Western Canadian postal history will dominate Eastern Auctions’ Feb. 19 sale, as well as several interesting Canadian and world lots. According to Eastern’s Yohann Tanquay, the western postal history includes a fair number of unusual and scarce items, including an essay for a stamp issue from the Riel era. The collections are from the estate of Dr. Don Thompson, which includes rarities from the first and second Riel Rebellions, many of them part of his award-winning exhibit. The red stamp, showing a head of liberty with the words “Republique Canadienne / Canadian Republic,” was printed in red without a denomination. It is believed to date from the first rebellion of 1869. There are two examples, one on watermarked paper, with an estimate of $1,000, and one on un-watermarked wove paper with an estimate of $750. Continue reading →
While several earlier Canadian flights carried mail, the 1918 flight from Montreal to Toronto was the first officially sanctioned to carry mail. This rather routine-looking cover is given some flash with the addition of two special triangular cancels.
