A rare Nova Scotia bisect cover is among the highlights of R. Maresch & Son Auctions Ltd.’s two-day live internet sale slated for March 11–12, as the long-running firm enters its 102nd year in business.
Featured as Lot 332, the six-cent yellow brown bisect (Scott 39a) is used on an 1875 cover mailed from Granville Ferry, N.S., on April 3 and addressed to Bridgetown, with a partial April 5 receiver backstamp. The bisected stamp is tied by an indistinct but belonging smudge cancel, with a manuscript “PAID” marking beneath. Despite the light strike, the usage is regarded as genuine and very fine. From the well-known Roberts collection, the cover carries a pre-sale estimate of $2,000-plus.
The sale comprises more than 1,000 lots and includes a broad range of Canadian and worldwide material. Among the stronger sections is a dedicated Jubilee collection featuring varied cancellations, including circular date stamps, Flag cancels and Squared Circles. Specialized first-day cover collections organized by official release town are also offered, along with material from Great Britain and the United States.
Large collections, accumulations and carton lots form a significant portion of the auction, and auctioneer Peter Maresch encourages careful viewing. As more dealers move online, he noted, collectors have greater access to material – but also face increased risks.
“Not everything you see online is real,” Maresch said, cautioning that modern technology has made it easier to alter or forge stamps. He added that his firm relies on its extensive philatelic library and network of specialists to ensure accurate descriptions.
Public viewing will be held at the firm’s Aurora, Ont., offices from March 2–7 and March 9–10. The auction will be conducted exclusively through Stamp Auction Network’s live internet platform, with sessions beginning at 10 a.m. EDT on both sale days. Full details are available at maresch.com.