By Jesse Robitaille
Nearly 175 lots will cross the block as part of Eastern Auctions’ third sale of the Denninger Collection on Feb. 22 with this portion offering airmail rarities from Newfoundland and Canada.
The sale, which offers Lots 501-674 in a single session, contains “most of the major” Newfoundland airmail rarities, including errors, varieties, overprints and surcharges, according to chief describer Yohann Tanguay, of Eastern Auctions.
“Suffice it to say, we are extremely proud to present this impressive assembly dedicated to the aerophilately of Newfoundland.”
The Canadian material includes pioneer flight and semi-official airmail stamps, including mint examples of two “very rare” stamps, according to Tanguay – the 1920 Grand Army of Canada and 1927 London-to-London issues.
“Very few collectors of the past were able to secure both of these stamps for their collections.”
Altogether, the four-part Denninger offering, whose final portion will come in June, offers “one of the most comprehensive collections of British North America ever formed,” Tanguay said.
The third portion on offer this February centres on the “significant” airmail collection, he added, with virtually all major Newfoundland airmail rarities represented, including mint examples and flight covers.
“Canadian pioneer and semi-officials offerings are substantial with some of the most elusive items known to collectors,” Tanguay said, pointed to the 1920 Grand Army and 1927 London-to-London stamps plus an “exceptional array” of Patricia Airways stamps. “It is only the second time we dedicate an entire catalogue to airmail stamps and covers.”
NEWFOUNDLAND, CANADA AIRMAIL MARKET
The market for Newfoundland and Canada airmail material – the former considered to include the world’s first pioneer airmail stamps – remains strong among specialists one century after the first auction solely dedicated to airmails.
In January 1925, the English auction firm H.R. Harmer hosted the first airmail auction, described as a “day-one” event for aerophilately worldwide. This area of specialization garnered the attention of 20th-century philatelists, many of whom wrote detailed handbooks and catalogues while building specialized collections of airmail stamps and postal history from countries, regions and special “niche” areas beyond Newfoundland and Canada.
“The Newfoundland airmail stamps were at one time, during the 1930s to 1970s, very popular among serious worldwide collectors as they have always been considered the first pioneer airmail stamps of the world,” said Tanguay. “In our view, any connoisseur of classic airmail stamps of the world cannot overlook these fascinating stamps and covers.”
Semi-official airmail material has also gained popularity since the Toronto auction firm J. N. Sissons sold the John Cornelius Collection in two parts in 1971-72.
“This sale offers essentially all the rarities as well as a very large percentage of known semi-official varieties, many of which (the consignor) acquired years ago, some of them the first time we have had the chance to offer in many years,” said Tanguay. “It offers a great opportunity to collectors of airmails to find and bid on that stamp, variety or cover that eluded them as well.”
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