Prince Albert Consort

Highlight #13 — A Last Highlight

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With these highlights, we have tried to convey a sense of the immense scope of a public auction.

To date we have barely mentioned postal history. Among the better items in Session #5 are Lots 1309, 1310, and 1311.

Lot 1311 — Canada #10 1857 6d reddish purple Consort on thick fibrous paper, with four clear to immense margins, well tied by #21 4-ring numeral cancel to cover from Parkman correspondence sent from Montreal AP.26.1857 to Boston, Mass, USA. This stamp is rarely encountered in top quality with only a handful of covers available in comparable quality. Accompanied by 1988 David Brandon certificate. Unitrade CV$10,000.

We’ve not mentioned the better items of France and Germany as well as other rarities in the worldwide section — lots like USA #1 to #4, (Lot 1113); the Czech Music Sheets (Lot 1165); many lots of classic France (including Lots 1181, 1182, 1185 and 1198); Germany with IPOSTA and two Feeding the Hungry souvenir sheets; as well as many better single items.

Lot 1182 — France #21c 1862 1fr lake Napoleon re-issue, lovely example with full original gum, hinged, with four large margins including sheet margin at left, very fine and a lovely stamp in every aspect. Scott CV$1800.

In the British Commonwealth only the Baden Powell stamps have been singled out, but for the first time we can offer all the Victorian high values up to the five pound Orange.

Lot 912 — Great Britain #93 1882 £5 bright orange Victoria on white paper, Anchor watermark, with good colour and a reasonable dated cancel, very fine in all respects. A lovely example of this popular high value. Scott CV$5000.

We have touched on some features in Canada but have not yet highlighted the wonderful section of the 1897 Jubilees nor the great pence issues including Lots 207, 224, 226, 234, and 235 to name just five, each worthy of being highlighted.

Lot 226 — Canada #7 1855 10d blue Cartier on thin crisp transparent paper, unused with well clear to huge margins on each side, showing adjoining stamp at right and very fine appearance but with horizontal crease and trivial corner thin. The stamp has gum, which could be redistributed original gum but identified as regummed in the accompanying 2010 Richard Gratton AIEP certificate. An attractive example of this rare mint Pence issue. Unitrade CV$12,000.

Despite all these omissions, if there is one group of lots especially worthy of being singled out it is the Healy Pass collection of plated three penny beavers. Can you see the famous gouge flaw on the scan of Lot 85? (Click the scan for an even more detailed enlargement.)

Lot 85 — 3d red on medium paper, identified as 2nd state "Gouge", nice full to large margins all around, fresh colour, tied by square grid cancel to mourning cover sent from Toronto JU.18.58 to Hamilton with next day arrival backstamp, very fine. Estimate $350.

We hope you enjoy the auction and that you are successful in your bids.

Lot 85, Canada #33 3c bright red Large Queen on laid paper, unused — Realized $20,700

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There is really no other place to start our account of the good realizations from Sale #6 than with lot 85, the 3¢ bright red Large Queen on laid paper. Local CBC television news was here to witness as bidding opened at $11,500, and two bidders some 10,500 kilometres apart took the price to $18,000.

Canada #33 1868 3c bright red Large Queen on laid paper, unused (regummed) single possessing nice bright colour, full perforations and pleasing centering, fine. Accompanied by 2002 APS and 2010 Greene Foundation certificates (latter one pink due to regumming). This is one of Canada’s rarest stamps with fewer than ten mint or unused examples recorded to date. In fact, from all Canadian stamps with major Scott numbers, only the 1851 6d Consort on laid paper (#2) and the 1868 1c Large Queen on laid paper (#31) are known in similar small quantities. This specific stamp is likely the second finest example (only the original gum example that was in the Firth collection appears to be of a higher quality). Unitrade CV $25,000

The record price drew the attention of CanadianStampAuctions.com, which has provided detailed commentary about this item and several other stamps in the sale.

Lot 85, Canada #33 3c bright red Large Queen on laid paper, unused

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Canada #33 1868 3c bright red Large Queen on laid paper, unused (regummed) single possessing nice bright colour, full perforations and pleasing centering, fine. Accompanied by 2002 APS and 2010 Greene Foundation certificates (latter one pink due to regumming). This is one of Canada’s rarest stamps with fewer than ten mint or unused examples recorded to date. In fact, from all Canadian stamps with major Scott numbers, only the 1851 6d Consort on laid paper (#2) and the 1868 1c Large Queen on laid paper (#31) are known in similar small quantities. This specific stamp is likely the second finest example (only the original gum example that was in the Firth collection appears to be of a higher quality). Unitrade CV $25,000

Lot 8, Canada #2 1851 6d slate violet on laid paper, Mint

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We begin our listing of featured stamps with a true, world-class rarity. While the Twelve-penny Black remains the Canadian classic that comes to mind as the rare stamp that every serious collector of Canada wishes to one day own, the 6 penny slate violet is in fact far more difficult to come by. We have it in this auction as Lot #8.

CANADA #2 1851 6d slate violet Consort on laid paper, three full to very large margins, cut along or just into design at top, fine condition. This is a rare mint stamp, particularly with original gum, and is many times scarcer than the 12 penny black. Accompanied by 2008 Greene Foundation certificate "unused with small part OG, genuine with tiny pinhole at left centre". A world class rarity. (Scott U$32,500, SG £28,000). Unitrade CV $50,000

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