Eastern Auctions offers Canadian classics, errors and more in May 29-30 auction

Remarkable classic stamps of Canada are offered alongside choice modern errors in the May 29-30 public auction by Eastern Auctions Ltd.

The sale will take place at the Lord Nelson Hotel and Suites, 1515 S. Park Street, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. The auction is being held in conjunction with the annual show of the Royal Philatelic Society of Canada.

The auction offers the Montclair collection of Canadian postage stamps, beginning with select examples of Canada’s first three stamps, the 3-penny vermilion Beaver (Scott 1), the 6p slate violet Prince Albert (2) and the 12p black Queen Victoria (3).

The 3p Beaver is described as “an exceedingly rare flawless 1851 three pence on laid paper with original gum,” with clear to large margins all around. The stamp comes with a 2001 Philatelic Foundation certificate.

For sound mint examples of this stamp with original gum, the Unitrade Specialized Catalogue of Canadian Stamps recommends adding 100 percent to the assigned catalog value. The stamp is offered with an estimated value of $120,000. Bidding is accepted in Canadian funds.

The 6p and 12p stamps are both described as unused on laid paper with clear margins on all sides. The 6p has mostly “unusually large margins, just clear of design at lower left,” and the 12p has clear margins at sides, and large margins at top and bottom.

A key item of the Large Queens issue is the 1876-77 15¢ greenish gray perf 11½ by 12 with the “Alexr. Pirie & Sons” script watermark (Scott 30d). The Eastern sale offers what is described as an unusually well centered, unused example with bright color and impression, completely sound. Accompanied by a 2002 Greene Foundation certificate, the stamp is listed with a $30,000 estimate.

The sale includes many imperforate pairs of Large Queens, Small Queens, Widow Weed, and Leaf and Numeral issues.

Also on offer is an imperforate tete-beche horizontal strip of six of the 1899 2¢ carmine die II on horizontal wove paper with full sheet margin at both ends, a scarce variety of Scott 77. The strip, ex-Vincent Graves Greene Collection, carries an estimate of $5,000 plus.

The selection of intriguing varieties continues with many examples from throughout the history of Canadian stamps, well into the modern era.

Two examples of higher denomination errors with inverted inscriptions will be offered during the second day of the sale.

The mint single example of the 1989 $1 Runnymede Library error stamp (Scott 1181a) is from position 15 of the only known pane of 25 and is therefore offered with the attached printed margin selvage, estimated at $17,500.

The mint 1995 $2 Provincial Normal School with inverted inscriptions is a corner margin example offered with a $12,000 estimate.

The auction catalog can be viewed and bids can be placed online at www.easternauctions.com. Information is also available from Eastern Auctions Ltd., Box 250, Bathurst, New Brunswick, E2A 3Z2, Canada; telephone 1-506-548-8986 or 1-800-667-8267.