, stampless folded letter datelined St. John, struck with light St. John circular datestamp, rated "1" in red manuscript at the soldier's concessionary rate, endorsed "Benjamin Howlett No. 1124 Pt. Soldier 69th Reg." along top and signed by Major Booker at lower left, addressed to Haddenham, England, very fine; ex Richardson, Steinhart.

ONE OF ONLY THREE RECORDED BRITISH SOLDIERS' LETTERS FROM THE AROOSTOOK WAR, AND OF EXCEPTIONAL QUALITY - A RARITY.

Written by Benjamin Howlett, a soldier of a six-hundred-strong regiment, this letter provides a vivid firsthand account of the Aroostook boundary dispute of 1838–39. Howlett describes sailing from Cork on 13th January, landing at Halifax on 29th February, and proceeding to Saint John before marching two hundred miles into the interior to Woodstock, travelling on sleighs across a frozen river with "snow 20 and 30 feet deep." At Woodstock the regiment expected to go into action daily, but the rebels thought the force too great to attack; Howlett records that "we fired the guns into the woods," driving them off. He describes the eventual settlement as an agreement between Sir John Harvey and "the Yankee General," with Harvey coming down the hill "with flying colours." The letter also references a devastating fire that burned the principal part of the city and seventeen houses, killing young children. A rare letter from the front line of one of the most tense Anglo-American confrontations of the nineteenth century.

The Aroostook War of 1838–39 was a bloodless boundary dispute between the American state of Maine and the British colony of New Brunswick over the timber-rich lands of the Aroostook Valley. Tensions escalated when Maine's Governor Fairfield sent militia to the border, prompting New Brunswick to call out its own forces in response; the U.S. Congress authorised a substantial military deployment and President Van Buren dispatched General Winfield Scott to manage the crisis. The affair was ultimately settled by negotiation - Howlett's "Yankee General" - and the boundary question was formally resolved by the Webster-Ashburton Treaty of 1842, which established the permanent border between Maine and New Brunswick that stands to this day. (Image 1) (Image 2) (Image 3) (Image 4)

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Estimate C$ 3,000

Currently...C$1,800.00
Will close during Public Auction
9 cover   image1840 (September 3), London to Chatham, New Brunswick, via Halifax, with commercial contents datelined London, rated "1/2" sterling collect in manuscript, endorsed "per Halifax Steamer", struck with circular "1s/4d cy" in black denoting the collect postage in currency, postmarked with Halifax / Nova Scotia double split-ring (17 Sep), reverse with crisp despatch c.d.s., very fine and scarce.

A Treasury Minute dated July 6, 1840, standardized British North America inland postage at 2d sterling - or 2½ currency - for all transatlantic packet mail via Halifax, and produced a uniform rate for total postage at 1/2 sterling, or 1N4 currency. The Post Office took the opportunity to introduce handstamps for Collect letters, expressing this amount due in currency. (Image 1) (Image 2) (Image 3) (Image 4)

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Estimate C$ 250

Currently...C$150.00
Will close during Public Auction
10 cover   image1840 (November 5), Greenock to Miramichi, folded letter endorsed 'p. Great Western from Bristol,' rated 2N5½ collect with '8' in red manuscript denoting the ship letter fee in sterling, struck with framed GREENOCK / NO 5 A / 1840 datestamp, with Woodstock double-circle c.d.s. (28 Nov) and Fredericton c.d.s. (30 Nov) further struck on front, the letter reporting the dishonour under protest of a bill for £356.7.6 drawn on W.B. Winter Esq. of Bristol, unusually fresh, a very fine transatlantic letter. (Image 1) (Image 2) (Image 3) (Image 4)

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Estimate C$ 200

Currently...C$120.00
Will close during Public Auction
11 cover   image1841 (May 15), folded letter from Halifax to Mirimachi via Richibucto, with commercial contents, struck with Halifax / Nova Scotia double split-ring despatch at upper right, manuscript "forwarded 2N" in manuscript alongside, choice strike of Richibucto Star cancel at lower left, a lovely example of this uncommon postmark. (Image 1) (Image 2) (Image 3)

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Estimate C$ 120

Currently...C$80.00
Will close during Public Auction
12 cover   image1843 (August 2), Colchester to Chatham, New Brunswick, via Halifax, with commercial contents, struck on reverse with Colchester double split-ring despatch, rated 1/2 in sterling collect, struck with red converted "1S/4D Cy" circular handstamp, filing folds and some light aging, but a fine strike of this elusive marking. (Image 1) (Image 2) (Image 3) (Image 4)

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Estimate C$ 250

Currently...C$150.00
Will close during Public Auction
13 cover   image1845 (October 9), money letter from Madawaska to Fredericton, folded cover, rated 9d in manuscript, endorsed "Money Letter" in manuscript, struck with red MADAWASKA / NEW BRUNSWICK double split-ring, with date in manuscript, next-day Fredericton c.d.s. receiver below, scarce and unusually fresh, very fine. (Image 1) (Image 2)

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Estimate C$ 250

Currently...C$120.00
Will close during Public Auction
14 cover   image1854 (October 14), Woodstock to Folkingham, Lincolnshire, England, cover struck with Woodstock despatch c.d.s. overstruck with LIVERPOOL / PAID tombstone and additional transit c.d.s., red BRITISH / 5d / CLAIM handstamp alongside, being the 5d packet postage to the United Kingdom, backstamped Woodstock (14 Oct), St. John New Brunswick (16 Oct) and Folkingham (7 Nov), fine-very fine. (Image 1) (Image 2)

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Estimate C$ 200

Currently...C$100.00
Will close during Public Auction
15 cover   image1855 (October 29), St. Stephens / Paid 6d, double rate cover to Fredericton, with manuscript "paid" at upper left and clear ST. STEPHENS / N.B./ PAID double split-ring with circular PAID 6D struck at centre, reverse with St. Stephen (without the final 's') (29 Oct), St. Andrew (30 Oct) in blue, St. John New Brunswick (31 Oct), and Fredericton (31 Oct) backstamps, small opening tears to back fold, usual filing folds, a desirable example of this scarce paid marking. (Image 1) (Image 2)

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Estimate C$ 300

Currently...C$180.00
Will close during Public Auction
16 cover   image1857 (May 25), steamboat letter from St. John to Boston, with commercial contents, handstamped "10" (due) in black, with a fair straight-line STEAMBOAT alongside, fine.

The contents consist of a letter from the master of a timber ship, John Martin, reporting to his owners Messrs. Wainwright & Tapper that he is ready for sea after finishing loading, the ship drawing 19 feet 8 inches aft with 264 standard of timber aboard, too deep to risk a deck load and requiring pumping twice daily. He notes that the first mate satisfactory but the second will be discharged in Liverpool. (Image 1) (Image 2) (Image 3) (Image 4)

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Estimate C$ 150

Currently...C$90.00
Will close during Public Auction
17 cover   image1857 (November 27), St. John to Moncton, via the "Maid of Erin", small mourning cover, with contents, endorsed in manuscript "per Steamer Maid of Erin with one parcel" along top, very fine; ex "Martimus."

There are several references to journeys of the "Maid of Erin" made during the late 1840s and throughout the 1850s, including a 1849 General Post Office notice from St. John announcing: "On and after Thursday the 21st instant, a Ship Letter Mail will be made up for the United States, and forwarded by the Steamer Maid of Erin. The Postage on the Letter by this Mail not exceeding half an ounce in weight will be 4½d, which must be paid in advance. So long as the Steamer continues her present arrangement of leaving at 7am, this office will be open for the receipt of Letters from 6am till 6:30am: after which, late Letters will be received for 15 minutes." (Image 1) (Image 2) (Image 3) (Image 4)

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Estimate C$ 250

Currently...C$150.00
Will close during Public Auction
Nova Scotia
LotNo. Symbol Cat No. Lot Description
18 cover   image1750 (August 25), Halifax to Newport, Rhode Island, via Boston, folded letter datelined "Halifax 25th Aug. 1750," carried privately to Boston, with received and forwarded notation on reverse datelined "Boston Sept. 10, 1750," manuscript "Bo 2/6" postmark, the 2sh/6p rate reflecting the 7.5-times inflation factor applied to convert British postage to Massachusetts Old Tenor currency, very fine and rare; ex Dr. Robertson.

ONE OF THE EARLIEST PRIVATELY OWNED LETTERS ORIGINATING IN HALIFAX, NOVA SCOTIA.

Halifax itself had been established only a year before this letter was written, with the arrival of Edward Cornwallis on June 21, 1749, and the consequent relocation of the colonial capital from Annapolis Royal. A 1752 folded letter from the Steinhart collection was previously considered as the earliest recorded privately-held example, and was offered as such in the 2005 auction of his collection. A further letter from Halifax from late 1749 is also known.

Samuel Vernon (1711–1792) was one of the most prominent merchants in colonial Newport, Rhode Island, operating alongside his brother William in one of the most successful mercantile dynasties in New England. He was among the most vocal opponents of the Stamp Act of 1765, and was a committed Patriot throughout the Revolutionary War period. His Newport home became one of the most historically significant private residences in Revolutionary America; when French forces arrived to support the American cause, it served as the headquarters of the Comte de Rochambeau. (Image 1) (Image 2) (Image 3)

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Estimate C$ 3,500

Currently...C$1,800.00
Will close during Public Auction
19 cover   image1795 (March 14), folded letter Halifax to Quebec City, with contents of military interest, rated 1/8 in manuscript, struck on reverse with segmented double-circle HALIFAX / N. SCOTIA c.d.s. (15 Mar), small adhesive repair to reverse, else a fine-very fine early letter.

The letter includes interesting military and postal contents, the writer referring to packet arrivals from New England, the garrison and an officer of the 39th Regiment, together with remarks on fleet strength, shipping movements, and local prices. (Image 1) (Image 2) (Image 3) (Image 4)

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Estimate C$ 300

Currently...C$180.00
Will close during Public Auction
20 cover   image1802 (April 7), Guernsey to Annapolis Royal, folded letter rated "1/10" plus "2d" Captain's gratuity and 9d inland postage, for a total of 11d at foot, noted "to pay 2" at upper left, struck with curved GUERNSEY handstamp, endorsed "via Halifax", with bold two-line HALIFAX / JUN 3 1801 backstamp, the year incorrect, some light edge toning, a scarce origin for incoming mail.

The contents consist of a long family letter, reporting the death of an elderly relation, conveying sympathies from an aunt in reduced circumstances owing to heavy taxes, enclosing a draft for Twenty Pounds Sterling for the sister's use and that of her children, the writer having sold out of the Army to become Barrack Master. (Image 1) (Image 2) (Image 3) (Image 4) (Image 5) (Image 6)

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Estimate C$ 500

Currently...C$250.00
Will close during Public Auction

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