Lot 12 Canada #3Pi 12d Queen Victoria Plate Proof, with Vertical SPECIMEN Overprint in Carmine, on India paper, with four large margins, very fine. Unitrade CV$2,500.
twelve penny black
Lot 16, Canada 1851 twelve penny black Queen Victoria on Laid Paper, VF NH
Lot 16 Canada #3 1851 12d Black Queen Victoria Imperforate on Laid Paper, a mint single with large sheet margin at right, possessing full original gum and never hinged, very fine.
Definitely the star attraction of this collection, being one of only two examples of this stamp with original never hinged gum, the other being the “Black Empress” which sold for US$425,000 (plus buyer’s premium) at Spink New York in 2011. The stamp offered here is the “sister” of the magnificent mint sheet margin example sold by Sparks Auctions in 2017 for C$327,000, as it was formerly located just below it on the sheet, and was for a long time the bottom stamp of a famous sheet margin vertical pair. Only 1,450 were sold, and of those the Siegel census records only seventeen mint singles with original gum, plus four pairs.
A first class world rarity, and if you are working on completing a mint never hinged collection of Canada, this is a unique opportunity to acquire what is one of Canada’s rarest mint never hinged stamps. Catalogue value is for original gum only, and does not factor a premium for never hinged which should rightly be accorded to this superlative stamp.
Provenance:
This is the bottom stamp of the Charles Lathrop Pack vertical pair sold as lot 26 on Dec. 6, 1944 by Harmer Rooke in New York;
Robert Lyman, who apparently bought the pair at a Mar. 11, 1959 Robert Siegel sale in New York, and who then cut the pair into two singles;
Andrew Holtz, who bought it from a client of the above ca. 1986, and whose name appears on one of the accompanying certificates;
Arnold Nyman, who bought it from Holtz at a stamp show in Helsinki, Finland in 1987;
Saskatoon Stamp Centre, who bought it at a David Feldman auction in 2008;
Current owner, who bought it from above in same year.
Accompanied by a 1986 Greene Foundation certificate issued to A. G. Holtz, as well as a fresh 2022 Greene Foundation certificate. Unitrade C$320,000.
Sale 45-The Athena Collection of Exceptional Quality Mint and Used Canada
Sparks Auctions is proud to have been chosen to sell this remarkable collection. It is being sold in two parts, Part 1 on Saturday, January 21st, 2023 and Part 2 on Saturday, February 11th, 2023 with both sales presented in a single print catalogue. This specialized collection ranges from the first issues of 1851 to just after World War II, including back of the book, regularly issued stamps, imperforate pairs, blocks and multiples, plate proof singles, pairs and blocks, as well as die proofs, progressive proofs, varieties and more.
Major highlights include an unused 3d red Beaver on laid paper, one of the only two known mint never hinged 12d black Queen Victoria imperforates, a used sheet margin 12d black Queen Victoria imperforate, and all three Admiral gutter blocks of the part imperforate coil blocks.
Just a few of the interesting varieties offered over the two sales are all of the inter-panneau imperforate tête-bêche booklet panes (Queen Victoria, King Edward VII and King George V), “Shilling mark,” “Broken leg,” “Inverted Seaway” (mint and used) and more.
The quality present is consistently very high, as the owner bought only the best from the most reputable sources, with cost not being an impediment. Below you will see a list of the lots with recent graded certificates. Many of the stamps in this sale will not be seen again for a long time, and these stamps are sure to be remembered and referenced for years to come, as “ex Athena collection.”
The sale will be conducted both with a traditional live floor, on StampAuctionNetwork, and we can also accommodate telephone bids.
Enjoy the sale, and good luck!
Auction Manager
Lot 8, Canada twelve penny Victoria plate proof in black with vertical SPECIMEN in green, sold for C$3,159
Lot 8 Canada #3Piii 12d Queen Victoria Plate Proof in Black, with Vertical SPECIMEN Overprint in Green, on card-mounted India paper, very fine. A very scarce plate proof which is accompanied by a 2021 Greene Foundation certificate. Unitrade CV$6,500, sold for $2,700 plus 17% buyer’s premium.
Sale 39 Has Finished
Auction #39 is over, and Prices Realized can be seen on our Stamp Auction Network listing or downloaded from our site.
Invoices have been sent by e-mail or Canada Post. While we cannot usually interrupt our work to answer phones, all calls and e-mails will be returned as soon as we can provide the information you are seeking.
Local customers please note that we will be coordinating appointments for those who wish to pick up their lots, which will be provided by curbside pick-up. If you want to have your lots shipped to you, please contact us.