Author Archives: Jim Szeplaki

Three stamps honouring Quebec feminists were unveiled Aug. 28 by Canada Post. The packed ceremony was held in Montreal and attended by family members, friends, and supporters, all of whom clearly admired what these unassuming giants of Canadian history accomplished in the name of justice and equality. The stamps honour Léa Roback, Madeleine Parent, and Simonne Monet-Chartrand, women who steadfastly defied the establishment to boldly champion human and feminist rights, consequences be damned. Continue reading →

Electrifying is how the chief describer at Eastern Auctions sums up the bidding at part two of the Brigham and Lundeen sales. “We are still startled over what happened during this two-day auction,” says Yohann Tanguay. “It took more than nine hours to call a total of 295 lots, where many of the lots took in 60 to 90 bids before finally selling to a phone bidder, to the internet or to an auction agent. It was electric!” Tanguay says part two of the Ron Brigham estate Province of Canada sale on Aug. 18 “brought many very impressive results on unusual proofs and covers right across to the major rarities.” Continue reading →

The same polygamist psychologist who invented the polygraph, or lie detector, created Wonder Woman. Perhaps Dr. Moulton Marston had been inspired to create the superhero by one, or more, of the women in his life. In his Stamp Talks this April, Royal Philatelic Society of Canada (RPSC) member Derwin Mak speculates at length that Marston was influenced by the women in his life. Mak explains that the mother of a student who Marston married, Ethel Byrne, was a suffragette and co-founder of the first birth control clinic in the United States. Not only that, the same student’s aunt, Margaret Sanger, was a nurse, suffragette, feminist, and founder of Planned Parenthood. Continue reading →

Eastern Auctions’ second instalment of the Glen Lundeen Admiral collection “offers another dazzling array of proofs and, especially, plate multiples.” “Once again, the war tax section is very impressive,” adds Yohann Tanguay, Eastern’s chief describer. “As a group, these are very rarely seen and many have not been seen in decades.” The 137-lot Glen Lundeen Collection of the Admiral Issue of Canada, Part II, will be sold on Saturday, Aug. 19. Continue reading →

Eastern Auctions’ Part II of the Ron Brigham Estate Province of Canada auction on Aug. 19 features many rarities and material that hasn’t “surfaced” at auction for more than 40 years. “Many of these have not surfaced at auction since the 1980s, to our surprise more than 40 years ago,” says Yohann Tanguay, Eastern’s chief describer. “The second instalment features 157 lots, from proofs, stamps and postal history from the three-pence beaver to the last issued decimal, the two-cent stamp.” In this sale, Tanguay says “the spotlight will be shining on the six-pence and 10-pence Prince Albert, namely Scott/Unitrade (catalogue) numbers two, five, 10, 13, 16 and 17 including their varieties, printings, proofs, stamps, and postal history.” Continue reading →