Lot 734 Italy #J15 1870 2l light blue and brown Postage Due, mint never hinged, with full original gum and fine. Accompanied by two certificates, with 2003 Oliva (Genoa) and 2010 Sorani (Milan), with both their pencil signatures on back. A very rare mint stamp, especially never hinged. Rsv. Scott CV U$14,500.
Month: January 2019
Lot 905, Barnard’s Express Cover from San Francisco to Cariboo, with three cent red Small Queen
Lot 905 Barnard’s Express Cover, being a Wells, Fargo & Co. 3c green Washington stationery cover with full corner card and “PAID” company franking. Mailed from San Francisco to “Cariboo,” this cover is franked with a very fine 3c red Small Queen, tied by double circle handstamps from Barnard’s Express, with another free strike, alongside two matching free strikes of “collect.” Overall soiling and opening tear at bottom right, else a scarce cover with better markings. Rsv. Estimate $750.
Lot 69, Canada 1868 one cent brown red Large Queen, VF o.g.
Lot 69 Canada #22 1868 1c brown red Large Queen, mint with full original gum, hinge remnants and well centered among four large and even margins, very fine. Unitrade CV$2,000.
Lot 1184, LONDON E.C. 1890 squared circle type 3 on stationery card to Chaux de Fond Switzerland
Lot 1184 LONDON E.C. (Experimental) squared circle, a very fine strike of Type 3 (Figure 69 on page 281 of Handbook) dated AX / OC 30 / 90 on an uprated stationery card to Chaux de Fonds, Switzerland, with receiver on front. The Handbook only reports one other strike (dated OC 1 / 91) so this could be one of only two known. Very fine, quite rare and desirable. Estimate $500.
Lot 825, 1933 Balbo Flight Cover to Germany, Shediac to Rome to Berlin
Lot 825 1933 Balbo Flight Cover to Germany, mailed Shediac NS (JUL.25.1933 duplex) to the British Consul in Berlin, Germany via General Balbo Italian Air Squadron flight. Sent via Rome, Italy (AUG.8 backstamp) and arrived in Berlin on AUG.14. Apparently returned to North Sydney NS one month later on AUG.26 (backstamp). The cover is franked with three $1 Mount Cavell (#177) and a 20c Harvesting Wheat (#175), with special blue cachet on front. The Airmails of Canada and Newfoundland (1997) indicates that only 70 pieces were carried from Shediac to Rome on JUL.25. Most of the mail carried by Balbo’s squadron with Canadian stamps were from Shediac or Montreal to Chicago (490 pieces for that). A rare and very fine piece of air mail history. AAME CV$1,000.