The Wolfe Collection 1937-2016

Every stamp collection has a story to tell.

Stamps of the 1937 Coronation of King George VI inspired an eight-year-old boy in Canada’s West. And for the next 79 years stamps played a part in a lifetime of great energy. He went on to become respected and successful in his profession and was an active participant in the theatre, symphony, and opera worlds. Devoted to his family and contributing in other ways to charities and good works, his private refuge was his stamp collection.

Lot 548 1897 $5 olive green Jubilee, deep fresh colour, very fine. A lovely stamp.Here he could examine stamps closely for re-entries, check for perforation changes, and look for paper varieties including tagging, fluorescence and other differences. In this pursuit he made a serious attempt to acquire all but the most expensive listed varieties in mint condition.

The result is an impressive collection.

Sparks Auctions took the time to offer this in as many lots as was practical. This will aid collectors and dealers to focus on an issue or single stamp or a new starting collection of some period. The very large number of varieties offered as single lots and in the remainder collections are a tribute to the decades which it took to build the collection. In addition to the single items and sets there are collection balances within the main body of the auction and an additional forty-five balance and remainder lots at the end. The PDF catalogue can be found at our downloads page here, as part of Auction #23.

The collector looked for and appreciated sound and attractive stamps. Over the earlier decades as these were acquired the collecting standards for gum and centering were more relaxed. We wish you good hunting for the elusive stamps to be found in this collection.

-Ian Kimmerly