Lot 326, Canada 1885 registered cross border cover, Ottawa to Old Orchard Maine, very fine, sold for C$718

Lot 326, Canada 1885 registered cross border cover, Ottawa to Old Orchard Maine, very fine, sold for C$718Lot 326 Canada #F1 1885 Registered Cross Border Cover, mailed at Ottawa on SEP.16.1885 to Old Orchard, Maine, crossed-out and re-directed to Ottawa (endorsed “Ottawa / Can”) via RPO (East / SEP.26) and Buffalo (SEP.26 transit) and arrived Ottawa again on SEP.27. The cover is franked with a 2c RLS plus two 3c, a 1c and a 2c Small Queens (tied by three Ottawa Crown cancels and several REGISTERED straight lines) paying a total of 11c (5c registration plus double the 3c rate). Very fine and a scarce franking. Ex. S.J. Menich, Ex. John Hillson. Estimate $250, sold for C$625.00 plus 15% buyer’s premium.

Lot 461, Canada 1877 illustrated Small Queen cover to Portugal, rated 16 cents, sold for $9775

Lot 461Lot 461 Canada 1877 16c pre-UPU cover to Portugal, franked with 1c yellow orange, perforated 11½x12, and 5c olive green strip of three, all cancelled with neat target cancels, paying the old 16c pre-UPU letter rate. Mailed at Gaspé Basin, Qué. (FEB.28.1877) to Lisbon, Portugal (Mar. 27 receiver on back) via Québec (Mar. 7) and London, England (Mar. 21), and with FRANCA paid handstamp applied upon arrival in Portugal. For a period of three months (Oct. 1875 to Jan. 1876) the letter rate to Portugal was reduced from 28c to 16c, prior to being further reduced to 10c. This cover was mailed in the 10c rate period, but franked at the old 16c rate, probably due to the postmaster not being aware of the change, or the sender wanting to ensure that the cover was sent fully prepaid. A lovely and clean cover, with illustrated advertising from John LeBouthillier & Co. depicting drying cod fish, pristine and extremely fine. (Unitrade 35d, 38)

This much-heralded cover has always been considered to be one of the most important and desirable Small Queen covers in existence due to the combination of a rare destination and rate, the rarity of illustrated pre-UPU covers, and the overall quality and attractiveness of the stamps and envelope. One of the highlights of the Cantor collection and a rare opportunity for a collector to become the next custodian of this fantastic cover which has graced several important Small Queen collections.

Provenance: Charles de Volpi (1966), “November” collection (1994), S.J. Menich (2000).

Illustrated in: Canada’s Small Queen Era 1870-1897 by George Arfken, p.321.
Estimate $6,000, sold for $8,500 plus buyer’s premium.

Lot 385, Canada 1888 registered cover with 5c RLS + 10c rose lilac SQ to Manking China, $12,075

Lot 385Lot 385 Canada 1888 15c non-UPU registered letter rate to China, franked with 10c rose lilac plus 5c green RLS, paying the 10c non-UPU letter rate plus 5c registration fee. Mailed from Niagara Falls South (APR.10.1888) to Manking, Chinese Empire, Asia (US Consulate May 21 receiver) via Hamilton, Windsor, San Francisco. Sent back to Canada through Dead Letter Office. Few minor edge tears, still a very rare and desirable cover. (Unitrade 40, F2)

An outstanding registered cover to China with a unique franking. We are aware of only three registered Small Queen covers to China, only two of which have a 5c RLS.

Provenance: Dr. Clare Jephcott (private sale), Bill Simpson (1996), S.J. Menich (2000).

Illustrated in: Canada’s Small Queen Era 1870-1897 by George Arfken, p.386; Canada and the Universal Postal Union by George Arfken, p.74; CAPEX 1996 Gems of Canadian Philately, p.65.

Estimate $5,000, sold for $10,500 plus buyer’s premium.

Lot 385 — Canada 1888 fifteen cent registered cover with ten cent rose lilac Small Queen to Manking, China

The Daniel Cantor Small Queens sales takes place tomorrow. This outstanding cover has already attracted strong bidding interest and will likely exceed the estimate.

Lot 385Lot 385 Canada 1888 15c non-UPU registered letter rate to China, franked with 10c rose lilac plus 5c green RLS, paying the 10c non-UPU letter rate plus 5c registration fee. Mailed from Niagara Falls South (APR.10.1888) to Manking, Chinese Empire, Asia (US Consulate May 21 receiver) via Hamilton, Windsor, San Francisco. Sent back to Canada through Dead Letter Office. Few minor edge tears, still a very rare and desirable cover. (Unitrade 40, F2)

An outstanding registered cover to China with a unique franking. We are aware of only three registered Small Queen covers to China, only two of which have a 5c RLS.

Provenance: Dr. Clare Jephcott (private sale), Bill Simpson (1996), S.J. Menich (2000).

Illustrated in: Canada’s Small Queen Era 1870-1897 by George Arfken, p.386; Canada and the Universal Postal Union by George Arfken, p.74; CAPEX 1996 Gems of Canadian Philately, p.65.

Estimate $5,000

Lot 461 — Canada 1877 illustrated Small Queen cover to Portugal, rated 16 cents

Lot 461Lot 461 Canada 1877 16c pre-UPU cover to Portugal, franked with 1c yellow orange, perforated 11½x12, and 5c olive green strip of three, all cancelled with neat target cancels, paying the old 16c pre-UPU letter rate. Mailed at Gaspé Basin, Qué. (FEB.28.1877) to Lisbon, Portugal (Mar. 27 receiver on back) via Québec (Mar. 7) and London, England (Mar. 21), and with FRANCA paid handstamp applied upon arrival in Portugal. For a period of three months (Oct. 1875 to Jan. 1876) the letter rate to Portugal was reduced from 28c to 16c, prior to being further reduced to 10c. This cover was mailed in the 10c rate period, but franked at the old 16c rate, probably due to the postmaster not being aware of the change, or the sender wanting to ensure that the cover was sent fully prepaid. A lovely and clean cover, with illustrated advertising from John LeBouthillier & Co. depicting drying cod fish, pristine and extremely fine. (Unitrade 35d, 38)

This much-heralded cover has always been considered to be one of the most important and desirable Small Queen covers in existence due to the combination of a rare destination and rate, the rarity of illustrated pre-UPU covers, and the overall quality and attractiveness of the stamps and envelope. One of the highlights of the Cantor collection and a rare opportunity for a collector to become the next custodian of this fantastic cover which has graced several important Small Queen collections.

Provenance: Charles de Volpi (1966), “November” collection (1994), S.J. Menich (2000).

Illustrated in: Canada’s Small Queen Era 1870-1897 by George Arfken, p.321.
Estimate $6,000