One of the showpieces of the first part of Outaouais Collection.
Lot 4 Canada #1a 1851 3d Orange Red Beaver Imperforate on Laid Paper. Canada’s first stamp, engraved by Alfred Jones using a very similar design proposed by (later Sir) Sanford Fleming. This stamp has two certificates of authenticity: a 1985 Greene Foundation certificate stating “…Mint, O.G., genuine…” and a 2015 Greene Foundation Certificate stating “…#1a, unused, on laid paper, orange red shade, genuine in all respects”. The gum was removed after 1985 to preserve the overall freshness and quality of the stamp. For the record there is a tiny faint crease entirely in the lower right margin which was not mentioned in either certificate; this could be literally cut away and there would still be four full large margins. This very fine stamp with fresh colour and full margins is a very rare example of Canada’s first stamp. It once adorned the Lindeman and the “Outaouais” collections, and was sold by us in part one of the latter sale in September 2017 for $75,900 (including buyer’s fee). Its new owner thought it fitting to re-offer it at the same time as part two of this lovely collection here, after a 2½ year ownership. One census of unused mint laid paper three penny beavers puts the number at about twenty. Although this might be a little bit low, unfortunately many of these mint and unused are cut into or have faults and some are in institutional collections. It is likely that fewer than a handful of very fine four margin mint number ones are available to private collectors. Rsv. $30,000. Unitrade CV$60,000, sold for $34,000 plus 17% buyer’s premium.
