Lot 285 Canada #MR2B 1915, 5c blue Admiral, overprinted WAR TAX in black, never hinged, bright fresh colour and select centring, a superior example of this difficult stamp, extremely fine; with 2001 Greene Foundation and 2019 (XF 90) P.S.E. certificate. Unitrade CV$1,600, sold for C$2,200.00 plus 18% buyer’s premium.
Admiral
Lot 285, Canada 1915 five cent blue Admiral WAR TAX overprint, XF NH
Lot 285 Canada #MR2B 1915, 5c blue Admiral, overprinted WAR TAX in black, never hinged, bright fresh colour and select centring, a superior example of this difficult stamp, extremely fine; with 2001 Greene Foundation and 2019 (XF 90) P.S.E. certificate. Unitrade CV$1,600.
Lot 291, Canada 1916 2c+1c brown Admiral War Tax, Die I, VF NH
Lot 291 Canada #MR4a 1916, 2c+1c brown Admiral War Tax, Die I, never hinged, desirable bright shade, wonderfully-centred amidst balanced margins, one of the most elusive of the Admiral issues, particularly in such choice quality, very fine; ex Smallman, with 2016 Greene Foundation and 2019 (VF-XF 85) P.S.E. certificates. Unitrade C$4,500.
Lot 142, Canada 1922 four cent golden yellow Admiral, XF NH
Lot 142 Canada #110c 1922, 4c golden yellow Admiral, never hinged, an exceptional single, with large margins all around, a superb example of this distinctive shade, extremely fine; with 2013 (XF-S 95) Philatelic Foundation certificate. Unitrade CV$600.
Lot 121, Canada Admiral Issue Experimental Essays
Lot 121 Canada #104var Admiral Issue Experimental Essays, 1c green and 1c red singles, perforated 11.9, lithographed, with portrait of Postmaster General Pelletier, adapted from the Admiral issue, with design changes including the Maple Leaf being substituted for Crowns at the upper corners, and POSTAGE substituted for CANADA POSTAGE, believed to have been supplied by Stanley Deville of the Post Office Department in Ottawa to Montreal stamp dealer Allan Brophy, originating from two blocks of six that were offered in the famed Nickle sale (Firby Auctions, January 1996, lot 83), there described as unique, quite striking, and an important piece of Canadian philatelic history.
In the 1996 Firby sale, the blocks were accompanied by a letter from Mr. Deville to Brophy, noting “Here are the experimental stamps I spoke to you about. The transfer stamps bear the portrait of Hon. L.P. Pelletier, then Postmaster General, and are an adaptation of the 1910 design. The idea was that the stamp could not drop off if put on by means of a transfer. It was turned down as impractical.” Estimate C$2,500.
