Two pieces of Canadian philately are slated to highlight the 38th Christoph Gartner Auction next week.
Scheduled for Oct. 16-20, the sale is being hosted by the German auction house and features more than 40,000 lots, including Lot 13079, a 1919 three-cent brown Newfoundland stamp (Scott #117) with manuscript “Aerial Atlantic Mail J.A.R.”and six other values tied by machine cancellation “ST.JOHNS 19.4.” to a large flight cover endorsed “per favour Mayor Morgan Aviator to England” to London with a London arrival mark and a “ST. JOHNS 14.4.” machine cancellation at bottom.
According to auctioneers, owing to the cover’s large size, it is “creased with consequent slight defect.” The lot is accompanied by a British Philatelic Association expertization certificate. Described by auctioneers as having a “very scarce combination,” this lot has a starting bid of €11,000 (about $16,250 Cdn.).
Lot 13064 has a starting bid of about $11,820 Cdn.
Another highlight is Lot 13064 is an unused 1855 six-pence slate grey stamp on wove paper (Scott #5). Described as being “extremely rare” and having “full to large margins all around, crisp impression, (and) repairs including a small portion of the right side painted in,” this example has a Very Fine appearance. This lot is accompanied by a 1984 Philatelic Foundation certificate and has a starting bid of €8,000 (about $11,820 Cdn.).
PICASSO POSTAL HISTORY
Lot 27324 has a starting bid of about $110,800 Cdn.
Owing to what the auction house refers to as the sale’s “incomparable diversity,” the auction will also offer a recently discovered postcard written by iconic Spanish artist Pablo Picasso in 1923. Lot 27324 includes Picasso’s line drawing of a horse’s head along with his signature. Franked with a pair of the five-centime French stamp and mailed to Picasso’s agent and art dealer, “Monsieur/Madame Paul Rosenberg 21’Rue de Boetie Paris,” this lot has a starting bid of €75,000 (about $110,800 Cdn.).