Lot 274 Newfoundland #C5 1930, 50c on 36c olive green Columbia Flight, from Position 1 of the setting of four, full never hinged original gum, rich deep shade, a lovely and fine-very fine example of this airmail rarity; with 2001 Philatelic Foundation and 2004 B.P.A. certificates.
A LOVELY EXAMPLE OF THIS IMPORTANT NEWFOUNDLAND AIRMAIL RARITY.
Only 300 examples of the 35¢ Caribou stamp were overprinted to commemorate the transatlantic flight of the Miss Columbia, a Bellanca monoplane piloted by Captain J. Erroll Boyd and Lieutenant Harry P. Connor, who departed Harbour Grace, Newfoundland, with the aim of completing a non-stop transatlantic flight from Newfoundland to England. At the urging of the postmaster, a bag of mail was carried aboard the flight; 48 stamps were reserved for covers posted at Harbour Grace, with a further eight stamps (two blocks of four) given to the pilots. The remaining stamps were placed on sale at the St. John’s post office on 25 September 1930. Of the original 300 examples, approximately 100 are believed to have been used on cover, and many of those remaining of the balance lack the freshness of the example offered here.Unitrade C$ 16,500
We are pleased to present our Autumn 2025 auction, which brings together an impressive array of stamps and postal history from Canada, British North America, and the world. Canadian philately is represented by high-quality singles and an attractive offering of die proofs, complemented by a striking group of modern errors and varieties. Postal history collectors will note highly desirable Pence, Decimal, and Small Queen issue frankings, while British North America includes scarce British Columbia, alongside strong Newfoundland Airmails highlighted by a never hinged Columbia Flight single and signatures of aviation pioneers Raynham, Hawker, Grieve, Alcock, and Brown.
Lot 274 Newfoundland #C5 1930 50c on 36c olive green Columbia Flight, from Position 1 of the setting of four, full never hinged original gum, rich deep shade, a lovely and fine-very fine example of this airmail rarity; with 2001 Philatelic Foundation and 2004 B.P.A. certificates. A LOVELY EXAMPLE OF THIS IMPORTANT NEWFOUNDLAND AIRMAIL RARITY. Unitrade CV $16,500
Canadian revenues are particularly strong, led by Part II of the extraordinary “Simone Collection,” with Supreme Court and War Savings rarities, as well as seldom-seen “IN PRIZE” usages on document. Our British Commonwealth and worldwide sections are equally compelling, with noteworthy Crimean War mail, Chinese stamps and covers, an in-depth study of Great Britain Line Engraved, a continued offering of India postal history, and a diverse selection of first issues from around the globe. Worldwide postal history continues to be a strength, with a diverse range comprising items from the seventeenth century onwards, including military mail, Zeppelins, advertising, rare frankings, and much more. In contrast to our past format, this auction presents stamps and postal history together rather than in separate sections, allowing collectors to more easily locate material of interest.
Our popular Lots and Collections section once again offers a wealth of opportunities for collectors and dealers alike, ranging from small selections of classic stamps to intact holdings and major properties. Among the highlights are a superb collection of Canada’s Admiral Issues, an elegant exhibit of the 1934 3c Cartier, strong Great Britain holdings with plating studies and postal history including a desirable assembly of Penny Reds with Maltese Cross cancellations, a specialised Gold Coast collection, powerful collections of Canada, and further studies of first issues of the world. As always, these lots are supported by thousands of high-quality online images, with many larger lots also accompanied by detailed video walkthroughs.
Please visit Stamp Auction Network (SAN) or Philasearch to view the sale and place your advance bids. This sale is conducted in Canadian dollars – usually quite favourable for our many customers worldwide.
For those who cannot view the sale in person, many of our larger lots are supported not only by extensive online photos but also by videos offering complete views of their contents. As always, for full details on our approach to the conduct of the sale, we encourage all bidders to carefully review our Terms and Conditions before each auction.
Bidding can be done in a variety of convenient ways including in advance via the Internet, live on the floor, by telephone, or through an agent. We are offering in-person viewing before the auction, starting on October 16; please contact us early to make your appointment.
Looking ahead, our next sale will be our December Worldwide Postal History auction, which will feature a diverse selection ranging from Admiral postal history of Canada to early Zeppelin mail and signed pioneer aviator mail. We continue to welcome consignments for our Winter 2026 sale, and invite discussions both for consignment and outright purchase of collections.
Finally, we wish to thank those who joined us at BNAPEX 2025 in Vernon, British Columbia, where it was a pleasure to meet collectors from across Canada and beyond, and we look forward to connecting again at STAMPEX in London, United Kingdom, from October 22nd–25th at the Business Design Centre—please stop by our stand if you are attending!
Lot 1198 Newfoundland #C5 1930 Columbia Flight, Harbour Grace to London, England, Job Brothers & Co. cover mailed at St Johns on SEP.25.1930 and addressed to London England. It was carried to Harbour Grace by automobile, received an OCT.9 c.d.s. there and was then flown to England on the “Miss Columbia” and older Bellanca monoplane by Capt. J. Erroll Boyd and pilot Lt. Henry Connor. The cover is franked with a very well centered specially prepared 50c Columbia Air Post stamp (from setting position 3), of which only 300 were printed, properly tied by the St Johns slogan machine cancel. This is certainly one of the nicest examples of this scarce flight cover, and is accompanied by certificates from Giulio Bolaffi (1963), Enzo Diena (1980) and Fiorenzo Longhi (2017), and there are four expert signatures on the cover (the three aforementioned plus Alberto Diena). A lovely addition to any serious Airmail or Newfoundland collection and a world rarity. Rsv. $6,000. Unitrade $16,000.
Lot 274 Newfoundland #C5 1930, 50c on 36c olive green Columbia Flight, from Position 1 of the setting of four, full never hinged original gum, rich deep shade, a lovely and fine-very fine example of this airmail rarity; with 2001 Philatelic Foundation and 2004 B.P.A. certificates.
