small queen

Lot 388, 1897 five cent non-UPU SQ cover to Cook Islands, sold for $2415

by

Lot 388Lot 388 1897 5c non-UPU letter rate to Cook Islands, 2c green stationery envelope uprated with ½c black strip of six, tied by c.d.s. cancels, paying the 5c non-UPU letter rate. Mailed from Montreal (JAN.20.1897) to Raratonga, Cook Islands, Oceania (Mar. 24 receiver on front) via Vancouver (Jan. 30), San Francisco (Feb. 2) and Auckland (Feb. 26). Rare and very fine. (Unitrade 34, U7)

A rare and exotic destination, with only two Small Queen covers recorded, being the one offered here and a registered cover which recently sold for $9,500+15%.

Provenance: George Arfken.

Illustrated in: Canada and the Universal Postal Union by George Arfken, p.23.
Estimate $1,500, sold for $2,100 plus buyer’s premium.

Lot 48, 1886 pamphlet of Sir John A speech, franked with one cent yellow SQ, sold for $2530

by

Lot 48Lot 48 1886 1c third class pamphlet rate, franked with 1c yellow, tied by a segmented cork cancel, paying the third class, less than 4oz pamphlet rate. Mailed from Ottawa, Ont. (undated) to Durham. This is a 23 page pamphlet with a copy of a speech given by Sir John A. MacDonald (then Prime Minister of Canada) to the “Workingman’s Liberal Conservative Association of Ottawa and Le Cercle Lafontaine” on the 8th of October, 1886. Stitch bound, with a bit of edge wear, still a rare publication and franking. (Unitrade 35)

A truly remarkable solo use of the 1c Small Queen on a rare and historically-significant document. This may well be the most exceptional domestic use of a single 1c Small Queen.

Estimate $750, sold for $2,200 plus buyer’s premium.

Lot 380, 1879 fifteen cent non-UPU SQ cover to Cape of Good Hope, sold for $5520

by

Lot 380Lot 380 1879 15c non-UPU cover to Cape of Good Hope, franked with 1c yellow (pair and single), perforated 11½x12, plus two 6c dull brown, perforated 12 (small faults), all cancelled by light cork cancels, paying the 15c non-UPU letter rate. Mailed from Noel, NS (OCT.18.1879) to Cape Town, Cape of Good Hope (Nov. 28 receiver). With “50” (50 centimes) British claim in red, equivalent to 5d, or 10c. The cover has staining at upper right, fine. Cape of Good Hope is a very rare destination and this is the only known cover prepaying the 15c non-UPU rate, and is also the earliest recorded Small Queen cover to Cape of Good Hope. (Unitrade 35vii, 39d)

Provenance: Charles de Volpi (1966), Harry Lussey (1983), George Arfken (1997), Ted Nixon (2012).

Illustrated in: Canada’s Small Queen Era 1870-1897 by George Arkfen, p.352.
Estimate $3,500, sold for $4,800 plus buyer’s premium.

Lot 54, One cent yellow SQ with segmented cork cancel, double impression, sold for $9200

by

Lot 54Lot 54 Canada 1890s 1c yellow, used with clean segmented cork cancel showing a complete double impression of the whole design. The discovery example and only recorded example of this important and dramatic error. Arguably the best example of a double printed Small Queen stamp. Fine to very fine. Accompanied by a 2013 Greene Foundation certificate. (Unitrade 35 var)

This particular stamp was featured in an article co-authored by Danny Cantor and Geoff Browning published during 2013 in Confederation, the newsletter of the BNAPS Large and Small Queen study group.

Estimate $3000, sold for $8000 plus buyer’s premium.

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

by

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.

×