Garden City Philatelic Auctions is making a notable entrance into the philatelic world with its debut auction, featuring two impressive collections: the Brian Hargreaves collection of Canadian Large Queens and the David Piercey collection of Newfoundland stamps and postal history.
Rich in rarity and historical value, these collections are the centerpiece of the Victoria, B.C.-based auction house’s inaugural sale this weekend (Sept. 28-29).
Auction manager Stéphane Cloutier called the Hargreaves collection “one of the most exceptional” for its postmarks, fancy cancels, and railway markings. Comprising 600 lots, it features advanced Large Queen printing varieties, die proofs, and postal history items. Among its highlights is Lot 23, estimated at $7,500, a one-cent Large Queen trial colour die proof in dark blue on India paper, with provenance from the Bertram and Law collections.
The Piercey collection, spanning 1865 to 1908, includes material from his award-winning exhibit, “Fishing the North Atlantic,” featuring a range of postmarks, rates, and frankings. Lot 720, a 12½-cent Large Queen on an 1869 cover to Newfoundland, offers a rare example of postal history, with a rare “fleuron” receiver marking. The lot is estimated at $750.
Lot 627 features the famous 1929 dark blue 50-cent Bluenose plate block of six, with a Plate A-3 inscription, valued at $6,000. Another highlight, Lot 700, is a mint 1894 five-cent bright blue harp seal, estimated at $200.
Cloutier expressed excitement for the auction, a project years in the making. He and his team aim to establish themselves in the philatelic auction world, focusing on high-quality material and customer service. The auction will be held live via Stamp Auction Network, with in-person and online bidding options available.
Collectors can view the lots on Stamp Auction Network and gcpauctions.com.