Four specialized collections highlighting Canada’s classic stamps, postal history and military correspondence are among the featured offerings in Sparks International’s Oct. 14-15 auction of Stamps and Postal History of Canada & British North America.
The two-day sale includes material from the Art Bunce collections of the 15-cent Large Queen and 1908 Quebec Tercentenary issues, the Dr. Joachim Frank Collection of the Canadian Contingents in the Anglo-Boer War, and the Per-Olof Jansson Collection of Admiral Rates & Destinations.
The Bunce collections bring together specialized studies of two important Canadian stamp issues, including stamps, proofs and postal history. The Frank collection focuses on Canada’s involvement in the Anglo-Boer War, combining military and postal-history material, while the Jansson collection examines the Admiral issue through its postal rates and destinations.
Additional offerings include Canadian and British North American postal history, proofs, essays, classic stamps, modern errors and varieties, and collections. Extensive postal stationery holdings from the estate of Dr. Earle Covert are also included, with several exhibits and collections being offered intact.
Among the postal-history highlights is Lot 26, an 1872 cover mailed from Montreal to Munich, Bavaria, bearing a 15-cent purple Large Queen and one-cent Small Queen. The 16-cent franking paid the pre-Universal Postal Union quarter-ounce rate through Britain and Belgium. According to Sparks, only six examples of this franking to Germany have been recorded. Bidding stood at $1,500 as of Oct. 13.
Another international usage is Lot 450, a registered cover mailed from Montreal to Thessaloniki, Greece, on Oct. 8, 1924. Franked with a 20-cent Admiral stamp, it paid the 10-cent international letter rate and 10-cent registration fee. The letter went unclaimed and was returned to Canada, with Montreal Dead Letter Office markings dated January 1925. Bidding stood at $180 as of Oct. 13.
The classic stamp offerings include Lot 606, an 1897 $2 dark purple Diamond Jubilee stamp described as never hinged, with strong centering, deep colour and undisturbed original gum. Bidding had reached $3,800 as of Oct. 13.
Sparks reports approximately 7,000 images illustrating the auction material, with videos available for some larger lots to provide a more detailed view of their contents.
Live bidding begins Wednesday, Oct. 14, at 10 a.m. Eastern time. Advance bids can be submitted through Sparks International’s website, Philasearch and Stamp Auction Network. Live bidding is also available in person, by telephone or through an agent. All bidding is conducted in Canadian dollars.
The auction house is also advising American bidders of potential additional costs associated with importing Canadian stamps. Sparks says it is currently required to collect and remit a 50 per cent U.S. tariff on shipments of Canadian stamps to the United States. Buyers are responsible for applicable tariffs and import charges, although alternative shipping arrangements, including holding purchases for later collection or shipment, may be discussed.
The complete catalogue, images and bidding information are available at sparksinternational.ca.