r $600,000 in sales was the final tally for the Nov. 24, 2015 auction sale of the Daniel Cantor Small Queen Collection held by Sparks Auctions of Ottawa, Ont. The first, one day single owner sale held by Sparks, saw nearly 300 bids received prior to the auction and over 1,333 internet bids on the day of the sale, with a busy floor of collectors, agents and phone bidders. Bids were received from around the world, but most were from Canada, the United Kingdom, Great Britain and the Pacific Region. “Virtually every important item sold for far above expectations,” says Ian Kimmerly, president of Sparks Auctions. “We had set relatively aggressive estimates... but 100 per cent of the lots sold, with about 16 per cent going over the top estimate for the hammer price.” Continue reading →
Lot 350 featured an 1877 13-cent pre-UPU registered letter-rate cover to England. It graced the collections of multiple illustrious collectors and was one of the key items from the Cantor collection and is deemed as one of the most important Small Queen covers to England. It sold for $29,900.
