One of Canada’s most celebrated 12-penny black covers, along with important philatelic collections unseen for decades, will return to the auction market Nov. 20 when Eastern Auctions presents the third instalment of the Camellia PLC Collections.
The 325-lot sale features exceptional Pence, Cents and Large Queen material assembled over six decades, including significant holdings once owned by prominent Canadian philatelists Frank Laycock, Geoffrey Whitworth and H.E. Duckworth.
Leading the auction is an 1852 12-penny black cover mailed from Montreal to New York, estimated at $350,000-plus. Offered as Lot 176, the cover is one of only six authenticated examples, including one held in the Royal Philatelic Collection of King Charles III. Eastern Auctions considers it the finest surviving example.
Another highlight is Whitworth’s remarkable reconstruction of the five-cent Beaver stamp plates. Offered intact as Lot 80, the collection contains more than 1,400 stamps and approximately 180 covers, preserving research that helped form the basis of his influential 1966 reference work on Canada’s first Decimal issue.
Postal history collectors will also find exceptional material, including a unique 1859 mixed Pence and Cents franking to Germany and an extraordinary 76-cent Decimal cover mailed to Switzerland in 1864. The Large Queen section includes an outstanding mint one-cent stamp on thick laid paper, carrying a catalogue value of $110,000-plus.
Eastern Auctions’ Yohann Tanguay believes the Camellia holdings rank alongside some of Canada’s most celebrated philatelic collections, particularly for their postal history. Many items have remained out of public view for 30 years or longer. The complete story in the latest issue of Canadian Stamp News, released on Oct. 20, explores the collections, their remarkable provenance and the individual lots expected to attract considerable attention when bidding begins Nov. 20.