Winter 2026 Stamps and Postal History of the World

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Welcome to our Winter 2026 Stamps & Postal History of the World sale.

Lot 352 Newfoundland #C4 1927 (May 20), ‘De Pinedo’ 60c black on cover to London, the stamp affixed upside down and tied by St. John’s machine cancellation with Trepassey split-ring (21 May) below. Unitrade CV $25,000

We are pleased to present our Winter 2026 auction, bringing together a wide-ranging and carefully curated selection of stamps and postal history from Canada, British North America, and the world. Canada and British North America are represented by a fine array of high-quality singles, including a number accompanied by graded certificates, complemented by proofs, essays, and a varied group of unusual postal history, including scarce pre-stamp mail, noting incoming correspondence to Canada from elusive foreign destinations, as well as a scarce Newfoundland 1927 De Pinedo flight cover.

We are proud to offer Part III of the exceptional “Simone Collection” of Canadian Revenues, with this sale highlighting Bill Stamps, Lock Seals, Petroleum Labels, and Law Stamps, including a rare 1917 “In Prize” document. The section is further strengthened by War Savings and Prisoner of War Free Franks, including the rare 1918 25c orange Timbre d’Économie.

Worldwide singles offer numerous highlights, with strong representation of both stamps and postal history of Asia, the Middle East, and North Africa, including a further selection of Victorian India postal history, a rare set of Saudi Arabia 1970–1972 1p–100p Officials in corner blocks of 24, and selections from the British and French Offices in the Levant, among many other notable offerings.

Our Lots and Collections section, offers a broad range of material, from smaller, specialised groupings to large intact collections. Canada and British North America are well represented by many collections offered by issue, including strong selections of Pence and Decimals, Small Queens, and New Brunswick. Worldwide collections include substantial holdings of Great Britain, Austria, Persia, and the Australian States, together with a handsome Victorian-era British Commonwealth collection with many desirable items, offered across several lots.

High-quality online images, along with videos of collection lots, may be found on Philasearch and Stamp Auction Network. Live bidding will take place at our offices in Ottawa, Canada, on Tuesday, December 16, 2025, beginning at 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time, with participation welcome in person, by telephone, or online. All transactions are conducted in Canadian dollars, typically providing a favourable exchange rate for many of our international clients.

Looking ahead to the spring, we will present our third Postal History of the World sale, followed by a further Stamps & Postal History of the World auction in June, for which we continue to welcome consignments. Finally, we wish to thank those who joined us at the World Stamp Exhibition in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, where it was a pleasure to meet collectors from around the world. We look forward to connecting again at WESTPEX in San Francisco in April, ORAPEX in Ottawa in May, and later in the month at the Boston 2026 World Expo.

We wish you success with your bids,
The Team at Sparks Auctions

Lot 245, 1872 cover from Calcutta to Weybridge, Surrey via Brindisi, sold for C$531

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Lot 245, 1872 cover from Calcutta to Weybridge, Surrey via Brindisi, sold for C$531Lot 245, 1872 cover from Calcutta to Weybridge, Surrey via Brindisi, sold for C$531Lot 245 1872 (March 1), cover from Calcutta to Weybridge, Surrey via Brindisi, franked with 8a Queen Victoria, cancelled by manuscript strike dated 1 March alongside rare Cooper 28c handstamp (Renouf Type 18a), this temporary emergency obliterator used only briefly in 1872–73 following withdrawal of regular cancels, reverse showing red double-circle Calcutta India Paid (1 Mar) datestamp and clear Weybridge Station (2 Mar) receiver, light creasing, else a fine and attractive cover showing the short-lived Calcutta emergency cancellation. Sold for C$450.00 plus 18% buyer’s premium.

Lot 335, 1896 postal stationery card from Trebizond to Halifax, sold for C$383

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Lot 335 1896 (September 19), 4k postal stationery card from Trebizond to Halifax, Nova Scotia, struck with two fine c.d.s. of ТРЕБИЗОНДЪ with ОДЕССА (Odessa, 26 Sep) transit on face, faint Halifax, N.S. (Oct) receiver, the reverse showing an English message offering stamps in philatelic exchange, routed from the ROPiT Trebizond agency by steamer to Odessa and onward to Canada, a rare destination, fresh and very fine. Sold for C$325.00 plus 18% buyer’s premium.

Lot 367, 1844 pre-Mexican War Military Letter Missouri to Vermont, sold for C$826

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Lot 367, 1844 pre-Mexican War Military Letter Missouri to Vermont, sold for C$826Lot 367, 1844 pre-Mexican War Military Letter Missouri to Vermont, sold for C$826Lot 367 1844 (April 23), Jefferson Barracks, Missouri, pre-Mexican War military letter, folded letter showing a clear blue circular Jefferson Barracks Mo. (23 Apr) datestamp with matching straight-line Paid and manuscript “25” denoting the prepaid rate for a single letter over 400 miles, the contents datelined Jefferson Barracks, Missouri (22 Apr) in a four-page letter from Lt. I. B. Richardson to his father in Vermont reporting imminent movement of his regiment by water to Natchitoches, Louisiana and onward to Fort Jesup near the Texas frontier only months before annexation, expressing regret at leaving friends in Missouri, commenting on the possibility of U.S. troops entering Texas, and reflecting on the uncertainty of military life together with his personal wish eventually to resign and settle on a farm in Michigan, a fine and complete pre-Mexican War military letter from one of the most important western army posts, very fine. Sold for C$700.00 plus 18% buyer’s premium.

Lot 115, 1870s Bavaria to Montreal letter via New York, sold for C$885

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Lot 115 1870s (December 10), Bavaria to Canada, 3kr and 6kr franking to Montreal, cover franked with 3 kr carmine-rose and 6 kr brown Coat of Arms definitives (Mi. #23y, #24x), tied by München single-circle c.d.s., showing bold red New York “Paid All” (24 Dec) transit and blue “Franco” handstamp, manuscript “1/8” (1 shilling 8 pence) denoting British credit, large black “5” due marking at upper left for 5 cents Canadian inland postage payable upon delivery, with Montreal (2 Jan) receiver on reverse, some wrinkling, else a fine cover to Canada. Sold for C$750.00 plus 18% buyer’s premium.